Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.
Authors Note: Sorry for the delay with this chapter. I got ambushed by Gilmore Girls. Anyway, here it is, and the follow up chapter should be up soon. Reviews, as always, are much appreciated. Enjoy!
Hermione was silent as Sirius and Remus helped Harry up. She followed along behind them, numb with shock, numb to the point that tears couldn't even form in her eyes. She couldn't even bring herself to be concerned for Harry, she barely saw him limping along between his godfather and Remus.
The thought of her parents being at the mercy of Voldemort - it was simply too much. She didn't want to think about it. She couldn't bear to imagine it. She just would not let herself accept it. She shut down. She was a mindless automaton, unthinking and unfeeling.
Hermione barely remembered the slow walk up to the Headmaster's office. She sat in the corner of the room as Harry was helped into his usual seat across form Dumbledore. She curled up into the small comfy couch at the back of the room and simply stared. Harry was telling Dumbledore everything that had happened. Sirius and Remus listening intently by the door. Sometime into the meeting, the two older wizards left. She couldn't remember why.
Harry left his seat while they waited and knelt on his knees in front of her. She vaguely realised that he mustn't be too badly hurt if he was moving without assistance, but only vaguely. He tried to catch her eyes, but she didn't move them, her gaze locked on a part of the wall behind Dumbledore. She felt him take her hands.
When Sirius and Remus returned, they looked grave, and she finally knew that it was over. Her parents were gone. Everything she had been trying not to think about, every emotion she had been trying to keep in check, it all broke free and overwhelmed her.
She didn't remember anything after that.
Harry comforted Hermione in her bed. She had yet to say even a word to him since his horrible revelation. He held her close to his chest and stroked her back and hair as she lay there unmoving. He wasn't sure if she slept or not. It didn't matter. He wanted to say something, but he thought that words might not be the best things right now. She didn't need to hear that he was going to make Voldemort pay. She didn't need to hear how sorry he was. None of that mattered to her. He understood that better than anyone.
Her parents were gone and they wouldn't be coming back.
'I was…'
Her words barely stirred the air, but Harry heard them. He pulled her closer and kissed her head. 'What Hermione?'
She sniffed. 'I was going to ask Dumbledore to bring them to Hogwarts.'
Harry didn't know what to say to that.
'I should have… sooner… then they would be…'
'You couldn't have known,' Harry said softly. 'It's not your fault Hermione. You had no way of knowing what was going to happen.'
'I know.'
The silence between them stretched on until, somehow, despite everything, Harry fell asleep. He dreamt.
He was Voldemort in his dream. He was looking at himself in a mirror. The pale, snake visage looked back at him with a pure feeling of elation writ all over his horrifying features. Victory was on the horizon.
'Harry Potter,' he said, 'you really need to keep a better guard against my… oh, I see. You wanted this.' He laughed. 'I know. I know. That rage inside you, it fills me with such joy. We're not so different, you and I. It truly is a shame I have to kill you. With a little guidance, a few lessons in the ways of the world, you might become a great wizard like me, but unfortunately… that will never happen. I seem to have digressed. I'll get to the point. I know how much you want to kill me… I feel it… so I will give you that opportunity. I am tired of these games. I propose a duel. Come to me, at this location,' Harry saw a flash of a windy hillside in his head, 'and we will duel. You must come alone. I promise you a fair fight. My Death Eaters will be there, but they will not get involved. You must know that I do not need them. We'll settle this alone, as it was meant to be. And if you do come, which I strongly advice, I will release your Mudblood girlfriends parents. They will be free to return home, with my promise that they will not be harmed at all. I have no interest in killing two pathetic Muggles. They are beneath me. It's you I want. They are merely a tool to bring you to me. I will be waiting.'
Then the dream was over.
Harry once again lay in his bed with Hermione, awake now, feeling the weight of the ultimatum settling inside him. Voldemort had not said it. He didn't need to. If Harry didn't show up, Hermione's parents would die. Grimly, he smiled, because he had no choice. Now he just had to figure out how he was going to do this, and come out alive.
There was another meeting in the Headmaster's office. It was barely past midnight, but the matters discussed would not wait for morning. Harry told the gathered Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Draco and Ginny all about his dream, and Voldemort's proposition.
After the dream, Harry had woken Hermione, and told her everything. Her eyes widened when he informed her about the fate of her parents. He got dressed as he spoke. She followed him, pulling on her nightgown, as he left her bedroom and entered the main chamber of the Head's dormitory. Draco and Ginny huddled together on the couch. They instantly broke apart when he entered and stood up. They watched as he told Hermione he was going to talk to Dumbledore. As expected, they all followed.
And so here they gathered. Dumbledore listened, his eyes not betraying his thoughts as Harry recounted the whole tale. When he finished, Dumbledore let out a long sigh, and asked, 'and what have you decided?'
'I'm going,' Harry said ardently.
'Harry, that's insane,' Remus said. 'It's obviously a trap.'
'You think a don't know that?' Harry argued.
'He has no choice,' Sirius opined. 'He has to go.'
'I'm afraid I must agree with Remus,' Dumbledore said. 'This decision is foolhardy. I sympathise with you and Miss Granger, but they are lost. We have no guarantee that he will let them go.'
'That's my parents you're talking about!' Hermione yelled.
'Do you want to lose Harry as well as your parents?' Dumbledore asked her softly, with great sadness in his aged eyes.
Hermione fell silent and bowed her head.
'It doesn't matter,' Harry said, steely voiced, 'because I'm going, whether you agree with my decision or not. This is my fight. Hermione's parents are in trouble because of me. I can't just do nothing. You're probably right. No doubt it's a trap. But maybe I can still win.'
'How?' Dumbledore asked, looking over his interlocked fingers.
'I'll release my power,' Harry said. 'I don't have to worry about hurting anyone. I'll be out in the middle of nowhere. And the only people there will be ones I don't mind hurting.'
'And the Grangers?'
'I don't think Voldemort cares one whit what happens to them,' Harry said. 'They're just the bait. I'm pretty sure he'll let them go without a fuss.'
'I don't like it,' Dumbledore said, shaking his head. 'Pretty sure does not allay my worries. It's too risky.'
'So let's tip the scales our way,' Draco spoke for the first time. 'Voldemort won't play by the rules. Why in the name of Merlin's balls should we?'
'And what do you propose Mister Malfoy?' Dumbledore asked, turning to face the silver haired wizard.
'We have Harry's Invisibility Cloak,' Draco said, 'so we should use that. It's one of our biggest advantages. I'll go with Harry, under the cloak, and watch the situation. When things start to heat up, I'll call for back up.'
'How?'
Draco unbuttoned his shirt and exposed the charmed pendant. 'This pendant isn't just for show. Ginny has the twin around her neck. When we need to see each other, all we have to do is take hold of the pendant, and say the others name. The twin will start to glow and burn. That's how I'll send the signal.'
'It won't work,' Remus pointed out. 'Voldemort will have anti-apparition wards placed around the entire area. Once Harry gets through, they'll be closed so tight we'll never get through, no matter how much you signal us. It's a good plan, but with those wards, I just don't see it working.'
Everyone fell silent for a moment as they all took in this bit of unfortunate news, each trying to think of a compromise.
'I can break the wards.'
Every single eye in the room turned to face Hermione. She didn't blanche. This time she was going to do her part. She wasn't just going to sit on the sidelines this time. She wasn't a fighter, but she could still help. She was going to prove that. And she was going to save her parents!
'I can break them,' she repeated. 'I'll go in Draco's stead. I'll break them and then signal for back up.'
'You're sure you can do this?' Dumbledore asked, very serious.
'I am,' Hermione replied.
Dumbledore thought for a moment. 'Very well,' he eventually said, 'I will call every single member of the Order here. Tonight we will strike at Voldemort. Everyone go and prepare.'
'Dumbledore,' Harry said, as everyone except Hermione went to leave.
'Yes Harry?'
'Wake up Neville Longbottom,' Harry said. 'I want him involved in this attack.'
'Very well,' Dumbledore said, trusting Harry's judgement.
Harry thought for a moment. 'Ron Weasley as well,' he said.
Dumbledore nodded.
'Harry?' Hermione got his attention, putting her hand on his arm. He looked at her questioningly. 'Harry, are you okay with this? My being involved, I mean. I'm going to be in the middle of all this…' she trailed off provokingly.
'I don't like it,' Harry admitted, 'but I'm okay with it. This is your parents' we're talking about. I understand that nothing I say or do will keep you away. You deserve the chance to help save them.'
'Thank you Harry,' Hermione said, and stood on tiptoe to kiss him.
Harry appeared on the windy hillside, apparently alone, the great gusts of wind blowing his cloak about him wildly. He held Dumbledore's wand in hand and stared across the grassy fields towards Voldemort's camp. The sky was dark and cloudy, morning coming slowly on the horizon, rising with the sun.
Harry walked forwards slowly, into the midst of the enemy.
Voldemort's Death Eaters congregated in groups, most wearing their characteristic black robes and skull masks, wands in hands. Voldemort waited for him at the far side of the gathering.
Harry walked through the crowd as if unafraid. He looked around as he passed the groups, seeing a few uncovered familiar faces on either side of him, none of them friendly. Blaise Zabini held his skull mask in his free hand. He grinned with anticipation as Harry passed him and licked his lips mockingly.
Voldemort was seated on a stone throne that rose out of the ground like a pyramid. He rose from his throne as Harry closed the distance. They stood before each other silently at first, Harry looking up into the taller wizards ghastly face. Then Voldemort stretched his arms out and said, 'Welcome Harry Potter.'
The Death Eaters laughed.
'Alright,' Harry said calmly, 'I'm here. Release the Grangers.'
'Why of course,' Voldemort said, and snapped his long pale fingers.
Two figures were shoved forwards through the crowds of gathered black cloaks. They fell to their knees in front of Harry. Mrs. Granger let out a gasp of surprise as her eyes found Harry. 'What's going on?' Mr. Granger roared, turning his head every which way, his eyes blind and white. A few of the Death Eaters chuckled.
'What did you do?' Harry asked through his teeth, staring at Mr. Granger, appalled.
'Oh, I'm afraid my presence terrified him so much he went blind,' Voldemort said calmly, his lips curling into what passed for a smile. The Death Eater all laughed this time.
Harry narrowed his eyes at Voldemort.
Voldemort stared back with his placid smile. 'In truth, the male Muggle demanded to be released, and said he never wanted to see me again. Of course, I couldn't grant his first request, but the second, that one was easy.' Voldemort kept eye contact with Harry and smiled wider as he read Harry's murderous thoughts.
Harry clenched his fists into balls and looked down at the ground, to hide his eyes from Voldemort. He preyed that Hermione had stayed out of the fray and that she didn't know that her father had been blinded. He needed her to be on the top of her game.
'Harry?' Mrs. Granger whispered, staring at him with bloodshot eyes.
'Yeah,' Harry said, looking into her face with an even expression. 'It's me.' Harry turned to face Voldemort again. 'So, I'm here, now let them go.'
'No, you didn't!' Mrs. Granger cried out.
'It's fine,' Harry said, glancing back at her. 'Trust me, I can handle myself.'
'You're just a boy,' she sobbed.
'I stopped being a boy the day I found out he killed my parents,' Harry said, looking back with steely eyes to Voldemort.
Voldemort laughed. 'Still holding a grudge? You know, they didn't need to die. If they had only stepped aside…'
'You think I care?' Harry said. 'It's done. Now are you a man of your word or not?'
Voldemort gestured to the Grangers. 'They are free to go,' he said.
Harry stepped forward to help Mr. Granger up. 'This is all your fault,' Mr. Granger hissed, gripping Harry's arms.
'You can castrate me later,' Harry said. 'Mrs. Granger, get your husband out of here. Take this,' he said, reaching into his pocket and handing her an empty coke bottle, 'and keep walking. Make sure you are both holding it. In about five, maybe ten minutes, you should be transported to a safe place. But you must make sure you both hold it at all times. Do you understand?'
'Yes,' Mrs. Granger said, taking the bottle. 'Thank you Harry.'
'Just go,' Harry said.
Harry, Voldemort, and the rest of the Death Eaters watched as the Grangers left in a shuffling walk. Mrs. Granger had to hold up her husband. When they had disappeared down the other side of the hill. Harry turned back to face Voldemort. He held up his borrowed wand. 'So, shall we do this?'
Voldemort gestured to the wand. 'A new wand?'
'Dumbledores,' Harry said, smirking.
Voldemort laughed. 'I suppose he thinks this fitting.'
'The idea does have a certain amount of poetry to it,' Harry replied.
Voldemort began to descend from his stone throne. He waved his wand, not casting a spell, but just to signify that the duel was beginning. The Death Eaters all started to move back to give them room.
Harry prepared himself.
Hermione had indeed stayed away from the thick of Death Eaters. She could do her job from back here, away from the crowd. The idea of being in the middle of all those Death Eaters terrified her. She didn't know if she would be able to concentrate on undoing the wards if she entered the enemy's camp. It was better to remain here.
The wards had been erected as soon as Harry and Hermione arrived. She had felt them settle around her, thick like sticky pudding. She started to doubt her ability to pull this off as Harry walked away from her into the camp, but nevertheless she concentrated underneath the Indivisibility Cloak, her wand tracing the air as she tried to find a weak spot.
Hermione had noticed her parents come stumbling out of camp, and she wanted desperately to go after them, to assure herself that they were really okay, but she knew she couldn't. Her parents might be safe, but now because of that, Harry was in grave danger. He needed her.
Focus Hermione, she thought to herself, biting on her bottom lip. You can do this. You have to!
Except, she didn't know if she could.