Hermione gently nudged Draco awake. Not meaning to, they had fallen asleep in eachothers arms.
"We need to go,"she whispered. "We have classes this morning". She stood up.
"No, Hermione, please don't go yet,"Draco said scrambling up so he was standing up too. "I can't believe this'll be the last time... last time that we're..."
"Draco,"Hermione said looking into his eyes. "Don't make this harder then it has to be. You've made your choice. Good-bye Draco Malfoy." She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "I'll miss you,"she whispered. Thens he turned on her heel and left the bushes, where they were sitting.
Hermione hurried up the steps to the front door, biting her lip. She couldn't cry... she wouldn't. She passed a few people in the hall but ran right past them. She continued to run until she arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Pickled Toad,"Hermione said. The portrait flung open and Hermione rushed into the Common Room. Harry and Ron were sitting on the couch.
"Hermione..."Harry began.
"Hi guys,"Hermione said, still biting her lip. "I'll be right down. Just got to get my books." She raced across the Common Room and flew up the steps to her dormitory. It was empty, as most people were already downstairs eating breakfast. Her legs were shaking again and she felt dizzy. She flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. Not going to cry, she told herself. Not going to cry. Her eyes and nose started to sting.
"NOT GOING TO CRY!" she screamed outloud. But that just made it worse. The stinging became unbearable. The tears started to fall. Big fat tears that rolled down her face. No, Hermione told herself. He picked evil over me. He's not worth it. She wiped away her tears, jumped off the bed and opened her trunk so she could get dressed. As she was searching for a shirt her hand bumped up against a dark blue velvet box. She knew it contained a small silver bracelet. It seemed to be calling to her. It wanted her to open it, to feel the cold silver between her fingers. Hermione pushed it out of the way, and continued to get dressed.
The next few days were not as difficult as Hermione imagined it might be. Hermione knew Draco was constantly trying to catch her eye. She wouldn't let him. The one time she had to get something from him in Charms, and their hands brushed she simply said, "Thanks", and continued what she was doing. Harry and Ron definitely noticed the change. It was back to normal. Well, nearly. The one time Ron brought something up about Draco, Hermione shrugged it off and changed the subject. Ron and Harry could both tell Hermione was very sensitive about it.
The last part of the school year went by very quickly. Although horrible things were still going on with Voldemort, and he now had some of his most faithful followers with him again, Harry, Ron and Hermione felt unusually calm. Their end of year tests went very well. Hermione, ofcourse, came out top of their year. Harry and Ron both got by with passing marks. Draco Malfoy, was not bothering them. Not once did he say something about Ron's family, or Harry's scar, or Hermione's parents. Things, inside Hogwarts for once, felt almost at peace.
"It's going to rain tonight,"Hermione complained. "Summer's about to start and it's going to rain." And indeed it did look like it was going to rain. Dark rain clouds covered all of the night sky so you couldn't even see one star. Ron yawned.
"I'm tired."
"Me too,"Hermione agreed. They both looked at Harry. Harry was sitting staring out the window.
"Harry. Is something wrong?"Hermione asked. Harry looked at them for a moment and was about to open his mouth to say something when he yelled out in pain. He grabbed his scar and sunk back into the chair he was sitting in. Hermione and Ron both ran over to him.
"Harry? Mate what's wrong?"Ron said shaking him slightly. Harry was breathing deeply. He had his eyes closed. Eventually his eyelids opened.
"I saw him,"Harry was still gasping for air. "He said something about his plan... and that it was going to happen soon... I saw Voldemort..." Ron flinched at the sound of his name. Hermione looked at Harry fearfully.
"You should get some sleep Harry,"Hermione whispered.
"But,"said Ron."Shouldn't we worry about this?" Hermione shrugged.
"Dumbledore said that Harry would frequently see things that Voldemort is doing at the time."
"I want to go to bed,"Harry delcared. He stood up, walked across the common room, and up the stairs to his dormitory. Hermione and Ron watched him go.
"Keep your eye on him Ron. Good-night." She stood up and walked towards her dormitory too. Five minutes later Ron did the same. It seemed, Ron thought, that the peace they had felt for a while now, had been shattered.
* * * *
"Harry! Harry wake up!" Harry was being shaken awake by unfamiliar hands. He had been in a deep sleep, so it took him awhile to realise what was happening. He reached for his glasses on his bed side table and felt someone pushing them into his hands. Harry sat up in bed and slid his glasses on. The person who had woken him up was Professor Dumbledore. His eyes were wide open with an expression Harry had never really seen in them before. The expression was fear.
"Harry," Dumbledore said quickly. "He's here. Lord Voldemort is here." Harry did react first. He simply sat in his bed staring at the tall man with his long beard, still in him night clothes. This is some twisted joke, Harry thought. Harry was about to laugh and ask what he was really here for when he looked in Professor Dumbledore's eyes again. The fear.
"What.... how... what are we.."Harry tried to say something but found he couldn't. He was slowly filling up with fear and dread.
"You must come with me,"Dumbledore announced.
"I'm coming too," said a voice from the bed on Harry's right. Ron's voice.
"No Ron! I can't put you in danger!" Professor Dumbledore said. He was trying to pull Harry out of his bed. Harry was trying to find his wand. Ron already had his wand and was standing in front of Dumbledore. Althought Ron was tall, he barely reached Professor Dumbledore's shoulders.
"I'm coming,"Ron said. Suddenly there was a loud bang and Hermione stumbled into the room. She had changed and had her wand at the ready.
"I'm ready,"she cried. Dumbledore was about to say something but at that moment Harry had found his wand.
"Let's go."
Scared faces were all over the common room. Everyone was crying as far as Harry could tell. They all looked at Professor Dumbledore.
"Stay in your dormitory,"he said. "It's the safest place to be. I'll come for you when it's ok to come out." Everyone stayed silent as Harry, Hermione, Ron and Dumbledore exited the common room. As they walked down the staircases, Harry made himself not look out the windows, afraid of what he may see. As they entered the main hall Professor McGonagall ran out from the dungeons and up to them.
"They're advancing quickly,"she said, fear in her eyes. "I've contacted everyone. They're coming." Dumbledore nodded and turned so he was facing the three sixteen year-olds.
"Noone's forcing you to fight,"he said to them, though he was looking Harry in the eyes. "There's a chance you may not be returning. You know that right?" There was a loud bang from outside and Hermione whimpered.
"I'm going,"she said.
"So am I," Ron said.
"Are the other members coming?" Harry asked. Dumbledore nodded. Harry took a deep breath then nodded.
"Let's go."
Never in the three teenagers nightmares had they seen anything like this. A long line of more then 60, dark hooded shapes, were advancing on the castle slowly, blasting things out of their way. In the exact middle of the line, stood Lord Voldemort. He looked almost exactly as Harry remembered him from last year, though now he seemed to have a certain hunger in his eyes. He wants to kill me, Harry thought. He's going to do whatever he can to kill me. As the huge oak doors started to shut Dumbledore stepped protectively infront of the three. It was very dark, as it must have been one in the morning, but Harry could make out other figures standing close to them. He could see Professor Snape, wand at the ready, with Professor Flitwick next to him. Most of the teachers were there, and other shapes were coming too. Some from Hogsmeade, and some seemed to come out of thin air. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped slightly. He turned around to see Remus Lupin.
"Be careful Harry," Remus said quietly. Behind Remus stood Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley and the twins. Behind them stood many other people Harry didn't recognise. They were all mostly staring at him though, with their wands ready. It was pretty even Harry thought, but the other side, Lord Voldemort's side, had more people. The line was still advancing, quickening their pace now. Dumbledore turned around.
"Good luck," he said. He then turned back around and started running forward. Everyone around Harry, Hermione and Ron ran too. Lord Voldemort's line stood still. Harry was about to start running when Hermione blocked his way. She hugged him, her arms around his neck.
"Harry," she whispered in his ear. "Please be careful. Please." She kissed him on the cheek and turned so she could hug Ron. They all looked at eachother, then simultaneously ran forward too.
The battle had begun.