Senses by Gryffinpuff
Chapter Notes: It's always darkest before the dawn.
-Proverb
Author's Note: I know this wait was terribly long. My writer's block was unbearably bad the past month (I quite literally rewrote parts of this chapter four times). So, now that it's finally here, I recommend going back and rereading a few chapters before plunging forward, just to refresh yourself on what's been happening up until now. How you enjoy it, two chapters left…
Disclaimer: Nothing here is mine. I can't believe the series is almost over =/
A cleansing breeze drifted through the trees, wiping away the lingering whispers of the battle until pale moonlight vibrantly lit the clearing. All was still beneath the misty blanket of smoke, the darkened grounds littered with fallen figures, an all too realistic picture of the ravages of war.
Lying near the outskirts of the forgotten fray was Ginny, her fiery locks fanned in tangled knots around her face, her body beaten and bloodied after a long night of fighting. Her normally bright face was cast in a ghostly pallor, her freckles disturbingly accentuated against the grayish tinge of her skin. She appeared as nothing more than a vacant body, all the life gone from a now empty shell as Harry knelt beside her.
Under the surface, Ginny was fighting a feeble battle against the moonlight tickling the edges of her russet lashes. She'd begun to stir when the harsh din of combat had faded, the resulting silence somehow more deafeningly painful than the sounds of war. At first she'd been confused, the realisation of all that had happened slow in coming, trapped in the fog of her scrambled thoughts. But then, slowly, she'd recalled everything. The wedding... the Death Eaters... a battle... her family...
She couldn't face that reality tonight, the thought of living in a world without her entire family beside her. It was too much to hope that they'd all managed to make it through the fight in one piece. Surely there had been losses, and she shuddered to imagine the final outcome of their fight. Cringing away from these thoughts, she'd allowed herself to drift into the numbness that was slowly consuming her. Sinking into nothingness seemed far more appealing than reality, finding solace in hollow darkness. There was less pain there. Less reality.
"Ginny?"
The sound of her own name shocked her, smashing through the barriers she'd created. Harry. She should have known Harry would find her. She felt her body jostle as he lifted her partially from the ground, entwining her gently in a tremulous embrace. He sounded worried. Scared, even, as though she was but a breath away from death... or maybe she was already there...
"Ginny?"
Harry's voice seemed quieter this time, as though he were farther off...
"Ginny, please."
Ginny's heart stalled, her mind suddenly focused on the sound of Harry's voice. He was pleading with her, his tone tinged with desperation. He was alone, and he needed her. Staying submerged in her protective darkness was tempting, but not as much as keeping Harry from falling apart with guilt. She had to wake up.
With an internal growl she began to fight, forcing herself to rise into the light, even as her body stubbornly resisted. Glimmers of sharp pain began building in her arms and legs, her head throbbing with her quickening pulse. She cringed against the sudden rise in sound, only to realize it was the rasping of her own breathe, the uneven gasps tearing at her lungs.
She choked on Harry's name as she tried to speak, her throat seizing up in protest. I'm here! she thought desperately as she drug her eyes open, searching blindly through her watery gaze for his face. Slowly two green pools came into focus, soft and searching, etched in worry and obvious relief. Harry didn't say anything, just pulled her close, one hand cradling her check as though she were made of porcelain.
Suddenly a deafening snap ripped through the stillness, shaking Ginny's already shattered nerves. She frantically searched Harry's face for some kind of explanation to the disturbance, but he was no longer looking into her eyes. His gaze was now intensely focused on something in the distance, his body suddenly taught and on edge as he quickly lowered her to the ground.
For an instant the world ceased to spin, the very breath in Ginny's lungs halted by the rising tension in Harry's stance... and then the night exploded. There were three sudden flashes of light, painfully intense to Ginny's weakened eyes. Her lashes flashed shut as a strangled cry rang from her throat, her brain uselessly urging her body to rise. She could hear people screaming above her, Harry's voice mixing with others, angry spells drowning out shouts of pain.
She opened her eyes, desperately searching for some answers as another crack of sound broke though the darkness, mixed with mingled shouts of, 'No!' and 'Harry, STOP!' She closed her eyes again when she heard a second crack, releasing a painful sigh into the sudden stillness as her heart sank. Without even looking she knew.
Harry was gone.
Hermione couldn't breathe, simultaneously mesmerized and repulsed by the image before her. The Death Eaters had brought her and Ron to Godric's Hollow. She was kneeling on the graves of Harry's parents, and she was going to die, just like they had, willingly risking it all to protect the people she loved.
Shuddering violently she forced her body to turn, slipping awkwardly across the ground until she was once again facing the circle of congregated Death Eaters. Even through their masks she could sense their expectation, feel their excitement at the treat that lay before them. They were unconsciously drawing closer, battling for the best position, seeking the perfect angle to watch the unknown spell unfold.
As the circle closed more tightly around her, Snape sidled slowly in her direction, his pale face terrifying in the surrounding circle of blackness. Hermione looked weakly into his eyes, unable to hide the fear churning inside her stomach. Her survival instincts were building a scream in her chest, a desperate plea to let her live. She bit her lip as a tremulous note echoed in her throat. Begging would do her no good now. Besides, she wanted to stay strong for Ron. He was probably going to suffer much more than she was, watching this happen to her before facing it himself.
She shivered at the thought, her gaze drifting automatically to find his face, her only light in the all consuming blackness. He was still struggling to break free from his captors, though his attempts were weakening rapidly, his eyes streaming as he unblinkingly stared at her face. She watched his lips tremble slightly as a faint whisper of words trickled unheard into the breeze. Even without hearing she knew what he'd said... he was sorry. And he loved her.
The clouds above their heads shifted, blotting out the last touch of light from the night sky. Hermione kept her face focused in Ron's direction, though he was little more than a darkened outline now.
"We're waiting, Snape," the Death Eater, Hawkins', voice growled menacingly in the distance. Hermione could almost hear Snape bristling in aggravation, his robes rustling the dried grass as he moved to stand above her.
'It will be quick,' a voice echoed in Hermione's mind, so faintly that she questioned whether she'd heard it at all as she turned to face the black figure before her. She nodded slightly, as if this were some consolation that a death rendered quickly was somehow infinitely better than one that was drawn out. She steeled herself as Snape raised his wand, holding her breath as two words drifted darkly from him tongue.
"Exossare Ascendi!"
The ground beneath Hermione's legs began to tremble, shaking angrily, a hollow rattle echoing deep beneath the surface. Despite her best attempts at bravery, she couldn't help but cry out as the earth surrounding her broke and cracked, leaving thin slices in the grassy hill as a strange, white substance drifted into the air.
The chalky mist had a slight ethereal glow, a sign of the magic that controlled it, lightly illuminating the night. It churned menacingly around Hermione's body, as though awaiting instructions, waiting for Snape's word before fulfilling its deathly purpose.
Although she'd never heard the spell before, Hermione was fairly sure what was coming next. Snape had conjured the once living marrow from the bodies beneath her, calling forth the dusty remains of James and Lily Potter to prove her a fake. She prayed Harry would never hear of this…
"Finish it!" Hawkins barked, his enthusiasm reflecting in the men around him.
Hermione didn't fight the tears as they came now, allowing herself to weep in silence. She turned to face Ron again as Snape raised his wand a final time, meeting his eyes as she whispered her goodbye.
"I love you..."
"Aperio Cognatum!"
As pleased shouts lifted from the circle, the white mist erupted into life, two thin streams breaking away from the rolling mass and encircling Hermione's body. The streams glowed more intensely, almost blindingly bright as they swirled rapidly around her, washing away her panicked gasps with every swipe past her face.
Suddenly the streams contracted, colliding with her body and seeping through her tattered clothing. For a brief moment there was only a sense of shock as she felt it sinking though her skin. And then there was only pain, unlike anything she'd ever thought possible, consuming her entirely until she knew nothing else. It felt as though her body was being turned inside out, her bones on fire and splintering.
Her body collapsed, screams tearing apart her throat as she fell into darkness, praying for the end as each excruciating moment passed.
Ron kicked with all his might, trying to release himself from the hold of the men around him. His efforts only earned him a swift blow, knocking the wind from his body as he slumped painfully back to the ground. He fought desperately to regain his breath as his captors dragged him forward, bringing him within mere feet of the place they'd thrown Hermione, taunting him with the knowledge that there was nothing he could do to save her.
His eyes were watering heavily now from being locked open, clouding his vision as he watched her slowly turn, matching tears pooling along her lashes. That was when he noticed the gravestones behind her, the name, 'Potter,' plainly clear at this distance. He felt his stomach turn violently, rolling with disgust at the inhuman men around him.
Shivering slightly, Ron watched her in awe as Hermione looked in Snape's eyes. How was she able to be so brave, even now? How could she stand facing the man that was about to end her life? His eyes began to water again, but it had nothing to do with the spell. This was the last time he would see her, his final memory of her face. Stubbornly brave and beautiful, kneeling before death.
Her gaze suddenly drifted in his direction, sweeping his face as though trying to bring him comfort. He unconsciously struggled against his captors again, a reflex upon seeing that look in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he mumbled tremulously, "I love you."
The world darkened as the whispered words died, the clouds above plunging them into blackness. He felt his last bit of hope and strength fade with the light, his mind a jumble of thoughts and words as the people around him began to speak again. He watched in silent terror as Snape raised his wand, flinching with the men around him as the earth suddenly began to shake.
There were unanimous murmurs of confusion for a few moments; everyone unsure of what to do next, when the shaking inexplicably stopped, its presence replaced by a glowing white mist that rose straight from the ground. There were excited whispers and anxious movements above him, but Ron ignored them all, too focused on keeping himself from being ill to notice anything else. Hermione looked like an angel in the unnatural glow, her face softer than he'd ever seen it.
"Finish it!" Hawkins shouted above him, painfully jostling Ron's body in expectation as Hermione turned to face him once again.
"I love you..." she mouthed barely above a whisper, tears freely flowing from her brown eyes.
"Aperio Cognatum!"
"No!" Ron growled loudly, his plea drowned in a torrent of celebratory shouts above him. He watched in horror as two strands of the white mist began rapidly curling around Hermione, her face panicked as it swirled tightly around her. Ron continued to fight uselessly against his captivity until the bands abruptly contracted, disappearing against Hermione's body as it seeped through her flesh.
For a moment there was stunned silence, everyone waiting for some kind of reaction. Hermione looked truly startled, her mouth hanging partially open on a surprised gasp. And then she started screaming, crying out at though she were being torn apart, her body convulsing with painful tremors as she fell to the earth. Through her shouts there was a loud crack, the sound of her arm breaking as she tore through the bonds at her wrists, though it seemed to add little to the torture she was already experiencing.
Ron began fighting with strength he hadn't known he'd possessed, easily toppling one of the men holding him down. The others began firing spells in his direction, continually knocking him back with throbbing pain. He couldn't think, his senses entirely focused on the sound of her screams, oblivious to his own well-being as he tried desperately to rise. He was finally brought down when an unknown spell collided with the side of his face, his body unceremoniously collapsing in an exhausted heap as blood trickled down his cheek.
"Hermione!" he cried on a breathless shout, shuddering as the sound of her pain threatened to consume him. His heart was exploding with emotions, love and rage almost tangibly seeping from his pores. He closed his eyes, wishing with all his might that he could ease her pain, losing himself in her screaming as his mind went black.
Harry grunted loudly as he leapt over a large fallen tree limb, never taking his eyes off the fleeing form before him. He couldn't slow down, not even for a moment. He had to stop the Death Eater before he let Harry's secret be known.
Back at the Burrow things had happened very quickly. He'd been so relieved to see Ginny open her eyes, his heart melting with worried thankfulness. And then the Death Eater had come. They'd stared at each other, frozen, each completely unprepared for such a turn of events. Harry had been planning to depart in a few moments, hoping to track down Ron and Hermione's captors, perhaps convince them that there was a problem with the other prisoners back at the camp. He didn't know this unknown Death Eater's reasons for coming back to the Burrow, but he had clearly not been planning to come face to face with Harry Potter, dressed as one of his own, sitting in the middle of a body-strewn battlefield.
Spells had been fired rapidly after that, each of them managing to graze the other, leaving bloody gashes in their wake. The renewed sounds of combat had alerted the others, Lupin and Tonks leaping immediately to Harry's aid, firing defensive spells at the faltering Death Eater in rapid succession. It had only taken the man a few seconds to realize how gravely he was outnumbered, cursing loudly to himself before Disapparating and vanishing from sight.
And Harry had followed. Lupin and Tonks had shouted at him, knowing instantly what he was planning to do. Hindsight told him he should have waited a moment, told them where he was going. But he'd acted on reflex. It had been blind faith that led him to this place, mere hope that Flint had been true to his word that the Death Eaters had planned to bring him to a graveyard. A graveyard that would have felt like a homecoming to Harry... he could only think of Godric's Hollow.
He'd landed in a forest, beside a faint path lit dimly by the waning moon. One frantic look around had confirmed his suspicions, the outline of a fleeing figure in black robes just visible through the trees. Harry broke out in a sprint, taking no notice of the branches that slapped his face and neck as he gained on his fleeing prey. He could only hope he'd reach him before they found the others, otherwise all their fates would be sealed.
Vaulting off a tree stump, Harry fired a Stunning Spell at the Death Eater's back, just barely missing as the red light collided with a tree, bringing the startled man to a halt. They faced each other then, wands raised and limbs tense, vying for an opening to bring the other down. Their spells illuminated the haunting, gnarled trees as the moonlight above them faded; their battle suddenly plunged into suffocating darkness.
Harry slunk around the trees, using their cover to block his opponent's spells while he repeatedly took aim. After many minutes of playing cat-and-mouse, a sudden opening came, though Harry would have preferred a never-ending standoff to this unexpected distraction. A barely audible scream lifted through the night. It was muffled, perhaps partially blocked by a Silencing Charm, though the blood chilling pain behind it was evident even through the spell.
For an instant the Death Eater turned, startled by the sound just long enough for Harry to bring him down, his body collapsing with a satisfying crunch in years of accumulated leaves. Harry bolted around the tree, diving straight to the fallen man's side, stealing his mask and wand in quick succession before launching himself towards the screams in the distance.
His lungs bellowed in protest at his speed, his legs locking as he raced up a slight hill, the screams growing steadily louder as he pierced the edge of the silenced area, mixing loudly with other shouts and cries of pain. With a cringe he pulled the mask over his face, just moments before cresting the hill. The sight that met his eyes nearly brought him to his knees.
Hermione. She was screaming without end, her body twisted in pain as a strange white mist glowed around her, illuminating the torment she was experiencing. Above her stood Severus Snape, his wand raised, his back to the others who where trying to keep Ron under control. Harry raced in their direction as the Death Eaters knocked Ron to the ground, propelled forward by the sound of Ron's voice as he cried out Hermione's name.
And then Harry felt himself falling, crashing unexpectedly to the ground with a shout of shock as the darkness around him exploded.
Author's Note: It has been proposed to me that perhaps this story would be better suited for the R/Hr and H/G category. I would love some feedback from everyone about whether they think it should move or not. Thanks =)