𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒 | h. granger

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Aurora was frantically trying to make her way through the crowd that was gathered around a hole in the wall where Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had just emerged from. She knew Hermione would be walking out any second, and wanted, no,  needed to hold her again. They had spent so much time apart recently. Aurora was hungry for her touch. Ever since she said goodbye on that windy sand dune in south England, Hermione jumping up to grab the kiss was all Aurora thought about. Their brief encounter at Shell Cottage had made her realize how much she cared for Hermione and that she really needed her company.

She was pushing past Seamus Finnegan when Hermione emerged from behind the painting and Aurora didn't hesitate to catapult herself into Hermione's arms, breathing in the familiar scent that surrounded Hermione at all times. Her arms wrapped around her, squeezing her tight. 

Around them they could hear a few awws being said, which came as a surprise since not long ago people had been shouting slurs after them in the hallways. Hermione moved her hair back and kissed her cheek, her hand in Auroras hair. 

"Seems like we have a bit of an audience." Hermione whispered with a grin, taking Auroras hand instead as they made their way through the crowd to the back of the room while Harry addressed the room. 

Once away from most prying eyes, Hermione lent down and kissed her properly, holding onto her tightly. 

"I've missed you so much, Mione." Aurora said into their kiss, a few tear falling at the thought of how much has happened. Hermione noticing her tears, pulled away from the kiss and wiped away her tears affectionately, giving her a sad smile. 

"Come here." she said and pulled Aurora into another hug, letting her cry onto her shoulder.

"I've missed you too, Rory." She said, rubbing a hand up and down her back. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" Hermione just realized something might have happened to her since Shell Cottage. "Are your injuries healed?"

Aurora sighed heavily and pulled away, wiping her own tears furiously. She stood right in front of Hermione, not making eye-contact. "I got detention with one of the Carrows. He crucioed me and I went into a coma." Hermione's reaction was immediate, her whole face changed into one of pain. 

"Oh, God. Rory, I- I ..." Hermione didn't know what to say, but she pulled Aurora into another hug, trying to stop herself from crying at the pain Aurora has had to go through. It broke her heart to hear and see her so broken. 

"You're so strong." She whispered into her hair. "When all this is over I won't let anything happen to you ever again. No one will ever do something like that to you again." She said with promise in her words.

Aurora nodded into Hermione's shoulder, trying to compose her shuddering breath and tears wanting to fall. She had been terrified when she heard about the coma. The thought that she mightn't have woken up stayed with her and made her want to cherish each moment with those she loved and cared about even more. 

They were interrupted when the people in the Room of Requirement began to leave in a hurry. Aurora looked at Hermione in confusion. Hermione wiped her tears once more and took a deep breath. 

"Harry thinks everything will end tonight. Voldemort, the Death Eaters, everything. We've been hunting the means to kill Him, and the last item is in the school. Harry's going to find it and destroy it. In the meanwhile we have to be careful because it's highly likely Death Eaters will be in the school and we have to help those who can't fight." Hermione looked sadly down at Aurora who was nodding with a scared look on her face.

"There is only one fight between us and our future, Rory. One last fight and we'll be free." Aurora was nodding, knowing that if she opened her mouth she would start crying. She wanted this to be over and she was ready to give one last effort, but she was scared. She didn't understand how Hermione could do this without being scared. How everyone in the room had without a second thought left the room to fight Voldemort. Death Eaters would be here, and Dolohov was a Death Eater. She trembled at the thought of seeing him and Hermione noticed.