The Centaur Clan

Six- The Second Day

Harry woke to a sliver of sun shining through the small entrance into the cave. A strong sense of deja vu washes over him, and he thinks of the day before, when he had woken up in this cave the first time. It had been a little lighter then, and his head had been throbbing so hard that it felt like someone had hit him over the head with a sledgehammer.

He goes to sit up, and he feels someone stir beside him. Glancing down, He sees that it's Hermione.

Her sleeping form was curled up against him, and he remembers how he had fallen asleep next to her the night before. With a jolt he realises what day it is. Today was their wedding day.

But there was no way Harry and Hermione were going to get married to Ron and Ginny today. But, they had probably started to worry already- they had promised to be back on Monday night.

Harry sits up completely, feeling a dull ache in his back from sleeping on the hard packed dirt ground of the cave. Hermione turns over once he's finished moving, and squints. "Harry?"

He shakes his head. "It's okay. You can go back to sleep."

She shakes her head. "No... we're still in the cave, aren't we?"

He meets her gaze, and sees a small thread of hope fall from her eyes. "Yes." He says quietly.

She closes her eyes, and for a brief second, Harry thinks that she had fallen back to sleep. But then a single tear drips down her cheek and hits the dusty ground. "I was hoping it was just a nightmare."

Harry takes her hand without hesitation. "I didn't. I've had to many nightmares now- I can always tell the difference between the dream and the real thing."

Her gaze drops to his hand in hers, and he wonders for a second if he shouldn't have taken her hand. Even though he only meant it as a friendly gesture, maybe she didn't want to be touched- it was the day she was supposed to marry Ron, after all. But she just squeezes his hand softly and pushes a loose lock of hair from her face. "I've had them more too."

"Had what?"

"The nightmares." She says. "But they're only about losing you and Ron. You two are my world." She lets out a defeated sigh. "I wonder what they want with us."

Harry shrugs. "They could want anything. Kill us, exchange us-"

"We aren't slaves, Harry."

"I know." He says. "I just meant, if the centaurs really needed something, and the person who had it wanted us captured in exchange, don't you think there is an extremely large group of people who would fit that description?"

Hermione sits up and lets go of Harry's hand, crawling up to sit next to him against the wall, and he feels her shoulder press into his. "For you, maybe. But me? No."

Harry tilts up one side of his mouth. "Nah, don't downplay yourself. You're amazing- the brightest witch of our age, guaranteed."

A tint of pink grows in Hermione's cheeks, and she's about to respond when the gated entrance to the cave is ripped open, and a centaur pokes his head in. "Come on, let's go."

Harry and Hermione silently agree that it'd be better to listen to the centaurs than to make things harder, so they both get speechlessly to their feet and move towards the exit, Harry in front.

But when they get there, the centaur shakes his head at Hermione. "You'll be staying here. Alexio only wants the boy right now."

Hermione makes a noise of protest, but then Harry is hauled out of the entrance, and the grate is shut on her voice.

It had been so dark in the cave that the sun was nearly blinding, and Harry squinted against the bright, warm light and looked at the camp around him. They were in a small clearing that was surrounded by the thick forest on all sides, and in the clearing were dozens upon dozens of centaurs gathered, talking and conversing quietly.