My Missing piece (Harmione)

34.

Hermione awoke, her entire body throbbing with agony, and her eyes immediately fixated on Eleanor, sprawled unconscious. Panic gripped her as she scanned the dimly lit room, praying to find no lurking figures. Each shadowy corner was scrutinized meticulously, ensuring she was truly alone. Slowly, she began to slink toward Eleanor, her hands trembling as blood from her injuries marred the floor with sinister stains.

Time seemed to stretch into an endless nightmare as Hermione inched forward, dreading even the faintest noise that might shatter her fragile hope. This was her only opportunity to rescue her niece, and she had to be vigilant.

Finally, at the far end of the room where Nora lay, Hermione cautiously roused her, causing Nora to whimper in dread.

"It's me, darling, Auntie Minnie," Hermione whispered urgently, her voice tinged with fear and determination. "Don't worry, Auntie Minnie's here to rescue you, just like she promised."

"Auntie Minnie, I'm so scared," Nora whispered back, her voice trembling.

"Don't be afraid, sweetheart, everything will be alright, okay?"

Nora nodded, and with excruciating effort, Hermione reached for the concealed pocket where her wand lay, ignoring the searing, raw pain coursing through her body every time she moved.

As she reached for her wand, she saw Nora's face contorted with fear, causing her to flinch.

"Don't worry, Auntie Minnie would never harm you, dear," she whispered while embracing her trembling niece, her hand stained with her blood. In the background, the murmur of hushed voices outside the door grew louder, intensifying Nora's fear.

With time running out, Hermione focused on healing Nora's wounds, despite the excruciating pain coursing through her own body. Silent tears streamed down Nora's face as she watched her aunt, whose entire body was drenched in blood, working to mend her injuries.

Gently wiping away Nora's tears, Hermione offered a reassuring smile, inadvertently smearing more blood onto Nora's face. She extended her wand to cleanse the blood from Nora's face and pajamas. However, as the voices outside the door grew nearer, Hermione realized they were running out of time. Without delay, she tore a piece of her own dress, transforming it into a comforting teddy bear, which she handed to Nora.

"Listen closely, sweetheart. You must hold onto this teddy bear for me, okay? Don't let it go, no matter what happens," Hermione urged, her voice trembling with urgency. "When it starts to spin, it'll take you somewhere safe, alright? There'll be a red-haired auntie waiting for you. Tell her clearly that Auntie Hermione sent you, not Auntie Minnie, say Hermione, okay?" Her eyes bore into Nora's, conveying the gravity of the situation.

Nora nodded, her heart pounding. She clutched the teddy bear tightly, her small fingers trembling as Hermione continued to speak. "But what about you? I won't go without you!" Nora protested, her eyes filling with tears.

Hermione sighed, her eyes darting to the door. "I will come, but not with you. Both of us can't hold onto a teddy bear, right?" Her gaze returned to Nora's, filled with determination. "I'll join you later, okay?" She knew she couldn't apparate or use a portkey in her current state. She needed to heal herself first, and that would take time. Time they didn't have. The voices outside the door were growing louder, and the urgency of their situation hung heavy in the air.

"But-" Nora began to argue, her voice trembling, but before she could finish her sentence, the door to the room burst open with a deafening crash. Hermione's heart raced, and she knew they were out of time. She hastily muttered the spell, her wand pointed at the bear Nora clutched, transforming it into a portkey. Beck, catching on to the situation, yelled "Expelliarmus!" as he hurled the spell toward Hermione's wand.