What You've Done

The Last Time

“Mummy.” Seth whispered under his voice as he cried into his shoulder.

A look of wonder crossed Hermione’s face as she gazed down at her child, it was a word that she had felt she would not hear again as long as she did. Her small children that she could cuddle and tuck into bed were long since gone, grown up and moved on to become bigger and better things but it was for moments like this, when everything seemed happy and perfect, it was for moments when Hermione felt everything was worth it.

She hugged him closer to her, as she collapsed down to the floor, pulling his crying, fragile body towards her as she rocked him gently in her arms. Randall stood over Hermione, surveying the scene with his usual, critical, gaze before he placed a soft hand onto her shoulder and, leaning precariously on his cane as he bent over, he brought his ear to hers. 

“Prepare yourself Mrs Malfoy, this is far from over.” He warned her before straightening himself up back to his stance that requested full respect from all those that viewed him.

A flicker of emotion, fear, flicked across Hermione’s face, pain, and she grabbed Seth’s hand, fear, and rose slowly to her feet, determination, as she turned to face her enemies, loyalty, with dark eyes and a firm-set expression, hate. She was a woman of many emotions and all of those that were strongest today showed that of a woman of high upbringing, a woman that should be placed above all others for her sense of responsibility and care for others.

She pulled Seth behind her slowly as she got into line with Randall, her eyes once more meeting Draco’s across the room as she nodded to him showing him that she was okay, that she was ready.

The Death Eaters were yet to move since their newly-chosen leader had fled from their midst, returning to his beloved mother. It was as if they were all partaking in a conversation that could not be heard by anyone excluding themselves and, for a few moments, Hermione considered whether this was actually a possibility, she had never heard of anything like it to be used by humans but she could not deny that it would be an incredibly useful spell for those which do not want their thoughts to be heard; the Death Eaters.

There was a half-second pause and then they all moved as one, drawing their wands as if they were participating in a detailed dance routine requiring complete concentration. Their wands were raised in sync, their eyes never trembling, their gazes focused on those that were their enemies: Draco, Hermione, Randall, McGonagall and Seth.

A cry of alarm arose from Hermione’s throat as she threw her arm high, forming a shield between herself, Randall and Seth and she could only hope that Draco did the same despite not having the early warning that she had been presented with from Randall.

Speaking of Randall, she let her gaze flicker towards him for a few seconds, noticing how he was stood there with his eyes closed gently, his face void of emotion as he appeared to be concentration on something other than the situation at hand.

A sigh escaped her lips as she realised that she’d have to protect him in addition to retaining a watch over Seth and herself. Sliding closer, she regained her defensive manoeuvre before Randall so that she was protecting the three of them; the one thing on her mind was her son and how much he meant to her, what he had been through and how she wanted nothing more than to take him home and to help him to forget this all.

Seth cowered behind his Mother; the figures before him, that had once seemed so helpful and rewarding to Seth, now were intimidating and scared Seth more than he had ever been before.

From where Draco was stood at the far side of the room, he could not see Hermione through the smoke that had been created using a well-placed incendio spell. He was forced to back away from the Death Eaters, away from his wife and child, slowly as the smoke spread out threatening to swarm him to a point where he could barely see the cast spells until seconds before they appeared before him.