The Battle is Over, but the Pain Just Started (Dramione)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

   "Alright, we get in, save Hogwarts, and get out, understand?" Mr. Weasley asked, tossing the lot of us supplies for our trip. 

    "Why don't we just apparate?" Ron asked, gesturing to the brooms that lay in a neat stack to my left. Mr. Weasley  shook his head before heading over to the pile and tossing a broom to each family member. They caught them, and Mr. Weasley took Molly's hand before answering.

   "The apparation system is too risky," he said, "we don't know if Draco and his father have spies on the inside or not. Until we know for sure, we better stay low."

   The mere thought of riding on a broom was making me queasy. I was kicked out of flying lessons for a reason, and let out a shaky sigh as Ron stretched out his hand, mounting me on the back of his handle.

   I took in a sharp breath as he began to lift us higher. Once we reached four feet or so, I squealed, wrapping my arms around Ron's waist firmly, burying my face in his shoulder. He obviously flinched at the touch, but relaxed after a few moments, his breathing returning to normal. It would've been an awkward gesture for me, too, if I hadn't been blinded temporarily by the sure terror filling my bones. We reached higher than I'd ever gone in a matter of minutes, and the altitude almost made me faint. 

   "Hold on tight," Ron said in front of me, "We've got a long way till Hogwarts, so get comfy."

   I barely paid attention to anything he said as I gazed down, feeling swallowed whole by our height. My breathing increased rapidly as we began to fly, and soon enough I was thickly heaving, holding Ron's chest in a death grip, feeling the first tears spring to my eyes. Ron sensed my nervousness, and released one of his hands from the handle and placed it gently on my arm.

   "I won't drop you," he promised, "Trust me, Hermione."

   I let out a shaky breath. "O-Okay."

   Before I had even spoken, he was already leaning forward, removing his hand from my arm and speeding up to be with the rest of the group. Molly Weasley looked about in the same boat as I was, one hand holding on to her husband and the other covering her mouth; most likely to keep from spewing her dinner. Ginny and Harry were flying beside each other, looking comfortable but on edge as they exchanged in quiet conversation. George and Percy sat on their brooms, stone faced and silent.

   It went on like so for a long while, things rarely changing as we approached east London. I cracked my eyes open a little ways to look over the bustling city, seeing it for the first time since Christmas. I tried to spy my flat, but couldn't as the wind brushed by my face at top speed.

   "Into the clouds!" Mr. Weasley yelled from the front of the pack, "Can't let the Muggles see us!"

    Before I could even process what was going to happen, we pulled up higher. I couldn't see the ground below me as I clutched onto Ron's shirt for dear life. I road like that for what seemed like many hours, before opening them at Ron's touch.

   "We're hear."

   I noticed the plains that surrounded the castle instantly. The dark twilight was casting purple-ish shadows across the green, and I admired them for the first time from my new perspective. Hogwarts was approaching fast, and I didn't look at it until I heard the party go silent, and George's gasp from behind me.

   It was dark. That was the first thing I thought upon approaching it. It seemed all light had been extinguished from the castle, leaving an eerie silhouette in the dim moonlight. I could hear distant screams, and I noticed many men and woman standing outside the castle, arms raised high, undoubtedly casting the protection spell around it once more.

   "Ministry officials, I'd expect," Ron whispered at a volume only I could hear. I nodded silently, looking back at the sight as we grew ever closer.

   "Call me crazy," I whispered back, "But this is giving me an unsettling case of deja vu."

   Ron laughed dryly as we approached the building. Landing promptly, the first thing we saw after dismounting was the dark figure of Kingsley Shacklebolt making a run for it towards us. Mr. Weasley met him halfway, and he clung to his arms, eyes wide as if he'd seen a ghost.

   "Did you get my message," he asked urgently, his body going rigged at the sound of another horrid scream emanating from inside the stone walls. 

   "Yes my dear friend," Mr. Weasley said hastily, looking back at the sound with matching alarm, "How bad is it?"

   "Two dead, five injured. Lucious had spies on the inside, and they went crazy when they got in."

   "Who?"

   Kingsley licked his lips. "Greyback. Yaxley. Even a student he hired from America."

   I stepped forward, eager to hear more. "What else? Where are the other students?"

   Where's Draco?

   "Escaped. We made them go through the Forbidden Forest. A few stayed to fight, but others choose to leave. Longbottom is tending to them."

   I felt a rush of relief surge through me. Neville was okay. Still, I looked at the castle with a pit in my stomach. I needed to find Draco, and fast.

   I stepped up to Kingsley, plucking my arms from my sides and retrieving my wand. "Where are Draco and Lucious?"

   Kingsley looked back at me with terror filled eyes. "Lucious has barricaded himself in the Great Hall with his closest admirers. My officials are working on finding all the Death Eaters loose in the castle. Because we soiled his plan on reviving the Dark Lord, he's resorted to killing anyone and everyone to avenge his master."

   My heart dropped. "And Draco?"

   "No sign of the boy."

   I sighed and pushed past him. I made it to the steps before being held back by a hand catching my wrist. "You're not planning on going alone are you?" Ron asked in a weary voice, his eyes pleading to go as I turned back.

   "I'm going to try and reason with him," I explain, "I need to go alone."

   I was expecting him to fight back or protest or something, but he didn't. He kept his mouth drawn into a fine line, ignoring his family who was splitting up to go fight. He kept the cool blue eyes I had once fallen in love with trained carefully on me, and I gulped under the intensity of his gaze.

   "Be careful," he said, "I don't know what I'll do if I loose you too."

    I almost broke out in a sob, before he pulled me into a tight hug. I exhaled deeply, breathing in his scent before pulling back and nodding. He nodded back, and before I could think of any other solution, I rolled up my sleeves and ran down the corridor.

A/N

I'm updating early because I'm going on a trip with no wifi on Wednesday and I wanted to still get an update, out to you guys.

- Sarah