Hermione Granger and the Time of her Life

Chapter 17: A Key Wand

Oliver was growing impatient. Fifteen minutes had already passed since he had sent the little parchment to Fleur, so he gave up and went to her room instead. He was sure that she wouldn't mind. God! The women take way too much time fixing themselves!

He knocked on the door, but received no answer. He reached for the doorknob and was surprised to find that the door was open, but figured the house-elves had already made the beds ready for the night's sleep time.

"Fleur? Sweetheart?"

He found no one inside. This wasn't weird for the Ravenclaw students, as today was the last day of final exams, and they would be outside, enjoying their last weekend. But Fleur wasn't there. And she certainly wouldn't be hanging around after the plans they had made for tonight.

He glanced at her bed, but his eyes immediately shifted to the window by its side. It was opened. That was strange. Neither house-elves nor students ever bothered to open the windows. It was deliciously warm in the rooms and it was still a little cold outside at the night.

****

Harry opened the door to find Oliver standing there, a worried expression on his face.

"Oliver? What is it?"

"I'm sorry, but Hermione wasn't in her room, so I figured she would be here instead. I came to ask if she had seen Fleur because I can't seem to find her..."

"No." Hermione emerged from inside Harry's bedroom, in her bathrobe. "Last time I saw her, she was still getting ready. But that was..."

"half an hour ago," Oliver finished for her.

"It...can't..." Hermione's expression changed to one of fear.

"Her window was open."

Hermione and Harry got dressed as fast as lightning while Oliver went looking for his wand. When he went to his room however, it wasn't his wand he found.

"Oliver, what's going on?" Hermione found him holding a wand made of rosewood and Veela hair, which he had found lying on the floor just seconds before.

"This wand...it isn't mine."

They both look at each other as their eyes opened wide with terror.

"Fleur!"

Fleur shifted as her eyes slowly opened, and discovered herself tied to a tree. Darkness surrounded the environment; the only spark of light was a magical green fire, glowing right in front of her; but instead of giving off warmth, it was icy cold. It seemed, Fleur thought, that she was in the Forbidden Forest.

"God, it's cold in 'ere," she protested. She had reason to. Her short and seductive attire was in no way equipped to deal with extra-cold weather.

But she had very little time to think about that disturbing fact, for her mind was cleared of all thoughts but fear as she heard a menacing voice whisper out of the twilight:

"Comfortable, I hope." The black-cloaked man turned to face her, laughing maniacally.

"God in 'eaven!" Fleur's face turned as pale as the moonlight when her eyes caught sight of the man's dead white face and reddish eyes. "I...assume 'zat skin care products 'aven't done you much good?"

"Quiet witch!" Voldemort screeched, his skeletal hand taking hold of Fleur's neck.

"Where's your wand? Go ahead, take it out."

Fleur instinctively drew her hand to her pocket; her wand wasn't there. Then she remembered; she hadn't seen her wand at all today. But as she hadn't needed it for her finals, its absence was unnoticed. Actually, she hadn't seen it since...Oliver's room, the clatter...

"I...don't 'ave it."

"Liar! What kind of witch doesn't carry her wand around?" Voldemort's tone changed dramatically. Fleur could tell he was angry.

"I...I don't see 'ow's 'zat iz your concern. I mean, you can just kill me and be done wiz it. 'Zat's what you came for, isn't it?"

"Oh Fleur, for a part- Veela, I must say you're incredibly naïve. If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it while you were still at Beauxbatons, don't you think?"

"What..."

"Why do you think you got transferred to Hogwarts? You didn't seriously believe that it was because some old witch wanted you to improve your 'Eenglish', did you? Oh, but of course you forgot all about that the second you laid eyes on the Head Boy."

"'Ey!"

"It was I who got you transferred here, because your wand is the key to the very thing that can help me get all the powers that Harry Potter stole from me! You see my dear, if I get those powers, I will finally be able to have my revenge against a foolish child that thought he could murder me at such a young age. (AN: Harry didn't exactly 'think that', but we all know how Voldemort is!) Harry Potter will become vulnerable, and he won't stand a change against me!" Voldemort laughed again. Fleur was stunned. It couldn't be. It had been an evil plan all along.

"But...'ze poison..."

"It wasn't intended to kill you, only to make you weak, so it would be easier to make my move, but I found that I couldn't, for every teacher at Hogwarts stayed on guard yesterday. But I outsmarted them. Now, I will have my revenge against Potter!"

"Well, tough luck, don't you 'zink?" Before Fleur could finish her statement, Voldemort had her by her neck again.

"Give me the wand witch!"

"I don't 'ave it!"

All of a sudden, steps were heard on the bushes as Fleur caught sight of Hermione, well hidden among the overgrowth. She figured she had to be accompanied, but at the moment, she wasn't able to see anybody else.

However, nothing could escape Voldemort.

"You had better tell your friend to drop her wand, if she doesn't want the disarming spell she's conjuring to backfire...on you."

"I don't 'zink you can afford to kill me Voldemort, if you want 'zat wand." There was a determined look in Fleur's eyes.

"Oh no indeed. That would be a tragedy. I think I'll do something else."

" 'Ermione!" Fleur screamed as Voldemort made Hermione literally fly to him by wandless magic.

"I wonder what Potter will do when he finds out I've killed his lovely girlfriend." Voldemort sniggered as Hermione struggled.

"Take your hands off her!" Harry's voice was heard as two more figures emerged from the trees.

"Potter. And Wood. What do you know? Two birds with one stone."

"Is this what you want, Voldemort?" Oliver took out Fleur's shiny wand, Voldemort's eyes fixed on it.

"Oliver, don't!" screamed a terrified Fleur.

"Get it then." Oliver threw the wand in the air. Fleur gasped as Voldemort tried to move towards it, but he still had Hermione with him and, literally speaking, she had advantage.

As Voldemort moved, his hold on Hermione tightened and as a result, Harry's gift, still settled on her small wrist, reacted. It burst out in sparkling fluorescent lights, flashing directly at Voldemort's reddish eyes.

Voldemort screamed as his hands released Hermione, who collapsed onto the ground. Oliver approached Fleur, instantly catching her wand and releasing her body from the magic straps. Harry helped Hermione up, pointing his wand at Voldemort. His friends stood beside him, wand in hand.

Harry knew he had to act while he still had the chance. One of them had to die and if he didn't act quickly, it would be his body crumpled into the ground soon.

"Duck!" he shouted, as his wand began to emit green sparks. His friends obeyed, even though Fleur had to use her own body weight to drop Hermione on the grass with her. Harry's mouth opened. It was now or never. "Avada..."

"You won the battle, but you won't win the war! I'll get you Potter!"

****

Voldemort was gone; nobody ever knew why. It was over, for now.

Harry sighed, lowering his wand. He almost had him. The decisive battle had almost taken place. But he had to look on the bright side; his friends were safe and sound.

Hermione stumbled into Harry's arms and kissed him, oblivious to the tears streaming down her face, while Oliver pulled Fleur into a warm hug, relaxing her frozen body. He put his coat around her as he lifted her into his arms.

Both girls rested their heads on their boyfriend's shoulder, thankful that they did not get harmed, as well as liking the prospect of being carried around. It had been a long night and they longed for a good night's sleep.

But first things first....