Stirring Up Trouble

Hermione sighed as she wearily cast another hex. All around her, she heard gasps of pain and shock, smelled fear, sweat... and blood. The battle was steadily intensifying. What hope did a handful of "rebels", seventh-year students, and teachers have? she wondered.

She didn't even have time to contemplate Dumbledore's fall to her right. No time to check to see if he was merely Stunned, or... She turned and quickly stepped over him, hoping against hope he could hold on until they were done.

Now Neville was beside her. An odd light glinted in his eyes- triumph? She couldn't really blame him. If I knew who killed my parents, I'd take great pleasure in administering Cruciatus.

Just then, there was a shout in front of her. It sounded familiar. Neon-green light flashed like a mad form of lightning, and through it... "Ron!"

Before she could fully comprehend that the anguished scream she heard had issued from her own mouth, and before the permanently tortured expression of her best friend had registered in her mind, she had already felt the blood-red tide rising up to meet her and carry her away, away from all of it.

What Hermione didn't notice in those seconds was that the man behind her was witnessing everything- Ron's death, her subsequent loss of consciousness. Shaking his head, he levitated her, Dumbledore, and Ron, shielded the four of them, and trudged off to the hospital wing.

As the man climbed the castle steps, he blinked back tears. The open wound in his arm was throbbing, steadily consuming his strength and soaking the arm of his robes. So this is what happens when one ignores the Dark Lord's summons. Not that he hadn't been doing that for eighteen years now, but with his former master this close and this urgently needing help, his Mark had actually started to bleed. He stubbornly paid it no mind. Must do my duty...and these were important. Damned shame Albus fell. Foolish man to be fighting with the way he's been ill lately.

The man stumbled through the hallways and up seemingly endless flights of stairs. He wished bitterly that he had been assigned another task. Something a bit more... active. Though I suppose I'd've been as much use as Albus turned out to be.

Bursting through the Hospital Wing's doors, his brooding was quickly dispelled by Madam Pomfrey's sharp intake of breath. "Is Albus...?"

"I found him on the lawn. I believe you're the expert there."

Madam Pomfrey bustled about, tapping her wand. "Ron?"

"Gone. Killing Curse." He paced about anxiously, robes swirling as he pivoted.

Pomfrey covered Ron's body with a white sheet. "Hermione?"

"Silly girl swooned when he was hit in front of her. She might have had a bit more endurance if Voldemort"-here Pomfrey flinched- "hadn't shown up in the middle of N.E.W.T. revising."

Pomfrey stopped and glared at him. "Or if her betrothed hadn't been killed before her eyes?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Possibly. Is Albus dead as well?"

"Perilously close. Now, get back out there!" She returned to flitting, flicking her wand at Albus, arranging Hermione's sheets, and generally acting the Hufflepuff that the man suspected she was. He left without another word.

Stopping at the doors to gather the last of his energy, Severus Snape used another Shield Charm and went out onto the lawn again.

***

Hermione's eyelids would not open. It took all her effort to wrench them apart. Another moment later, she noticed that someone very unexpected was spooning a most vile-tasting potion into her mouth. "Professor Snape, what are you doing?" she managed around the oversized spoon.

"Giving you a Revitalizing Potion, Miss Granger."

"Why am I here? There's a battle!" She tried to force her way out of the hospital bed.

"Miss Granger, do remain still." He doggedly continued to force the potion into her mouth.

"Who gave you the authority to order me around?" After a few failed attempts and poisonous glares exchanged, she stood up.

Severus held her upper arm. "If you weren't obviously out of your mind, I would be taking points. You are a student. I am a professor. I am also currently in charge of the Hospital Wing while Madam Pomfrey gets some much-needed sleep. Besides, I doubt you are wanted out on the battlefield, as the battle is over and we have won."

"When? Why was I not informed? Where's Dumbledore? Harry? Ron?" She remained standing, defiance in her eyes.

"Yesterday, you were unconscious, in the bed to your right sound asleep, being interrogated by the Ministry, and..." He searched for the words, unsure as to how to phrase it.

"And?"

"Do you remember anything from the day before yesterday?"

Then, it all came flooding in. The light, her scream, his face... She crumpled to the floor, shaking with silent sobs.