Latrunculus--Part 2

It was his worst nightmare come true. Draco had his wand pointed at a wandless Hermione. He was too far away to do anything.

He called her name. She was turning toward him. Draco’s lips moved and light erupted from his wand. The light briefly blinded him but he could clearly hear Hermione’s scream.

The light soon faded. Hermione was sprawled on the ground, not moving. Draco flashed a triumphant smirk in his direction. Before Ron could even begin a single curse, the other man was gone.

All thoughts of Draco Malfoy vanished with him as Ron immediately shifted his focus to Hermione. He begged her to open her eyes as he checked her for any obvious injuries. She was so still that she was barely breathing.

He tried to dampen the rush of emotions going through him. His Auror training helped. But this was Hermione, his Hermione.

Begging her to stay with him, he swept her up into his arms. He prayed he could get them to St. Mungo’s in one piece.

* * * * *

The sudden arrival of Auror Ronald Weasley with an unconscious Hermione Granger in the main lobby of St. Mungo’s caused quite a commotion. The formerly unflappable receptionist stared at them with wide eyes. Then she fumbled with something on her desk.

An older mediwizard suddenly appeared. “What happened?”

“She was cursed. I don’t which spell.”

“And she has been unconscious the whole time?”

Ron nodded. “But it just happened.”

“Did you see the wand light that hit her? What color was it?”

“Red. Deep red. Almost burgundy.” Ron knew that he would have nightmares about that damn light for months, if not years.

The other wizard made a move to take Hermione from Ron. Ron hesitated a moment before relenting. “We’ll do all we can, Mr. Weasley. Someone will come as soon as you can see her.”

Ron could only watch as Hermione was taken away. Then all the emotions he had been holding back hit him. He wanted to weep. He wanted to scream. He wanted to tear something, anything to shreds with his bare hands.

But he held himself in check. There would be time for that later. He had business to do.

He used one of the hospital owls to send a message to Harry and his family. He knew that they would come and keep watch over Hermione. He just hoped that they would understand his absence.

As soon as the owl was off, he vanished with a crack.

* * * * *

Ginny Potter kept one hand on her wand as the other rested protectively over her swollen abdomen. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Ginny, relax,” Harry said gently, covering the hand on her stomach with his. “All this worrying can’t be good for the baby.”

“But he’s out there,” she protested, eyes flicking to the windows of her parents’ living room. “Who knows for how long! And no one can find Hermione. What if he’s gotten to her?”

“Shh. Hermione’s a grown witch and more than capable of taking herself. I almost pity Malfoy if he decides to tangle with her.”

She, in spite of herself, smiled along with him. “Liar.”

He chuckled and kissed her. “I wish I had come home under better circumstances.”

“I’m just glad you’re home. I can’t imagine going through this if you had been away for a match.”

“I would have come straight home,” he assured her. “A pack of hippogriffs wouldn’t have kept me away.”

Mrs. Weasley came in, carrying a tray for tea. In that moment, Ginny never loved her mother more. The world was once again filled with danger against her and her family and her mother was still doing normal things like preparing tea.

Mrs. Weasley settled herself across the couple and began to pour the tea. “So, Harry, dear, how long are you home?”

“Originally only for four days,” he answered and he helped himself to a biscuit. “But I’ll be staying until this thing with Malfoy is finished.”

“But that could be a long time, Harry,” Ginny protested, “and the team-”

“Can play just fine without me,” he finished. “Gillian’s a good seeker. After everyone sees her in action, they might not want me back.”

Ginny gave a snort of disbelief, making her husband and her mother smile.

“Harry’s going to have to take paternity leave soon, Ginny,” Mrs. Weasley added. “The baby will be here before you know it.”

“Not much longer,” Ginny said with a smile, caressing her abdomen.

“It will be nice to have a baby around the Burrow again,” Mrs. Weasley said.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look and then laughed. Molly broke out of her thoughts and smiled. The three continued with tea. Afterwards, Mrs. Weasley went into the kitchen to wash while Harry convinced Ginny to have a nap in her old room.

He entered the kitchen to help his mother-in-law with the dishes only to find her staring at a bit of parchment. “Mrs. Weasley?”

She jerked her head up in surprise. She blinked several times as if she trying to banish tears. “Oh, Harry, this just arrived for you.”

Harry took the letter from the woman’s shaking hand as his stomach twisted in anxiety. Taking a deep breath, he tried to compose himself. He read Ron’s brief note.

“What does it say?”

Harry met Mrs. Weasley’s worried eyes. “Malfoy found Hermione and she is now at St. Mungo’s. She’s . . . she’s unconscious.”

Mrs. Weasley sank into a chair. “Oh, Merlin help us.”

“Ron wants us to go to St. Mungo’s. I’d better go and wake Ginny.”

Mrs. Weasley nodded. “I’ll send a note to Arthur and then I’ll be ready to go with you.”

“Okay.” Harry raced up the stairs to Ginny’s room. He wondered how his wife would take the news of what had happened to one of their best friends.

* * * * *

The mediwitch eyed them skeptically when they arrived outside Hermione’s room. “And just who are you?”

“We’re her family,” Ginny said in a cold voice. “Can we see her?”

The mediwitch looked them over again and her eyes fell on Harry’s scar. Her eyes widen in recognition. “Oh, of course.”

She opened the door of the room. Hermione appeared to be sleeping in the bed. “We haven’t quite figured out which curse was used on her, but we have narrowed it down. We hope to have the answer and thus a cure soon.”

“Where’s Ron?” Harry asked, noting his friend’s absence.

“He left shortly after bringing her in. I’m sure he’ll be back shortly. Now, I have other patients to tend to.”

The mediwitch had just turned around the corner when Ginny gasped. “Harry, I know where he went. You have to get to the Aurors’ office. Ron’s going to go after Malfoy.”

“Good,” Harry growled, looking at Hermione, “let him.”

“You don’t understand,” Ginny protested, her voice panicked. “Imagine what Ron will do if he gets to Malfoy. He’ll be sent to Azkaban for sure.”

Harry immediately knew she was right. As much satisfaction he would get from Ron’s revenge on Malfoy, it wouldn’t be worth his best friend going to Azkaban. “I’ll go. Will you be here when I get back?”

Ginny nodded. “I love you.”

“Love you,” he said, giving her a quick, hard kiss. As soon as he released her, he was gone.

“Come on, Ginny,” Mrs. Weasley said, herding her daughter towards a chair. “You need to rest. All this excitement isn’t good for the baby.”

People kept telling her that, Ginny thought with annoyance. However, she obediently sat down. She and her mother began their vigil.


Part II It was his worst nightmare come true. Draco had his wand pointed at a wandless Hermione. He was too far away to do anything. He called her name. She was turning toward him. Draco’s lips moved and light erupted from his wand. The light briefly blinded him but he could clearly hear Hermione’s scream. The light soon faded. Hermione was sprawled on the ground, not moving. Draco flashed a triumphant smirk in his direction. Before Ron could even begin a single curse, the other man was gone. All thoughts of Draco Malfoy vanished with him as Ron immediately shifted his focus to Hermione. He begged her to open her eyes as he checked her for any obvious injuries. She was so still that she was barely breathing. He tried to dampen the rush of emotions going through him. His Auror training helped. But this was Hermione, his Hermione. Begging her to stay with him, he swept her up into his arms. He prayed he could get them to St. Mungo’s in one piece. * * * * * The sudden arrival of Auror Ronald Weasley with an unconscious Hermione Granger in the main lobby of St. Mungo’s caused quite a commotion. The formerly unflappable receptionist stared at them with wide eyes. Then she fumbled with something on her desk. An older mediwizard suddenly appeared. “What happened?” “She was cursed. I don’t which spell.” “And she has been unconscious the whole time?” Ron nodded. “But it just happened.” “Did you see the wand light that hit her? What color was it?” “Red. Deep red. Almost burgundy.” Ron knew that he would have nightmares about that damn light for months, if not years. The other wizard made a move to take Hermione from Ron. Ron hesitated a moment before relenting. “We’ll do all we can, Mr. Weasley. Someone will come as soon as you can see her.” Ron could only watch as Hermione was taken away. Then all the emotions he had been holding back hit him. He wanted to weep. He wanted to scream. He wanted to tear something, anything to shreds with his bare hands. But he held himself in check. There would be time for that later. He had business to do. He used one of the hospital owls to send a message to Harry and his family. He knew that they would come and keep watch over Hermione. He just hoped that they would understand his absence. As soon as the owl was off, he vanished with a crack. * * * * * Ginny Potter kept one hand on her wand as the other rested protectively over her swollen abdomen. “I can’t believe this is happening.” “Ginny, relax,” Harry said gently, covering the hand on her stomach with his. “All this worrying can’t be good for the baby.” “But he’s out there,” she protested, eyes flicking to the windows of her parents’ living room. “Who knows for how long! And no one can find Hermione. What if he’s gotten to her?” “Shh. Hermione’s a grown witch and more than capable of taking herself. I almost pity Malfoy if he decides to tangle with her.” She, in spite of herself, smiled along with him. “Liar.” He chuckled and kissed her. “I wish I had come home under better circumstances.” “I’m just glad you’re home. I can’t imagine going through this if you had been away for a match.” “I would have come straight home,” he assured her. “A pack of hippogriffs wouldn’t have kept me away.” Mrs. Weasley came in, carrying a tray for tea. In that moment, Ginny never loved her mother more. The world was once again filled with danger against her and her family and her mother was still doing normal things like preparing tea. Mrs. Weasley settled herself across the couple and began to pour the tea. “So, Harry, dear, how long are you home?” “Originally only for four days,” he answered and he helped himself to a biscuit. “But I’ll be staying until this thing with Malfoy is finished.” “But that could be a long time, Harry,” Ginny protested, “and the team-” “Can play just fine without me,” he finished. “Gillian’s a good seeker. After everyone sees her in action, they might not want me back.” Ginny gave a snort of disbelief, making her husband and her mother smile. “Harry’s going to have to take paternity leave soon, Ginny,” Mrs. Weasley added. “The baby will be here before you know it.” “Not much longer,” Ginny said with a smile, caressing her abdomen. “It will be nice to have a baby around the Burrow again,” Mrs. Weasley said. Harry and Ginny exchanged a look and then laughed. Molly broke out of her thoughts and smiled. The three continued with tea. Afterwards, Mrs. Weasley went into the kitchen to wash while Harry convinced Ginny to have a nap in her old room. He entered the kitchen to help his mother-in-law with the dishes only to find her staring at a bit of parchment. “Mrs. Weasley?” She jerked her head up in surprise. She blinked several times as if she trying to banish tears. “Oh, Harry, this just arrived for you.” Harry took the letter from the woman’s shaking hand as his stomach twisted in anxiety. Taking a deep breath, he tried to compose himself. He read Ron’s brief note. “What does it say?” Harry met Mrs. Weasley’s worried eyes. “Malfoy found Hermione and she is now at St. Mungo’s. She’s . . . she’s unconscious.” Mrs. Weasley sank into a chair. “Oh, Merlin help us.” “Ron wants us to go to St. Mungo’s. I’d better go and wake Ginny.” Mrs. Weasley nodded. “I’ll send a note to Arthur and then I’ll be ready to go with you.” “Okay.” Harry raced up the stairs to Ginny’s room. He wondered how his wife would take the news of what had happened to one of their best friends. * * * * * The mediwitch eyed them skeptically when they arrived outside Hermione’s room. “And just who are you?” “We’re her family,” Ginny said in a cold voice. “Can we see her?” The mediwitch looked them over again and her eyes fell on Harry’s scar. Her eyes widen in recognition. “Oh, of course.” She opened the door of the room. Hermione appeared to be sleeping in the bed. “We haven’t quite figured out which curse was used on her, but we have narrowed it down. We hope to have the answer and thus a cure soon.” “Where’s Ron?” Harry asked, noting his friend’s absence. “He left shortly after bringing her in. I’m sure he’ll be back shortly. Now, I have other patients to tend to.” The mediwitch had just turned around the corner when Ginny gasped. “Harry, I know where he went. You have to get to the Aurors’ office. Ron’s going to go after Malfoy.” “Good,” Harry growled, looking at Hermione, “let him.” “You don’t understand,” Ginny protested, her voice panicked. “Imagine what Ron will do if he gets to Malfoy. He’ll be sent to Azkaban for sure.” Harry immediately knew she was right. As much satisfaction he would get from Ron’s revenge on Malfoy, it wouldn’t be worth his best friend going to Azkaban. “I’ll go. Will you be here when I get back?” Ginny nodded. “I love you.” “Love you,” he said, giving her a quick, hard kiss. As soon as he released her, he was gone. “Come on, Ginny,” Mrs. Weasley said, herding her daughter towards a chair. “You need to rest. All this excitement isn’t good for the baby.” People kept telling her that, Ginny thought with annoyance. However, she obediently sat down. She and her mother began their vigil.


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