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Chapter 1: Separation

It was 17 year-old Harry Potter's last Yule Ball at Hogwarts. Bright stars decorated the night sky in the Great Hall. The choir were standing at where the High Table used to be, singing slow Christmas carols as the pupils and teachers danced. Giant Christmas trees were standing at every corner of the Hall.

Harry danced elegantly with his beautiful partner and girlfriend, Hermione Granger. This year she was wearing a gold Muggle gown while he was wearing a simple suit. She used Sleekeazy's Hair Potion again to make her hair soft and shiny.

As she danced with him, she kept on receiving envious and jealous looks from the girls in the party. The boys were glaring at Harry for having such a beautiful partner. She ignored them and gave a dazzling smile at Harry, who smiled back and increased the students' jealousy and envy.

"Hermione?"

"What?"

"Why do I have a feeling that someone is looking at us?"

"Ignore it. By the way, didn't you say this morning that you have something for me?"

Harry smiled again widely. "Yeah. Come, let's stop dancing for a while."

He stopped and took Hermione off the dance floor, holding her hand. Quickly, he took her to a Christmas tree and searched his pockets for something.

"Now where the hell is it........"

Hermione gave a slight frown, which made Harry searched more frantically.

"Aha!" He took a long box and handed it to Hermione. "Here, open it."

Hermione stared at the long blue box, which was long enough to hold a wand, and opened it curiously. "Oh my God."

Inside it was a long necklace with a golden heart in its end.

"I saw this ages ago at the gift shop at Diagon Alley! I can't believe that you still remember that I want it!"

"Do you like it?" asked Harry.

"Love it." said Hermione.

"I even add something on it. Read what it says!" said Harry excitedly.

Hermione squirted on the tiny words engraved on it. "Together Forever." she read slowly. "Wow..... Harry, put it on for me."

Harry gently put on the necklace for her. As he locked it, he whispered, "Hermione, will you marry me?"

Hermione's head snapped up, nearly knocked Harry's chin off. "What?"

"I'm serious."

"Don't you think it is too early?" she asked, turning around to look at him.

Harry blushed and looked down. "Perhaps it is a bit early."

"But I don't mind to be engaged now." said Hermione and smiled, closing the box.

Harry looked up, his face brightened up immediately. "Really?"

Hermione put her arms around his neck. "Really."

"Oh I love you, Hermione."

"I love you too."

"I truly love you."

Hermione grinned. Here comes the memory game again, she and Harry had been playing it since they got together at the beginning of their 7th year. Nobody knew that game except them. Not even Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend.

"I truly madly love you." she said.

Harry thought for a while. "I truly, madly, deeply love you."

"I truly, madly, deeply......" Hermione thought carefully. ".....passionately love you."

"I truly, madly, passionately, juicily love you." said Harry quickly.

"Aha! Deeply, you had forgotten the word deeply!"

Harry groaned and Hermione laughed. Harry recovered soon and laughed along with Hermione when the fire at the torches (which situated at the side of the wall) went out.

"What the....." said Harry as the whole place turned dark.

Some students gasped in panic.

"Calm down, everyone!" called Dumbledore loudly.

Suddenly, a bang was heard and smoke filled the Hall. Harry and Hermione closed their eyes as they coughed. When Harry still had his eyes closed, he heard Hermione gasping in horror beside him.

"What?" he asked but no response.

Harry struggled to open his eyes against the smoke. Once he did, he stared at the dark figure in the middle of the Hall in fear.

Voldemort was here.

Hermione grasped Harry's hand tightly, so tight that he thought that his hand would break.

The students held each other in panic while Dumbledore marched straight towards Voldemort.

"Tom, how nice of you to come." said Dumbledore but Harry was sure that he didn't mean it.

Voldemort glared at him. "How could you be so calm when it is now the second war against me and my Death Eaters?"

"There is no reason to panic." said Dumbledore calmly and smiled.

Voldemort gave an evil smile back. "Well, I'll give you a reason to panic."

Dumbledore's smile faded.

"I have come here to make an announcement!" yelled Voldemort, looking at everyone in the Hall.

"Interesting." said Dumbledore quietly.

"Be quiet, Dumbledore!" snapped Voldemort. "Hogwarts is under attack, now!"

Hermione gasped again.

"You (Voldemort pointed at his ex-Transfiguration professor) and your precious Hogwarts students and staff will die, tonight! Wait and see, I will never rest until I see this place as dead as a graveyard!"

With an evil laugh, Voldemort vanished into the air and the fire came back on.

Suddenly, an ear-deafening explosion and a terrifying sound of cracking were heard. Harry looked up and saw the ceiling came crashing down in pieces.

"Let's get out of here!" yelled Harry among the screaming of the students to Hermione and they ran to the entrance.

He heard Dumbledore yelling something but he couldn't make it out. However, the entrance widened at his command and the students rushed out huge numbers.

The students barely got to the Front Hall when they saw Death Eaters barging into the school.

"This way!" said Harry and Hermione followed him to the staircases, leaving the screaming behind them.

They ran to the Gryffindor Tower, said the password and got in. Harry went to get his Firebolt.

"Harry, what......"

"We are going to fly out of here." said Harry quickly.

"Fly? Oh no......." started Hermione when she heard the Fat Lady screaming and slashing sounds.

"You have to! The Death Eaters are coming!" said Harry urgently as he opened the window. "We will fly to the train station. Dumbledore did say that the Hogwarts Express will always be there, and when there is trouble, we can escape by riding it, right?"

"Right." said Hermione slowly.

"With any luck, Ron and the others have probably escaped and are there waiting for us." said Harry hopefully and mounted his broom. "Now get on."

Hermione swallowed. More slashing sounds were heard and she quickly went to Harry. She got on behind him and put her arms around his waist tightly.

"Hold on." said Harry and they flew out of the window, just when the first Death Eater got in.

Hermione closed her eyes in fear as they zoomed through the air. She could still hear sounds of fighting, screaming and cursing under her. But as they flew further, the sounds faded and the sound of a train whistle was heard.

"I see the station!" said Harry in front of her. "I see Ron and Ginny getting on the train as well!"

They landed on the platform itself and Harry got off first. Throwing his broom aside, he made a dash to the train. "Come on, the train is leaving!"

A student at the end of the train and reached out his hand to take Harry's hand as the train pulled out of the station. He heaved and managed to pull Harry up to the train, but Hermione was still behind. "Harry!"

Harry turned around in horror and leaned out to take Hermione's hand. "Here, take my hand! Hold on to my hand!" he yelled.

Hermione ran faster and grabbed hold Harry's hand. "Don't let go!"

Harry clenched his teeth tightly as he tried to pull Hermione up the train. He looked up and saw some Death Eaters chasing after them, with their wands out.

"Buck up, Hermione! The Death Eaters are coming!"

"I can't!" said Hermione. The train was gaining speed.

A Death Eater yelled a curse and it hit Hermione, on her back. She let out a cry and let go of Harry's hand in pain.

"No!" yelled Harry and tried to grip Hermione's hand again. He leaned forward but caught nothing but air.

Hermione fell and hit her head on the railroad track.

"Hermione!" roared Harry.

But he received no response. He was about to jump out of the train when the student behind him caught hold of him.

"Are you nuts?! The fall will kill you!"

"Let go of me, I want to go to Hermione!" said Harry in protest.

"It's no use, the Death Eaters have her now." said the student quickly.

"No! I don't care........"

"Stupefy!" yelled the student and immediately, Harry went limp into his arms.