Love Letters From the Enemy
Chapter Seventeen
Attack At Hogwarts
Disclaimer:I do not own any of these characters unless an OC shows up. Then they belong to me and one or two of my friends. Other than that, the characters belong to the genius, J.K. Rowling.
A/n: Well everyone, I've come to the end of this tale and I have enjoyed writing it more than anything. I want to thank all of you who have stuck with me from chapter one, those of you who came in sometime later, and any of you who review long after this has been posted. You guys have been wonderful and kept me going. I will leave you, but not for good, with this final chapter of Love Letters From the Enemy.
Draco and Hermione made their way to their common room portrait as quickly as they could once they finished alerting Dumbledore and the other teachers of what was to take place. When they arrived they not only found all of the prefects but most of the DA was there too. The hushed voices they were talking in ceased as soon as they saw Draco and Hermione. They stood in front of them, ready to listen.
"I'm sure you are all wondering why we asked you to meet us here so I'll just go right ahead and tell you." Hermione began, searching the crowd for Harry and Ron. "We were alerted tonight of a plan to break in and attack Hogwarts. All 5th years and above who wish to stay and fight are free to but we must get all younger students out of the school as quickly as we can because all we know is that the attack will take place tonight. We don't know when or how they will be getting in. I want all of you to go to your separate House common rooms and start evacuating with the help of you Heads of House. Slytherins, Professor Lupin will be the one helping you as Professor Snape is assisting the Headmaster. Draco and I will try to figure out where the attackers will be entering. Harry, Ron, Blaise, you guys come with us. We're gonna need some help. Now go everyone, there isn't much time." Everyone nodded in agreement and the Prefects and other students headed to their common rooms to begin the evacuation. Hermione ran her fingers through her hair and leaned against the wall, thinking of what to do next.
"Hermione, there isn't time, we have to get going. Come on." Draco said, grabbing her forearm. "Ron, did you get Bella out of here?"
"Yeah, mate, I did. She said she forgives you and begged me to let her stay but I told her that if I could have it my way my own sister wouldn't be staying. After that she went without question." Ron told him, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder in a friendly manner.
"All right, we need to be guarding as many entrances as we can. We don't know how they'll be getting in so we need to stay on our guard. Hermione, I want you and Draco to take the entrance by the Great Hall." Harry began telling each person where they would be going and after he finished they all went their separate ways. Draco took Hermione's hand in his as they walked and squeezed it gently. As they neared their destination Draco stopped for a moment and faced Hermione.
"Hermione, just in case something happens I just want to say that I love you more than anything. I'd rather give my own life than to see my father take yours so promise me that if I get in front of you, let me. I will not lose you when I just got you." Draco told her, causing tears to form in Hermione's eyes.
"I don't want to lose you either, Draco. No one is going to die tonight, do you hear me? We're going to get through this." Hermione told him, hugging him tightly. Draco smiled down at her, pulled her close, and just before he could kiss her a low crack sounded and a piece of parchment floated to the floor. Confused Hermione picked the parchment up and noticed it was addressed to both her and Draco in Snape's familiar writing.
Hermione and Draco,
I want to warn the two of you now. Lucius has removed the wards around the castle enabling him and the other Death Eaters to Apparate in. I want you to be careful. If we all live through this, Hermione, I have something of great importance that I must tell you. I must go now if I am to keep my cover. I shall protect you as well as I can. Good luck to both of you.
A friend
Hermione handed the parchment to Draco who quickly read it over, growing slightly confused.
"What does he mean he has something of great importance to tell you?" Draco asked when he finished.
"I'm not sure, let's put that away though, we don't need anyone seeing it." Hermione took the parchment and placed in the pocket of her robes after folding and placing concealment charms it.
"Well then, where were we?" Draco smirked at Hermione and pulled her close once more, placing a passionate kiss on her lips. In that moment a loud crack meaning someone had just Apparated into the hall sounded and the two jumped apart, wands drawn. When they looked there was no one near them. Suddenly they heard laughter and a figure became visible in the shadows.
"Well, well. My son is wishing his little mudblood goodbye. It's disgusting, how could you sink so low, Draco? I thought I taught you better?" the figure, Lucius Malfoy, said emerging from the shadows.
"I'm not like you, Father. I realised that muggleborns are no better or worse than we are and their blood isn't dirty, it's as red as ours is, so don't call her a mudblood!" Draco retorted back, getting as close to Hermione as possible.
"Hermione, if you can hear me, grab my hand." Draco thought to Hermione. When he felt her take his hand he smiled.
"What are you smiling at boy? As we speak Death Eaters are storming the castle and have orders to do whatever they can to get to the Headmaster or the Potter boy. Both if they can achieve it." Lucius said, pulling ou his own wand. "Now, just let me have the girl and no one has to get hurt."
"Hermione, I want you to alert the DA with that coin of yours. One of-" Draco's thoughts to Hermione were cut off by a scream from the hall.
"Well, looks like someone will be getting hurt after all. Who knows, it could be your poor sister." Lucius said looking from Draco to the direction of the sound.
"M-Mum said you didn't know about Bella! How did you find out?!" Draco demanded, taking a step toward his father.
"You think I didn't know about how your mother tried hiding her? Well, now it looks as though you will have to save the poor girl. If you hurry, maybe you'll succeed." A smirk crossed Lucius's face as he glared at Draco.
"Hermione, don't worry. I'll send Potter for you. If he tries anything, hold him off. I know you can do it. Remember, I love you." Draco whispered to Hermione before slowly letting go of her hand and running in the direction of the scream.
x x x
Harry was busy sending students to Professor McGonagall when the old DA coin began burning, meaning that the Death Eaters had entered the school. With this knowledge he hurried the students along, needing to not only get Ginny out of there but to get to Hermione and Draco to help them. The second he saw Ginny he pulled her aside.
"Harry, the Death Eaters, they've-" Ginny began.
"I know, they're in the school. Listen, I want you to get out of here. I love you, Gin, and I don't want you hurt in this and neither does Ron. I know you won't listen to him but please, do it for me." Harry told her, hoping that it would sway her.
"Harry, I love you too but I'm going to fight, no matter how much you ask me not too. I know, I'm stubborn, but would you love me any other way?" Ginny replied, kissing him deeply. Harry smiled at her as he pulled away.
"No, Gin, I wouldn't. Come on, we have to go help Hermione and Draco." Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and the two ran toward the Great Hall.
x x x
Ron had felt the old DA coin in his pocket burning, signaling that the Death Eaters had entered the building. Just as he reached the staircases two of them appeared in front of him with a loud crack. Startled, Ron jumped back, nearly stepping on the vanishing step.
"Well, what have we here," one of them said, removing his mask.
"It looks like we've caught a Weasel. I mean, a Weasley." the one next to him said, doing the same.
"What should with do with him? Should we kill him, or take him to Malfoy?"
"You will leave the boy to me! Go, find Dumbledore and Potter and take them to Malfoy." a familiar voice came from behind. The two Death Eaters before him turned to face the person behind them, nodded, and Disapparated. The remaining man removed his mask to reveal Severus Snape.
"Tell me where my daughter is. Is she safe? Did you get her out in time? Where is she?!" Snape demanded hurriedly.
"She's fine. I sent her with Draco's sister, Bella. Y-you're not going to hurt me, are you?" Ron told him, taking small steps backward.
"Of course I'm not boy, I'm on your bloody side. Now come on, act like I'm taking forcing you to go to Malfoy." Snape replaced his mask and Ron allowed him to lead him by the forearm. He remained cautious in case Snape turned on him.
x x x
Draco ran toward the screaming as fast as his legs would carry him. He prayed that the screams weren't Bella's but also that they weren't just to lure him away from Hermione.
x x x
Blaise was in the midst of getting the Slytherin students out of the common room when Harry and Ginny ran in, breathless.
"Blaise, come on! The Death Eaters have-" Harry's sentence was cut off by the sound of people Apparating. Before them stood six or seven Death Eaters, wands raised. Blaise quickly told a couple of fifth years to get the younger students into the dorm rooms and the rest stayed behind to fight off the Death Eaters. Quickly Harry pointed his wand at on of them and shouted,
"Duro!!!"
At once the Death Eater at which Harry's wand was pointed at turned to stone. The others looked at the man and then to Harry and began moving toward him. As they did, Ginny said,
"Animata!" Suddenly the Death Eaters began stumbling and groping around for things to hold onto.
"Come on, run, we've only got thirty seconds!" Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and began running, with Blaise following closely behind them.
"Ginny, what spell did you just use?" Harry said quickly. Before he heard her answer he heard her mutter, 'velox' and it seemed as though they began to run faster.
"It's a spell Hermione and I made awhile back ago. No time to explain, we have to get to Hermione and Draco." Ginny told him, looking over her shoulder every now and then. As the spell wore off the three began to slow to a walk.
x x x
Wondering just what was going on elsewhere in the school, Hermione occupied herself with keeping Lucius Malfoy from getting to her. Each time he came near her, she would say something, sending him flying back. Someone yelled to Lucius from across the hall, saying something along the lines of 'we have him' and Lucius grinned at Hermione and before she could do anything, she felt herself drifting into unconsciousness. Lucius Malfoy made his way to where the Death Eater had said Dumbledore and his son and daughter were after telling them to take Hermione back with them where he could deal with her later.
Once he arrived in the corridor he saw not only his son, daughter, and Dumbledore but the Zabini boy, the Weasley girl, and Potter running toward him, with Snape and one of the Weasley boys in tow coming from another direction. With a sadistic smirk Lucius pointed his wand at the elderly Headmaster and said,
"Avada Kedavra!" With that the old man's body went limp and lifeless as the students screamed for Lucius not to kill him. Without waiting, Lucius Disapparated along with all of the other Death Eaters, leaving nothing but despair.
Draco rushed toward the entrance where he had left Hermione only to find she wasn't there. He called frantically around for her receiving no answer. He had a gut feeling he knew exactly what had happened to her. His father had taken her in the midst of the battle. Draco fell to his knees with tears hot in his eyes, refusing to fall.
I couldn't protect her when she needed me most. But now I will not rest until I find her, no matter what it takes, Draco thought, his nails cutting into his hands, drawing blood. He would had to get Hermione back, no matter what it took. As Draco was about to stand he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Sirius standing before him.
"Good to see you again. So, it appears to me that we need to get to work on finding a certain witch. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Severus, Remus, we had best get to work if we plan on finding her soon." Everyone nodded in agreement and as they heading into the Great Hall do create a plan, Draco said,
"I will have vengence."
A/n: The end! So how did you like that lovely ending? I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Read and review please.