Title: Bodyswitch

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: New story ^^ I had this plot in my head for a while and always wrote something, forgot about it and came back later to add things. In any way, this story is already almost complete . It's gonna be around 50,000 words. I have already written 40,000, I guess. So updates should be regular ...unless I have a freak out and think it's shit. Reviews are, of course, very much appreciated :)

TO THE STORY: This chapter starts at the end of book seven. Voldemort attacks Hogwarts while Harry, Ron and Hermione frantically try to find Ravenclaw's Diadem and a way to destroy the Horcrux in Hufflepuff's Cup. As far as I remember, in the books, Harry went off alone to find the diadem. In the meantime, Hermione and Ron somehow (off screen) made it to the Chamber of Secrets to destroy the cup.

AU STARTS: In my story, while Harry tries to find the diadem, Ron and Hermione split up. Ron runs down to the chamber and Hermione tries to find the last Horcrux, Nagini. And that's where chapter 1 starts:

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Chapter One: The Battle of Hogwarts

Frantically, Hermione ran down the corridor. She couldn't believe this was really happening. This was even worse than Harry's, Ron's and her flight from Gringotts on the back of a dragon. Hermione's breath came fast and with her wand gripped tightly in her hand she dashed through Hogwarts. She needed to find Nagini. The stupid snake could be anywhere. Hermione darted around a corner, almost tripping over the debris on the floor. Hogwarts had really taken a blow this time. With tears in her eyes, Hermione hoped Ron was alright. Her ever busy brain supplied her with the image of her very dead friend, lying in the Chamber of Secrets, with the Cup of Hufflepuff undisturbed in his cold hands. Damn you, Voldemort, Hermione cursed in her head. But she needed to remain optimistic. Ron had to be alright. Harry, too. They just had to destroy the last Horcruxes. Piece of cake, she thought, ignoring the sarcastic tint in her own mind. That's why they had split up. Ron would destroy the stupid cup, Harry had by now hopefully found Ravenclaw's diadem …and Hermione needed to get to Nagini.

"Come on, Hermione," she urged herself on.

In the distance, she could hear the battle. Fear knotted up her stomach. So many of her friends were out there, fighting for their lives. They were so close to victory. Soon, Voldemort would be mortal again. That small hope had just skimmed Hermione's mind as a curse whirred past her head, missing her by inches.

"Shit!"

She threw herself to the side, simultaneously raising her wand at the Death Eater in front of her. His white mask glowed eerily in the dark, while the rest of his body was disguised by his black cloak. Quickly, Hermione whirled her wand through the air and threw a yellowish curse at him. She was pretty sure it would have hit its target, if she hadn't been distracted by a second Death Eater showing up out of no-where. He attacked and although Hermione managed to raise a shield, his curse violently hurled her against the wall.

"Damn!" she snapped irately, trying to get up again. Wand raised, she turned to the Death Eaters. "Why're you even here? The battle is going on outside."

One of the Death Eaters, his white mask partly blackened by soot, shrugged his shoulders. "We're… er… morally supporting them from here?" At Hermione's doubtful look he added loftily, "I'm sure the others will win without us."

The other Death Eater nodded enthusiastically. "No-one's gonna notice we've been gone."

Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered, "Lazy bastards," while she brandished her wand. Her magic coiled around the pieces of broken stone lying around the corridor. Hermione raised her wand and could feel the strain on her magic as the stones were heaved in the air. Another flick of her wand and the stones rushed towards the two Death Eaters. Seeing their oncoming doom, both men wildly brandished their wands. They both managed to raise shields in time, but the shield the guy with the sooty mask had conjured was rather flimsy. Hermione watched as one of her projectiles penetrated the paper-thin shield and crashed into the man's right side. He cried out in pain as bones broke and he was hurled away, wand lost somewhere in the wreckage.

"Avada kedavra!"

Hermione's heart skipped a beat as the green curse rushed towards her. It was a close call but she managed to dive out of the way. The green light harmlessly crashed into the stone floor. With a shaky hand, Hermione brandished her wand and sent an angry curse towards the remaining Death Eater. The guy seemed to have talent, though. With a flick of his wand, he cancelled her attack. Hermione stood up and flicked dust from her shoulder while she glared at the man.

"What now?" he goaded scornfully. "Out of ideas?"

"You wish," Hermione growled under her breath.

Still clasping her wand tightly, she crossed her arms in front of her. Her magic followed her lead and eagerly built up inside of her until it was a raging storm that Hermione could barely reign in. Then she sharply extended her arms to the sides. The movement activated her magic and like a shockwave it swept over the corridor, leaving behind deep cracks in the stone floor.

Hermione watched as her powerful magic furiously crashed into the Death Eater. He was brutally hurled away, almost out of a huge hole in the outer wall, but he managed to hold on. Finally, with a slash of his wand, he managed to part Hermione's attack, so it rushed harmlessly around him. At least she had managed to leave a deep bleeding cut in his wand arm. Hermione grinned.

"Stupid Mudblood," the Death Eater spat at her.

"Oh, so suddenly you know who I am, do you?" Hermione asked mockingly.

The guy raised his wand and hissed, "My Master will reward me when I bring him your head."

Hermione crinkled her nose in disgust, but couldn't comment on that colourful image as the man again attacked and another curse sailed her way. Bloke certainly is stubborn. Deftly, Hermione sidestepped the curse. It was almost too easy and she grinned triumphantly at the Death Eater who again waved his wand. Hermione just wanted to start a counter attack as she heard a crunching sound coming from behind her. Her blood froze over. Wand still raised at the Death Eater, she turned her head. To her horror, she spotted another Death Eater in the corridor who had silently crept up on her. His stealth attack revealed, the man abandoned all caution and slashed his wand through the air. Once again, a sickly hissing curse rushed towards Hermione. Through the corners of her eyes she saw that the first Death Eater used exactly the same moment to attack as well. She was trapped between two incoming curses. Frantically, Hermione tried to throw herself out of the way. It was painfully obvious, though, that she would be too slow. At least, one curse would hit.

Hermione felt the magic balefully crackle in the air,

could smell the thick smoke from the burning castle.

Her blood rushed loudly in her ears.

Both curses sizzled lethally as they rushed towards her.

Hermione's last thought was one of hope. She dearly hoped that Harry and Ron would kick Voldemort's ass for this.

Then she blanked out and not even pain could follow her.

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