The sky had long ago lost its colour on the first of May in 1998 when the first scream could be heard in the distance. Hermione Granger tensed up. They needed to get this right, they needed to win this fight.

She was not sure what would happen if they didn't, but she also made an effort not to think about it. Her hands were already shaking without her getting any more worried.

Next to her was Neville Longbottom. A boy that used to be so shy, he could barely speak to others without stuttering. Now he was one of the few very calm and collected students, coordinating where the younger ones were sent to and planning to blow up the old wooden bridge that connected the Sundial Garden to the Clock Tower Courtyard.

They could do this. They had to.

Hermione was still trying to tell herself to calm down and to please not panic when Seamus finished planting the explosives around the bridge and had climbed back up to them.

Another scream was heard in the distance. It had grown even later by now, the stars where out an the moon was shining brightly.

For now the shields were holding off Death Eaters and Snatchers alike, who were firing curse after curse from every direction at Hogwarts. But how long would they hold?

"Oh no." Seamus whispered.

It seemed they were about to get their answer. A large number of what appeared to be Snatchers had gathered behind the Sundial Garden and slowly came into view, taking slow calculated steps. Hermione's eyes wandered searchingly over the crowd, but she spotted no one she recognised.

Suddenly three Snatchers seemed to have gotten tired of waiting around, they ran forward, through the protective barrier and collapsed immediately. No one tried to follow them.

Hermione gripped her wand tightly. She knew she needed to go and find Harry and Ron, but first she had to see this through, and not just because bringing the bridge down was important for cutting off ways into the castle.

The snatchers waited. As did Neville, Hermione and other members of Dumbledore's Army who had come to help them with the bridge.

Only seconds after the castle clock struck midnight the Death Eaters seemed to attack the barrier as one. Hermione's eyes wandered around, the shields were crackling with blue and purple waves of magic. If she had not been so afraid of them all dying the sight would have been one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

Suddenly the shield cracked one last time and then broke down.

It took the Snatchers just a few seconds to realise what it meant, then the first one ran forward. When he passed the line where the shields had been and nothing happened, the others followed suit.

Neville stood on the safe side of the bridge, waiting for the Snatchers to come close enough to set off the explosions. He shot hex after hex at the first of the Snatchers, but the first man continued on. Hermione stood beside Seames, Ginny, Padma, Nigel, Ernie and Leanne at the end of the bridge that led to the Clock Tower Courtyard. They had their wands drawn and waited for Neville to set their plan in motion.

Suddenly Hermione spotted messy brown hair with a red streak in it. He was on the bridge.

"No," she breathed, almost inaudible.

As if she had yelled it though, his storm grey eyes snapped to her. She could make out that his lips were moving, but she could not hear what he said.

Then he broke out into a run and this time she did shout.

"NO!"

But he either did not hear her or did not understand. She took a step forward, wanted to tell Neville not to do it, but Ginny grabbed her arm and spun her around. Blue confused eyes looked at her when she tried to break free again.

But her chance is gone, Neville already shot off the hex.

Chaos broke loose. It started with a dark rumble, then the first explosion followed, setting the others off as well. The bridge exploded into tiny pieces.

She knew he was still on there. He had started sprinting, but he had been no more than even halfway across when Neville broke the bridge down. Hermione broke free of Ginny's hold, trying to locate him, but the men were already falling. She could not see him anymore.

"NO!" She shouted again.

But he was gone. And while the others celebrated their small victory, and pulled Neville up from where he had almost fallen down into the ravine or the river as well, Hermione felt weak. She slowly sank to her knees.

He had tried to get to her, tried to tell her something.

And now he was gone.

She clenched her fists so tightly, her fingernails broke the skin of her palms, while tears filled her eyes.

She knew she needed to find Harry and Ron. But she let herself have a minute of grief for the man she had lost, for the man that had been so much more to her than just a snatcher.