Endurance

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except, of course, the plot and any OC characters in here.

Chapter 12

Oliver made his way to the Gryffindor common room with hurried steps. He passed McGonagall and Krum who were moving swiftly in the opposite direction. He stopped in his tracks a bright light began glowing in front of him.

"Ah," he called aloud as he shielded his eyes. His calls called both Krum and McGonagall to him as they heard his shout. When they turned they noticed the blinding light and ran towards it.

Wood lowered his arm as the light receded. Looking up he noticed that Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, and Harry were all standing in front of him. They all seemed rather shocked. Wood knew that if Dumbledore was shocked, then something was wrong. He did a quick recount of the events before this and he paled.

"Where's Tanya?" he whispered worriedly to them. Hermione's face contorted and she began shaking as she collapsed to the floor in sobs. Both Harry and Ron watched her sadly before moving to sit beside her. The two pulled her into a comforting hug, but Wood could tell they were just as distraught as Hermione.

Dumbledore seemed to suddenly snap out of his shock and he stepped towards the other teachers, who had standing silently behind Wood.

"Miss Hardin," his voice cracked uncharacteristically. He stopped speaking for a few moments and then began again. "Miss Hardin will no longer be with us." McGonagall gasped.

"Oh, Albus," she said sadly. Dumbledore nodded.

"Call her parents here," he said tiredly. "I will tell them myself, I owe them that, at least." McGonagall nodded and turned abruptly to do as she had been told. Krum followed.

"She was trying to save us," Hermione hiccupped into Harry's shoulder. "She was trying to save us." Harry nodded and shushed Hermione comfortingly and Ron rubbed her hair.

"It'll be alright," Ron said shakily. He looked over to Harry and found that his eyes were also watering.

"No it won't!" Hermione shouted suddenly. She stood and yelled down at her two friends. "How is Dumbledore going to explain this? 'Sorry about Tanya. She was protecting some students of mine and got killed by Voldemort.'" Her chin trembled and Oliver stepped forward. He grabbed a hold of Hermione even when she tried to fight him off halfheartedly.

"Let me go!" She sobbed. "I want to go back. I want to help her! I can help her!"

"You can't," Oliver said softly. He pulled Hermione closer and rubbed her hair soothingly. Hermione gave in and cried into Wood's shoulder as the reality of their ordeal became even more unbearable.

"She was here because of me," Harry said softly. Ron and Oliver turned to look at him strangely. Harry began laughing as tears ran down his cheeks. Ron knew what it was and knew he could do nothing but watch as Harry entered a stage of grief known only to him. He was blaming himself again. He was blaming himself for something he had no control over. "She was here because I needed protection! I guess maybe I should've just died the first time, huh?"

"Shut up," Ron mumbled. Harry's head snapped towards him.

"What?"

"I said shut up! We all know why she was here! She was here because Voldemort caused a threat. It was no one's fault but his! You were damned lucky when you were a baby, Harry. You lived where others hadn't and I'll never wish anything different would've happened. I'm glad you're alive!" Ron stood. "And Tanya was too." He turned and stalked off towards the dormitories.

Oliver watched this all in silence. It was amazing how one girl had pulled so many people to her in a short amount of time. He knew this wasn't over. Harry, Ron, and Hermione would still fight Voldemort, but after today they would fight harder. Tanya was a casualty nobody saw coming. He sighed into Hermione's hair as she quieted.

"Oliver," she sniffled.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for being here for me." He cracked a slow, crooked grin.

"Anytime. I'm sorry about Tanya." Hermione nodded.

"Take me to the common room," she said softly. Wood nodded and turned, leading Hermione, who leaned heavily on him, to the Gryffindor common room.

By the next morning, the news of Tanya's death was all over school. Many believed that since she was killed by Voldemort that she had been a Death Eater who'd done something to make him unhappy. It took all of the Gryffindor group's restraint not to hex those people or to tell them the truth. Dumbledore had asked that they keep her identity a secret and they had agreed.

However, they had no idea rumors about Tanya would spread so widely or so quickly. The day after Tanya's death, Dumbledore and the other teachers went to collect her body, but found nothing. They assumed Voldemort had taken it as a trophy and sadly relayed the news to her parents.

When Dumbledore told them of Tanya's fate, they didn't seem too upset. They just nodded and told Dumbledore that she knew the consequences when she took the mission and that everything would work out. Dumbledore looked at them strangely before nodding. The Hardin's smiled and left after that and no one had heard from them since.

The Weasley twins had both been heartbroken when they heard of Tanya's death. They didn't pull any pranks for two months after hearing the news. Once they began again, they would dedicate the pranks pulled on Krum to her. They knew how much she loathed him.

Victoria, had reappeared at school the same day Dumbledore went to collect Tanya's body. She was badly bruised and beaten. Her hair was badly tousled, her top lip swollen, her right eye blackened, and her jaw was also swollen. She visited the infirmary and was diagnosed with fractured ribs which were healed easily, but had to suffer the humiliation of her facial bruises for a week while another healing potion was concocted.

Not one Gryffindor felt any sympathy for her as they soon learned of her glee at Tanya's demise. In fact, she seemed to have a small celebration for herself. She continuously smiled and skipped throughout the halls. During a moment of silence they had at dinner that same night, she coughed loudly and purposefully.

Hermione sat in the common room alone in one of the large chairs before the fireplace. It was right after dinner and she was the only one there. The others were slowly heading towards the common room. Hermione stared into the fire as she began thinking. It had been three weeks since Tanya's death.

Harry was slowly returning to normal, as was Ron. The Weasley twins were now constantly planning pranks which they swore not to pull for a few more weeks. Dumbledore was also getting a bit better. Since Tanya's death he'd been racked with guilt and it showed.

The already skinny man became even smaller as he would refuse meals for days at a time. Finally, Professor McGonagall stomped up to his office, carrying enough food for an entire common room party, and forced him to eat until she was satisfied. She and Dumbledore had a private talk that they would tell no one about and no one could guess what was said. Afterwards, however, Dumbledore's eyes slowly regained their twinkle as he came back to himself.

Hermione jumped as she heard the portrait door close. She turned and saw Oliver heading towards her. She smiled. He had been fabulous to her. He'd helped her through her grief as well as Harry and Ron. He'd been patient and he still showed no signs of tiring out. Hermione smiled. She loved that about him. She bit her lip, a nervous habit of hers, as he stopped right in front of her.

"How are you tonight?" he asked softly peering into her face.

"I'm better, thanks to you." He smiled.

"She was my friend too. I still can't believe she's gone."

"Me either. Oliver?"

"Yes?" He sat down on the arm of Hermione's chair and waited.

"Remember when I said I would need time?"

"Yes."

"I-I think I've had enough of it. Tanya's death made me realize I might not be here forever to hold a grudge against you. I love you too much to waste my energy on staying away from you. I want to be with you. I'm sorry for not believing you about Victoria." Oliver grinned slowly.

"This isn't a trick?"

"No, it's not a trick. I really want to be with you and Tanya knew that. I'm just sorry it took her death for me to realize how much." Her voice wavered and Oliver pulled her into a hug.

"She's watching us, love," Oliver whispered happily. "She's happy for us."

In America, Tanya's parents sat around their dinner table, one empty setting between them.

"My baby," Tanya's mother whispered sadly.

"She'll find her way home," Mr. Hardin said surely. "My girl will come home." Tanya's mother nodded as the doorbell rang. She stood and went to answer it.

"Your girl is home," Tanya said once her mother opened the door. She was breathing heavily as she leaned against the doorway. "And she's saved Potter and got one hell of a headache in the process." Tanya's mother grinned and pulled her injured daughter to her.

"We knew you'd come home," she whispered.

"Where else would I go?" Tanya returned. "It's still not over. He'll be back." Her mother nodded but didn't seem to hear her daughter as Mr. Hardin entered the room. "Dad, I'll have to go back. They think I'm dead."

"Use it to your advantage," her father replied. "Stay that way." Tanya smiled. She wasn't through yet. There was way too much to be done.

THE END