Bonded to her

Chapter 23

The days seem to meld into one another, each day my anxiety building more than the last one waiting for the Dark Lord to call me to take over the ministry.

I knew Snape had told me to refuse, but I didn't know if I was willing to trust that. If I refused, the Dark Lord would undoubtedly kill me, finding me not useful anymore. If I gave in, I was risking the entire collapse of society. The options were exceptionally dim for me.

I finished studying the effects of magical exhaustion in my Magical Healing Properties book I was studying and headed to the common room. The halls were empty and silent even though I was heading back before curfew, which was unusual for me.

I felt the hair on my skin standing on end almost feeling a change I couldn't quite place a name too. I glanced around several times thinking I was being followed, but no one was there.

I entered the common rooms eager to get out of the halls and saw everyone gathered around, faces ashen. Professor McGonagall was standing near the fire mid sentence and she stopped seeing me.

"Miss. Granger. The Headmaster has been looking for you." She said, her lips a thin line.

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled, running to me and giving me a big hug.

"Voldemort is at the ministry of magic. He is demanding complete power, the Headmaster and Snape already left. Harry and Ron are about to leave, I was hoping I would get to day bye, but thought you might have left with Snape." She said all in a rush. My veins filled with ice realizing we were out of time.

Harry and Ron came down from the boys dormitory filled dressed and ready to go.

"Snape left this for you." Ginny said, handing me the pocket watch. I nodded numbly and ran upstairs grabbing the diadem. It was in the far corner of my trunk almost forgotten and I had to dig a bit to find it, my hands shaking.

I rushed back down grabbing my own cloak and nodding to the boys.

It was time.

Their expressions were hard and Professor McGonagall led us towards the door.

"Good luck." Neville said as we passed. I gave him a weak smile.

"Good luck, don't die." A first year said with a hopeful look. Everyone suddenly wanted to wish us good luck and we left to a chorus of 'Good Luck, don't die', their excitement quite tangible.

When we got outside I stopped placing the two horcruxes on the ground.

"What's that?" Harry asked curiously.

"Nothing. Just something I have to take care of." I said taking a deep breath not knowing if my plan would succeed at all. My thought that they could be destroyed by fiendfyre was and educated guess at best.

Professor McGonagall looked at me quizzically, but stopped seeming to understand I couldn't go without doing this.

"Fiendfyre." I said emotionlessly holding my wand aloft focusing my magic on destroying the two dark objects. The fire washed over the horcruxes, heating them and making them rattle noisily. After a long moment I ended the curse, but the horcruxes were still there.

I started to panic and tried to grab them, but the moment I touched them, they crumbled into a pile of ashes.

"AGH!" Harry screamed falling to his knees grabbing his scar.

"Harry!" I said going to him, but as quickly as the pain came it seemed to vanish and his green eyes were wide with fear.

"What was that Hermione? He is pissed. Very, very pissed." Harry said shaking a bit. I helped him back up, urgency picking up now that he knew we destroyed the horcruxes.