The Boy Who Fought: OC X Hermione

Neville

A tray of food is set down, and everyone takes a few bites. Ron hasn't eaten in days, and Hermione has lost a lot of weight from giving birth. As they are tended to, Aberforth pours himself some mead.

"Do you hear much from the others? From the Order? From Mary?" Hermione asked, hoping for any news, but mostly revolved around her son.

"The Order is finished. You-Know-Who's won. Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves."

The four glance at each other, Harry not touching his food. He just stares at Aberforth.

"We need to get into Hogwarts. Dumbledore gave us a job to do." Harry told Aberforth.

"Did he now? Nice job? Easy?"

"We've been hunting Horcruxes. We think the last one's in the school. But we'll need your help getting in. If we can find it and kill it, then we kill him, and then we can end this war once and for all. We need to get into Hogwarts tonight."

Aberforth stares at him for a moment before speaking again. "It's not a job my brother's given you, it's a suicide mission. Do yourself a favor, boy. Go home. Live a little longer. You two go raise your kid for a bit longer." Aberforth tells them, looking at Carson and Hermione at the end.

"Dumbledore trusted me, to see this through." Harry argues. This seemed to irritate Aberforth.

"What makes you think you can trust him! What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you! In all the time you knew him, did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mention hers?" Aberforth motions to the portrait.

"Why should he..." Harry starts, drifting off.

"Keep secrets? You tell me."

"I only care about the Dumbledore I knew. I trusted him."

"Did you now? And why's that?" Aberforth questions.

"I had no reason not..."

"That's a boy's answer. A boy who goes chasing Horcruxes on the word  of a man who won't even tell him where to start. You're lying. Not just to me, which doesn't matter, but to yourself as well. That's what a fool does." Aberforth rants. "You don't strike me as a fool, Mr. Potter. So I'll ask you again. There must be a reason. Why do you trust anything my brother ever said to you? Why?"

Harry stands there mute for a moment, before regaining himself and speaking again. "Because I need to. Because if I don't, I don't know who I am anymore. I've lost too many people to lie down now. I'm not interested in what happened between you and your brother, I don't even care that you've given up. I trust the man I knew. I'm going to see this through. I need to get into the castle tonight." He answers.

Aberforth walks to the painting. "You know what to do." The girl leaves, and they wait.

"Where've you sent her Aberforth?" Carson asks.

"You'll see soon enough."

"That's Ariana, isn't it? Your sister. She's beautiful." Hermione comments.

"She'll always be beautiful."

"She died very young didn't she?"

"My brother sacrificed many things, Mr. Potter, in his journey to find power, including her. She was devoted to him... he gave her everything, but time."

"Mr. Dumledore, thank you." Hermione tells him gratefully.

He stares at Hermione for a second, before nodding and exiting the room. Ron looks at her confused, silently asking her to elaborate.

"Did save our lives twice. Kept an eye on us in that mirror. That doesn't seem like someone who's given up, does it?" She explains, as the portrait comes back.

"She's coming back! And she's got someone with her!"

"Who's that with her? Bloody hell..." Ron exclaims.

"Neville!" Carson shouts.

"I knew you'd come! I told them all! Harry Potter would never abandon Hogwarts!"

"Neville..." Hermione whispers, seeing how beat up he is. He has a swollen eye and a gashed face.

"Neville, you look..."

"Like hell? I reckon. This is nothing. Seamus is worse. You'll see. Hermione! Ron! Carson!" Neville embraces them.

"Hey, Ab. There might be a couple more people on the way." Neville informs.

The quartet turns, see Aberforth standing in the doorway, watching Ariana drift back into the canvas. Neville turns to Harry, Ron, Carson, and Hermione. Smiles again. "Ready?"

The five walk back into the painting, ready to find the next horcrux. Everyone looks to Harry awaiting his response.

"Let's do this. Finish it once and for all."