Crossing the Line

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Hermione POV

March 20

This was it. The final battle. Hermione looked down at the vial in her hands and all she felt was uneasy anticipation. She was utterly terrified.

She had to find Severus. For this, to work he would have to act as a spy one last time. He was going to be the one to give Voldemort the contents of the vial. She had no idea how he was going to do it and honestly, that was the least of her problems.

She couldn't remember who alerted the order to the incoming death eaters all she knew was that her stomach dropped. She was with Harry and Ron when the alarm went off throughout the school. They were doing homework and playing games. Nothing important, just trivial activities. But once they were alerted to the threat at hand they looked at one another. With a single look, the three of them convened their emotions and thoughts. Six almost seven years of friendship came down to this. They were in this together. Through thick and thin they always stuck by each other's side. And this was no different. Except they wouldn't be watching one another's back.

The three of them went their separate ways. There was no big goodbye or hug. Just a simple nod as they ran off to their designated posts. Harry was going to be beside Dumbledore. Waiting to face Voldemort. While Ron was going to work with Lupin and Kinglsey in guarding the left side of the castle. She was to make sure that Severus had the vile and then to convene with the other professors and defend the courtyard. She was to help delay the death eaters from penetrating the school long enough for the students to evacuate. It was a dangerous job but someone had to do it

She passed by many of them being guided by prefects into the Room of Requirement. They were going to escape through a secret passage that would lead into Hogsmeade and away from the fighting. The order had begun to floo in as well as several Aurors who could be trusted. Parents of students came to fight along with past students. She saw Sirius, Tonks and Remus briefly as they made their way to the fight. Neville was rounding up some members of the DA to head towards the upper levels.

She wasn't sure where Severus was when it began but she couldn't find him down in his labs. She was wearing one of his long-sleeved shirts when it all began. She didn't even think of it when she put it on that morning but she was lucky that no one questioned it. It was just a simple long-sleeved black shirt that was a couple of sizes too big. She probably took it one morning after they spent the weekend together. She didn't remember taking his shirt. Nor did he ever mention it. But it felt good having him near her. And she highly doubted that she would return it. She never used to understand the appeal of a woman taking their partner's shirts. It seemed cliche. Until now.

She walked over to the window and saw a massive shield surrounding the castle that extended onto the school's grounds. It was visible as spells from an outside force threatened to tear it down. It was overwhelming as she took in the large mass of hundreds of death eaters surrounding the barrier ready to kill anyone that gets in the way.

They wore their masks and she couldn't tell if they were all men or if there were women amongst the ranks. These people were prepared to storm the castle and kill students. Some of them were their own children but that didn't matter to them. Voldemort was nowhere on site but he was there. She could feel his darkness. He would be standing behind his followers like a coward. Waiting for them to do his dirty work before he made his final move. All of this was an elaborate game to him. And so the order had to strategize their defences as if this was one large chest game. And Hogwarts was the prize.

The halls echoed with the screams and fear of students as they ran in different directions. She was on her way to check the staff's room when someone's arm caught her around her midsection and pulled her flush to a hard chest. She knew who it was before she even looked at him. It was Severus. She never felt more relieved to be in this man's arms than she was right now.