One Last Try [HP Jamione fanfic]

26. Forever & Always

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Life's been mad recently, and then I got really into The Walking Dead (which I've not watched before) and I've been obsessively reading TWD fanfic haha!. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Slight TW for mentions of SA - though it doesn't happen and isn't described.

8th November 1975

The Gryffindor fifth years had taken up residence at one of the large tables dotted around the common room, books spread out around them whilst they studied. There was no Hogsmeade trip that weekend, so with Hermione's stern encouragement they were all quietly studying. Even the Marauders for the most part. Every few minutes Hermione or Lily would send them a glare when a spate of chuckling or whispering rose up from them. Inevitably Sirius would wink at whoever sent the glare and carry straight on with his mischief planning.

The quiet peace of the early afternoon was broken when the portrait was shoved open, bouncing off the wall with a loud crash. A dishevelled girl practically fell through, her blonde hair was limp and lacklustre and she whimpered as she dropped to her knees. Hermione was on her feet before anyone else, instincts honed by war. She hurried over to help the girl up, gently taking ahold of her hand. The girl looked up at her with scared and tired blue eyes, pain shimmering in their depths, as Hermione helped her straighten up.

Horror dawning as she looked the girl over, she realised it was Mary MacDonald. She was a Gryffindor in the year below, Hermione had interacted with her a few times, always getting on well with her when she had.

"Mary? Are you okay?" Mary shook her head mutely. "What happened?" Hermione asked quietly. She was aware that her friends, and some of Mary's friends were hovering behind them, and though the common room had fallen silent with worry, no one had crowded the obviously extremely shaken girl.

"I-" Mary looked up and baulked at the amount of people watching her, shaking her head fiercely and losing her balance again She tipped sideways into Hermione who struggled to hold her up until Lily rushed forward, supporting her the other side.

"It's okay, Mary. You don't need to say anything." Hermione whispered to her.

Lily caught her eyes over Mary's bowed head, and mouthed, "hospital wing". Hermione nodded and after checking with Mary whether she was happy for them to take her, they escorted her back out of the portrait hole. Lily hung back for a moment to explain to Mary's friends (and the rest of the concerned Gryffindors).

Hermione propped Mary up for a couple of minutes while they waited for Lily to come back out, "Do you want to tell me what happened while there's no one else around?" She asked Mary quietly, seriously concerned about the girl. She didn't recall Harry mentioning anything about hearing about a Mary MacDonald from either Sirius or Remus, so she was worried something awful may happen to the lovely girl in the future. Though if she vaguely remembered she did join the Order in the original 70s where Hermione had come from, so hopefully she would this time.

Mary looked up at her, still upset, but looking more angry than scared now. "Mulciber."

Hermione's eyes widened, and then narrowed, "He did something to you?" She asked, trying not to snap and frighten her further.

Mary nodded, something hard and brave flared behind her eyes. It gave Hermione hope, whatever the awful Slytherin had done, it hadn't broken Mary's fiery spirit. "He accosted me. He-" Mary choked off, unable to carry on.

"Hey, it's alright." Hermione pulled her into a gentle hug, keeping a loose hold on the younger girl so she could pull away easily if she wanted to. She didn't though, she hugged Hermione back fiercely, so Hermione tightened her hold. She looked up at the sound of the portrait swinging open, and met Lily's sad and worried eyes. Lily sent her a questioning look as she approached, but Hermione just shook her head and mouthed "later", then pulled back from Mary. "Mary, we're going to take you to the hospital wing. You don't need to tell Madam Pomfrey what happened, but she'll be able to heal you."