The Stars Tonight // H.Granger x Male OC

DH 2 // 62 - Back from the Dead

"Who's that?" Ginny asked as she walked through the rubbles of the destroyed school, seeing people in black walking.

Neville and the others started to look and walk closer as well, watching the procession.

"Hagrid's carrying?" She continued.

Neville just stares, mute. Her eyes shift then, to him, and he sees they are glistening faintly. Her voice, when she speaks, nearly gets lost in the morning breeze.

"Neville, who are they?" Ginny kept on asking him.

Before he can answer, others begin to spill out of the castle. Luna and Seamus. Cho. Arthur Weasley. Ron and Hermione emerge and, seeing the procession know. Hermione draws a sharp breath. The unadulterated sense of loss contained within it causes those around her to look and understand as well.

"What's going on in here Neville?" Arthur asked as he walked towards her daughter, and looked at the procession as well.

Neville starts to speak but falters simply because he can't bear to look at Ginny's face and the faces of the others looking to him for something, anything. He turns his gaze to the Hat dangling in his hand. And as he does, something glints within.

Voldemort and the others are approaching as they draw near. He surveys the ruins of the castle and the beaten posture of the throng assembled upon its steps. He smiles faintly, with cruel satisfaction.

"Behold, Nagini. Our work is done."

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the others stand silently as the procession comes to a halt before them. All eyes drift to Hagrid and what lies in his arms. Rosier also came, with someone in his grasp as the person fell on his face, almost dead and bathed in his blood.

"No... NO!" Ginny's primal cry echoes over the grounds as she rushes towards Voldemort, but Arthur steps between and wraps his daughter in his arms, letting her struggle briefly before pulling her tighter, closer, and safer.

Hermione couldn't utter any word. She was there, looking at those people they have. And the boy who was bathed in his blood, she couldn't even recognize him because of his wounds. Ron was silent, as he placed a hand on her shoulder and started comforting her. She felt her tears start to well up in her eyes as she began to cry silently. Hermione knew who they were, and it is hurting her. It is killing her seeing them – him like that.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort shouted.

He points his wand to the sky with a crack.

"Stupid girl. You cry for that?" He taunted her.

The evil wizard gestures to the body lying still in Hagrid's arms.

"And to this poor little boy right here." He then pointed to the other body as well. "Tell me. These last few hours, as you collected the dead and tended your wounded – were they by your side?"