Bitten

Finale: In Which Battles are Fought and Wars are Won

                    Once they landed safely, Goyle scrambled away.

               “That’s right, you blighter, you better bloody run!” Ron yelled after him, shaking his fist. Hermoine shook her head and placed a hand on Ron’s shoulder. He let out a breath and calmed down a bit.

               “I still can’t believe you wanted to save those no good numpeties,” he said as he turned to Harry. But Harry wasn’t really paying attention. His green eyes were searching for the head of golden blonde hair that was supposed to be there.

               “Where’s Stephanie?” He asked. Hermoine and Ron both blinked and looked up, as if just suddenly noticing her absence.

               “Wasn’t she right behind us? She couldn’t have gotten caught in the flames could she?” Hermoine said with her voice faltering slightly. Harry felt his chest tighten uncomfortably.

               “No, there’s no possibility,” He whispered. But as the seconds continued to tick by, there was no sign of Stephanie or Draco anywhere.

               Hermoine took a small step towards Harry, “Oh my goodness, Harry, I’m so sorry,” Hermoine whispered. He felt small shivers beginning to travel across his skin.

               “No, Stephanie couldn’t,” he stammered, “She wouldn’t,” He felt hot tears start to sting behind his glasses. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from crying. He would not cry; he couldn’t. He still had a war to win, even if Stephanie wasn’t by his side.

               Suddenly there was a large explosion and the door to the Room of Requirement burst open. The flames were still devouring the stacks of things. There was a form slowly emerging from the inferno. It was actually three people, but one was doing most of the walking. One of the figures started to sputter and cough to try and clear their lungs of the thick black smoke.

               “Stephanie?” Harry yelled as he ran towards the figures.

               “Close the door!” commanded a voice from the group. Harry didn’t recognize it but complied anyway.

               He lifted his wand and pointed it towards the doors, “Colloportus!” he shouted. The doors swung shut and there was a loud clicking sound as the doors locked. They melted away back in to the wall and hid the Room once again.

               Harry looked back to the group, which could now be made out as three people. There was one person in the middle in a long traveling cloak. The hood was up so very little could be seen about the person. They were flanked on their left and right by two people. The person on the right was being supported by the cloaked figure in the middle as they moved forward. However, the person on the left was walking a few paces behind the duo. Harry realized absently that the person on the left was Draco. Harry had a mixture of relief and regret that the Slytherin prince had survived. But he supposed it was all for the best.

               “Stephanie!” He cried, running towards them. The girl in question was in fact still alive. She had a bit of black on her skin from the soot and ash, but there didn’t seem to be any visible wounds. Stephanie tilted her head up and smiled at Harry. She began to cough again and doubled over. The cloaked figure reached down to keep her from falling forward as Stephanie continued to cough and wheeze. Harry was there in a matter of moments and pulling Stephanie from the stranger’s grasp.  He pulled her quickly in to a tight embrace, smothering his face in to her hair. He didn’t care that traces of smoke and fire still clung to the golden locks, just that it was his Stephanie there with him.