More Than Magic (Hermione x Male reader)

Year 7 - You Have A Plan

"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?" Aberforth said. 

Harry stands mute, his face at war with itself. For a moment, it's unclear which competing emotion will win out, then finally he speaks, his voice steady. 

"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," Harry said leading to silence. 

Hermione looked at me and Ron exchanges a glance with me. Aberforth regards Harry darkly, but Harry merely stands, waiting.  After several seconds, Aberforth's gaze shifts to the painting.

"You know what to do..." Aberforth said.

The girl smiles, turns, and walks away, growing slowly smaller in the painting with each step she takes. 

"Where've you sent her?" Harry said.

"You'll see soon enough," Aberforth said.

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

 "She'll always be beautiful," Aberforth said. 

Ron and Harry glanced at each other, confused. 

"She died very young, didn't she?" Hermione said. 

"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," Aberforth said.

 Aberforth looks to the empty frame.  

"Mr Dumbledore... thank you," Hermione said. 

Aberforth stares hard at Hermione, nods curtly, and exits. As he disappears Ron looks to Hermione to explain to her "Thank you." 

"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?" Hermione said looking at me. 

"He should be fighting," I said.

Ron and Harry exchange a glance, eyeing the empty doorway. 

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

Just then, the painting blooms faintly and Ariana emerges from deep within the dark canvas.

"Who's that with her? Bloody hell..." Ron said. As Ariana draws closer, the limping figure beside her comes clear.

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

"Neville..." Hermione said. The frame swings open, revealing in actuality what the painting had replicated. Harry pelts forward into the passageway as Neville comes into the light drifting from the sitting room. Long hair. Gashed face.Swollen eye. Clothes ripped and torn. 

"Neville, you look..." Harry said. 

"Like hell? I reckon," Neville said.

"That's one word for it," I said.

"This is nothing. Seamus is worse. You'll see. Hermione! Ron! Y/N," Neville said embracing us, then turns to Aberforth. 

"Good to see ya," I said.

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

We turn to see Aberforth standing in the doorway, watching Ariana drift back into the canvas. Neville turns to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Smiles again.