Unbroken

Early Friday Morning, Week 2

Hermione POV

Once the battle dies down, I waste no time in rushing over to Lyla and asking where Harry is or if she saw him. I know it's a longshot but he's out there fighting Dolohov by his lonesome while already hurt. I won't kid myself and say there's more than a high chance that he might die even if he were to beat Dolohov.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. We were captured after the ceiling collapsed between you two. I thought he was with you?" She finishes with a question for me.

I shake my head frantically and tell her, "he was until we were ambushed by Dolohov."

"Let me guess, he goaded Dolohov to face him alone to protect you, didn't he?" The woman asks me sarcastically but with the barest hint of a knowing smile on her face.

"Exactly, and now we have to find him," I hurry out to the woman who takes my shoulder calmingly. She smiles at me and I begin to wonder just what she's thinking before she says, "take out your wand."

Wordlessly I obey and pull out the wand that Harry gave me during our rescue. Lyla is still wearing that knowing look and I would almost get annoyed at her if it weren't for her helping me. "Cast your patronus, Hermione," she orders me. I look at her confusedly and she silently gestures to me to do it. I don't know how this will help but I resolve to do it anyway.

"Expecto Patronum," I incant in a firm voice. A bright glow erupts from the tip of my wand as my patronus, an otter, springs forward and dances around me jovially. I'm immediately filled with a sense of happiness and relief but it is quickly replaced by my worry for Harry again.

"Tell your patronus to find its other half," Lyla whispers to me while the otter is now perched in front of me, awaiting my command.

"W—what? What do you mean?" I ask the woman next who groans frustratedly in response.

"Just do it, Hermione," she commands me. I close my mouth and save my questions for later. I hope to God this works.

"Erm...take me to your other half," I gently say, feeling stupid as I do so. The otter, however, understands me completely and is now setting off in another direction, presumably to find Harry.

"Come on." Lyla starts pulling me along before turning to her team, "let's go find the Boss."

We just manage to keep pace with the otter who is going entirely too fast for us and looks annoyed? I never knew patroni can show emotion, that's new. I hear a light snort from Lyla next to me as she says, "looks like your patronus misses its other half dearly."

I blush deep red at the statement and its implications. I remember reading that two people who were completely in sync, a perfect match if you will, would produce patroni that reflect that relationship. It comes as no surprise that Harry and I's patroni are like that but it is a reminder of the years we had stolen away from us. It seems like everything, even our magic, knew we were supposed to be together.

The otter steadily floats through the area before coming to a stop and fading out of sight. I go to cast the charm again but I'm stopped by Lyla who's shakily pointing to the corpse of Antonin Dolohov. There's a knife lodged in his throat to the hilt and I gag at the sight of it. Tearing my eyes away from the gruesome image in front of me, I peer past the corpse to find another pair of legs lying next to Dolohov. The rest of the body is obscured by the tombstone in front of it but my heart skips a beat and I know it's Harry.

"HARRY," I scream in relief and worry as I take off running towards him. It doesn't cross my mind that his legs were unmoving until I arrive to find the rest of Harry's body almost beaten beyond recognition. "No, no, no, this can't be happening," I beg and plead to anyone who would listen.