Dementor's Kiss

Chapter Four - Sherwood Forest

His back collided with the floor, searing pain surely shooting through it at every angle from the point of contact. Ginny thudded lifelessly upon his slim body, her own skinny figure landing to rest just over his chest, her head hanging loosely making her appear to have already lost her battle before it began.

Hermione herself was not as fortunate as the other two as she had, as one may say, hitched a ride on their apparation. Seconds before Draco had vanished, Hermione had wrapped her hand around Ginny's arm, forcing Draco to take her with them. While the others landed on the floor beneath them, Hermione was thrown across the clearing due to her point of entry into the apparition. She hit the ground hard, rolling quickly in a bumpy path across the clearing before she finally came to a halt face down with her arms wrapped around her body.

Her eyes flicked open suddenly, no slow fluttering or gentle blinking, straight away as if someone had flicked a switch. Suspiciously, the hazel brown searched the clearing around her; she picked up Draco instantly, Ginny's body resting helplessly on his, but other than that there was no one else there. Where are the others? Hermione thought, Did they make it?

Digging into the pocket of her dressing gown, Hermione pulled her wand out and waved it fluently, conjuring up a small otter that whirled around happily beside her. "Tell them where we are." She ordered, knowing it would understand as it turned and disappeared into the trees. Unless they had been captured they would be here soon.

With that statement creating an epicentre to her thought process, Hermione had no problem in building the courage to get to her feet. She pushed her palms against the floor, forcing herself to her feet and she curled her fingers around her wand, turning to face Draco and Ginny where they were still lying on the floor. Draco was moving now, his hands moving over Ginny's body in a way that made Hermione burn to the core with anger and disgust.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Hermione shrieked, her voice spinning to the high-pitched tone that she uses when telling people off. In an instant Draco was frozen, his petrified gaze focused on Hermione and the fire that was burning from her as she glared at him. "How dare you! How dare you do that after everything we've done for you!"

"Granger-"

"Don't Granger me Malfoy, we saved your life in that fight and this is how you repay us?"

Ginny was stirring now and she let out a cry of alarm when her weak eyes managed to peel open and found themselves looking down at the face of the infamous young Malfoy. With as much effort as her pain-filled body could muster, Ginny shoved hard against Malfoy's chest, forcing him backwards into the snow as she herself was pushed in the opposite direction.

Hermione was by her side in an instant, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet before backing away and drawing her wand to point at him as he tried to move.

"Don't." She threatened and he looked up at her, fixing a ferocious gaze on Hermione that made her shiver slightly but she didn't back down, instead conjuring up the memory of a time that seemed so long ago when she had beaten Malfoy at his own bullying game.

The rattle of thunder sounded from the dark skies above them and Hermione glanced up before realising it wasn't thunder as the cracks became simultaneous. Looking around the familiar faces of George, Neville, Luna, Seamus and Dean appeared from nothingness, all grinning at her brightly.

A distinguished feeling of safety developed upon the brunette until she turned her focus back to the blonde only to discover that he was up now, his wand drawn as well as he pointed at Hermione.

"Granger-" He started again but this time he was unable to finish, not because Hermione cut him off with her words but rather because he had to dodge the burst of red light that can streaming in his direction. "You're trying to stun me?" Another flash from the end of Hermione's wand answered his question and Draco threw his wand up just in time to create a shield against it. Moments later he had turned on the spot, vanishing as quickly as the others had arrived.