The Light

Chapter 58- The Absent

Hermione had cast a warming charm on both herself and Avery after he had fallen asleep, and a disillusionment charm, as well as throwing the cloak over them. They slept in the alleyway behind Honeydukes, wrapped up in one another, too physically and mentally exhausted to move.

She woke up first, as soon as the first streaks of sunlight billowed down to Earth, blinding her. They had only gotten a few hours' sleep but it would have to be enough. Hermione couldn't risk them being found by one of the residents.

"Avery," she murmured, patting him gently. He didn't even stir. "Avery, you need to wake up."

He nuzzled closer to her, cracking one eye open. "What?"

"We need to get back to Hogwarts before anyone realises we're missing," she said, nudging him again. Avery sighed and rolled onto his back, looking up at her. He still looked impossibly bleary and drained, but there was a little more life to his dark eyes. She knew he wasn't entirely awake, for he didn't seem embarrassed by their close proximity. On the contrary, Avery was smiling slightly.

Hermione lifted him off of her lap, so that she could climb to her feet, holding the invisibility cloak in her fist. Avery followed her up, and she noticed him try to hide his wince. He was still in pain.

They made their way over to the back door of Honeydukes, where she tapped her wand against the lock and it slid open. Inside, it was dark and the floorboards seemed to creak at the slightest breeze. Avery found the trapdoor in no time, prompting Hermione to wonder again how often he did this but she didn't comment, simply dropped down into the passageway and helped him clamber after her.

They walked as quickly as possible, which wasn't that fast, all things considered. Nevertheless, within half an hour, they were back within the walls of the castle, feeling sweet and tangible relief flood through them at last. They were finally safe.

They climbed out of the statue to find the corridor was empty; it appeared Hogwarts was still deep in its slumber. There was nothing to fracture the serenity of the early morning, not even as Hermione and Avery stared at one another, chests heaving, bloody and tired.

She saw his eyes slowly dim, regaining that dark flintiness she associated with him, and his entire face shut off. There were so many things she needed to say, so many words that her brain desperately tried to string together and tongue desperately tried to form but they all evaded her. Instead, she stared at him, watching in silence as he drew further and further back into himself until it was too late.

He breathed out unevenly, before turning on his heel and walking away from her.

Hermione knew it was now or never and she started forward, calling after him. "Avery-!"

He paused. He waited for her to continue but the words that she needed to say; the "it's okay", and "you're not a monster", and "I'm glad you're alive" all slipped from her, like marbles rolling from a pool of sanity.

But it was like Avery knew anyway, for he looked at her and the very tips of his lips curled. "Goodnight, Granger," he said.

Hermione just watched him walk away, broken and bloody, but with his head held high and she was once again struck with how Slytherin he was.

She turned and started in the opposite direction, heading back to the Common Room, hoping she'd be able to get a few extra hours of sleep.

It never even crossed her mind how odd it was; the image of two people, just seconds ago united in fear and mission and friendship, walking away from one another, like they hadn't been a part of each other. They were two separate people, a strange team, but a good one, for when they came together, they didn't just meet- they collided.