It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 75: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

"I don't believe it!" Harry jumped to his feet, switching off Ron's radio. The trio had just been listening to Potterwatch. It was Lee and the Weasley twins' station, and it was, frankly, brilliant. "Did you hear what Fred said? He's abroad! He's looking for the wand! I knew it!"

"Harry-"

"Come on, Hermione, why are you so determined not to admit it?" Harry asked,"Vol-"

"HARRY, NO!" Ron bellowed.

"-demort's after the Elder Wand!"

"THE NAME'S TABOO!" Ron leapt to his feet as well, using his Deluminator to switch off the lights,"I told you, Harry, I told you! We can't say it any more!"

Hermione stood up quickly, fumbling for her wand in the semi-darkness,"Oh, hurry, we need to put the protection back around us - quickly - they'll be able to find-"

"Come out!" A rasping voice came through the darkness,"Come out of there with your hands up! We know you're in there! You've got half a dozen wands pointing at you, and we don't care who we curse!"

Harry felt a hand close tightly around his left forearm. He looked around at Ron and Hermione, now mere outlines in the darkness. He saw Hermione (who was stood on Harry's left side) point her wand, not towards the outside, but into his face. There was a burst of white light and he buckled in agony, unable to see. He could feel his face swelling rapidly under his hands as he collapsed to the ground.

"Get up, vermin." Someone flung Harry to his feet and dragged him outside. Before he could stop them, Harry felt someone rummage around in his pockets and pull out his temporary blackthorn wand.

Harry finally found the energy to struggle when he saw a blurry figure wrestling Hermione out of the tent behind him. "Get - off - her!" He shouted. There was the unmistakeable sound of knuckles hitting flesh. Harry let out a cry of pain.

"No! Leave him alone, leave him alone!" Hermione screamed.

"Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list." The owner of the rasping voice told her,"Delicious girl...what a treat...I do enjoy the softness of the skin..."

Harry's stomach turned over. He knew who it was: Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf who had been permitted to wear Death Eater's robes in return for his hired savagery.

"Now, lets see who we've got...what's happened to you, ugly?" Greyback leered towards Harry. Harry didn't answer. "I said," Greyback repeated angrily,"what happened to you?"

Harry received a blow to the diaphragm that made him double over in pain.

"Stop it!" Hermione cried,"Don't hurt him!"

"Stung." Harry answered,"Been stung."

The following few minutes went by in a blur of anger and pain and, the next thing Harry knew, the trio were in Malfoy Manor. A Death Eater named Scabior was towering above them, a copy of the Daily Prophet in his hands.

"'Ang on a minute, look at this!" He said,"'Ermione Granger, the Mudblood known to be travelling with 'Arry Potter. You know what, little girly?" Scabior bent down so that he was face-to-face with Hermione,"This picture looks a hell of a lot like you."

Harry's scar burned unbearably in the silence.

"It isn't!" Hermione squeaked,"It isn't me!"

It was as good as a confession.

"Well, well, well." Scabior stood up and paced the room,"This changes things, doesn't it?"