The Second Hogwarts War

Chapter Eight

Hermione's last thought before going unconscious was about Draco.

When she awoke a few hours later, he was still in his cot adjacent from hers, but his gray eyes were staring into hers. She got up quickly and hurried over to him.

"Draco, I was so worried!" She looked at him in earnest and he took her hand in his.

"I'm ok, love. Just a bump on the head. Madam Pomfrey said I will be just fine. What about you?" His eyes trailed down to her now bandaged arm. There was blood on it that had soaked through, but it was dried by now so she figured the bleeding had finally finished.

"Oh, I'm-I'm ok." She shook away the memories of her carving and crawled into Draco's cot with him. Everyone else in the hall had a cot and were either nursing their own injuries or tending to someone else's. Hermione suddenly remembered what she had figured out before the blood loss had made her pass out.

"Draco, I don't think this was the Dark Mass. Well, I don't think it was entirely them." Draco lifted her chin up so he could see into her eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well," she sat up and looked away, "the person who attacked you, attacked me. After you were unconscious, they used the Cruciatus Curse on me...twice." He didn't blink, but his jaw slacked and Hermione could feel his eyes on her. She welled with tears while saying the next part.

"When the second curse hit me, the attacker was on top of me. When I finally came out of it, my arm was bloody, and the word had been re-etched into my arm. Right over the old scar." She turned back to him then. He looked absolutely horrified.

"Hermione-" he started, but she cut him off.

"This carving," she pointed to her wound, "it's not something I brag about, Draco. Not many people know about it. This couldn't of been done by some lackey to this new dark Lord." Her words began to tremble and the tears in her eyes threatened to spill over.

"Shh, shh, shh."Draco took her into his arms and laid her back down next to him. "It's ok. I believe you may be right. We will figure this out." They held onto each other until McGonagall stood at the front of the hall and addressed everyone.

"Quiet please!" She need not wait long before the whispers and cries of pain died down. "We were attacked tonight. I was assured by some of you who I asked to scout the castle that the intruders have fled. But, they will be back!" Some panicked murmurs bubbled up. "This is why I have sent for those who have left for the holiday and the Minister has been notified. They shall be arriving soon, and we will man the castle and stand guard. Hogwarts was not only a home away from home to schoolchildren. It is a monument to all those great witches and wizards who have come through and done incredible things for our community. It stands for all of you who have protected it not once, but twice now! And, it deserves protecting! If Hogwarts is lost, than our community stands no chance." She stepped away now, leaving the hall in an eerie silence.

Hermione didn't want to worry about what may come. She had been through this all once before. She knew worrying too much about it wouldn't do anyone any good. So, she nuzzled her face into Draco's neck without saying a word. And, he just held her there until both of them fell asleep.

***

The next morning was a whirlwind of people. Some crying, some yelling, mostly new arrivals coming into the hall and seeing the injured strewn about in cots. It was an upsetting sight.

Draco spotted Harry before Hermione did, and he made his way over to them with a couple of red-haired men following close behind. Their words were friendly, but their faces were stony.