Beginning at the End ⏃ Dramione

Chapter 25: Split

Hermione gasped as she sat up abruptly, instinctively grabbing at her throbbing forearm. As the intensity continued, her subconscious recalled everything from when the scar had originated at the manor. Trying her best not to scream, her mind swarmed with ideas of why it might suddenly have become so painful again. She glanced up, it was still dark out, but she noticed that the air felt different. Attempting to contain her agony, she looked around in the darkness, trying to place her finger on it. It was a particular smell, like the remnants of a popped firecracker. She took a few deep breaths in an attempt to extinguish her suffering, but winced as the air stung her nostrils.

She quickly went for her wand under her pillow, whispering, "Lumos."

When she pointed the light to her forearm, she found it smeared with bright, red blood, as well as a large spot where it had soaked into the linens of her bed. Tensing her body and groaning, it was as if the mark was being scratched into her flesh all over again. Immediately, she tried a few spells for mending cuts and scars but nothing worked, only a scouring charm managed to clean up her sheets. Standing up from bed, she held her forearm, hastily looking around for cloth to wrap it in while the blood continued to flow out of her wound.

Maybe it will stop soon, she attempted to reason. Maybe I'm allergic to something... But she also knew that would not answer for the change in the air. Pacing the small room, she fought a brief battle with herself: she did not want to wake the others, especially when they needed their sleep for the dangerous mission ahead... however, the pain was steadily becoming unbearable, and she knew that the one thing that had ever relieved her of this, was Draco's potion.

Fumbling in the dark, she again whispered, "Lumos". She began to fret that her magic was failing as her wandlight flickered on and off. Swearing there was a vial or two of potion left in the depths of her purse, she attempted to summon one, but became frustrated when her accio spell failed. For a moment, she stared at the door while her open wound screamed for relief. Exhaling deeply, she finally resolved to make her way down to the den.

Hermione persevered in casting her lumos spell, though her wand stubbornly dimmed as she stepped carefully through the hall and down the stairs. Thankfully, there were small beams of light streaming through a few windows, illuminating part of her path. She stopped abruptly, swearing she had heard an unusual sound from outside. With uncertainty, she paced faster through the living room before approaching Draco's door.

Gently knocking, she turned to glance behind her, scanning the room again as the eerie sensation grew within her. When the door creaked open, Draco winced from the sudden brightness of her blinking wand, "Granger?"

"Draco, I... something is wrong." Her voice was shaking, her last word sounding cracked and faded.

Draco opened the door wider, glancing down to where her fading wandlight was pointed at her scar. She watched him closely, curious if he would agree that this was not to be taken lightly. He abruptly became alert, "I'll get my-"

As he began to turn back into his room, Hermione grabbed his arm, "Draco, I think... something is different."

Confused, he paused and turned back to look at her.

"The bleeding won't stop." She raised her arm to show him. "And, can you feel it? The air, it's... changed."

Draco tilted his head up to observe his surroundings better before his eyes grew wide. Grabbing her shoulders and lowering his head to hers, he urgently insisted, "Hermione, wake them up. We need to go. Now."

The glow from her wand faded again, leaving a lasting memory of the fear in his eyes. She attempted to set aside the stinging in her forearm, considering it to be the least of her worries now. Nodding to him, she turned to run across the living room and up the stairs immediately, but nearly slipped on the floor. When she glanced down, her wavering wandlight revealed that it was blood. A panic rose in her, until she realized it was her own, which she had trailed behind her on her way across the room. Inspecting herself, she noticed her shirt was stained as well and began to feel lightheaded.