When Love Hurts | Dramione - COMPLETED

Desolate

It was silent in the Charms classroom when Aurora and Hermione arrived, battered and bruised, tears forming streaks down their face. 

But outside, a war was still raging - but a different war from what they had just come from. 

They were back. 

Hermione gasped and fell forward as the smoke dissipated. She landed on the cold ground, hard and started to cough. 

"Hermione?" Aurora whispered, her voice cracking with fear. 

Hermione didn't answer, her head turned towards to the ground. She didn't want Aurora to see her tears, or the fact that she was as terrified as the other girl was. 

A minute passed before Hermione took a deep, shuddering breath, and got to her feet. "We need to help them," she murmured, almost like she was in a trance. Her eyes were blank as she made her way towards the door. 

"Wait, Hermione," Aurora grabbed her hand, pulling her back. For a second, Aurora looked a lot younger than she was. "Are we - we're in a different time period? We went back in time?"

Hermione could only bring herself to nod. But Aurora didn't let go of her hand. 

"If - if you reset time," Aurora said softly, "Is there a chance that Draco is still alive?"

A second passed. 

Then - 

"Aurora," Hermione said very quietly. "You are a genius." Color flooded back into Hermione's cheeks, and her eyes glinted with determination once again. "We need to go. We have to find him. He's still alive, Aurora, he's still alive! Come on!"

"I don't want to," Aurora mumbled, glancing out of the dark doorway. 

"I know," Hermione gently said. "I know. But you are the key to defeating Voldemort. We need you. I'll keep you safe."

"Why would I want to defeat my own grandfather?!" Aurora cried out, recoiling from Hermione's touch. 

Hermione visibly winced when she called him her grandfather. "Aurora, you knew this had to happen. He's - he's a monster. He was worse than the Ministry."

"But he's my only living family," Aurora whimpered. "I can't help kill him."

"He's a monster," Hermione repeated. "He's killed so many people, Aurora. He killed Harry's parents, his grand-parents - "

"I can't!" Aurora shrieked, backing away from Hermione. "Let me talk to him! Just let me talk to him, and - "

"He's not who you think he is, Aurora," Hermione said soothingly. "Just come with me. We'll find Draco and Harry, and - "

"And you're any better?!" Aurora cried out, banging her knee against a desk. She had backed up to the wall by now. "You reset time, maybe killing that one boy! You're saying my grandfather killed your friend's parents, but you just did too, but resetting time!" 

Hermione was silent for one second, one hand gripping her wand, and the other wrapped around herself. 

"I didn't want to do this," she murmured, almost like it was to herself. "But I have to."

"What?" Aurora asked, suddenly suspicious. "What are you going to do?" 

"Stupefy!" Hermione cried, just as Aurora screamed. She crumpled and collapsed on the floor. 

Hermione ran over to her body. She was still breathing shallowly, but her face was deathly pale. 

"I'm sorry, Aurora," she whispered, reaching down with her wand to draw blood from the still girl. She performed a Disillusionment spell in hope that it would protect her.