tears in heaven | dramione

The Mirror

Surprisingly and unfortunately at the same time, the dragon's attention didn't shift towards the Death Eaters, as if it knew not to attack them. That didn't help Draco and Hermione much as now they had to dodge both fireballs and curses from Draco's extended family.

"Don't hit the damn creature, you fools!" Bellatrix yelled when the green light of someone's curse barely missed the dragon's head by one meter. She had yet to realize what a terrible mistake she had just made and would only do that when she saw both Draco and Hermione take a long jump and end up on the beast's back. If there was one way to make them stop shooting, it was that.

The first thought Hermione had as they found each other again on the dragon's back was that it might've not been the best idea. The creature felt them and started shooting fireballs in all directions, slowly losing control, but, yet, unable to reach the two. Some Death Eaters were hit, others barely managed to dodge them. Draco, on the other hand, would've said it was a bloody brilliant decision.

"They won't be firing at us blindly if they don't want to hurt the dragon," Draco told her, much to both their relief.

Despite that, she found it suspicious. She couldn't see Bellatrix Lestrange, let alone Voldemort himself, as a very caring person towards magical beasts, which would make little sense in the context. "Why do you think is that?"

Draco shrugged. "Can't tell, but I know this kind of dragon is quite rare, had cost father half a fortune, which makes me think I'd rather not have it killed either. The Longhorns have a long history of having been hunted down for their, well, long horns, and this guy here is one of the few remaining wild Longhorns from before the law of protection was implemented..."

She looked at him, small wrinkles crossing her forehead as she frowned.

"When the bloody Merlin did I turn into you?" he snorted at the realization of how many traits of an annoying know-it-all he was exhibiting.

"Now's not the moment to have an existentialist contemplation, Draco, nor is for us to talk about dragons. We do that later. We can't just stay here and do nothing until they figure out how to attack us without hurting it too," she brought him back to reality, as her mind ran over all the knowledge accumulated in all her years at Hogwarts to finally figure one way out of that situation.

Draco growled. He turned around a moment before a green light was about to hit them, and rejected the curse with a counterspell. "They've already started precision-shooting, rather than blindly. We need something."

"How many shield-spells you know?"

Draco hesitated. "Enough."

She nodded. "Good. We might need them. Cover me." As she spoke, she reached back into her never-ending enchanted bag, looking for something. Only that, whatever that thing was, it must've been really tiny or really well hidden, considering how long it was taking her to find it.

He continued to counter-spell each curse each Death Eater was throwing at them. A part of him, he had to admit, was hurt that Aunt Bellatrix would rather have him dead than the dragon. Whilst Romanian Longhorns may have been rare and under a law of protection against poaching or illegal use of any kind, he was a unique individual and, above all, her nephew, the son of the only person Bellatrix may have cared for - her sister. Instead of giving a damn, the witch pointed his wand at him, aiming for a bullseye, Hermione's and his backs.

"I'm almost reaching for it."

"You better hurry. If two attack at the same time, I'm not sure I'll be able to stop them."

"It's just it's not a... magical item of any sort, which is why I dropped it straight at this bag's bottom. I think I've got it," she finally said and brought out, of all the possible things in the world, a mirror. It was a mirror, the size of a well-grown watermelon, round and beautifully framed by a complicated pattern of flowers and leaves.

Draco released a long sigh. "Are you going to fix your hair while you die?"

"You idiot, I plan on enchanting this. And I'm not the one whose hair needs fixing, anyways," Hermione replied, a bit annoyed at his mocking question. "Try to hold on a bit more until I make this into a shield."

"I've got a better idea. Let's make this thing mirror curses too."

She nodded, wondering how hadn't she come up with that idea. Within a second, they changed roles and Hermione shot counter-spell whenever any curse was headed their way, whilst Draco had his wand over the mirror, casting a spell which not only assured their protection but could also be their chance against the enemies.

"I do hope this works," she muttered under her breath, glancing with the corner of her eye at Draco as a white light came out of his wand and fell over the mirroring glass, as his firm voice spoke enchantments. "It's our only chance."

He nodded, hearing her all too well. One of his hands was running his wand over their only hope, while, with the other, he caught her free hand, the one she wasn't counterattacking with, and held it tightly. He continued his enchantments and she continued her shielding, the silence between them with enough meaning, a silence broken only by the growls of the dragon and the whistles of all the spells in the air.

"It's done."

"Thank God."

"You alright? Can you do this?"

"It doesn't matter. We must win this."

"I know that, but I also know it'll soon be over and we'll soon be alright."

"You alright, Draco?"

"No, but let's do this."