SERENDIPITY | harmione

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

• i don't want to break you, thread a needle, try and stitch you, but i can't •

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"Harry, we need to leave now-" Hermione started; her voice quivered and Harry could instantly tell how terrified she was.

"Come on..." He murmured, gingerly grabbing her arm, and pulling her to the window in the far corner of the strange room. Ignoring Hermione's protest, Harry thrust open the dusty curtains, coughing as the particles filled his mouth.

"What the hell are you doing?! Have you gone mad?" Hermione screeched, gulping as she watched him unlatch the window frame, opening it slightly.

"Do you trust me?" Harry whispered, his focus turning towards her as he spoke. When she nodded in response, he looked out the window, peering down at the scenery below them.

"We're on the third floor-" Hermione began, appearing beside Harry in the windowsill so that she too could find a reasonable way of escape. "There's no way you'll ever get me to jump."

"Fine, then face Voldemort!" Harry exclaimed, causing her to wince at his sharp and bitter words.

"Sorry..." He mumbled, his tone instantly softening as he looked at Hermione tenderly. She only nodded, making him feel extremely guilty, as he turned to look at the ground below them again.

"We should be fine is if we jump in there..." Harry said, pointing towards the rough pile of shrubbery that was directly underneath the window.

Hermione followed his hand, frowning as she saw the piercing thorns. "O-okay, can you go first?" Her voice was soft; so delicate that Harry was afraid he'd break her.

"Of course..." He gulped, tucking his feet out of the open window ledge. Frowning, Harry's eyes fell to the thicket directly below him. It's now or never, he thought, before pushing off the window and falling into the brush.

Hermione clamped her hands over her mouth as she heard the twigs snapping from below her. She peered out the window, spotting a blur of- what looked like- Harry. "You alright!?" The brunette whisper-yelled, sighing as she heard a low mumble in reply.

Harry stumbled out of the greenery, slight tears in his suit. His gaze met with hers, as he completely emerged out of the bush, dusting himself off. "Come on! I promise it isn't bad..." Harry hollered, motioning to the minimal damage; however, he didn't seem to remember that his full body was covered.

"If you say so-" Hermione started, her voice trailing out as she jumped out the window. Her eyes were glued tightly shut, as she clenched her fist, in complete fear of what was underneath her. And that's when she hit it. She could feel her flesh being ripped up; completely torn.

Wincing, she guarded her face, her palms quickly becoming worn. Finally, after the prolonged fall, Hermione hit the bottom; which felt as if her entire body had shattered. Her eyelids fluttered closed, but persistent, she forced them open, in hopes that she wouldn't pass out. They made it too far...she couldn't give in now.

"Hermione!" A voice screamed before she felt herself being lifted. Despite her attempts, her eyelids became heavy, eventually closing.

"No, no, no..." Harry murmured, his voice was full of panic, as he carried her.

His eyes widened in shock as he scanned her body. Her dress was torn, revealing bits of her pale and clammy skin. There were thin slices covering every inch of her body, each coated in red droplets of blood. Her blonde hair was full of twigs, and bits of roses, and seemed to be the only part of her that wasn't scraped or bruised. However, as Harry gazed at her closed eyelids, he noticed that they were softly shut as if she had just fallen asleep.

Grabbing a hold of himself, he looked around, searching for the nearest, and easiest exit. Finally, he spotted it; the small, back gate. Quickly, as if both his and Hermione's life depended on it- which technically they did- Harry bolted towards the gate, taking shelter behind the shrubbery in hopes of being somewhat hidden.

Upon reaching the gate, Harry unfastened the lock, internally sighing when he realized that it was unlocked. The gate was closed the next, brief moment, as Harry sprinted over to the nearby forest, tightly holding Hermione in his grip. His breath began to shorten, and the weight in his arms only made it harder; but he didn't stop. No, in fact, he ran faster, determined to protect Hermione, even if his legs were growing numb.

Finally, he reached the forest, taking shelter within a small clearing, where he carefully placed Hermione. Harry searched his pockets, grabbing Lucius' wand, and instantly yanking it out. He walked around, waving it as he muttered various incantations. Approaching the numb girl once more, Harry picked her up in his embrace as he sat down.

He gently held Hermione closer to him, being careful not to infect her sores. His eyes scanned the forest, searching for the nearest stream where he could clean Hermione up. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't seem to spot one, no matter how far he tried to glance. Giving up, his attention fell back to Hermione, as he brushed his fingers over the edge of her hair; but in complete shock, he realized it wasn't blonde anymore.