Yours Truly, Hermione

Rescue | ᴄᴇᴅʀɪᴄ ᴅ. (t)

• Cedric Diggory | World Cup 

 ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ・☽ ༓ ☾・  ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶  ̶̶̶̶

Hermione could feel the wind knocked out of her as she was shoved outside the stream of panicking crowds. She tripped over her feet, falling back against a tent, curling in on herself as she tried to avoid the stampede of feet. The fumes of fire and burning fabric suffocated the air, the thrumming chants of the Death Eaters underlying the panicked screams of everyone fleeing for their lives. 

She climbed to her feet, looking around wildly for Ron or Harry. But the crowd blended into a sea of heads, and not even their distinct red hair could help Hermione find the Weasleys at this moment.  She could feel the fear begin to rise like bile to her throat. 

She had no idea where to go. 

She couldn't apparate. 

She was muggleborn. And there were Death Eaters terrorizing the camp.       

Hermione felt a firm grip close around her arm, yanking her out of the way of the crowds. She almost screamed as the person dragged her down a small slope into a ditch, away from the people- away from the witnesses. 

"Let. Me. GO!" Hermione flailed blindly, the panic well and truly set in. 

"Granger!" A familiar voice grunted as her elbow met his ribs. "Stop- it's me." 

She stopped struggling to look back in surprise. "Cedric?" She cried incredulously. "What are you doing?" 

"What are you doing?" He reprimanded her gruffly. "Those Death Eaters are not a joke, and you're the most famous muggleborn of your generation!"   

"I know!" She bit out. "I was separated from the Weasleys. And Harry. I have to find Harry!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet as she realized the danger her best friend was in.   

Cedric jerked her back down without preamble. "No. At this rate you're more likely to find a Death Eater than Potter. We need to get you out of here."   

"But-"  

"Granger," he tugged her to face him, his hazel eyes burning into her intensely. "I know you're used to herding your boys, but you're still a child. This is not a game. Aurors will be here soon, and for all you know Potter is still with the Weasleys." 

Hermione ground her teeth in frustration. Like she didn't know the danger they were in? She almost lost her life to one of Harry's perilous adventures every bloody year! But now was not the time.       

"What do we do?"  

"We get you to the portkey," he said firmly.  

"What about you?" She asked in concern. 

"I can apparate myself," he waved off. "Don't worry about me." 

"Okay," she nodded shakily. "Let's go." 

Cedric narrowed his eyes on her, noticing her trembling hands. He reached out, twining his hand with hers. "You'll be fine. I promise." He vowed, pulling her up as they climbed out of the ditch and followed the path towards the clearing. 

They hurried along, hand in hand. The crowds were thinning out, most of them herded away by groups of Death Eaters. They stopped in their tracks as the tent nearest them burst into flames. They stumbled back from the wave of heat, Cedric protectively pushing Hermione behind him. They kept running, heading for the portkeys. But as they ran, the chanting got closer and closer, echoing through the air. Hermione could no longer tell where it came from.