Added: Jul 27, 2010

From: XHarryPotterFreakX

Duration: 2:23

They tried to listen for any more movement in the distance above the pounding of their hearts, rushing blood and heavy breathing; hearing nothing but the natural rustling of branches in the wind, they sat down in the grass to catch their breath. Hermione lay back, and turned her head to look at Draco, who'd done the same. "Like I said, I think we lost whatever it was that was back there." He laughed, "Thanks for clarifying, I didn't understand what you were talking about just a minute ago." He sighed, "So, are we getting close to being at Hogwarts yet?" After the rush of adrenaline had abated, the pain in his ankle returned tenfold, he gritted his teeth through the sudden throbbing; it had worsened with their flight. Hermione sat back up and looked around them. She smiled with a huge grin before standing. "What is it Hermione?" he groaned, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. "Well, it looks like we're almost there. In fact, if I'm right, which I should be, Hogwarts is just a little bit past these trees, that was the forbidden forest we just dashed through. I think we should keep walking." She suddenly transformed back into the bossy know-it-all everyone recognized, "Now, if you walk with me, we will be there just before dark, like I said this morning." Draco smirked at her as he stood up. "Yep, you're so smart, but I'm faster, even with a bad ankle. I'll race you to the Great Hall!" "Don't be stupid! You'll end up doing more damage that way! I said walk with me!" she huffed, one hand on her hip and the other wagging a finger in his face. With a huff of acquiescence from Draco and a face of triumph from Hermione, they both set off walking; Draco trying to walk faster to prove to the witch that he could; he gave up the idea after yet another tongue lashing from the witch after she saw him wince. Within half an hour, they were finally stepping over the Hogwarts threshold. - They walked side by side through the doors of the Great Hall and came to an immediate halt. What was supposed to be a big room with four long tables and house banners was a mass of shattered windows, torn flags and splintered wood. The enchanted ceiling was a mere view of dull oak beams. They turned to each other in great horror and shock. "Draco, this is awful! I wonder what happened!? Do you think any students arrived after what happened with the train?" she gasped. "Well, I haven't seen anybody yet and I don't hear anyone." He mumbled. Hermione turned and ran out of the Great Hall and up the stairs as fast as she could. She was heading to the Gryffindor common room with Draco behind her, trying to breathe through the pain of running on his injured ankle after her. They got to the door supposedly hidden by the Fat Lady; the frame was broken and thrown to the ground, the fat lady nowhere to be seen. Draco motioned towards the open door of the common room. Hermione walked in front of Draco, through the portrait hole and into the Common room; tears rolled down her face. The formerly comfortable furniture was a mass of rags, stuffing and charred wood; carpets and rugs were in shreds. The walls had obvious spell burn marks on them. The little tables and desks people had used for their homework were piles of grey ash and charcoal. The room was ice cold without a fire in the grate or people bustling around. She started walking up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. It looked like the room had been subjected to a tornado. Beds were on their sides, the drapery torn and tangled; the small fireplace in the centre of the room had been dragged from its chimney, and thrown into one corner; the wooden floor was charred and scratched and the window was missing, blown out from its frame by the force of whatever had ransacked the room. 'I'll be better off in the common room tonight.' Hermione thought numbly. The room that had been her home for a fair portion of six years was unrecognizable. She pulled herself together and ran a cleaning spell over her body before transfiguring her T-shirt into pajamas and removing her jeans, shoes, socks and bra. She searched the room for a quilt that hadn't been ruined beyond repair, shrunk it with her wand and tucked it into the waistband of her pajamas. Looking into the next dormitory, she found one bed that could be repaired; its curtains were a lost cause. With several spells, the bed was as good as new -- its mattress was a mass of tangled springs and stuffing and she discarded it; the bed was shrunk so it would sit in the palm of her hand. Further searching found a mattress, which also became a miniature. Sheets were impossible to locate among the shreds of cloth; and most pillows were piles of feathers and limp cotton bags, one had survived destruction, and this too was shrunk down.

Channel: Entertainment

Rating: 5.0' max='5' min='1' numRaters='3' rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#overall ( ratings)    Views: 1164    Comments: 9