imprisonment

Chapter 43; H

Hermione shook her knee under the table. Her anxiety had been at an all-time high since escaping and she felt as if she couldn't function in the real world anymore. She spent most of her days alone, staring out the window wondering where Draco was, or spending time with Theo. She refused to talk to anyone else unless she had to. She no longer saw any of them as her friends. They had proved that since the day she walked in.

Time passed usually without her noticing. She spent most of her time in thought; reality seemed to fade around her. She found herself imagining the visions in the library and in the manor with Draco. She missed him more than ever, even after knowing that he escaped with his family.

There had to be an explanation. She was sure of it.

She figured that was his only way out—that he was pretending to be on their side so he could find his way back to her. Her mind was constantly filled with daydreams of them being reunited.

She had no idea how much time had passed since she sat at the table with them, talking about their next move. She tried to regain focus and listen to what was being said.

"We have to find a way to kill Nagini and destroy the other Horcrux is," Kingsley said causing her to raise her head up.

She knew exactly what they needed to do. "We need the sword—Draco said we—" she said trying to explain that they needed it to destroy the Horcruxes, before being interrupted.

"Hermione stop—" Ginny started to speak.

"Why should I?" Hermione clenched her fists in anger, refusing to be treated like that. They once thought she was smart and brave, but now they acted as if she was useless.

Her mind flashed back to the last summer she spent with Harry and how they would have never found or destroyed any of the Horcruxes without her. She wished he was here. He surely would have believed her.

"He's killed people—" Ron blurted out and she stared in shock. She felt a pit grow in her stomach. He couldn't be telling the truth.

Everything seemed to play out in front of her. She could feel a lump in her throat and her whole body seemed to shake. She started dissociating from everything. It was like she couldn't move. She could feel the emptiness consume her as everyone started yelling around her.

"RON," Ginny screamed, "She didn't have to know that." Ginny turned to her brother and shot him a glare, before turning to Hermione who was frozen in time.

"This has to be a sick joke," she said at barely a whisper. It felt like she was in a nightmare. She took a deep breath in, trying to calm herself down. It couldn't be true. She knew Draco would never...

"Read it for yourself, maybe this will convince you to let him go," Ron said throwing the Prophet towards her. It all seemed to happen in slow motion and she could hear his muffled voice, almost taunting her.

"No, no, this can't be—" Her heart raced. The whole world seemed to crash around her. Her hands trembled as she picked up the paper. Her fingertips grazed the photo of him and she turned away, unable to look at it for any longer.

Malfoy boy executes members of the insurgence in Hogsmeade. Six Gryffindor's dead.

"Well, it is," Ron yelled back.

His picture. A green light. Six dead.

Everything felt like a blur.

"Don't talk about Draco like that" Theo chimed in, standing up from the table, his chair screeching across the floor. She snapped out of her trance, looking at all of them like they were strangers.

"It's like you're happy he did this because it proves me wrong," she said standing up to leave. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried her best to keep them in. She felt herself wobble as she made her way out of the room, her legs could barely hold her up.

"Hermione wait—" Ginny tried to walk over to her, but Hermione turned away refusing to meet her gaze.

She stormed to her room, trying to force herself to breathe with every step. The words burned into her mind and every time she closed them, she could see the headline all over again.

As she made her way into her room, her tears fell and she whimpered in pain. She didn't know what to believe anymore. She grasped the door frame trying to hold herself up, but failed, crumpling onto the floor.

Draco had uttered an unforgivable ending their lives. They were innocent. Her heart felt like it broke in a million pieces trying to understand. She shook violently, putting her head in her hands trying to understand why he would do that.

She had thought that she meant something to him. She thought what they had was special, but it became evident that it was all an act. He only pretended to have feelings for her because he thought the order would save him. Now that his parents released him, the act was over. He no longer had to string her along with false promises. The person he was when he was with her was a facade.

She wished she could go back to Azkaban—back when she thought it was all real. Even if he had never had feelings for her, it would be worth it to be with him again. Even if it were all a lie, she would give anything to feel his lips against hers while looking out on the balcony.

She ached in his absence. She didn't know who she wished was there to hold her, she just wished there was someone. Her time with the order had left her a hollow shell of a person.

She tried to distract herself, but couldn't. She moved onto her bed, sitting at the edge, trying to think.

He had killed six Gryffindor's, but why? It had to have something to do with the sword of Gryffindor. But it had to be more than what she thought—what the order thought. Yes, it destroyed Horcruxes, but they had known that for a while. That's why it was hidden before. But now, they were killing Gryffindors. Something had changed.

It was one.

"That's it. The sword..." she spoke out loud to herself.

Her mind twisted in confusion, wondering if that could even be possible.

The sword took in whatever made it stronger. It took in a fragment of his soul. She figured the only way to destroy it would with its equal. It had already killed the basilisk, so its venom would work to destroy it surely. Her mind went wild with the possibilities.

"Hermione, what are you getting at?" Theo said causing her to jump up. She sat up in bed, her eyes wide causing Theo to look confused. She hadn't realized he was standing behind her.

"Theo you can't tell anyone what I'm about to say," she whispered, letting him know that he couldn't repeat what she was about to tell him. They could never know what she was doing. They would never believe her.

"I promise I won't say anything," he said holding his pinky out, "you can trust me."

She linked her pinky with his, glad she could count on his help. She would need him when she went off on her own mission to destroy it.

"The sword is a Horcrux. That's why he—" she couldn't finish her sentence. Theo nodded in understanding, letting her know she didn't have to explain.

"Hermione you don't have to—I understand. I will help you," he looked into her eyes with his brown ones, confirming that she wouldn't be alone in all of this.

They were going to find the sword, kill the snake, and then destroy it. She wouldn't let anything get in her way.

A/N

Thank you guys for being so patient with me. The next chapter should be Thursday, Feb 25th.