The Secret War | Dramione

Chapter 7

Hermione was halfway to Ravenclaw Tower when she heard the blast.

She froze, her blood chilling in her veins.

"Voldemort," she whispered.

Suddenly, it was like someone had turned over an invisible hourglass. She ran back the way she came, knowing she had to find Ginny.

Hermione flew through the portrait hole that led into the Gryffindor common room.

Seeing that it was empty, she tore up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.

Ginny was sound asleep, holding Crookshanks in her arms.

The ginger cat glared at Hermione as she shook Ginny awake.

"What's going on?!" the younger girl cried.

Hermione dragged her out of bed. "I need you to run!"

They raced out of the girl's dormitory, flying down the staircase that led to the Gryffindor common room, as a second blast hit the castle.

Ginny cried out in alarm, clutching Crookshanks to her chest.

Below them the Gryffindor common room shook with such force that bookcases and paintings crashed to the floor.

"I have to get you to the dungeons," Hermione said. You'll be safe there."

Above them they heard shouting, students were calling to each other in panicked voices, some of them shaken awake by the blast.

"Come on!" Hermione urged.

They raced down the stairs to the common room, climbing over fallen desks and chairs, desperate to get to the other side of the room.

They heard a loud snapping sound behind them, and Hermione watched in horror as the last bookcase detached itself from the wall.

Hermione crouched down, pulling Ginny down with her.

"Protego!" she shouted.

A sea of books rained down upon them, bouncing left and right.

"Come on! We have to keep moving!"

They climbed out of the portrait hole and raced down the corridor.

Ginny struggled to keep up. "What about Padma and Lavender?" she asked. "Shouldn't we wait for them?"

Hermione shook her head.

Minutes later they reached the landing of the seventh floor, and stopped, waiting for one of the moving staircases.

"But I've left all my things, can't we— "

"We can't go back, Ginny. You'll have to trust me."

The staircase reached them, and they jumped on, moving left.

"But Hermione—"

"There's not time to expla—"

A third blast hit the castle.

"Hold onto something!"

The staircase shook violently.

Ginny shut her eyes, trying not to panic as they swayed left and right. She squeezed Crookshanks so tightly that he hissed at her.

They waited until the shaking stopped, then hurried down the staircase. They were about to catch the next one when they heard movement.

"What's happening?" someone behind them shouted.

Cho Chang skidded to a halt on the landing of the sixth floor, Michael Corner and Susan Bones at her heels.

"We're going to the Great Hall," Hermione lied. "The teachers will try to gather everyone there."