Because You Love Me

76. The Doctor and Sirius Black

 Hermione had a death grip on Harry's shoulder with one hand and she had her other one in the pocket of her jeans, which just so happened to be the very pocket where her wand was currently residing. She kept that side of herself hidden so the man wouldn't see her moving and took it out of her pocket. Once she succeeded in doing that, she put that hand on Harry's other shoulder and she wasn't about to let go. She had a plan.

Harry could feel Hermione's wand on his back. It was comforting to know it was there, that Hermione would at least have a chance to survive if he didn't. Then something strange happened. He felt one of Hermione's hands, the one with the wand starting to slip down his shoulder and then his arm, but very slowly. He was smiling on the inside. Hermione was very clever. She was trying to get the wand to him without alerting their attacker to what she was doing. Warmth swelled inside of him. He was glad she was there.

"Any last words, Potter?" the man taunted.

Harry held his breath as he felt the warm wood of Hermione's wand slip down his arm and to his hand. He grabbed it quickly and pointed it forward toward the stranger.

"Just one," Harry said boldly. "Expelliarmus!"

The man blocked the spell easily as if her were flicking off and irksome fly. Harry started to panic inside. He didn't know how to block spells like that yet. He threw another spell, hoping to get lucky enough to catch the man off guard. It was the one he had used on Malfoy in the Dueling Club. The man blocked that one too. Suddenly Harry jumped. He felt Hermione's hand reach into his pocket and drag his wand out. Now she was armed too. Maybe between the two of them, they would be able to at least escape safely. He wanted to tell her not to fight, to let him handle it, but he knew she would not listen. She was stubborn when she wanted to be. She raised Harry's wand, prepared to defend the both of them if necessary.

"Ah, I did not see you get the wand. Very clever, Mr. Potter. But you should not have tried to fight back." He tightened his grip around his wand. "You should have just accepted your fate. Now I will torture you before I kill you. Better yet, I'll torture your friend and make you watch."

Hermione gulped nervously and Harry felt her grip on his shoulder tighten a little. Even though she had his wand pointed forward, she was still holding onto him.

"No," Harry stated firmly. He put his arms out to cover the part of Hermione's body that was exposed and vulnerable. Harry wasn't about to let this stranger hurt her because she was associated with him.

The man raised his wand. "I'm going to enjoy this," he sneered. "Cruc-"

"So am I," a voice interrupted.

The man whirled around to see who had spoken. He recognized him immediately. Severus raised his wand and sent a stunning spell right into his chest. The man was thrown backwards like a rag doll. Severus moved forward, keeping his wand trained on him. If he moved, he was going to get it.

"Don't hurt him too bad, Severus," Alaina called to him as she ran up to where Harry and Hermione were standing. "I want to know who he is." She was too far away to get a good look at him or to tell who he was. Besides, her main concern was her son right now.

Harry and Hermione, relieved to have been rescued, were trading wands when she came up to them.

"Are the two of you alright?" she breathed. Her heart was racing. "Are you hurt?"

"We're fine," Harry answered. "He didn't get the chance to hurt us."

"Harry was brilliant, Professor Evans," Hermione gushed.

"No, Hermione. It was you who was brilliant. As always."

She blushed.

Alaina smiled, relieved that they were okay. She glanced over her shoulder. Severus still had his wand on the man and he had his hands up in surrender. She turned back to Harry. "I'll be right back." She ran over to Severus. "Any idea who he is?" She didn't even look before she asked the question.