Just Like Magic (Cedric Diggory and Hermione Granger Fan fiction)

Chapter 38: Rain

Ron and Cedric were inside listening to the radio and Harry and I stood guard. I was collecting flowers in the distance away from Harry as turned over a mirror shard in his fingers. I noticed his eyes drift up and I smiled and waved before collecting more flowers. Harry's gaze drifted back to the mirror shard before slipping the locket from his shirt and studying it. I noticed him wincing and the locket spilled from his palm and danced upon the chain. Harry clutched his scar in pain. Then his eyes fluttered open and he looked towards me as I approached him.

"I thought it had stopped." I gestured to his scar. He looked at me and shook his head. "You can't let him in, Harry. Dumbledore himself said it. You have to close your mind. It's too dangerous-"

"It's not a candle I can blow out, Hermione." He interrupted. "It always burns, even if it's just a flicker. Can you understand that?"

He eyed me before looking away. I frowned in concern. "Tell me. What you saw."

"He's found him. Vol-" He stopped himself, glancing toward the tent. "You-Know-Who. He's found Gregorovitch-"

"The wandmaker?"

"Yes." He looked towards me, confusion in his eyes. "How'd you know?"

"Viktor got his wand from Gregorovitch. Most Durmstang students did at one time. What's he got to do with You-Know-Who?"

"You-Know-Who wants something Gregorovitch once had-dunno what. But he's desperate to have it. It's as if his life depends on it."

I studied him for a moment. The only sound the radio squawking from inside the tent. Harry's eyes flared and he went to speak but I stopped him. "Don't-It... comforts them."

"Well it sets my teeth on edge. What are they expecting to hear? Good news?"

"I think they just hope it's not bad news. It gets them through the day."

Harry arched his eyebrow and eyed me curiously. "And what gets you through the day?"

A brief memory of my parents passed through the forefront of my mind but I pushed it away. "We've all made sacrifices, Harry."

He eyed me completely void of emotion. He nodded toward the tent. "How long before Cedric can travel?"

"I don't know. It takes time. I'm doing all I can."

He stood up, clearly angry. "You're not doing enough."

I studied his profile before jutting out my hand, palm up. "Take it off." Harry turned and I pointed toward his throat, toward the locket. "Take it off now. Now." Annoyed, Harry slipped the locket off and I watched as he visibly relaxed. "Better?"

"Loads."

I took the locket and cradled it in my fingers and shivered. "It's cold. Even though it's been lying against your skin for days." Harry didn't remove his eyes from the locket. He looked troubled. "We'll take turns, okay?"

I slipped the locket over my neck and frowned. It was as if a dark, unhappy presence enveloped me and I couldn't escape. But the locket didn't affect me nearly as bad as it did Harry and so I looked at him and he nodded.
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It was absolutely frigid as I huddled outside with The Tales of Beadle and Bard. My eyes drifted up for a moment to rake the trees. Deep within, I noticed, for a brief moment, movement. I squinted but saw nothing and returned my chin to my chest in an effort to seek warmth. A sound similar to laughter carried through the air and once again I looked out into the trees. I rose and began to move away from the tent and towards the trees.

I moved deeper towards the border of my enchantments and stopped as shadows splintered amid the tower trunks and voices rang clearer. I stood utterly still, as a gang of Snatcher made their way in my direction. They're unwashed and almost feral as if they've grown in the wild. They passed, within in inches of me as I tracked their passion.