Harry Potter and the Womb of Requirement NOW CODED

49

To say that sleep was in short supply that night was an understatement. Everyone was on edge. The only person enjoying anything like sweet slumber was Hermione, only because she was exhausted and she had truly stepped away. Her job was mainly done now and she saw no point in worrying about it all any more. She still had her doubts, of course, but everything else she had done had been an unqualified success, she had no reason to really doubt herself now. She bummed a couple of cans from the boys, then sat in the dark, her Girlie at her side, rolling joint after joint until she fell over and passed out.

Ginny checked that Hermione was asleep, then crept out quietly, leaving a note, and went along the corridor to Ron and Blaise’s room. They admitted her. The Six were now Seven for the time being. Ginny wanted in. She wanted to fight. They were all discussing strategy.

{But we don’t know if Harry can call him}, Pansy intoned, practically. {We know that Harry’s been trying to read his ‘wank’ channel, but had no luck}, Seamus sent. They were Warriors now. No time for delicate talk. Ron, uncharacteristically was sunk deep in thought. As the unofficial leader of the Six, they all deferred to him, looked up to him, and for the first time in his life, Ron was a leader, not a follower. He was blossoming.

His send cut across all the others, {They’ll arrive by air. There’s no other way into here}. They all turned to him, {And I suggest, rather than wait for him and his cohorts to land, we fly up and meet him mid-air. This will give us many advantages}, he paused looking round at the expectant faces waiting for guidance and he experienced just for a moment, what it felt like to be Harry, everyone looking to you without a clue of their own, and understood his best friend on a level he never had before.

Ginny smiled, {Of course, brilliant idea, Ron. We can do Magic up there, and we don’t need to have control over brooms, either. I bet V can fly broomless, but I doubt if the Death-Eaters can. Wobbling around on your broom whilst trying to chuck Unforgiveables about is tricky}. Ron beamed at his kid sister, then sat back. She was easily the brainiest of her clan. Percy a mere swot by comparison, her partnership with Hermione was doing wonders for her.

{How will we know they’re coming?}. Lavender. Ron shrugged, {He likes to put on a show. We’ll know. If for no other reason, then Harry’s scar will bug him}. {Will Harry come into the air with us?. I thought he didn’t want to be more than five feet from his bond-mate}, queried Neville. {That was until they’d done their Bond. So they couldn’t hurt each other any more}. Seamus and Lavender were confused. Ginny filled them in as much as she knew realising these two as the final two of the Ten had never been apprised of this information before.

Lavender sent, {Shit!. It all makes more sense now. Why we’ve not acted before. Why we’ve had to be so secretive. Oh, God}, she stared at Ginny, her eyes wide. Ginny reached out and held the girl’s trembling hand. {Ssshh, sorry, I thought you knew all this stuff}, Lavender shook her head, sending, {I should have realised, figured it out. I’m not thick. So Harry can fight with us?. I’d feel happier if I know that one of our Mages are with us}. Ron had a feeling at that moment, that he wasn’t the Leader that he thought himself to be. These two should have known this and he berated himself for his lapse.

Ginny felt a sleepy send into her mind, {Where are you, love?. I’ve woken to a cold bed}. Ginny could feel her Missy’s shiver. {I’m in Ron’s room and we’re discussing the fight to come. I’m going to fight with them Missy}. Ron watched his sister wince, her head in her hands, obviously arguing with Hermione. {No, Missy. I’m going to fight. No argument here. We need each other. Please, babe?}. Hermione was sitting up in their bed, alone, crying. Begging her Girlie not to do this, but meeting resistance. {No. I’m a good flyer. One of the best. I’m part of this force, Missy. You cannot stop me. I’m bonded to these guys almost as much as I am to you. And I had to do squicky things with my brother to get here. You cannot deny me now}.

She felt Hermione’s mute acceptance, the valiant effort not to howl with rage. She closed the connection. {I need to go to her}, she sent to the Six. Ron frowned. {She just had a lesson, Ron. A sub is not passive. I will fight with you all. Goodnight}, she sent on the Ten’s mutual channel and left.

She took her crumpled heap of a bond-mate into her arms and held her as she wept, hopeless bitter tears onto her shoulder. But she accepted, albeit bitterly, her lover’s choice, and knew it to be the right one, whether or no.

Hermione eventually drifted back to sleep in Ginny’s arms. Ginny’s hold was tight, tense, but her mind was made up. She’d seen the sheep-like following of the others and decided that her brother needed more than that with him. She didn’t doubt the others’ abilities, but Ron needed a lieutenant and it would be her. She sent this to her brother down the hall. To receive a send of infinite gratitude in return. Someone else who could think up there could only be an asset. Both her and Ron had fought before and she found herself looking forward to it all, now she was no longer to play a side-line role. She licked her lips at the thought as she kissed her Missy. {I’m doing this for all of us, love. You’ve done enough. My turn now}. She clicked her connections closed and snuggled down beside her Missy, holding her in sleep until her own eyes finally closed.

At breakfast the next day, Ginny grabbed a snack with Ron and Blaise, then she shot off with the Six to the room of requirement to be put through her paces in wandless spells. She kissed her Missy and left, grinning.

Hermione sat despondently picking at her food, her head resting on her hand. This is how Severus and Remus found her, placing themselves opposite and questioning her as to what was wrong. She looked up, a doleful expression on her face and sent her Girlie’s send from the previous night. {I can’t protect her up there}, she wailed into their minds. Then sunk her heads in both hands, weeping. Remus was around the table in seconds, his arm around her.

{Hermione. Come on. You’ve needed her many times lately, have you not?}. She nodded against his shoulder. {Well, consider this, She needs you now. She’s a good flyer. Intelligent. A worthy Warrior. You too, but in your own way. She has helped you throughout, but this is something she can do on her own and her brother appreciates the help}. She bowed her head. Severus sent gently, {You have already done so much, carried us all. I include myself and Remus in this. You’ve inspired us all, set us all on the path, now stand back and let us get on with it}.

She smiled wanly then, {I’ve had this idea for weaving a Magical safety net to catch anyone who falls on the day and I could do with a bit of assistance. Will you two help?}. They both nodded. Severus’ hand crossed the table and held hers. Remus’ arm tight about her shoulders, {Of course we will}. She giggled then, back to herself again, {Ginny described me and her as the back-room boys, the oily rags. Only it seems like she’s front-line troops. I’m gonna be one fuck of an oily rag}. The two men puzzled at her analogy but said nothing, watching the light re-ignite in her eyes.

The Watchers watched. The Six trained the Seventh. Her Magic was greater than theirs. She put them right on a point or two, then stepped away. Ron still led here, but acknowledged the improvements with an abashed grin. They all realised that as an Elemental’s bond-mate, she held the stronger Magic, but she didn’t flaunt it, merely used it to quicken their reflexes, joining their hands now and again to transmit a jolt as they flagged, but eventually they conceded ‘Enough’ for now. Ginny made her way back to her bond-mate, expecting a row. A jubilant Hermione greeted her, {How did it go, sweetheart?}.

Ginny marvelled at this change in her bond-mate. Hermione sent her morning. Ginny threw her arms around her Missy, {A safety net. Fuckin’ genius idea. I will feel a lot safer up there, knowing it’s below me. So will everyone else, I imagine. It’s not like we’re going to get a lot of practice with this flying stuff}, her send faded as she held her Missy tight. Hermione read her in an instant and knew what today had meant to her beloved. She stripped her and took her until she heard her Girlie’s keening cry of release then let herself go, pulsing around her Missy’s fingers.

They ordered dinner in. All Ten. Up in Harry and Draco’s flat. Hermione sent her day to Draco. {They all need Harry up there with them. Can you let him go?}. Draco sank into himself, rocking while he fed his daughter, then emerged, nodding gravely, {Though I hate to see him go}.

Hermione extended her hand to him. He took it, then she sent the plan she had to keep them all safe. Draco smiled then, though the terror was plain in his eyes, {I hate to see her go also, but what is, is}, she shrugged, {It’s her turn now}, she breathed into Draco’s mind. {Let your Mage be one, Draco. You cannot right now and for good reason. But he can and she can. Be a true bond-mate to me. But I have to step away, and so do you}. She grinned at him, knowing what this cost them both. {We’re both natural ‘tops’ and we are giving in to our ‘bottoms’, and we’d better get used to the idea}. Draco howled laughing then. {Already did. I gave in to him months ago. That’s why I bore Cariad and he didn’t}