RAGE

When Hermione and Draco returned to the room, everyone was awake and sitting in silence. Hermione sat next to Luna and pulled her close. Luna sighed and hugged her back. They were both alone now. Both forced to fend for themselves, no second chances, no failing.

“Have we heard from anyone?” Hermione asked.

Luna nodded.

“Harry still has his Galleon. He’s there with Pansy Parkinson and Parvarti Patil; Padma and her family didn’t make it. Neither did Parkinson’s family. I’m sorry.” Luna looked at Narcissa and Draco as she said this.

Then Luna began to choke up.

“Ginny is still trying to get information for me, but the news isn’t good.” She looked at Hermione wide-eyed and teary. “Bill and Fleur were infected on their way from Paris.”

Hermione felt the tears starting again.

“And Mr and Mrs Weasley?” Hermione asked.

Luna shook her head.

“Still missing…” She sniffled. “They went after Percy and Penelope who were staying with Mrs Weasley’s sister and we haven’t heard from any of them since.”

“Jesus…” Hermione covered her mouth.

The Weasley’s were her second family; Mr and Mrs Weasley were like second parents. They couldn’t be gone too. She didn’t think she could handle it.

“Charlie arrived at their camp about an hour ago. All of Europe is being evacuated and retreating into the country. There aren’t many survivors anywhere. There have even been reports of the infection in America and Australia.”

Luna pulled the blanket around her tightly.

“Both Seamus and Dean and their families were killed last night.” She went on sadly. “Basically, if you aren’t here, you’re dead or infected.”

Hermione held her hand, willing both of them strength. Before they could say anything more, an alarm rang loud throughout the halls. Panic arose quickly.

“What the fuck does that mean?” Hermione squealed, running into the hall with her wand drawn.

It seemed everyone else decided to do the same. They all looked around at each other silently, hoping for answers.

None came.

Hermione went to the window, afraid to look.

“Oh shit!” She cried, gripping the window sill. “The infected are here. They’re coming!”

Immediately children began to cry and people began to scream and run, pushing as they went.

“Please remain calm!” Came to voice of the Colonel. “We have the situation under control! We have anticipated this attack and our Aurors are already attacking and defending strategically.”

This did nothing to calm the crowd. Most had heard it before, and then they had to run for their lives. Most lost their family and friends on the way. The Colonel looked out of the window at the large group of infected running across the grounds straight for the homestead.

“As a safety precaution, I ask all of you to follow Sergeant Sanders in an orderly fashion, down to the cellar until the attack has ceased.”

They couldn’t scurry down the stairs fast enough. People poured into the cellar, filling the room to the very corners. Finally the door shut and there was darkness.

Cold, deafening darkness.

Then a baby began to cry. Hermione silently begged it not to. All she wanted was silence; so that they couldn’t find her. They wouldn’t be able to find her if she was quiet enough.

Then the crying stopped. Hermione could hear her own heart beat. It felt like it was so loud that everyone could hear. The fear in her throat and belly began to choke her and she rested her forehead against Draco’s chest, desperate for the fear to go and her Gryffindor courage to come.

Draco pulled her close like she was the most precious thing and rested his head on hers. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek. It was comforting somehow. She felt a little safer.

But then it came.

The piercing cry they were all dreading. It rang through out the halls of the homestead and echoed in the cellar.

“How do we get out?” Cried one woman.

“The door!” Cried Sanders. “There’s a door at the back, leads under the house and into the greenhouse out the back! Go! Quickly! And fucking quietly!”

They didn’t need to be told twice. People began to push their way through to the door, trampling and bruising people on the way. Not caring to stop, only wanting to escape from the fear.

Hermione tried to go with the crowd towards the door but was getting pushed side ways. She tried to hold on to Luna but she got separated. She felt the tears, hot and stinging and the lump in her throat. She couldn’t lost them. She needed them.

Then out of nowhere, a hand grabbed her and pulled her through the maze of people towards the door. She looked up and saw Draco in the darkness. Safety. They reached the door and ran through the tunnel, Draco leading. There was only the sound of running as they went on. The tunnel seemed to last forever and yet end too soon.

They reached the greenhouse. They were outside now; the walls of the homestead no longer protecting them.

“What do we do?” A man cried, his arms behind his head, clearly exhausted. “What do we do now?”

Cries of the infected came again, followed by screams in the tunnel.

“They’re in!” Came Sanders voice from a fair way in the tunnel. “RUN!”