Bloodties

Author’s Notes: Hiya, guys. It’s my first story here (well, my first HP story anywhere really) so I hope you enjoy it, and are kind enough to hit that little review button and tell me what you think. Warning for language later in this chap though, so look out. Thanks. (* represent a flashback)

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.k Rowling, not me. Unfortunately.

-pixie-

Prologue – Home

The rain fell like tears from the sky, soaking into her clothes and dripping slowly down her face, sending a chill rippling, unbidden, down her spine. The water was a flood of cold, thick droplets, each one biting into her exposed flesh, her sodden clothes clinging to her like a second skin. Every movement hurt.

She tried to look up but the knife shifted painfully in her side when she attempted to move her head, the continual downpour putting pressure on her already exhausted limbs. Instead, she flexed her fingers that were lying in the mud beside her, feeling the shattered wood of her wand secured safely in her palm. She couldn’t remember how it had been broken…


*White blonde hair. Amid the smoke and ash and black curses flying across the sky she saw white blonde hair. All she could do was run, chase him through the thick tide of mud and the increasing amount of bodies littering the battlefield. He was fast, moving easily through the chaos, his path never once faltering. She slipped several times, her shoes unable to grip the rain-slick surface as he ran on, the distance between them increasing as her body failed her, slowing down with every stabbing breath. He couldn’t escape.*


Hot blood coursed from the wound, dying the singed grass she lay on a vile shade of crimson, the hilt of the silver streaked dagger protruding from her side. The rain still fell, numbing every inch of skin that it hit, the pain somewhat abating. Darkness loomed at the edge of her consciousness, threatening to consume her when her body finally gave up. She wouldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t, not when he was searching for her.


*She watched as he ducked behind the remnants of the castle’s outer wall, finally tripping on a mound of fallen stones before disappearing. She had to follow him; she had to find out what he knew. Her shoes squelched in the sodden ground as she ran, leaving a trail of footprints in her frenzied wake. Reaching the wall she stopped, her well-trained eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement, searching for any trace of platinum hair. He couldn’t escape.*


She closed her eyes, listening to the rain rhythmically beat the softened ground next to her. It was somehow comforting, easing her into what she knew to be her last few moments of life with something familiar. She had always liked rain; it made her feel clean again, free from the indiscretions and impurities of war. Ron liked rain too, so she knew he had to be out looking for her.


*She didn’t look behind her, didn’t see the long, pale fingers close in, covering her mouth completely as the tip of a sharpened dagger pressed into her stomach. He dragged he backwards, her legs going limp as her feet collided painfully with pieces of stray debris. His breath was hot on her cheek, the feel of him so close to her bringing bile to the back of her throat. He couldn't escape but neither could she.*


Time passed, and the rain stopped, silence consuming everything. She listened as hard she could, willing for some faint sound to occupy her thoughts while the seconds passed by, waiting for his voice to fill her mind one last time before she died. Fragmented voices filled her mind as she listened, a million words swimming in front of her eyes as she concentrated on the penetrating silence. Her mind grew darker, heavier, more confused as she continued to listen, not sure if the voices she heard were real or if they were a figment of her tortured imagination.


*Malfoy’s voice was clear, spitting insults into her ear as he held her behind the wall, knife still pressed into her stomach.

“I’m disappointed Granger, thought you were too good to fall into a silly little trap like this,”

He pushed the knife slightly further, a line of blood blooming from the small indentation. His other hand was steady, still held to her face as her teeth fought to meet flesh, her bruised legs still and lifeless, barely holding her upright.

“Of course, Potter’s off fighting his own fight, trying to save the world or some shit like that.”

His grip tightened even more, the fingers on her face pressing harder.

“But I thought Weasley would be here at least. I guess that shoving your dick up some mudblood cunt doesn’t mean that much after all…”

Something cracked inside her at those words, a hidden store of strength bursting forth from a chasm in her chest; a new source of unexpected energy that gave fuel to her limbs. She raised her leg, bringing it swiftly down upon his muddied trainer, his grip upon her momentarily loosening as his focus was taken away. She scrambled from his grasping hands, numb mind unconsciously putting one foot in front of the other as her hands reached out desperately, trying to get to safety. The thought of it propelled her forward, even as the moist ground slowed her movements and ice cold hands encircled her waist, platinum hair flashing briefly before her eyes as she fell to the floor. She couldn’t escape, and she knew it.*


The voices came closer, distinct words reaching her ears as every cell in her body seemed to shut down, a thick, liquid heat pulsing through her veins. She knew the voices, they were familiar, they were loved, but the gentle sound of falling rain lapped at the edge of her awareness and she yearned to feel the coolness on her skin. Her body didn’t want to go, it held onto the approaching voices, it held onto the hope that came with them, but a part of her wanted to see the rain and feel it wash the heat away. That part wanted everything to end.


*She knew it was the end. Lying face first in the mud, her wand lying broken and useless in her hand, Hermione was roughly pulled onto her back, the steely grey eyes of Malfoy staring down at her, unsurpassed hatred written clearly across his pale, pointed features. The life had somehow left her; her hands easily pinned above her head as the dagger was once again held to her side, a gasp stifled at her lips as the sharp blade pierced her skin once again.

“You fucking mudblood whore,” he swore, the back of his hand connecting painfully with the side of her face, a red mark stretching across her jaw.

“I was going to kill you quickly,” he looked to the knife held at her side and smirked, his top lip curling to its fullest extent.

“But for that you deserve to be gutted like the rabid animal you are.”

In one foul hand movement, he had pushed the dagger to its furthest extent, the thin sharpened blade slicing easily through flesh as intense, burning pain coursed its way through every fibre of her being. Through the haze of fire dancing across her vision she saw Malfoy get hit with a stunner from the distance, his form momentarily glowing green before falling limp to the ground beside her. Before her lids became too heavy to keep open a single name rolled from her tongue, the image of red hair and freckles imprinting themselves upon her mind as the heavens opened, and the rain started to fall.

“Ron…?”*


“Ron…?”

The voices were much clearer, the deeply familiar tones stirring memories within her as she clung to the memory of red hair and freckles. Of home. Of him. She could see him in the corner of her vision, his wand held high above his head, illuminating him like a figure from a dream. Maybe he is a dream…

A trembling hand reached for her face, running a callused finger slowly along her cheek, the other hand gently touching the wound to her side as red hair floated in front of her. she rain abated, and she focused on that image, but felt the cool liquid impact her skin nonetheless.

“’Mione, please. Hold on, love. We’ll get you home. Please, you have to…” his words were fragmented, punctuated with desperate howling sobs of grief. His tears cooled her skin, not the rain.

“…you have to keep breathing. I’m going to take you home so you have to keep breathing until we get there…”

Home. Home was where she wanted to go, where the light was. But her body didn’t want to, protesting louder and louder as the lure of rain dragged her down, the abyss threatening to swallow her whole. It was a long and tiring struggle, but as she got closer to the surface, a few stray words reached her, proving to be the deciding factor.

“I love you…”

After decided that she preferred the light, she found her voice once more, making one last attempt at life, at living if only for him.

I love you too.

-pixie-


Chap Notes: I hope that was okay. That was really just a set-up chapter though, so expect longer chaps later (hopefully) and loads more action. Thanks for reading, and I hope you review.