She waited patiently at the door, her thin legs plastered to her seat. Her stomach felt as if it were filled with ice cubes and her face was flushed. Goose bumps covered her whole body. Her anxiety caused her heart to beat ten times too fast. She squirmed. A vein twitched on her smooth forehead.

She pulled out a book and started to read, but she couldn't digest the scribbles of ink on the pages. To her, it was a blank page with black scribbles on it.

She surveyed the scene over the top of her book. Many people walking around wearing lime green clothes were going in and out from rooms or beds surrounded with layers of blankets.

There were a few unshielded beds revealing weak people laying unconscious. One man was lying on a bed, a yellow paste covering his entire face. Cuts were visible underneath his nose and his eyelids were scratched up. His whole bottom lip was black and one ear had a chunk taken out of it.

In the bed next to him, a little girl with two holes the size of golf balls punctured into her scabbed cheeks was in a bed. She looked limp, and she had a green liquid the same consistency of blood pouring out of her mouth. A man, woman and teenage boy were leaning over the girl. The woman was whispering things into the girl's ear. One of the people dressed in green tapped on the woman.

Although she couldn't hear what they were saying, the woman with the book could tell from their body language that the person in green who had a soft look on her face was saying something calm and relaxed and positive.

When her lips stopped moving, the man's face crinkled into a smile, proving the book woman's theory correct. The green person spoke again.

This time, the woman, assuming it was the girl's mother buried her face in her hands. The boy's eyes got big and he simply sat down on the bed but the father's expression was unreadable. He clamped a hand to his heart and his lower lip curled and he walked out of the hallway.

The woman turned away. It was obvious the woman in green was informing the mother and father of their daughter's death. She blinked away tears and looked back at the inked pages.

After what seemed like hours and rereading the same paragraph over and over, the door next to the chair she was sitting in opened.

A woman with vicious red hair and startling brown eyes stepped out.

"He's..." she croaked.

The woman with the book put her book down. "What? He's what?" she, ferociously tying her frizzy brown hair into a sloppy ponytail.

"He's...Well..." the redheaded woman started.

The brunette's stomach dropped. "Is he -?"

The redhead gulped. "It's...gone. He's gone."

"No!" the brown-haired woman cried. She dropped to her knees. "He isn't gone. He can't be gone."

The other woman nodded regretfully. "His pulse just stopped. There was nothing we could do."

"You're lying," the brunette said. She laughed dryly. "Haha. Joke's over now. Let me in there - " She dove for the door but the other woman held her back.

"No! He's passed. It was his time. Leave it!" the redhead snapped. Tears erupted in her deep eyes. "Leave it...

"We have to go tell everyone. The kids! Come on. Pull yourself together, woman!" The redhead continued. You could tell she was struggling to battle her emotions as well.

The brunette turned away. "Let's go home, then."

The redhead smiled weakly. "'Atta girl," she said.

Both women put on weak smiles. They were at a war with their sadness, and they were winning.

But deep inside, they both were dead.

___________________________

I hope you all understand who the two people are - I was stating obvious, anvil-sized hints - a BRUNETTE woman with a BOOK and a REDHEADED woman with BROWN EYES.



Duh, it's Ginny and Hermione.



HINT: (SKIP IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS) Keep in mind the girl in the one cot. This is crucial.



Don't worry, I'll try to - try to is key - update soon. Please leave reviews. The more fans, the more inclined I will feel to update. I really will take time to read and reply to your reviews. I need your help, as a reader! However - although I love your feedback, being fiery isn't really what I will be looking for in reviews. Also, I am still thinking of names for other characters. So please just leave your name and appearance.



Thanks so much for reading!!!!!



Love ya'll,

Hannah/Artemis.

A man dressed in green robes was talking to two women.

One woman had red hair and brown eyes and wore a light green dress and a blank expression on her face. She was snapping at the man who was remaining calm.

The other woman was wearing a plain white shirt and a tight skirt. Her brown hair was missing any elegance and her hazel eyes were timid and wet. Prints of tears were visible on the woman's cheeks. She was looking down at the floor, letting tiny specks of tears fall onto her shoes.

" - And since Mr. Weasley has passed away, Mr. Potter's morale is decreasing at an alarming rate. He's getting weaker by the moment. We think he will, well - he won't survive so we've stopped his medication," the man said.

"Without asking us?" the redhead asked, amazed.

"There was no choice. The medicine is very restricted, and we've run out," the man said.

The brown-eyed woman looked shocked. "Excuse me, Mister, this is Harry Potter. The Harry Potter. I'm sure the Ministry would restock whatever supply Harry uses."

"I understand, Ma'am. But I can't do that. I have direct orders from the Head Healer - " the man, a Healer, said.

"Listen, Mister, I want my husband back on that medication - "

"I'm sorry. I can't do that," the Healer said.

The brown-haired woman wasn't listening. A buzzing was all she heard. Her throat was sore from holding in her tears. Her face was pale and she was trying to ignore the words coming out of the Healer and her friend's mouths.

She was trapped inside a cage of sadness and couldn't get out. The bars were solid and concrete, not allowing her to see though them. A blanket of concealment covered her head, not allowing her to breathe.

She looked up. "Jesse...Tabby..." she muttered softly into the other woman's ear.

Something clicked in the redheaded woman's mind when her friend said those two words. She looked up at the man in green confidently. "If that's the case, so be it. Contact us if you find anything else out. And thank you, Healer MacDougal, for all your help in killing my brother. Let us know when Harry dies, too, would you?" she snapped. Before anyone could say anything, she continued, "Hermione and I have been here for thirty-six hours, sleeping on plastic chairs, drinking tea and eating stale biscuits. We're going home for breakfast."

With that, the redheaded woman turned on her heel. The brunette looked horrified. She made to say something, when the the other woman grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hallway.

The corridor was silent, all except the two women's shoes clicking with an elegant sound on the marble floor.

Portraits were staring at the two women as they rushed down the hallway.

"Such a racket!" One portrait complained. He was a man with grey hair and a wrinkled face who was lying in a bed. "Couldn't you keep it quiet?"

"I'm so sorry, bad day, you know?!" The brown-haired woman apologized. The portraits shook their heads and went back to whatever they were doing.

The brunette's attention fixed on her friend. "Ginny! What do you think you were doing?" she growled.

Ginny rolled her brown eyes. "Come on, Hermione, with all the crap that Healer was giving us - did you hear what they're doing with Harry?"

Hermione's jaw dropped. "But Ginny, you yelled at a Healer!"

"I yelled at a Healer, so what?! I'm sure he's been yelled at before!" Ginny argued furiously.

"Ginny! Don't act so immature! I think - " Hermione started. She stopped walking abruptly and placed her thin fingers on her stiff, itchy skirt.

Ginny stopped walking also. She put up a hand. "Leave it. I'll admit, I was a bit over the edge. But honestly, did you see what they were doing to Harry? They wouldn't put him on the bloody medications because it was from Vacanas Root and it's really rare and they didn't have any in!"

"They could have easily ordered it!" Hermione cried.

"I know." Hermione was too agitated to notice the crack in Ginny's voice.

"And then with Ron - " Ginny continued. As soon as she noticed Hermione's fallen face, she stopped.

Hermione's body shook. She tried to forget all about her husband's death. She just focused on the toes of her shoes that were holding her steady.

Hermione shook her head and started walking again. This time, her footsteps were louder and her face looked much more stern.

The two woman got to the end of the corridor where there was a foggy glass door.

Hermione blinked away fast-appearing tears that blurred her view. "Let's get home. The kids are probably wondering where we got to."

Ginny nodded and the two women pushed open the door and stepped outside.

A stinging breeze nipped Hermione's ears and her cloak billowed in a frenzy, its rhythm blending gracefully with the wind.

"G-ginny, it's so c-cold!" Hermione stuttered. Her lips were numb, making it hard for her to speak. "Let's g-get going, n-now," she said softly, her voice barely heard in the wind.

Ginny didn't seem to be having such a hard with the bitter weather but she nodded.

With a crack, both women Apparated.

They appeared in a large Muggle park. Children were squealing and laughing, old men were sitting reading the newspaper and a tiny stand selling hot cocoa was parked and in business, due to the mob of Muggles thrusting money into the vendor's hand.

Ginny and Hermione smiled as they walked to where looked like nowhere - it was apart from all of the fun and commotion.

They walked into a large forested area where the foliage was thick. As if someone had magically cleared all of the nature, they came to a clearing. There was nothing in the entire field except for smooth blades of green grass that were still.

There was only one large tree. The tree's trunk was smooth and it had words engraved on it. Its branches were buried under layers of leaves and other such verdure.

There was a large boot sitting on the highest branch that was barely even visible to the one tiny red bird planted atop the tree. Ginny looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking and muttered something after taking out her wand.

The boot came whizzing towards her. Ginny reached inside and pulled out a large box. She tapped the box with her wand and it opened up to reveal a teacup.

Hermione levitated the teacup onto the grass. With a flick of her wand, the box was back in the shoe, and the shoe was back up onto to branch.

"Ready?" Ginny asked.

Hermione nodded. Ginny and Hermione touched the teacup and the world swirled in front of them.

Everything turned black. Hermione felt as if her torso was separating from her legs. Her head felt really light, and big white blotches appeared in front of her eyes.

Suddenly, she let go. She landed with an "oomph!" of surprise on a large patch of green grass.

Hermione sat up, her back aching, to see a large house.

It was plain and yellow; its green shutters gave it something of an elegance and a large oak door was placed square in between two glossy windows.

Ginny, who was already standing, helped Hermione up.

They smiled at the look of the comforting home. Hermione's ankle was searing with pain but she ignored it anyhow. She limped up a smooth, concrete sidewalk and with some help by using the paint-chipped railing, managed to clamber up the stairs.

Hermione reached slowly for the doorknob, but as soon as her slender hand touched the gelid brass, the door was torn open.

Four young children raced out.

Two of the children, a boy and a girl, both with thick black hair begged to be picked up by Ginny. As Ginny grabbed them and kissed them, they both hugged her neck.

Meanwhile, Hermione was holding herself steady as a redhead girl and a brown haired boy hugged Hermione's legs. Because they couldn't reach her face, they kissed her knee caps, putting stress on Hermione's aching feet.

A house elf peeked its head out the door. "Children, I told you - " she started, but squealed when she saw Hermione and Ginny standing there.

The house elf bowed so low her nose scraped the porch. "Pardon me, Misses Ginevra Potter and Hermione Weasley! I did not see you! Let me get you some food."

Hermione winced, but Ginny knew it was not just from the pain of her ankle.

"Oh, Penny, we're fine," Hermione said. "It's Molly here? I'm sure she'll - "

At that moment there was something that sounded as if thunder itself was yelling at them.

"GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY POTTER!" A voice roared inside.

"Mum," Ginny muttered.

A very short, plump woman with red and gray hair tied up in a bun and a white apron with stains on it charged out onto the porch.

In her arms was a baby girl with a soft cushion of hair on top of her head. The baby looked frightened, but as soon as she saw Ginny and Hermione, her face cracked into a smile with soft pink gums and tiny teeth.

"Hiya there, Ely," Ginny whispered, putting down her other two kids who rushed to Hermione and started hugging her furiously. Ginny scooped the baby out of the woman's arms.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at the woman who was huffing. "Mum, I'm just Ginevra Molly Potter now," she told her mum. "So don't add any Weasley to my name, thanks."

Ginny's mum ignored Ginny's last remark. "Out for a day and a half? Didn't even owl us? We were worried sick!! Elyssa has been crying constantly! The children - " she gestured to the four children surrounding Hermione, " - wouldn't even eat! All they wanted to do was sit silently in the playhouse!"

Hermione grimaced. "Molly, I'm - "

Molly crossed her arms stubbornly. "You better have a good reason to be out so long, young ladies," she scolded.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mummy, I forgot I'm not married and the mother of three children and had a bloody curfew!" Ginny snapped. "What then, leave our husbands in Saint Mungo's alone when they were at death's edge? What time were we supposed to be home, then? Nine o'clock on Tuesday?"

Hermione clamped a hand to her mouth. "Ginny - "

Meanwhile, the house elf, Penny, was herding the children into the house. She tore Elyssa away from Ginny's shoulder and retreated inside.

Molly raised her eyebrows. "All right, then. What happened? How are Harry and Ron?"

This time, Ginny said nothing, but stared silently at the wall. A mass of wet tears appeared in her eyes.

Hermione's throat felt immediately sore. "Molly, they're..."

But Ginny's mum didn't need Hermione to finish the sentence.

Molly Weasley understood.
__________________________________

A/N: Here's Chapter One! It could be a little while until Chapter Two comes up, so please excuse me. And sorry for such a cliffie, guys! I didn't have much time with this piece so it was a little stale. The next chapter, I SWEAR, will be much longer and fluffier; I've already got it planned out.


Also - I was recently informed by a reader that Ginny's eyes are brown, not blue. I'm really sorry, so please don't get angry - I'm aware of the situation. I've changed this. So sorry.




And yes, I know that Hermione and Ginny were really OOC here and they will be for a little while, so I'm sorry.

And - PLEASE REVIEW!

I really like your feedback. :)

Molly Weasley's fragile hand raised to her large chest. The thumping of her heart was easily heard in the thick silence that was humming around the three women's ears.

"Ron..." She whispered.

Her baby boy - her Ron - he was gone. With that poor girl. And Harry.

Harry! Harry, oh...

Ginny turned away. "They weren't given full care...Th-the Healers didn't even take good care of him. It was horrible." Her voice was dry.

Molly couldn't stand it.

Her Ron. Ickle Ronnikins. That tall, lanky boy of hers. Always there for everyone, funny, kind, empathetic, just always in the moment.

But now? Ron was just the past.

A pool of water, heated up so hot it turned to mere vapor.

A balloon, inflated up so fast and shrunk to nothing by a tiny pin.

He wasn't there. It was like he never existed.

"Ron..." Molly muttered again.

Molly's hand shook as she pulled her wand out of the pocket of her robe. She pointed it at a splintery rocking chair that was twitching lightly in the winds. She fell back into the swaying chair.

Hermione collapsed on the floor as large teardrops discarded themselves from her eyelids.

Ginny turned and leaned against the porch's railing. Her face twisted into an unpleasant shape as her tender hands lifted towards her dripping eyes.

"M-molly," Hermione said faintly.

Hermione crawled over to Mrs. Weasley and put her hand on the other woman's arm.

Hermione's touch made Molly flinch. She stood up abruptly. "I'll - I'll go make some toast, then."

As Molly stood up, Hermione recoiled. She looked so weak there, Ginny made way to her friend.

"WHAT KIND OF WIFE AM I?"

Ginny jumped back. "Hermione �“ ?"

Hermione had turned around, her face red in fury. "WHAT KIND OF WIFE AM I?!?!" she repeated, louder this time.

"I don't know what you're �“ " Ginny started, utterly confused.

"I ASKED YOU, WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD CALL ME A GOOD WIFE!?" Hermione boomed.

"What are you going on ab�“?"

"WHAT KIND OF HEARTLESS LITTLE WITCH AM I? WHO WOULD DO THAT TO HER HUSBAND? HE'S DEAD! IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY FOOLISHNESS, RON WOULD BE HERE RIGHT NOW! IT'S ALL MY FAULT HE'S GONE! ADMIT IT! I'M PATHETIC! I SHOULD GO AND CHOKE ON SOME GILLYWEED! I'M MENTAL! I'M - " Hermione roared.

"Hermione! Would you please calm down?" Ginny burst, immediately stopping Hermione's screams.

Hermione's shoulders shook. She crumpled her face into an unpleasant grimace.

Ginny moved over to Hermione and Hermione cried into Ginny's shoulder.

"G-ginny, he's d-dead," Hermione sobbed. "I-it's all m-my f-fault, Gin. I'm s-such a-an idiot."

"'Mione, it's not your fault," Ginny said calmly, stroking Hermione's hair. "It was a
misunderstanding. Don't worry about it."

Hermione continued grieving in Ginny's shoulder for a long time. Ginny shed some tears too, and eventually Molly came out and solemnly told them that breakfast was ready.

"Mummy, what's wrong?"

Hermione turned to see Jesse, her four-year-old son at her side.

"Mummy's just hurt, that's all," Hermione said softly, tucking a strand of thick brown hair behind her son's ear.

Jesse looked understandingly at his mum. "Where does Mummy need boo-boo kiss?"

Hermione allowed herself a weak smile. "A boo-boo kiss for Mummy on the cheek would be perfect."

Jesse stood on his tiptoes and gave Hermione a very wet and slobbery kiss on her pale cheek.

Hermione kissed Jesse's nose as an empty tear dripped down her face. "Thank you. Mummy feels better now."

Jesse looked very proud that he could do something to cheer his mum up. "Welcome, Mummy!"

Hermione smoothed out Jesse's hair. She said, "So go inside now, Sweetie, Mummy and Auntie Ginny will be in very soon."

Jesse nodded. "Okay, Mummy!" He ran back inside.

"I don't know how I'll tell them..." Hermione whispered. "How can I tell Jess and Abby that their dad has died? No child should have to go through that..."

Ginny turned away. "I don't know," she said, her voice hoarse. "But let's go have a good time while they still aren't aware."

Ginny stood up and helped up Hermione and the two women walked into the kitchen. In the center of the kitchen was a blue island, where four young children and a baby in a high chair were seated.

Molly was scurrying about, putting on a plastic smile as she fed everyone more food. "Abby, why you look thin as a stick! Here, have a piece of bacon, Love."

Hermione frowned as Tabitha, her three-year-old daughter eyed the bacon with intense dislike.

"Molly, Abby and Jess don't eat bacon, remember? Ron - " �“ Hermione gulped, a lump in her throat �“ " - Ron and I don't want the kids to eat it. Too much grease."

Molly scowled at Hermione and scooped the bacon off Tabitha's plate and put it on a black-haired boy's. "Here you are, Andren, have some rich, salty, crisp bacon. Your poor dear cousins aren't getting enough nutrition due to your Aunt Hermione's sensitive grease phobia."

Atleast, that's what Molly would have said if she wasn't talking to a bunch of under six-year-olds and trying to set a good example. "Here, Andy, have a bit more."

Ginny stuck her fork into her eggs and began feasting. "Oh, Mum, these eggs are delicious," she said greedily, stuffing her face.

"Yes, Molly, these are quite good," Hermione said quietly, daintily picking up her fork and eating a few pieces.

Jesse beckoned Molly over. "Fank you, Gwandmum!" he cried and gave his grandmum a kiss similar to the one he had given his mum earlier.

Molly smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Dear."

"What do you say, children?" Ginny asked between ravenous bites.

"Fank you, Gwandmum!" three of the kids chorused

"You're quite welcome," Molly said, finally starting to eat some of her own cooking.

Elyssa, her tiny little mass of hair on top of her head bouncing as she looked out at the window, cried, "Owl!" Ginny turned as Elyssa pointed at the window.

"Owl! Owl!" Elyssa was one and a half years old and a very late speaker. All of the words she could say were Owl, Mummy, Daddy, and Gwanny, and she said them whenever she could.

Hermione and Ginny dropped their forks in unison.

"Saint Mungo's!" Hermione whispered as Ginny went and opened the window to let the owl in.

The owl came into the room and hooted as it landed joyously on the table.

Hermione untied the letter from the owl's leg and broke the seal on the envelope.

She read it silently.

Dear Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Weasley,

I am regretfully sending you this owl to tell you that Mr. Potter has unfortunately passed away.

We are very sorry for the inconvenience.

We will provide a free burial for the two men tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, as you told us you would have liked.

Blessings,
Morag MacDougal

"I have to use the toilet," Hermione said abruptly as she stood up and went into her bedroom. Ginny followed suit.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

Hermione read the letter aloud.

"Wait! So they've killed our husbands and all he can say is 'we're sorry for the inconvenience' and 'blessings'? I'm contacting the Ministry - " Ginny began furiously.

Hermione shook her head. "No! Gin, we can't. If we do, they'll just repeat the same thing. They'll say, 'We're sorry, here's some free brandy,'" she told Ginny.

Ginny sighed and sunk onto her bed. "How did this happen? It was a joke! I can't believe this. It wasn't supposed to happen like this!" Ginny buried her face in her hands.

"Shhhh, Gin, it's okay, let it all out," Hermione whispered.

Ginny leaned into Hermione's shoulder and cried for a few minutes.

"Everything will be okay," Hermione mumbled, holding back her own tears. "We'll figure something out. You and the kids can come and," at this point, Hermione had tears running down her face, "live with me."

Ginny looked up at Hermione. "No, you'll come live with me. What will I do with this big house?"

Hermione smiled lightly. "We should go back to breakfast."

Hermione pulled a tissue out of her pocket as Ginny wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"Hey Mummy, where's Daddy?" someone asked as the two walked into the room.

And it was with that that Hermione's heart sunk.

"Oh, Clare, Daddy's gone on vacation," Ginny said softly, picking up her five-year-old daughter who stood at her feet.

"Where's he gone on vacation to?" Clare asked, staring at her mum's earring.

Ginny's voice cracked. "The moon."

xOx

"Andren, Clare, I mean it - BED!!" Ginny said sharply.

Andren and Clare frowned as each one walked into identical doors right next to each other.

"Come on, children," Hermione said softly, ushering Jesse into Andren's room and Tabitha into Clare's.

Ginny and Hermione exchanged glances and Hermione went into Andren's room as Ginny went into Clare's.

"Good night, babies," Ginny said softly, kissing Clare and Tabitha on the nose.

xOx

"Good night, Mummy," Jesse said to Hermione, kissing her cheek.

xOx

"I love you, Mumsy," Clare whispered.

xOx

"I love you too," Hermione whispered to the boys.

"Hey Aunt Hermione, when's Daddy gonna be home?"

xOx

"Hey Auntie Ginny, when's Daddy gonna be home?"

xOx

"Some day, babies, some day," Hermione and Ginny whispered in unison through the thick walls.

As they each kissed the children again in turn, the two women turned off the light and closed the doors silently behind them.

Hermione hugged Ginny, and Ginny squeezed her tight.

"Sleep well," Ginny whispered.

"I will, you too," Hermione said.

Ginny turned away, plucking Elyssa up from a chair sitting in the hallway.

"Hey Ginny?"

Ginny whipped around. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for always being there for me."

Ginny smiled. "Good night, sister."
________________________

A/N: There you go. A very sad chapter, and a day in the life of Hermione and Ginny. Sorry it was short, but I wanted to update soon.

The next one, I SWEAR, will clear things up.

Please R & R!!!

Disclaimer: If I was Jo Rowling, I wouldn't be - I would be dead. Writer's Block is such a hindrance. Gravity's pulling the plot bunny down...down...down into the deep hole that where the bunny sleeps.

And thanks to my totally awesome beta, Schmergo!

I did have a lot of fun writing this one. I hope it clears stuff up for you all. This is Hermione's dream. Vuala. Now the plot is rolling! Even though it goes from PoVs to PoVs, it's just Hermione recalling that night. The part at the bottom is present time. Enjoy!
_____________________________________________

“Harry, dear!" Ginny shrieked, refraining desperately from cracking up into hysterical fits of laughter.

"Oh, Ronald!" Hermione called.   
                                                  
Harry and Ron came whipping around the corner, Harry's tie casually untied around his neck. Ron's sleeves were rolled up informally, and he was swinging his very long arms rhythmically as walked down the hallway. He folded them as he leaned up against the wall.

"What, darlings?" Ron asked, grinning maliciously. Hermione and Ginny exchanged glances.

"We, er, have to go to, er, Gringotts to take some money out of the account," Hermione lied unconvincingly.

Ron looked addled. "But Hermione, Harry and I already have plenty of money on us. You don't need to - "

Ginny took over. "Oh, my dear brother, look at the time! Seven o'clock, we said, and it's already seven-thirty! There's not a moment to lose! What's one coin too many, you always say? We will be back soon!"

Ginny and Hermione grabbed their coats as they tore open the door and rushed outside to the dry winds.

"Oh-ho, this will be one anniversary present," Ginny said, giggling. "Imagine - we can do something like this for your anniversary, too!"

Hermione nodded. "Just wait until we send the note! This'll be great!"

"All right, I grabbed the quill and ink. Have the parchment?" Ginny asked, pulling out an eagle quill and some plain black ink.

Hermione took the other objects and laid them out on a picnic bench that was
sitting in the yard.

Hermione wrote:

Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley,
We have captured your wives. Meet us by the birch tree
in the cemetery for their exchange. They will be dead
by eight o'clock. Come immediately, or see the
remains of their flesh. All of us will be present, or the
Dark Lord will kill us, as we shall kill your loved
ones.

Hermione grabbed a red berry and smeared it all over the envelope.

"Perfect," Ginny said, looking over her sister-in-law's shoulder. "I'll go run and knock and then we'll Disapparate away." Hermione nodded.

Ginny pulled her hood up, hiding her face, and she ran to the door and knocked twice. She lay the note on the doorstep and as the door opened slowly, she Disapparated with a crack.

"What on Earth is going on?" Ron asked, looking around. "Oi, Harry! Come here! Someone just knocked and - "

And then Ron saw the letter and picked it up. "H-harry...." he said faintly.

"What, Ron? We have to go!" Harry snapped.

Ron read the letter to Harry. His friend was in shock.

Ron looked frightened. "Why did we let them go? WHY?!"

"RON! This is no time to think about it! We have to get there right now!"

Ron let go of the letter absent-mindedly, letting it float away in the heavy winds.

"We have to go tell Molly! Quick! We have twenty-five minutes!" Harry shouted. With a crack, Harry and Ron Disapparated.

xOx

"Oh honestly, Bellatrix, you think they will come here?"

A man with a crooked nose ran a thin hand through his greasy black hair.

A woman with heavy-lidded eyes and thick dark hair shook her head. "Master told us to wait here for them. 'Bring them back alive' - wait, what's that?"

Bellatrix caught sight of a thin piece of parchment flitting in the wind. She reached for it, but a fat man sitting on a broken bench got hit in the face with
the paper and grunted, roused from his sleep.

Bellatrix snatched it off his face.

"Severus! We're supposed to be in the graveyard, you bloke! Take Goyle! I'll get the others!"

Snape and Goyle ran to the graveyard, the fatter man's chins wobbling with every step he took.

At the same time, Hermione and Ginny were giggling.

"They'll be so freaked out! And then we'll jump up and say, 'Happy Anniversary!' and then Apparate to that restaurant we found " Hermione giggled.

"Shhhhh! I hear them now!"

Hermione heard two deep voices.

"Where did they say to meet?"

"I don't see anyone here!"

Hermione and Ginny exchanged glances and winked. Ginny put her fingers up. "One, two three - "

The stood up and bellowed, "HAPPY ANN - " They were cut off by coming face to face with not their friendly husbands but.... "Snape?!"

Goyle looked confused. "They're not captured?"

"Well, well," Snape scoffed, ignoring Goyle's remark, "What have we here?"

Hermione looked frightened. "Listen, you wouldn't, er, mind us going, would you? We really should be g-going...." But as she reached for her wand, she felt frozen to the spot, unable to move.

"Oh, no. I think you'll stay."

A voice was heard behind the two women and standing there was Lucius Malfoy, a broad smirk upon his face. Beside him stood his son, Draco, who was wearing an identical grin.

"Malfoy!"

"Mudblood. Weasel. Or should I say, Potter. You married Potter, of course, how could I forget? How inconceivable - " Malfoy Junior started.

"Draco! Leave them alone. We must wait for Master to finish them," his father snapped.

Before either of the women could draw their wands, ropes tied tightly around them.

"Couldn't let you get away," Lucius said. "I wondered why in the name of Dumbledore - oh, rest his soul- the Dark Lord would not tell Bellatrix this sort of thing. I figured it was something very remarkably pathetic of you two to do.

"Think we were gone? No, we're still here. The few of us left, thanks to the whole Harry Potter troop on the look out. Not like they haven't always been, but now
they are looking even more so," he ranted, circling the two of them.

"Master has put a charm on this whole area. You can not Disapparate- though only a few selected others can Apparate in," Bellatrix said, her entrance
apparently unnoticed. "Our master will be here any moment. And so will your husbands."

"No!" Hermione cried. “Harry, Ron, no! Don't come! It's a trap!”

"LET ME GO!" Ginny roared, struggling in her bonds. “Stay there! Stay put, both of you. Harry! Ron! Don't come!”

"How about no?" Snape jeered. He cackled. "Do you think sore love will help you? No, no, we have shields against it now."

"Snape," Hermione murmured. "Please! Let us go! Our children - "

"Will have to suffer," Avery growled. "Who cares about sodding children when there is flesh to tear. Your children and whole families will be gone as we speak."

"That's where you're wrong."

"Ron! Harry! NO!" Hermione shouted. "GO BACK!"

"No, Hermione, we're not leaving you," Ron said, his bright red hair very clear in the raw moonlight.

Snape cackled. "Then you shall stay, too! Ex -"

"EXPELLIARMUS MAXIMA!" Harry roared. Snape was thrown back,
his wand landing in Harry's outstretched hand.

Ron yelled, "Protego!" as Avery aimed a spell at him.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled, aiming at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix ducked the spell

“Want to play dirty?” She said provokingly.

"Crucio!" Ron crumbled at Bellatrix's spell. A million daggers were grinding his skin, the blood was bubbling in his veins, he would die, he was sure of it....

Harry turned around and whispered the incantation to create a large shield in
front of Hermione and Ginny while ducking from an oncoming jet of red light.

"IMPEDIMENTA" Harry yelled. Bellatrix was thrown back and fell back, her stomach lurching. Her head hit a gravestone and split open with a crack. She did not move again.

"Well, well," a voice said behind him. "It would seem you have killed yet another of my Death Eaters."

All fighting stopped. Harry whipped around to see a hooded cloak, red eyes gleaming from beneath it.

"Senfirgo."

Harry and Ron were tied to their wives, unable to move.

"It would seem I have," Harry said. He bit his lip, his eyes darting the the limp body sprawled over the grass. He felt terrible for what he did, his heart was pounding, and he felt pressure under the weight of the sin.

"You have matured, Harry. Only eight years ago you were trying to make fun of me," Voldemort rambled.

"Look at you." Voldemort came up to Harry and touched his face. Harry clenched his teeth, trying to ignore the searing pain like knives stabbing his forehead. "A
family. A wife. I am weak. What an opportunity. Yet, I have tied you up. You shall die tonight once and for all."

"No!" Ginny screamed.

"Oh, yes, Mrs. Potter," Voldemort whispered. "All four of you shall die. I would have brought the children if there had not been such short notice."

"What do you mean 'short notice'? You've had them here the whole time!" Ron croaked softly, trying to escape from the ropes that held him there.

Voldemort seemed filled with glee. "You have not told them yet? Dear me, lovers' quarrels indeed."

"Ginny," Harry whispered, not looking away from the Dark Lord's face, "what is he talking about?"

Ginny and Hermione looked away. "Harry..."

Voldemort cackled. "Your intelligent wives decided to pull a prank on you," he gloated. "We would not be here right now if it were not for them. They have made it so easy for us all."

"Ron - Harry - I'm sorry. It was a joke. I didn't mean for it to go this way," Hermione apologized.

"Draco," Voldemort said shrewdly before anyone could say anything. "Torture the women. Right here. Let these two watch."

Draco looked alarmed. "Father - "

"Do it, Draco," Lucius said sternly.

"May I untie them to see them suffer more?" Draco asked finally, the fear gone from his eyes.

"Yes, Draco. Very good," the evil wizard praised.

Draco went behind them and pretended to untie them both. He stretched his neck and whispered into their ears, "Pretend to be hurt. Here are your wands. Use
the incantation 'Flanic Oran'. It will take away all of the pain of the curses I will use."

"Draco! Enough!"

"Sorry, Father, these knots are very tight," Draco said helplessly.

Lucius tutted. "Use magic, you idiot."

"Thank you," Ginny whispered quietly. Draco nodded silently.

Hermione smiled but then stopped when she realize that she shouldn't be. Fingering her wand, she thought desperately, Block your mind. Be strong.

Ginny sighed. Block your mind, Ginny. Don't let him read it.

Draco pulled out his wand and untied the two women. Don't let Voldemort see in. Come on Draco....

He pointed his wand at Ginny. "You first, Weasel. Er - Potter. Banedum!"

"Flanic Oran," Ginny muttered. She screamed falsely, and crumbled over in a heap. Voldemort looked pleased.

Harry and Ron looked terrified. "NO!"

"Silencio," Draco cast at the two others. "Now you, Mudblood. Denivian!"

"Flanic Oran!" Hermione squeaked softly. She let out a blood-curdling scream and pretended to be knocked off her feet.

Ron opened his mouth in anger, but nothing came out.

After this process, everyone was very exhausted. Hermione and Ginny did their best to seem as weak as they could.

"They are dead," Draco lied.

"Excellent. Be rid of them."

Draco waved his wand as Ginny and Hermione gave one last look at their husbands. The two of them Disapparated and landed silently behind a grave stone.

Voldemort said, "Now, kill Ron."

Draco looked shocked. "Very well."

He came over to Ron to untie him. He took the Silencing Charm off Ron as he said loudly, "I will kill you." More softly, he told Ron so only he could hear, "Fall to the ground. I won’t say a real killing curse. Stay 'dead' for a few days. You will live unless you are buried before then. If all goes well, you will be free soon."

Ron nodded. "Okay. Thanks," he said.

"Thanks for what? Oh, that's right. Your wives are dead, what have you got to lose?" Draco snarled. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

But for real, he whispered, "Pentemuliate!"

Ron fell to the ground. Dead.

"Kill Potter."

"But don't you - ?" Draco asked.

"You're right. I'm going to kill you, Harry," Voldemort said.

Harry was released.

"Just do it, Master," Avery said. "Don't speak. He'll get away."

"You're right. Good bye, Harry Potter." Beneath his cloak, Voldemort’s face looked sour. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"Pentemuliate!" Draco yelled. The beam of white light hit the green jet of light and turned yellow. It just missed Harry, however no one saw it. Harry tumbled over with the force of the air.

"What was that, Draco?" Lucius asked.

"I won’t let you kill him!" Draco yelled suddenly.

"Draco!" Lucius said sharply.

Harry stood up quietly "AVADA KEDAVRA!" he roared.  Voldemort was hit in the back. The Dark Lord was pushed forward, his face crumbling into pieces.

With a high-pitched scream, a blast of red light erupted from his body. Blue blood flowed from him, and he turned to shreds of nothingness.

"MASTER!"

Harry and Draco shot Stunning Spells everywhere as Hermione and Ginny stood up to help.

Soon, Avery, Macnair, and Snape had been Harry, enraged further, began shooting stronger Stunning Spells everywhere and soon only three Death Eaters remained conscious on the battle field.

Last standing was Lucius.

"Going to kill your own father?"

"No. But I could turn you in to the Dementors easily after I disarm you," Draco warned.

Lucius turned around and ran away.

A stream of blue light hit Harry directly in the chest.

Harry and Draco exchanged glances. "Thank you."

With another weak smile, Harry fell down dead.

Draco ran after his father, who had sent the jet of light back at Harry.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Hermione and Ginny grabbed the men's bodies.  They Apparated on the spot.

They found themselves in Saint  Mungo's. "I have - Harry Potter and Ron Weasley," Ginny said.

Two available Healers showed up and laid them on their own beds.

Hermione followed the Healers, and Ginny wrote a letter to her mother, briefly telling her that they would be home soon.

Sending the letter off, Ginny ran upstairs. She and Hermione put on some of the uncomfortable Healer's extra clothes while they awaited the terrible pounding of their hearts to learn their husbands' tragedies.

oXo

The moon shines tonight, full and bright through the spidery windows. The glass is framed on a strongly made building. Inside the hospital, the silvery moonlight lays idly on two weak faces.

Deep in a vacant room inside the structure, a man with black hair and scabbed eyelids is still.

The thin air lays silent on his figure as a wolf cries somewhere in the distance.

The man is dead.

Yet, as the howl is heard again, one could see his eyes flicker softly.

It must be a trick of the light.

But this time, his eyes open wide as his chest pumps itself. His deep emerald eyes look blank and his gaze is reserved. As he views his surroundings he sees
another man with red hair and blue eyes with the same confused look on his freckled face.

They look at each other very distantly. The blue-eyed man regains composure as the two men note each others’ company, unsure of what to make of this new atmosphere.
_____________________________

A/N: Whoa. That was very long. Very VERY long. It should clear things up!

And yes, I HAD to make Draco good. :] Please keep reading, it'll get better really soon! The next chapter makes it start rolling!

Please review and check out my other story, Meet the - Children?, if you would.