Accidental Affection

32 - Flight of the Falcon

RAWR!

CRUNCH!

Hermione's eyes squeezed tighter. She was sure those were the sounds of pure torture. Although she couldn't place a spell that made such a deafening loud roar, she wasn't about to open her eyes to find out which of her companions' bones were being crushed, and by what.

"You can open your eyes now Hermione." What sounded like Ron's voice chuckled slightly.

Hermione peered through one eye, the sight in front of her caused her mouth to gape open.

"Close your mouth love, 'fish' isn't a good look on you," Draco teased.

Hermione fired a glare at Draco before staring in disbelief once again at the sight in front of her. Directly in front of her sat Ronald Weasley, perched comfortably upon an albino dragon with rich amber eyes, much like the one they had used to escape Gringotts Wizarding Bank, only slightly smaller. A rein of metal chain held in the beast's mouth leading up into Ron's firm grasp, and a chainmail vest upon its chest. Underneath the beast's two front paws lay Blaise Zambini and Pansy Parkinson, or that is what remained of their half-crushed bodies.

"Perfect timing Ron!" Neville exclaimed as he glanced around at the slightly charred bodies of the various death eaters.

Ron smiled rather stupidly at the praise before sobering, "well, let's go then!" with that he yanked on the chain reins, the dragon expanding its wings before lifting his large body skyward. Hermione's eyes followed the white beast as it joined swarms of others of its kind in the air. There had to be at least two dozen in the sky, each majestic creature with a rider upon their back.

Draco grabbed onto Hermione, "C'mon!"

The trio stooped down, picking up their wands and joined in the chaos once more. Down at the opposite side of the property, Hermione watched in horror as Fleur struggled to fight off Greyback. All her attempts were in vain as he blocked her efforts. A nasty voracious look upon his face. Hermione pulled away from Draco, only to have him reach for her again.

"Greyback!" Hermione breathed, "Fleur!" Hermione raised her wand, "Bombarda!" she shouted, her efforts in vain as a death eater ran straight into her hex.

"I understand, but we need to get to my aunt!" Draco yelled over the battle noises.

A sudden chill coursed through her body as her vision went blurry. Her attention pulled back as she watched a dementor swoop down low, its ghastly faceless hooded head mere inches from her face. Each time a chill ran through her body. She opened her mouth to call out to Draco, but nothing came out. Peering beside her she saw Draco's body being lifted slightly by another dementor. Her fingers nimbly grasped her wand, only to have it slip from her fingertips. Vision blurring again she struggled to see Draco

"Expecto Patronum!" Draco's voice called out strongly. A quick flash of silver shot out, pushing against the dementor that held him. The falcon Patronus flew up, spreading its wings high above before nose-diving quickly, its wings tight against its body as it bulleted downwards. The falcon's beak broke through the chest of the dementor holding Hermione, a hole spliced straight through it before it disappeared into a black wisp of smoke. The falcon pulled back up just before hitting the ground, a loud high-pitched screech as its wings spread fully. Draco held his wand high, the falcon hovering right above them as if keeping watch, making his way to Hermione where he helped her sit up. Hermione smiled.

"I knew you could do it. I told you. Never underestimate a bird."

Draco chuckled, "You do know it all!" He stood before extending his hand which Hermione took, helping her up.

Hermione's grin faded as she glanced back to where Fleur and Greyback battled. "Draco, I have to help her!" Hermione called over the sounds of chaos that surrounded them. "You go find your aunt. I can't let him win!"

Draco took a deep breath before nodding. He knew that she needed to do this, but it was his fear keeping his hand wrapped tightly around her wrist. "I know. Be careful" his grip eased.

Hermione grabbed his hand, "I will. You be careful too!"

With a quick peck upon his cheek, Hermione spun around and ran towards Greyback, her wand at the ready. She couldn't let her loved ones perish in this battle, not if she could help it. She didn't want to shoot out her hex too early, in fears of the possibility of striking Fleur, so instead, she opted to wait until she was right upon him "Alarte Ascendare!" Hermione finally cast her hex, hitting Greyback right in between his shoulders, sending him upward before dropping him with a loud thud to the ground, which Hermione swears she could feel the vibration of his impact on the ground through her shoes.

"'Ermione!" Fleur protested.

"Stupefy on my count." Hermione ignored Fleur's protests, watching as Greyback stood slowly, his body shook as if trying to shake his senses back into his body.

"Stupefy? Does this not work on creatures such as werewolves?" Fleur questioned.

"No," Hermione replied, "it is nearly useless on magical beings, but more than one should if done at the same time should be effective." Her eyes focused on the werewolf who now seemed to have regained his composure and now stalked toward them.

"Are you sure?" Fleur got into stance beside Hermione.

"A single cast hex isn't strong enough, but more than one should do the trick. I just hope two is enough." Hermione stated. "Now Fleur!" Hermione shouted as Greyback broke out into a run.

"Stupify!" the girls yelled in unison, as their wands obeyed their command.

Greyback's right shoulder jerked back significantly as their hex hit him. He stopped, looking at his shoulder before barking out a laugh. "Oooh, tickles" he mocked.

"Two wasn't enough." Hermione gulped.

"What do we do?" Fleur asked.

The werewolf, twisted his neck, a sickening cracking sound could be heard even over the imposing anarchy around them.

"We stand our ground!" Hermione said stubbornly, her wand at the ready followed by Fleur. "We do not go down without a fight."

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

"Draco!" He heard his aunt's voice taunting him but couldn't see her amongst the heavy shadows. "Such a shame Draco," her voice continued. "You could have been so powerful, so feared, but you threw all of that away."

"Maybe I don't want to be feared," Draco shouted into the darkness, his eyes darting around his surroundings searching for where she was hiding. "There's so much more in life than power." He continued.

"LIES!" his aunt laughed. "Only the weak say that. Of course, I suppose I put too much confidence into you, Nephew. I was blinded by my hopes for you, so much so that I couldn't see what you really were. A coward!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Draco spotted a wisp of black smoke move amongst the shadows.

"Reverte!" Draco called out.