Mustering something within she howled a jinx at him before swiping her wand to end the nicking spell on her back.

A scream from around the corner that she recognized as Luna. And then Parvati's dark figure sprinted past Hermione's hallway, raven hair flowing behind her, yelling over the sound of Luna's whimpers.

Dolohov had recovered. He pulled himself up, slashing his wand through the air, and something cracked inside of her as Luna screamed again, voice breaking and fluttering over Parvati's shouting.

"Avada Kedavra."

It left her lips like a kiss. A green jet of light pouring from the wand in her hand, but stopping short, just a foot before Dolohov's tense face.

They stared at each other, listening to their breath and the grunting from the hallway. Neither she nor Dolohov had expected her to cast it.

And that's why she hadn't meant it.

She summoned the image of Harry in Hagrid's arms. Ron's face as he looked upon Fred for the last time, the sound of her mother calling her downstairs, Sirius's warm brown eyes, and she aimed her wand and opened her lips.

Yaxley appeared in the hallway, dragging Luna by the neck. He propped her up in front of him, just like with the Baxter girl. Who was now gone.

Hermione kept the wand on Dolohov, and watched Luna lift her head and meet her eyes. Blood dripped over her left brow, and her lip was swollen. A red stain was spreading between her ribs.

"Let's try this again," Yaxley panted against Luna's hair. "I already owe Ted Nott and Walden Macnair a few thousand Galleons for your little stunt, Miss Granger." He grinned. "Antonin won't mind this one going to waste, I'm sure."

Hermione watched Luna's ribs drag in air, thinking.

Baxter was dead, and now he was saying Parvati was too. The fifth girl possibly dead. Luna here, about to die. Fifty unarmed girls locked in a room several hallways back.

Harry wasn't here. Or McGonagall or Kingsley. Or Lupin. Or Dumbledore.

"Drop the wand, Miss Granger." Yaxley raised his bloody knife to Luna's chin.

She could kill them both. It may take some fighting but she could do it. And grab up Dolohov's wand and go back for the girls. Or push through the halls without them, looking for an exit.

And then what? Who was left?

"Miss Granger?"

She could conjure that hate. Take out Dolohov. But not before Yaxley's knife ended Luna.

She could kill Dolohov, then Yaxley as Luna's body dropped.

And then she'd be alone.

"It's okay, Hermione."

She looked back to Luna. The girl smiled and there was blood on her teeth. She nodded her head, like telling her she could step in front of her at the drinking fountain. The movement pushed the blade into her skin.

"It's okay," Luna said. "Don't think of me. I don't mind." Yaxley squeezed her, and the blade cut her just enough. "Remember? He said it would be better this way."