The Killing Curse shot through the crowd, landing squarely in the middle of Lucius's chest. His chair blew back several feet, his body limp.

Her skin was cold. She'd gone deaf, and she couldn't feel her arms.

Lucius's grey eyes were open. His lips curved in a cold smile.

Sound hit her like running into a wall. Her eardrums exploded as the Atrium celebrated. She turned to see the Weasley brothers roaring.

Her head whipped to the stage where General Pierre was smiling, pretending to calm to the crowd.

Blacks spots in her vision, growing darker, and deeper. She couldn't breathe.

In the darkness, words started to form.

Kill his bitch!

Hermione gasped as her eyes flew open, watching as the crowd began shouting, rioting.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

They were Disapparating.

They were going to the Manor. To kill Narcissa.

"No!"

Ten more vanished before her eyes.

She twisted her wand and Apparated to the hill outside the Manor.

The noon sun burst in front of her eyes. A screaming from around her — the crowd gathering, waiting for more to arrive.

Hermione jerked around, and saw bodies on the ground. True Order guards that had been stationed at the Manor, laying in a heap on the grass.

Her eyes jumped to the gates. Men on the ground there, expelled from the house. One of them impaled on the iron, his limbs bent oddly — as though he'd ejected and landed on the fence.

The crowd from the Ministry roared. A rush of running feet, and Hermione bolted out in front of them, sprinting to the front gates.

She had to get to Narcissa. She had to save her.

The iron gates swung open, as though welcoming the mob. Tears streamed down her face as her legs pumped to get there first.

Jumping over the tangled body of a True Order guard, she darted through the gates, her muscles on fire as she ran down the gravel drive.

A gasping, and a boom. And another, and another. Like firecrackers.

She whipped over her shoulder and found a hundred people hurling themselves against the gates and ricocheting backward, like a boundary spell had been cast to keep them out.

Her feet froze, her heart beating in her throat. She was the only one who made it through.

The crowd trampled each other as they shoved forward. She flinched at the hiss of the first curse. It bounced up and outward, barreling into the sky.

Her breath fought against her ribs as they sent more and more hurtling towards her. The air crackled, but none passed through. She turned back to the Manor. The front doors swung open, welcoming her.

"Stop it! Don't!"

The curses ceased.

"Hermione!"

She stumbled as she spun around. Ron and his brothers were at the front of the rippling crowd. Ron extended his hand to her, as if he wanted her to grant them access.

Her gaze fell to his open palm.

Lucius had known. He'd gotten himself killed, and the Manor had locked down to everyone but her. She glanced to the open doors, and she knew she'd find Narcissa inside. Safe.