Something was terribly wrong.  Even without windows to show her the weather outside, Hermione could sense it.  Voldemort would be making an appearance any moment and they were stuck just biding their time.  The younger students, while nervous, didn't appear to be as aware of the worsening circumstances.

Harry had arrived last night through the portrait connecting them to Hogsmeade.  His presence had lifted everyone's spirits as he told them about his and Ron's journey to destroy all of Voldemort's Horcruxes.  Unfortunately, Hermione had heard enough from them via patronus to know there was still one out there.  Nagini was too close to Voldemort to easily access and whenever he decided to attack would really be the only time they could kill her.

"Are you absolutely sure it will work, Harry?"  Ginny asked.

Luna was entertaining some of the first years with tales about nargles and other creatures while Harry and Ron had pulled her, Ginny, and Neville aside.

"It's our only option,"  Harry whispered back.

The sword of Gryffindor had been charmed by Hermione to appear in the hands of whoever called on it during the battle.  Whoever got closest to the snake would need to call on the sword in order to spear its head before any of them could even attempt to kill Voldemort.  It was risky and there was a much lower chance it would work than Hermione was ready to admit, but like Harry had said, it was their only option.

"Do you know for sure all the other Horcruxes are destroyed?"  Neville asked.

They couldn't be certain, but Hermione had done enough reading and research to be fairly certain Nagini was the only one left.  After that, they should be able to kill Voldemort and have him die with no chance of resurrection.

"So all we have to do is kill a snake?"  Ginny asked, sounding much calmer about everything than Hermione knew she actually was.  "Yeah, should be eas—"

"Give me Harry Potter!"

The entire room froze.  The voice echoed through the halls outside and Hermione could feel the demand bouncing around the room.  Everyone turned to look at Harry.  No one needed to ask who had made the demand.  The nasally voice was too distinguishable and their current situation was impossible to ignore.

"Give me Harry Potter in the next thirty minutes or I will destroy your castle!"

Hermione wanted to reassure everyone that was impossible.  Hogwarts had impenetrable spells protecting it, but Voldemort had thousands of followers and alliances with creatures like trolls and werewolves.  The odds of him breaking through the barrier weren't looking good despite how much Hermione wanted to believe in them.

"What do we do?"  Ginny whispered.

A million thoughts raced through Hermione's head all at once.  If Voldemort was here, that meant the Death Eaters were too.  While that meant Draco was currently with them wherever they were, that quite possibly meant the Carrows were as well.  Running into a Death Eater if they were to leave the Room of Requirement was unlikely and she knew leaving the students trapped like sitting ducks wouldn't do.  Before anyone else could offer up a solution, Hermione was giving instructions.

"Harry, Ron, go find McGonagall,"  she said, shooing them towards the door.  She turned to Ginny and Neville to say,  "Get everyone out of the castle and into Hogsmeade.  They should be safe enough there, but Hogwarts isn't right now.  I'm going to see who's left to fight, but our first priority is getting the DA to safety—"

"We want to fight too!"  one of the students called out.

Hermione paused.  She turned to look out over the sea of faces that had been holed up in the Room of Requirement for the past few days.  All of them were younger than her.  While there were several fifth and sixth years, there were also a lot of first and second years.

"All third years and younger must leave,"  she decided.  She was met with a loud array of protests but she silenced them with a wave of her wand.  "Third year and younger leave.  Everyone who wants to can stay, but it's not going to be like practice with the DA."

Ginny and Neville started sending students through the portrait while Hermione gave a few more orders.  She needed to make sure everyone who stayed behind knew it wasn't going to be an easy battle.  Death Eaters were malicious and Voldemort would stop at nothing to destroy everyone in his path.  As long as the older students knew what they were there for, they could stay behind.

"Meet us in the Great Hall after,"  she instructed Ginny.  Ginny nodded and Hermione flew from the Room and down to the Great Hall.

Just like she'd thought, McGonagall was speaking with the few students she hadn't sheltered as well as Harry.  Clearly, Harry's presence had set off quite a ruckus and McGonagall was only just now able to start talking.  At Hermione's appearance, the chatter started again.

"We are not sending you over, Mr. Potter,"  McGonagall was whispering furiously.  Harry seemed to be arguing with her, but Ron was in agreement and Hermione was as well.  "The Order will be here in minutes and we can figure out something then."

"If you think I'm going to stay in the castle with Voldemort brings terror down, you're wrong, Professor,"  Harry snapped.

McGonagall was not amused.  She conceded to wait five minutes and if the Order didn't arrive by then, Harry could turn himself over as long as he was accompanied by another who was efficiently hidden.

"That's too risky,"  Hermione argued.  The Death Eaters would know Harry wasn't alone and sending another student over would make things worse.

"What would you suggest then, Miss Granger?"  McGonagall demanded.

Hermione wasn't quite sure yet, but she did have an idea forming.

An idea struck her so hard her head snapped up to look around the Great Hall.  Sure enough, Zabini and Parkinson were standing amongst the students and murmuring to each other.

"Send Zabini,"  Hermione said, still staring at the two.  As if he'd heard her, Blaise looked up from across the room.  McGonagall was already starting to protest, but Hermione didn't care to listen.  "His father's a Death Eater, so no one will harm him if he takes Harry.  Besides,"  she said, turning to face the small group,  "We can trust him.  He's not like them."

"And I suppose you know this personally?"

"Yes, Ronald,"  Hermione snapped, glaring at him.  They had ten minutes left at most.  "While you and Harry were gone, Zabini helped me stop Amycus Carrow from torturing students with the cruciatus curse and Parkinson assisted in hiding the Slytherins the DA couldn't take in.  We can trust them."

No one dared to argue with her.  McGonagall looked rightfully ready to fight her on it, but Blaise and Pansy appeared between Hermione and Ron, still bickering together before turning to ask what the plan was.  Ron was scowling, but Harry looked willing to give her idea a try.

"What's the plan, 'Mione?"  Blaise asked.

She knew he'd called her that just to see Ron's face scrunch up, but she didn't point it out.  They were running out of time as they spoke and McGonagall had argued the least with her plan.

"You're taking Harry to Voldemort,"  she said bluntly.  Blaise flinched at the name and Hermione was a little surprised.

"Merlin, didn't Draco tell you it was taboo to say that name?"  Blaise asked.

Hermione didn't care anymore and she let him know that.  Voldemort was currently planning to attack and they already knew where she was, so let them come.

"So I just walk Potter up to the Dark Lord himself and pass him on like a box of chocolates?"  Blaise asked.

Hermione shrugged.  That sounded enough like the plan she would take it.  Now they just had to make sure Harry got up to Voldemort before he started raining hellfire down on the school.