He closed his mind and shut out all other thoughts that tried to breach his barriers. He would not think about Hermione Granger right now, or how her words had shattered him from the inside out. Or how every genuine feeling he had for the witch now felt fabricated, a lie based on the soul bond that lived inside him. Was any of it real? Or was it all because of the bond, an ancient magic buried beneath the surface that fed him false tenderness for the girl in hopes that he would seal it, and connect their soul’s for another lifetime? The bricks stacked up higher and higher, his focus resolute. There would be time to crack himself open later, once they were all back in the castle away from the stench of this wretched field. 