Warnings: This is going to be a two shot. It contains themes such as violence and language in this chapter and I will put the proper warning in the second chapter as well. This story is AU/ non canon – so read with caution.
The mood around the Burrow was tense to say the least. Conversations were forced, smiles were lacking and even the food sat untouched. Sadness seemed to radiate from everyone as they watched the clock, knowing that in a few short hours one of the Golden Trio had a great possibility of being killed at the hands of Voldemort.
Ron stirred the food around on his plate, unable to stomach a single bite. Molly had just finished her third round of cleaning the kitchen, which was not completely spotless. Ginny sat on the couch with her knee's firmly tucked to her chest. The twins just sat at the table, not smiling , not joking, not laughing. Severus sat in a chair by the fireplace, looking at the non existent flames and Harry sat across from him doing the same.
To anyone who were to walk in, it would appear that they had all come back from a funeral but they way they all felt, they might as well just could have.
"I didn't get to tell her I loved her." Harry stated to Severus, "She was a sister to me and knowing that --." he paused trying to catch his breath, "and knowing that in a few hours she will be killed unless she gives them information on me."
Severus nodded knowing Harry couldn't finish his sentence. Hermione Granger was essentially sentenced to death after six complete months of torture. Severus had been giving The Order, especially Harry, any information he could find out about her as he was privileged to see her and attend to her. He healed her wounds, brewed her potions and brought her back from the brink of death many, many times over the last few months but even he knew tonight was the night that would make or break the young witch. Voldemort had lost his patience with her lack of cooperation and planned to kill her if she didn't give – Severus knew she wouldn't.
"Potter" Severus sighed, "Believe me when I say that I will do all I can for her tonight." he said as he sat back in his chair and swished the Whiskey, "Can you keep things to yourself?" he finally asked.
Harry looked at his ex professor and frowned, Severus asking him if he could keep a secret was not something he had expected.
"I can." Harry replied, truly curious to what Snape was going to say.
Severus then stood and beckoned Harry to follow him outside where they could talk without being overheard. Once they reached a spot far away from the house, Harry and Severus stood about a foot apart, staring each other down.
"I have a confession to make Potter." Severus started, looking very uncomfortable with this conversation, "I will do everything I can to say her tonight but I cannot promise you anything. I have been altering the potion I brew for Voldemort and I believe he is now weak enough where he can be brought down by a single wizard." Severus paused to look into wide green eyes of Harry, his next words were probably going to shock the younger wizard into a fit.
"I love her Potter." Severus stated, "I've fallen in love with her over the past months and I believe she had fallen in love with me."
Harry looked into the black eye of the man in front of him, searching for any sign of lies.
"How?" Harry asked, not believing what he was hearing.
Severus shrugged his shoulders, "I've watched her Potter. I've watched her endure curses that have sent lesser men into submission. I have watched her take curse after curse without screaming in pain because of her loyalty to you and the order. If brought her back from death twice and healed her more times then I care to admit... she is a strong, loyal woman and Merlin help me but I have fallen in love with the witch."
Harry processed the information and nodded, He knew everything Severus had done to save her life and he knew everything she had endured to save him and the order.
"Please just do what you can to save her Severus and I will support whatever happens."
Severus nodded to Harry and walked back towards the burrow without another word. It was hard to admit that to anyone but he felt Harry had the right to know that he would do anything he could to make sure she was not killed tonight and know the reason why.
Harry soon followed him but when he returned, he had a bit of a lightened mood, knowing that someone there was going to be routing for her and not against her.
A few hours later, Severus gave Harry a quick nod and disappeared as his arm started to burn. He hoped that his potion was successful or else he would die just as Hermione would.
He arrived in the meeting room and took his spot next to the man he hoped to kill tonight. He knew he would have to watch her suffer again and it killed him but in order for things to work.. he'd have to let it happen.
The room was full of malicious smiles, all looking forward to the bloodshed that was certainly going to happen. It sickened him to know he had joined this group of monsters in the first place but whats done was done and nothing could change the past.
He glanced over to the reptilian looking man with an unreadable expression. He knew the man was excited with the thought of torture he was about to cause on the witch and knew he was going to be brutal with her. His stomach clinched as he watched the man who demanded respect, twirl the glistening, sharp dagger in his hand with a smirk on his snakey face.
"Yaxley" Voldemort shouted, "Bring in the Mudblood."
It only took a few second before a scrawny, bushy hair witch was escorted to the middle of the circle and chained up by her wrist.
Cheers sounded through the room as the blood lust factor raised in everyone. This is what they had been waiting for for the last six months and their hunger would soon be sated if he were unsuccessful.
Voldemort raised from his throne and circled the glaring witch.
"I told you last time that this would be your last." Voldemort hissed, "Unless you are finally willing to give me what I ask for, buying yourself another day to live."
"I'll tell you nothing you fucking bastard." she yelled
Voldemort grinned and raised the dagger to her arm, pressing it to the tender flesh and pulling down slowly. The cut was deep but not enough to cause her death.
Hermione closed her eyes but didn't scream or beg. She sucked in a deep breath and accepted what was happening to her.
"Always to goody, goody Gryffindor." he said with a laugh, "It's a shame you are on the wrong side of this war... your loyalty is... admirable.
Hermione remained silent, taking small glances towards Severus without being noticed.
"People often cant think clearly when they are being gawked at." Voldemort stated as he continued to walk around her, "So I am going to make you a tad bit more uncomfortable with the situation at hand."
Voldemort flicked his wand, disappearing her tattered clothes form her body. Hermione didn't react.
With her clothes being gone, the blood gushing from her arm and down her body became highly visible to everyone.
"Tell me Mudblood, "Where is Potter hiding?" he asked again as he stepped in front of her.
Hermione spat in his face, "I would never tell you – I will take that to my grave."
Voldemort stepped back slightly, wiping the spittle from his cheek and eye, " Something you may be visiting sooner the necessary." he stated as he raised the dagger again, pressing it to her bare stomach. He dragged the dagger down slowly, adding a twist to the blade every few inches.
The pain was unbearable to her but still she refused to cry out or betray her friends. She locked eyes with Severus, showing him that she was ready to die if she had to. It unsettled him.
The blood poured down her body, coating her legs and pubic area. The blood from her arm was already meeting the blood from her stomach and started the downward trail to her toes.
"Is it worth this Mudblood? Is your Precious Harry Potter worth the pain you are causing yourself?"
Hermione gave him a smirk despite the pain she was in, "Every bit of it." she replied sweetly.
Voldemort raised his hand in her direction, casting a silent curse that made her body feel as if it were on fire. Her nerve endings twitched and the wounds her body was trying to clot off were reopened with a renewed flow. The world around her started to fade a bit but she smiled at Voldemort and let out a laugh.
Severus tightened his hand around his wand, know Voldemort would kill her soon.
Voldemort released her from the spell and walked closer to her, "You dare smile? Or laugh?" he yelled, "Tell me Mudblood, What do you find so funny that you feel you must laugh while I cause you pain?"
Hermione raised her eyes at Voldemort, keeping her smile firmly in place as she spoke, "I laugh because you try to rid the world of muggles and muggle borns, yet you are merely a half blood yourself. You commit crimes in the name of blood purity and the need to rule the wizarding world – yet if you succeed, you will still be no more a pure blood then you are now." she flicked her eyes around the room, she was starting to feel dizzy but needed to continue, "I laugh because I feel for Harry something that you will never know. I love Harry with all of my heart and will gladly give it if it will ensure that he lives another day to grow stronger in order to defeat you.. I laugh because everything you have done to me over the last few months, every ounce of pain you have caused upon my body has failed to make me tell you anything." she paused to look around again, her vision was starting to blur, "And I laugh because I will die, knowing that I have had love in my life and when I'm gone.. people will remember me for the love I gave them – people will cheer when you die because of the pain you have caused."
Voldemort was seething with anger, How dare the chit talk to him in such a way. He raised the dagger again, pressing it to her neck.
"All you had to do is tell me what I wanted to know." he hissed, "That was all I required and you would have lived – yet you try my patience over and over again."
He walked behind her, dragging the blade and causing a shallow cut all around her neck. Once he was behind her, she looked over to Severus, who all though his face showed no emotion, his eyes spoke volumes to her. She gave him a smile and mouthed the words, 'I love you' to him as Voldemort pressed the dagger in a little deeper.
"I will send your head where I know Potter will see it." Voldemort hissed in her ear as he gave a sharp slice, allowing her blood to flow freely down her body.
Voldemort did cut anything vital, he wanted her to bleed to death slowly, feeling the blood rush out and down her body. Her eyes met Severus's once more as he drew his wand, shouting the words 'Avada Kedavera' and then it all went black.
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Alright everyone... let me know what you think. I will be posting the second and final chapter tonight. I will also be updating all of my other stories tonight or tomorrow as my computer did a crash memory dump while I was cooking dinner a few days back. I lost the files I was working on and have to start them all over again. Forgive me for taking so long but I promise you I am working on them.