Broken Angel

Chapter One

Ginny Potter got to her feet with a groan, moving slowly so as not to wake her eldest son. She frowned quietly to herself; it had taken her a while to get James to sleep . . . he had been having nightmares for a month now. She didn't blame him, she often woke with night-terrors as well, and James was after all, only seven.

Try as she might to keep her children safe from the gruesome horrors of the war, it was becoming harder and harder to do so as they got older. It was not been a month since James had come face to face with the violence that conflict brought. If she closed her eyes she could still picture that terrifying night so vividly in her mind.

The fireplace erupted into emerald flames as Harry and Ron floo'ed into Grimmauld Place. Ginny looked up from the storybook she had been reading out loud to her eldest son. Her face twisted into a mask of pure horror, and she rushed to try and shield James' eyes with her hand. Normally she would have been overjoyed to see her husband and brother return from a mission, but this was not a sight she wanted her child to be subjected to. Hell it wasn't something she wanted to have seen. Harry could barely stand on his own, his clothing drenched with congealing blood. He was leaning heavily on Ron, whose free arm hung limply at his side, the bone sticking out of a tear in his skin near the elbow, and both men wore matching grimaces of agony as they hobbled towards the couch. Torn between the desire to shield her son and the need to help her husband and brother, she rose, ushering James upstairs without letting him look back before sprinting to the two men's side.

She had been thankful that Albus and Lily were asleep for the night . . . but James, even now, months later her little boy was scarred by the quick glimpses that she had been unable to obscure.

Ginny sighed to herself as she left the room, pausing only long enough to make sure than Albus was also fast asleep. He had his own room but had recently moved into his brother's room in the naive, childish hope that he could help his big brother sleep. She shook her head wanly as she peeked into the next room, the tangle of red hair telling her that Lily was also out for the night, sleeping peacefully.

She wished that she could still have the joy of a peaceful sleep.

She often wondered if it had been worth it, bringing them into a world torn by war, a world where they would have to live in hiding all their lives. Not that she regretted having them, she loved her children more than life itself and would die for them in a heartbeat but this was never the life she had wanted for her family.

The house was silent, everyone was already asleep. Quietly, she went to the kitchens and made herself a mug of coffee while she mused on when exactly it has been that her world had gone to hell.

Harry had done all he could to find and destroy the Horcruxes but the only one that he had ever found and destroyed had been that foul locket. Despite their best efforts, the trio had never managed to track down and dispose of those filthy pieces of soul. She had never returned for her seventh, having become pregnant with James when the Trio had returned to the Burrow for weekend to recuperate.

The final battle had been a last stand of sorts and when they lost the castle, they also lost hope. So many people had fallen in that last battle: Fred, Minerva, Tonks, Remus . . . Hermione.

Ron had never been the same after Hermione disappeared. Ginny knew that her body had never been found but that wasn't new, dozens of bodies had never dredged up after Voldemort took Hogwarts. Like as not her former best friend was lying in an unmarked grave somewhere in the Forbidden Forest.

They had gotten married soon after, in Grimmauld Place, a laughable ceremony officiated by Kingsley Shacklebolt and witnessed by a few members of the Order. Over the years she had given birth to three beautiful children as she ran one of the few remaining Order safe-houses. She never got used to it, never got used to the anxiety that clawed at her heart every time her family left on a mission. She never got used to the feeling that this may be the last time she may ever see them alive.

Grimmauld Place had been made more homely over the years, especially after she had used a few well placed Incendio charms coupled with a few Reducto curses to remove some of the former decor. Sirius' mother may have had her portrait charmed with a permanent sticking spell, but it burned to ashes quickly enough.

The wards and protective enchantments on the house were more powerful than ever before, she had personally seen to it that her family would be safe. Ron and Harry had cast a few themselves as had Andromeda Tonks, who also resided in the Black's ancestral home, though she was planning on leaving the country soon. Ginny wondered if she would take Teddy with her, she doubted the boy would go of his own free will. He was bonded to closely to his god-siblings to do any such thing. Her family were often around as well, those that were still alive at any rate.

Ginny was stirred from her thoughts as she felt one of her outer wards being tripped. Drawing her wand, she slowly made her way to the front room. It was strange, somebody had managed to circumvent the outer wards and the Fidelius charm . . . they had obviously been here before. Despite that however, they couldn't pass the newer defences which ruled out most of the Order. Hearing a sound behind her she spun around only to see her husband pressing a finger to her lips, an obvious reminder to be silent. Wands outstretched, the couple strode into the front room to investigate . . . and to defend their children if need be.

The sight before them stunned them both, shaking them to their core. Standing before them was a witch holding onto two children. The woman looked worn, her long flowing skirt ripped and torn as blood blossomed across her pale blouse. Her left hand clutched the hand of a young boy who looked to be the same age as Albus. In her right arm she carried a younger child, a girl of perhaps two. Her wand trembled in her right hand, as the girl clung to her, platinum blonde ringlets nestled into her neck. She stumbled slightly, almost falling to the ground.

Ginny stood in silence as Harry froze, tears glimmered in her eyes . . . they never had found her body.

The woman stepped forward again but was once again repelled by the wards. Overcoming her shock, Ginny spoke to her best friend for the first time in six years, not dropping her wand though. This was obviously a trick, Hermione Granger was dead . . . but she had to be sure before she blasted this witch to smithereens.

"Cast a Patronus," Ginny said in an even voice.

"My patronus isn't an otter anymore," responded the witch. "But in any case Ginny, the last words I ever spoke to you were 'Take care of Ron and Harry, they're the closest thing to siblings that I have."

Harry twitched beside his wife as those words sank in, the realisation taking hold as he saw the dawning wonder on Ginny's face.

"I, Ginny Potter, allow you entry into my home," she said softly.

The brunette witch smiled gratefully as she led the children into the home before turning to the Potters.

"It's good to see you both," said Hermione in a voice thick with emotion.

"I know you both have questions and I'll answer them, but do you have a spare room anywhere. Scorp and Cassie are exhausted," she continued when neither of her old friends responded.

"We're ok, Mummy," murmured the girl, Cassie, obviously fighting exhaustion to stay awake as Scorp just tightened his grip on her hand. The sight of tired children snapped Ginny into instant mum mode as she led her friend up to one of the many spare rooms in the large house, Harry close behind.

Despite their protests, both children had soon been coaxed into fresh clothing, and tucked beneath a duvet. Thankfully, they didn't remain awake long, instead drifting to sleep whilst snuggling against each other as though they were all that the other had left in the world.

When she was sure that the children would not be waking, and that they were not feigning sleep as kids were wont to do, the trio walked down to the living room. No sooner had they reached the bottom of the stairs did Ginny yank the brunette witch into a bone-breaking hug, feeling the stronger arms of her husband encircle them both but a moment later. When they finally broke apart, she became aware of how damp her shoulder was, and noticed with a pang that Hermione was silently sobbing, eyes red and bloodshot. Taking the older woman's hand, Ginny led her to the kitchen and a few nifty household charms later, presented them all with steaming cups of tea.

"Hermione . . . how. . . how are you even alive?" asked Harry, his eyes shining wetly as he took in the sight of his best friend, a woman he had thought dead for six years.

"That's a long story Harry. One that I do not have the time to tell," Hermione responded quietly moving her hand across the table as she reached for her mug, causing her sleeve to be pushed slightly up her arm.

"Hermione . . . what is that on your arm?" said Ginny, her voice suddenly cold.

"What are you talking about, Ginny?" asked Harry, his gaze dropping to Hermione's bared wrist. His face hardened as he drew his wand.

"It isn't what it looks like," Hermione said swiftly.

"It looks like you're a bleeding Death Eater," said Harry grimly.

"I am not a Death Eater!"

"Then why do have the Dark Mark?" Ginny butted in pointedly, noting the anger and frustration in Hermione's voice.

"I can explain."

"Go ahead then, explain how you sold us out."

"I took the mark to protect my family," she hissed, eyes narrowing, posture becoming rigid in her seat as she glared at them, daring them to contradict her actions.

Ginny felt her anger subside, if only minutely, but she still clutched her wand and refused to back down. She needed Hermione to explain herself, not sink into some sort of self-righteous anger.

"The Dark Lord found us after the battle, I don't know how he tracked us down but when he did . . . he said that the Death Eaters needed witches like me, he said he was willing to forgive my birth if I would join him. I refused of course, but the Dark Lord is most persuasive. I was already pregnant, when he threatened Scorpius and my husband . . . I couldn't let him hurt my boys Ginny. I became a Death Eater; I killed in his name, tortured people for his amusement . . . it was the only way to keep my family safe." Her voice had become devoid of life and feeling, her eyes were haunted.

"Then why'd you bother showing up now?" asked Harry bitterly, "It seems you've been living the life whilst we've been skulking around in the shadows."

"What would you do, Harry, if it were Ginny who was being held against you? You have children, right? What wouldn't you do to save them if they were being threatened with the Cruciatus curse?" asked Hermione pointedly.

Ginny watched as her husband fell silent, a strange look upon his face, and he seemed to be torn between anger and understanding. She knew that she, and her husband, would both not hesitate to massacre every Muggle in Britain if it would keep their children safe from harm.

"Who's their father?" asked Ginny as she took her friends hand comfortingly.

"That is rather obvious," her husband stated with a matter-of-fact look crossing his face, the rage they had felt seconds earlier already beginning to dim. "That boy looks almost identical to what I'd imagine Malfoy looked like when he was a kid, and that girl may have Hermione's eyes but if she isn't a Malfoy then I'll eat my scar."

"Draco's their father," said Hermione before breaking down in tears, "He stayed behind to hold off the other Death Eaters so I could get the kids out of there." Suddenly she straightened, blinking away her tears and glaring at her friend's.

"I am not going to apologise for falling in love with him," she said, in the broken voice of a woman who had lost everything she held dear at once. "Because I love him, and our marriage may have never been an easy one, not with this war, but we were happy, and I wouldn't trade him, or the children he's given me for the world."

"No wonder you joined the Death Eaters," Harry snapped. "You married one."

Hermione rose to her feet in anger, lower lip quivering as she swallowed, and Ginny tightened her hold on her wand. Despite emphasising with her friend, there was truly no denying that Hermione was a Death Eater, and that she was an extremely powerful witch – there was no telling what her time with the Dark had done to her.

"My husband just gave his life so that I could bring our children to safety, so that I could get here with this," she snapped, reaching into her pocket and then flinging a golden goblet onto the table.

"Narcissa and Draco both gave their lives so that this Horcrux would be delivered to you and destroyed. My children will grow up orphans because of our sacrifice, and you have the nerve-" she fell silent, shaking with rage.

"What do you mean orphans?" asked Ginny, her face furrowed in confusion. The children may have lost their father and grandmother, but their mother was right here sitting across the table from them.

Struggling to keep her anger at a minimal level she turned to the Potters, who were surprised to see the pleading look behind the rage in her eyes.

"I can't stay," she said quietly, drawing up her sleeve fully. Harry and Ginny drew sharp breaths as they saw the runes carved into her flesh, several of which were still weeping blood whilst others had already burned into her skin.

"The Dark Lord will be able to apparate instantly to my location and no wards will keep him out. The only that is thing holding him back are these runes and their power is fading." She winced as another rune turned black and scorched into her skin as its magic died.

"No . . ." muttered Harry.

"Harry, Ginny … I need one promise."

"Anything, Hermione," said Harry, his voice shaking with emotion.

"Promise me that you will keep Cassandra and Scorpius safe. There is nobody I would trust more to look after them."

"I'll raise them like they're my own," said Ginny quietly as tears threatened to trickle down her face again.

"You don't even have to ask, Hermione," said Harry, reaching out to take her hand reassuringly.

"Thank you," she said before quietly drawing her wand and giving it to Harry, "Give this to Scorp when he comes of age . . ." she drew a second wand from her sleeve, "this one is for Cassie. It belonged to Narcissa."

They were standing in the foyer as Harry nodded to her, not trusting himself to speak.

"Tell them that I love them," said Hermione quietly, "I would tell them myself but I don't trust myself to go to them . . . If I do I would lose the will to leave."

"I'll tell them," said Ginny as she bit back a sob.

"Where are you going to go, Hermione?" asked Harry as he saw two more runes blacken and burn.

"To see my husband," she said quietly before apparating away with a crack.

A/N: Edited and Updated as of May 2015 to fix SPaG and an Error in Continuity. Special Thanks to my beta, Gitana del Sol. I shall be working through the entirety of The Angel Chronicles in the next few months, correcting SPaG, Plot Holes and Flow.