I don't own anything belonging to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 1

Hermione POV

I had just turned seventeen at the beginning of my seventh year; my last year of childhood with my two best friends, Ron and Harry. Those, except for Dumbledore, who knew I had used a Time turner in my third year thought I would have been older. Well, they are partly correct. I am older, but I had just turned ten my first year of school. Only Dumbledore, and possibly McGonagall, knew I should only be sixteen.

The beginning of the summer began like any other. My mum and I went to have my uniform top replaced, my robes needed to be taken down a bit, and I needed new robes for graduation. My dad came with us to Diagon Alley so I could buy my books and supplies.

I received an owl from Dumbledore a few days before hand. He asked that I come to Headquarters a few weeks before the others arrived. He had some new information that concerned my family. Albus, as he asked me to call him, advised me to bring my parents. When we finished shopping, we were supposed to meet four Order members at the Leaky Cauldron. They were going to bring my parents and some of their possessions to Headquarters.

"Hermione dear, I think we should head over to the Leaky Cauldron. Your father looks like he needs to sit down," I paused in mid-step to glance back at my mum, Emma, as she looked back at my dad, Edward, with a small grin on her lips. "He definitely looks ready for a drink."

My dad stopped and looked at us both as I went to him to help with his load. As I reached forward to take my bag of books, we heard a scream. When I looked towards the sound, I saw an image that plagued my dreams since third year. Dementors and Death Eaters came strolling down the Alley, hexing people as they passed.

I shoved my parents into the entryway of the Leaky Cauldron and I began firing various stunning and binding spells as I alerted the Aurors office by way of a charmed medallion around my neck. I took my proficiency to use magic outside of school a month ago to be sure my parents were protected. I was too preoccupied to notice the Dementors and Death Eaters who had snuck around my defenses. Even though I never had a chance to deflect the Crucio, I was able to stun all three Death Eaters. Having had successfully bound them, I turned to deal with the Dementors.

They were more difficult to handle. I could already feel the pull of their power. With one last burst of energy, I called forth my happiest memory; Albus's letter outlining the power to end Voldemort once and for all, with a little extra something I love. My Patronus, a silvery white cougar shot forward and chased away both Dementors. As I looked around, I noticed numerous Aurors and other wizards binding and arresting the Death Eaters. They were not unmasked as that would caused an uproar. I surveyed the destruction around me, and found there were not as many casualties as I would have thought. No deaths, which I thought was new, and I seemed to be the only one seriously injured.

I didn't even realize this fact until Alastor Moody came up to me with two Aurors and three Order members in tow. Remus Lupin and Arthur and Charlie Weasley followed Moody.

"Well lassie, those lessons of yours have paid off," not typically one to give praise, Moody had a special place in his grizzled heart for me. He had me trained harder and longer than anyone else. All knew what would happen to me if I were captured and Moody would die before he let that happen, "but I see you took a few hits. Bit off more than you could chew, did ya?"

As he gestured for Remus and Charlie to come forward, Remus with the chocolate and Charlie to catch me if I fell, a voice behind me called, "If you call fighting two Dementors and ten or more Death Eaters, under the Crucio, single handedly, biting off more than she could chew, then yes, you would be correct." The smiling, dust and sweat covered faces of Kingsley, Tonks, and Mr. Ollivander came over. Tonks, not realizing the extent of my injuries, slung her arm around my shoulders. It seemed my Death Eater friends let a few cutting and burning hexes fly. The pain created by the pressure on my shoulders caused my already unsteady legs to give out.

"Whoa there, little miss. This isn't a good place to sit. Can you walk?" The dancing eyes of Charlie Weasley were tinged with concern as he looked to mine for verification.

"Yeah, I think so." Famous last words on my part, for as soon as he let go, my legs gave out again. Remus broke away from Tonks as Charlie reached for me. Since Charlie already had a hand on me, he caught me before I hit the ground. I told everyone I could walk so long as someone held me up, but Moody, in his innate wisdom, told me Charlie might as well carry me. We would go faster that way.

"We want to see our daughter, sir. Where is she?" My dad had his hand on my mum's shoulder, keeping her from striking out at the short, pudgy man standing before her. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic was under investigation by the Wizengamot. Elections for a new one were under way, and surprisingly enough Arthur was doing great in the wizarding polls. He had received the support of the Half bloods and Muggle-borns and even some of the Purebloods.

I had Charlie set me down so as not to alarm my parents anymore than necessary. Arthur walked in front with Alastor to his right as Charlie and I followed. Tonks and Kingsley had to return to what they were doing, but Remus followed behind us. He kept steady healing spells working over my back. Remus and I had become the official healers of the Order. He kept going over one area, in particular, and I had to halt our procession to ask him to stop.

"Hermione, your wounds are more severe than others I have seen. It's a surprise you can walk at all. You have to stop. If you don't, you'll kill yourself!" As his hand enclosed on my upper left arm he noticed my gasp of pain and the wetness upon my arm, and removed my outer shirt. After wiping away the blood, he inspected the fang marks on my swollen arm. "When did this happen? Why didn't you say anything?" Remus demanded. Alastor, Arthur and Charlie stopped and looked back at us at Remus's outburst. Unaware of my plight, my mother was still yelling at Fudge. Many witches and wizards passed by, amusement clear on their faces. I glanced over to see my dad standing behind my mother with a gaggle of redheaded Weasleys and a boy with messy black hair and green eyes.

"Harry!" My shriek caused my parents to look for its source as I launched myself at Harry, looking for Ron in the process. As was tradition, I was enveloped into a "Hermione Sandwich". As per what would usually happen, we toppled over and landed in a heap of tangled limbs with me on the bottom.

The delighted chuckles of my father and protectors and the bright laugh of my mum broke through our excited chatter. We looked up to see a gathering around us. I looked at my boys, but they didn't have a mark on them. Luckily, they had met up with my parents before the fight became too severe. Looking from the amused faces of our friends and family to the faces of my two best friends I, unbelievingly and really unlike me, began to cry. Rivulets of burning tears, laden with fear, doubt and uncertainty flowed down my cheeks unchecked. I buried my face in their shoulders and silently sobbed as Remus and Moody helped us stand. Remus, with a warm hand at the base of my neck, whispered, "It's going to be all right." Next thing I knew, my world had gone black.