New Chapter! Sorry it's a bit short but it felt like the right place to end this chapter. I hope you enjoy it and thank you all for reading :)

They were ready. They had the knife, they had set the date, they had decided to do it at Hermione's old house which had by now been repaired. Her parents were going to move back in next week. All Hermione had to do now was somehow tell her parents, or at least say a possibly final goodbye without them realising the significance of it, but that was proving to be impossible. Unfortunately the story came out in a way Hermione never even imagined, the worst way.

It was morning, three days before they had decided to attempt the cure and she, Ron, Harry, Ginny, George, Mr and Mrs Weasley and Hermione's parents were all sitting around the long wooden kitchen table eating breakfast. Hermiones nibbling at a piece of toast hadn't gone unnoticed by her mother who kept asking why she wasn't eating much.

'I'm just not hungry Mum' she said quietly, trying to avoid drawing the other's attention to what her Mum was saying. Truth was whenever she ate she felt sick. No one really paid any attention to when Errol flew into the window delivering that mornings Daily Prophet and no one paid much attention when George went over to pick up Errol and collect the paper. No one noticed until Mrs Weasley said 'What are you doing George?' He had been standing still, staring at the front page for about a minute, shock all over his face. He said nothing but turned round looking straight at Hermione with his mouth open. Immediately her stomach swooped downwards and she jumped out of her chair and walked around the table to George who lowered the paper just so she could see.

Emblazoned across the front page in huge bold letters was 'Golden Trio Set To Become Two? Granger's Carnuficina Tragedy- Full Story on Page 2.'

Hermione ripped open the paper and stared horrified and disbelieving at the article complete with a picture of her and Ron taken just after they stepped outside of St. Mungos and just before they Apparated. Sickened she began to read, unaware that everyone else had got up to look at the paper.

'It is news that will greatly shock and sadden the entire wizarding world. The Daily Prophet has just recieved the news from an anonymous source that Miss Hermione Granger (pictured above with Mr Ronald Weasley leaving St. Mungo's Hospital) has the Carnuficina Curse. It is an evil, ancient curse that is cast on an object so that it causes more harm than it usually would. The curse continues to spread via the bloodstream causing incredible pain until it reaches the heart which means a death sentence within days, possibly hours. There is apparently a cure but according to our research, most people die during the attempted curing process. Our anonymous source couldn't tell us where Miss Granger picked up the curse, but we can assume that it happened during the last year when Miss Granger, along with Mr Harry Potter and Mr Ronald Weasley, fought to help bring down You-Know-Who for once and for all. This is devastating news to all and we wish Miss Granger and all her family and friends the best of hope and strength during this difficult time. The Carnuficina Curse is-'

Hermione stopped reading the article and scanned the page for the author and as she expected, 'Rita Skeeter' was printed underneath the article. Hermione gasped as the fury at what Skeeter had published to the world flowed over her in waves before hot tears of anger fell from her eyes, scalding her cheeks. Her parents couldn't find out like this and Hermione looked sharply up to see them not in their seats at the breakfast table, but in front of her peering down at the article, reading it upside down with confused yet turning quickly into terrified expressions on their faces.

Overwhelmed, Hermione turned and pushed past Harry, Ron, George and Ginny who surrounded her and ran outside, feeling the morning dew soak through her socks and the warm rays of sun glance off her face as she ran sobbing angrily until she reached a knarled old apple tree. She slid down the trunk and sat shaking with anger as she pummelled the earth with her good right fist.

'WHY?!' she shrieked at the injustice, at the invasion of privacy that would no doubt be tearing at everyone inside the house right now. 'What a horrendous way to find out what's happening' Hermione thought after she had calmed down a bit and now she felt guilty that she had ran out on everyone. Taking several deep breaths of the fresh morning air to force the anger away and making a mental note to absolutely obliterate Rita Skeeter if she ever got the chance, Hermione stood up and dusted herself down. She started to make her way back to the house as ideas of how she could answer everyone's questions flew around her brain. But before she even got halfway back, the back door opened and Ron ran out straight towards her. When he reached her he looked at her pityingly before kissing her and enveloping her in his arms.

'What's happening in there?' she whispered, scared.

'I explained it all, to everyone. Your parents, well I don't know what to say other than that they're in a proper state.'

'God what have I done' she whispered into Ron's chest.

'Hey they don't blame you for not telling them Hermione! It's all just a lot for everyone to take in, too much really' Ron whispered back trying to reassure her. 'But there is a problem Hermione.'

'Really Ron? I hadn't noticed' said Hermione sarcastically yet kindly, smiling when she looked up and saw Ron giving a small smile and rolling his eyes.

'I know that was stupid, but seriously' his tone shifted and both their smiles dropped, 'There's a problem, I know you couldn't read to the bottom of the article but there were some facts about the Carnuficina Curse, one of them said that it is illegal to cast, obviously, but also.. also that to do the cure, you need to obtain legal papers somehow, I don't know but it's an old law which is why the Healers didn't know,but, it still exists.'

'What so it's illegal to try and stop people dying?'

'Yeah because of the dangers involved. The thing is now that this is out in the public, someone's going to come here aren't they and check?'

'So what are you saying Ron? You want to try the cure now?' Hermione asked.

'Yes' he replied simply. Hermione gulped, suddenly terrified.

'Are you sure you're ready to?' she asked. He nodded with such determination in his expression that she didn't dare argue.

'Okay, okay... what about Andromeda? She's looking after Teddy today-'

'Harry has already Apparated over there, it's likely that she'll bring Teddy here so someone can look after him while it happens. I've got the knife in my pocket..' he said gesturing to the pocket of his hoody. He tailed off. 'Hermione? I have to ask you again, are you absolutely sure you want me to do this?' He looked scared.

'Only if you feel you want to Ron-'

'I do, I have to try don't I?' he said as a sad smile found its way onto his face as the enormity of what faced him began to hit him. 'Let's go back inside and you can tell your parents-'

'Possibly goodbye forever' she finished as tears leaked from her eyes. Ron didn't say anything but instead gripped her hand tightly as they walked back into the kitchen.

It was a tragic sight thought Hermione. She saw her mother sitting on a kitchen chair, white and shaking while her father gently stroked his wife's hair as he looked pained at the newspaper now in the middle of the table. Mrs Weasley was talking in whispers to Mr Weasley who looked extremely solemn while George comforted Ginny who looked simply terrified. 'You've caused all this Granger' Hermione thought to herself feeling more and more guilty by the second. Pain spasmed through her body but she forced herself to focus on the current situation and the pain dimmed.

'Mum, Dad I'm so sorry, I-I didn't know how to tell you and- and YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE FOUND OUT LIKE THIS!' she howled as the full realisation that her own parents had found out about their daughter's effectly terminal 'illness' not through her, but through a fricking newspaper hit her. 'I'm so sorry' she whispered not daring to look at anyone.

'Hermione come and sit down' said Ginny as she and Ron gently helped Hermione down in a chair. Ginny was shocked when she felt how weak Hermione was.

'I wish you had told us Hermione' said her Dad quietly looking at his daughter sadly.

'I-I just didn't know how and I didn't want to burden you especially now I've just got you back. It's selfish I know but-'

'It's about as far from selfish as you could get Hermione' said her mother as she dabbed her eyes. 'I knew you were ill darling but..but this' she looked around in disbelief. 'Can I see?'

'See what?' said Hermione momentarily confused.

'Your arm, I think that's where Ron said the curse was contained' replied her mother as Ron nodded.

'You don't want to see-'

'Yes I do Hermione show it to me' said her Mum somewhat forcefully.

Hermione sighed as she shrugged off her hoody so she was just in a tank top. Her arm was revealed. There were gasps of horror as everyone saw the pitch black veins that spread across the top of her arm, stopping at her shoulder which had turned almost completely black as the curse tried desperately to force it's way through the barrier there. Hermione couldn't bring herself to look so instead she slowly began to unwind the bandage that covered her forearm. She glanced up at Ron who gave her a nod of reassurance before she pulled the bandage completely off.

'Merlin's beard' she heard Mr Weasley whisper when he saw the mess that was her forearm. The letters as deep and raw as the day she recieved them with the black tendrils weaving their way up her arm, strangely her left hand had remained normal. A small relief. There were several moments silence while everyone in the kitchen tried to digest what they were seeing before there was an enormous CRACK as Harry and Andromeda, clutching a pink haired Teddy, Apparated straight into the kitchen. This sudden, unexpected appearance made Mr and Mrs Granger jump a foot in the air and pale even more if that was possible.

'Sorry' Harry said to them as Andromeda greeted the Weasleys. She kissed Teddy on the forehead before handing him to Ginny before turning to Hermione and looking at her arm, horror and disgust etched across her face. Hermione knew that she was realising that it was her sister who had caused all of this pain.

'Who-who are you?' said Mrs Granger weakly, looking up at Andromeda.

'I'm Andromeda Tonks, Teddy's grandma' she said gesturing to the sleeping baby in Ginny's arms. 'It was my sister, Bellatrix who caused this' she said apologetically.

'Wait wait, it was your sister who t-tortured my daughter?! Your sister who cursed her?!' exclaimed Mr Granger angrily as he took a step towards her threateningly.

'Dad!' shouted Hermione but Andromeda spoke.

'Yes my sister, my estranged, deranged sister who I hadn't seen in nearly thirty years. I'm related to her biologically yes, but I haven't considered her to be a relation of mine for years' said Andromeda slightly coldly. Mr Granger nodded and backed down, apologising as he did so.

'Listen' said Harry to Hermione. Andromeda said we could use her place because Kingsley owled her this morning after he saw the story in the paper to let her know that Ministry officials are at your house and are coming here to find you Hermione and check that everything's 'in order' as he put it. He must've guessed that we'd want to cure you and he knows what happened at Malfoy Manor, I had to tell him everything ages ago' he added when Hermione looked at him questioningly.

'Hermione what's happening?' said her mother, scared, as Hermione got shakely to her feet and went round the table to hug them both.

'Mum, Dad I'm sorry but I have to go now if there's a chance of this cure working. I'm so sorry to put you through this, I love you both so so much..' she broke off as a huge lump formed in her throat. This could be the last time she ever felt her parent's warmth, the last time she breathed in her mother's perfume that gave her a sense of being home, the last time she felt her father's strong comforting arms around her. The last time she saw the people who had given her life.

'You'll be back soon' said her mother firmly, willing herself to believe it. Hermione couldn't bring herself to say anything, she just looked into her father's understanding eyes as comprehension passed between the two of them.

Hermione looked away and Mrs Weasley enveloped her into a gentle, teary hug while Mr Weasley grasped her hand briefly yet tightly as unshed tears glistened in his eyes. Ginny hugged her next, still in shock that this could be the last time she ever saw one of her best friends in the world. Lastly George pulled her into a hug which slightly surprised Hermione.

'We love you little sister' he whispered into her ear so only she could hear. Tears of slight happiness found their way through Hermione's tears of anguish, George considered her to be family and she knew that when he said 'we', he meant Fred as well.

After saying goodbye to everyone she slowly walked around the table to where Ron, Harry and Andromeda were standing. She didn't even have to look at Harry to know that he was coming to and that there was nothing she could do about it. Taking deep breaths she feasted her eyes on everyone who stood shocked in the kitchen, this could be the last time she ever saw any of them. She gasped in emotional agony as the tears free flowed and she felt Harry and Ron grip her limp hands. Hermione looked at her parents for one more fleeting moment before she felt Andromeda turn and they were all engulfed by the darkness.