Chapter 10- Answered

Hermione pulled away from Malfoy's arms and got to her feet. There just wasn't time. No one knew how long the curse would last or if it was isolated here at Hogwarts. What if it was affecting every magical person? Hermione was desperate for answers.

"Hermione…" Malfoy asked at lost for what to say or do. Hermione shook where she stood but didn't collapse. She thought that was progress.

"Someone has been impersonating my parents. I didn't think to check them for spells or something as simple as polyjuice. Ron…he's gone, but we're going to be okay. Right?"

Malfoy took her hands and looked her in the eye. "Yes. It will be."

Hermione let out a relived breath. Just hearing those words made everything seem better never mind that they were likely a lie. Harry was crying on Ginny's shoulder and Hermione thought he needed to be with her for a little while.

"I just don't understand. Who would curse Hogwarts?" Malfoy asked and Hermione felt something click in her head.

"Whoever was impersonating my parents? Why keep pretending to be my parents if they didn't want something?" Hermione said and Malfoy latched onto the idea.

"Would it be death eaters?"

Hermione shook her head, "No one with the dark mark can get into their home. Even if they're polyjuiced."

Malfoy scratched the back of his neck with trembling hand. Pansy came to stand next to him anxiously.

"What's going on with you too? Draco?" She blurted finally. Hermione flushed and looked out away from their faces.

"I've got a thing for Granger." Malfoy said without hesitation. Hermione flushed even deeper and looked down at her feet. How was he so open about it now when before he was playing games?

"Draco!" Pansy accused angrily. Hermione was prepared for her to comment on her blood status and how she wasn't good enough for Malfoy.

"How could you not tell me?" Pansy continued stomping her foot. Hermione's jaw fell open and despite the grating pain in her chest, she felt something. Hope. Could she be accepted by the people in his life? Was there any possibility?

"I'm sorry Pansy. I didn't want you to get your hopes up. She doesn't feel the same, Pansy. But I suspect we could be friends."

What on earth was he going on about? She didn't feel the same? Wait, that's right, she didn't feel the same.

Pansy turned her gaze on Hermione angrily. "Well why not Granger!" She asked bluntly. Hermione looked at the girl who had just been crying on her shoulder with butterflies.

"Well…I we just – umm….dont work?" She offered in a stutter. Pansy nodded her head and pushed Malfoy away roughly.

"Damn it, you could have just said to leave!" He called and made his way to the bed. Hermione watched Pansy carefully, ready for hexes.

"Why not? He's fucking gorgeous Granger." Hermione flushed and twisted her thumbs together. This was real. She just realized her parents and best friend was dead so how could she be worrying about a boy? And weren't Malfoy and Pansy supposed to be brother and sister like?

"Yes I know, but brother or not I can observe how shaggable he is." She clarified and Hermione felt some relief. Which was ridiculous because Malfoy was off limits.

"I can't." Hermione whispered giving away her feelings and denying them all in one breath. Pansy stiffened at hearing the pure emotion in Hermione's voice.

"You can but I know now isn't the time to decide. Let's work on figuring out if the curse is gone." She offered sincerely. Hermione nodded silently, relaxing her shoulders and focusing. Solving things was what she did. It was likely it was over now, since Harry was here, but she had to make sure.

Minerva was flustered and more terrified than she had ever been in her life. Her fellow teachers were gone. She had not been able to find any of them, despite being headmistress. Now her students were being slaughtered right before her eyes and what could she do? Nothing.

If it weren't for Harry Potter they would all be dead. Merlin how much did that boy have to give to this world?

"It was a pair of siblings. They were pretending to be Hermione's parents and when we confronted them…they cast the curse. It only effect the magical people within a five mile radius of Hogwarts from what I could tell. Ron…he…merlin he took down the older sister but the younger one put me in a body bind before I could go help him. The younger one killed him. I…I'm sorry." Harry had explained and Minerva was even more confused.

"Siblings? But why would they do such a thing?" she had asked him.

Harry looked at her, "Their parents were killed during an order raid. They were just shopping nearby and got caught in the spellfire. It was an accident but they blamed all of us. I don't understand it any more than you. War twists a person." Harry said bitterly.

Minerva sank down into a nearby seat, "All this just for revenge. They killed over sixty children!" Minerva ranted with disbelief.

Harry nodded solemnly, "They also killed Ron and Hermione parents. God, Hermione must be insane. But…the curse, it last 24 hours. They had their plans laid out very well and it was going to work if I hadn't gone to Hermione's house. I saw her just as she was leaving and recognized the smell of Polyjuice. I don't know how she missed it."

Hermione sat down near Harry and took his hand. "Is it over?" She asked softly. Harry nodded and held her hand in his.

"It was just revenge Hermione. Just revenge and they got it didn't they?" Harry said with a hollow voice. Hermione knew that Ron was the person Harry was closet to and couldn't imagine how he would be feeling right now.

"It'll be okay." Hermione offered. Harry laughed and clutched her hand tighter.

"Eventually. We just have to wait out the curse now."

Morning came quickly and one by one the students were led out to their dormitories and parents were being contacted. It turned out that the other teachers had been given a sleeping draught, even Snape had been caught unawares. It turned out that fifty students had been killed in the course of twenty four hours. Hermione helped Minerva address letters to the parents.

Malfoy had been avoiding her. Hermione looked for him once the students were safely in their rooms, but he wasn't anywhere to be found, nor was any Slytherin. Hermione guessed they were all together because they didn't have anyone else.

Ginny seemed to have matured over the whole ordeal, having had little part in the actual war, this had been a wakeup call. She knew what was important and what was best left unsaid now.

"Hermione. You need to go get some sleep. You've been through enough." Minerva said and before Hermione could protest she found a door closed in her face. She sighed. Did Minerva really think she could sleep. Hermione knew she would never look on nightmares the same way again. Harry hadn't really been able to explain why they created a curse like that, that fed on fear. Maybe because of what they had been through.

Hermione decided it didn't matter. She had a new perspective now and she wasn't going to just sit back and let life pass her by. She wanted something and she was going to get it.

A/N: I hope this answered some questions. If not then here it is. A pair of sisters lost their parents and blamed the order, which they believed was hogwarts. They created a spell and It made their nightmares come to life. Harry and Ron found them and they were stopped, but the curse lasted 24 hours. Ron was killed trying to stop them. One more chapter to go guys, I'm out of school for a week so it should be up soon!