A Year to Remember
By Ange de Socrates
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Co. are, unfortunately, not mine. It'd be lovely to own them, but alas, you can't always get what you want. Therefore, I'm simply playing with them. I promise to return them after I have my wicked way with them.
Chapter Fourteen – A Kiss is Still a Kiss, a Sigh is Just a Sigh
THE WEEKEND passed quickly and Hermione had never felt more well-rested. Remus had brought her homework and books to his rooms so that he could take care of her as she healed, and Hermione had fought her urges to jump the wizard every time he walked into the room.
"Remus," Hermione whined on Monday morning, unable to concentrate on her Charms textbook.
"Yes dear?" The werewolf was sitting on the bed next to her reading the front page of The Daily Prophet.
"You haven't touched me in three days."
"You've been ill."
Hermione pouted. "I've also been incredibly randy."
Remus laughed and kissed her thoroughly. "Better?"
"No," she grumped.
The werewolf eyed her thoughtfully. "Well, it has been three days."
"Yes…" The witch leaned in closer to her lover.
"And Madam Pomfrey did heal the ulcers."
"Uh huh…" Hermione tilted her chin up so that her lips were centimeters from his.
"Maybe we can…" he breathed, drawing closer.
"Merlin, look at the time!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly, hopping off Remus' bed and quickly pulling on her robes. "I've got to get to breakfast so I'm not late for my classes! Sorry love, I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer." She walked into the sitting room to hide her wicked grin from her fiancé.
"But…but…" Remus stammered, following her out, "You can skip breakfast!"
"That wouldn't be good for my stomach, would it love?" It was all she could do not to laugh at his unhappy stuttering.
"I suppose it wouldn't…"
"Then it's settled." She gave him a quick kiss and ruffled his shaggy hair. "I'll see you later, yeah?"
"You bet," Remus murmured, extremely frustrated. "Vixen," he added as soon as she was out of earshot. He shuffled to his small kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee before gathering his lesson plans and grudgingly heading to class, where his students couldn't help but gossip about their professor's foul demeanor.
Hermione's covert sex strike was a disaster. She made it through one and a half classes before regretting her decision not to indulge Remus earlier that morning. Her entire body was screaming for release that only her fiancé could give her.
"Earth to Hermione!" Ron hissed at the daydreaming witch. "Your plant's eating my gloves!"
She snapped back to reality in an instant and pried her mutated Venus fly trap off of Ron's worn leather gloves.
"Sorry," she whispered, trying to pay attention to Professor Sprout's lecture.
"What's wrong with you?" Ron whispered back. "You've been really distant-looking. Maybe you should do yoga or something."
Hermione snorted. "Maybe I should. It seems to be a popular suggestion."
"What?"
"Nothing." She sighed and attempted to make it through the rest of class without thinking about her most unwise course of action.
A VERY SURPRISED Remus was the lucky winner of a very hormonal young witch during his lunch break that afternoon. Despite his reminder that Hermione needed to eat to maintain her stomach's health, neither of them ended up eating lunch and instead spent the break burning calories on his desk.
"One of these days we're going to get caught," Remus laughed, still panting as he stroked his fiancée's damp hair.
Hermione grinned. "Just have to continue our lucky streak for a few more weeks."
Remus kissed her suddenly, and it seemed to Hermione that he was trying to suck her very soul out. Not that she could complain – he was an incredible kisser. All too soon he pulled away.
Hermione blinked, confused. Remus beamed.
"In a few more weeks you're going to be my wife."
"And you're going to be my husband," Hermione replied, laughing. "Gods I love you!"
"And I love you." He kissed her again. "Looks like neither of us are going to get lunch this afternoon."
"I think it was a fair tradeoff," she said diplomatically.
"I think so, too." Remus straightened Hermione's outfit and used his wand to remove the smell of sweat and sex from both of them. "Now, off to class young lady," he chastised playfully, smacking her lightly on the bottom. "Professor Snape will wonder where you are."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "He has an uncanny habit of always knowing what I'm doing." She winked at him. "Or who."
Remus actually blushed. "It's a bit disconcerting that Snape knows about my sex life." He nipped at Hermione's neck. "But at least I have one."
"You'd be surprised," Hermione murmured, arching into Remus' touch.
He halted abruptly. "Pardon?"
Hermione went wide-eyed. "Oops."
Remus put his hands on his hips. "Does Severus Snape have a sex life?" He shook his head. "Wait, I really, truly don't want to know the answer to that question. As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't even have a penis."
"He does."
"Uuughhh." Remus shuddered. "That was unnecessary."
"And he's using it on a student." Hermione couldn't help but let it slip – it was far too juicy to keep to herself.
"What?!"
"But if you really, truly don't want to know…" Hermione started to hop off the desk. Remus pinned her to it.
"Speak."
Hermione reached up and kissed Remus. "He's in love with…"
"With?"
"With…"
"Who? Tell me who, tell me who, tell me who!" Remus protested, stamping his foot.
"Lara Torres."
Remus' jaw dropped. "No way."
"Way." Hermione giggled. "You look like my mutated Venus fly trap with your mouth open like that." She paused, thoughtful. "At least you don't eat Ron's gloves…"
"Lara Torres?" Remus wondered aloud. "A Gryffindor. I would never have guessed." A wicked grin suddenly spread on his face and he laughed like a madman at the prospect of blackmailing the master blackmailer.
Hermione jumped up and poked Remus squarely in the chest. "Remus Lupin, don't you dare tell him I told you!" she said, putting on the sternest look she could muster.
"Why not?" Remus whined.
"Remember those new heels I got? The strappy white ones?"
"Mmm," Remus affirmed, his eyes growing hot.
"I won't wear them."
Remus looked crestfallen. "But…I really like those. Especially when they're the only thing you're wearing."
"Well then, I guess you shouldn't tease poor Severus about his sex life." Hermione looked at him pointedly.
"Fine. But only if you'll wear the heels tonight," Remus said, sounding for all the world like a six-year-old who had just been denied a new training broom and was demanding candy as reparation.
Hermione licked her lips and walked to the door. "You got it."
Remus watched her go with a fond smile. He pushed his perspiration-moistened hair out of his eyes and shook his head.
"She's going to be my wife." He chuckled darkly. "How did a wolfy old bastard end up with a creature as beautiful as that?"
THE DAY THAT HERMIONE had been dreading grew nearer and nearer. She suddenly found it difficult to concentrate on studying for finals when that date lurked at the surface of her thoughts.
Lucius Malfoy. The Dementor's Kiss.
She slammed her book shut with a growl of frustration, not even apologizing when Madam Pince gave her a stern look.
"I'm never going to get anything done," Hermione murmured with a sigh. She yawned deeply and stretched her arms out. According to the grandfather clock standing opposite her table, it was nearly ten o'clock.
"Maybe I should take a nap," she thought aloud. "Clear my head. Forget about…"
She turned and stopped mid-sentence. "Malfoy?"
Draco stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione inquired, looking at him curiously.
He said nothing. Instead, he brought his hands to his chest, obviously clutching at something within them.
Hermione furrowed her brow. "What's that?"
Draco held out his hands and opened them, revealing a long silver chain with an ornate snake pendant dangling from it. The snake was wrapped around a stake and its eyes were emeralds, glittering dangerously at Hermione.
Before she could stop herself, the witch reached out to touch the beautiful jewelry.
"That pendant is one of the early insignias of Voldemort!" she breathed with scholarly delight, feeling each groove and etching. "How did you get this?"
Draco looked at her with cold eyes, and Hermione realized quite suddenly that something wasn't right. He spoke with mechanical detachment.
"The Dark Lord rose. The Dark Lord fell. Voldemort will rise again."
The pendant flashed an icy blue as Hermione and Draco held it, and the young witch knew at once that it was a portkey, that it had been activated, and that she was in deep shit.
The two arrived inside a dark dungeon that smelled like death. The cracked grey stones harbored a colony of moss and salty water dripped from the low ceiling, hitting Hermione in the forehead and eyes.
"What's going on?" Hermione demanded, scooting away from her classmate and reaching for her wand. It was missing.
Draco held up her wand and twirled it ominously. "You're quite thick for such a smart Mudblood," he drawled, stepping casually toward her as she backed herself into a wall. "My father is three days away from a fate worse than death. You are a disgrace to the wizarding world, Hermione Granger. When Voldemort rises once more with my father and me beside him, you will be the first to go." He leered at her and Hermione winced as though she had been struck. "Or maybe I'll keep you as a sex pet. You're quite lovely, Hermione…"
She spat at his feet. "You're as filthy as your father, Malfoy!" she shouted, her voice cracking.
Draco slapped her hard, making her cry out and fall to the floor, clutching her stung cheek.
"I'm not the one polluting the wizarding world with my tainted blood!" he bellowed, kicking her in the stomach.
Hermione moaned and doubled over, her face scraping against the gravelly ground.
Draco dragged her up by the arm, nearly pulling her shoulder out of its socket. "You're going to pay for this, Granger. For everything you've done."
She glared at him, her eyes slightly glazed over with pain. She could feel her adrenaline pumping and shock kicking in. "I've done nothing wrong," she whispered, blood rolling from her split lip and splattering to the ground.
"Besides exist, you mean?" Draco said with a cruel grin. He began walking, jerking her along behind him with a painful grip on her arm.
Hermione took in as much of her surroundings as possible. "Where am I?" she demanded.
"My private dungeons."
"You have your own dungeons?" she asked, suppressing a snort.
"My father can afford to give me the best. Unlike your trashy Muggle parents."
She bit her lip, making her cut bleed even more profusely as she fought the words that threatened to spill out and worsen her situation.
A few moments later, Draco stopped at an iron gate and jerked it open, pushing Hermione roughly into a tiny cell. He slammed the bars in her face and warded them heavily.
"In a few days, you're going to be in Azkaban for the murder of the Minister of Magic," Draco bubbled, unable to keep his secret any longer.
Hermione laughed aloud this time. "Because I'm perfectly capable of that when I'm behind bars."
"I have your wand," Draco reminded her. "I can easily Polyjuice myself, and I'll make sure to use your wand when I kill that poor excuse for a wizard."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "It's a horrid plan," she muttered, crossing her arms.
Draco made a face. "And why's that, Mudblood?"
"You think I'd tell you if keeping my mouth shut meant I could watch you fail?" Hermione snorted. "I thought you were smarter than that."
The blond trained his wand on her, his hand shaking with rage. Hermione couldn't help but back up in her small confines.
"You're…not…worth…it." He took in a ragged breath and put his wand away. He turned and left, and soon Hermione heard him stomping up the dungeon stairs and then slamming the door.
It was quiet. And dark. And wet. And very cold.
Hermione shivered and looked around her cell. Luckily there were no other people, alive or otherwise. It was all wet, blood-stained stones except for a rickety wooden bench on the far wall. There wasn't even a window – just a tiny slit above the bench, from which no light was exuded. Wherever she was, it was still nighttime, and she deduced that she must not be too far from Hogwarts.
She crossed to the bench and gently sat down with a sigh. "What a mess," she mumbled, leaning her head against the wall and closing her eyes to ponder her situation.
REMUS WAS BEGINNING to feel apprehensive. It was time for his dinner with Hermione, and yet the witch was fifteen minutes late. For the girl who arrived to class twenty minutes early, fifteen minutes was a big deal. Most likely she was caught up studying for finals, but this was incredibly uncharacteristic all the same.
He stood from his armchair and paced nervously, checking the watch that Hermione had given him every few minutes. After another ten, he decided to look for her.
Library. Great Hall. Head Girl's quarters. Quidditch pitch. Owlery. Dungeons. Sirius' room. Library again. His room.
"Nowhere," he whispered, catching his breath after nearly running back to his rooms.
"Who's nowhere?" Sirius emerged from the refrigerator with half a watermelon in hand. "I'm right here."
"Fantastic, mate. Hermione's missing."
Sirius frowned. "When?"
Remus shook his head. "She never showed up for dinner. I've been all over the castle looking for her." He checked his watch again. "Maybe I should ask Albus to track her."
Sirius patted his friend on the back. "No worries. Maybe she went into Hogsmeade and got caught up in the bookstore. Or a pub. Something."
"I'm really worried. This is just so unlike her." Remus sighed. "I'll have to find Albus, I suppose. Come with?"
"Of course." Sirius bit into his watermelon. "Say, haven't we got that Azkaban thingy to go to soon?"
"What Azkaban thingy?" Remus repeated, growing irritated.
"The Malfoy thingy."
Remus froze. "You don't think she was kidnapped, do you?"
Sirius shook his head. "Nah mate. No one would be stupid enough to do that. She's too smart."
HERMIONE PACED nervously back and forth in her tiny cell, occasionally tripping over the same loose stone.
"Keep your head," she said softly to herself. "Don't panic. Stay calm."
She tripped over the stone again and cursed.
"Damn stone…wait." Hermione crouched down and examined the stone over which she had stumbled. It had moved three inches. She experimentally nudged it with her right foot.
It moved easily over.
Hermione barely contained a whoop of joy. She dropped to the floor and began wiggling the stone, more determined than ever to escape from this hell.
"SHE'S BEEN MISSING for two days, Albus!" Remus shouted angrily. "I've been begging you to search for her for two days. And now it could be too late!"
"Calm yourself Remus," Albus said soothingly. "She's perfectly fine."
"Did Sybil's magic ball tell you that?" Remus spat. "You do realize this has something to do with Malfoy's Kiss, don't you?"
"Of course!" Albus exclaimed a bit too brightly. "And that is why I'm positive Hermione is alive."
The werewolf blinked stupidly at the headmaster. "What?"
"Have you missed the rest of the conversation my boy? Draco Malfoy has disappeared as well. I'm sure you're capable of putting two and two together."
Remus flushed. "Yes, sir."
Dumbledore smiled cheerily at him. "The younger Malfoy most likely has Hermione in a dungeon somewhere and is waiting until tomorrow to use her as some part of his twisted plans. Draco is a cunning young man – he wouldn't waste so valuable a resource."
Remus felt anger creeping up on him again. "A 'resource,' Headmaster? Is that all Hermione is to you? A resource to be locked away in a dungeon by some sick pervert with a death wish?" He bristled. "I won't stand for this. I'm going to find her myself if you won't."
The headmaster held up a pleading hand. "Remus, Hermione is a key player in this battle. She could prove essential to sentencing Draco as well as his father to the Dementor's Kiss!"
The younger man stared coldly at his mentor. "My fiancée is not bait," he growled. "This is not her battle." With that, Remus strode quickly out of Dumbledore's office, more determined and more desperate than ever to get to his fiancée before it was too late.
DRACO ONLY VISITED Hermione once every day to shove some food and insults at her, so the witch was able to work with minimal interruptions. By the early morning hours of her third day in captivity, the day of Lucius' Kiss, Hermione had worked up enough stones to squeeze beneath the floor and had incredibly bruised and bloodied fingers to show for her efforts.
She looked warily down at the gaping darkness. Now that her work was complete, she wasn't so sure about her escape plans. After all, she didn't know what was down there. It might not even lead to an exit.
Still, it was her only chance for survival.
Hermione gracefully slipped down the hole and landed about six feet down in the darkness. The floor was slightly damp and she was sure she could hear rats, but she tried not to focus on that. Instead, she gleefully focused on the beam of light that cut through the dark in the distance.
After about twenty minutes of quick walking, Hermione had reached the end of the tunnel and joyfully emerged into a small glen. A thick forest surrounded her now, but Hermione remained hopeful.
She bit her lip. "Which way?" she wondered aloud. She had no idea where she was or which direction would lead her to Hogwarts.
"I've got to get to Azkaban before Draco!" she murmured, once again determined. Hermione set out at a brisk pace toward the rising sun – it would lead her east, and it was the only constant to keep her going in any direction.
REMUS WANDERED SADLY through Hogsmeade for the third time. The town was deserted at six in the morning, but he clung to hope that Hermione would suddenly appear from the doors of the Three Broomsticks.
He checked his watch and sighed, flipping it over to stare at his mournful expression.
"I just want to see her smiling face again," he whispered. He froze. "Wait a second… I can't believe I've been so stupid!"
Remus whipped out his wand and tapped it against the small mirror. His reflection swirled and was replaced by a thick forest and a tiny figure going at a near-jog through the trees.
Several words appeared at the bottom of the image: Malfoy Estates, West Grounds. The werewolf whooped and Apparated on the spot to the image on the watch.
Hermione shrieked as a crack sounded in front of her, but her shriek turned to a scream of joy when she realized who had just appeared.
"Remus!" She threw herself around his neck and clung to him like a succubus. "I can't believe you found me!"
Her fiancé grinned widely. "I've been looking for you since you missed dinner!" he told her excitedly. "And this watch you gave me was of great service."
Hermione beamed. "I thought it might come in handy someday." She smiled into his shoulder, completely at ease for the first time in days.
"Come on," Remus said, gently pulling away. "Let's get back to Hogwarts so you can rest. I'm sure the headmaster will understand if you don't want to attend…"
"The Kiss!" Hermione cried suddenly. "Remus, we've got to get to Azkaban now!"
Remus frowned. "What's going on?"
Hermione sighed impatiently. "Malfoy kidnapped me and locked me up in a dungeon. He said he's going to Polyjuice himself to be me and kill the Minister of Magic with my wand so I'll be framed for it. And he's going to release Lucius."
"How did you escape?" Remus asked incredulously.
"I dug through the ground and went out a tunnel," Hermione briefly summarized. "Now come on, we've got to save the Minister!"
Hermione gripped Remus' shoulder, concentrated on Azkaban, and tried to Apparate, but nothing happened. She frowned and put her hands on her hips in frustration.
"Why can't I Apparatus?" she demanded of no one in particular.
Remus pulled a miniaturized broom out of his coat pocket and enlarged it to its full size. "The Ministry has all sorts of restrictions and wards for the Kiss today. We'll just have to fly."
The witch's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "I don't fly."
"You will if you want to stop Malfoy from killing the Minister," Remus chided. "Now hop on. I'll keep you safe."
Hermione grudgingly climbed on in front of Remus and faced him so that she could cling tightly to his chest. They slowly rose up and then suddenly shot forward, Hermione screaming as though she were back in first year and facing a hideous mountain troll.
"He wants to bring Voldemort back," Hermione shouted over the sound of rushing air as soon as she had regained some composure. "He told me he was releasing his father so that he could bring the Dark Lord back."
Remus growled. "That's not going to happen," he said firmly. "We've all worked too hard to keep that from happening again." He leaned forward to urge the broom to go faster.
Within minutes, the dark silhouette of the dreaded prison became visible through the trees, a stormy sea sloshing at the rocks on which it stood. Hermione suddenly felt cold, scared, and terrified.
"Is it supposed to feel like that?" Hermione yelled.
Remus looked at her grimly. "You see why Sirius still can't forget it?"
Hermione looked over her shoulder at the stone fortress. It was as if the whole world around it was tinted a melancholy blue-gray. "Poor man."
The pair touched down on the outskirts of the prison and clambered up a stone staircase that was overgrown with weeds. At the top of the stairs stood a small villa for visitors, and the two hurried inside after being frisked by Aurors.
Dumbledore stood inside with Harry, Ron, Sirius, McGonagall, and Snape. "Remus! Miss Granger!" he exclaimed, rushing over to embrace his recovered student.
"Professor, Draco's going to kill the Minister of Magic," Hermione said quickly. "He'll be Polyjuiced to look like me and he has my wand so that he can frame me for the murder. He's going to release his father so that Lucius can bring back Voldemort!"
The headmaster's expression went from exultant to cloudy in a nanosecond. "Then we must stop him," he said gravely. "Professor Snape, might you have any unicorn blood?"
"I'll take care of it right away, Headmaster," Snape answered solemnly, pulling a small vial out of his robes and heading for the door.
"Remus, keep Miss Granger hidden," Dumbledore told him. "Harry, Ron, I want you both to stay close to Sirius."
The boys nodded. Hermione noted Sirius' sparkling eyes had gone dim and his body shook slightly. He caught her eye and gave her a weak smile.
"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius looks a bit ill. Perhaps Remus should stay with Harry and Ron instead, and I could stay hidden with Sirius," she offered.
Remus gave his fiancée a sideways glance. She was always so selfless, if a little bit reckless.
Dumbledore beamed at her. "A marvelous idea," he said. "Sirius, you and Miss Granger should go find a nice nook in which to hide yourselves. Remus, you, Harry, and Ron may go find a spot close to the back, in the event that we must make a quick exit."
"Yes sir." Remus took his charges and, with one last look at Hermione, exited the villa to find a seat in the outdoor courtroom where the Kiss would take place. Dumbledore bowed his head to the remaining two and left, presumably to find the Minister.
Sirius gave Hermione a grateful smile and kissed her hand. "You're a gem," he whispered.
"You shouldn't have to be here," Hermione responded.
"No." Sirius shook his head. "I needed to come. I needed…closure."
"You're a brave man Sirius Black." Hermione held his hand tightly in her own. "Let's go find a place to bury ourselves." Realizing the awkwardness of her wording, Hermione laughed. "Hopefully not literally."
Directly above the platform where Lucius would receive the Kiss stood the face of a small wizard-made mountain, and that is where Sirius and Hermione hid themselves. Sirius found a small hollow on the right side and climbed in, with Hermione situating herself comfortably on his lap.
"I feel useless," she complained. "I should be down there ready to fight, not up here hiding."
Sirius patted her back. "You've already done so much," he reassured her. "You're not strong enough to fight." He frowned. "Why hasn't anyone fed you yet?"
Hermione's stomach realized this at the same time and suddenly protested loudly. "That's sure to give away our spot," she said with a laugh.
The wizard fished around in his robes and pulled out what looked like an energy bar. "Eat. It's a wizarding formula that keeps off hunger for a full day. It's great if you ever want to lose a few pounds."
Hermione playfully smacked him. "Are you saying I'm fat?"
Sirius' eyes suddenly acquired a predatory gleam. "My dear, I think you know how much I love and appreciate your body just the way it is."
The witch blushed brightly and shifted a bit in Sirius' lap. "Er…right."
Sirius laughed and hugged Hermione. "You're fun to tease."
Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. "Meany." She bit into the bar and found it was actually quite good – nothing like the chalky, stale energy bars of the Muggle world. "Delicious!"
"I always keep a few extras."
"Looks like I should too – for the next time I get kidnapped," she huffed.
Sirius and Hermione passed the time by watching the "audience" arrive. Harry, Ron, and Remus stayed near the back while Dumbledore and McGonagall sat on the platform. Snape was nowhere to be seen.
The Kiss was open to the public, as usual; however, few witches and wizards chose to take advantage of the openness because of the horror of the punishment. The observers today were older witches and wizards, probably ones who had personally been affected by Lucius Malfoy's actions as a Death Eater. In total, out of the entire wizarding population, there were approximately fifty spectators present.
At around ten o'clock, Cornelius Fudge strode up to the platform and amplified his voice with his wand.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he boomed in his pompous tone, "Welcome to the much-anticipated punishment of convicted Death Eater Lucius Malfoy."
There was a spattering of applause from the younger crowd, which was immediately silenced by the harsh glares of the elder.
"Bring out the prisoner!"
In the distance an iron door groaned open and the sound of chains being dragged by shuffling feet could be made out. In a few minutes, Lucius Malfoy's platinum hair was visible behind the platform. Two large guards helped his frail form onto the stage.
Fudge flicked his wand and a metal chair appeared at the front of the platform. The guards shoved Lucius rather ungracefully into it and strapped him into the magical iron wrist, chest, and ankle restraints.
Hermione was taken aback by the features of what had once been a very aristocratic and handsome face. His skin was jaundiced and oily, his grey eyes dull and sunken into his face. His hair hung greasy and knotted around his face. The man he had been before, and not just physically, was gone.
"He's got no soul left to take," Hermione whispered to Sirius. He nodded and touched her hand reassuringly.
"Bring out the Dementor!" Fudge bellowed, his magically amplified voice nearly bursting Hermione's eardrums.
The sky suddenly clouded over, lightning streaking ominously between the cumulus pillows. The temperature dropped at least forty degrees. Hermione shivered alongside Sirius, the two huddling together for the warmth of their bodies and of companionship.
While everyone huddled together and stared at the sky, a Dementor appeared seemingly out of nowhere, hovering near where Lucius was chained. Lucius tensed visibly and groaned in agony. For a moment Hermione almost pitied him.
The Dementor fixed his sightless gaze on the elder Malfoy and seemed to sigh in anticipation, its arms hanging ready at its sides.
"Lucius Malfoy, your crimes against the wizarding and Muggle words have been detestable and inhuman," Fudge began, puffing out his chest. "No one is more deserving of this fate worth than death. Perhaps if you are lucky, the Dementor will have mercy on your soul and return it to its maker. If not," Fudge breathed deeply, "Good luck in hell, Mr. Malfoy."
Lucius stared blankly at Fudge, not appearing to hear his words. The Dementor let out a cry and moved slowly toward the broken man.
Hermione stood up quickly. "Stop!" she screamed. Every face turned to look up at her. Sirius remained crouched where he was, but had a dumbfounded look on his face.
Even the Dementor froze in its tracks at the sound of her shrill, panicked voice.
Fudge glared and looked extremely ruffled at the nerve this girl had to ruin the atmosphere that his well-rehearsed speech had created. "What is the meaning of this?" he nearly growled.
Hermione pointed at the man sunken in his chair. "Minister, that man has no soul left to take. I believe this is a violation of the provision against unnatural and inappropriate punishment."
"What?" Fudge snapped.
"Provision 87.392(b)," Hermione called out, her heart pounding. "Sir, he's not capable of understanding his punishment or his crimes in his current mental state and is therefore not eligible to receive the Kiss. Didn't you have him screened by St. Mungo's mental health department prior to this…this ceremony?"
"Well, er, no…but – but that's not the issue!" Fudge stuttered. "You are interrupting a very important Ministry function and you will be prosecuted once this task is accomplished!"
Hermione had no idea why she kept speaking, but she felt something was wrong. "If that's all this is to you – a task to accomplish – then you're no better than him. You're no better than Voldemort!"
Dumbledore smiled proudly at her, but Fudge failed to see the reason in her argument.
"Miss Granger, I've had enough…"
"Father! Now!"
Lucius' restraints suddenly snapped open and the blond man caught a wand that was thrown his way, pointing it straight at Hermione.
"How noble," Lucius said, sneering. "And now you get what you deserve." Lucius smirked, the fire back in his eyes. "Avada kedavra!"
Hermione heard Remus shout from below. Sirius jumped up from where he was crouched, wrapping his body around Hermione as a starburst of green light exploded from Lucius' wand.
A woman by the stage screamed shrilly, and all Hermione could think was that if she hadn't just died, Remus would have killed her for being such an idiot. And then she realized…she wasn't dead.
Sirius slowly let Hermione go, and the two of them looked down at the platform below them. Lucius Malfoy lay dead at the hem of the Dementor's robes and a struggling Draco Malfoy, apparently opting for invisibility rather than Polyjuice once he realized he was missing his prisoner, was being apprehended by several Aurors.
The two looked at each other and then embraced tightly.
"You might have died," Hermione whispered.
Sirius nodded. "Totally worth it."
Remus had already navigated his way up to where Hermione and Sirius had been stowed away. Without a word, he drew Hermione into his arms and held her firmly against his chest, nearly squeezing the air out of her lungs.
"Please," he said in a shaky voice, "Don't ever scare me like that again. Please."
Hermione choked back a sob. "I'm so sorry. I really am." She held him at arm's length. "But I had to. He played me for a fool, but if he really had been in that state, it wouldn't have been fair to him. To anyone in that condition. He wouldn't realize he was getting the Kiss and then no one would be satisfied because he wouldn't be punished to the fullest possible extent."
Remus shook his head. "Your brain is going to get you killed." He kissed her thoroughly and stroked her hair tenderly.
Sirius smiled knowingly at them. "Come on you two. Let's get down from this rock."
The three began their descent to the ground, but when they were halfway down, another scream rang across the dark island.
"What now?" Sirius muttered, turning around and finding himself face to face with a Dementor.
Draco laughed maliciously from next to his father's corpse. "Enjoy your parting gift, you filthy mutt." He broke free of the Aurors and raised his wand.
Hermione noticed that Dumbledore did nothing to stop him.
"Half-breeds and traitors shall perish. Purebloods will rise again!" He slid his wand quickly across his throat, a thin red line appearing across his neck. The thin cut gaped and blood gushed thickly from it, Draco crumbling to the ground and gasping hoarsely as he died slowly next to his father. With each raspy breath more blood oozed from his wound, and he finally drew his last, going limp on the platform.
Hermione's attention shifted back to Sirius, who was frozen in fear where he stood on the ledge. The Dementor closed in on him, drawing back its hood.
"Sirius!" Hermione screamed, lunging for him. Remus held her back with one strong arm, drawing his wand with the other.
"Expecto patronum!" he shouted. The Dementor darted from the streak of silver that shot out of Remus' wand.
Sirius, still paralyzed with fear, fell slowly back, plunging off the rocks to the ground twenty feet below.
Hermione watched him fall, hearing Harry's shouts from below and feeling Remus' arms catch her as she dropped in a dead faint.
A/N: It's finally happened! As of 30 March 2008, I have finished revising the first 14 chapters of this story. It looks like I'll be able to start on the next one now!
Sorry to leave you with such a cliffhanger, but it had to be done. I promised angst, and I hope I delivered! More to come, very, very soon. Thanks again to my fantastic audience!