The Fall of Hogwarts

Hermione knew that something was going to happen. The Order meetings were a little tenser and the way that everyone acted also spoke of upcoming dread. It was as if everyone could sense that the war was about to change.

Hermione was reading, like always, at the Burrow when Harry walked into the room. Hermione only glanced up briefly before returning to her book. There was no point in trying to make conversation; he always ignored her. So it surprised her when he began to speak.

"Perhaps I was a little hard on you." He said quietly. Hermione's eyebrows raised in surprise. She figured his approaching her now had something to do with Ron. Ron hadn't completely shut Hermione out of his life.

The past few months had been hard on the three friends. Not being able to spend every day together and especially since each of them were keeping their own secrets. Recently Hermione would notice that Harry had let Ron in on some of the secrets he was keeping. She would often see them talking together after Order meetings and Ron would disappear from the Burrow from time to time.

"I just have a bad feeling about him."

Neither of them had to voice who the 'him' whom Harry was referring to. "I know. But I still have chosen to trust him."

Harry nodded. "Well I just hope I'm wrong."

Without another word he left the room. Hermione guessed that was as close to an apology she was going to get. She felt better knowing that Harry hadn't completely cut her off. It would take some time to heal their rift but now she felt a small glimmer of hope that she might get her friends back.

That evening Hermione learned that Ron had gone with Harry back to Hogwarts. School was in session but it was different than when Hermione had attending. Half of the student body had not returned. The last few years there were fewer and fewer students returning. She couldn't blame them. The war looked bleak. Voldemort was getting more and more powerful and people were becoming afraid.

It was a quiet dinner consisting of Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and herself. Hermione scowled to herself, it seemed that the women were always the ones left behind. Mr. Weasley said that he was running late at the office. The twins had their own place. Usually for dinner there were a few Order members to fill in the silence but tonight it seemed everyone had their own agenda.

Hermione was just about to retire to bed when Mr. Weasley burst through the fireplace supporting Harry Potter. Ron quickly followed after, as well as Tonks and Lupin.

"What happened?" Hermione asked shooting up from her chair.

"Mr. Weasley shook his head. "No time. Get Molly we have to leave now."

Hermione didn't even have to leave because Mrs. Weasley had heard the commotion from the kitchen and came running.

"Arthur? What happened what is it?"

"Molly, get Ginny. It time for the emergency plan."

She nodded and left the room in a whirl. Tonks and Lupin had their wands at the ready and kept looking out the windows. Harry was despondent. Hermione couldn't see any wounds on his body but he was in shock.

"Hermione," Mr. Weasley said, "You have five minutes to grab whatever you need and then we are leaving."

"But where are we going? What's happened?" Her immediate thoughts turned to Severus and wondered if he was ok. If there had been an attack on Hogwarts. She hated to think what had happened. There was a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"There's been attack on Hogwarts." He said voicing her thoughts. "The school has fallen. Now get moving the Death Eaters might be coming here."

She felt herself pale. She didn't have time to dwell on the details but rushed upstairs. She magicked her belongs into a bag and shrunk it. She grabbed Crookshanks and stuffed him, unceremoniously, into his carrier and headed back downstairs.

When she reached the living room again she noticed that everyone had a broom. Remus gave her a sad look.

"Sorry Hermione, I'm afraid you'll have to leave your cat. We are flying."

Hermione clutched the carrier tight to her chest. "Can't we apparate?"

"We don't want to leave a magic trail," Tonks said from the window.

Hermione looked around the room as each face gave her a pitying look. She felt the tears prickling her eyes. She nodded once to show that she understood. She opened the front door and set the carrier down before opening it.

"Sorry Crooks. I have to go. Be safe and I love you." She hugged her feline companion before shutting the door. Crookshanks meowed his disapproval and Hermione tried to ignore his howls to come back inside. He would be safer outside where he could find food.

Mrs. Weasley came back into the room her pockets full of little bags of luggage.

"Alright looks like we are all ready." Lupin spoke up. "We will be traveling in pairs. Arthur do you have Harry?"

He nodded and lifted the broom in his free hand. Harry still stared at the floor.

"Good. Molly you and Ginny can fly together. Tonks you can take Hermione and Ron can be with me. You all know the location. If you see any signs of trouble you know what to do."

Everyone nodded and headed to the back door. Hermione felt once again that she had been purposefully left out of the plans. She was just a passenger.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley kicked off first from their brooms. The other two parties waited until they couldn't see them anymore before mounting. Hermione hated flying and was a little hesitant to get on a broom with Tonks of all people. She smiled reassuringly at her but it didn't really help with Hermione's queasy feeling.

"Hold on tight," she said.

Hermione didn't need to be told twice. She clutched onto Tonks' robes for dear life and shut her eyes. About five minutes into the journey she realized that she should be helping keep watch just in case any Death Eaters came.

They journeyed for a good hour until they were in the middle of a dense forest. Hermione wasn't sure what part of England they were in or if they were even in England. Without warning Tonks nose-dived into the trees and abruptly stopped in a clearing.

It took all of Hermione's will power not to scream when they dropped. They hopped from the broom and waited in the trees. Remus was the last to touch down. As soon as he did he whispered something to the air and a house appeared.

Hermione was a little surprised. She wasn't certain why they had created another house under the Fidelius Charm and why they just hadn't retreated to the Grimmuald Place, unless it was being watched like Dumbledore had hinted to Hermione a few months ago.

Remus quickly beckoned everyone inside and shut the door firmly casting a few more charms and spells. Once finished everyone seemed to breathe easier. It was small cottage on the outside but like most wizarding homes it was larger from the inside.

They all headed to the living room. Mr. Weasley set Harry down on the couch. Harry was looking around as if the initial shock of whatever happened had worn off. No one spoke. Hermione didn't want to be the one who broke the spell but it was looking like she might have too.

"Is someone going to fill the rest of us in on what happened tonight?"

Remus and Tonks looked to Harry as did almost everyone else in the room.

"I was in my office when I was alerted to the fact that Hogwarts was under attack. No one knew that it was happening tonight." Mr. Weasley said.

"We suspected that it would take place but we didn't realize it would happen so soon," Remus added quietly. "The Aurors were unprepared. We were over powered before we knew what was happening. I'm surprised so many made it out alive."

"But how did they get through Hogwarts defenses? There are ancient charms and spells that protect the school. How is it possible that they broke through?"

"Because the Headmaster let them in." Harry said through clenched teeth.

Hermione was confused and she could see she wasn't the only one.

"Albus would never allow that," Molly said.

Harry looked over at her with such pain in his eyes. "He wasn't the Headmaster, Snape was."

Hermione breath hitched, what was he talking about?

"Albus had been afraid of what would happen to him. He had so many close calls over the past few months that he didn't want to risk it. We went out, uh searching for something. In emergencies the headmaster can relinquish his office, when that happens the power and responsibilities are transferred to that individual. It should have gone to Professor McGonagall but it didn't."

Harry was staring at the floor his face darkening. Hermione didn't like the way the story was going.

"Albus was weak and I was able to drag him back to his office. Ron was waiting with Snape. He started rambling about how he wasn't strong enough to defend the school and that Snape needed to take over. He didn't even argue but simply nodded. Once the charm was performed Snape gave him some potion that killed him!"

By this point Harry was standing pacing back and forth in the room. "He had that satisfied grin on his face as he turned towards Ron and I. If it wasn't for Ron's quick thinking we would most likely be dead right now."

Ron gave Harry a half smile adding his part to the story. "It wasn't much. All I could think of is we needed to get out of that room quick. The fireplace was right there. I just grabbed some floo and said the first thing that came to my mind which was Gryffindor tower."

"What about the rest of the students?" Molly asked.

Remus was the one to answer. "We had gone through so many drills with the students that if Hogwarts was attacked on what to do. They each had their secret passage to find and go through which would lead them to Hogsmeade. From there, where ever it was they were to take a portkey and then contact their parents. Albus and I had created hundreds of illegal portkeys and put them in Hogsmeade. We left messages at the end of the tunnels for the students so that they would stay together and so that they were aware of the portkeys."

"We retreated with the rest of the students. I don't really remember much after he… after," Harry choked back a sob and turned away from the room. Ginny got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around him. The room was silent except for Harry's quiet sniffles. Ginny soon began to cry too and Harry turned to wrap her in his arms as well.

It was as if that was the catalyst for everyone else to break down. Molly and Arthur held each other and Remus and Tonks sought comfort in each other's arms.

Hermione just felt numb. After hearing about Severus's part her heart felt like it had died. She didn't want to believe it; she couldn't believe it. Ron caught her eye from across the room. She suddenly felt like the room had no air. She quickly left knowing no one but Ron would notice. She was unfamiliar with the house but knew she needed to be alone.

"Hermione," Ron called catching her arm as she was halfway out the door. The look in his eyes told her he was sorry. Everyone in the room was mourning for Albus Dumbledore but Hermione was mourning for the new headmaster. Ron's eyes let her know that that was who he was trying to comfort her about.

But she couldn't accept it. She didn't want to see the look in everyone's eyes that said that they knew it all along. Shaking her head she broke free from Ron's grasp and found the farthest room she could.

Once the door was firmly shut and locked behind her did she allow herself to really feel. The numbness left and a torrent of emotions washed over her. Anger, betrayal, despair. Most of all she felt like her heart being ripped from her chest. It was at that moment that she realized that she loved Severus and had for a while. She had allowed herself to fall for the enemy, the one who had killed Albus Dumbledore. She didn't even realize she was crying until she started to shake.

All she could think of was "why?"

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! The war has now taken a turn for the worst. I am not going to go into details about the horcruxs because to this story it is not really important. I am focusing more on Hermione and Severus's relationship. They will be mentioned but there will be no hunt for them.

Please leave a review!

Thanks again to my wonderful beta.