A split second after touching down in the courtyard of Hogwarts Hermione found a wand in her face, "What did I give you last night?" hissed Severus Snape. Blinking she took a step back and glanced around quickly. Draco, Harry, and Ron were each being questioned as well. Focusing on the old potions professor Hermione answered, "Memories." Nodding he lowered his wand before whispering, "Remember what I said last night Mrs. Malfoy. You mustn't forget." "I know Professor," she told him quietly.
"Severus, you must leave now," Professor McGonagall called, "We can't risk leaving the wards down any longer." Nodding Severus had one last thing to tell Hermione, "Come out alive for my godson's sake and the sake of your son. I probably won't be here to see him grow up but what I know of him right now I can say I'm proud of you and Draco," he told her before turning and striding across the courtyard where he stopped in front of Harry. Blinking rapidly Hermione listened as the old potions master wished Harry good luck and then promptly apparated out of Hogwarts. Seconds after he apparated the elder members of the Order began recasting the wards of Hogwarts.
"What were you two whispering about?" asked Draco as he came to stand beside Hermione. Clearing her throat she smiled sadly before responding, "He said he was proud of us," rubbing her forehead she whispered, "He's going to die isn't he?" Watching as Draco silently nodded she closed her eyes, "I doubt the Dark Lord will be happy once he tells him that the Order stormed Hogwarts and took it over. He knew what he was risking by being the one to go to him totell him where we are," Draco told her. Re-opening her eyes she focused on Draco, "Please don't die," she whispered. Taking her hand he tugged her closer, "I wasn't planning on it," he murmured before slowly kissing her.
"Really? We're in the middle of a war here guys," Hermione heard Ron's voice from behind her. Pulling away from Draco she turned her head glaring at her red-headed best friend, "Shut up, Ron." Chuckling Draco smirked, "I don't see any Deatheaters around here, Weasel," Draco drawled. "Yeah well they'll be here any minute so let's figure out what we're doing," Harry interrupted as he, Ginny, and the rest of their housemates came up to join them, "Alright so Remus asked that some go with Luna and Neville down to the trellis bridge and we still need people up on the towers," Harry told them. "I'll go down to the bridge," volunteered Daphne and Blaise at the same time. Looking between the two Harry simply nodded as they ran off. Taking Astoria's hand Theo asked, "Which tower do you want us to go to?" Biting his lip Harry glanced at each of his friends, "Ok actually Theo I think you and Astoria should go find Madam Pomfrey and help her prepare for…..the injured. Ron and Pansy head up to the Astronomy Tower Kingsley should be up there preparing. Ginny you're dad is up on Ravenclaw Tower I want you to go up there with him. The three of us," he said motioning between himself, Draco, and Hermione, "will head down to the Slytherin dungeons to destroy the Horcruxes."
"Wait," Hermione called before everyone ran off. Reaching into her bag she pulled out the basilisk fangs that Damon had brought back with him, "Once this starts anyone who sees the snake has to try and kill it. It needs to die before Voldemort can die," she told them handing out the fangs. Nodding they all tucked the fangs away before running off to their assigned spots. "We should take some of these down to the four by the bridge. They're out on the grounds they're probably going to see the snake before any of us inside the castle," she told Harry and Draco logically. Taking the fangs Harry called to Seamus who was running by, "Seamus, where are you heading?" "Oi, Harry, good to see you mate. I've been assigned the trellis bridge. Apparently Professor McGonagall wants it destroyed and she thinks I can bring it down," he told Harry sheepishly. Grinning Harry nodded, "I have no doubts Seamus. Listen I need you to take these down to Luna, Neville, Blaise, and Daphne," he said handing Seamus the basilisk fangs, "They'll know what to do with them." "Not a problem," Seamus told him taking the fangs and jogging off.
"Ok, lets get down to the dungeons and destroy these things," Draco said taking Hermione's bag from her as he took her hand and led the way into Hogwarts. As they passed the entranceway of Hogwarts Hermione saw Professor McGonagall raise her wand and yell, "Piertotum Locomotor! Hogwarts is threatened. Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!" As Hermione made her way inside she could see all along the hallways the statues and suits of armor jumping down from their platforms and stampede through the open door as more from the corridors upstairs came down the stairs. Taking a deep breath Hermione blinked back tears. There was something that moved her seeing literally everyone and everything inside Hogwarts moving into position to protect it. As the three hurried down the stairs towards Slytherin's common room they were brought up short by Harry stumbling and dropping to his knees clutching his head. "Harry!" Hermione shrieked pulling out of Draco's grasp and rushing towards her best friend. Groaning Harry raised his head, "He's here," he told them and his words were punctuated by a great shaking of the castle. "Stay here," Draco demanded running back up the steps. Turning back towards Harry Hermione helped him stand back up, "Did you see anything with Professor Snape?" she asked quietly. Nodding Harry whispered, "I'm sorry Hermione." Swallowing Hermione nodded slowly, "He knew what he was doing."
"Alright they haven't penetrated the wards yet," Draco called hurrying back down the steps, "but they're sure as shit trying," he informed them coming to a halt in front of them. "We've got maybe 10 minutes before they get through so let's go," Draco told them picking up the bag that he had dropped earlier and leading the other two down to his old common room. Stopping in front of the hidden door Draco called out, "Salazar," and then stood back as the door slid open. Quickly entering the room Draco opened Hermione's bag and began pulling each horcrux out. Lining the diadiem, locket, and cup up on the hardwood floor he pulled out the last three basilisk fangs and handed Harry and Hermione one each. "Ok, we're going to do this on three," Hermione told them as they each went to kneel in front of a piece of the Dark Lord's soul. "One….Two…..Three," she called out and in sync each plunged their fangs into the objects in front of them.
Instantly the room started shaking and furniture started to fly as each object let out a great howl and began to bleed black. "Get away from them," Draco bellowed over the noise as he pulled Hermione back and hauled Harry up by his arm. "What are they doing?" Hermione yelled. "They're dying. In 2nd year the diary did the same thing," Harry told them over the noise. Slowly the wind died down until it was once again calm in the common room and each Horcrux was nothing but a black blob. Kicking what was once the locket Draco asked, "Do we leave them hear?" "Hide them we'll come back for them later," Harry told him, "Let's go find the snake."
As the portrait door slid open they could hear the sounds of the war going on above them. "Merlin, we're as deep into the castle as you can get and you can hear it from here," Draco commented as they cautiously made their way up several flights of steps. Coming to the top of the last steps they slid to their knees. The destruction was unimaginable. The front doors had been blown clean off and people where everywhere. Hexes and curses were flying in all directions. "What do you want to do Potter?" Draco asked quietly as he sent a curse out through the banister towards a death eater. Eyes wide Harry shook his head, "I need to get to Ginny. She's in Ravenclaw tower. Give me time to get to her and we'll meet at Dumbledore's office. Somehow we've got to lure Voldemort here or we're going to have to go out to the forest to him to get him and the snake. First I need to get Ginny and lock her up so I know she's safe," Harry said in a hurry as he jumped up screaming curses and ran for the grand staircase. "Alright we'll head upstairs. Stay close to me," Draco told her as he crept out from the stairwell and headed for the staircase as well. As they made their way they stayed back to back shooting hexes and curses as they went. At the top of the staircase Hermione heard a great howl and turned to see Fenrir Greyback at the end of the corridor lunging for a student. "No," she screamed as she took off down the corridor, "Stupify!" As the curse hit him Greyback was sent flying back and went crashing out the window. Reaching the student she quickly glanced out the window to see that the werewolf had fallen to his death before kneeling down and helping Lavender Brown sit up, "Lavender, are you okay?" Blinking rapidly Lavender glanced up at Hermione, "Thank-you. He would've surely killed me," she told her as Hermione helped her up. "Lavender are you okay to fight? I've got to…..I've got to get to Harry," Hermione told her looking around for Draco. Seeing him at the end of the hallway fighting a death eater she began backing away from Lavender, "I'm fine go you need to help him," Lavender told her.
Turning she began to run back towards Draco when he looked up and saw her; dropping his focus on the death eater in front of him. The spell hit him square in the chest and sent him flying backwards, "No!" Avada Kedavra!," she screamed at the death eater. She was at least a good 30 feet from her target but the curse hit the unsuspecting death eater in the back and instantly dropped him. Breathing heavily Hermione blinked stunned that she had actually killed another. "What did you do," whispered Lavender coming up behind her. Turning Hermione stared at her old dorm mate, "He hurt Draco," she whispered back, "I have to get to Draco," she said turning back to continue down the corridor. Before she could move the castle shuddered and shook and glass came flying down on top of them as parts of the ceiling above them rained down on them, "Watch out," Lavender screamed pulling Hermione back.
When the ceiling stopped coming down Hermione stood coughing. The corridor she needed to get down to get to where she saw Draco last was now blocked. "Hermione we've got to go this way," Lavender told her pulling her down one of the side hallways. "No, wait let me see if I can feel Draco," she told her closing her eyes and concentrating on her husband. As she tried reaching out with her mind she could hear Lavender shooting curses as she felt her take her hand and begin leading her down the hallway, while her eyes were closed. Not being able to get a connection Hermione opened her eyes as her breathing began to increase, "I can't feel him," she told Lavender who was still leading her down the hallway with her wand out. Glancing back Lavender narrowed her eyes as she turned fully and screamed, "Stupify," at the approaching death eater. "Merlin they're like cockroaches," Lavender whispered to herself before focusing on the distraught witch in front of her. "Look Hermione I'm sure Draco is fine. Maybe just knocked out or something. You need to focus or else you're going to get yourself and me killed. Now you're the smartest witch I know. What should we do because I can't keep fighting these fuckers off by myself," Lavender exclaimed shaking Hermione slightly. Blinking Hermione took a deep breath before focusing on the girl who Hermione had always written off as being a dumb slag. Nodding Hermione whispered, "I'm sorry Lavender, you're right. We have to get to Dumbledore's office. Harry will be there with Ginny and I have to…..I have to give him something. So we need to do that." Nodding Lavender began leading the way down the corridor, "Alright let's do this together. Maybe one of us will be lucky to survive," Lavender said sardonically over her shoulder.
They had made it to the 5th floor and only had one more floor to go when they were met by several death eaters. Quickly taking cover behind one of the tapestries they shot stunners out taking down three death eaters. Unfortunately the other three figured out where they were and attacked. Before she could blink Lavender was sent flying backwards leaving Hermione to fend them off by herself. She managed to take another one down but was immobilized by a tripping jinx that sent her to the ground and flying glass from a window being shattered behind her sent glass into her back and leg. Screaming in agony she tried sliding herself back from the approaching death eaters. The glass was cutting her hands and she couldn't go any farther. Closing her eyes as the death eaters raised their wands she prayed it would be fast when she heard a low, "Avada Kedavra," she tensed waiting for the spell. Instead nothing happened and she heard a great heavy thump. Opening her eyes she saw one of the death eaters on the ground in front of her as the other stood with his wand arm raised. "What are you playing at?" she screamed, "Just fucking kill me." "Well unfortunately my dear son took care of me trying to harm you by placing his mother's ring on your mud blood finger," Lucius Malfoy sneered pulling off his death eater mask. "Where's my son and grandson?" he asked stalking towards her and hauling her to her feet. Screaming in pain she fought him off, "You great arrogant ass. You can't see the glass in my back and leg," she snarled pulling the glass shard from her leg. As it began to bleed freely she glanced at his death eater robes, "I need some of that," she said quickly grabbing the hem and ripping off a strip to wrap it around her leg. Disgusted Lucius sneered, "I may have saved you from your death, twice, girl but that doesn't give you free range to touch me." Snorting Hermione turned around so her back was facing him, "If you want to know where your grandson is you're going to help me pull this out and bandage it," she told him glaring over her shoulder at him. Raising a brow he assessed the witch in front of him, "I don't know what my son sees in you. You're nothing but a loud mouthed bossy witch," Lucius told her pulling the shard of glass from her back without any caution. Hissing in pain she would've fell to her knees if he hadn't grabbed her by the arm to keep her upright. Leaning her against the wall Lucius began muttering an incantation as Hermione could feel her skin knit back together. "You know you are a witch," he told her blandly indicating her leg with the rag tied around it. "Theo is the healer not me," she whispered. Rolling his eyes he pulled the rag off and muttered the same incantation watching as her leg closed effectively cutting off the bleeding. "There now where are my heirs?"
Turning slowly she leaned against the wall watching the elder Malfoy, "Why do you care? You've had two years to be concerned about your son." Narrowing his eyes Lucius looked lethal, "I don't know what you're used to with my son but if you think I'm going to have a hearts and rainbows conversation with you you're sorely mistaken. Now I gave you a service; now you give me a service." Smirking Hermione rolled her eyes, "Your son takes after you more then you know. Damon is safe he's staying with Andromeda far away from the battle and Draco…." she trailed off as her eyes went unfocused with unshed tears, "I don't know what happened to him. We got separated down on the second level and I tried to connect with him but….I couldn't." "What do you mean you tried to connect with him?" he asked impatiently. Blinking rapidly to refocus her eyes she answered, "When Professor Snape married us he performed a blood bond. We've only been practicing talking to each other in our heads and feeling for each other. We're not that advanced."
Frustrated Lucius paced several feet away, "A blood bond…you can apparate directly to him without knowing fully where he is. You must do that," he told her coming to stand in front of her again. Shaking her head Hermione told him, "I told you were not that advanced. I don't know how to do that." Studying the girl in front of him Lucius took a deep breath, "You must. Focus your mind directly on Draco and let his blood take you to where he is. You're supposedly the smartest witch of your age let's prove it shall we," he said taking her arm. Swallowing Hermione took a deep breath before focusing everything she had on Draco.
Lavender had been thrown clear across the hallway and had hit her head so hard that she had been rendered unconscious. Slowly she blinked her eyes open. Groaning she opened her eyes and gingerly sat up clutching her head. Hearing talking she glanced up to see Hermione pressed up against the wall with Lucius Malfoy standing in front of her with his hand around her arm. Raising her wand she took aim but before she could fire off a curse they both disappeared. Scrambling to her feet Lavender ran to the spot she had last seen Hermione, "Hermione! What the hell? Where did that sick bastard take you," she said to herself. Turning she took off at a run down the corridor desperate to make it to Dumbledore's office where she knew Harry was.