A/n: Storm Finally walks right into it, and it all comes to a head in this chapter. Let me know guys?

Also, an awesome bit of artwork done for this story by JemJo Storys.

If you search "Calm Before the Storm" By JemJo on Deviant art or just google (that's how I found it) it'll come up. It's pretty rad! Massive props to her, I love it! :)

Merry Christmas if I don't update before then. Have a cracker day guys! :)

Chapter 25

Later that night Storm found herself wandering the halls. Padding along the stone floor as a cat, keeping her ears peeled against the silence. Hermione had fallen asleep long before she left the room. Her body itching to shift into something as she lay next to the sleeping girl, her mind wandering back to the events of that day. She still didn't like how Hermione had reacted to Ron's presence. She didn't like him being around even more, but she couldn't do much about that. He was an auror in training and had been put on the job to keep the castle secure.

Harry had been put on a different more advanced team, which had made Storm smirk to herself when she heard. Ron was on the lesser team, and that just made her want to laugh out loud. No matter how much Hermione had told her it was nothing, they were just friends, she still couldn't help but be suspicious. She believed it was friendly on the brunettes behalf, but she didn't trust the redhead more than she could throw him; and though she was tall she wasn't the hulk so doubted that'd be very far.

Her internal musings came to a halt as she heard footsteps nearing, jumping behind a stone pillar she suddenly got an insane feeling of deja vu. Her uncharacteristically dark cat eyes, took in the hall soaked in the warm glow of the lanterns. Her hearts hammering against the inside of her rib cage as the footsteps grew closer.

The person rounded the corner, and Storm found herself almost relieved to see Ron walking towards her. A quick rush of anger flooded her brain and in an instant she was shifting up and advancing on him.

"You know it's pretty pathetic that you're still trying with Hermione." She started casually as he walked past, jumping at the sound of her voice. Turning quickly with his wand pointed directly towards her chest.

Something about him seemed off, his scent was entirely wrong. The way his lips curled up into a more than evil grin once his eyes landed on her made her gut sink and twist horribly with suspicion.

"You stupid little girl. You keep walking right into us don't you. Why can't you just do as you're told like everyone else" the boy spat, his grin turning to a sneer. "Maybe I should get rid of you entirely. You keep getting in the way" He punctuated his words with a swish of his wand, sending a quick "Avada Kadavra" Her way. With wide eyes she shrunk down into a rat before ducking behind the pillar again. Shifting up to the sound of cackling, she pulled her wand from the pocket of her tight jeans and threw a blind spell in his general direction. Inwardly cursing herself for having left the common room. He was right, she did keep walking right into it, right into them.

"I'm sure your mudblood won't miss you once she has Weasley back" The redhead taunted, and Storm's heart throbbed inside her chest as she pulled a long breath in through her nose.

She jumped out from behind the stone wall, throwing a barrage of any spells she could think of to distract the imposter.

"Keep trying" he cackled again.

"Why do you keep coming back?!" She yelled at him, her face flush with anger.

"It's just orders, and unfortunately your little ability made you a specific target. You and your filthy little mudblood" He taunted again, throwing a cutting curse her way only to have it dodged as she shifted into a large bear. Her anger boiling over and clouding her better judgement.

Slamming her full weight towards him as she barred her teeth and snarled dangerously. He didn't move, but seemed to ready himself instead; causing Storm's curiosity to peak. She caught him pulling something from behind his back just before she made impact; colliding full pelt into him.

Storm stopped, her entire body going rigid as it shifted slowly back into human form. A sharp pain radiated out from her stomach as her eyes shut on their own and blood started to well up in her throat and spill out of her mouth immediately.

The man's voice was harsh in her ear as he spoke, "Not such a smart move, we've been ready for you. You're so predictable" He whispered, his breath hot on her cheek as she began to collapse, and he let her fall to the floor. Gasping and clutching at her stomach as she caught sight of a large hunting knife wedged tightly just under her rib cage. It's cold blade freezing her insides with it's metal warming as her blood seeped out from around the handle. Her breathing became short gasps as she tried to compose herself, tried to ignore the pain that threatened to consume her.

Her wand left behind, and her shifting ability gone to pot as she tried to take stock of her injury around the knife. A gurgling noise filled the space and rang in her ears as all the breath left her lungs, her head falling back with a crack to the stone floor as more blood leaked from between her lips and down her cheek. Her dark eyes rolling back into her skull as she felt the blood draining from her body, more and more by the second.

The man moved towards her, leaning down to yank the knife out of her sternum to drop into the already large pool of blood growing around her body.

His large hands yanked her up over his broad shoulders and he began heading for the entrance way. Her vision went black, and then nothing. No feeling, no movement.

-x-x-x-x-

Hermione woke to an empty bed that morning, and complete quiet. The sun was up, and the clock on her side table told her it was 9am. No reason for Storm to be out of bed at all, let alone out of the room. A small frown tugged at her lips as she took stock of the room around her. Her dark tired eyes taking in the fact that Storm's clothes were gone, and her pyjamas were folded up and lay on the side table. The side she normally slept on was cold, and looked totally unused.

Thousands of questions flooded Hermione's mind as she sat up straight, and began pulling clothes on quickly to freshen up and leave the room in search of the American. Panic starting to rise in her stomach, fear that the younger girl hadn't believed her about Ron and had changed her mind about the relationship.

Within twenty minutes she was stepping out into the common room, her feet padding quickly down the hall into the main room. It was full with students talking loudly up until she became visible. The room immediately went silent as soon as she appeared. All eyes staring at her as if they were expecting something, expecting her to do or say something. She felt her jaw clench painfully, an eyebrow raised and her back straighten up.

Ginny caught her eye, walking towards her quickly. "Hermione" She said, her voice laced with something the brunette couldn't quite place.

Her hazel eyes red and her cheeks blotchy as if she had been crying. "What? What's wrong?" The brunette asked as the redhead tried to push her gently back to where she came from.

"We should talk in private" Ginny spoke quietly, her voice hoarse confirming Hermione's suspicion, though she relented and moved back towards where she had come from.

"Ginny, what's happened?" The brunette asked again, pushing the door open to her personal quarters once again, stepping inside.

"Storm's missing... They found her wand in the corridor, there were signs of a fight and a lot of blood... Too much blood. They followed a trail to the edge of Hogsmede before it just... Vanished." The redhead spoke getting straight to the point, her voice cracking as she avoided eye contact. "McGonagall called us all to assembly this morning, though thought it best to tell you more personally. I said I'd do it once you woke up. I'm so sorry"

"What? What do you mean too much blood? What does that mean?! Where is she?!" Hermione shouted though her voice broke, and Ginny winced at the emotion her words were laced with.

"Hermione, they don't think they're looking for her alive, they found it first thing this morning on first rounds. Madam Pomfrey has confirmed that no-one can loose so much blood and survive without medical treatment. Her parents are in with McGonagall." Ginny explained carefully, her eyes now trained on the brunette as she stared off into space. As if she was trying to process the information that had just been delivered.

Slowly Hermione took a few steps back, shaking her head as she did. The tears began welling in her eyes as they flicked up to take Ginny's appearance in. Searching frantically for any sign of a lie. The redheads eyes held nothing but remorse and emotion. There was nothing in them but her own welling tears. "No" Hermione whispered.

"I'm so sorry" the redhead's own tears began dripping down her cheeks as she watched her best friend break before her eyes.

Hermione could feel her heart hit her stomach, as her body hit the wall behind her. She sunk down to the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. A small sob wracked her body as she cried into her knees, the dam breaking allowing the river to flood down her face. Her limbs were totally numb, but she still felt pain. The most pain she was sure she would ever feel. A physical pain pulled at her very being as Ginny sat beside her, though made no move to touch her.

They just sat there, against the wall for hours. Let the day pass them by and then some. Not speaking, just breathing and being. Ginny shifting here and there, clearing her throat to let the brunette know she was still there.

The room had been dark for a while, a chill falling around the space. Hermione's sobs had since stopped, but her breathing had kept painfully steady. She'd never felt such pain, a gut wrenching pain that took ever breath she fought for away.

-x-x-x-x-

The room was cold when she woke up, her eyes tired and sore as they fluttered open. The room was bathed in darkness, and as she moved she appeared to be alone, but on a firmer inspection her eyes settled on a redhead that sat beside her. Her body was sore from sitting on the floor, so when she flinched away her face twisted up in pain.

"Merlin!" She gasped, her hands going to her stomach.

"Are you okay?" Came the redheads voice, as she felt more than saw the hand rest on her shoulder.

"Do I look okay?!" Storm hissed through gritted teeth, straining against the darkness to see her wound. "Am I dead?!" She asked as she felt herself over, her hands going to where the knife had been. Her eyes going wide as she felt over the shallow wound. Feeling her clothes that were stiff with what she assumed was dried blood, her chin sticky from what she assumed was the same. Her breathing suddenly becoming shorter as her lungs constricted, threatening to throw her into a full blown panic until the boy next to her gave her shoulder a squeeze. Pulling her out of her own head.

She was sure she was going to die, she was sure there had been no way even her accelerated healing would have made a difference.

"No, almost were though when they got you here you were hardly breathing. Another few minutes and there wouldn't have been anything they could have done. We're in the Malfoy's basement though." Ron spoke with a small smile, his red hair was dingy and dirty, and his clothes weren't much better.

"It was you! You did this!" She seethed, jerking away from his touch to try and scramble away.

"No, I didn't. They're using polyjuice, and used me to get into Hogwarts. I've been here the entire time" he smiled gently, in an obvious attempt to sooth the younger girl.

"How long have you been here?" She asked him dubiously, shifting again to try and get more comfortable on the stone floor. Wiping at her face in an attempt to remove some of the crust.

"A few days, they jumped me just after I got the orders to say I'd be helping guard Hogwarts" He explained, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "It seems I've been in this room way more than I'd like" He admitted with an uncomfortable smile.

"Well, you've been mighty helpful" Storm almost laughed, rolling her eyes as she did. "You've been here before?" The American asked, her interest peaking.

"During the war yes. They captured Harry, Hermione and I while we were on the run. They found the sword of Gryffindor in her bag, and tried to get information out of her as to how she'd gotten it. Bellatrix the old bat thought we'd stolen it from her vault" Ron explained quietly. Trying not to alert the Malfoy's or their guards as to the fact Storm was awake.

"Hermione was here?" She asked, swallowing hard as she thought of the brunette. Her heart throbbing painfully at the thought of what she may have been told.

"She wasn't here, but she's been in this house" the redhead smiled a small smile.

The knowledge that the older girl had been there before filled Storm with an odd sense of comfort. Like in a way, Hermione was with her. She'd gotten through It before, and that fact gave Storm more reason to want to escape, and escape soon.

"How did you get out?" She asked with a raised brow, feeling that antsy caged feeling she normally got when she hadn't shifted in a while.

"With the help of a magic mirror and a House elf" Ron answered a little forlornly.

"I'm guessing you have neither on your person right now then?" Storm asked with a small smirk. "Why am I alive?" She quizzed, though more serious this time; a little surprised she'd not asked earlier.

"Malfoy decided you'd be of more use alive than dead." Ron admitted with a small shrug, "They healed you enough so you wouldn't die, but not enough to make your shifting a threat."

"Oh how accommodating of them, be sure to remind me to say thank them on our way out" Storm sighed, lifting her shirt to try and examine the wound more closely. Seemingly satisfied with the fact she wasn't going to die, Storm pulled her shirt back down to look at her hands. Shifting a nail into a long talon she smirked and held it up to the redhead.

"Can we apparate when we're outside of this room, in the main house?" She asked the boy who was staring at her finger, looking ever so slightly confused.

"We did before" He spoke sceptically, folding his arms across his chest.

"Help me up, I'm not going to sit here and wait until they come back" She stated as she began pushing herself slowly off the cold floor.

He scrambled to his feet next to her, and grabbed her shoulder none to gently, holding her up as she finally made it to her feet.

"Right, let's go then" Storm smirked a slightly uncomfortable smirk as the wound she'd sustained pulled tight, as if her skin no longer fit her body.

"I don't have a wand..." Ron replied sheepishly, as they began walking towards the iron gate door.

"Oh, well that could be potentially problematic" Storm grumbled, "put me back down, and go call for someone, tell them I'm not doing well. When they lean over to check me, join your hands together like this" she laced her fingers together, making one large fist "and slam them down onto the back of their head, they'll be down for a few seconds. Grab their wand and then off we pop?" She raised a brow up at him as he lay her back down.

"That's insane" He spoke incrediously, his eyes wide. "But it's all we've got" He spoke again.

"Ready?" He asked as he walked back towards the gate. His shoes padding lightly against the stone floor.

"Ready" she spoke with more conviction than she felt, her body relaxing as she willed it to, and her eyes closing against the darkness.

"HEY! HEY!" Ron's booming voice yelled up the staircase, "She's not breathing!" He yelled again.

After a moment or so loud footsteps echoed down the stairs.

"What?!" A voice hissed impatiently as the lock clicked and the gate squeaked open.

"She's not breathing" Ron's voice came again.

"Bloody bitch better not die" answered the hiss, and it wasn't long until a man was leaning over her, checking her pulse.

"She's fine" the man spoke again, before a loud crack and thud echoed through the room.

"He's out" Ron spoke as he yanked the unconscious death eater from off of Storm's body, taking his wand and pulling the girl up in a rush.

"Good, let's hurry they won't wait long to make their move once people at Hogwarts know I'm gone" She reasoned as Ron practically carried her to the iron gate door and up the steps. Apparating them without another word as they came to the top.

Storm was honestly surprised her plan had worked, but stranger things had happened and smugness quickly won over shock.

She blinked a few times as they landed at the burrow, Ron's voice yelling out into the darkness for his mothers aid.

The lights in the kitchen flicked on, and they knew they had been heard.

-x-x-x-x-

The silence was broken by an explosion somewhere in the castle. The wall behind them shook almost violently before another explosion sounded.

Ginny was on her feet in an instant, Hermione following hot on her heals. Ginny poked her head around the door, and peered into the common room that was alive with panicking students.

Without second thought both girls ran out into action, wands drawn as they entered the throngs of students.

"Sixth and seventh years in the corridors! Everyone else stay here! Do not leave this room!" Hermione yelled over the commotion as another explosion sounded, shaking the foundations once again.

A group of students made for the portrait in a hurry, and out into the corridors. The halls were alive with students and a mass of death eaters that rivalled the first war. This had been totally unexpected and had caught them totally with their pants down. They knew something like this was on it's way, just not so soon.

Hermione's mind came to a painful conclusion, Storm's disappearance and potential murder had kicked everyone into over drive. And the death eaters were forced to act before they were ready.

Sparks of color flashed against the stone walls, like more than sinister fireworks. Ginny entered the fight without a second thought, firing powerful spells towards any death eater that crossed her path. Hermione following after her, taking on a masked woman easily. Duelling the deatheater with ease as she fell back into the motions she'd had to use so frequently while on the run. Sparks illuminated the end of her wand constantly, as she took on death eater after death eater. Dropping them like sacks of potatoes each time, taking all the hurt and anger she'd felt throughout that day out on them.

Members of the Order had begun showing up in an instant, and now the halls were full of them. The wards must have been down, and they were apparating right into the castle. The deatheaters must have taken them down from the inside, but it only served to help the cause of the good.

The entire ordeal didn't last long, and the deatheaters were falling back quickly now. Having figured out that they were no match for the order and the aurors who now out numbered them. The students having fought them off for long enough before letting the professionals take over.

Hermione soon realised, the reason these people weren't in Azkaban was that they weren't a real threat. They must have been those at the very ends of Voldemort's ranks, following a few of the better death eaters.

She couldn't deny the ingenuity behind the entire scheme was good, and they probably would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for Storm over hearing them, but they didn't have the forces to back it up. Another reason as to why they'd been going after the Storm herself, because she'd exposed them before they were even half ready. Her heart clenched painfully as she fought to catch her breath and push the thoughts down.

It wasn't long until only stragglers were left. A few deatheaters still trying to fight for their cause. Though there wasn't much point as they were being taken out pretty quickly.

Hermione found herself patrolling the corridors, binding a few unconscious bodies here and there. As she walked through the halls. Her mind elsewhere, as she hit a quiet patch.

Before she knew what was happening, bits of wall exploded in her direction and she was under attack. Joined by someone behind her, obviously on her side as multiple spells flew at the death eater in front of her. She soon felt a large body slam her up against the cold wall to her side as a flash of green whizzed past and slammed itself into another wall.

Whoever must have been closer than she realised, and turned to send more spells towards the death eaters. A large crash rang through the hall, and then all fell silent, barr her own heavy breathing and her saviours.

The person that had been holding her against the wall was covered in blood and Hermione couldn't help but look up at them in shock. "You're hurt!" She spoke as she took in the shirt stained with the rusty color. Her eyes taking in the familiar pattern before freezing, slowly raking her gaze upwards.

"A lot of people are hurt!" Storm spoke back, a wide grin spreading across her lips as Hermione stared up at her in disbelief.

"We thought you were dead!" The girl began sobbing suddenly overcome with emotion, throwing her arms around the American's slightly crusty shoulders.

"So did I!" Storm replied with a small laugh, wrapping her arms tightly around the smaller girl. Keeping them as close to the wall as possible.

"If I wake up and this is just a sick dream I swear Storm I will never be able to sleep again!" She sobbed harder, clutching at the girl's shoulders as if she was just going to vanish. Her fingers digging into the side of Storm's neck before dragging up into her hair and back down again, coming to rest over the girl's heart.

"Do you want me to pinch you?" Storm joked half-heartedly as she buried her nose in Hermione's curls.

"Your parents!" Hermione shrieked, her eyes wide.

"What?" Storm pulled away with a brow raised.

"They think your dead too! Everyone thinks you were dead!" Hermione spoke frantically.

"What? I wasn't even gone for that long!" Storm grumbled, rolling her eyes as she thought about the unnecessary hurt her parents would be going through.

"They found all the blood and then called an assembly to tell the entire school! Apparently there was too much for you to have survived!" Hermione sobbed again, pulling the American back into her.

"It's okay" Storm soothed, running her fingers through the older girl's long curls.