Chapter 27: Deja Vu

Hermione felt as though she couldn't sit still. The ceremony was quaint, and she really did envy it. The soft lights were glowing as all of the Weasley's closest friends and family sat about, watching the marriage with happy interest. But even with Remus on her arm, and Sirius, James and Lily on her other side, Hermione's foot tapped unconsciously, and her muscles were tense.

Things didn't go well the last time she attended a wedding. In fact, it was that wedding which separated her from - what seemed like - her reality. That night was terrifying for her, not because she, Harry and Ron were forced on the run. But because it was the beginning of the end. Or at least, what seemed like the end,

"Are you sure you're ok?" Remus whispered, hot breath ticking Hermione's ear as she frowned and bit her lip,

"I just don't like weddings," she admitted softly, "am I that obvious?"

"You're pale and shaking. So yes, you're that obvious,"

Hermione sighed heavily and tucked some hair behind her ear, ignoring the itch in her mind to just apparate out of the tent and never come back. She could still remember the terror of the first wedding.

The wedding of Bill and Fleur had a somberness to it, Hermione decided. Currently, she stood alone by the drink table, sipping mindlessly on a fluke of sparkling pumpkin juice as Ronald spoke with Arthur from across the tent. He had promised he'd be back, and Hermione would hold him too it. Even so, the young witch clutched a violet bag covered with beads in one hand. Her knuckles were practically white with the tightness of her grip, and her fluke was shaking with her own nervousness. When was it going to happen?

Just as she thought it, there was a bright flash as the fairy lights around the tent extinguished, and a blue glow ripped through the canvas above them. It came to hover in the middle of the dance floor, startling Fleur and Bill who had been dancing together. There was no noise except harsh breathing from the ball before it spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear,

"The ministry has fallen," it said, the screaming in the background growling louder as the blue light pulsed spookily, "the minister of magic, is dead. They are coming. They are coming..."

Hermione blinked and immediately dropped her fluke, making her way through the crowd of wedding goers as she was knocked into. People were apparating away as Hermione grabbed hold of Ron, who had come to meet her half way. Soon, black streaks were ripping through the tent, being knocked aside by stunners and curses. However, Hermione didn't have much time to think of attacking before Harry was pushed into the two of them and they vanished, not to return for another year•

"I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride,"

Hermione gathered enough of her thoughts to clap with the rest of rest of the wedding party as Molly and Arthur kissed passionately. Hermione had no doubt now that Molly was pregnant with her first child. A son named Bill, who would marry a half veela in the future, and become a quarter werewolf. Shaking her head, Hermione smiled as the couple ran down the isle under an enchanted rain of flowers,

"It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn't it?" Lily asked after everyone had stood and were mingling again. Remus still held Hermione close, as her bad feeling about this wedding only seemed to be spreading,

"It was. I hope to have one like this in the future,"

Hermione didn't mean to say it out loud, but she did and Lily beamed. She then, half discreetly, jabbed Remus in the ribs as he blushed a furious red color, "Remus, I think we should get out of here,"

"What? Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure," Hermione mumbled, grabbing Sirius who was about to walk by her with James in tow, "Dumbledore is dead," she hissed lowly to the group, "I think an attack is coming,"

"How do you know?" James questioned, immediately going to Lily and pulling her close. Hermione could only shake her head, unable to speak as the grass at her feet suddenly turned to frost, and the air turned cold,

"Spooky how you did that, love," Sirius mumbled, removing his wand along with the others as they pushed past confused party goers and stood outside the tent. The sky had gone dark, and inky black creatures made of pure hatred were making their way towards the tent,

"Dememtors," Hermione rasped, turning and darting back into the tent, "Dementors!" She cried out. Those of the Order didn't hesitate or even question the warning as they removed their wands. This included the new Molly Weasley, slightly humorous in a poofy wedding gown, "think of your happiest memory!"

There were many nods as silvery creatures and formless clouds began to appear and shot into the air. Returning outside, Lily and James's stag and doe were charging forward, while Sirius's grimm was growling noisily. Beside the grimm stood a regal wolf, wrapping around Remus's legs as the Dementors approached. Waving her own wand, Hermione didn't even need to say the spell as her lioness appeared and ran into battle without fear, roaring loudly,

"How did they know we were here?" Remus questioned, watching as his wolf knocked into a Dementor and sent it careening towards the ground,

"Spies probably," Hermione mumbled, ducking as a hawk patronus fell from the sky and nearly smacked into her head, "I'm pretty sure Tom is desperate to keep us away from the other horcruxes,"

"Are you sure this isn't some kind of distraction?" Sirius yelled, causing Hermione to freeze in panic. The locket...

"Aberforth! He has the locket,"

"How will you get there? The floo is too far away-"

"I'm of age in my other timeline, come on Remus!"

Hermione slung out her arm and grabbed hold of her boyfriend as they pulled out of Ottery and arrived back in Hogsmeade. The golden flames were the first thing she saw. The Hogs Head was on fire,

"No!"

Before Hermione could react, she was hit with a spell and she skidded down the street. Groaning, Remus shot a stupefy towards the stray death eater who soon disapparated,

"Are you ok, love!"

"I'm fine. We have to put out this fire!" Hermione mumbled, summoning water from her wand as the pair subdued the flames, and ignored the glowing green dark mark floating above the pub. Soon, when there was nothing but cinders left, Hermione and Remus entered the bar, light sitting on the ends of their wands,

"Aberforth! Quitz!"

There was no answer besides the creaking of broken wood as a plank fell somewhere off to the side, causing Hermione to jump in panic,

"It's ok," Remus said, "lets see if there is anyone upstairs,"

Nodding, Hermione followed her boyfriend as he led the way towards the second floor, and into the room where she had been staying. There was nothing left but charred remains. Her trunk was burned to a crisp, and the portrait of Ariana was nothing but ash in a smudged, slightly melted frame. As Hermione looked at the window, which was open, Remus inhaled sharply from the small sitting area,

"Hermione...you might want to see this,"

Swallowing thickly and walking to where the werewolf was kneeling, Hermione choked down a sob. The remains of a small body was on the floor, hugging an equally matted ball of still orange fur. Quitz and Crookshanks were together...

"They must have been caught in the flames before disapparating," Hermione whimpered, "Merlin...Quitz, I'm...I'm sorry,"

"This isn't your fault," Remus insisted, pulling Hermione to his chest as she weakly sobbed, "I just hope Aberforth was able to get out,"

"The dark mark was above the bar, Remus-"

"You think Death Eaters got him?"

Hermione shrugged weakly,

"I wouldn't put it past them. I just hope it's not true-"

"Mione, look,"

Remus reached out, opening the small, burnt elf's fingers with a hand as there was a small clatter. The locket was on the floor, slightly dirty but otherwise untouched,

"Aberforth must have given him the locket to protect," Hermione whispered, tears still seeping from her eyes, "he died trying to protect it, and save my cat,"

"He was a truly loyal elf," Remus said, glancing up as something landed on the windowsill and made a noise, "what is that?"

Turning as well, Hermione sighed deeply at the sight of Fawkes,

"Fawkes. Does Tom have Aberforth?"

The bird shook his head negatively as Hermione felt another deep breath leave her chest.

'Aberforth is too stubborn to get himself captured,' Hermione thought with a teary smile, picking up the white fang Fawkes had in one of his talons, 'maybe this is Dumbledore incarnate?'

"We need to destroy the locket. Before Tom can get his hands on it again,"

"How? We can't open the thing-"

"No. I can't, but Fawkes can. He's a Bird of Paradise. He can speak any language known to man. Remus, whatever is in that locket is going to show me something...horrible. I need you to keep me grounded,"

"This is insane," Remus breathed, "but ok,"

Nodding, Hermione picked the locket off the floor, being sure to turn her cheek at the corpuses. She needed to do this...no distractions,

"Ok Fawkes. Speak,"

The bird hopped towards the locket and opened his beak. There was no sound, until the top of the jewelry flicked open and Hermione was knocked backwards by a mass of shadows,

"I have seen into your heart Hermione Jean Granger," the shadow whispered as images began to form in the smoke. It was Harry...and Ron. Ginny, Neville, Luna. All of them were standing before her, bleeding and angry,

"You let us die!" Harry growled, "you left us, and we died because of you!"

"Hermione!" Remus cried, "don't listen to it! It wasn't your fault!"

"How could you, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking hurt "I thought you loved me? Don't you love me?"

"I do love you," Hermione croaked, "I do..."

"Hermione! It's not real, they aren't real!"

"Smartest witch of her age," Ginny snipped harshly, tears streaming down her face, "how can you be, when you're nothing but a filthy traitor. You left us-"

"No! No! No!" Hermione growled, "I didn't. I didn't leave you! Because you aren't real!"

Hermione lunged forward with the last remaining Basilisk fang, slamming it into the locket as there was a horrible scream. Grunting, Hermione sobbed into her arms as the black shadow vanished, disappearing for good as Remus took his girlfriend into his arms,

"It's alright," he whispered, stroking her hair as she choked with emotions, "we need to get out of here-"

"I can't leave them,"

"We must. We have to make sure Sirius, James and Lily are alright,"

Sniffling and nodding weakly, Hermione looked once more at the bodies on the floor before disapparating to the Burrow, where many loving arms were no doubt waiting. There were only two Horcruxes left now. Just two, and then it was just him.

'It'll be different this time,' Hermione thought, leaning on Remus as he helped her towards a small house surrounded by fields of grass, 'I swear, it'll be different,'