A.N. Hey its me again! I'm alive just really busy with work. We're about 2/3 of the way done with this story and oh boy am I excited for whats coming up. What character from the past that I haven't shown do you want to see? Thank you all for sticking with me through this hectic time! And especially thanks to Rotehexe for keeping me from making this story even more angsty. I will be updating more sporadically as my new job has been keeping me super busy but i will never abandon this story!


When Hermione woke up, it was to find a concerned looking pair of wizards she never imagined would have been together. "Sirius? Severus?" She spoke weakly, strain in her voice from lack of use.

The two men looked between each other for a brief moment before Sirius broke away. He started about ten feet back from her, the welling of his tears building as he progressed slowly towards her. The air in the room condensed, as if gravity and oxygen were both pulling them together. Unwittingly, Hermione found herself taking weak steps forward until eventually her legs collapsed underneath her from both the strain of her torture and exhaustion.

She closed her eyes, expecting to be met with the hardness of the creaky, faded wooden floors; but the floor never came. Instead she fell into the hardness of a chest, one she'd dreamt about being held against.

"Never again kitten. Never leave me again." Sirius' voice was shallow and shaky as he heaved against her, clutching curls in his hands and pulling her so tightly to himself that for a moment Hermione wondered if she'd stopped breathing. Hot, wet tears finally drained out of her, and she began to sob into Sirius's embrace. It was the first time since she'd been a teenager that she'd felt so helpless.

"No. Never." Their embrace seemed the only thing in the world. Discolored walls and chipped paint that had been Hermione's only backdrop for the last day faded out of her periphery, leaving nothing behind but the beauty of the clouds in Sirius's eyes.

Snape cleared his throat then, having allowed for the pseudo-lovers' joyous reunion. "Not to interrupt this happy moment, but we do still have something to take care of." Gesturing nonchalantly at Dolohov's unconscious form, Hermione's face went blank. The streaks on her face left behind by her sobs shifted in the light as she turned her body to face him. In this and every life, all he'd done was hurt her, cause her pain, smile as she suffered.

"What do you want to do Kitten? I…we'll do what you want." Sirius kept his hand perched atop her head, a physical reminder to her that she was safe, that she was loved.

"Severus." Hermione's voice was crisp despite the quiet of it. Cutting through the silence that had engulfed them, she rose to her feet shakily with Sirius's help. "Still consider yourself skilled in memory charms?"

Snape simply nodded his head, his ever-present sneer not shifting at all as he began to roll up the sleeves of his robes. Memory charms were tricky business, and doing one incorrectly would be a fate worse than death for someone as Gilderoy Lockhart could attest. Or not. Hermione imagined that he'd never go to the chamber, never teach at Hogwarts. How would his life be impacted by her choices? By her selfishness.

"Okay let's stop whatever spiraling is going on there pet." Sirius's warm, large hands framed her face, forcing her to look at him and nothing but him. "You're here with me. You're safe. I'll never leave you again. I promise. No one will ever hurt you again."

For the first time since she'd entered Knockturn Alley two days before, Hermione didn't feel afraid. She'd been strong on her own for so long that having this unconditional support overwhelmed her.

"How do you want this done? Although I still think we should kill him and leave him here to rot." Severus walked towards Dolohov, pulling the unconscious man's head up by the hair and scowling at him.

"Erase everything from me. Any memory of who I am, what I'm doing. Take it all away." Hermione made a small step forward. "But I am going to leave him with one last special gift, from me."

Fear didn't often overtake Severus. In his circles, there was little room for being afraid. He had seen the horrors of humanity; the very peak of what cruelty and evil could look like and yet as Hermione shifted her feet forward, the blankness of her eyes coupled with her dark smile struck fear into his heart.

Whatever incantation she used, neither of the men had ever heard it before, watching in terror as Dolohov's face broke out into hundreds of blisters and boils grew. A deranged look overcame Hermione as she knelt down at Dolohov's side. Just loud enough that Sirius could barely make it out, she whispered one thing in his ear… "Now you're as ugly on the outside as you are within."

The wooden floor creaked under the weight of her steps as she wandered towards the floo. Sirius and Severus shared a brief glance of understanding as the animagus followed after her. They didn't speak after the floo fire roared to life until they were inside Hermione's home. She moved through the house as if fueled solely by power of will. Fully clothed, she collapsed into the warmth and comfort of her bed, having only slept briefly and on a hard-wooden floor in her prison.

Sirius followed quietly after, taking off her shoes and brushing her hair out of her face. Pulling back the sheets, he tucked her into the bed as her eyes fluttered. She had spent most of the past day unconscious in a sleep-like state but all of the energy in her body was gone. Exhaustion and pain surrounded her as she lolled off.

Pulling the old rocking chair from the corner next to the bed, Sirius watched over her as she fell asleep. He held her hand tightly and rubbed it with his thumb, reminding himself of that night at Frank Longbottom's birthday. When he was young he'd always wondered about who he would end up falling in love with. Then there was the time when he had given up on ever being loved. And then there was her.

When her breathing slowed, he started to move away, but was stopped by her grip tightening.

"Stay." Sleep in her voice and her eyes closed, Sirius felt a pressure in his chest as he looked at her. She was so small in that moment, and yet it was like she was the only thing that existed in the world.

"Okay." He choked out, placing his lips against the back of her hand. "But only as long as you promise to stop nearly dying on me pet."

Incoherent mumbling proved to him that she was already falling back asleep, and he couldn't help but chuckle. Hermione's breathing evened out once more. Sirius felt his own exhaustion creep up from his fingertips through his chest and up to his eyes.

As he lost his battle with consciousness, he finally whispered what he'd been holding inside ever since she came and sat on those steps with him. "I…love…"

"And what do you have to say about this situation?" Remus's voice carried throughout Sirius's flat as Lucius sipped his tea out of a teacup he'd transfigured. They'd had the argument about the state of the Black Brother's dishes one too many times and finally a compromise had been found that allowed Lucius to be smug and pretentious but alive.

"Well we have every horcrux except for the cup." Lucius's eyes were closed, and his voice calm as he spoke. Sirius rolled his eyes but said nothing, which Hermione noted as a sign of extreme growth on his part. He only threatened the pureblooded wizard twice in this meeting which was ten less than normal.

"Yes. Everyone here is aware. I mean the Lestrange vault situation. We have the venom, we have the ring, we have the diary, and the locket. All we need is the cup and then…" An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as the rest went unsaid. They never talked about it. They never spoke about the next part, about what would happen after…after Voldemort was mortal.

"Bellatrix is not some simpleton like Dolohov. She is cruel and intelligent. If she grows suspicious of me at any moment we will never live to see tomorrow." He scowled at the fact. Hermione knew from Draco that Lucius had always hated Bellatrix. The crazed witch was powerful beyond reason because she was so unhinged. When anything is on the table, there is no way to prepare for the worst.

"She responded very negatively when I mentioned visiting the vault, so we know the cup is there." It was the one uncertainty of Hermione's timeline. She knew Bellatrix had it by the time they were searching in 1998, but there was no way of knowing when it had been placed there.

Even as the dull ache settled in her bones of a cruciatus aftershock, Hermione knew she was close, closer than she'd planned on in this moment. If she could get all of the horcruxes before Harry was born…

Her wandering mind was called back by a clearing of a throat, harsher than she expected to hear during this relatively civil conversation.

"If we rely on Bellatrix being in a good mood we might as well surrender ourselves to the Dark Lord now. We need to force her hand, or break in." A tension swam in the air as Regulus spoke, the annoyance in his voice matched by the truth of his words. It was pointless to wait for Bellatrix to slip up, they needed to take more drastic action.

"We can't break in. Or at least I can't. There's a waterfall inside that removes any enchantments so the imperius curse and Polyjuice won't work either." Hermione's voice was clipped as she spoke, remembering none too fondly her last disastrous attempt at breaking into Gringotts.

"Do I even want to ask how you know the inner machinations of the Gringott's security measures?" Lucius asked, his normally cool tone only slightly cut with intrigue; it was a subtle change, and one Hermione doubted someone who had not know Lucius for two lifetimes would notice. He did want to know.

"It involves a dragon and bad acting. Maybe I'll tell it one day when this all is over. What we need to do is trick her into taking you in her vault. Sirius, you know her best, how do we get under her skin?"

Sirius, who had been lounging on the chaise, picking at the underneath of his fingernails with a knife, clearly did not expect to be called on. His empty expression that had been fixed on his handiwork now turned to chastised irritation as he sat up. He didn't like looking like a fool in front of Lucius, but then it was his own fault for daydreaming during the meeting.

"I am somewhat of an expert in antagonizing her. When I was young, when I wanted her to do something that she didn't want to do, I would just tell her that Andromeda would've done it for me. It boiled her blood, having her older sister be so different from her. Even now that Dromeda isn't part of the family, she'll hate that." Sirius's corners quirked up into the slimmest shadow of a smile, and Hermione wondered for a moment what memory was playing in his mind. There was an awkwardness within their movements now that they hadn't been able to shake. Something about the shame Hermione felt for being captured kept her from truly looking him in the eye.

"I highly doubt Andromeda would have the same effect now. It has been nearly 10 years since she was banished from the Black line. Ever since she ran away with that…" Lucius paused just a moment before the word left his lips. It was habit, Hermione knew, but she raised an angry eyebrow anyway.

"Go ahead Lucius. Say precisely what you meant to. Don't stop your bigotry at my expense." Hermione stood abruptly, mumbling something about needing air before she walked out to the small balcony Sirius had enchanted onto his flat. The concrete held only a small table and a single chair, metal with a simple design. Clouds blocked much of the sun, leaving the chill of early spring to seep into her bones.

It would be easy enough to cast a warming charm, but perhaps the cool wind would calm her temper. Nothing was good enough. Everything she did to make the wizarding world a safer, more tolerant place was only temporary, only laying on the surface. Lucius Malfoy was helping her out of protection for his family, not because he suddenly believed that muggles weren't sullen creatures to be squashed under his over-priced dragon-hide boots.

Yet there was nothing more she could do. A world without Voldemort was well worth whatever sacrifices she had to make, but saving a world that would never truly accept her…it was a hard price to pay.

"Men like Lucius will never change." Regulus's haughty voice cut into her thoughts, the tall man joining her on the now too-crowded balcony. The closeness didn't seem to bother either of them though, and Hermione's mind drifted back to the last time they'd been this close…the time he'd kissed her.

Heat flushed her cheeks, its creeping warmth wrapping around her neck and up into her face before she could turn away.

"I belong here." She insisted, her tone defensive. Hermione hated this, hated having to justify herself. She was a fantastic witch. Not a fantastic witch for a muggleborn.

"No one is saying you don't." Its naïve of him, and they both know the moment the words leave his lips that they're false. As long as there is a wizarding world, there will be those who deem muggleborns unfit to exist within it. People like the Malfoys and their pureblooded pompous friends.

"Prove them wrong." He offers, watching as a shiver travels down her spine; the cold is chilling her more than she expected. Removing his outer robe, he places it on her shoulders, and she notes just how warm it is. She nearly shrugs it off before another cool breeze cuts into her cheeks.

"I shouldn't have to." Hermione grumbled, rearranging the large fabric to cross it over her chest. "When has anyone ever made you prove that you belong in this world. I may not have the breeding or in-bred ancestry to be a pureblood, but I am just as much a part of this world. Whether people like Tom Riddle believe it or not."

Voldemort's true name spat from her tongue like a poison, and Regulus flinched slightly at the overly familiar way she spoke it. Even though he'd renounced the Death Eaters and agreed to help her, there was still a respect in the way he referred to the man. The Dark Lord. What a joke.

"You're right. Maybe…when all this is over, things will be different." Hermione closes her eyes as Regulus speaks, biting back a snarky chuckle. She lived in that world, the world with Voldemort. A world where Harry had to pull strings to get her accepted into the Department of Mysteries, a world where she still got sideways glances when she shopped and whispers of mudblood when she walked in the streets.

As it always did when she was anxious about this particular situation, her hand drifted towards the scar on her arm. "Yeah…maybe."

"I just don't see why I have to go." Hermione pouted to Remus. The werewolf, a little tired from the full moon but bearing none of the physical scars that used to be commonplace before Hermione began brewing him wolfsbane, sat in one of the large lounge chairs in Hermione's parlor.

It was Peter Pettigrew's birthday, and she had no more desire to celebrate his birth than Lord Voldemort's.

"Because if Peter suspects you for any reason and tells You-Know-Who, we all die." His voice was exasperated, his exhaustion and irritation at the circle of conversation they'd created wearing thin on his patience.

"I…" Hermione began, but taking a deep breath she sighed. He was right and she hated that about him. She'd managed to only see Peter a handful of times since Lily had announced her pregnancy, the reminder of his imminent betrayal of their trust making her go through unrestricted bouts of blind rage.

"Fine. But if I hex him its your fault." Lupin shot her a half smile, his lips curling up just enough to show off some of his too-sharp teeth. He was so handsome when he smiled, and Hermione found joy in the fact that if she succeeded, he would have many more years to smile.

"Noted." Remus was much taller than her, which Hermione only really noted when they walked side by side. His strides out marked hers by a wide margin, causing her to speed up to keep pace with him. The short walk to Potter Cottage was crisp but with a warm breeze, the first signs of spring carrying the scent of tulips and gardenias.

The Potters never did quite throw a party halfway, streamers draped from the ceiling as they entered through the front door. A haphazardly put together birthday banner in James' messy scrawl hung over the fireplace. Scents of firewhiskey, elf wine and butterbeer along with whatever sweet thing James was baking filled the air and Hermione forgot for one moment her annoyance at having to be in attendance.

Peter, his round, rodent-like face looking so slapable as Hermione approached him with her sickly-sweet false smile and insincere birthday congratulations, seemed to have no idea of the ill-will several of the people here felt for him.

Lily sat on the sofa in front of their floo as James flitted around in an apron checking on guests, refilling snack bowls and doting on his pregnant wife. Hermione sat next to her after she'd done her round of hellos, drinking in her friend's mirth.

"It feels like its been ages since I've seen you." Lily whined, her wide green eyes looking hungrily at Hermione's plate of appetizers.

"Go ahead and take some. I assumed you might try to steal mine, so I grabbed extra." With muttered words of praise to Hermione's grace and kindness, Lily grabbed a cracker and some of the cheese on the plate.

They sat in a contented silence for a while as they munched on the snacks, Lily leaning her head against Hermione's shoulders. She had started showing, a definitive roundness easily identifying her as pregnant. Everytime Hermione looked at her, love and longing filled her eyes. Followed quickly by guilt. It was so ever-present now that she easily swallowed it down. It wasn't gone, but she could ignore until she got home; and then she could cry herself to sleep like she did every night.

"Oh!" Lily called suddenly, and Hermione's hand flew to her wand. "He's kicking, here feel." The redhead insisted, guiding Hermione's free hand towards her stomach. A moment passed and then Hermione felt a push against her fingers.

"Does he do that to you often?" Hermione wondered mindlessly, imagining what that must be like.

"Little bugger moves around like he's playing Quidditch. James says he's going to be a chaser like him but based on his kicking, speed is more gonna be his play. Seeker all the way I say." It was strange to see Lily speak about Harry's future, a future that Hermione was trying to ensure.

A smile spread across Hermione's face, and they returned to their content cuddling on the couch until a few minutes later when Sirius and James stopped by to check on Lily and ensure her that the small explosion she heard just before was nothing to be concerned about and that James had 'never liked that birdbath anyway.'

Hermione focused herself, as she always did around Sirius to stay neutral, to not betray the fondness she felt for him. Lily finished her brief chastising, rising so she could properly tell them off before returning to a seated position with a grunt.

"I sometimes wonder if I'm ready to be a mother and then I remember that I look after those two well enough." Lily's gaze shoots to where James and Sirius are now being admonished by Remus while Peter eats some of the carrot cake the dark-haired wizard had prepared for him.

"You'll be a great mum." Hermione's voice is full of promise and Lily gives her a nervous smile. They never talk about the real reason for worry, about the war. Perhaps Lily thinks that if they don't bring it up it won't be real. That none of the danger that they all face everyday will effect this little bubble of domestic life James and Lily have carved out for themselves.

"Hermione…" Lily's voice is nervous when she speaks, which is alarming considering the normally bubbly nature of the witch. "I've had a chat with James and we…we want you to be his godmother."

Hermione's mouth falls open in shock as the words Lily has just spoken settle into her brain. "Godmother?" This wasn't how this was supposed to happen. It was supposed to be Alice. Godmother means…that should she fail, should Lily and James die anyway after all of this, Harry would be hers. Well hers and Sirius's.

"I…Of course. Yes. Are you sure? Shouldn't it be Alice?" Alice Longbottom had been Harry's Godmother the first time around, and Lily had been Neville's.

"Oh Ali will be busy enough with her own little one. I know we haven't known each other for a long time, but you've become like a sister to me this past year. More of a sister to me than Petunia has ever been anyway. Our runs, our Friday night dinners, watching you become a part of our family, I've loved every moment of it. Please Hermione I know that you'll be a wonderful godmother. Plus you know that Sirius is bound to give the child too many sweets and someone needs to give him a good smack every once in a while." Lily looks so sure, so confident in her in that moment that Hermione feels the sting of happy tears in her eyes.

"Then yes. I'd love to be his godmother."