Oops :) Instead of delaying the wait, I just wanted for y'all to have the next chapter immediately. CW: Some allusions to SA, but nothing explicit. Take care of yourselves lovelies!

/

Chapter 14

The doors of the drawing room flew open and Hermione was met with complete, all-encompassing darkness. Not just darkness that inhibited her sight, but the malignant energy of a darkness that seemed to reach in and grasp its slimy hands at her soul.

She didn't know if she was in the drawing room, if she had been transported somewhere, if she was in a trance in front of the doors. Nothing.

"Steady, little lioness. I'm here," Lucius's soft and smooth baritone washed over her heart as Hermione took stock of her body. She could still feel his hand intertwined with her own, her mate's powerful presence beside her, his magic lending support, strength, and calm to her ever-increasingly antsy magick and thundering heart.

But they were alone. That troop of aurors was not with them.

"Can you see anything?" She whispered, not exactly knowing why.

"I can see shadows and his usual magical signature if I try to ignore your own bonfire. But even my eyes can't pierce darkness completely," he responded lowly.

A sudden, deafening boom made Hermione almost come out of her skin as the heavy doors of the drawing room slammed shut at her back.

So apparently they were inside the room. Fantastic.

Hermione drew a ragged breath, desperately willing her eyes to adjust. To see. To do anything.

"Sweet Merlin, do we have magic or not?" She whispered, exasperated at herself and Lucius. With a flick of her wrist, a small flame was summoned to sit warmly in her palm. Shadows leapt up the walls, turning a vast abyss of darkness into an ominous colosseum of the generations of Malfoys looking down from their portraits.

"Remind me to destroy this room when we're finished," Lucius muttered beside her, his hand gripping her own more fiercely as his gaze took in the sight.

Hermione took in the room. Empty, save for the long table, chandeliers, and fireplace. Cobwebs wrapped their silks around every piece, showcasing Lucius's neglect to this particular room, a sight that brought Hermione comfort in that she could see his own reluctance to relive the horrors that occurred in this place.

Her magick raged within her. Defiler.

High-pitched laughter again filled the room. Asinine and bone-chilling. But this time the sound brushed along their ears, not their minds.

A figure rose up from the ground in the back of the room, cloaked in black smoke, red eyes gleaming from waxy smooth, pale skin.

Hermione went rigid as she took in the humanoid form of the beast who haunted her nightmares, who had destroyed her hopes of a normal magical childhood, who had murdered and maimed, who just would not fucking die.

It felt like her own rage was compounded by the magick pumping through her body. She took an angry step forward, her teeth bared.

"Hermione," came Lucius's hiss as his hand kept her from actually moving. "Look."

Behind the Dark Lord's form, that black smoke seemed to billow up, undulating, shivering. A multitude of red eyes that matched his own opened in the midst of the black mass. A red made out of pure crimson flame. Hellfire. He was no longer alone. They had come.

Voldemort's face split into a sickly smile as his blood curling laughter spilled out and filled the space once more.

"You stupid girl. Did you really think you were even remotely powerful enough to face me?" His high-pitched hiss made Hermione's skin crawl. He laughed again. The mass behind him began to move and grow, those eyes fixed on her as they shifted back a forth, creating a great cloud behind the Dark Lord.

"You're a fool, Riddle." Lucius's words dripped with derision. "The gates of Hell won't bow to you."

"Oh? Not even on the promise of such a delicious power they've been waiting for since the dawn of time?"

Lucius stepped forward to place himself between Voldemort and herself, never releasing her hand, his magic seeming to stroke against hers. Calming. The picture of elegant rage. Powerful, huge, lithe, and dangerous.

Another peal of laughter.

"Oh don't worry, Lucius. They'll just rip her power from her. I made sure her body would be mine." Hermione's heart stuttered and her magick roared within her.

Lucius growled, his teeth bared at the Dark Lord, his wand drawn. "You won't touch her."

"And yet... I already have."

Lucius bellowed in rage, powerful magic bursting from his wand at the pale figure.

But time stopped. Lucius was mid snarl, his magic like a streak of paint on a canvas. Yet his comforting stroke of magic remained imprinted on her soul.

All those red eyes turned to look at Hermione, filled with sick glee.

"They never learn, do they?" He sneered. "Even his filthy beast's power can't match me." Those eyes slowly travelled up her form making her want to be sick and he smirked at her. "I told you, I'd come back to retrieve you, my dear. It's a pity you won't have that delicious power when you're mine, but your previous form will just have to do."

Hermione felt her entire body tremble, her eyes riveted to the creature, but her spine refused to bow and her chin lifted as her Gryffindor courage filled her chest. She could still feel Lucius's magic wind its way around hers, steadying her, adding steel to her spine and strength to her heart. His arrogance would be his downfall. Her feet shifted into a wider dueling stance.

"You'll die here tonight, Voldemort, by the hands of a Mudblood. And die as you've always been: pathetic and alone." Taunting might not be the smartest approach, but it did buy her time.

The arrogant smirk faded as rage filled his face, that black mass rioting behind him, growing ever bigger, threatening to cover the expanse of the room from wall to wall, ceiling to floor, behind Riddle.

"You'll find, Granger, that I have never been alone," his voice was low, menacing.

"And you'll find, Tom, that you are, without a doubt, the silliest villain of this story." His snake-like eyes widened in disbelief, his rage palpable.

"Breaking you will be the sweetest pleasure, Mudblood," he snarled at her, raising his hand in an obvious threat to release his magic, or his demons upon her. It seemed like they moved on his command, rising up behind him like a tide of sinister energy.

Hermione smirked as she strode forward to stand before Lucius, dropping his frozen hand. And though he stood suspended in time, no longer touching her, his magic was still connected, reassuring her every step, reaffirming his presence.

"No, Riddle." Her body started to thrum. "You won't ever touch me again. Because, as per usual, you've just committed your same mistake over."

He paused, snarling at her. "And what is that?"

"You fucking talk too much."

From the moment she had uttered the word "open," she had been casting a net of energy, unnoticeably coating the room so that the Dark Lord and his merry band of demons were surrounded.

Hermione's arms lifted by her side, palms facing the evil standing in the room as she finally released the energy she had been drawing up within herself since she had trapped him inside this cage of a drawing room. The energy and power of the ancient earth magick that had taken up residence inside her in the form of blinding, hot white fire, poured from her being.

Voldemort threw up his hands, the cloud of demons rushing forward to meet her burst of energy, creating a barrier as they fought, and clawed, and bit, and screeched at her magick. Drawing up more energy from her wellspring, Hermione pounded them with her magick, pulse after pulse sending them into oblivion.

But it was truly a hoard. As some were obliterated, others rose up. The more power she used, the stronger they grew.

Free us, her magick whispered.

"HERMIONE!"

She slowly turned her head, even as her magick poured from her, meeting the silver gaze of her beautiful mate. As her power raged, Voldemort's control of time had broken and Lucius was crouching on the ground, hair whipping in the vortex of power created in the drawing room. He looked at her frantically.

"Please," his voice could not be heard in the roar of her power, but his face was contorted in agony. His hand reached for hers, inhibited by the sheer force of her magick. She smiled faintly at him, a sad smile.

"Whatever the cost, Lucius."

"We can find another way."

"This is the only way." His eyes burned into hers, rage and agony pouring from his gaze. "I love you, Lucius."

So Hermione turned her head back to the evil before her and opened the floodgates of her power, letting the dams of her own self-preservation and protection break. Her power burst forth from her palms, from her chest, streaking toward the mass of wickedness that threatened to consume the world.

And in one moment, Hermione went from being encompassed by the whirl of a hurricane of power to a moment of stillness.

Of quiet.

Her magick was within her and yet, not anywhere to be found. Distantly, she could feel herself grow fatigued as her power began to use her as a conduit to fight. But that seemed like an aching memory of a bruise from childhood. Right now, Hermione felt peaceful.

The witch started when she noticed that she wasn't alone. Standing before her was... her. Hermione blinked as her brain struggled to catch up and understand the person looking back at her.

"Hermione." That voice. That old voice, full of depth and power. That strangeness that called to a wildness filled with life and warmth and danger.

"You've done so well." Her lips quirked in a small smile.

Finally finding her voice: "W-who are you?"

"We are you." Came the response from the mirror image, but the mirror image expanded to now showcase many figures lined up behind her. All with her face and unruly curls. All with the same smile of pride. And in one voice, they all spoke.

"We were what was. You are what is."

"You are me?" Hermione spoke slowly, desperately wishing her brain could comprehend what was happening. She was feeling her mind become hazy, her muscles become heavy.

A figure rose up next to the first Hermione who wasn't Hermione.

Hermione gasped as she looked at the aristocratic face that she was growing to love wound his hands around the Hermione who wasn't Hermione, looking upon the figure with love and then turning to look at her with pride. Slowly, other Luciuses rose up and took their places beside the line of Hermiones.

"You have done well. And though we were only able to find each other in death, you have another path to take. Our strength is yours." That warm voice wrapped around Hermione's fading mind as she began to fall into darkness. Before she succumbed, she watched each Hermione figure raised their hands toward her and blinding energy rush from each figure to her.

She burned.

Hermione screamed as she felt more power rush through her entire body than she had ever felt, threatening to tear her apart atom by atom. It was pure agony. She had no control of the magick. It had its own mind, using her as a simple conduit, only needing her life force to continue.

She was going to die. There would be no survival from this. There was nothing else other than the pain. It robbed her of thought, of any feeling other than absolutely agony.

But then. Hermione thought about Harry and Ron, of their wives Ginny and Lavender. She thought of Seamus and Dean, of Neville and Luna. She thought of her parents who did not know her. She thought of all her friends that she was protecting. Of the world that she so loved, even with its faults and problems. And she thought of Lucius, her mate. The man who loved her as she was.

Death would be bearable if those she loved could live.

And so, Hermione focused on her energy. Her life force. Her own natural magic that she could sense deep in her belly. And she threw it into the power that roared through her as it combatted the primordial evil that clawed at her.

And she burned. Freely. Willingly.

But then.

Then she felt those strong arms wrap around her chest. She felt the powerful chest of her mate support her back. She felt his magic shove its way into her veins, pouring himself into her.

A quiet, desperate murmur at her ear: "Together."

"Together," Hermione breathed. Feeling the power well up inside her, reaching a climax that would surely overtake everything.

There was no sight. Only the earth magick as it whipped around the pair.

And with a scream, Hermione felt the magick pulse one last time through her, ripping her apart, as it reached the threshold it needed to complete the mission.

Screams. Explosions. Shrieks. Thundering. A ghastly ripping sound.

And then.

Silence.

Peaceful. Silence.

/

Hermione awoke slowly, achingly. Feeling as if she had the worst hangover of her entire life. Every muscle, every bone, even her teeth ached.

Powerful arms held her. Squeezed her gently as she stirred, causing her to groan in pain. Hermione tried to squint to let in some amount of light, but she only could see whiteness, making her head pound relentlessly. Her eyes just would not adjust, so she squeezed them shut once more.

Where was she? What happened? Hermione was too dazed and groggy to know. Slowly, she began to check in with her body.

Toes to feet to ankles. Ankles to calves to knees. Knees to thighs to waist. Waist to chest to shoulders. Shoulders to elbows to hands to fingers. Shoulders to neck to head to crown.

Everything accounted for. Everything fucking ached, but everything accounted for.

She needed to try to open her eyes again. With a groan she focused on the small motion, desperately willing them to actually see.

Whiteness.

Wait.

White... feathers?

She hadn't gone blind! Hermione furrowed her brow, trying to get her brain to process what she was seeing. A groan accompanied her movement of her neck as she turned to take in her body visually. There were arms around her. Those had to be attached to someone. Or something.

Hermione was met with the white irises of her mate. Only. Lucius looked... untethered.

Those white feathers. They were wings?!

His bare chest heaved as he held her and gazed at her face, a wildness to his demeanor. A feralness that made Hermione wary.

She sucked in a breath, wincing as her ribs protested loudly.

"Lucius?" Her voice released as a croak. She forced her hand to raise and brush her fingers over his cheek. A low rumble moved through his chest in response, vibrating her body.

Suddenly the world quaked.

No. His wings shook as they unfolded from the cocoon he had formed around their bodies. Carrying her bridal style, Lucius silently stood, those curiously colored eyes never leaving her face. Already at their contact, Hermione could feel his magic flowing into hers, healing her aches, warming her.

Hermione had just enough self awareness to turn her head to look about the drawing room. The back wall had been blasted out to reveal the falling sunlight of the ending day. All furniture and tapestries in the room were absolutely destroyed. And there was no trace of Voldemort nor of demons. It was if he had never been. Hermione searched for any feelings of that familiar darkness, that wickedness, but could find none. She felt relief wash over her weary bones. They had done it.

Currently, it felt as if her magic was hibernating, not a connection broken, but a connection temporarily blocked. Hermione supposed the blast of energy had thoroughly depleted her.

It was a wonder, truly, that she was still alive. But Hermione wondered if the reason she was alive was due to the protection of the individuals that came before them and the protection of the mate whose intense gaze had not left her face.

Seeming to think she had spent enough time looking around, the mate in question turned and carried her as he moved toward the door. Still not uttering a word.

Through no magick of her own, the doors slammed open, ripping from their hinges to reveal multiple disheveled aurors. The three figures in front caught her eye - one with blond hair, one with unkempt black hair, and one with red.

"HERMIONE!" Harry and Ron bellowed as they saw her, making as if to come to her.

A rumble, this time not a gentle vibration but a dangerous sound, emitted from her mate's chest, causing her two best friends to stop midstep and look at her with concern.

Hermione tried to smile at them calmingly. "It's alright. I'm fine. Everything's fine."

She saw Ron's face screw up as he looked at Lucius, but the blond figure moved forward.

"He won't hurt her Weasley. If anything, my father may have saved her," Draco said attempting to end what could be a rather intense altercation before it got started. Ron's face grew that unattractive shade of red, but a calming hand on his shoulder from Harry steadied him. Harry's worried green eyes found hers.

"Is that it then? Did I— did I do it?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Yes, we think so," Harry replied, blowing out air, looking exhausted. "They almost overwhelmed us to be honest. Nasty fuckers. Never seen anything like them. But one minute they were there, and the next, just... ash. We've got every member of the MLE out doing scans to see if we missed anything. But so far... I think this time he's really gone."

Hermione let out a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you tell us, Mione?" Ron's voice was thick. But there was no hint of betrayal or anger aimed at her, only deep concern. The same mirrored in Harry's expression.

"I thought it was better that we move forward. Get on with our lives." Hermione gazed at her twisting fingers in her lap. She felt her eyes burn in shame. "I'm so sorry. I truly am."

"Don't apologize. Not after all this." Harry gestured to the destroyed drawing room. "If anything, we should be apologizing. For making you feel like you had to do this alone."

"I don't think she was alone," Draco murmured, his watchful and cautious eyes trained on his father.

Harry and Ron's attention snapped to the man holding her.

"Right," Harry cleared his throat. "Are you alright with this Hermione? I mean... you're choosing this freely?" Ron looked like he was about to combust.

She felt her face heat, but Hermione wouldn't deny her mate. "I've chosen freely," she said quietly, willing them to understand. To her surprise, she was not met with disgust or derision, only calm acceptance.

"Then we'll get used to it," Ron grumbled. Hermione felt her heart swell three sizes at the love her best friends were showing her. How utterly absurd it was to not rely on them for their support. She felt a purr come from her mate in response to her happiness.

"Yes, yes, all well and good. Best friends, woooo," Draco said sardonically. The three turned their attention to him. The younger Malfoy cleared his throat, looking increasingly uncomfortable.

"My father needs to mate, Granger," he said, eyes refusing to meet hers. "His Veela has broken the surface, probably in an attempt to save his mate. The ritual must commence. He can wait a little longer, but his Veela will not release control until you begin the ritual. And the longer he is in this form, the quicker his life force will fade."

Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair. Harry and Ron started to cough and clear their throats.

A deep chuckle vibrated Hermione, making her turn her head to meet the bright gaze of her mate, her savior, her lover.

"Little mate is ready," he rumbled, a curiously deep noise that made her whole body quiver. "Little mate is ours."

Hermione raised her hand to brush her fingertips along the man's jawline.

"I'm yours."

And in a silent blink, they were gone.

/

Eep! Finally reached somewhat of an end. But with one more chapter to go, I wonder what our favs will be getting up to? ;) Last chapter coming soon, but I hope these two given in quick succession can tide you over.

As usual, I so love hearing your thoughts 3

Love and light, my lovelies. Here's to the happy endings!