Bordering the grounds of Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest was an untamed stretch of woodlands that did not easily reveal its secrets to outsiders. The aptly named forest was home to a wide assortment of flora and fauna, most of which were more likely to kill you than not. The ancient forest remained largely uncharted due to its dangerous inhabitants, who turned especially hostile when confronted by humans within territory they had long claimed for themselves.

Before the Death Eaters took control of Hogwarts, as Keeper of the school grounds, Rubeus Hagrid had been charged with the care of the forest, but, in the years following the death of their beloved headmaster, Hagrid had disappeared and the school board had seen no need to foist the dangerous job on anyone else.

Wizarding Britain was in general far too prejudiced to even recognise the creatures within the forest as sentient beings let alone citizens of their society. The Death Eaters had nothing to gain politically by attempting to gain control of the forest and were only likely to end up dead if they ventured inside. Hermione was therefore confident her pack would be able to enter the Forbidden Forest without encountering as much as a single Black Cloak.

Her confidence was not misplaced.

Under the cover of night, Hermione's pack apparated to the Forbidden Forest. The sight of Hogwarts castle looming in the background made Hermione's heart clench as she thought about everything the edifice had come to represent to her over the years. She was no longer naive enough to think they would rid the world of all its prejudices, but she hoped that by the time they were done, the school could be a safe haven for any magical child seeking an education.

Inside the forest, it wasn't long before Magorian, the leader of the centaur colony residing in the Forbidden Forest, sent two of his representatives to Hermione.

The chestnut-haired centaur stared down at the pack with open hostility while the other—the one with the light skin and brilliant red hair—eyed Hermione with curiosity. It wasn't until he spoke that Hermione recognised him as the centaur who had tried to protect Harry and her, during their skirmish with Umbridge and the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, all those years ago.

"You're not a foal anymore," he pointed out.

"I'm not entirely human either," said Hermione, adding with a thumb jerk towards her pack, "None of us are."

The centaurs snorted.

"You may not be a human, but you're hardly the same as them."

"They're my pack," she said, "and we seek refuge within the forest."

The centaurs shook their heads in unison.

"You trespass on our land and you know it. We will not yield to any other creatures."

"I do not wish to fight you—"

"That is not a choice for you to make," said the chestnut-haired centaur with a sneer.

Hermione ignored the interruption and continued to address the red-haired centaur.

"I do not wish to fight you as I seek you as an ally. Muggles have a saying: The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

The centaurs' ears pricked up and their pupils dilated ever so slightly, signalling their interest.

"The one who calls himself the Dark Lord and his followers, the Death Eaters—"

The centaur's expressions soured at the mere mention of their enemies, yet they expressed a surprisingly indifferent stance.

"The Death Eaters are of no concern to us anymore. We have a truce with them. They stay out of our forest and we steer clear of their business."

The she-wolf was growing frustrated with the attitude of the creatures before her. Could they not see it was in their mutual interest to work together?

"Then your people must not have been among the unfortunate beings who lost their dignity and their lives to the vile experiments carried out by the Death Eaters. We weren't as lucky. Enticed with the promise of children, my kind allowed themselves to be brutalised by the Death Eaters," she calmly informed them. "But, it wasn't just the werewolves. I heard about giants and other magical folk being subjected to a similar treatment."

They did not need to admit to anything. From the way their nostrils flared, it was certain the centaurs had not been exempt either.

Hermione pressed on.

"The Dark Lord sold a lie to everyone. He wasn't trying to help anyone. The whole time he was only looking to build himself an army of loyal, invincible soldiers."

The centaurs gave an imperceptible nod of agreement.

"Tom Riddle, the man you know as the Dark Lord, has an insatiable greed for power. He's defiled his own soul for a piece of immortality. He won't stop of his own free will. You, who read the stars, know that Harry Potter will defeat the Dark Lord. But what about the Death Eaters? As powerful as they are now, do you imagine they will simply disappear once their leader falls? They helped create this Dark Lord, unless we stand in solidarity to strongly condemn their abhorrent actions, in due time a new tyrant will be aiming their wand at us."

"Funny you should mention Harry Potter," said the chestnut-haired centaur.

Hermione did not get to ask what he meant. Blindsided, she was knocked out cold by a succession of stunning spells.

Hermione woke up with a throbbing headache, which, as far as she could tell, was the extent of the damage she had suffered from whatever attacked her. However, her immediate concern was not for herself.

Knowing the centaurs would respond to any perceived threat, however slight, with extreme aggression, she had ordered her pack not to attack anyone, no matter the circumstance, while she negotiated with the centaurs. With her newfound abilities, she was capable of escaping to safety herself, but even her wolf did not think she could take on an entire colony of centaurs to protect her pack if a fight broke out. Now, she sincerely hoped she had not sentenced them to their deaths with her order.

Her hands and feet were bound, but in a manner that did not cause her discomfort. Instead of the stone floor, she had been placed on a relatively comfortable, makeshift bed of grass and leaves. The consideration shown made Hermione think the situation may not be hopeless after all.

Having sensed that she was not alone as soon as she gained consciousness, she stared directly at the man lurking in the shadows of the cave; he would not know that she could see him quite clearly thanks to her lupine vision. The person had a familiar smell, but the face belonged to a stranger.

Polyjuice.

And since she could not identify the person by their scent, it was someone she had known before she was turned.

After all the times she had been knocked unconscious and kidnapped, Hermione felt oddly composed as she went through the now familiar routine of waking up in a strange new place. Although the restless she-wolf wanted to break her restraints and fight her way to freedom, it was far more prudent to first learn where she was and what was going on.

"Who are you? Why are you holding me?" she asked quietly.

The stranger did not speak, or even look at her. They kept their distance, staying in the shadows as they checked their watch every few minutes and continued to stare at her. It was as if they suspected her of using polyjuice herself and were waiting for the potion's effects to wear off.

It wasn't long before Hermione got the pleasant shock of watching the stranger's face morph into the familiar features of her dear old friend.

"Harry?" she asked, uncertain at first if it was truly him. Once sure, she flung herself at him crying out, "Harry!"

Instead of returning the hug as expected, Harry produced a bucket of cold water out of nowhere and emptied its contents on her.

"Harry! ... What in blazes—" she spluttered.

"Oh Merlin, Hermione!" said Harry, speaking at last. "Sorry, just needed to make sure it was really you."

Hermione gaped at him in disbelief.

"Okay, but did you have to give me a wash first? I would have gotten around to—" she stopped short, something suddenly occurring to her. "Merlin, I can't remember the last time I took a wash"—her voice grew shrill—"or even a scourgify! Goodness." She looked away feeling embarrassed at first but then grew indignant. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Okay, so maybe I don't smell quite as fresh, but still Harry, priorities! Besides, you can't just go around greeting old friends in this manner. It's just so...so...incredibly rude."

Harry cut off the rest of her rant by engulfing her in a tight hug.

"It's really you, thank Godric!"

If it were anyone else, she might have complained about the embrace being a little too tight for comfort, but coming from her best friend, who she had not seen in so long, Hermione found the hug to be just perfect.

"I've missed you too, dear boy," she said, relaxing into his hold. Then remembering the circumstances of their meeting, she began to fire questions at him in rapid succession.

"But, what are you doing here? ...and where is here? Are you working with the centaurs? ...or did you rescue me from the centaurs? Where's my pa—"

"Merlin, Hermione! Take a moment to breathe. Or at least give me a moment to answer your questions," Harry teased.

"I'm sorry," she replied sheepishly, "just checking if we're safe."

"We're safe. And we're still in the Forbidden Forest."

As Harry explained his presence in the Forbidden Forest, Hermione discovered she was not the only one who had thought to seek sanctuary there.

After Hermione and Ginny were captured, as a safety measure the Order abandoned the safe houses known to the two witches. Naturally, Harry needed to be relocated, and since the Order could find no place safe for him to stay at for too long, it was not long before he was tired of doing nothing but move from one hideout to another. As always, Harry acted on instinct, deciding to try his luck in the Forbidden Forest.

When the centaurs found him trespassing, Harry did not even have to ask for asylum before they offered him their protection. They were angry, having cause to believe the Dark Lord and his followers had kidnapped and killed over a dozen centaurs from their colony in recent months. However, Magorian refused to let the herd leave the forest to attack the Death Eaters and violate their truce as there was no definite proof of their involvement.

Ever since the Death Eaters had taken control of Hogwarts, the forest's inhabitants noticed the mysterious disappearance of their fellow creatures and beings on a regular basis. They had all heard rumours of the Dark Lord trying to create some kind of abomination in his quest for the perfect soldier but received confirmation when one of the captured unicorns escaped and returned to the forest. The unicorn told them about a place that was little more than a slaughterhouse where bins overflowed with hands, hooves, and paws among other body parts. Everyone was on high alert after that, on the lookout for Death Eaters dishonouring their deal.

The centaurs, though fine with offering refuge to the child of prophecy, Harry Potter, weren't as welcoming of the rest of the Order, which was okay with the Order as securing Harry's safety was their chief concern. Consequently, Harry had spent the last few months alone, living in a cave deep within the centaur occupied portion of the Forbidden Forest and leaving only when his presence was required at an Order meeting.

Harry informed Hermione that the water he had unceremoniously dumped on her earlier was taken from the Thief's Fall in Gringotts. Griphook and Bill Weasley had finally succeeded in working out a method to secretly retrieve and store the water so that it retained its magical properties. They now routinely used the water on anyone they feared might be compromised by the Imperius curse or any other enchantments. Harry had used the magical water on Hermione to ensure she acted of her own free will.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you again, Hermione," said Harry emphatically. He looked tired and careworn well beyond his years, but there was no mistaking the genuine pleasure lighting up his eyes as he looked at her. "I mourned your passing, not once, but twice... I was sure we'd only meet again beyond the veil. Even though Draco insisted you were alive, I believed—"

Her body stiffened at the mention of Draco. It did not escape her attention that Harry referred to him by his given name and not Malfoy, as he normally would have.

Eyes narrowed, she asked, "You've spoken with Draco?"

"Yes," replied Harry warily, "a couple of times now."

"So you know...?" Nervous, Hermione chewed her lip.

"Quite a bit, yes. Though, most of it came from Ginny."

"You've spoken with Ginny?"

The corners of Harry's mouth lifted into a small smile. "She's back with the Order, Hermione. Draco as good as delivered her to us."

"Oh, he actually did it," she exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes," replied Harry softly.

There was an awkward moment of silence, as Hermione tried to figure out from where to even begin explaining what had happened between her and Draco.

"He's different now, isn't he?" asked Harry. "I mean, we're all different now, none of us are the same kids we were at Hogwarts, but Draco—He's a completely different person."

Hermione nodded.

"It's the wolf," she said, knowing firsthand how much the wolf could force the human to change in order to gain control over it. Part of her knew she wasn't being fair to Draco by attributing all the changes in him to his wolf alone.

Harry gave her a knowing look.

"Draco told me about what you did... in Uganda. Did you really wreck one of their bases all by yourself?" asked Harry, eyes twinkling.

Hermione ignored the question. She had some of her own that needed answers.

"Draco was there?"

"Yes. According to him, he may have missed you by only a few hours."

How was she supposed to feel about this new piece of information? The she-wolf had sown doubt in her heart so she questioned her feelings for Draco as well as his feelings for her. Having never met him, the she-wolf had judged Draco unworthy and made sure her human did not forget any of Draco's flaws; the greatest one being, that he did not come for her. The manipulative she-wolf knew just how to play on her insecurities, twisting her memories anytime she thought of Draco with fondness or pined for him.

He doesn't think you're worthy.

He thinks you're just a Mudblood... He always has.

He was mating with other bitches even when you were there with him.

His wolf would never have let you go if he wanted you as his mate.

He has his pups, he no longer has any need for you.

But, Draco had escaped from Bleidd and gone to Uganda of all places. It could not have been a coincidence. It had to mean—

"...he's looking for me," she said.

"Yes. He took his pack to Uganda after he discovered that's where Greyback had imprisoned you and—"

The she-wolf snarled at Harry in warning.

"Sounds like you and Draco have been getting rather chummy in my absence." She stepped away from him to casually recline against the wall. "Go on now, tell me what else has Draco been telling you?"

Harry did not comment on it at the time, but he later told Hermione he had noticed the odd change in her speech and manner. He chose to ignore her uncharacteristic behaviour, realising he most likely upset her when he brought up Greyback. Overjoyed to have his best friend back and amazed by how resilient she appeared despite her recent experiences, Harry did not want to make a big deal out of any of her oddities, which included frequently sniffing him like he was the best thing she had smelled in a while. Compared with the dramatic alterations in Ginny, Hermione was practically her old self.

Harry responded to Hermione's inquiry by sharing everything Draco had told him, starting with his reasons for going to Uganda.

For someone who prioritised self-preservation, Draco's decision to leave Bleidd to go look for her in Uganda, as well as putting the pack's welfare over his desire for revenge proved that the Draco she had fallen in love with was not a figment of her imagination. However, the she-wolf was quick to remind her of Draco's unworthiness; he had fought an injured Fenrir, yet failed to kill him. The pack agreed with her wolf, seeing Draco's decision to negotiate with Fenrir as a sign of weakness.

What good is a mate who can't protect you?

What good is a mate who chose to run to safety than kill the beast who threatened his pups and violated you?

Hermione did not realise when Harry finished telling her about his call with Draco early this morning.

"Wow," said the she-wolf, admiring Harry's alpha-like qualities as he discussed his plans with her. She liked how he wasn't afraid of her or obsequious in any way. It also bode well that far from feeling threatened by such a powerful male, her human was comforted by his presence.

"Yeah, that's how I've been feeling this morning. Our whole existence has been reduced to hiding and surviving—It's a relief to be going on the offensive for a change," said Harry. He looked at his watch. "Speaking of, it's nearly time for our briefing with Draco so I need to go join the others."

Hermione nodded in acknowledgement and Harry gave her that knowing look again.

"There's a lot we," he gestured between them, "still need to discuss. I'm not going to tell Draco you're back till you and I have finished our talk—" he paused and looked at her expectantly.

On her part, Hermione was relieved. Needing to sort through her own conflicting emotions first, she wasn't quite ready to speak with Draco just yet. Thankfully, Harry spared her the mental turmoil by taking the decision out of her hands.

Her friend must have guessed the thought running through her head. He nodded once, muttering, "Right, thought as much."

If Hermione was Draco's only reason for helping the Order, it was best to delay any confrontation between them until after the completion of the day's missions.

"I'll be gone for a few hours," said Harry. "Do you want to check on that ragtag bunch you arrived with or do you want to come along?" He waved his wand at a portion of the wall to reveal an opening. "Ron'll be there. Bill and Fred, maybe Arthur too."

"How are the Weasleys?" She fell in step with Harry as he led the way out of a series of connecting maze like tunnels.

"They're hanging in there. They're tough, you know, but it is a struggle, trying to come to terms with the fact that Ginny's back, but she's not really Ginny anymore."

Hermione knew what he meant. She remembered how unsettling it was to be around Ginny, like finding a stranger in her friend's skin.

"How is Ginny? Does she still hate me? I heard she's shown a great deal of improvement since she lost the baby, but—"

"Baby..." Harry suddenly stopped and turned to face Hermione. "What baby?"

Harry did not know about the pregnancy. Hermione closed her eyes. She had really put her foot in it. Of course, Ginny had chosen not to tell Harry about the baby!

Eyes narrowed, Harry demanded, "What baby, Hermione?"

It would be better to tell the truth before Harry assumed the worst. Although, given everything Ginny had been through it was hard to imagine what that could be.

"What has Ginny told you, Harry?"

"She definitely hasn't told me anything about a baby. Was it," he gulped, "mine?"

Head bowed, Harry clutched his wand tightly as he appeared to contemplate the idea that he and Ginny had conceived and lost a child.

Hermione shook her head and told him about Voldemort's decision to use Ginny as a broodmare. She told him about Ginny's time at Malfoy Manor and Chateau Lestrange, about Lucius and Narcissa, the Lestranges and the Carrows.

Even though she could not truly convey the horror of Ginny's existence during those months in hell, the glimpses she had provided were enough to bring Harry to tears. For a while, he simply stood still, silent. Then with the heel of his palm, he rubbed off his tears, and jaw set in determination began to march off.

Hermione had seen that look enough times to know her friend planned to do something dangerous.

"What are you going to do, Harry?" she called after him.

Harry looked at her, steely glint in his eyes. "Draco wants the Order to return to the limelight with a bang. Well, how about a real bang? A really big bang."

Harry left by himself to meet with the Weasleys. Once they heard what he had found out about Ginny, they were equally determined to do their worst to Lucius Malfoy.

Harry was beginning to see Draco's point. In recent years, the Order of the Phoenix was presented as a terrorist organisation to British wizarding society and it was about time they embraced this new identity to terrorise some Death Eaters. If an attack on the factory were the only way to hurt Lucius right now, they would not just attack it, they would reduce the place to nothing but a hole in the ground.

Plans were made and executed that day—guided more by emotion than good sense as the Order would discover.