AN: Sorry guys! I worked 56 hours this week, and have slept nearly the entire weekend. Sorry for such a long updateless period, I hope this chapter is worth it;)

DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!

Chapter Twenty-Four: You Wouldn't

Hermione apparated right outside the wards at Potter Manor and ran through the rain to get inside. She flew through the front door shivering and with a see-through yellow sundress. She hadn't worn a bra with the dress, so she was sure it left absolutely nothing to the imagination. It was with this in mind that she began to slowly creep towards the stairwell.

She shrieked when someone rounded the corner to the entrance hall, and her arms flew up to try and cover herself.

"Hermione!"

She breathed out a sigh and dropped her arms. "Remus."

Hermione went to walk towards him but froze. She'd just come back from talking to Regulus. Before that she was at the Order meeting. At that Order meeting she'd seen Andromeda and Ted Tonks. Andromeda and Ted had a daughter named Nymphadora. A daughter named Nymphadora that Remus was completely and totally enamored with.

She'd been subconsciously filing her thoughts into specified folders with varying degrees of importance, and somehow that bit of information had slipped to the back with the less than urgent memories. Until just now.

She shook her head and focused back in on him.

He looked her up and down and gave her a mischievous smile. His eyes flashed, but before he could come any closer Sirius and James also turned around the corner. Hermione didn't notice them right away and bit her lip as she smiled at Remus with bright red cheeks. She hadn't seen him since the platform two weeks ago which felt much longer than it sounded.

James yelled out and clapped his hands over his eyes, and Sirius groaned and found he couldn't avert his.

She tried to cover herself again and said weakly, "It's raining."

It was then that Peter came down the stairs and looked with widened eyes at the soaking fabric that was clinging to Hermione.

"Bloody hell," he whispered before graciously spinning so his back was to her.

Remus took one look at them and closed the rest of the distance to pull her into his arms and shield her with his body. Hermione hid her bright red face against Remus's chest.

"Get out of here, you prats!" She shrieked at James and Peter who listened without any hesitation and ran from the room. Sirius was still staring at her wide eyed when James reappeared and yanked him from the room.

Once they were gone Remus pulled her even closer and dug his nose into her hair.

"I missed you, Hermione," he whispered into her curls.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his ribs and pressed her body against his, "I'm getting you wet, Remus."

He pulled away and smirked at her. "Your parents said they won't be back until late tonight."

When Hermione responded by looking up at him through her lashes, Remus growled and pushed her against the wall with his hand behind her head. He rested his forehead against hers for a few moments before leaning in and capturing her lips. He started gently and then one of his hands went to her knee and started inching up her thigh. Hermione nibbled on his bottom lip and he groaned.

She shivered against him, and he pulled back.

He had his Marauder smile when he asked huskily, "Are you cold?"

She nodded, and he grabbed the backs of her thighs and lifted her. Hermione squeaked as he quickly carried her up the stairs to her room and shut and silenced the door before making his way to the bathroom and turning on the shower.

He set her down and then ghosted his fingers across her ribs towards the zipper on the back of her dress.

She reached for the hem of his shirt and yanked up.

This time wasn't like their others. It wasn't slow and filled with whispered , ``I love yous." In seconds they were both naked and Remus had her against the shower wall. Hermione barely had time to whisper a wandless contraceptive charm before he was sucking on her bottom lip.

His hands were burning trails all over her body that had her shivering for reasons other than the cold. One of her arms was wrapped around his neck and her other hand was pushing into the tile beside her, fingers splayed and searching for something to ground her. Her nails dug into his scalp as his lips made their way down to one of her breasts.

Remus was grounding against her when she hissed, "Stop teasing."

He smiled against her goose-bumped skin and his hands went under her thighs. She immediately wrapped her legs around his hips with her heels digging painfully into the dimples at the bottom of his spine.

He slid into her, and they both moaned.

Hermione's nails slid down his shoulder blades as he thrust into her at a relentless pace. Their bodies were pressed so tightly together that she could feel his body's vibrations as he moaned which only made her mewl louder. The air was steamy from the hot water coming down over Remus's back, and Hermione couldn't think of a time they had had in the past few months that had her quite as clouded with lust as she was in that moment.

"Harder, Remus!" She urged mindlessly.

He didn't have to be told twice as one of his hands fisted against the wall, and her back arched. He groaned at the feeling of her hardened nipples pressing against his chest, and her hands gripped him even harder as her body was pushed over and over again against the tiles. She had a feeling she'd have bruising along her spine, but she could hardly feel the pain in that moment.

She could feel his muscles rippling under her hands, and when Hermione finally turned into a quivering mess she surprised herself by gasping and shouting his name.

That alone, had Remus so turned on that he followed closely after. She was lightheaded, more satisfied than she'd ever been, and she was just sure that she would be sore after this.

Her head fell back against the tile and Remus watched in fascination as her hooded eyes slowly cleared while she caught her breath.

He slowly pulled out of her and reverently held her steady as she slid down the tile and back onto her own two feet.

The moment was suddenly much more intimate than anything they'd done before as he pulled her under the spray of the shower head and they stood there in each other's arms completely bare to each other.

Their experiences at Hogwarts had been limited to quick tumbles under the cover of his silencing charms and darkness, but this time they were so open to each other. Hermione marveled over her own trust in the boy standing in front of her and melted into his arms, allowing the water to wash away any worries and tension remaining in her body.

"I love you," she whispered into his skin.

Remus couldn't believe that this girl, who'd shown up in their lives out of nowhere, would become this important to him. It still shocked him, and if he were being completely honest with himself, terrified him that this wonderful witch could be so open and loving towards someone as cursed as him.

He pushed her away slightly and reached towards the soap. She watched him with soft eyes as he attentively washed her rosy skin like it was the most important task he'd ever been given. They laughed with each other as he piled all of her ridiculous curls on top of her head to shampoo them.

It was a wholly tender moment that Hermione was sure would have her heart clenching almost painfully when she had a moment later to remember it. She wanted to save all the memories like this in a pensieve for when she'd need that gentleness most.

Once she was clean she returned the favor, and he laughed heartily when she stood on her tiptoes and used his shoulder to reach the top of his head.

"When will you stop growing, Remus?" She said with a huff as she strained to wash his sandy mop, and he smiled at her goofily when she had to press her entire body against his.

"I read that the typical male doesn't stop growing until they reach the age of twenty-five," he said happily.

Her eyes widened and he laughed again.

"But you're already so much taller!"

Remus puffed out his chest, and she, in all her naked glory, crossed her arms under her breasts, and popped one of her hips out in defiance. Her entire body flushed when he gave her body a rather predatory once over and started lurking towards her.

She giggled and held a finger up.

"No! We should be heading back downstairs! James is probably going to break down the door any moment!"

He smirked at her and dropped to his knees in front of her. "I don't know if I'm quite satisfied yet, you see," he said up to her huskily. Her back pressed into the tiles again and she dropped so that she was sitting on the small ledge. One of his hands reached out and snatched her ankle before throwing her leg over his shoulder.

Hermione's face was burning when he pressed his nose into her exposed center and took a deep breath before following with his tongue.

"Remus!"

He smiled up at her and whispered, "Do you trust me, Hermione?"

Of course she did, but they'd never done this before, and it was bringing up all kinds of insecurities that she hadn't given thought to until now.

When he started pressing open mouthed kisses to the insides of her thighs and glanced up at her with questioning amber eyes she found herself nodding rather dumbly at him.

She found out a bit later that she rather enjoyed this new experience.

Sirius, Peter, and James were downstairs distracting themselves with a game of exploding snap when a freshly clean Hermione and Remus appeared in the doorway.

Sirius studiously avoided looking at them as James said haughtily, "Well, Remus, if you're finished defiling my sister, we have Marauder business to take care of."

When Sirius finally did look up it was to Hermione in suspiciously baggy clothing standing furiously over their game.

"James, I swear to Merlin, if you make one more comment about my virtue or Remus defiling my innocence, you'll be puking up slugs for weeks."

James paled considerably, and Sirius, before he could stop himself, mumbled under his breath, "What virtue?"

Hermione didn't hear him, but Remus must've because in seconds the angry werewolf was stalking towards their game like Sirius was some kind of wee rabbit on the night of a wolfsbaneless full moon.

Before he could get any closer though, the floo roared to life and out popped a woozy looking Lily Evans.

Hermione's scowl immediately dissolved into a large grin and she jumped over their game and gave Lily one of her bone-crushing hugs.

"Lils! I thought you weren't coming for a few more weeks!"

James jumped up from his spot on the ground and even Peter went to go speak happily to Lily, but Remus and Sirius didn't move an inch.

"We'll talk about this later, Sirius," Remus said tiredly. Sirius looked up in shock and frowned when all the anger from before was gone and replaced with exhaustion.

Sirius wanted him to be angry. Sirius could do angry. What Sirius couldn't do was disappointed and sad which he was sure, based on Remus's expressions, was what he was in store for.

Sirius looked up into his friend's green eyes and narrowed his suspiciously.

"Talk about what, Remus?" He asked dumbly.

Remus looked towards the other side of the room where Lily was batting James away before his eyes landed on Hermione. She was standing there, barefoot in James's old clothes, laughing at something Peter was saying. Sirius's eyes followed his and he smiled softly. Remus wasn't used to fighting for what he wanted. He was used to just assuming that he wouldn't get it no matter how hard he tried. The thing that was beginning to throw him off, was how he'd hardly fought at all for Hermione. She'd chosen him so quickly.

All the whispers of doubt that had been floating right past his ears like they were blocked were suddenly seeping through the cracks.

Why had she chosen him anyway?

She glanced up then and frowned at the negative look that must've taken over Remus's face before her eyes turned to Sirius and she smiled at him in return. When her eyes darted back to Remus she gestured for him to come to her.

Remus began to make his way over to her but not before he whispered to Sirius, "I don't want to fight over this, Sirius. You're my friend. I love her."

He hoped that would be enough.

He smiled when he reached her and pulled Lily into a friendly hug.

"What are you doing here so early, Lily?" He questioned.

He watched as the pretty red-head jumped excitedly and said, "OWL results come in the morning!"

Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm glad you're here."

Hermione took a look at all the boys around them before grabbing Lily's hand and her overnight bag and pulling her out of the room.

Right before they disappeared through the doorway they heard Lily ask, "Where are we going? Also why are you wearing boys clothes?"

Hermione and Lily shut themselves in Dorea's sunroom that took up the third floor and locked it.

Hermione had spent the last week exploring the large manor which she somehow hadn't done in the year she'd lived there. The last summer, she'd been locked in her room or the library, and winter break she had spent in a similar fashion. Besides her one delusional tumble into the unused west wing where she'd ended up under a bed, Hermione hadn't been anywhere else. She was beyond happy to discover a loan staircase close on the east side of the manor that she found out led up to a large airy room that occupied the entire third floor. The ceiling was nearly entirely windows, and the room was the only one filled with Slytherin colors. Hermione found that she absolutely loved this room which was very clearly Dorea's private nest.

She watched happily as Lily stared around the room in awe.

"This is Mum's room. I just discovered it recently."

The floors were a dark, nearly black wood and right in the middle of the room was a plush silvery white rug. Hermione dropped Lily's duffel on an emerald sofa and laid down on her back on the rug.

Her eyes gazed up at the rain pattering against the glass. Lily laid down so that the very tops of their heads were nearly touching and threw her arms out.

She sighed and said, "Mrs. Potter is a very lucky woman. I would kill for a room like this."

Hermione smiled and threw her arms out as well. "Marry my brother, and it's yours."

Lily snorted and said strongly, "Your brother is insufferable."

Hermione laughed and decided that maybe it still wasn't time for that push. She was surprised that Lily hadn't pieced together exactly why Hermione was pushing so hard for this when Lily knew where she came from. Perhaps, she had in some deep part of her mind but refused to acknowledge it.

"So why did you drag me up here? Was it to talk about your piping hot werewolf sex? Or perhaps the not so secret love triangle fostering between two guys and their best friend's sister?"

Hermione gasped in outrage, and said, "Decidedly not!"

Right as a serene voice said from above them, "What's this about werewolf sex and love triangles?"

Both girls flew up and stared wide eyed at a smirking Dorea. Just then a head popped out from behind her and Hermione grinned. There was no mistaking that head of curls and feathers.

"Pandora!"

The girl very nearly floated towards them wearing a floor length floral cotton dress and earrings that looked like tiny little birds nests.

"Hullo, Hermione. I ran into your parents in Diagon Alley at the apothecary, and Mrs. Potter asked me to come over for a visit!"

Lily watched in shock as Dorea went and took a seat on the chaise lounge right in front of them and crossed her legs. Then turned her eyes and watched Pandora lay down on her stomach with her chin propped up on her hand.

"Hullo, Lily Evans. I'd quite like to hear about this not so secret love triangle you speak of."

Lily always was mildly unnerved by the slightly loony girl that Hermione had befriended. Lily's eyes darted to James's mum nervously.

"James has been threatened with loss of broom privileges if he ever dares to venture up here." She winked conspiratorially.

Hermione sighed and folded her legs under her. "I actually did come up here to talk about something, and I'm glad you're all here for this."

Dorea tilted her head to the side. "Is everything alright, dear?"

Hermione sighed and her eyes flickered between the three of them. Seeing Andromeda today at the Order meeting had reminded her of something she'd nearly left dusty in her memory's attic. Tonks. Every Time she'd spoken to Andromeda it had been about something darker and more desperate than love, so Hermione thoughts hadn't ever drifted towards future relationships.

"Is it wrong to…" She trailed off and averted her eyes before continuing, "love someone knowing there's someone perfect for them in the future?"

Dorea glanced questioningly at the two girls in the room before locking eyes with Hermione. "They know, mum."

Lily's interest was suddenly very piqued. She may be logical and bookish, but she loved a good romance. Hermione's romantic conflicts were currently her favorite.

"Is there someone in the future for Remus, Hermione?"

She sighed and nodded, "I mean, she's much younger, still a child really, but I saw her mother today, and I realized that I had just decided to not think about it."

Dorea tsked and shook her head, "There's nothing wrong with loving Remus, Hermione."

Pandora tilted her head forward to look at her and said dreamily, "I, for one, think it is quite honorable and kind to love someone so well."

"Yes, but in the future, he's going to love someone else."

She froze when Harry's words to her the first time they'd used the resurrection stone flew out of the filing cabinet and to the forefront of her mind.

They said the Order wasn't strong enough for an ambush for just one person. That's when I said it. I told them I couldn't do it without you. I tried everything to convince them, but they wouldn't hear it. Even Remus and Tonks refused.

"Even Remus and Tonks refused," she whispered to herself. Her mind suddenly went from just a little insecure and looking for validation, to completely irrational.

What if Dumbledore was wrong? What if time was a loop, and she hadn't ripped it apart at the seams? What if everything she was doing was for naught? and she was going to get sent back when she was born in 1979? What if Remus and Tonks hadn't refused to rescue her because the Order wasn't strong enough, but instead because she'd tried to take Remus away from her?

When Hermione had jumped to her feet, and began pacing in deep thought Dorea had clapped her hands and kindly asked Tilly to bring them some tea.

Pandora and Lily were watching Hermione's track nervously, so Dorea stood and grabbed the girl by her shoulders.

"Remus and Tonks told them not to come for me, Mum. That's what Harry said," she said frantically.

She turned and looked at Lily over her shoulder.

"What if I didn't destroy the timeline? What if it's a loop? What if I get sent back?"

Dorea whacked Hermione on the back of her head sending her curls into total disarray.

"Stop this idiotic prattle!" Hermione stared up at Dorea in surprise. "You're smarter than this!"

Pandora giggled from the ground, and Hermione glared at her.

"Think logically." Dorea continued. "If time were a loop, Dumbledore wouldn't be dying and you wouldn't have been able to make all the changes you've already made."

Pandora and Lily's amused smiles dropped and the tone shifted in the room.

"Dumbledore's dying?" Lily whispered.

Dorea looked at her in astonishment before turning back to Hermione.

"I thought they knew," she said sadly.

"Not that part," Hermione mumbled.

She turned back towards Lily and Pandora's bewildered faces and said quietly, "I couldn't change that part of his own personal timeline. The same thing happened in 1993."

Lily's eyes watered, and Pandora looked at Hermione carefully.

"That alone should disprove your notion that time is a loop, Hermione Granger."

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly a translucent wisp flew through the wall and formed a bat patronus that hovered right in front of Hermione's face.

Hermione startled when Regulus Black's voice filled the room.

"Death Eater raid on Bones family Manor tonight when the moon is at its peak," the voice was hushed and speaking rapidly. "Intent to torture and kill."

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked up at the windows above her head. The sun was nowhere in sight. She set a tempus charm and saw that it was nearly eight p.m.

"Shite!"

Hermione held her wand up.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Her dragon burst forward and circled the cavernous room once before settling in front of her.

"Go to Dumbledore and tell him to call a meeting immediately. This is urgent!"

Once her Patronus was sent, Hermione gave her friends and Mum one last look before sprinting towards the stairs.

One thing was running over and over again through her mind.

This was wrong.

It was too early. The Bones family wasn't supposed to be attacked for five more years. Five. That wasn't some small change in the timeline. It was five years! If that had changed then who knew what else would change. Hermione's very detailed and precise timeline would be worthless.

Hermione took a few deep breaths and in a moment, her panic and emotions were carefully shoved into a box far away. This is what she needed to do before something like this. Compartmentalize. Flip the switch. She was too busy rummaging through her drawers that she hadn't noticed someone follow her into her room.

She ripped off her large jumper and threw on a black long sleeve shirt.

"Hermione?"

She spun and looked at him briefly before turning back to her drawers.

She found her black trousers and quickly unbuttoned her pants and pulled them down.

For once Remus wasn't focusing so closely on Hermione's removal of clothes and instead he noticed as she pulled on her all black clothes that could only really mean one thing.

"You're leaving for a mission?" He asked with a strained voice. "Right now?"

He watched as she hastily pulled the trousers up and buttoned them. She did some kind of spell that had her hair braided into a tight french braid before she turned to look at him. He was staring at her in complete frustration.

He hardly recognized her when she gave him a hard look and simply said, "I have to go."

He reached out an arm to block her exit and Hermione scowled at him.

"I don't have time for this. People need me."

She went to step under his arm and open the door, but he blocked her by stepping right in front of her. She ran bodily into him and stepped back with a look of righteous anger.

"Remus, I have to go right now!"

He didn't want her to go that was for sure. He could feel the wolf part of him growling that he had to protect his witch. He was supposed to keep her safe.

"I don't want you to go," he said resolutely.

Hermione actually growled at him and poked him hard in the chest. "I refuse to fight about this every time I have a mission."

Remus glared at her and grabbed her hand off his chest holding it tightly between his. "I can't keep letting you go. I can't keep letting you go, knowing that you are going to fight the people that carved you up like some kind of piece of meat. That left you broken."

The anger and every other emotion disappeared from her face.

She yanked her hand away.

"I told you on Halloween that I wouldn't put you ahead of winning this war. I told you that, and you said you still wanted this."

Remus was physcially taken back. He could feel the panic bubbling up in his chest. She didn't sound like his Hermione. She sounded like some kind of muggle robot, and that sounded like an ultimatum.

"I didn't realize how hard it would be," he said angrily.

An old memory came to the forefront of her memory. An old memory of her pulling a wand on her parents.

It wasn't until she pointed the wand at Remus that she realized that she hadn't gone as soft as she thought.

"If you don't let me go right now, I'll obliviate you."

Remus's eyes widened, and he said carefully, "You wouldn't."

Her wand and voice both didn't waver at all when she said, "My parents weren't killed. Well they might've been, but I was brought here before I could find out." Remus looked confused. "I found out that they were targets by the Death Eaters. I wanted them safe, and I knew they would never willingly let their thirteen year old daughter fight a war. I went to my home after second year, I pointed my wand at them just like this, and I removed myself completely from their memories."

Hermione, despite her stony expression, had tears building in her eyes when she said, "So look me in the eyes right now, Remus, and tell me I wouldn't do it." His anger melted and he just looked resigned, but he still didn't move. "Because I loved my parents more than anything, but I barely hesitated in doing it to them."

Remus realized then what choice she was giving him.

Step aside and allow her to put herself in danger as the spearhead of every battle, or stand his ground and let her erase Merlin knew what from his memories.

It wasn't a hard decision.

When he stepped to the right Hermione let out a breath and gave him one last look before running from the room. Remus was left standing in Hermione's room trying to squelch all the overwhelming emotions flowing through his veins.

She made it to the floo with no distractions and went to the Order Headquarters.

She looked around and realized that there were maybe ten people there. Edgar and Amelia Bones, Benjy, Moody, the Prewett twins, Dumbledore, her parents, and a couple others. She realized after doing a quick scan that these were probably the combative members of the Order.

She wondered if Dorea had sent another Patronus after she had left, warning Dumbledore of the nature of the meeting.

Hermione stood next to Dumbledore, folded her arms carefully at the base of her spine, and looked directly at the Bones siblings.

"Regulus sent a patronus warning us of an attack on your home when the moon is at its peak. I'd say we have a few hours. The intent behind the attack is to torture and kill."

Edgar looked terrified, but Amelia was stony.

"If we remove everyone from the home they will know we've been tipped off, so I suggest we remove your children and parents from the Manor, and wait for them to arrive to see if we can apprehend any of the Death Eaters."

Hermione looked around and turned to look up at Dumbledore.

"I don't suggest your presence, Albus." Hermione turned and looked at Charlus and Dorea. "Maybe one of you should remain home as well in case James and Sirius ask questions."

"Is it wise, Pup, to go in with so few Order members as back up?"

Hermione looked over at him. "From my experience, attacks like this are typically conducted by four Death Eaters at most. I say we split into partners and fan out through the manor. If your partner gets injured you don't hesitate to get out of there."

She paired them off then they all flooed to the Bones's Manor. It was less grand than Potter and Malfoy Manor, but still larger than any muggle home she'd been to. Once Edgar's wife and children were sent off to a safe house, they fanned out.

Hermione and Charlus were walking through the kitchen and dining room when it happened. She could feel the crackle of magic as the wards on the home failed and she could hear a blast from some distance. Hermione cast a disillusionment charm and faded into the wallpaper. She watched as Charlus did the same.

She had that familiar rush of adrenaline that always pumped through her veins during a fight. She slowed her breathing and slowly crept towards the corridor branching off the dining room. She could hear the creaking of the old floorboards from further down the hall. The air was thick and eerie as she steadied her breathing walking closer towards the sound.

She stopped when a light from the tip of a wand appeared about ten feet out.

When a full man stepped out of the shadowed doorway she had to stop herself from physically gasping.

Antonin Dolohov.

He had had an obsession with her in their time. He always spoke on wanting her all to himself. His Russian accent echoed against the edges of her mind.

You'll be mine one day, malen'kaya ptitsa.

Hermione squared her shoulders and held her wand even steadier.

Dolohov glanced up and down the hall before gesturing to whoever was behind him. She'd been right in her assumption of four or less. Two branched off in the direction further from her and Dolohov and a masked Death Eater walked towards them. Hermione released a breath and had a spell on the tip of her tongue when Dolohov froze.

He looked around and seemed to glance right at her. He smiled sadistically and stared right through her when he growled out, "Nox."

They were bathed in darkness. She cursed mentally when she realized there was nowhere in this corridor that emitted any light. It was pitch black.

She was about to duel Dolohov blind, and he seemed to already know exactly where she was.

Panic entered her system and she felt her disillusionment charm drop as she began to slowly back away. She brushed her fingertips against the wallpaper and felt for the alcove she'd seen the edges of earlier. When she felt it she slid her body as carefully as she could into the small space and listened carefully. She could hear blasts and the ceiling quaked above them.

Hermione had to think quickly. Dolohov knew that at least Hermione was in this corridor, so she had at least two Death Eaters lurking in the darkness and no idea where Charlus was.

Before she could form a plan someone fired something nonverbal in the direction of where Dolohov had been, and she held her breath as the red sparks passed right in front of her in seemingly slow motion and for just a moment, inches from her own, Dolohov's slanted and angry face was bathed in red light.

"Found myself a malen'kaya ptitsa," came from the darkness where his face had just been.

She gasped and launched herself off the ledge and to the right. She somehow evaded his arms and rolled away from him as soon as she'd landed on her side.

She stopped at her back and put everything she had into an incarcerous which he barely managed to shield himself from.

She jumped to her feet and silenced her footsteps.

When another spell fired from over her shoulder, somehow the nameless witch or wizard behind Dolohov was hit square in the chest. She heard a thump from down the hall.

Hermione began to fire rapid hexes in Dolohov's general direction while trying to maintain her own shield.

"Avis!"

Dolohov cackled from somewhere and his voice seemed to echo from every direction, "How fitting for my, malen'kaya ptitsa!"

Hermione growled when she spat out, "Oppungo."

She then used his curses as the birds descended on him to guide her hexes. Every light that shot from her wand illuminated the dark wizard's outraged face. She could see him losing control as he had to work harder to deflect both the birds and her hexes.

Then he did something so insane, that it took her a few paused moments just to process it.

He held his wand and smugly said, "Fiendfyre!"

She stared, wide-eyed, as the cursed flames took the form of a giant serpent. She heard Dolohov cast the spell to place the dark mark in the sky before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Leaving behind the stunned Death Eater sprawled on the floorboards and completely untamable flames.

Hermione screamed as loudly as she could manage, "Fiendfyre!" And hoped to Merlin that everyone heard her.

She felt the heat from the flames press closer to her as she ran in the direction of the fireplace they'd seen in the living room. The fire was sentient and roared and followed close at her heels. Hermione watched the floo light up and Charlus jump through with his hand outstretched to her. Her fingers were just a hairsbreadth from his when she remembered the Death Eater on the ground.

What if it was Regulus?

She ran as fast as she could and slid towards the wall she hoped separated the entrance hall from here.

"Bombarda!" The wall crumpled and Hermione dove through the rubble onto the prone form right as she felt the serpent catch the tail end of her braid. She pressed her neck to the body so that her dragon pendant was touching both of them and yelled, "Portus!"

She was smoking and laying on top of a stunned Death Eater when the sucking and twisting of a portkey ended, and she found herself in the room at Headquarters. Charlus was the first she saw, and he rushed to her and pulled her to her feet before checking her over for injuries.

She looked around the room and saw everyone in the room looking worse for wear than before, but alive. They were all staring at the body Hermione had portkeyed in on top of.

"Did we get anyone else?" She asked quickly. She sighed at the solemn shakes around her.

After that, she turned to the body below her and ripped the mask off. She sighed in relief when she didn't recognize him. Moody and Amelia came up then.

"We'll take him in for questioning."

Before she left Amelia lay a hand on her shoulder and said gratefully, "I believe I owe you a great debt, Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled and said, "I believe it's Regulus Black you owe a great debt to, Ms Bones."

The corner of Amelia's lips twitched and she drawled, "How unfortunate."

Hermione snorted.

After they were gone and everyone had said their goodbyes, Hermione finally let herself breathe.

Charlus smiled proudly down at her and clapped her on the shoulder.

"Your hair is still smoking, kiddo."

Hermione's eyes widened and she pulled on her braid, only to see that nearly six inches had been burned right off and it now fell to nearly her collar bones. The uneven ends, were indeed, smoking.

Hermione sighed and held her wand over her head.

"Aguamenti."

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and Charlus burst into laughter as Hermione was soaked head to toe. Her hair slowly unraveled from its braid.

"I guess it could be worse," she laughed.

Her laughter faded when she remembered her fight with Remus.

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she thought about what he must think of her after how she'd acted. She'd feared exactly this reaction when she'd had that conversation with him at the Halloween dance. He'd been fiercely protective of Tonks in his later years. Never leaving her side, always trying to be her protector. But Hermione didn't want or need that. Hermione wanted understanding. Hermione wanted a partner.

Hermione flooed home with a sense of emotional dread weighing on her heart.

AN: So begins the slow descent of Remione.

WOOO long and kinda all over the place chapter. Also left you on a cliffhanger. Sorry about that!

Thanks as always, for the favorites, follows, and reviews!