Holding on to the wall for support the weakened witch shuffled painfully down the stairs, each step a harrowing experience as her muscles burned in protest. Her hand shook badly clutching on to the stair rail as if her life depended it on.
The crowded hallway was barely lit but from the appalling troll foot stand filled with broken umbrellas and a very familiar muggle bat she knew where she was. This thought unnerved her, she shouldn't be here the occupants would surely detest to her unfortunate presence.
Thankfully the portrait of her great aunt Walburga was covered up her high pitch voice silent.
The kitchen door was wide open her unsteady feet wobbling as she stepped down the step to the dimly lit room to be met with the order of the phoenix and her complete confusion Albus Dumbledore sitting in his usual seat at the head of the large table.
"Hello my dear. Please have a seat" the headmaster smiled his blue eyes twinkling away in merriment over his half moon glasses.
Hermione swayed slightly struggling to catch her breath, strong arms wrapped around her shoulder helping her in to s seat between her aunt Narcissa and a very sombre looking Draco. She glanced up at her helper to see the concerned filled green eyes of Harry Potter who barely kept eye contact with her.
"For the love of merlin Potter sit down" Andromeda barked. Hermione raised her tired brow as Harry automatically obeyed her aunt without arguing back.
"I am glad to see you have finally re-joined us Miss Lestrange" the headmaster called gaining Hermione's attention once again.
She leant heavily on the table using her arms to keep herself upright, a soft hand placed on her thigh the fingers drawing circles on her flesh soothing her nerves she turned to her aunt noticing her right hand suspiciously absent from the table.
"You should still be in bed deary you are very pale and no doubt feeling your weakened body protesting" Narcissa whispered in her ear.
"You miss hell of a lot Hermione but bloody hell I didn't know you had it in you to use the killing curse and with someone else's wand" Draco grinned placing his hand on her shoulder in comfort.
"How long was I out?".
"Two weeks you were unconscious for" Narcissa gently replied.
Tears sprang forth as the brutal memory of her last waking moments flooding her frazzled mind. Her mother was attacked by her merciless lord and his terrifying familiar. There was so much blood she couldn't stop the blood coating her hands and the floor.
A loud sob broke through the room her body shaking under the cold.
"It's okay my dear your quick actions saved your family from lord Voldemort's wand" Arthur Weasley bravely spoke up earning a sharp glare from his wife for using the dark wizards self appointed name.
"Your heroic actions Hermione helped us to end the war" Ginny added. Sitting between her twin brothers.
Hermione bit her lip trying to regain her composure. "Where is mom?" she whispered. She didn't care about the war nor did she care about anything else she just needed to see her mother.
The kitchen was silent, so silent in fact a pin could drop and the sound would bounce off the stone walls loudly.
"Where is she?" Hermione cried out pushing away from the table with the last of her strength. She couldn't stand the pitying looks from the people around her she just wanted answers.
Andromeda and Narcissa were both up on their feet to catch their niece before she pitched forward. "Look at me please Hermione". The young witch drowning in her grief refused her aunt's request her heart punching a hole through her chest.
"Just put the girl out her bloody misery" her uncle angrily retorted kneeling down in front of Hermione. "Your mother little lamb is in France in their best medical faculty recieving the best treatment possible I promise you and when you are stronger I shall take you to see her".
Hermione wiped her tears away. "Why France? I want to see her now" she knew she sounded childish but she couldn't just take his word not without seeing her mother for herself.
Narcissa took over forcing Hermione back in to her discarded chair gripping both her hands in her own, her thumbs running along Hermione's knuckles. "Rodolphus and Rabastan have a cousin that is a brilliant healer top of her field in fact. Your mother couldn't be treated in Mungos as they can not treat the severity of Bella's injuries". A lone tear fell down her aunt's cheek.
"Why did he hurt her? She was always loyal to him".
Andromeda shook her head, her wild curls just like her mother's waved around her face. "Do we remember what he said before you managed to escape my grasp?".
Hermione nodded mutely.
"Since your mother learnt of your whereabouts the half blooded creature encouraged Bella to find you to bring you home but the moment she did she was tasked with showing her full loyalty to him... By killing you" Andromeda wearily sighed.
"It is why Bella asked for Nymphadora to escort you home that day and lure Andy back to us. We are stronger as a family which he grossly underestimated" Narcissa finished off.
Hermione glanced up at Harry her eyes widening at his forehead. "Your scar"
"Yeah Harry had a seizure the night you lot fought ole mouldy shorts.." Fred began.
"Cause we didn't know that till ole Snapey turned up carrying your lifeless body and a bunch of bloodied purebloods straggling behind him" George finished.
"When Harry woke up his scar was gone" Ginny supplied.
"Why didn't she just kill me?" Hermione trembled out. Her bottom lip wobbling at the very thought.
Narcissa inhaled sharply. "My sister is many things but she would never harm you..".
"Bellatrix loves you Hermione when I pulled you away in the library I already knew what was going to happen" Andromeda hoarsely whispered, tears falling down her face "I was there to protect you at all costs but I underestimated you and your abilities. You would never accept your mother's sacrifice not like I did I didn't want to but Trixie made me. My wand responding to you is a mystery but you saved my sister and ended that vicious bastards reign of terror". Hermione could the hysteria slipping in her words. Her cousin and Severus pulled her in to a tight embrace much to the rooms undivided surprise.
"How? I was hit by his curse". No one made a move to reply and everyone avoided her eye contact further confusing Hermione.