Chapter 30

1995

Hours later, she woke as the sun hit her face.

Well, she thought it was because of the sun but moments later, her stomach growled. She nuzzled the pillow, wishing it was a certain man and rolled off the bed. Or tried to. She gave an unladylike curse and staggered to the bathroom. Once done with her morning ritual, she changed into some warm but loose clothing and went hunting for some food. On her way to the kitchen, she saw the clock on the wall and counted the hours she had slept. About eight hours sounded about right. Probably the most sleep she'd had in what seemed like forever. She noticed the lack of people in the house and decided that as long as they hadn't killed each other than they were fine.

Once in the kitchen, she heated some leftover breakfast that Zeph must have made earlier. It was cold but a spell fixed that for her. She ate it slowly as she heated some tea up too and randomly glanced out the window when all of a sudden Theodore slammed into it with what could only be bone breaking force. She dropped her mug and dashed outside only to be pushed back by Zeph; who had been standing in front of the door.

Hermione stared, her mouth pinched tight as Dimitry physically rushed at Marcus only to be stopped by Adrian. She saw Theodore brush off snow from his body and shake his head as if he were dazed. But what really convinced her that he was fine was the large feral grin on his face.

At first, she was perplexed. All she saw was a bunch of males fighting and flinging spells left and right. But it was the younger men who were laughing and the older ones glaring. Zeph hugged her close and whispered quietly in her ear.

"They are training the young ones or at least that is what my dear husband said they were doing."

Hermione finally relaxed and closed the door. She slumped back as she observed them. Severus wasn't getting physical like the rest and instead stood in front of his godson; who also stood very still but despite the cold and snow, was sweating hard. Hermione guessed that they were practicing mental exercises and knew the pain that Malfoy must have been feeling.

But he would need it. All of them would. She went back inside and Zeph followed soon after to make a late lunch for all of them. Hermione chose to take a long bath and wasn't surprised when Severus walked into the bathroom. He sauntered over to her, his face set in strained lines. She lay inside the claw-footed tub, arms splayed out and knees bent, and asked him to get in with her. That he didn't question her heated her up in ways that no warm water ever could.

After making love in the tub, they both wandered out of their room holding hands. Both ready to leave. They walked into the living room and halted as Dimitry threw Hermione a glare. "Next time, make sure to use a certain spell so that we don't hear indecent noises."

Before she could react to that, Severus flicked out his wand and sent Dimitry toppling off his chair. Curses and laughs filled the room as Hermione shrugged. He damn well deserved it. What did catch her attention was Malfoy. He was red around his neck as he avoided looking at them. Hermione shook her head and asked Zeph if she was ready. Turns out that they had taken a lot longer in the tub since everybody was ready too. Marcus and Adrian pulled her aside before she left since they weren't coming along with them. Adrian pulled her close as Marcus crowed them both into the corner of the kitchen.

"I have been asked to stick close to Pius Thicknesse. He has been imperious by Lucius Malfoy. When you were sleeping, were all discussing his motives. Severus will explain in detail later but for now, know that I'm supposed to be working my way up but there is an Order member who is watching my every move."

"Who is it?"

"Alastor Moody," Adrian said. It didn't surprise her in the least. The man was obsessed with anything that was remotely Slytherin. Especially in the Ministry.

Hermione pulled Adrian close and kissed his cheek. "Stay close to Pius but report to Amelia. She will keep an out for you as well as Percy. Don't do anything that will risk you. Or else I pull you and send you to Egypt."

He visibly became upset that she would even think it and scowled at her, it reminded her of the scowl that Marcus often wore. Hermione dismissed him and turned to Marcus. "Did you send the request?"

Marcus nodded as he watched Adrian stomp away in anger that for once reminded her that he was yet a bit childish. "I sent it as soon as it was publicly known. He wants to meet up with me and discuss certain things. But the only one standing in the way is the old fool. Riddle thinks it's the best way to gain access and awaits to hear about it."

That was good and bad news. In doing all of this, it has gotten Marcus exposed as a single target for Riddle. Hermione pulled him close and was pleased that he automatically closed his own beefy arms around her. "The same warning I just gave him goes for you too, Marcus. You can be all indifferent about it if you must but I look after my own. Now go and do whatever you have to do with him before things start getting too hectic."

She paused as she leaned back enough to lock eyes with him. "I'll have the old man out of the way soon, he won't be a problem for long."

Each party went their own way after that.

Marcus and Adrian left and Theodore stayed behind with Dimitry to practice some more while Malfoy, Zeph, Severus, and Hermione apparated to the house that Andromeda and Ted Tonks lived in. They arrived at a moderately big house that was surrounded by hills and had a lake a little to the left that was frozen over. Most of the land was covered in snow so it all mostly blended together.

The only one that knew how to get there had been Severus, who had shared the picture with them. Zeph and Hermione had followed it and Severus had brought Malfoy since he still couldn't apparate. Hermione put on her glasses and let her hair down as she let go of her enchantments that hid her scars and markings. Once she was done with it all she trailed behind the others. Nearing the door, they all felt a familiar pull. It looked like the Tonks family warded their place too.

But since they weren't hurt it was only meant to warn for intruders. The large doors to the house opened, revealing a man that had her freezing for a second. Zeph and Severus must have noticed too since they turned to look at her briefly. She subtly shook her head and took a better look at the man. He was wearing warm comfortable clothes that looked soft to the touch. But it was his face and body that threw her off. He looked so much like her dad. From the hair to his eyes that narrowed when they centered on them. Zeph greeted him first and asked for Andromeda. Edward 'Ted' Tonks asked them to wait for a second as he fetched her.

Malfoy hung back with Hermione and they waited in silence. It didn't take long for the couple to appear once more. Andromeda Tonks was exactly as Hermione had pictured her. Although the hair was a surprise to her since it was a soft wavy brown hair. It tumbled past her hips as she gestured them in.

"Come in."

Zeph greeted her warmly, her attitude soothing the slight tension in the room. Ted Tonks shook hands with Severus and once they were done greeting each other, they turned to Hermione and Malfoy. Zeph took a familiar hold of Hermione as Severus took up Malfoy's other side. It gave a clear picture as to who had come with who. Zeph smiled brightly as she patted Hermione's arm.

"This is Elizabeth Smith. A good friend of my son. But to be quite honest, Andy, we came looking for your sister. Her son has come to speak with her."

Andromeda fixed her brown eyes on Hermione briefly before nodding. "Yes, she's here. She's resting in the red room while enjoying the bit of sun that has come today. Follow me."

They did follow her further inside. The house was clutter free, clean and smelled of cherry pie. Hermione took note of all the possible exits and entry points. The house was too vulnerable. Easy to attack or hide in. She also noticed the lack of fear in Malfoy's face and eyes as they neared the red room. He should have been out of his mind with worry. Especially since they all knew the peril that his mother was in. Andromeda stopped in front of glass doors and turned to them as she sent her husband to fetch refreshments.

Severus and Zeph walked in, followed closely by Malfoy. Hermione paused by the glass doors and watched as Narcissa Malfoy became aware of the company that had come to see her. It was the first time Hermione had ever seen her in the state she was in. Narcissa was wearing a black gown with dark blue robes thrown over it but even under it all, she saw the bump. A bump that sent chills running through her and freezing the three bodies beside her.

Narcissa was pregnant.

Malfoy was the first to move. He rushed towards his mother and hesitantly touched her as she clung to his tall form. Severus shared his shock with Hermione as he neared mother and son, he must not have seen her in the past few months if he was surprised as well.

Zeph gasped softly and lightly touched Narcissa's back. Malfoy stared at his mother with shocked eyes. "How? When? It was not too long ago that I saw you." he said breathlessly.

Narcissa nodded as she seemed to forget who exactly was in the room for a second. But she stiffened when she caught sight of Severus. "Severus! What...How did you find me? I won't go back to him. I won't. I rather die!"

Severus held his hands up and shook his head. "It isn't like that Narcissa. I'm here as Severus. Not a Death Eater or Second to Riddle."

"But why are you here then. Did Draco tell you?"

Malfoy pulled his mother close as he tried to calm her down. "I told him. But there is something that I have kept from you. I'm basically spying too. Just like Severus. I'm not on either known sides now. That is why I came. We can help."

Hermione stepped up beside Severus and grabbed his hand casually. "Hello, my name is Elizabeth Smith. I'm Severus's Fiance."

Many gasp and murmurs filled the room at her announcement. Even Zeph straightened up with a wounded look in her eyes. Severus didn't stiffen and instead coughed privately to her. "Fiance? When did this happen?"

"Well, it was either that or girlfriend and that just sounded lame. Plus, I expect us to marry. Oh, did you just think to use me and cast me away after the war?'

"Woman! At least let me ask you officially."

"But you have a ring ready, don't you?"

When she only got silence as an answer, she grinned openly and leaned against his side. She saw the Narcissa and Andromeda stare at them aghast, their hands covering their mouths in shock. Not that Hermione cared one way or another. But she shared the conversation with Zeph since she hadn't meant to hurt her feelings.

Zeph just gave a sigh. "For this, you will let me plan the wedding. You will not be able to say no."

Now that brought her up short. "Well of course. But not till all of this is over."

"That is the only sensible thing you have said thus far." Severus dryly commented.

She hadn't meant to tell anybody but she had wanted to break the mood in the room and hand acted without thinking. Not that it wasn't true.

For the next hour, they spoke of what Hermione had previously spoken about to every person who had joined her so far. Why what and who they were dealing with as well as the no side thing they had going. It was mostly for Narcissa's benefit more than anything. For her to trust Elizabeth Smith.

Hermione laid it on thick that she wouldn't take betrayal in any other way except for death. Things had advanced too far for somebody to join them with the intention to betray them. It wasn't until Hermione asked her directly about her decision to leave Lucius that she grew tight-lipped. Malfoy had stayed silent up until that point but now broke his silence.

"You haven't told them anybody, have you? That it wasn't like that."

Narcissa stared at her son, her eyes screaming for his silence. But the one to speak wasn't the one who Hermione had been expecting to hear from.

Andromeda spoke up, her voice quiet yet clear. "She was in love with another when she was asked by Druella to marry Lucius Malfoy. Even when she turned away from me, I never spoke of it. So in love was she, that she made an unbreakable vow to love and live for him. Torik Arkrane, a muggleborn who mysteriously died when the deal was sealed between the Malfoy's and us. She married Lucius soon after that but the unbreakable vow prevented her to vow her life to Lucius."

Now that was something shocking. But that explained the lack of fear she had been expecting from Malfoy. Narcissa bowed her head and raised her slender hand. With her other hand, she held her wand loosely between her fingers and touched the tip of it to her wedding finger. It flared a bright warm blue that appeared to wrap around her whole arm.

"It will not be broken until I die. The real reason I want to leave Lucius is that recently he has become desperate. So desperate, he is willing to trade his very own family to save his worthless arse. The night that the Dark Lord returned, he changed. Became cold towards me. Not that he had ever been warm. Three months later, he used me. We hadn't been intimate in over a decade. It just happened."

"I was about to share the news when I overheard a discussion between him and a few other Death Eaters with daughters of their own."

Malfoy made a sound that sounded like surprise and touched his mother's belly. "It's a girl?"

Narcissa smiled sadly. "Yes, its a girl. I'm almost five months along," her smile completely faded as she continued.

"They plan to marry off their daughters to current members of the inner circle that aren't married or to older men in the Ministry who hold considerable power. The daughters of Greengrass have already been 'selected' for Pius Thicknesse and another but Lucius asked for the younger one, Astoria, for Draco."

Now Hermione understood. She also understood that the child would probably not survive in that type of environment. Riddle would use the newborn to hold an even tighter rein on the Malfoys. She shared her thoughts with Severus and Zeph, both who had been thinking along the same lines.

"Than there is only one safe route. When the time comes the child will be pronounced dead and kept hidden. The details will be figured out later but for now, I ask you to stay close to your husband. But stay out of sight of Riddle if you can. Your excuse? Delicate condition. From what I hear, his very considerate about that."

While mother and son spoke in low tones, Hermione turned to Andromeda and Ted Tonks. "You both will be attacked tomorrow night. You will not survive. I will not ask you to fight for me but I need to know where you stand. Too much is at stake for me to just let it be."

Andromeda crossed her arms and frowned. "We don't like taking sides. But in this case, if what you said about Potter is true, then I don't see why I shouldn't agree. We are not' trained or even part of the Order to have trained for such things. What do you need us to do?"

"That's easy, give me your strands of both of your hairs."

.

After a day and half of preparation, they were ready. Or as ready as they would get. They had stayed the night and had spent most of the night making sure all stories and plans aligned. But there were other things that had happened too.

Hermione had seen a drastic change in Narcissa. The woman had gone from distraught and edgy to straight mothering. She did it with Malfoy and Severus. Something that had caught Hermione off guard. There was no trace of the woman Hermione had seen on the rare occasions she had. It was like having a second choice had lifted some of the weight of her. Malfoy was another surprise. He followed Hermione around. Literally everywhere. Hermione wasn't sure how she felt about it yet. When they had all taken a rest, she had commented about it to Severus. His answer had also thrown her off the loop.

"You don't see yourself clearly, do you? The way you take charge yet make sure it isn't insulting or even by broadcasting obedience is the reason why it happened. They see you differently. They see you the way one would a leader. Regardless of your age. Being near you makes them feel safe. That somebody actually sees's the problem and finds the best way to go about it. Draco has always been a bit of an outcast inwardly. He wasn't good but neither was he genuinely evil like some of his housemates. Now he has a place. Not forced or expected of him but finally finding a place where he belongs." he had paused for a second, his eyes dark and surprisingly open at the time.

"Narcissa is a follower, never liked being in charge. She has envied Molly Weasley for decades actually. The children and the love she openly shows to her family and friends. Now she has a choice too. As for Andromeda and Ted, they didn't officially join the Order because of the prejudice some of them have with her having been a Slytherin. Even Ted has never wanted to join because he has never agreed with the way Dumbledore has dealt with certain things. But now, you come out of nowhere, with Dumbledore's spymaster. Believe me when I say that they have found their resolve. That is what you have become to a handful of people regardless of the face you wear."

She turned to look at those very people now. It was hard to swallow, the pressure was intense. She had started this with the sole intention of getting rid of Riddle yet it had grown into this. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to shoulder such burdens but as she shifted to look at the man at her side, she knew that she would fight till the end with him. He squeezed her hand when he read her thoughts.

Shaking off the intense emotions that threatened to swallow her up, she picked up the phial that lay in front of her and drank every drop of it. The taste of Polyjuice Potion made her want to gag. The change happened quickly so she took the piece of chocolate that Zeph passed her and ate it to wipe the taste away. Severus had also taken his own and she watched him slip on a brown coat. Hermione nodded as Andromeda and Ted made their way up the stairs. Zeph hugged Hermione and pulled away after a second to scowl.

"You better be careful. I have already spoken to your parents about your luck with getting injured. Don't get hurt, Hermione."

That made her grin. "I promise to be careful. Now go and take them with you."

Zeph let out a heavy sigh and slipped out of the room. Malfoy and Narcissa would go back to the villa and stay there until it was all done. They were waiting by the threshold ready to go. Hermione waited for them to leave and turned off all the lights while Severus left her and headed to the back of the house to take a smoke. Or at least act like he was about.

Hermione left the fireplace on and threw several pillows in front of it as well as a banket. To make it more believable later.

The sun was just setting now, the night barely creeping up, yet it was already below freezing. She pulled on her thick coat and made sure her boots were tied on tightly. All she had to do was wait now.

The silence in the house an hour later was interrupted by the loud apparating sounds that snapped just outside of the house. Hermione had asked Andromeda to drop all the wards in the house so that they would have it easier coming in.

She pulled the window curtain back gently and peered outside. She immediately saw the men. All wore their signature robes but she didn't see any mask on them. She didn't recognize any of them but she did notice that one of them stayed behind, his face hidden in the shadows. Or should have been except that the snow didn't exactly let him blend in. He seemed to glance around before disapparating.

Hermione let the curtain drop back gently and silently stepped back and laid down on the pillows, the fire raging, matching the temp of her thoughts. She closed her eyes and acted like she was dozing off. The door opened, the hinges making no sound, except that one of the prats that opened it caused it to hit the vase that lay behind it. Acting like it had startled her, she roused and in a tired voiced called out for her husband.

"Ted? I'm in the living, are you okay? Did you knock the vase again?"

Silence greeted her. But that didn't last long. She looked up in fake fright when she saw two Death Eaters making their way towards her. She didn't recognize any of them. She made sure to look directly at their eyes and imperioused them with her wand. The second guy, his face smashed inwardly, was a bit difficult to control.

Severus linked to her a few minutes later as she stayed quiet. "I have two others. I'm bringing them in. I have alerted them not to come down." he said, voice cold and distant.

It wasn't any different to what she was currently feeling either. Occlumency did that for her. For them. She leaned back against the wall and kept her eyes on the docile men.

"Good, bring them in."

A minute later, he strolled in with two bodies levitating a little behind him. He brought them over to the ones she was holding and gave them a bored look. "Both of them were personally recruited by Yaxley and Pyrites. They already have jobs in the Ministry but none with power. Those two," he pointed at the ones she was currently holding. "Are nobody important. Would get killed the instant they decided to address Riddle. Give them the potion."

Hermione pushed off the wall and set to work on them. She didn't even have to touch them. She pulled out the flask containing the liquid and set it in front of them. They stared at her blankly as she ordered both of them to take turns drinking it. Once the flask was half empty, she left them standing in the same place as she walked over to Severus. He was using his wand for several complicated spells.

"Which one did you pick for Amelia and Percy?"

Severus pointed to the one that was to his left, the one with matted black hair and scratched up face. "That one is Allen Skinner. He joined recently, Pyrites and Yaxley asked him to join several times in the last year and finally gave in when they promised a better position in the Ministry. He doesn't know much but is told to keep a low profile. But the reason I chose him, was because he actually does have a memory of Yaxley mentioning a few things he wasn't supposed to know. We'll use him for the first task."

"I'll send a message to Percy and Amelia. What about the other one?"

He paused and flicked his wand and touched the head of the second man. The man had wispy strands that passed for hair and a large overbite. He also had the scent of a drunk head. Severus dropped his wand and rose to his feet. "This one I think I have seen him before. Richard Picket. He does dirty work for Lucius and Yaxley in the Ministry. But he isn't important enough to be told certain things. That doesn't stop him from asking around. He also works under Pius Thicknesse and reports back to Lucius if anybody approaches the man."

That cleared up why he chose this two over the ones she had gotten. "Finish with them, I'll be sending Riddle a little present with this two," she said as she snapped her fingers to the two other men. They snapped to attention and walked towards with stiff and jagged steps. "I'll meet you back at the Villa. Make sure you remind Andromeda and Ted on what they are supposed to do."

No other words needed to be said. They both had work to do. But even though their own Occlumency shields, they shared another thought altogether. One that didn't need to be spoken out loud. They just felt it.

She altered the men's memories and apparated them to the outskirts of Malfoy Mansion. She had taken the image from the smaller man before apparating. Snow fell around them as she pushed them ahead of her, their feet sinking through the thick packed snow. Hermione noticed that they had landed about two meters from the actual entrance so she commanded them to move forward as she pulled back and glanced around but didn't hear anybody else.

It was late in the evening now, the sun had long ago set. Hermione should have been shivering but she relished the cold. But she couldn't linger in case others decided to drop by. She apparated a second later as she lost sight of the two men.

With a soft pop, she sank into a foot of snow. She smiled grimly and walked through the wards and up to the front of the Villa. She put on her Elizabeth enchantments and vaguely nodded at the others as she pulled out her notebook from her bag. She quickly wrote to Amelia and Percy. Letting them know it would happen the next night. Both replied within minutes that they were ready for it. Hermione asked them to keep her posted and finally looked up at Zephrine and Dimitry. "Head back to the Manor, you might be called in shortly. He will be in one hell of a mood. Take the boys with you too."

Neither one questioned her and left first. Adrian pulled her hair gently and kissed her forehead before following his parents out. Marcus ruffled her hair and left just as quietly. That left her with Theodore and Malfoy. As well as Narcissa. She pointed at the older woman's stomach. "Only run when the life of that child is in danger. You know how the villa looks like and I know Zeph told you of another place to run to if your life is threatened. But only if the threat is real. I can only give you and the child a pass. But let me make this clear. Your husband makes his own choices. If he crosses me or those I love, I will get rid of him."

Narcissa pressed her hands to her stomach. "I don't answer for him. I only want to save my children. Both of them. I will stay by his side but why do you need me to, if I may ask.?"

Hermione stuffed the notebook back into her beaded bag and started to pack her things. She gestured to the boys to do the same before answering.

"I need to get into your sister's vault.''

.

Hours later, they were back in the castle, both boys in their dormitories. But Hermione wasn't done. She stood beside Severus as she sent out her letter to Gabriel and Heidi. She was asking them to all comeback. The Villa would have to be expanded but that was a worry for later. Hermione listened intently as Severus began to speak.

"I took them to the Head Quarters. They told Moody and the others of the attack as well as somebody cloaked in black saving them before I got there to warn them. Dumbledore has been notified but right now, they are moving them to a safe house and are being accompanied by Lupin. He will be assigned to check on them daily. That gives him the excuse to slip away from the others without being questioned. He is following Greyback, who is searching or creating other wolfs. He is followed closely by Macnair. Greyback doesn't know he is being followed. Lupin will let you know when he is truly alone. But he wanted to know what you planned to do."

Hermione stared straight at Severus. She wasn't sure why he was making her say it. But she wasn't' going to back down. "I will do what has to be done. That thing isn't truly human. Neither am I. The rules that usually apply to humans don't apply here. Aside from the fact that Greyback will infect others, possibly people my age or younger is a big factor as to why he needs to go."

Severus didn't comment but she knew that when she did go, it wouldn't be alone. She switched topics and brought up the two men they had just thrown to the wolves. But paused when he pulled her close instead. "How are you feeling? You didn't have much time rest these past few days."

That brought her up short. She had forgotten about her exhaustion. As well as her body not running at one hundred percent. She mentally checked her body but she was just physically tired. Her mind was sharp, with no signs of mental strain.

He checked her either way and left her for a couple of minutes as he fetched more potions. She drank them all and sat down as he began to make her a light sandwich. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. She bit into it the instant he handed it to her and waited until she was done with it to continue their earlier discussion.

"Allen Skinner should already be at the Ministry. It's Nymphadora's turn to make her rounds with another Auror when it happens. As for Richard Picket, he will watch and monitor Pius like he has been for the past few days. Although the man that you saw leave right before they were supposed to attack will question either Picket or Skinner. But since Skinner will be out of the question, he will find Picket instead. That is when the compulsion will be activated and Picket will not be able to fight it. When that happens, Adrian will be ready to take his spot."

It all sounded good and all but she had to think ahead in case things didn't turn out that way. Severus suddenly hissed as he clutched his arm. The mark was burning. Severus ground his teeth and spoke through them a second later. "He is very mad at the moment. But he isn't calling for me. I wouldn't have anything to say either way since to his knowledge, I haven't left the castle grounds. He must have killed both men."

Hermione laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and hoped that nobody she loved got hurt. But worrying would only agonize her so she fought the instinct to call for them and instead stayed with Severus until the sun rose.

She left him after that and just managed to make it her room as somebody began to knock and Harry's voice shouted her name. Hermione pulled her bag off and chucked her coat to the side as she let her hair down. She ignored the knocking as she set all her enchantments and walked over to the door. She opened the door and was treated to Harry's too pale face. His hair was sticking up oddly. Ron was nowhere in sight. Hermione closed the door and watched as Harry paced across her room.

"What's wrong Harry?"

He became still after a few seconds. He turned to face her and sat down on her bed with a defeated stare. "I woke up. Just now. I woke up from a dream that just didn't seem like one. I-I know it sounds mad but I felt like I was connected with him. Through him. Like I was him and I was...torturing somebody. A man who I have never seen before. But I can't go to Dumbledore since he isn't even here. He probably wouldn't believe me. Would he?"

That concerned her. The timing was too perfect. She forced herself to calm down as her mind raced ahead of her. She walked over his side and picked up her bag. She ignored him for a second as she pulled out the phial. She turned to him and smiled gently. "Drink this. It will calm you first."

Harry didn't question her as he took it from her. He drank it quickly and handed it back to her. She put it away and sat down beside him. It was time. She reached for his hand and smiled when he didn't pull away. He slowly slumped against her, his body losing his tension. She turned slightly so that he lay across her bed with a soft thud. The potion was diluted, the dose not too strong. Only enough to knock him out for a few minutes. She pressed her wand to his temple and closed her eyes. What she saw was exactly what she had imagined. He was pissed. He had tried Legilimency on others around him but had already figured out that somebody was messing with his Death Eaters. He was beyond rage. But his emotions seemed to be a bit scattered as he madly tortured the men left and right.

But what really stumped her, was why Harry was able to see such things. She froze as she thought of something. No...not that. It just couldn't be that. Doubts filled her head as she gazed down at him. His face set in peaceful lines that usually were hard to find. Her right hand trembled as she leaned over his body and reached for his head, the familiar whispers of darknesses beckoned her. Horror filled her stomach, fear shut her heart but she wasn't alone. Her fireplace lit up with the entrance of Severus. He was frowning but once he saw her, he froze. "I felt like something was wrong-," he cut off his own sentence as he read her thoughts and saw her position over Harry's body.

Hermione jumped back as Harry began to stir. She didn't look back down at him as she locked eyes with Severus. She wanted to push all thoughts away and run. Run far from where she was standing. But her feet wouldn't move. Dread licked at her heels as she denied it over and over in her head. How. How was she supposed to solve this? Severus didn't look at Harry as he stunned him with his wand. He ignored the boy and walked over to her as he put his wand away. He drew her off the bed and circled her in his arms just as her thoughts spun out of control. Why? He had already suffered enough. She grew angry as she tried to figure out how. How this came to be. Severus rubbed her arms as he read her thoughts. He was also trying to piece together.

"I thought that he had made only seven? Is he one of the seven? How? Can I be wrong about the cup and Nagini? So, How?" Hermione said, her voice soft, yet she could even hear the confusion and fear.

Severus spoke up after a few minutes. "I don't think Riddle knows himself. As far as we knew, he had only made one living Horcrux. That is Nagini. Her life is tied to his since she wasn't made from a common snake. Her creation wasn't exactly normal. But if Potter is a Horcrux, we don't know if he will survive you destroying the Horcrux within him. I think the night he tried to kill him and failed, he accidentally created one with whatever remained of his soul."

That made sense. She held him a bit tighter as she tried to shake herself from the slump she had fallen in. All she was worried about at the moment, if she was correct, about how he was going to survive. Since she had always planned to kill Nagini.

"Is that why I'm dreaming of this?" Harry asked.

Hermione nodded and froze, her fingers dug deep into Severus' forearms as she realized who had spoken. She swiftly let go of Severus and turned to face Harry. He was staring at Hermione with repugnance and dread. His eyes shifting back and forth between her and Severus.

Bloody hell.

…..

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Vanee