Chapter 34

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December 1995

Shrieks of laughter filled the snowy street as Hermione observed the pub from afar. The noise drew many eyes. Something they could take advantage of.

Remus was a foot from the entrance, just as they had planned. The door opened and he slipped in when a couple walked out.

He had told her that Macnair was inside, in one of the rooms on the second floor. He had paid for a woman the night before. He had spent the night with her. The woman had left in the early hours of the night but Macnair hadn't stepped out except to eat.

Hermione slid out from behind the water fountain and walked to the back of the pub. It wasn't late yet many were already at pubs. She supposed that since it was a Friday many were just ready for the weekend to start.

She avoided a couple of wizards and finally found the back doors. The pub was on the outskirts of the small town so that the back of it faced the woods and the land that lay beyond. One couldn't see much since it was snowing and everything was coated thickly with layers of ice.

At least she blended in with anybody that passed her. They were also wearing cloaks, trying to stay dry and warm. Hermione waited for a couple to pass her and swung herself up onto the back porch roof and located the window that Remus had pointed out to her.

The window was old and caked with grime. But she could still somewhat see inside since the curtains were open. She saw Macnair, his dark head bent over a piece of parchment paper. He was dressed up and looked like he was about to leave. Hermione waited for Remus to make his move. When he knocked, Macnair paused and called out in a growly voice for the person's identity.

When no sound could be heard he threw down the parchment and stalked over to the door. Hermione used the distraction to charm the window. It slid open soundlessly. She glanced around quickly before disappearing inside.

The room stank of sweat and food. That should have bothered her. But it didn't. She didn't need to glance around the room to know what kind of person he was. Yet, she did note with indifference, that the bed covers held spots of red. He was a vile man in anything he did, she idly mused to herself.

Hermione stayed within the shadows of the dusty drapes just as Macnair came around the corner. There was a small cubicle-like wall surrounding the entrance so he hadn't seen her yet.

Not that he would have been given a chance. Behind him stood Remus, his wand a few inches away from Macnair's body. The plan had been simple. Get in and assume control of the man. Taking him without causing any disruptions. She flicked her wand and with ease overtook control of the man herself. Remus then apparated them out without a word and they soon arrived at a secure location near the town Greyback planned to attack.

It was a small clearing that looked to be overgrown with large snow-covered bushes and fallen trees. The place itself wasn't accessible to anyone else except for Remus and Hermione. She glanced around and stepped forward, past the wards and up to the one-bedroom cottage that had been abandoned not too long ago.

Remus had been staying in it for a few days now so it was safe to use it. Hermione drew Macnair up the stairs and after getting him inside, kicked the back of his knees with a sharp hit. Macnair didn't make a sound as he dropped to his knees. Not that he could since Hermione was holding him hostage with magic. Which meant she could hear his thoughts with the way she was connected to him.

Yet, she refused to stay in his mind any longer than necessary and not because she was repulsed with what it contained but because she saw no point in witnessing such acts. They had already happened. She wouldn't obtain anything from it.

Remus closed the door with a thud after coming inside. He had stayed behind to check the wards and now stood in front of the door, feet braced apart. "When will you send him?"

"Change of plans," she said as she pulled off the dragon skin gloves. "We don't need him anymore. He isn't as important as I thought he could have been. But I do think that leaving him alive is out of the question."

Stunned and confused, Remus paused mid-step and eyed her carefully for the first time. But within seconds controlled his expression and cleared his throat. "What will you do with him? You don't plan to kill…"

Not caring for his reaction, she put her wand away, bored with the conversation already. "I'll be taking care of him the same way I have done with the others. I'll just give him the potion that takes the matter out of my hands."

For a split second, total disbelief washed over his face and he sharply turned away from her, fist clenched. Hermione ignored the reaction and processed to do as she had said. Within minutes the process was done and she dropped him off herself.

Later, she used the small bedroom in the back to go over things and spent quite a while with some new enchantments. She also ate alone, mostly nutrition bars she had picked up before meeting Remus. There was no point in making a meal when all she needed was nutrients. Remus had left her alone the whole time. She knew he had eaten from the sounds he had made when using the makeshift stove he had fixed when he had first started using the place.

When it was time to leave, she slipped out of the house without letting Remus know she was leaving. She wouldn't be needing him for what was to come.

o0o

Hermione involuntarily shivered as she stood by several tall bushes at the end of the deserted street. Remus had previously told her that Greyback had about six turned males with him but three of them were kept in the Malfoy Manor as disposables.

Pawns.

They obviously didn't know that. Remus and Severus hadn't offered much else except that the youngest one was about her age.

Hermione kept her body ready, scanning the darkness as if were broad daylight. Her eyes had no trouble in seeing the smallest pocket of darkness. She soon left her spot and moved further into the woods, ignoring the lowly lit homes on the other side of the road. She figured that Greyback would stick to his beast's thinking and come through the backwoods. Using the most deserted side of the town to avoid being seen. Not that anybody would spot her since she had cast a Disillusionment charm on her body.

After wandering for a mile or so, she heard them. Voices coming from the East. Placing a silencing spell on herself, she ran towards them, making sure to scan her surroundings in case there were others.

Using the voices as a beacon, she moved soundlessly across the snow-covered ground. Hermione reached them within a minute. She halted when she caught sight of a short stocky man that was a few feet from her. Making sure to stay downwind from them, she listened to their growly voices.

"Enter the houses without bringing attention to yourselves until you have no choice. Bring the men only. Kill or do whatever you want the women." Greyback growled out loudly as he shifted restlessly on his feet, his face set in a half shift that Remus had mentioned.

The shortest man in front of her shivered with excitement. There was a second man, who was looking at Greyback with something close to contempt. He was trying to hide it well but Hermione had spotted it right away. The short man snarled something inhuman to the last man in the group, he was standing farther from the others. The man was wearing clothes that were cleaner than the other two and was the second tallest one with Greyback being the tallest one of the group. For some unknown reason, he looked and felt more dangerous than Greyback. Knowing she was going have to act fast, she used her wand and ran straight for the short man who was fantasizing out loud about what he would do to any female children. The depravity didn't bother her. Wasn't the reason behind her decision to end his life.

For the first time in her life, she killed a man.

She reached for the Dagger that Halima had gifted her many moons ago. It lay cold and deadly in her hand. It caught a snowflake right before the spray of blood painted the ground. The short man didn't get a chance to react and fell with a sickly thud, facedown on the frozen floor.

Snow already began to coat the man's eyelashes before anybody could react. Greyback stared at the short man's body for a full second before roaring his anger. The one that seemed to despise Greyback became momentarily distracted with the new attack and stepped back as he widely looked around in confusion. The dangerous one became utterly still and lifted his nose to the air, taking a big breath. But she wasn't naive. She wasn't stupid. She had prepared for scent games. She released the bubble of air from her side pocket and sent the bubble over their heads, the snow and wind taking it a few feet behind Greyback. Both werewolves swirled to it when it released her scent.

Did they not think to check around the fallen man's body?

Hermione took the time to clean her sword but paused when she noticed the lack of blood. She remembered then what Halima had said. The blade was a rare and unique one. It absorbed any liquid it touched, the blade eating it to strengthen itself. Hermione hadn't actually believed that until now. But that was a mystery that she would unravel another day.

Her attention came to lay upon the man with seeds of hate and advanced forward with casual steps that left no footprints, her spells wandless with no incantation. She ignored the snarls and growls coming from behind her and slid straight up to the man who hadn't moved an inch. She forced her mind open and wordlessly invaded his head. The man tried to fight it but he didn't know how to. Hermione ripped savagely through his mind. She skimmed past recent memories and dug deeper.

After a few minutes, she found what she had been looking for. The real reason as to why he carried such a deep emotion inside of him. What could also possibly save his life as well?

Tatum Mashh loathed Greyback with a good and indisputable reason. Greyback had killed his whole family and had made him watch as he took his youngest son, forcing him to change. But it hadn't worked. The boy died mid-shift, his body stuck in a half-phase that irrevocably killed him in the end. Mashh had been waiting for the right time to take his revenge.

But when he found out what Greyback had created him for it had stomped him. Where would he go whenever he did kill Greyback? There was nobody waiting for him anymore. But he didn't exactly want to die either. Not for him and not for the very cause that had ripped his family apart.

Hermione also learned the name of the dangerous one. Fenix Cane. She took all of the added information out of his mind and left him with her imprints on his mind.

Mashh gasped out loud, his eyes searching the darkness for the intruder. She blasted him back, making sure not to kill him, only wanting to knock him unconscious. By then, Greyback and Cane had seen Mashh's reaction and body flying back and disappearing from sight. Greyback rushed forward, his eyes also searching the snowy night. Cane, on the other hand, didn't. He was staring at the spot Mashh had been standing at. Hermione made a split decision and rushed Greyback at full speed. She stepped to his right and turned so that she was behind him in the next instant.

Using the same technique she had on the short man, she pulled the dagger back but instead of slashing she stabbed the dagger in between his shoulder blades and ripped down his back as she did so. The wound sprayed blood everywhere. Greyback roared in pain.

Distracted with him, she didn't realize that Cane had been waiting for her move the whole time and now took his chance. He tackled her from behind. It drove her forward so that she ended up tripping over Greybacks body. But she didn't go down alone. The momentum carried him as well. Right before she would have hit at an awkward angle, she twisted her body so that her legs took most of the damage.

She went ahead and dropped everything except for her face enchantments. There was no point in trying to hide anymore. It was only then that Greyback snarled that she realized he was still alive despite the amount of blood he was losing.

"Don't let her go!" he growled at Cane.

Hermione didn't react to that but she did flip and roll away from the men and was on her feet within seconds. Cane was already advancing towards her, face finally showing some emotion. The look on his face should have made her feel some sort of way, like afraid or even cautious. It didn't.

He struck her hard in the stomach. The pain was instantly pushed to the back of her mind. With a clean sweep, she cut his arm and chest with the dagger. He hissed low, eyes darkening with pain.

"I have scented you before."

That lone sentence made her pause, a mistake she wouldn't repeat again. Cane noticed and took full advantage of it. He kicked her left leg out from beneath her, forcing her to concentrate once more. But now she had to figure out what he had meant by having scented her before. She couldn't just kill him now.

Cane must have come to the same conclusion for he began to fight her a lot more viciously than before. He wasn't half shifted like Greyback but his nails were just as sharp as if he were in his animal form. They easily ripped her cloak apart. She didn't look away from him as she shrugged it off and had to dodge his swipe as he came for her throat.

Knowing she had to end it soon, she deliberately ran straight at him, taking him by surprise. He twisted away from her the last second but she had known he would turn to the left in order to avoid the trees to their right. Hermione hadn't moved an inch and stood still for the split second it took for her to take her wand out and wordlessly cast Immobulus.

He had probably forgotten he could use magic or it hadn't crossed his mind and instead had relied on his physical powers as a wolf. Not that it would have helped him in the end.

The spell would have missed if Greyback hadn't stood up at that moment and rammed into Cane's. His furry was his downfall in the end. Now this one was one she had to kill. He didn't move as fast as he had before and that was probably due to the blood loss.

Hermione waited until he was an inch away from her to drop down and using the dagger, stabbed deep into his abdomen. She twisted the handle before dragging it upwards in a clean cut. Hermione watched emotionlessly as his guts emptied out onto the snow-covered ground. His face was a mask of shock and absolute pain.

He dropped his hands to his stomach, fingers becoming slippery with his own blood. She pulled the dagger out and made sure that none of the blood had gotten on her before looking away from him as his mouth began to bubble with dark blood. She walked around him and didn't look back when his body hit the ground.

Fenix Cane's frozen form lay just a little ahead from where she had been fighting Greyback and she now noticed the thin layer of snow that covered his body. But even though the layer of snow, she could still see his eyes which had remained open due to her spell. His eyes were livid. She ignored the anger and used her wand instead to levitate him alongside her.

She also picked up Tatum Mashh. The man carried a horribly large lump on his head but was otherwise alive. Hermione brought both bodies to the center of the field that was now painted in blood. The color stood out in the dark but only because the snow was so white. Without another thought to the carnage she was leaving behind, she turned to stare at Cane. His eyes told her everything. IF she was stupid enough to set him free she was good as dead. But she wasn't. Seeing no other reason to delay, she ruthlessly ripped his mind to shreds. Just like she had done to Mashh. Searching for answers. She needed to know when and where he had scented her.

It had been at a gathering where he had been allowed to attend. Cane had wanted to join the inner circle since the moment he had been turned. But he had soon learned enough that he would never be able to get a higher rank due to his new wilder side and the lack of connections with the inner circle. Being a half-blood only helped so much. Being a werewolf took away any leverage he had had. Hermione noticed the way he had watched the others.

Especially Severus and Dimitry. He had seen both of them on several occasions and admired them. He had known that both men had a genuine relationship with each other and it had fascinated him. At the end of a meeting, weeks ago, he had seen Severus walk out with Lucius and Dimitry. So he had followed them. He was going to offer his hand in whatever errand or job they needed when about a foot or two from Severus, he smelled it. Lucius apparated just then but the scent lingered.

He had sharp senses that had only been enhanced with his turning. So it was easy enough to figure out who carried the scent. It didn't belong to either man and yet they both carried it. It was stronger on Severus than Dimitry. The scent was fully feminine with a hint of lavender mixed with it. Yet, it was touched with something equally if not more dangerous to what lived inside of him.

Hermione pulled back immediately, conscious of the night becoming colder, harsher as snow began to fall faster. She didn't meet the eyes of the man she had just stripped bare and instead grabbed hold of both men and apparated out of the snowy clearing.

With a quiet pop, they arrived at the cottage she had left hours before. There was light coming from one of the windows, something she noticed the instant she stepped through the wards. With the men still under her control, she came to a complete stop when the door to the cottage flew open. Severus and Dimitry stood there. While Severus radiated pure ice-cold rage, Dimitry was the fire. He stared hard at her while Severus silently seethed with fury. The betrayer stood behind them with his own arms crossed. But Remus noticed the physical state she was in first and stepped around the other men to rush to her side.

"How hurt are you?"

"I'm not."

"But your…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

His meek behaviour should have sent alarm bells through her mind. But they didn't. She didn't fight him as he assumed possession of both men that were on either side of her body. He walked them up to the snow-covered steps and disappeared inside. Neither man had noticed Severus and Dimitry.

Dimitry wasted no time and with quick angry steps was soon in front of her. His eyes traced her body for signs of blood or whatever. The lack of cloak seemed to bother him a lot more than it did to her because he shrugged his own off and wrapped it around her shoulders. He didn't look at her again and instead took many deep breaths as he tried to get his emotions under control. The effort could be seen in the way he was grinding his molars with such force...

Hermione raised a hand and pushed her hair back, uncaring. The movement also served to remind her of the enchantments she still wore. She was wearing the face that belonged to Elizabeth Smith. The bangs tickled her forehead as she brushed them aside.

When she brought her hand down, the bracelet Luna had given her caught her eye. It wasn't stained with blood even though she had been fighting with both hands. She remembered what Luna had said. 'Wear this. It will bring you back.' Those words now circled her mind but were forced out as Dimitry finally spoke.

"Hermione.''

"Dimitry."

He paused and seemed to really see her for the first time. Hermione raised an eyebrow in question and when he didn't speak, shrugged her shoulders. Walking past him, she was once again stopped. This time it was by Severus himself as he stood at the top of the stairs. He had a blank profile but she could feel him through their shared bond. One she had forgotten about. He used the bond, searching for something that wasn't there.

He looked past her for a split second and she knew he was speaking to Dimitry because a second later she was then hauled back into a pair of muscular arms. Hermione knew who it was but wasn't sure why she was being touched in such a way.

"Dimitry, let me go."

When he didn't do as she commanded she went for his throat and used wandless magic to shove him across the clearing. He landed with a loud thump and a sound akin to a wolf's pitiful yelp left his body. That should have caused her to worry but instead of rushing to his side she looked away.

"When I tell you to let go of me, do it, Dimitry."

Hermione walked past Severus, who had watched the altercation from the side. She went up to the stairs. She only turned her head to the side when she heard his boots crunching on the snow only to meet the tip of his wand. He entered her mind swiftly and she didn't fight him. There wasn't anything she wished to hide from him. If that was what Dimitry had wanted to do from the beginning he should have just asked instead of touching her. When Severus pulled his wand back, he stared hard at her.

"Kiss me."

"Why should I?"

Something flashed across his eyes too fast for her to catch. But if it wasn't important enough then it could wait. She left both men outside and walked inside to continue what she had been doing. Remus was sitting in an old armchair and in front of him were Mashh and Cane. Both were on the floor by the fireplace. It crossed her mind to just be rid of them but decided to see where the conversation would lead her.

Shrugging off Dimitry's cloak, she stared down at the men on the floor. They were both making their feelings clear just with their eyes alone. She sat down on the old armchair that was right in front of both men and addressed both men in a calm almost bored tone. She hadn't even started and she was already losing interest.

"You have two choices right now. You either join me or die. Which one will it be, boys?"

The quickest to react was Cane, who immediately became suspicious. His eyes narrowed. She then glanced at Mashh. The man was staring at her in pure wonderment. Hermione crossed her legs just as Severus and Dimitry walked in.

Dimitry limped.

Since neither man at her feet could move they shot her looks, they had heard them come in and thought she hadn't noticed. As if she should be worried. She didn't pay attention to the dark presence of them. But she did note the remote way they stood away. As long as they didn't get in the way they could stay. Mentally shutting them out, she stared down at Mashh.

"I will release you but if you do anything other than to talk, I will kill you."

His eyes reflected his answer. She let him go and watched as he laid his hands facing upwards, fingers lax to give her the impression of surrender. He cleared his throat twice and began to speak in a scratchy voice filled with pain. "I don't want to die but I do need to know who you are and why I should even consider your side."

Smart man. Foolish but smart. She would have asked the same if she had been in his situation. "You might die in the end. I can't promise you that by the end of this you will still be standing. But I can tell you this. I don't kill unless I have to. As for who I am. Well, you may call me Elizabeth Smith and this is not my true form. When you have gained my trust I will let you see me. But for now, you will know me as Elizabeth. As to why you should consider my side...I do not want power. I do not want fame. I want peace and I want Tom Riddle dead and any who follow him."

"Then I choose you. This, whatever this is, I will do it. What do you need of me?"

Hermione raised a hand, halting whatever else he would have said. She turned to Cane instead. The man wasn't looking at her anymore. His eyes were strained to the left. Where Severus and Dimitry were standing. Cane seemed to notice their presence by his werewolf senses. He must know their scent by memory, knew their individual scent a little too well. She waited until he finally felt her stare boring into him. He took his time but eventually met her gaze.

Their depths glittered with questions that held no interest for her. He didn't deserve her truth. She pulled out her fake wand and used it to force his body to physically move towards her. Once in front of her, their faces inches from each other, she laid a hand to his face and spoke in a voice that reflected her emotionless thoughts.

"You, on the other hand, will have to work twice as hard as Mashh. For I have a seen inside of you. I know what type of man you think you are. So, what will your choice be, Cane?"

If he was surprised by the fact that she knew what his last name was, he didn't show it. She already knew what he would choose. She hadn't lied when she had said that she had seen inside of him. He was a survivor. He would always choose to live. He wasn't a fool enough to cross her.

But then again, she was no fool either. If he, for a second, thought that she was weak, he would slit her throat with his claws. She released him from her magic abruptly. He dropped to the floor with a loud thump followed by a hiss. He glared at her as he kept his gaze locked to hers. And he spoke in a gravelly voice next.

"I will die either way. But there is something holding me back from choosing death by your hand. Even if what you say is true, I won't hand my life to you so easily."

"What is it? What holds you here instead of choosing death?" Hermione asked just as evenly. But she was actually growing a little too bored with the conversation. Cane became still...so still that it should have unnerved her on a humane level. But all she felt was a pool of emptiness that almost forced her to take the only other logical option.

To kill him. Be rid of the problem the easy way out instead of talking and wasting time.

Something must have shown in her face, in her eyes, revealing for a second, just a second, what she really considered doing. Cane drew back, cracking the mask he had been trying to wear. He lost the tension in his shoulders but it wasn't long until a new kind of tension gripped his broad shoulders.

He swallowed hard before answering her truthfully. "I'll join you."

Her silence forced him to continue. "I do have questions. Why do you have the Dark Lord's most trusted Death Eaters at your beck and call?"

"It doesn't concern you. What you should have asked was what I will demand from you."

Cane didn't blink at her brush off but he did sit back on his heels and tried to hold her gaze once more. But he accepted the fact that he wouldn't get any answers and it didn't sit well with him. That was too bad. He was in her net now. He had made his choice. The only other option was death.

"Both of you will hunt those that are left. The ones that are Greyback's creations. They are useless to me since I really only need one of you but both of you shall do. Once you get rid of them, make them disappear completely. No trace must be left behind. The real task shall begin as soon as you gain Riddle's attention."

Not missing a beat, she continued on as she crossed her legs. "Make sure you let Riddle know that you have defeated Greyback for his words of betrayal and for consorting with the werewolf under Dumbledore."

Mashh finally spoke up. His own voice held a hint of surprise as he openly stared at her. "You want us to double-cross the Dark Lord? That is madness. A suicide mission."

Hermione had enough of sitting and so stood up as soon as he was done speaking. She stepped around them to stand at their backs. She noticed the sudden tension that ran across their backs amp up when they felt her come to a halt a few inches from them. Neither turned around to glance at her. Which would have been admirable at some other point?

"What you say is true. It is a suicide mission. Yet, neither one of you really care what happens as long as you survive. So doing this small job should be like a walk in the park. Now, stay still. I have to make sure your memories are true for when he breaks into your minds."

For the next two hours, she worked on their minds. Syncing the events just the way she wanted them. She didn't do it gently either. Both men were sweating by the time she was done. Mashh had bled from his ear and nose twice; Cane had lost control of his wolf for a split second. After branding them with her symbol on their inner thigh, she stepped back.

Hermione had been aware of Severus and Dimitry the whole time. They hadn't spoken to her or approached her the whole time. Not even when Cane had lost control. They had stood guard and had watched her work.

Now that she was done, she realized how tired her body had become. Her shields were close to collapsing and her body was making its own demands. Knowing her body was going to shut down soon, she left both wolves in the cottage and apparated to the Villa. As soon as her body crossed the wards, everything began to blur around the edges of her vision. She clenched her fist but a second later, her mind snapped.

The last thing she saw was a pair of pale hands reaching for her. Hands that knew her body intimately.

o0o

It wasn't cold.

It wasn't hot.

Yet it was wrong.

It felt odd.

She felt wrong.

She was awake yet she wasn't. But somehow she knew that she was lost. Lost soul wise at least. Lost in an abyss of darkness that threatened to eat her very soul. Hermione whirled to one side but couldn't even see beyond a foot or so in front of her. She was standing but her feet weren't touching anything. Something unknown was whispering across her senses. Trying to wake her. But she didn't want to leave. Regardless of how dark it was, she didn't feel the need to leave.

She glanced down at her hand, something had caught her eye. It was the bracelet that the girl with a strange mind had given her. The beads seemed to be glowing yet she couldn't understand why they would be. The colors switched every few seconds from green silver to black. Even when they changed to black, they glowed. Raising her other hand, she touched the beads lightly. She was surprised to find them warm to the touch. Warmer then her own skin. Her focus was snatched away when the whispering began again. But this time, she knew who spoke. It was the Sphinx.

"I told you there would be a price to pay."

Yes, she remembered that much at least. Not that it answered her question as to where she was or why she was even here.

"You have yet realized what you gave up."

She turned around but it was pointless. It wasn't like she could see anything. It was all dark. Why was it so dark? So many questions. The Sphinx spoke once more. Reminding Hermione that she wasn't alone.

"Are you not curious as to what you gave?"

"Seeing how I'm still alive, the price must not have been important. As long as it doesn't interfere with what I'm doing, it is manageable."

Laughter filled the air, the sound coming from all around her. It wasn't touched with humour. Or even human. Once again, she thought about how she should be feeling. The sound should have meant something. It should have angered her or even made her feel afraid.

But she brushed those thoughts away as she pulled the bracelet off. As soon as she did, the warmth faded from it. The Sphinx drew her attention once again but without any hints of laughter that had been in it moments before.

"Foolish human. You have lost what made you human. What made you somebody worthy of our bond."

"I see no difference. I function just as well. More efficiently as a matter of fact. I see no loss of what you speak off."

"You will lose it all if you keep thinking that way. Everything you have gained and achieved thus far will have been for nothing. But then again, the price had to be paid. The price to lose a great big part of yourself. Doesn't mean it can't be undone."

The logic behind those cold words was the only reason she didn't ignore the message hidden within. What did she lose? She thought back over the events that had recently come to pass. It was like viewing herself from a second pair of eyes that felt nothing as she killed. As she controlled. As she pushed away from the one man that had meant everything to her.

Had?

That drew her up short. She wasn't sure why it suddenly bothered her. Why it mattered that she thought of it as past tense.

Severus.

The name was whispered with so much emotion it threatened to swallow her whole. With a rush of anguish and self-hate, she saw the way she had treated him. The way she had hurt Dimitry with no care in the world. It was like waking from a numb sleep. Her feelings began to wake as she replayed the events that had occurred while she hadn't been herself. Severus. She needed to find him. To tell him that she hadn't been herself. She turned away and realized that she was still stuck in the void. But not alone anymore.

The Sphinx was standing a few feet from her. The darkness around them fading to show the endless hills of sand from the Sphinx's native land. It spoke to her as it began to walk up to Hermione.

"Now you see. What will you do with what you have learned?"

"To make things right. But how do I get out of here? Where is here?"

The Sphinx came to a stop an arm's length away from her. The large body began to heat up Hermione's cold limbs. Bringing to her attention the way her body began to ache from the cold. She was cold. She fisted her hands over and over to relieve herself from the numbness and chill. Her limbs had been so cold and it wasn't until now that she became aware of it. What else had she missed? Gentle words now came from the Sphinx.

"We are within our bond. One that changes with every move you make. I'm far from you physically. But I'm always with you. Our souls are at least. I couldn't help you while you were emotionless. It would have been a futile effort. I had to wait until the time was right. As to how you get out of here, that is up to you and the gift that was given to you."

The gift? The only thing that had been gifted to her was-

"The bracelet? Luna Lovegood gave it to me with words that hadn't made sense."

"Yes, the child that belongs to us. She is not like the rest of you wizards even if she wears human skin. She sees the world the way we see it. She gave you a wish and a promise. She gave them something in return for the token. Now you must decide if you wish to use it."

"Them? Who gave it to her?"

The Sphinx turned away from her and began walking away and when Hermione tried to follow, found her feet unable to move. But the Sphinx did speak as she began to fade.

"The centaurs. They have seen your past, your present, and your future. They must have seen this happening. Just like me, they couldn't help you but the little witch could. So they gave it to her for you. Now, decided what you must do and go back. You are not done. Remember, everything has a price."

Hermione realized it too late, the Sphinx was now gone along with the sand, that she should have asked about what it had said when she had helped Harry. She knew it was still important. But she had lost her chance to ask about it as well as what had happened when she had retrieved the cup from Lestrange's vault. With a sigh, she looked down at the bracelet in her hand. She had a suspicious feeling that it was linking to her regaining her emotions. She closed her eyes and wished to see Severus again. To hold him and tell him that she loved-

"Hermione!"

She was getting sick and tired of waking up to him shouting her name. Or shaking her awake. Her bones hurt and her skin felt so sensitive she couldn't help the moan of pain that escaped her lips.

"Stop shaking me. My body hurts."

Cracking her eyes open, she saw Severus and Dimitry. Both were leaning over her, eyes bloodshot and faces lined with strain. Hermione swallowed hard and saw Severus reach back and come back with ice chips. Where had he-

They made her throat feel better within seconds. She tried to sit up but pain needles radiated all over the instant she tried to sit up. She frowned and tried to ask what was wrong with her body. Dimitry pushed her hair back from her face as Severus noticed her confusion.

"You almost died. For three hours your body froze up, nothing would warm you up. No spells or potions would help. So we laid your body in front of the fire and just watched you. It wasn't until a few minutes ago that your body retained a bit of color. What happened, Hermione?"

She didn't miss the double meaning to the question. He was also asking about everything that had happened between them. She forced her body not to move as she tried to explain to him and Dimitry what had happened on her side. She told them about the change after destroying the Horcrux. Then the thought process which she went through for the next couple of hours since then.

Then came what had happened in the void. Neither of them said anything but their uneasiness spiked when she told them what the Sphinx had said. By the time she was done talking, she had retained a better control over her body and it wasn't too painful when she insisted to at least sit up.

They helped her move her feet in a comfortable position. It was only then that she realized that she was still by the fireplace but had been facing away from it in a pile of blankets and pillows, in the room she shared with Severus.

"I'll go see about getting you some food. I'll be back." Dimitry said as he stood up from his position on the floor and left the room quietly. Hermione didn't look at him. She was too busy staring at Severus. He was staring at her blankly. She wanted to know what he was thinking. That thought brought her up short as she realized why she couldn't feel him. Not even through their bond. She panicked and would have said something but he beat her to it.

"You closed yourself off from me," he said in a deadly tone that betrayed his anger and pain. He reached for her hair and fisted it as he forced her head to tip back as he leaned over her. She didn't back away from his dark emotions. Because she had caused this. Whether it was by accident or not.

She reached forward and clenched her hand on his forearm just as she tore down the wall she had erected when she had been an emotionless husk. A wall she had built without even knowing she had. His emotions were a whiplash of thoughts and feelings. But unlike her awakening, they didn't hurt her. They only served to remind her of the damage she had caused. She took them in and gave him her love in return. It wasn't until he touched his forehead to hers that she realized that she had closed her eyes. She wrapped herself in his presence, soaking up the attention.

"I scared you, didn't I?" she asked her voice a soft whisper that was accompanied by the crackle of fire behind her. Severus only pulled her closer, wrapping his arms carefully around her body. She crawled into his lap, pushing the pain aside as she comforted him with touch. She laid her head on his broad shoulders and slipped her arms around him, seeking comfort too. "I didn't mean to. I had no control over it. I wouldn't have done that to you or Dimitry. Not without reason."

"I know."

Forgiving words from the ruthless man who cradled her against his chest.

For he had paid a price as well and would continue to do so until they finished what they had started.

...o0o0o0o0o...

Thank you for waiting so long for this chapter. New job kicked my butt. But I'm back and I will upload before Christmas so look forward to it. I'll reply to comments in the next chapter.

Happy Holidays!

Let me know what you guys think.

Vanee

Editing 2019/7