Chapter 13

A/N: This chapter does deal with a bit of violence (against Hermione) just want to forewarn!

Severus Snape was ready for this war to be over. He was ready for the idiot Potter boy to fulfill his destiny and take out the Dark Lord. He was tired of living a double, even triple or quadruple life as it seemed most days. Yes, Snape was a slippery one, he was incredibly good at making people believe what he wanted them to. He had fooled two of the best, most powerful wizards the contemporary world had ever known.

Snape did not expect to outlive this war, but he would be as helpful in controlling the damage, as much as possible anyway. That was why he had let slip information about the muggle professor when he knew he was being overheard. It was why he took over keeping an eye on the ridiculous muggle who was watching said professor. Snape was well aware of what the blasted box was, although he would never let on to the Dark Lord he did. He was a bit disappointed at who the Order decided to send on this mission, but at least Granger and Lupin were involved, and the eldest Weasley child seemed competent enough. Granger, the know it all, at least knew the existence of the Dark Lord's horcruxes and would be helping the boy wonder destroy them.

Snape hoped the girl was as smart as he thought she was and somehow sent word to the Order. Granger, who so reminded him of his Lily, muggleborn but still so clever, kind but still a sharp tongue on her. He was impressed she made it through the night,not that he'd pressed too hard, but she hadn't said a word the whole time. He knew that foul creature Greyback was chomping at the bit to get a hold of her, and the idiot muggle who honestly thought he was to survive this. She had been correct of course, about death being the only outcome once bitten for the muggle. Another of his 'master's' little games, the Dark Lord found it quite humorous to play with the muggles before the painful deaths. Snape was running out of time, waiting on

the Order to swoop in and save the girl, it was why he left her her wand.

As Snape was sitting down to a cup of tea, waiting for the alarms to let him know they were close and he could leave, hopefully taking Greyback out in the process, he heard a terrified scream. He dropped everything and ran to the room Hermione was being held.

….

"Let's see if we can get you to talk, shall we?" Fenrir Greyback said and he inhaled deeply, moving behind the girl, both hands on her upper arms. She was terrified, he could smell it on her, this was enticing, arousing, his very favorite feeling. He loved when they were scared, it made the taste so much sweeter. It was still three days until the full moon, but that didn't stop him from biting anymore. Greyback needed to make a decision, if he would just bite the girl and half turn her, or take her until the moon.

Greyback had plans of his own, and they didn't line up with the fanatical nonsense of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He would hang back during this war, let the light and dark fight it out, then when they were all at their weakest he would strike with all of his children, it's why he had been building this army for years. It would soon be the time of the werewolves. This girl, who was so close to the chosen one, would make a fine queen, that would be quite symbolic. The best friend of the boy who lived, by his side, his mate, forced to do as he wished. He would have to wait for the moon, he decided, for he could not fully control the halflings, he would need to break her spirit and change her fully. Still, he could play with her until then, get the information they were looking for, stay on the good side of the Dark Lord, for now.

"Come along, pet. Loosen your tongue, it will be easier on you," he growled as his grip tightened on her arms, definitely bruising her.

"Do what you want, I don't know anything. And if I did, you would be the last one I'd tell," Hermione said.

"Defiant little witch, aren't you? I think I'll leave your pretty face the way it is, I rather like it. However, you won't be in need of your fingers anytime soon," Greyback said running a hand down her arm to her hand. "Well well well, what do we have here? Do you belong to someone little witch?"

Again Hermione was silent, not giving the satisfaction of pleading. Greyback then took the finger he was holding, the one with the ring Fred had given her at the beginning of their mission, and snapped it. Still she held firm, the only indication that she felt anything at all was a sudden gasp as the finger broke and the grinding of teeth as she willed herself not to scream.

"I think I have made a good choice with you, pet. You are a strong one. Now who is the lucky wizard? Is it Potter? The chosen one? No, I've heard he's all about the blood traitor brat. A Weasley then? There are so many of them, how do you tell them apart? Is it mine? The one who's pretty face I tore apart? I hope it is. I hope to see him again soon."

"What do you mean, a good choice? What have you chosen?" Hermione asked hoping to get him talking to give the Order more time.

"Oh clever, clever girl, you are. Not yet, that is a discussion for another time. Now, if broken fingers won't stir that pretty tongue of yours, perhaps a nice back rub?" He said this as he pushed her face down on the bed. He held her down at the neck with one hand and used the claws on his other hand to tear apart her sweater. He tossed the shredded garment to the side leaving her in just her bra and skirt. Then he began rubbing his hands down her back, digging into her skin, producing long gashes from her shoulder to her waist, catching the straps of her bra in the process. She finally screamed.

"What the bloody fuck is going on in here?" Nick yelled as he ran in at her screams. Greyback was already sick of this stupid muggle, he was finished playing the game with him. He let go of Hermione, took two steps toward Nick and snapped his neck. The boy dropped to the ground and the werewolf kicked the body out of the room with ease.

That short moment of distraction was all it took. Hermione ripped the wand from her hair, she felt the wounds on her back protest angrily but ignored the pain. She threw every hex at Greyback that she could think of. Greyback flew through the air, hitting the wall behind and crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Hermione continued to scream hexes and jinxes at his unmoving body, she was so filled with fury, fear and pain.

Snape ran into the hall just as Hermione herself collapsed to the floor, holding her wand up feebly. Then there was an incredibly loud wailing sound. Snape looked from the unmoving bodies of Nick and Greyback and smiled at her slightly before disaperating.

Hermione tried to stand, but fell back to the floor, she managed to crawl to where her sweater was lying on the floor. Now that the immediate threat was gone she realized that she had been standing there in her torn bra, which wasn't covering much at the moment. As she reached over to retrieve the shredded garment and see if she could mend it, there was a loud crash. She looked up to see Fred barreling into the room.

"I knew you would come for me," Hermione said before slumping forward into the darkness.

"Every time, love," Fred muttered as he took off his jacket and covered her gently.

…..

Molly was nervously attempting to clean, picking things up just to abruptly set it back down again, constantly looking at her clock to check the status of her family. Harry, Ron and Ginny were sitting at the table, staring at their untouched plates, not even Ron had an appetite at the moment. Mr and Mrs. Delacour were sitting quietly, eating their breakfast, occasionally speaking softly to each other in French. Fleur, while meaning well, was flitting around the

room trying to help, but succeeding only in making Molly even more tense and Ginny more angry. Things had been easier between the Weasley women and Fleur, but the relationships were still a bit strained.

"Mr. and Mrs. Delacour, have you seen the garden or orchards here? They are really quite lovely. Not even a hint of Nargles on the whole property. I would be very happy to show them to you," Luna said as she watched Molly. "Fleur perhaps we can look at where the wedding will be held?"

"That would be wonderful, dear. Let us just clean up breakfast and we would love to have a tour," Mrs. Delacour said kindly.

"Oh, please just leave it, I'll take care of it. I need something to do with my hands," Molly said and she discreetly pulled Luna into a hug and whispered her gratitude.

Luna led the Delacours out the back door and Molly could hear her talking about being bitten by one of the garden gnomes, how lucky it was. Molly just closed her eyes with a small smile.

"Alright you lot, up you get," Molly said. "Boys, please make sure everyone will have a place to sleep tonight, I haven't a clue how many will be staying, just prepare for all of them. Ginny, please put all this food away and bring my healing kit in here, just in case."

The words were barely out of her mouth when she heard the commotion outside. She looked up to see Fred running towards the house. He was carrying an unconscious Hermione, carefully not touching her back. She was wearing what looked to be Fred's jacket backwards. Bill and Arthur were just behind him.

"She was scratched by Greyback, she passed out from blood loss, I think," Fred said nearly emotionless. "Mum you've got to help her."

"Ron, clear the table. Ginny, get that kit. Okay Freddie, set her down gently, there you go. Let's get this jacket off. Now you boys go wait outside, let's give her a bit of privacy," Molly said.

This was Molly's strength, Aunt Muriel always said she should be a healer, she chose love instead, but she was always great in an emergency.

"I'm not leaving her mum," Fred said simply, there was no room for negotiation.

"Very well, stay up near her head. Hold her hand, talk to her. It helps."

"How can I help?" Fleurs voice came from behind her.

"Get these boys out of here, then come back I'll have had a look and will know better the situation," Molly told, she knew from when Bill was hurt that Fleur was quite the healer herself. "Alright, Ginny, lets go ahead and give her a calming draught, Freddie lift her head, there you go, gently now, back down."

"Is she going to turn, mum? Like Bill?" Ginny asked the loaded question. Everything went silent for a moment.

"No, dear, I don't think that will happen. As long as she wasn't bitten she should be fine. I see no bites, I believe he only scratched her," Molly said.

"But she will be scared, these will not disappear like normal scars," Fleur said, as she walked back into the house.

"Yes, well, that's nothing to fret over," Molly said with a look at Fred, who stopped paying attention to them once he heard she wouldn't change.

"Now, I need to remove the poison. It will hurt, she may wake or scream from the pain. Freddie get ready. Fleur if you will hold her down on the other side. Ginny, I need you to have blood replenishing potions ready, two I believe will do it. Also set out the dreamless sleep," Molly said, then began muttering and waving her wand over Hermione's bare back.

….

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith, that's Hermione's mum's friends, they went with George and Remus to the muggle police to report a home invasion. I reckon Remus convinced them that was the best thing to do. They were a bit worse for wear, but alright enough," Bill said sitting at the old picnic table outside. He and Arthur were telling Harry and Ron about what had happened at the Smith's house.

"Greyback, he…" Harry started.

"Tonks, Charlie and Jake took him and the other death eaters to a safehouse to be questioned," Arthur told them.

"And Mione? Is she going to be okay?" Ron asked quietly.

"I didn't get a good look at her, Fred wouldn't let anyone close enough to her, but she should be fine. If he just scratched her she'll heal up soon enough. If he got a bite in, well, she'll be like me," Bill said as kindly as he could.

There was a loud crack and they watched as Tonks and Charlie walked to the house, with Jacob between the two of them. They were both supporting his weight and he looked rather beat up.

"What the bloody hell happened to you!?" Ginny asked, coming out the back door to see who had arrived.

"Ginny, hey little firecracker. I reckon I got too up close and personal with that damn werewolf," Jacob said with a smile.

"Greyback? Please tell me he didn't get away," Arthur said, then added as an afterthought, "Ginny please watch your mouth."

"Sorry Pop, he got one on me, caught me by surprise. Reckon Ma can fix this up for me?" Jacob said, pointing to a scratch from his shoulder to his wrist.

"You know Hermione took on Greyback all on her own, knocked him unconscious and has much bigger wounds to show for it, and she barely weighs eight stone," Ginny said with a smile.

"How much is that again? I can't ever remember. And you are proof that a lot of power can be packed in a small wrapper," Jake said, ruffling her hair as he sat heavily at the picnic table next to Ron.

"Yeah, yeah. Give Mum a few minutes to finish Hermione up and she'll have a look at you," Ginny said as she snuggled close to Charlie as he sat on the other picnic bench.

"We got the other three to the safe house, if you lot can see to Leroy here, I'm going to head back. Bill, would you like to join me?" Tonks said.

"Yes, let me run in and tell Fleur, I'll be back in a moment," Bill said, standing.

"Nymphadora, when are we gonna end this silly feud and be friends?" Jacob asked.

They had lightheartedly squabbled since they met, when Dora told him with complete certainty that he couldn't take Charlie from her, no matter what. She had been convinced that he was trying to steal her best mate.

"Leroy, I've told you, when you admit that you were the one who put the frog eggs in my pillow when we went camping, and your sole mission in life is to be Charlieboy's best mate, then the feud can be over. You started it," Dora said with a laugh.

"I thought your name was Jake?" Harry asked happy to have something other than Hermione's injuries to dwell on.

"It is, Nymphadora here has decided that because I'm from a small town in Alabama I sound like a hick," Jake explained easily.

"Well, you do," Tonks said and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Nymphadora, sugar, I've told you again and again, I never put a thing in your pillow. I'm nothin if not a true gentleman. My mamaw would tan my hide, if I ever tried something like that," Jacob said with as much innocence as he could manage.

"Tan your hide for being a bloody liar more like," Tonks huffed.

"That is one strong witch in there. Jake, go on in Mum is ready for you. Tonks, whenever you're ready." Bill said quietly as he walked back to the group outside.

"Charlieboy, get me on the mirror when Mione wakes up will you? And send my husband when he arrives," Tonks called as she and Bill walked to the boundary.

"So you're Harry? I'm Jacob Henson, please call me Jake. I'm gonna get patched up and we can get to know each other," Jake said as he stood, only to sway a bit causing Charlie and Ginny to hop up and each grab an arm.

"He seems to be an interesting bloke," Harry said, not really knowing what else to say.

"He's a good guy, bloody funny. Real strong too, like all the dragon tamers," Ron told Harry.

"Think he'll add a werewolf to his arm now dad? He has tattoos all over, he says his right arm is his life story though, he adds something whenever something big happens."

"I'm sure he will, probably right next to the frog, he got that one after the camping trip Tonks was talking about earlier. Said frog eggs started his feud with Tonks so it was only fitting to add it to his story," Arthur said with a chuckle.

"Let's go see how Mione is doing," Harry said after a few minutes of silence.