A/N:

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I took some of the reviews into considerations and created this nice little chapter here. Do enjoy and reviews are most certainly welcome again!

Special thanks to N.O.C. for being my beta!

Disclaimer: I own nothing blardy blar blar!

Chapter 8: Hermione's Determination

Hermione wasn't for certain how long she lay on the bed crying before she had fallen asleep. Now that the night was over the warm sun was shining in through the window on her face. Her head was pounding and she desperately just wanted to go back to sleep. She had seen Lavender act this way in the dormitories but she never thought she would be in this position; Falling in love with a man who didn't want her or worse someone else. Cramped up in the fetal position feeling so sorry for herself. Sulking, lying in the bed pining for a man who obviously did not desire her in the least or worse had found another woman. Shoving the pillow in her face and crying hysterically obviously wasn't going to solve anything!

She sat up abruptly on the bed. This was the moment of clarity and would be damned to let it pass. She was tired of the bitter loneliness, being weak and feeble. Yes having dealt with the most unfortunate circumstances in the past year and a half but come hell or high water she was not going to be "this girl" anymore.

Walking over to the closet and pulling out some cloths and throwing them on, prancing over to the mirror and fixed her make-up and decided there that Severus would hear what she had to say whether he wanted to hear it or not! She looked ravishingly beautiful in her opinion and she would make him beg! She took a step back and apparated to Spinner's End.

CRACK!

Standing on the sidewalk and staring with curiosity at the open door to Severus' home. She couldn't believe he would just leave the front door wide open. Merlin forbids he hadn't brought home another woman. He and his gutter rat must still be in the throes of passion! Fury engulfed her and she would stand for what was hers! "I'm going to hex his bullocks off!" She yelled as she pulled her wand out and ran up the front stoop through the front door.

Her run abruptly changed upon entering the scene looking at Severus's home. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. There was an eerie feeling consuming the entirety of the house. It reeked of dark magic. Looking around at the sitting room there was sand all over the floor and around the fire place. Judging by the looks of the walls it looked as if a fight had happen. Walking down the hallway there was a side table that was slightly crooked. She knelt down beside it looking at the rather odd indentions on the floor and noticed a very small satchel.

Hermione waved her wand over the satchel checking for dark magic before there were no signs of dark magic and it wasn't a port key. This was a curious piece. Why would someone shrink a satchel and leave it lying on the floor where it was barely noticeable? With a wave of her wand the satchel enlarged to the size of a very large leather duffel bag.

Hermione was definitely curious as to what was inside. Maybe his whore had left her things for later. She would more than gladly set them a fire. She gave an evil smirk and unzipped the bag. She looked at the contents in horror! Reaching down into the bad and pulling out a beautiful pair of the finest black silk dress robes. These were Severus' things he had packed to come to her house! Quickly stuffing his belongings back into the satchel, zipping it up and with a quick swish of her wand and shrunk it back to the way she found the bag.

She went through the remainder of the house and saw that nothing had been moved around like the table in the hallway. She briefly wondered if this was the kidnapping that had sent Harry to Egypt so quickly. It would definitely explain the sand in the note and the sitting room. However, Severus wanted nothing to do with that situation. Not yet at least. She thought for a moment about who she could go to for answers knowing that Harry was gone. And why did Harry not tell her that Severus had been kidnapped! She needed help…but whom….George! Hermione quickly ran out of the house and apparated to Diagon Alley.

She ran through Diagon Alley like a mad woman to George's shop! After several minutes of fighting the crowd she managed to make it and ran through the front doors.

"George!" She yelled over and over till finally he came from the back office.

"Hermione! Love is everything alright?" He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. He couldn't hide the obvious affection he so longed to share with her everyday. "What is wrong? Why do you look so…so…crazed?" He kind of liked this new look! He always thought Hermione was stunning in a nerdy sort of way. He also knew better than to ever ask her out on a date. They were too different and would never work in a relationship. He would gladly go for a one night romp with her but he still didn't see that happening she wouldn't stop talking long enough for him to enjoy the evening.

"George we need to talk. Have you seen Harry?"

"Oh uh. Yea I've seen Ginny not Harry. Let's uh..let's get out of here and then we can talk."

George led her out of his shop rapidly to the Leaky Cauldron. They settled at a table in the back away from everyone loitering around the bar.

"So love what's on your mind?"

"I think something is going down! George so much has happened I don't know where to begin!" She was becoming frantic. She tried to meditate but it wasn't working.

"Obviously something is going down! Harry just up and left Ginny. Told her she was a bossy, demanding bitch and he never wanted to see her again. Then he apologized to mom as he walked out the door. Strange that boy is…" George drifted off thinking about the odd memory.

"That's not what I'm talking about George. However, Harry did come to me last night and talk to me about what happened with Ginny."

"Really and what did the little git have to say for himself?" George was getting a bit red in the face and angry. He was clearly upset that Harry had just left his sister.

"I don't believe Harry made the wrong decision George. If he had married Ginny she would have been miserable for the remainder of her days because she is another Molly who is smothering and bossy and just a tiny bit demanding. They both would have been." She stared at the cup of tea the waitress had just brought over.

"So you're taking his side!" He shouted he couldn't believe she was siding with that arse!

"George you don't understand. Harry is…." She stopped she didn't know if she should tell him or not.

"He's what Hermione?"

Clearly he was about to walk out the door she had better start talking now or she wouldn't have his help! She swallowed deeply and stared George right in the eyes.

"Harry is gay George. He told me last night."

George remained silent for a few moments. Clearly he was mentally battling thoughts of his sister and what had turned into his best friend. He hadn't expected that to come out of Hermione's mouth. He wondered why Harry just didn't tell Ginny that yesterday.

"Gay you say? Does he have a boyfriend?"

"I don't know we didn't get to finish our conversation. Another Auror burst through my front door and rushed Harry off to Egypt. Which is why I'm here George, I need your help. Perhaps when we go to Egypt to find him we can ask him together."

"You want me to go to Egypt? Hmm well…yes…yes I do need some fresh ingredients for a few of my products." He paused for a long moment. The wheels were really moving fast which one could easily tell by the look of constipation on the poor blokes face that he wasn't used to such advanced thoughts. "I can't believe that Harry is gay. That doesn't make very much sense to me at all." The look of confusion swept his face once again.

"George there is more important things to ponder on besides the FACT that Harry is gay. I will need to do a bit of research prior to us leaving but I was hoping we could leave tonight." She was beginning to squirm in her seat and bit her lower lip.

"Right. So tell me this dreadfully long story that I can see you're apparently dying to share." He prepared himself to be bored out of his pants.

Hermione proceeded to share with George the events that had transpired since Severus and Harry had their meeting and destroyed the resting place of Draco. Hermione watched as George leaned closer and closer across the table with a look of total perplexity across his face. When she had gotten to this morning's events George's mouth was hanging so far open that his bottom jaw was about an inch from the table. When she had finished she sat and watched George waiting for all the information to sink into that thick skull.

After several minutes George leaned back and took a drink of his fire whiskey. He stared through Hermione as if she wasn't even sitting across from him at the table.

"So all of this is true?"

"Every word."

There was a long moment of silence before George opened his mouth and closed it again.

"So what you're telling me is that Harry is gay?"

Hermione could feel her face flush and anger coursed through her veins!

"GEORGE WEASLEY! YOU POMPOUS ASS! AFTER EVERYTHING I HAVE TOLD YOU THE MAIN FOCAL POINT FOR YOU IS THAT HARRY IS GAY! DID YOU HEAR ONE WORD OF WHAT I SAID?" She proceeded to smack him silly on the back side of the head and against his shoulders.

George began to laugh and pushed Hermione back into her seat.

"Okay…..Okay! Calm yourself witch! I can't think of any other questions at the moment besides what time tonight are we leaving? I need to go back to the shop and tell Ginny I won't be in for a few days and to the Burrow to tell mom I'm leaving also. Would you care to join me?"

It took Hermione a moment to regain her composure. George was infuriating when the moment was supposed to be serious. As if he didn't even acknowledge that his father and brother could still be alive. Severus was in mortal peril and Draco was…well…doing as they all accused him of doing the last seven years. She paused and thought for a moment she supposed that wasn't a shocker at all.

"No I won't be joining you at the Burrow. That welcome wagon is long gone for Hermione Granger or have you forgotten how well my last visit went? I have some research to do and I have to get it done before we leave this evening. I also have to make a port key and get packed for the trip." She scribbled her address down on a piece of paper and handed it to George. "Meet me at this address at eight this evening. We will leave from my house."

She got up from the table and gave George a quick hug and walked towards the exit. She tried to remember what the ritual's name was as she walked to Flourish and Botts. She would kill to have access to Hogwarts library right now. She had to browse here then she could go home and go through her massive collection.

Hermione was hopeful that Severus was still alive. There was no way that he could perish now. Not after everything he had been through. She needed him to survive more than anything else. It would be hard for her to admit this to anyone but he was her rock. She had always thought that Severus was a real pain in the arse in school but there was something about his bad boy attitude that made him attractive in a very seductive way. She could get lost in his eyes for days. The feeling of love went deep within her they were meant to be together.

Drawing herself out of thoughts of Severus she browsed the books at Flourish and Botts. This store was useless. She apparated back to her home and made a mad dash to her collection. She had nine hours to find what she needed. Smiling for the first time in a very long time and beaming with pride. She knew she would find Severus.

Hermione dived into her research looking at one book and tossing it to the side when finished. Finding another possible book and taking notes in her journal. So close to having her answers and then she saw the stack of books she had recovered from Malfoy Manor. Rapidly scanning each book searching the contents and then it happened, the answers had been discovered!

Clutching the book to her chest and jumping up and down with joy! It was almost like it was Christmas morning when she was a child all over again. She quickly gathered all her research and her book and stuffed it into her bag. A port key had to be made for Giza, supplies and cloths had to be packed. She had a little over an hour before George got to her home to be ready. She was going to make Draco pay and she was going to love every single minute.

A/N

TA DA! Reviews are welcome!

Did you like this chapter?

How do you want this story to go from here?!

I'd love your feedback!

Hope you enjoyed!