Chapter warning: The story gets more intense from here. This one may be disturbing. Bad thing happen to our SS/HG.
The battle had taken a terrible toll on Hogwarts. Many of the smaller turrets were gone, quite a bit of the roof, and the foot bridge, belltower, and clocktower were almost completely smashed. It felt like it would take several years and a miracle to complete repairs. Hermione refused to give up. As long as there was magic in this world, then stone could be returned to its rightful place, bridges and towers could be rebuilt, and the very ground cleansed and made whole. She knew she could not do it alone, but somehow, she would see it done. For Harry, Ron and the rest.
They could smell it before they could see it. The ravine. Severus had tried to steer her back away from it, but she wanted to see for herself. She looked over the edge at the indescribable horror that lay below. A pile of bodies thirty feet high decaying in the sun. Her friends and classmates were down there. The People she loved the professors she admired, were mixed in with Death Eaters and trolls and spiders. Severus watched as her look of horror turned into something cold and hard. This would be their first task. To recover the bodies of the honored fallen and give them a decent place to rest. It would be a gruesome task, but none of her repairs would mean anything until this was rectified.
Hermione looked up at Severus with such determination it frightened him. "We have to make this right Severus. Minerva is down there. Most of the male staff and students are down there. We can't leave them to this end. They deserve better." Just then a beam of sunlight touched the earth across the lake in the forested hills. They looked at each other and agreed. "That's it. That's where we will put the grave and monument."
Hermione was silent after they returned to the great hall. She was deep in thought about how to proceed. She had to look at the harsh reality of bodies that had been exposed to the elements for several weeks. They would be fragile and difficult to move any great distance, not to mention that decomposition would make it difficult to tell one arm from another. There was only one solution. The only way anyone could be moved at this point was if they were only bones. Hermione knew of several curses that would remove flesh from bones. Once done the rest could be incinerated with fiend fire. But how do you get all the bones from a single individual? Hermione had an idea.
She remembered them taking her wand and the wands of the others and putting them in a box. "Severus will you take me to Voldemort's rooms? I have a hunch there is something in there that will help us."
He looked at Hermione as if she were mad. "Are you sure? You will see things that will greatly disturb you. He kept the female staff there for Bella to torture at her pleasure."
Hermione was resolved. "Yes. I must go there to get the answers I need."
Severus sighed and held her a moment, knowing this would be difficult for them both. "Very well. Let's go."
He led her down a corridor that used to be the DADA classroom. Two massive doors with several bent and tortured skeletons on them marked the entrance. Severus looked at Hermione to be sure she wanted to do this. She nodded gravely and he opened them. The room smelled of smoke and suffering, and had been completely transformed into a scene out of hell. It had a high round platform bed in the center. Making it easy to observe the occupants of an array of tall wooden posts with manacles hanging off a cross beam at the top. The height adjusted to the prisoner so that only their toes could touch the floor. The two beasts apparently enjoyed watching the faces of the unfortunate as they had sex. Around the room were tables of torture equipment. Whips and chains, knives of all shapes and sizes, most of which were bloody. Further back a St Andrew's cross with a still smoldering pit of branding irons.
Hermione was sickened by what they saw. Row after row of medieval torture devises. At last they came to what Hermione was searching for. Voldemort's own pleasure garden. A treasure trove of things looted from all over the planet. Given by those who hoped to curry his favor. Valuable works of art, chests of gold galleons and jewels, A collection of green and black robes of silk for both himself and Bella. A massive black marble ornate sunken tub was against one wall with all the extras. Hermione supposed that once done bloodletting for the day, one would want to relax in a hot bath surrounded by all your precious things. She looked at Severus who stood tall and stoic, but there was something wrong as well. Almost a look of panic in his eye. "Severus? What is it?"
How could he tell her what was wrong? He hadn't really delt with it himself. Perhaps it would help her to know why he had refused to rape them on that first night, and what made him seriously consider her plan to kill Voldemort. He screwed his courage to the sticking place and answered, choosing his words carefully. "The Dark Lord did not limit his physical pleasures to Bella alone. He would often choose a high-ranking Death Eater at random. Many times, someone who had displeased him in some way, but not always. They would be given an intimate tour of that chamber and its tools. Shown those half dead women hanging in that room and what she had done to them. Then he would be brought in here, stripped, bathed and fondled by the two of them… and then… bound and raped repeatedly by either Himself or His favorite toys. It would last for hours as they took turns. Finally, they would grow jaded and release you. No one was immune and no one spoke of it after. He did it to remind you of His absolute power over your whole existence."
Hermione stood looking at Severus in horror as the truth of it showed on his face. She didn't want to ask, and before she could, he answered. "Yes Hermione. I have been in this room."
Her feelings of revulsion were so strong she wanted to retch, but that wouldn't help him. All she could do was to try to comfort him. She laid her hands on his face and turned him to her with a gentle kiss. "They're dead Sev. They have no power over you now."
His only reply. "Let's get this over with and get the hell out of here."
Hermione began to roughly rummage through the boxes and chests. Throwing precious things aside to dig further. She stopped suddenly when she found what she was looking for, a bejeweled box of wands.
She held it reverently to her chest as she looked up at Severus. "I knew they would be here. That monster wouldn't lose such a valuable souvenir of his conquests." She put her hand in the box to draw one out. Minerva's. It was cold in her hand, and as familiar as her own. She held it out for Severus to see. He placed his flat palm upon hers and the wand responded slightly. "This is how we will do it Sev. We will take each wand and summon the bones of its owner for transport to the gravesite." Severus nodded his head in approval.
Now that she had what she wanted Hermione's vision began to take in more of the room. She suddenly realized there was enough wealth in this room to repair Hogwarts and then some. The emotion was at last too much for her to contain and tears began to flow down her face. "We can do it Severus. The bastard will pay for what he's done in gold galleons!"
Severus smiled at her and pulled her close as she cried into his chest, still clutching Minerva's wand. "Come, Let's go now." He led her back through the chamber and into the hall. Severus turned to the doors and cast the strongest warding spell she had ever felt. No one would be able to enter that room without his permission. "We must keep it all safe until it is decided what to do with it. I know you want it for Hogwarts dearest, but that may not be the best use of the funds, and not our decision to make."
Hermione's eyes were wide with disbelief. "What are you saying? Hogwarts has suffered the most. Do you think I'm going to let some petty politician decide what will be done with it? We have the most damage to repair. The ministry can repair themselves and Azkaban. If the school doesn't come back from this travesty, then Voldemort wins. I will not allow that." Hermione stopped dead in the corridor. "Give me your word that you will not reveal what we know to be in that room. It's ours. We earned it, and we will say what is to happen to it!"
Severus looked at her helplessly. He could not make that promise. "Don't you know that there were more injured than just Hogwarts in our world?" He gripped her shoulders so she couldn't turn away. "The war created all kinds of destruction. There are families without homes or means to support themselves. Children who lost everyone and everything. St. Mungos is fill to the breaking point with the injured and dying." He released her and stepped back. "I can't believe you would be so selfish as to demand that an empty school with literally the stench of death around it, should be repaired first and foremost."
Hermione began to cry in earnest. "I WANT IT TO BE LIKE IT WAS! I WANT OUR LIVES BACK." She looked at the wand in her hand cold and silent again. She looked as if she wanted to strike him to make him listen. "Don't you understand?! If we rebuild it, then it's like it never happened! The halls will be filled with happy children again. The classes taught by dedicated professors. There will be laughter and joy and quidditch matches and yule balls! My friends will be here again. Fred and George will play pranks, and Ron will copy from my papers, and Harry will… Harry… will…"
Hermione couldn't say anymore as Severus pulled her tightly to himself and began to rock her. Her grief having come home to her at last, she shook with uncontrollable sobs. "It's alright my love. Cry. Cry your heart out. Don't hold anything back." She clung to him helplessly with a strength Severus didn't know her capable of. He moved her to a nearby bench to sit and disintegrate at her own pace, his own face wet with tears. They sat there for what seemed like hours. He petted her and whispered words of love and encouragement. Hermione's tears dwindled eventually, and she was exhausted.
Still whimpering he picked her up and took her back to their room. Laying her in bed he gave her a vial of dreamless sleep. She was out in moments. Severus sat beside her on the bed. His own tears had never stopped and he felt helpless against Hermione's need to recreate the past. Yes, it could be done. Hogwarts could be rebuilt, but it wasn't the best use of the funds, and he knew it. Yet how could he deny her, her heart's desire. Hermione whimpered again and sighed deeply. He brushed the hair from her eyes. The answer was, because he had to. Because it was the right thing to do, and because she will eventually see that and agree. Severus stood and covered her with a blanket. The potion would last for hours, and he had work to do.