Twenty Minutes Early.......
Severus entered the pub which he had just been removed from. Somehow, he knew she would be there. She had such qualities similar to him it was frightening. Now she was here with his daughter. Captive. Just as he predicted, there she was at the bar. Drinking a celebratory glass of fungi champagne. She had been left behind. Just as Severus thought she would be.
"My daughter?" Severus questioned. Alisha's back to the opened door. "Where is she."
"She's safe. Tut tut... Sending your daughter away. From the glory, from the fame. Years to come; people will ask where she was the day Voldermort reigned over the world. Andromeda would have had to say she was running away, like the coward her parents were. Now she can say she was here to embrace her new family. Voldermort will raise her as his daughter" Alisha turned around as Severus looked over the bar to see his daughter, curled in the arms of Elizabeth. Both bound, next to Remus. "You see I'm not too sure about you. Here to pledge allegiance?" Alisha smiled, her hair pulled up into curls on the top of her head.
"Why would I want to be on the loosing side?" Severus sat beside her at the bar, Remus had given him that knowing look. One that told him Remus had a plan. "You ruined my marriage." Ignoring the glass that was offered to him.
"I do believe it takes two." She took a sip of her own glass. "To tango." She leaned over and brushed the inside of his thigh. "You were a good partner." He grabbed her hand forcefully. "Ahhhhh, she has you back on her leash I see."
"We are equal. She does not control me." Severus let go of her hand. "She brings out the best in me-"
"A weak fool?! That's what she bring out of you." Alisha laughed. "I admired you. The bat you were. The dark Lords favourite pet. All men feared you." Alisha watched him walk to the fire place. "You still desire it. I can smell it on you. The dark side calls to you. Men. Men still fear you, Voldermort himself fears you. Aren't you tempted?"
"I fear myself." He shouted. "I fear that without Hermione I will become that man again. I am only tempted by Eden's fruit. And that would send me to hell."
"You can't hide away from who you are Severus. I'm your soul mate. I'm your fruit." Severus laughed deeply at this.
"I thought I was just a way to get to Hermione. You are not Eden's fruit. You were never forbidden. You handed yourself on a golden platter. Although the result was the same" He added bitterly. She blushed triumphantly. "Get over yourself little girl. I'm way too old for you." Alisha joined him. Pinning him the wall beside the fire. She kissed him deeply. He fought valiantly "I. Love. Hermione."
"She is like totally five minutes older than me. How can you be young enough for her? And not me?" Alisha hated that she was being rejected.
"Her age doesn't matter to me. You're in lust. She loves me. Heart and soul. The soul is ageless." Severus answered. "Besides." He twisted their positions so it was Alisha was pinned to the wall. "Thanks to your stunt, there is only ten years between us now." Severus gripped her arms harder. "No matter what she did. It didn't deserve Ocularis."
"She killed my mother!" Alisha screamed.
"Your mother killed her father, and order her mother to be raped. Your mother deserved to die. Hermione was seeking revenge."
"As am I." Alisha cried.
"And where does it end. You kill Hermione, her friends look for revenge. Her daughter will look for revenge. I am looking for revenge. Any of us kill you. Someone who cares about you, will look for revenge."
"I HAVE NO ONE! All I had was my mother." Alisha dropped to the floor as Severus released his grip on her.
"That is your own fault. I saw the way you treated Hermione in New York. You treat everyone like that; no wonder you are alone. The age of Voldermort is ending. You live through it. You'll wish you were dead. You may have had the ability to charm me. But it wore off. I never once fully gave in to you. I always had that little doubt. About you. Hermione and her affair. You won't stand a chance." Alisha looked up to him, crocodile tears filling her eyes.
"You've spent so long pitying yourself... You can't find an ounce of remorse for me?" Alisha questioned her eyes moving on to the burning fire.
"Why should I? I didn't pity myself. I loathed myself. I didn't once feel sorry for myself. I hated myself. I couldn't look in the mirror, because I feared the man I was. He haunted me from sunrise to sunset. Then the devil himself plagued my dreams." Severus looked over her. She was pathetic. "Hermione help me get out of that, my thanks were to betray her. Not with you. But because of you. You made me believe she could betray me. I can't tell her, because she won't believe me. It won't mean anything to her. But I trust her with all my heart and soul. It's me I don't trust anymore. Now compare yourself to me. Now tell me you deserve my pity, my remorse. Tell me I should give you you're redemption." Alisha looked unaffected. The crocodile tears were gone. She knew she couldn't win him over. He had come to do what he needed. She had lost.
"See this." She put her thumb and index finger together. "This is the smallest fucking violin, playing the saddest little song. Just for you. And that little mudblood bitch of yours." She threw a handful of power into the fire while reaching for the hot poker and jabbing it into Severus' ribs. He heard them crack. Warm blood filling his right lung. He was being spun to the fire. Ocularis. He knew instantly were she intended him to go and braced himself at the edge of the fire. His hands gripping the chimney breast.
"Once bitten. Twice shy." He pulled the poker out and jabbed her with it. Right through the stomach. "Do you know how your mother died? Hermione snapped her neck. She gave her the honour of a quick death. You won't be so lucky. You tortured my wife. You plagued my family. You are a snake. You won't die today. Maybe if you're lucky the Juggernaut will take pity on you, and kill you tomorrow. However, if I know the myth correctly; you'll make the perfect pet for him. And for the record. Why do think I left Voldermort's side?! I don't like being controlled. The man I am when I'm with Hermione; That's me. Accept that. You were a fool to even attempt to make me something I'm not." He pulled her close and whispered. "Off to Ocularis with you! Poetic Justice don't you think?" He thrust her into the fire. Andromeda appeared from behinde the bar followed by Remus and Elizabeth.
It was when they appeared in grounds of the school when Severus knew it was over for him. How could anyone stop to help him in the midst of this. Elizabeth had no magical ability and Remus was so close to transformation that he would probably do more harm than good. His dear sweet Andromeda. He thought as the arms under him crumbled. His Andromeda was too young to help him at all.
"Severus?" A voice disturbed his thoughts as his weight was taken off Remus. He could smell her. Hermione. His head was on Hermione's lap. "You foolish man!!!!!" His eyes met hers. They were full of fear and disappointment.
"I'm sorry." His hand reached at a stray strand of Hermione's hair. "I-" He wanted to tell her, he loved her and trusted her with his life.
"You didn't have to do this." She held his hand.
"I wanted forgiveness." He truthfully repiled. He'd found it. By seeing Alisha as the worm she was. It freed him.
"I gave it to you before you requested it." Hermione cried. he shook his head with all the energy he could muster.
"I had to forgive myself." His eyes admitted defeat and closed. Was it for good?
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"NO!" Hermione screamed her hand covering the wound, cauterised from the searing heat of the poker. She could use wandless magic to bring him back. Extremely complex. She would loose all her energy. She could not loose him. She thought as she felt her magic leave through her hand and dance across his chest in blue sparks. She could feel his heart slowly beat again. Increasing in speed. Her breathing slowed and the air around her felt icy. Remus pulled her back the instant she began to droop and Severus took a sharp intake of breath. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" She roared infuriated.
"You've stabilised him. Don't do this; We can not fight tomorrow. Severus will live today. I promise you." She knew what Remus was saying was true. "Please finish this?" He allowed Andromeda to hug her mother.
"Can I come with you?" Andromeda asked. Hermione shook her head with hesitation. There was something in her daughter's eyes that was telling her that she need to see this through. "Please mother. I'm not afraid." Hermione looked to her mother and Remus for guidance.
"It's up to you my dear. You haven't got much time to decide." Elizabeth pointing to the sly were Harry was throwing the Armstrong into the crack in the stone. Hermione decided her daughter would join her. She already showed a maturity beyond her years. She could comprehend this.
"Come on my sweet. We'll end this together." Hermione mounted her broom and saddled Andromeda in front of her. The shot off into the darkening sky. The icy wind blasted Andromeda's hair into Hermione face. Soon they were joining Harry, Ron and Draco in the sky. Draco was battling with a death eater.
"Finish this Hermione!" Harry urged her, as she withdrew a minute blade from her hair. Cutting her hand deeply she landed upon the stone statue while Andromeda remained floating on the broom.
"About time we got to kill you. ENGRO." Hermione whispered allowing the pool of blood on her hand drop down into the crevice. Voldermort realising Hermione was upon his back shook her from her perch. She fell to the ground with a crack. The blood wasn't enough. The seed needed more. All fate rested upon Andromeda. She landed upon Voldermort's back before Harry or Ron could stop her. Breaking her broom in half she pierced her hand.
"No one hurts my family." Andromeda cried, thinking she was now an orphan. "Engro." Andromeda repeated what she had heard her mother chant and allowed the river of red coming from her hand seep into the rock. Within an instant Ron had scooped her from the eroding rock and took her away to safety. The tower were it had began. Andromeda sobbed into Ron's robes as the heavy sound of thunder rippled into the night.
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Hermione got to her feet weakly. Making her way to the centre of the explosion. She knew there was one more thing to be done. There amongst the debris of stone and bodies was an excuse of a person who was once human. Hermione grabbed a nearby sword. And stood over the panting person.
"This your last ditch attempt at achieving our mercy Tom?" Hermione questioned as Harry landed beside her. He couldn't answer, he just starred at them both. "You should have known you'd never wipe us out. Harry, the honours." She handed him the sword. He shook his head.
"Just leave him.... I'll not lower myself to him. Killing him, will not bring back my parents. He's dead now anyway." Harry made for the castle. Voldermort laughed weakly, seeing his way out.
"It takes a creature of the dark to kill a worm of the dark. Harry's fought because he's had to. Not because he wanted to. I have no qualms about taking your sorry pathetic life. I'll admit my dark side. I'll embrace it. And send it to hell on your sorry ass."
"How do you know when you kill the devil? What if you missssss my heart?" Voldermort hissed.
"What heart?" Hermione plunged the sword into his head. Somewhere deep inside, she doubted they would ever kill him. Someone would be there to replace him. Everyone had a dark place inside them. It was the fight of life. Not to let their darkness consume them.
A/N: The end is nearly upon us. Last chapter is written but I don't like it. Should have it done by Wednesday. Hopefully. It will either take place at the celebration feast or Hermione's birthday that year.
NeopianClayniac: Blame me for watching Charlie's Angels recently. lol
poetrychik: Hope you're firmly back on that seat and are waiting for the final.
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: And I must apologise too, for not realising when you went missing. First two I thought it was just that maybe you hadn't had time to read them. It wasn't until a few days ago I got worried. (See that's the bonus of being a regular, you get the writer worried. lol) I'm glad you've still been reading. Don't remind me about exams.... They are the most evil things in the world. And I should be revising. I promise that after the last chapter you will not hear from me until 28th June. No need to be forgiven. I'm just glad you review at all.
Crimson Regret177: Yes, Will Turner. Have you seen Troy? I used to love Orli.... But I really am starting to go off him... mainly because of Troy.
bunnyrabbit228: Did you mean the conversation between the people on the tower roof. I didn't intend for it to be so casual. But I guess you're right, it did work out ok. I think it contrasts with what they were about to do. I guess they were all in denial.
Anarane Anwamane: Are you ready for the end? Any ideas for new HG/SS fic. Or even a sequel?
QueenBonnie: Did you ever doubt me? lol
Possible Preview
."I trust you Hermione." He declared, knowing her response. Knowing she would ask him to prove it. He ushered her into the garden. "I trust you with my heart and soul. Enough to know you'll say yes." She looked around to the congregation in the garden.