Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.






Hermione looked around the room now, her mind registering what her proclamation could cost her.

Her heart beat was now palpitating into an impossible rhythm. She felt a slight tingle of pain at her wrists and quickly spared a glance at them. What she saw did not surprise her. Her hands were balled up tightly at her sides, so tightly in fact that they had turned white. As she unclenched them she gently held her palms to each other and softy massaged the ache away, noticing once in a while that her nails had cut her palms shallowly.

Her breathing shallow she searched her mind for something to say. An explanation, anything really.

Anything to divert their attention from her apparent emotions at this news about the death eater they would now have to fight.

Their eyes were burning through her with their intensities. She glanced at each pair and saw the same thing there.

Suspicion.

It was Dumbledore. Bless the man. It was Dumbledore who saved her once more.

Peering over his glasses, a tiny smile on his lips, he looked for a moment as he had on their years at Hogwarts. For a moment he looked like a teacher quietly praising a student for having given the right answer to one of his abominable riddles.

"Right as always, Ms. Granger." He said, his voice lacking the lightness of his expression. "Young Mr. Malfoy is lost to us now."

Hermione, realising that the professor's oncoming speech and most probably a declaration of a an oncoming mission was the perfect chance for her to sit back down and allow everyone to forget her sudden show of emotions, slunk back down onto her chair. She ignored the imploring gaze Harry was directing at her, but instead reached over to clasp his hands tightly in hers. She was very glad to notice that Ron had turned his attention to Dumbledore fully.

As she had guessed Dumbledore's announcement had to do with a new mission. A very dangerous mission by the sound of things.

Hermione's heart beat sped up once more, as she looked around the room trying to guess which one of her loved ones would once again be put in the gravest danger imaginable.

"Now as you all know, these newly gathered intel never comes cheaply. Many lives were put in danger to obtain these information." Dumbledore continued. "And to my deepest regret Ms. Chang's life was lost." He revealed gravely.

Hermione gasped. She had not known. The beautiful young Ravenclaw? Harry's former crush. She sighed. Another young witch lost. She couldn't feel as badly over this one though, as they had never been the least close.

"As you all also know, these tidbits of information, also allows us to continue our fight with new missions" He said very carefully. "You also know that I have always been honest with you all. As an honest wizard, I will tell you all one certain thing about this mission. It will be the most dangerous mission any of us will have a chance to perform in this war." He said, his face so grave, adding five years to his age. " It may also very well be the turning point." He announced.

Everyone shuffled in their seats, all ready to volunteer as soon as Dumbledore asked them too.

All wondered what the mission could possibly entail, if it were to be the turning point of the Dark War.

"As you all know . None of you have ever been forced, nor openly asked to perform any of the missions. You've all volunteered freely for the ones you have performed, and I have been very proud of your braveness for this. But I must break this rule, only this once. And I shall ask one of you to show bravery beyond anything we have ever seen." Dumbledore said these words heavily as if a weight was on his shoulders. Each word was carefully chosen, and softly expressed. An underlying tone was hidden in the softness of his words, and everyone present understood what it was.

The heavy burden placed on the former headmaster's shoulder was that of a life. He would now be openly requesting one of them to risk giving it up. And in this war, the chances of death was high.

One witch present however understood the headmaster far better than the others could. Because only she could sense the third layer of worry that plagued the Headmaster.

Being the genius witch that she was, she had figured it out as soon as he had announced that it would not be a completely voluntary project. One specific wizard or witch was required for the mission he had devised. As soon as he had said these words, she had known.

A part of her was glad. It would now end one way or the other, and at least her best-friends, husband and family would not be in danger.

Another part of her, like Dumbledore, was afraid. Afraid that it would end the other way. Of her not coming back, ever.

But not because of death.

Dumbledore had known after-all. She thought to herself almost smiling. But then again there was nothing Dumbledore didn't know.

So the third layer of worry was indeed for her. For her sanity. For her soul.

Hermione could see the Headmaster's thoughts now.

Would he be sacrificing her in vain? She could be lost to him so easily... And if they lost her. They would be losing a very valuable witch. But she was their last and only hope.

The only remaining link to Malfoy's soul, and perhaps to his salvation.

"Ms. Granger." Dumbledore called out to the room, his voice booming above their heads. None of her teachers had ever given up on calling her Granger. Their most prized student was Granger, and Granger she would remain, they had already had one Mrs. Potter, and she could not be replaced.

Hermione stood up gracefully as if in a spell, and walked over to her former headmaster's side. She looked at him straight in the eyes and gave a silent nod.

Everyone seemed to be in shocked at this point. The room stood perfectly still.

"I won't disappoint you proffesor." She said loudly.

Hermione smiled at the wizard as his eyes still held the worried expression. She boldly took hold of his hands and squeezed them in assurance. She stepped closer to him.

" I will be alright professor. I'm strong. I will come back. And I will bring him back with me." She said in a quiet whisper as everyone in the room was still staring disbelievingly at each other.

The headmaster nodded and gave a small smile that did not reach his eyes. He looked over to the room and Hermione followed his gaze to Harry.

She understood.

"I do love him proffesor." she assured him giving him a smile.

"Yes I know you do Ms. Granger." the proffesor said sadly.

Before Hermione could assure him that her deep and devoted love was for Harry she was interrupted by the Boy who lived himself.

"No!" he exclaimed snapping out of his shocked state.

Hermione looked over at him and sighed, he looked wild with anger and indignation, and standing beside him with a similar if not angrier face was Ron.

"Harry's right Hermione. You can't possibly do this." he said pleadingly. " If it's to be the most dangerous mission of the war, it should be me or Sirius, or something."

Hermione turned to them now angry.

"What! So you don't believe I could do it? I am just as much of an Auror as you Ronald Weasley." She exclaimed angrily.

" Hermione!" Harry said looking surprised. "You know that's not why any of us don't want you to go. We all just want to keep you safe that's all."

"No, I am tired of it Harry. Proffessor Dumbledore chose me for this mission. And I plan to carry it out."

Harry sighed exasperatingly as he was about to give up. He had known her practically all of his life, and he like Ron, knew what the look on her face meant. Her mind was set, and heaven help anyone who tried to stop her.

" What is the mission to be Professor?" Snape asked slicing through the thick tension that clung to the air between the three young Aurors.

" I am sending Ms. Granger to the very centre of the death eaters circle. Undercover. As a Mudblood witch who has turned to their side." Dumbledore announced.

All Aurors present dropped their jaws to the floor.

This must be a delusion. Even Dumbledore wasn't as crazy to devise a plan like this.

Harry Potter shook his head wildly disbelieving at this. He trusted Dumbledore with everything that he had, but this....

"No!" Harry said shaking his head at his beloved wife. "You aren't going."

Hermione sighed and shook her head at him. Her heart heavy with pain. She was hurting Harry so much. And as she looked at Ron whose eyes were now downcast and whose lips were now set in a very thin line, she knew that she was hurting him as well . Her two boys.

Was one man's salvation really worth it?

Her mind told her no, but what had her mind ever done for her? It had certainly never helped her on those night shared with the man who was now her hated enemy. No. She could never deny her stupid heart it's desires when she was with him.

But now, today, she swore she would. She swore she was over it. She would be strong for them. For her two men, and for her friends. She would not let them down.

They were worth billions more than her own happiness.

She had always known this.

And tonight, tonight she would prove that she believed it once again.

"I started this. I am going to finish it." she said her voice ringing clearly around the room.

"What are you talking about Hermione?" Harry Potter demanded.

Hermione felt her insides deflate and her heart grew heavy with the weight of what she was about to reveal. She looked over at Ron, who wore a hard look in his eyes.

So he had known. She thought grimly.

End chapter

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