I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my friend Katie who died a year ago yesterday. Rest in Peace for all eternity Katie

Guilt and Innocence

Hermione sat at her desk in the History of Magic classroom. It had changed in the six years she had been out of school. Binns had finally given up his position three years ago and she had been drafted in by McGonagall.

She hadn't been able to believe it when she had called her in, she was an Unspeakable well had been training as one and enjoying her research on time travelling and she had also been looking into the veil in her spare time. She knew it was the veil of death but so much mystery still surrounded it.

Then when Flitwick was murdered things were getting serious nobody wanted anything to do with the school. Students were still sent but not as many as she had remembered in her school days. No more was there a hundred students at least joining a year they were lucky with fifty and some years only had twenty. Most of the students had muggle in them and found this the best placement.

So because of the lack of wizarding interest Hermione found herself teaching Charms and History of Magic and she even took the muggle studies class twice a week since that class had now fallen to a lack of teaching. Things were getting desperate.

However something else was weighing on her mind and it wasn't the lesson plans she had been going to work on. In her hand was a small list of names, the names of those in the Order. Harry's earlier words were ringing strong in her mind.

On the top was the word yes and beneath it she had written Remus, Hermione, Luna, George, Tonks, Kingsley and Dean. With what Harry had told her these were the only people that she could trust within the Order.

However part of her wondered how much she could actually trust Harry's word. She wanted to believe in what he had said but she also knew that he was a criminal, a murderer this might be a trick on Voldemorts part to get her to distrust the others, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to believe that.

She knew that she still loved Harry and no matter what happened she always would but that didn't mean he still loved her. Something was nagging her though, he had always pleaded his innocence and if he was going to be set up it was likely that it was going to be a spy within the Order.

It wasn't too obscure a thought either in the first war there had been spies, Wormtail he had been a member of the Order and had worked for Voldemort but then there was also Snape.

Hermione's head was spinning and unbeknown to her somebody had entered the room. She looked up to see Ron standing there arms folded over his chest a puzzled look on his face.

"Its weird knowing that he's here isn't it?"

"Yeah it is Ron but he's here to help."

"What if he changes sides mid-fight?"

"He won't."

"How do you know?"

"I trust him, or part of me does. I know I shouldn't but he's always pleaded his innocence and this is a chance to prove it."

"Or to just kill the only people standing in Voldemorts way."

"He'll do it for Sirius, and his parents. They died to save the world from Voldemort and he won't let their deaths be for nothing."

"Well I only came to tell you I'm going home. Tonks is guarding the prisoner, night Hermione."

"Night Ron."

She watched as he turned to leave and she looked at the parchment. He couldn't be the traitor because he'd been standing with her when Neville was killed but that left Ginny, Minerva, Charlie, Lee and Hannah. She didn't think any of them would be able to do that to a friend.

She knew that she could sit there all night and never come up with any ideas the fact was she trusted them all with her life they'd been through so much. In the end she stood stretching knowing that she needed sleep.

She walked the corridors of the school on her own like she had so many times before but this time she felt like someone or something was following her. All her senses were on edge as she got onto the moving staircases.

Suddenly the staircase changed positions and Hermione groaned. She hated when this happened, it also meant she'd have to wait to go to the floor she wanted to go to. As it stopped she decided to go to the next platform as she reached it she jumped backwards.

"Sorry Hermione I didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you still doing here?"

"I'm always here, are you alright Hermione?"

She nodded and yawned.

"Sorry I'm just so tired and I'm on edge you know what with Prisoner X being here."

"Yeah I know what you mean. I'm really worried that he'll get out and attack someone, you know what with the fact that he's working for Voldemort."

Hermione's eyes widened she couldn't believe it, where would that have come from. Something stirred in her and she knew she had to get away.

"Well night, I think I'll just go now."

"Wait, I'll walk with you."

"No its okay, I want to be alone."

A change took over and there was a murderous look in the eyes of her friend. Hermione took a step backwards to find that the staircase had already moved on.

"Nowhere to go Mudblood."

A high laugh sounded and Hermione shivered as she looked around her.

"How could you do this you were our friend? You were Harry's friend and you framed him, you killed Neville."

"So smart of you Mudblood pity that you couldn't use that brain of yours when you could have helped."

Hermione watched as her friends hand came into view. Held tightly in the right hand where there would normally be a wand was now a dagger. She made out the handle shaped like a snakes with emerald eyestones. The dagger of Voldemort.

"You wouldn't kill me?"

"Why not, you're filth you don't deserve to be part of this world. Plus if I can kill the dope Longbottom and cope for five years after and still pretend to be your friend I think I can rid the world of one more mudblood for my master, beside it'll be fun to set up Potter once more.

Hermione looked behind her and saw that the stairs were moving towards her on the level below. She looked at her friend and shook her head.

"You won't kill me, not today anyway."

Without taking a look she stepped backwards off the ledge and felt her body fall. She looked up and her eyes met with the traitors surprised ones and then she landed. She heard bones snap and screamed loudly. Then everything went black…