A quick update for you all! I said I would do all my thanks for reviews in this one, but I'm in a hurry and will do so in the next chapter when I have the time to thank everyone properly. I hope you enjoy this one! Thanks to all the new readers and of course all my devoted ones as well!
Hermione had propped the door open to allow Remus to run through and when she wedged it enough that it wouldn't move she started up the steps within the stairwell. She had distracted him once long ago in school this way and she planned to do it once again. Her friends were in trouble and she needed to be quick, but her groin was aching from having been pulled earlier and her tailbone throbbed from being bruised.
Up the stairs she went, passing by the door that entered into the hallway of the second level. She thought of Colin and Sirius as she passed it by hoping that both men were alright. If the Interpol officer managed to live, his life would be much different than the one he grew up in. Hermione prayed that he would be fine though, even though she knew it would cause Remus serious distress and guilt.
Upwards she continued and figured that she had enough of a head start when she reached halfway between the first and second level. She stopped and cupped her hands over her mouth and as she had done once in the past she howled loud and long. With a brief pause to listen for any response she tried again, once again cupping her hands over her mouth. This time when she stopped to listen she heard it, his howl in response and she knew that it was time for her to run and run hard.
Her breath was coming out in raspy pants as she climbed the steps causing her lungs to sting from the exertion. It wasn't until she heard the nails scrapping roughly over the steps that she realized the terror and danger of what she had done. Panic was starting to overtake her as it dawned on her that he was bounding upwards at a faster clip than she had realized.
There it was, the door, her goal and hopefully her salvation. She ran into it and yanked on the doorknob, fumbling slightly in her fear and panic. Hermione yanked the door open and ran through and as she turned to figure where she would run she felt her body lurch and thump into the wall. The breath was knocked out of her and her mind was dazed as her body slid down onto the ground. She lay flat out, prone in her dizziness until she felt the paws push down onto her shoulders and the hot breath of a werewolf on her cheek.
The female was close, the werewolf thought as he bounded up the steps. She was there in front of him, her scent was invading his nostrils and it was familiar. Yes this was the one that he had heard long ago, that had evaded his search due to the creatures that had captured his attention instead. This time though he would have her.
When he saw the opening and the creature there in front of it his anger took over and he would not have himself distracted again. He wanted the female, he wanted his mate. His pace quickened and he thrust himself hard against the creature and sent her hard against the wall. He hit the wall hard himself and took a moment to collect himself and sniffed the air. Her scent was there but the female was not.
He tilted his head down to the creature on the floor and he stepped closer taking in her scent. This was the one that he had sensed, the female he was searching for but she was not like him this he knew. Remus stepped closer placing his paws onto her shoulders and effectively pinning her down so that she couldn't get away again. His nose pressed down against her neck and he felt the fear well up inside the creature beneath him. No she was not like him at all, but he knew that he could make her like him. He wanted his mate and he could claim her now.
Hermione shivered in fear as she felt Remus above her. She couldn't help but look up at him and when she saw the werewolf deep in thought she felt an even deeper fear. Werewolves were mindless in their wolf state and to see one that was thinking had her worried about what was to happen. The wolf's eyes locked on hers and her mind went numb as she contemplated what he was thinking about.
He growled above her, the rumbling went through his body and she felt the vibration of seep into her shoulders where his paws rested. "Remus no…" She said softly and immediately regretted it when she saw the lips of his muzzle curl up to show his teeth. This was it she thought to herself. He would kill her or turn her.
"Holy Shit, what the fuck is that!" Hermione heard the voice over the low growls and then two loud gunshots rang through the air. Seconds afterwards she winced as Remus yelped in pain and she couldn't help but feel bad for her friend as he suffered abuse for the second time tonight from the bullets shot at him. Again though the bullets were ineffective as they were not silver and the ire of the wolf was once again raised.
The weight against her chest lifted as the wolf leapt off her and Hermione winced as she saw the guard's blood spatter against the wall as Remus tore into his body. She needed to get out of there, her mind screamed at herself and so she lifted herself painfully off the floor and limped into the stairwell. She shut the door behind herself and went down the stairwell as fast as she was able, trusting that the guards would keep the wolf occupied on the first floor and perhaps the wolf would even be let out from wherever they were all being kept.
When she reached the bottom level it was to face a panting Harry. "I'm fine Harry, but you have to help me now."
"Of course Hermione, just a second." Harry turned back into the hallway and called out to Ron. "Oy Ron, get the others to safety 'Mione is alright but I need to go with her."
"Okay Mate!" Ron's voice called back and soon Harry and Hermione were walking back up the stairs to the second level.
Harry tried to ask her several times what happened with Remus, but she gave him a noncommittal answer for the most part, only letting him know that he was on the first floor. They entered the second floor doorway when the reached it and Harry took a moment to look at the carnage of the hallway.
"Dear sweet Merlin." His voice rasped out.
"Harry, I need you to understand something ok." Hermione stated as she stopped her friend and gave him a serious look.
"What is it 'Mione?" He asked with a look of concern on his face.
"There is someone that was bitten. He looks like a guard, but he isn't. He is Interpol and was trying to help me out." She paused for a moment before continuing. "His name is Colin. You will help him right?" Hermione was worried that Harry's anger would get the better of him when he saw Colin in the guard's clothing.
His eyes regarded her for a minute until he nodded. "He was trying to help you 'Mione' so we will try and help him. He may not want to live though knowing what he might become." Harry said with dread in his tone.
"I understand that Harry, but we have to try at least." She stated and he nodded in understanding. "Sirius and him are in the room at the end of the hall, we should go now before Sirius starts to freak out."
Harry chuckled softly knowing full well that his Godfather was probably climbing the walls right about now. He took the lead and Hermione followed. When he entered the room Sirius looked up with relief. "Thank Merlin, I don't know how much longer I can keep him alive."
Harry knelt down beside the fallen man and reached into his pocket for a vial of healing draught he had inside. "I thought these would come in handy." He said as he held up the vial showing Sirius. His Godfather nodded in understanding and watched as Harry poured the liquid down the wounded man's throat.
He pulled the fabric of the man's clothing aside to look at the wound and noticed that Sirius had managed to get it sealed, although it still appeared red and angry. The venom would be working its way through the man's body right about now, transforming the DNA that would eventually react upon the next full moon.
"You did a good job Sirius, he probably would have died outright had you not healed him." Harry stated.
"Hermione wouldn't let me leave him. Damn that woman and her recklessness. I blame you entirely for it you know. You are a bad influence on her." Sirius stated in frustration.
Harry was pretty sure that Hermione was red faced and fuming at that moment, but he didn't turn to see knowing full well that he would hear her tirade soon enough.
"She obviously found you, is she alright? The damn fool ran off to distract Remus. I'm the bloody animagus, it should have been me." Sirius continued.
"Of course she is alright, she is right behind me you idiot." Harry stated turning around.
Sirius mumbled loud enough for Harry to hear. "He calls me the idiot…"
"Shit…Hermione!" Harry yelled out as he jumped up to run to the door.
Hermione had followed Harry for a moment until she heard a soft whimpering sound in one of the rooms. Her attention diverted she trusted Harry to take care of Colin and Sirius while she checked on the soft noise. She entered the room and looked about the furniture that had been tossed this way and that.
"Hello.." She called out softly.
"H..Her..Hermione?" A soft voice cried out in response.
Hermione followed the sound and found the source hidden inside a kitchen cupboard. "Hailey?" She asked softly and in a comforting tone.
A sob escaped the young girl's lips and she moved forward so that the light hit her young face. "Hermione, I thought everyone was dead…all the blood and screams." The young witch started crying softly and Hermione pulled her into her arms to comfort her. Her hand gripped the back of the girl's hair and she pulled back to look down at Hailey.
"What has happened Hailey…your hair, it is gone." Hermione asked with shock in her voice.
"I don't know why, they took me when everyone was sleeping. They brought me here and cut off all my hair." Hailey reached up to touch the short cropped hair and another sob escaped. "I must look horrible…" Her voice was filled with teenage angst as the realization that her precious hair had been shorn.
Hermione frowned, wondering why on earth they would do this to a little girl but she needed to comfort her not worry her. "It's ok, we are safe now. Harry is here for us. We are going home soon. Your hair will grow back, you will be fine Hailey."
Hailey nodded against her chest and Hermione felt the young witch trying to rein in her emotions. "Of course, it could be a lot worse couldn't it…" Hailey looked down at a fallen body that was close to where her hiding spot was located. She had narrowly escaped that death herself and her hair was the last thing that she should be worried about.
"Come on Hailey, I'll take you to Harry and Sirius." Hermione said, but before she could turn around she felt the tip of a wand pressed up against her throat and then the butt of a gun entered her vision and pressed up against Hailey's forehead.
"Hello Poppet."