Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Okay…please oh please review. There is one more chapter left…I won't be getting into detail with the war. Its just not necessary for this story. Just wanted to warn you. Also a reminder for this chapter. Earlier in the story it was mentioned that the cabins are outside the wards around Hogwarts so muggle electronics work, just a reminder. Okay…please review and let me know what you think and don't forget to check out Dark Angel.

Chapter 27

Sacrifice

Memories are just where you laid them
Dragging the waters til the depths give up their dead
What did you expect to find?
Was it something you left behind?
Don't you remember anything I said when I said,
Don't fall away and leave me to myself
Don't fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands again
And leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands
Love lies bleeding

--Fuel

Harry sat on his bed in the boys' dormitory watching the Marauder's Map. Leaning over he pushed Ron to wake him.

"Ron, get up and come here."

Ron grunted and rolled over. Finally, Harry gave him a great shove off his bed. That woke him. Ron looked livid however until Harry held up the map and motioned him over to his bed. Ron sat down next to Harry and looked at the map.

"What am I looking at mate?"

Harry pointed at the Headmistresses office. In the Headmistresses office was McGonagall of course, Tonks, Kingsley, and in the corridors heading from the front doors toward the office were Moody and Remus. Harry and Ron looked at each other. They both nodded as if answering an unasked question. Harry hopped off his bed, threw open his trunk and grabbed his invisibility cloak. Ron threw open his trunk and grabbed the extendible ears.

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Outside McGonagall's office, Harry checked the map again…they were all in the office. Ron handed Harry a pair of the extendible ears. Placing one end in their ear they waited as the other end snaked up the stairs toward the door. Slowly the voices began to emit from the earpiece.

"So not only does Voldemort have one of our best spies, but two of them—one being the head of the Order. Severus left the details of the location they were to bring Hermione."

Remus' voice was clear as a bell. Harry and Ron looked at each other curiously.

"I thought McGonagall was the head now," Ron whispered. Harry shrugged his shoulders and they continued to listen.

"We are going. Lucius told us to just stand watch and only come in if it looks dangerous for Hermione's safety."

Harry and Ron looked at each other in a combination of curiosity and shock.

"Where are they," someone asked.

"An old burnt out church outside of Hogsmeade."

"Let's go."

The sound of shuffling feet alerted Harry and Ron to the soon to be oncoming traffic. Quickly collecting the extendible ears, they ducked behind a statue and waited for them all to pass. Harry pointed toward them and Ron knew what he was saying. He wanted to follow them. Ron nodded his head.

When they stepped out the door of Hogwarts, they heard the familiar cracks of several people disapparating outside the gates. The boys ran for it.

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Harry and Ron hid in some bushes and watched the various members of the order disperse themselves around the church where they could not be seen, but they could see what was happening. Harry and Ron were in a perfect position to see what was going on. Hermione was on an altar table, on her knees, bound, with a wand held to her temple. Severus was bound also next to the table and Lucius stood in the middle aisle with a wand pointing at the back of his head. Harry moved to go forward, but Ron grabbed his arm.

"No, Harry."

Harry looked from Ron to Hermione and back again.

"This is my chance…"

Ron was shaking his head no.

"No, mate. It is not. You have one more horcrux to find and destroy before you can even think about facing you-know-who. The Order is going to get Hermione…you'll see."

Harry, looking unsure stayed back with Ron watching. Voldemort was speaking and from what they gathered, Voldemort knew Severus was a spy.

"Will you kill for her Lucius? Or will you die for her?"

Harry and Ron both looked at each other mouths open frozen in shock…a shock that would only increase as the events progressed.

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Hermione had never been this afraid in all her life…never. Her heart pounded as she awaited Lucius' response…he was Lucius Malfoy for Merlin's sake. The answer couldn't be good. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't stop the tears that slid silently down her cheeks.

Lucius looked at her on the altar. She was so pale…like the first time he met her when he was seventeen. He had to choose. He could refuse to kill Severus and offer himself up, but once he was dead, they would kill Hermione anyway. He could agree and kill Severus, but then they would kill Hermione anyway. The Dark Lord did not often keep his word…exactly. His eyes bore into Hermione's. He found her once as a teenage boy and then lived a lifetime without her, could he do that again? What was always left unsaid between them seemed to bounce between them in waves of invisible electricity. Eyes still staring into hers, Lucius slowly lowered himself to his knees. Not taking his eyes off hers, he spoke to Voldemort.

"Die…I will die for her."

Hermione closed her eyes, mouthing the word 'no.' Lucius bowed his head in defeat. It was while his head was bowed that he noticed the movement. The Order was indeed present and about to move in. Lucius' head snapped up and looked toward Severus. Severus looked more alert and attentive…he had noticed also. Their eyes met and Severus very discreetly jumped into Lucius mind reading his very thoughts. Lucius knew what he was doing…bringing forth his idea. Severus nodded.

There was a commotion to the left and right of the church…the members of the Order were storming into the church eliminating Death Eaters on their way. As the Death Eater's and Voldemort's attention turned toward those attacking them Lucius nodded. His wand, still in hand shot out. He said nothing, not one word, but deep in the recesses of his mind, he called out 'accio Hermione.' As Lucius' mind yelled for Hermione, Severus raised his hands, wrists bound together and without a word or a wand an invisible protective bubble formed around Hermione. Death Eaters who noticed gasped in surprise as Hermione shot off the altar and down the middle aisle straight into Lucius' open arms. The second his arms wrapped protectively, possessively around her, he apparated as did Severus.

In the bushes, Harry and Ron sat dumbfounded before apparating back to Hogwarts with the rest of the apparating Order members.

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With a crack, Lucius appeared followed by Severus. McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley rushed forward. They were all standing outside Malfoy Manor. Lucius still held Hermione in his arms. Noticing their bindings, McGonagall quickly undid the incantation on Severus and Hermione. Once her wrists were free, Hermione wrapped her arms tighter around Lucius as if he was a life jacket and she was drowning. His hand gently rubbed her back in a soothing manner. McGonagall looked at them with a slightly crinkled forehead.

"Lucius we must put the fidelius charm back on the house…quickly."

He nodded in acceptance of this and nodded toward Severus.

"Severus will be the Secret Keeper."

Together McGonagall and Severus began the spell. Mrs. Weasley had rushed to Lucius' side trying to get a good look at Hermione. Mrs. Weasley accepted the fact that Hermione simply was not going to let go of Lucius. She nodded her head and looked at Lucius.

"Get her cleaned up and relaxed when you get her inside. Some food too."

Lucius gave Mrs. Weasley a very rare smile that seemed contagious as she smiled in return. With the charm in place, McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley left. Lucius carried Hermione into the manor with Severus following his path. In the manor, Severus headed straight for the room he always stayed in, not saying a word to Lucius. Lucius took Hermione straight to his room where he took her into the bathroom, sitting her down. Leaning over the tub, he turned several faucets. Various colors of water poured out of the showerhead creating a shower of aromatherapy. Hermione could smell the lavender fill the air.

"Just…relax and take a shower. You are safe now."

He stepped out leaving Hermione in the bathroom to wash away her anguish and terror. He walked over to his bed and sat on the end once again. And once again he sat leaning over with his head in his hands. His head was pounding with more emotions than what he knew to exist.

Lucius knew he loved her; he had known that since he was seventeen. But tonight…watching her kneeling on that altar table like some faceless sacrifice was unbearable. He would have given up all the power he held to keep her safe. It was when he knelt down to accept his own death that the realization of what it meant to love her hit him. He would sacrifice himself for her in the blink of an eye.

He almost lost her permanently that night. He laid himself down for the sacrifice, but that did not mean Voldemort would have taken it and spared her. Just as easily as he could have killed Lucius then Hermione, he could have killed Hermione and refused to end Lucius' torment. The thought of her death, of life without her, gripped his heart…tearing at it one tiny piece at a time.

He heard the shower cut off and snapped his head up looking at the bathroom door. Lucius didn't stop to think whether she would welcome it or not. He had to do it…the feeling was overwhelming and empowering. He stood and in three quick strides, he was opening the bathroom door.

Hermione had just stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around her. Her hair lay against her body in wet waves and the water dripped down her body. Lucius barely registered the shocked expression on her face when he burst through the door. He didn't pause to ask permission or wait for a response to his sudden entrance. Instead, he rushed right for her. Running his hands up her neck, through her hair, he pulled her straight to his lips.

Hermione felt a wave of shock crash through her body as his lips crashed into hers. Every ounce of Lucius pent up passion seemed to come out in that one kiss. Lucius felt it all flooding through him and out of him, yet it only seemed to grow. Taking deep breaths, he leaned his forehead against Hermione's and closed his eyes.

"I was so scared," he whispered.

Hermione opened her eyes at his admission. That simple sentence was as if he was offering her his soul. Then there was the glue that sealed it…she saw a tear slowly escape his closed eyes and glide down his cheek. It looked so out of place. Hermione reached out, gently wiping the tear away. Caressing his cheek, she gently pressed her lips to his.

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They were at the breakfast table. Hermione was sitting in his lap, facing him. Her hands were resting gently on his chest and his were wrapped up in her hair kissing her lips…her neck…her lips…

"How quaint."

The sarcasm could be heard loud and clear in Severus' voice as he entered the room. Lucius pulled away from Hermione and looked at Severus like the nuisance he was at that moment.

"What is it Severus?"

Severus looked between the two.

"It's starting. The last horcrux has been found. Potter is now aware of Miss Granger's whereabouts and everyone is waiting for her to return to her cabin where it's safest and where she is needed before it is destroyed. Once it is destroyed, it begins. There will be no turning back. It won't end until Potter or the Dark Lord is dead."

For a moment, Hermione thought she just entered a nightmare, but then the thought occurred: it will only get worse. She felt Lucius' arms around her waist tighten, whether he was aware of it or not. She turned to look at him and he nodded.

"Let's get you to the cabin."

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Hermione stood inside the cabin. The computers were set up so her, Harry, and Ron were able to communicate while separated. Her heart pounded heavily. She would be alone most of the time in the cabin. She shook her head and turned back to Severus and Lucius.

"You're just going to leave me here?" She looked at Lucius. "Will you be back?"

Silence hung in the air. Severus watched the interaction knowing very well what was going through Lucius' mind.

"I will be back as needed to fight this war," Lucius stated. Hermione's eyes remained on his waiting for a true answer. "This is where we end, Hermione."

Her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"What?"

Lucius stepped toward her. Even Severus could see the pain in his eyes.

"My feelings for you are what put you in danger once with the Dark Lord. How much danger do you think you would be in if an actually relationship was glimpsed?"

Hermione looked away so he wouldn't see the tears. She nodded in understanding. He was sacrificing her for her own safety. It didn't make it hurt any less. Suddenly she was grabbed by the shoulders.

"Understand me," Lucius said passionately. "I have wanted you since I was seventeen. The day this war ends…the day the last Death Eater is caught and sentenced away from us so that some semblance of a normal life may be achieved, I will get down on my knees and ask you to marry me. I wanted to when you were in the past, but now…right now we can never be."

He leaned down and kissed her gently on her lips before walking out the door.

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Hermione was sitting in the cabin listening to the Wizarding Wireless when the true war started. The minute Voldemort began publicly attacking it came across alerting people to the whereabouts the war was being fought and warning wizards and witches not fighting to evacuate. Hermione sitting in her cabin waited for the word…waited for her call…waiting for the Golden Trio's time to come forth…waiting to stand by Harry's side and watch Voldemort fall before them.

Her future depended on it.