Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR.
A/N: This was inspired by the Dark Hermione challenge at the LJ community 'grangesnape100.' Note the Dark Hermione – if character deaths bother you, I'd advise you read no further.
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One lone tear slipped from her eye, her hand quickly rising to catch it.
She clenched the glass of Chianti Rufina wine, stilling her trembling fingers.
"Goddamn you, Severus Snape," she whispered, staring ahead. She sat in a high, wing-backed leather chair opposite a roaring fire. The flames flickered in her eyes, dancing, darting about the room, hints of silver and gold gleaming.
Frames, they were. Of photos of her and the love of her life. Hermione didn't need to look at the photos to know what they contained.
Their wedding day. Their honeymoon. A potions lab. A horseback ride.
All gone.
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Five years of such photos decorated the sitting room they once had shared. Five years of photos…five years of marriage…five years of love, laughter, passion, and fire. Five years since the war. Five years of redemption.
All for naught.
Hermione stared blankly. She and Severus had just been celebrating the release of their research on the Wolfsbane last week.
Last week Lucius Malfoy had been released from Azkaban. Yesterday he had killed Severus.
An hour ago she had killed him.
She had shown no mercy.
"You killed the man I love," she had said to him.
Her attention snapped at the sound of the back door slamming.
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She shut her eyes tightly. She hadn't been careful about covering her tracks. She wondered if her sloppiness was subconsciously done.
Let them come for me. I have nothing now.
"Hermione Snape," a voice boomed from the back door. "You are under arrest!"
She heard a scuffle of feet making their way into the sitting room. She still faced the fireplace but could imagine the line of Ministry employees lining her sitting room wall. She could feel their stares, burning through the chair.
She remained seated.
"Mrs. Snape," Percy's voice sounded impatiently, "Get up. You are under arrest for the murder of Lucius Malfoy."
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Percy didn't see the sad smirk that crossed her face.
"You are so quick to arrest me. A shame you didn't grant the same courtesy to Lucius after he killed my husband."
She heard a slight intake of breath. "Now, now, Hermione…" Percy started.
"Mrs. Snape," she snapped. "You made no effort to find my husband's killer yet you are quick to defend the vermin of Azkaban."
"I won't stand for this." Hermione gasped as she heard a familiar male voice. She rose from her chair immediately.
"Harry," she whispered, wide-eyed, at the Auror standing straight across from her.
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Reviews are always welcome. : )
