A/N: New chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own this franchise or any rights associated with it.

Chapter 7

Her blood pumped through her veins as she launched herself towards the chair that Harry had slid off of as he lost consciousness. She eased him into a more comfortable position on the floor, gently lifting his head to place a cushion she had grabbed from the armchair underneath it.

While she had marginally anticipated this happening once he found out, she really wished that he had stayed conscious. Now that Ron knew about her and Draco, it wouldn't be long before the entire castle knew about it too. She did not terribly care about her and Draco's relationship getting out. While that part would cause quite a stir and possibly create some minor problems, her main concern at this moment was the other piece of information that Ron would no doubt be flinging around the castle as he travelled to the infirmary or Dumbledore's office; her perhaps unknown parentage.

They hadn't planned on that secret being divulged yet. Her being a Pureblood was not that much of a big deal. However the lengths that had been taken to prevent this fact from coming to light were. Dumbledore would not just overlook this as a case of overprotective parents wanting to safeguard their child. If he dug, he would find the inconsistencies that had been made accidently over the years. All of them had made stupid mistakes in the past that could have cost them all dearly. They had cemented over all of them as well as they were able to at the time.

They had needed more time on the inside; collecting information that would incriminate Albus. It did their cause no help for her convenient cover to be blown at this moment. Although she was irked at Draco for having caused this entire situation, she understood perfectly well how he had been feeling about their public indifference towards each other. It had begun to take its toll on her too. It went against every fibre of their bond to pretend that the other did not exist. Years of forced pretend hate had made their connection ache in anguish.

She glanced towards the antique clock that stood next to the door; briefly watching the back and forth sway of the pendulum before raking her eyes higher to read the time. They had perhaps thirty minutes before they would all have to seemingly disappear from within the castle. She knew that she could count on a few of her trusted friends to find a way to stall Ron; and provide everyone with the time needed to vanish. There had been an escape plan in place for months in the event of something like this. It would have saved time for her to have woken Harry up herself; but she needed Severus's presence to rush the upcoming discussion along. They would not have time to explain everything that had happened over the last twenty years in the span of twenty minutes; no matter how fast she was able to talk.

Hermione watched as the clock ticked, the seconds turning into minutes. She knew that Draco would be back with Severus momentarily. There was little time to waste. Harry had to be revived, the situation briefly explained, and belongings hastily packed. For her, Draco, and Severus; there was little that still had to be removed from their quarters. Their personal possessions had been removed slowly over the past weeks; so as not to create suspicion. While their rooms were all spelled against intrusion or surveillance; the spells themselves did not ward off house elves. House elf magic had a mind of its own, its own set of rules and quirks. And they all knew too well where the loyalties of the Hogwarts house elves lay. They hadn't known when they would have to leave, only that they would need to be ready when they did.

She let out a sigh of relief as the portrait swung open to reveal Severus and Draco. Hermione could tell by the expression on Draco's face that he had most probably been mildly scolded by his godfather during the journey back to the Head Dorms. She couldn't blame Severus. If Draco hadn't been her mate she would have been busy scolding him at this very moment too.

Concern flashed through the midnight eyes that had been surveying the room for possible sources of danger.

"What happened?"

"I told him the truth. Well at least as much as I could before it was too much for his brain to process. A simple rennervate should be more than sufficient. I would have done it myself if I thought it would be quicker to explain the edited version of our plans from here without your presence. Unfortunately Ronald Weasley is, at this very moment no doubt ruining my Muggleborn cover. We don't have much time left before there will be attempted interference from the other Professors."

Severus nodded at her in agreement before placing his wand at the temple of his sons head.

"Rennervate…"

Harry's eyelids fluttered, and he groaned as he begun to regain consciousness. He blinked drowsily towards the ceiling before glancing around at his surroundings; jolting up into a seated position as his mental faculties returned.

Hermione watched as he stared at Severus, emerald eyes boring into onyx ones.

"Is it true?"

A soft but resigned sigh.

"Yes…"

She saw as the fight left his body, his arm bracing itself against his knee while his head fell forward to rest against the palm of his hand. His fingers twitched in a repetitive manner against the raised skin of his scar. It was a quirk of his; she knew from years of experience, a gesture to calm himself and aid him in recentring his equilibrium.

At any other time, she would have left him in peace to process the information.

She didn't have that luxury right now.

"Harry I know this has been a lot to tell you all at once. But I need you to listen to me right now. I know we all should have told you the truth a long time ago. We wanted to, more than anything; you have to believe that.

Dumbledore has created every obstacle he could have thought of over the years to prevent anyone from being able to steal his weapon…you. Everybody has tried something over the years to attempt to rectify this entire situation. Every time that we would get close he would sabotage the entire operation somehow. I am still baffled at how our covers remained intact until today. Dumbles really is an old fool. But now is not the time to be talking about this.

Harry, as your friend since we were eleven, I need you to trust me okay? Can you do that?"

He lifted his head to look her in the eye.

"Of course I trust you Hermione, you are the only true friend I've ever had; the only one that has never left my side throughout the years. I love Ron, but we both know that when it matters; he isn't there."

Hermione leant in to hug him fiercely. She had worried that as the years passed he would find it harder to forgive her for not telling him the truth. She thanked merlin and all of the many gods for not taking away one of her best friends.

She let him go when she felt hands gripping onto her shoulders. Draco.

"We don't have much time, maybe another fifteen minutes; before our friends' stalling tactics will no longer be effective. We need to go over the plan Mia"

She sighed deeply, bracing herself for the whirlwind that would be the next half hour. She let herself reach for the bond inside her for a moment, infusing it with warmth and love. She relaxed as the sentiment was returned, strength flowing through her as Draco sent his own magic back at her.

"Okay, so this is the plan…"