28 June 1999
Taking a deep breath, Hermione started to walk towards the gates of Malfoy Manor. The house was lit up and looked cheerful even though she knew that within the hour, maybe even sooner, it would be ripe with the stench of death. She was easily able to pass through the gate, but when Fleur tried to follow her, the blonde bounced off them. Polyjuice might make you look like the person, but it didn't replicate the Dark Magic in the Mark.
"How do we get in?" Bill asked in Amycus Carrow's voice. "It will take hours to take these wards down."
Severus pulled out his wand and grabbed Draco by the wrist. He cut his godson's hand then had him press his palm against the metal, instructing him to focus his intent on unlocking the gate. The two sides quickly opened and everyone rushed through before Severus taught Draco how to reset the locks and healed his hand.
It felt like the walk to the house took forever even though it was less than five minutes. Hermione felt an odd mixture of confidence and being scared shitless. She knew their plan was good and that the chances that they would come out victorious were high, but there was that small voice in the back of her head telling her that their plan was weak, that they were going to lose, that all her friends would be killed.
"We'll be alright, yeah?" Draco asked her softly.
"We just need to focus and play our parts," she told him, but she took his hand, needing the comfort of it.
She didn't know if walking into a room of Death Eaters and the Dark Lord with no more than a handful of Polyjuiced people was the bravest or the dumbest thing she had ever done. If she could ask him, Severus would probably tell her those two things weren't mutually exclusive and she was being both. But he was being just as brave and stupid as she was, walking just a few feet from her.
Severus cleared his throat, "You two survived two weeks at Easter with no issues. I think you will survive the next few hours if you stay calm."
"Easy for you to say, Severus. You're not the one with a pair of hairy balls sticking to your leg," Tonks growled in Greyback's deep voice as she tried to walk and not squish the new parts between her legs. "Well, maybe you are. But still, I don't know how you men wear robes without pants."
Charlie chuckled, a sound Hermione had never heard from Rabastan. "Walking is the easy part, love. It's sitting you have to worry about. You can change your form, Tonks. Why don't you just make them smaller?"
Hermione couldn't see Severus but she could almost hear the half-amused, half-annoyed eye roll he was sure to be doing.
"Bollocks aside, we need to focus. No more talking unless you're in character and only when addressed by the Dark Lord. Leave as much of the talking to me, Hermione, Draco as possible. And remember that no matter what happens, don't react until the rest of the Phoenixes enter the room or you'll be killed."
Taking another deep breath in, Hermione pushed it out and let all the tension and stress drain from her muscles. She lengthened her stride and allowed her confidence in herself and her place within the Death Eaters to show in each step. There was no place for being timid or scared. The only thoughts she had room for in her head were ones that reminded her of what she had gone through and overcome.
She had been kidnapped, potioned, forced to do things — and people — she would not have done otherwise, and she had come out the other side stronger.
She had parents who were safe, even if they were far away. She had not only a partner that loved her, she had a new family that stood by her even after they found out what she had done. Ron, Harry, and Ginny were more than friends now, they were the siblings she'd always wanted. Draco had gone from a school-yard bully to her best friend — whom she occasionally slept with.
And she had Lucius, Narcissa, Molly, Arthur, the people walking with her into the manor, and the rest of the Phoenixes who were waiting to join them. And all of them loved her as much as she loved them. They were their own family.
What was an army of Death Eaters when she had a family at her back? And not a pretend family such as the Dark Lord's followers who called each other brother and sister but would kill the other at a moment's notice if it changed their status in the ranks. There was no one in Phoenix Reborn that Hermione would kill, but she would kill for and die for any one of them without hesitation.
Dumbledore might have been a bit eccentric but she thought that maybe he was right that love was the most powerful force in the universe.
Filled with the love she had and received from her family, she walked through the front door of Malfoy Manor. Willow had been the one to open the door and gave her the slightest nod before directing them to the ballroom. That meant everyone was in place and waiting for them.
Severus lengthened his strides, passing Draco and Hermione to enter the ballroom first. When he passed his witch, he allowed the back of his hand to brush lightly against hers. He wished he could hold her hand and be by her side but knew he needed to keep up the facade for now.
The large room fell silent as they entered and he purposefully walked towards the throne at the far end, Draco and Hermione on his heels. He allowed his eyes to quickly scan the room and he saw Bellatrix standing behind the throne almost panting with anticipation. Lucius and Narcissa were on the other side. Narcissa shifted slightly and he noticed her black robes glisten around her right pocket. He couldn't tell from where he was standing but it almost looked like she had spilt water on them. He pushed the thought aside and erected his Occlumency shields. He needed to think of nothing but Dumbledore's death. As they walked towards the front of the room, Hermione and Draco were to his left side and he felt the group walking right behind him before they all kneeled at the Dark Lord's feet.
He'd taken in the room as they walked and he was frustrated to see that more people had arrived than he'd been expecting. Evidently, the Dark Lord and his faithful followers had been recruiting heavily. He saw more than one Ministry official there. Some of them, like that nasty toad Umbridge, looked proud to be there. Others, like Percy Weasley, looked scared shitless.
Even if some, such as Percy, didn't fight, they were still outnumbered by more than Hermione and Draco had told them which meant they'd arrived after the two of them left. That had to mean that the Dark Lord wanted people there to celebrate the death of Albus, or the end of the Malfoy family. Phoenix Reborn still had the element of surprise on their hands, but he was no longer sure that would be enough.
"Severus, am I to assume by your presence here tonight that young Mr Malfoy was not successful and you had to complete his task for him?" The Dark Lord asked, standing before him.
Severus stood, Hermione and Draco following his lead, and he removed his mask as he always did when he was before Voldemort. He saw Draco take his off as well but Hermione kept hers on. "Draco was successful, my Lord. Dumbledore is dead."
The cheers from the crowd were deafening but he didn't react as he waited to see what the Dark Lord would do. Bellatrix rushed forward and wrapped herself around her master, trying to kiss him but he pushed her away. She ducked her head but didn't move back to his throne. He glanced at Narcissa who looked crestfallen for a moment before resetting her face into a neutral expression. Voldemort raised his hands and silence fell as quickly as if a charm had been cast on the crowd.
"I sent seven of your brothers and sisters with our two young Death Eaters but I only see six have returned. Where is Gibbon?"
"Dumbeldore had members of the Order watching the school. One of them, thinking I was loyal to the old fool, came and asked me to help them fight. When I arrived, Gibbon was dead and everyone but these two and Rab were fighting the Order. I arrived at the top of the Astronomy Tower and saw Draco kill Dumbledore."
The Dark Lord turned and looked at the group of people behind Severus before looking at Draco. "Gibbon's death is nothing if Dumbledore is dead. Draco, hold out your wand."
"Yes, my Lord," Draco answered and held his wand out. It didn't shake and Severus was proud of the strength his godson was showing.
Pointing his own wand at Draco's the Dark Lord cast his spell. "Prior Incantato."
A dim green shadow burst from Draco's wand and Severus watched as an echo of Dumbledore dying was displayed to the room. Cheers filled the ballroom again and Voldemort grimaced at Draco. Well, it might have been a smile, but it was so disturbing Severus wasn't sure.
"I am proud of you, Draco."
Severus watched in horrid fascination as the Dark Lord pulled Draco towards him and hugged him. It was the most awkward hug he'd ever seen and he had to school his face to not cringe at it. When he stepped away, Bellatrix pulled her nephew towards her, crushing his face against her chest. Draco looked like he would rather be anywhere else and quickly pulled back. Lucius and Narcissa had moved towards them and his mother hugged him whilst Lucius patted his shoulder.
"Now that the old fool is dead, I will rise to power. The Order is without a leader and nothing will stand in my way!" The Dark Lord turned to look at all his followers as he yelled in triumph and their cries of celebration joined his.
Hermione moved beside him and he watched as she tore her mask off and tossed it onto the ground. The time had come to put their plan into action. He looked towards the doorway that was next to the Dark Lord's throne and could see shadows moving in the crack between the door and the floor. Everyone was in place and there was no better time.
"Are you shocked to see the woman you've been fucking for months is a Death Eater?" Bellatrix taunted him loud enough that the room began to quiet as everyone listened. "Hermione Granger is one of our Lord's most loyal."
He thought he heard a few gasps from the crowd but didn't turn to verify. "Miss Granger?" he choked out, pretending to be surprised. "I… I am glad to see that she is on our side, Bella."
"It's about time I can stop pretending. It's been exhausting trying to hide who I really am," Hermione said, pulling off her heavy Death Eater robes and tossing them on the ground. She took a few steps towards him and ran her finger down his nose before tapping his lips, the same she always did when she wanted to tell him she loved him without words. "And once everything is over and we win, I won't have to sneak into your rooms anymore."
Severus could tell she didn't want to expose their relationship to the room at large but they both knew she had a role to play and Death Eater Hermione gave zero fucks what people thought about her. She wouldn't stop to care about what people thought about her fucking her professor and known Death Eater.
"I must admit that when Bellatrix told me she'd asked Hermione to spy on you, I was surprised," the Dark Lord added. "I had asked our new friend to… keep you company. I know that castle can be lonely. But now that we've won, you can keep her as your pet if she'd like."
"She's mine!" Bellatrix yelled.
Hermione smirked and reached behind her, pulling Bellatrix against her. "Yours, Bella?"
Hermione pressed her lips against the older witch, kissing her violently before pulling back slightly and biting down hard on her lower lip. Blood blossomed on Bellatrix's mouth and she hissed in pain before moaning in pleasure. Hermione looked her once controller up and down.
"I thought you knew…" Hermione spit the blood from her mouth, aiming it on Bella's black boots. "I belong to no one."
"Oh, has my little pet begun to question her mistress? Guess I'll have to give you more of my potions. Controlling you was so fun. The way you'd moan for me and beg for my–"
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Hermione cried and a deep slash appeared across Bellatrix's neck.
No one moved as Bellatrix collapsed to the floor, gasping for air and trying to stem the bleeding with her hands. Even the Dark Lord stood there with his mouth open, not processing what had happened to his right-hand woman. Severus hesitated one second before Hermione saw him move. Mimicking her, he sent his own slicing spell at the Dark Lord.
Their once master must have seen his wand twitch because at the last second stepped to the side so the curse hit his shoulder instead of his throat. Within seconds, his block robes began to glisten as his wound started to bleed. She heard more than saw the Phoenixes that had been polyjuiced return to their original forms behind her. The Dark Lord turned on the spot and was gone, using his broomless flight to leave the thick of things. She knew he wouldn't go far; he'd want to fight once he knew he could win.
Chaos ensued as the doors to the ballroom burst open and members of Phoenix Reborn began to run in. Their clothes seemed bright and colourful against the sea of black Death Eater robes. She had been terrified when they arrived and she saw more people had been summoned whilst they were at the school. There were even some, like Percy, that she knew weren't Death Eaters but must have been summoned to witness the Dark Lord's victory.
But instead of only seeing the people she had watched be shuttled to the Manor from Dumbledore's office, Hermione saw more people enter than she had been expecting on their side as well. She briefly wondered if Dobby and Willow had known they'd need more help.
She recognised Padma Patil, Cho Chang, Michael Corner, Wilfred Jackson, Terry Boot, and Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw; Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Ernie McMillan, and Justin Finch-Fletchley from Hufflepuff; all the Gryffindor's in her year and the one above, including Katie Bell, and even the Creevy brothers. She was shocked when she saw Theo Nott from Slytherin and wondered how he'd even heard about what was happening. There were others she didn't know as well, people that must be friends or family of Phoenixes.
As much as she wanted to see who all was there to fight with them, she didn't have time. She pressed her back against Severus and began to duel. The Malfoys were next to them, all three of them standing with their wands out and firing spell after spell at the people who had invaded their home. Her wand seemed to be sending a steady stream of light as hex after jinx after curse was cast.
Fleur and Bill were on her other side, the blonde alternating between curses and throwing fire at anyone in a Death Eater's robe. Tonks and Remus had charged into the crowd along with Charlie and Kingsley. She saw Harry, Ron, and Ginny fighting two masked people and she desperately wished she knew where Voldemort was.
She didn't think he'd stay away since Harry was there. He would want to take his chance to kill her brother. But he would also wait until it was either clear that his side was winning or there was a break in the action. For being one of the Darkest wizards to ever live, he sure was flamboyant and liked to be the centre of attention
She had just fired a curse when her heart seemed to stop as Draco and Lucius fell to the floor beside her, blood dripping from their arms, and their heads bowed.
It wasn't until she felt the entire building shudder that she realised they had activated the blood wards. Now, it would be impossible for anyone to enter or leave the Manor, including the Dark Lord. Even though the Death Eaters outnumbered them, she saw black-clad after black-clad person fall to the ground and not move.
People were running around and she saw Luna pass by her. She reacted before she even saw the hex leave the Death Eater's wand and at the last second, she saved her friend from being hit in the back. But the masked person was still bearing down on the Ravenclaw. Leaving Severus, she rushed towards Luna and began to fight alongside her.
They had their backs pressed against the outer wall of the room and within moments, they had removed his mask and Rodolphus Lestrange lay dead before them, killed by the same curse that had killed his wife. Before she could really process what had happened, Luna was gone again, running to fight someone else.
"Hermione?"
She turned to see Percy Weasley next to her, his wand out and looking like he wasn't sure whether to fight, run, or just shit his pants. She couldn't blame him. She might be fighting, but she was terrified. Scared to look around the room and see if anyone she loved was as dead as the man she had just killed. And she had chosen to be here. Judging from the look on Percy's face, he hadn't.
"Percy, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Umbridge brought me with her," he explained. "She's my boss and said she had something important to discuss with the Malfoys. Is Dumbledore really dead?"
She blocked a curse sent their way. "Yes. But he was already dying and asked to be killed painlessly."
"Fuck. My whole family is here."
"Yes, they are. So you're either fighting with them or against them, Percy. Time to decide where you stand."
Percy's eyes seemed to harden at her words and she knew he had made his choice. His grip tightened on his wand and he raised it, looking around the room to find someone to take down.
Molly Weasley was right in front of them, her eyes on her son, when Percy fired a nasty hex. His face was alight with pride as it hit its mark and the killing curse a masked Death Eater was sending at his mother went wide, breaking a window across the room. The echo of his success at saving his mother was still on his face when a sickly green light collided with his chest and he fell to the ground.
"NOOOOOO!" Molly cried out and Hermione realised at that moment that she had never seen or heard true anguish before.
The redhead turned and sent a curse at the person who killed her son, dropping them instantly. The room seemed to stand still as Molly rushed towards Percy's dead body and she cradled him against her chest like he was a toddler and not a grown man.
"Are you done fighting now?" the Dark Lord's voice rang through the ballroom and anyone who was still duelling stopped and turned to see him in the middle of the room.
Pulling Molly up and reluctantly leaving Percy behind, Hermione helped her second mother towards the spot where the Phoenixes were gathered. They were facing Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Handing Molly to Arthur, she stepped in the spot between Harry and Severus. He handed her a healing potion that she quickly drank and hoped the people behind her were taking the time to do the same. They would need their strength. Voldemort looked whiter than normal and she saw a few drops of blood splash onto the floor from where Severus had struck him.
Hermione didn't have the heart to look behind her to see which of her friends and family had survived the battle so far. Watching Percy die before her eyes had been hard enough and he had always been the Weasley she talked to the least. She could see Ginny and Ron standing next to Harry and for now, that would have to be enough.
The Death Eaters had been hit hard. They had started out the evening being outnumbered three to one by the black clad crowd but she could tell their numbers had been cut in at least half. She was sure some of them had escaped the manor as soon as the fighting began, using the chaos to leave unnoticed by their master. Others she knew were dead. She'd taken out at least half a dozen since she killed Bellatrix.
"We will fight until the world is rid of you!" Harry called and the Phoenixes cheered behind him.
"So many magical people dying for no reason. Lay down your wands and join us. Only Harry needs to die." Voldemort opened his arms towards them but no one moved. His wand pressed against his left forearm and Hermione barely held back the hiss of pain as the Dark Lord sent a summons through their Marks. She knew he was only doing it to cause her, Severus, Lucius, and Draco pain. They didn't react and his free hand clenched. "I see. You would rather fight with these fools than join me?"
Harry spoke again before any of them could answer. "Your time is over, Tom. You won't win. Give up and we won't kill you. Find it in your heart to ask for forgiveness or you will die alone. I've seen what you will become if you don't."
"You couldn't kill me if you wanted to. You have no idea the steps I have taken to make sure no man can kill me."
"Do you mean your Horcrux?" Narcissa asked, pulling the severed head of Nagini from her pocket. Her tone was light as if she was asking how he took his tea instead of showing him that she had killed his pet. "Took care of that problem earlier today. It will be nice to not have a snake in my home."
Voldemort's eyes flashed with rage as she tossed the head at his feet but the look quickly passed. "It matters not. I have more."
"You mean the diary, ring, locket, cup, and the diadem? Did I forget to mention those have already been destroyed?" Hermione taunted.
"How? But… I… it… it doesn't matter. I will make more!" Spit flew from his mouth as he screamed the last part into the silent room.
"No, you won't," Severus said. "You have two options, my Lo– Tom. You can lay down your wand and spend the rest of your life in Azkaban or we can fight to the death. You decide."
Hermione was shocked Severus had used Voldemort's given name. Until Harry had used it a moment before, she had only heard Ginny and Dumbledore refer to him that way. She could see the rage in Voldemort's eyes at having what he thought was one of his most faithful show him such disrespect. It was clear to her that he was weak from the wound on his shoulder and quickly losing his already short patience.
"You dare, Severus?" he hissed.
Before Severus could answer him, Voldemort flicked his wand and sent a curse towards her wizard. Hermione instantly cast the strongest shield charm she could in front of Severus and the spell ricocheted off it, hitting someone behind Voldemort in the chest. They began to scream and she averted her eyes so she didn't have to see the way their flesh began to boil. She didn't take pleasure in knowing someone was dying, but she was grateful it wasn't the man next to her that was choking for breath.
"You've taken enough from me, Tom. I won't let you take Severus. Or Harry. Or anyone else standing behind me," Hermione yelled.
"Do you think they'll still love you when they see that you have my mark on your arm? What do you think your dear Harry would say if he knew you'd killed for me. Or Molly when she finds out that you fucked me?"
Hermione bit back the tears as her biggest shame was tossed in front of her feet. Logically she knew she hadn't chosen to have sex with the monster before her. Logically she knew she'd been raped by him, Bellatrix, and every other person in this room whom she'd slept with whilst she was under Bellatrix's control. But her heart didn't give a fuck about logic. Every part of her had wanted to keep that part of the last year locked away inside her mind, never to be talked about again.
And she would. But not right now. He was trying to break her. To shatter her world and make her feel alone. It wasn't going to work. There was nothing he could say to her anymore that meant a damn thing to her. She had her family and they had already proven that they didn't judge her for the things that happened when she wasn't herself.
"You think they don't know? They've seen the Mark that was forced upon me. They know nothing I did during that time was my choice. And they still love me. Do you think they would be here with me if they didn't? The Death Eaters follow you because they are scared of you. Everyone who is here with me tonight is here because they have something worth fighting for. Something that's worth dying for."
"There is nothing worth death!"
"Maybe not for you," Hermione told him.
Her voice was laced with the sadness she felt for the emotionally stunted man before her. He may be the worst wizard to ever live but she felt sorry for him. Sorry that he had no idea the power and strength that love brought. It wasn't like the power she felt when she used Dark Magic. That was a hollow kind of power, one that only lasted until the effects wore off. But the power of love was everlasting. There was nothing in the world that could take away the love she had received from her parents, the love she had given to her friends, or the love she shared with Severus.
"But you are willing to die for Severus, or Harry, or…" he waved his hand in Ginny's general direction, "whoever that child standing next to him is?"
"You motherfucker," Ginny cried at him and Voldemort looked confused and then angry at being spoken to that way.
Hermione couldn't imagine how Ginny was feeling. The man before her had stolen her childhood. Had made her kill roosters, terrorise their school, lose hours of her life, and lead the man she loved to the Chamber of Secrets and he didn't even know who she was. He had caused her so much trauma and she wasn't even worth more than a wave of his hand. Ginny raised her wand and pointed it at Voldemort.
Two things seemed to happen at the same time and Hermione wasn't sure how to react so she stood there frozen as Tom Riddle raised his wand in return and the green light of the Avada Kedavra struck Harry in the chest and he fell to the floor. At the same time, a spell came from one of the Death Eaters across the room and Draco stepped in front of Narcissa, taking the curse meant for his mother.
Draco dropped to the ground, clutched his throat and started convulsing, gasping for breath before falling silent.