Disclaimer: Of course, these lovely characters do not belong to me. I do borrow them for a new idea.


Loyalty

May 2nd, 1998

Seeing Fred die was probably one of the most defining moments of this war. Aside from her own torture seeing her friend fall to the ground, the laugh still on his lips, was something that made everything so very real. She wanted to break down right there and cry hysterically. It was probably good that she had done so in the chamber or she wouldn't have been able to hold it together now.

Time seemed to move slowly, as Harry tried to get the Weasleys to leave. It wasn't until she was faced with a gigantic spider that she snapped back into present time. Two spells blasted the monster away from her and suddenly Harry and Percy were moving behind her as they ran to hide. Her eyes caught side of a tapestry that seemed like a good hiding spot and somehow she was able to pull Ron behind it. It was just now that it occurred to her that Malfoy was gone. So much for the undying love, she could expect from her husband.

She almost missed Harry, as she was busy keeping Ron from killing himself trying to seek revenge. She finally had him calm enough so she could ask Harry to find out where Voldemort was. She stared at him, as he sank away further and further into the thoughts of their enemy. She wished she could travel as freely into Malfoy's thoughts as he did in hers, maybe she could deliver something useful. But that wasn't her luck now.

It seemed endless before her friend finally snapped out of his haze. His eyes settling on Hermione, as he revealed Voldemort's locations. She stared at him, rage spreading through her. The powerful mudblood hating hypocrite just sat there and was waiting for everyone else to kill each other.

"There is more Hermione…"

She swallowed her anger, as much as she could at the moment.

"He thinks your dear husband switched sides. Malfoy didn't go to join the Death Eaters fighting." Harry stared at her.

"Well he is causing trouble in here. I'm sure he is going to get his reward later." She tried her best to sound mean and not care what that meant for Draco. She reminded herself that she did not choose her husband.

"It would make more sense for him to be by his side and report what you are thinking." Harry glanced back at her.

"Lucky for us he isn't." Ron piped in looking between his friends. "Now give me the cloak, I will go and kill that snake." She shook her head adamantly.

"No, you should send me. That way when Malfoy does switch sides, I'm not a threat to you." Her friends stared at her, both trying to find arguments that wouldn't let her run into certain death. Unfortunately, they didn't have time to fight further over the topic, as they were discovered by a group of masked Death Eaters.

They were lucky that they weren't quite ready, making a last-minute escape, now all running under Harry's cloak. Before they could make their way out of the building they ran into Malfoy once more. She wanted to vomit when he was bleeding with the Death Eater to spare him, trying to convince him that he was on their side. She drew her wand but Harry was faster stunning the Death Eater. She was going to thank him, but then Ron found his hot temper once more, knocking Malfoy over with a punch.

"Ron!" She shouted, but he was too busy yelling at Malfoy.

It was then that something else caught her attention. Ginny was on the other side of the room and obviously in deeper than she had anticipated. Leaving the cloak behind, Hermione started running towards her friend but stopped halfway when she saw a curse barely miss Narcissa. She didn't even seem to notice, since her focus was a Ravenclaw student who seemed determined to take her down. Hermione looked in the direction where she had seen the curse coming from, surprised to only see Slytherins. Traitors.

I'll try.

The words pierced through her mind. Shooting a short glance at Ginny she determined her friend had it handled a lot better than her mother-in-law. She changed directions and found her place close to the witch. Shooting angry curses at the general direction of the curse.

"What the hell, are you doing?"

"Keeping a promise." She didn't dare to look at the Ravenclaw who was still fighting Narcissa. Her sole focus was on the surprised crowd that now turned on her. After a few blows, Narcissa turned to her and started giving body binds, until the last Slytherin was down.

"Care to explain?" She huffed, while Hermione searched for the Ravenclaw, but he was long gone.

"Your son's former groupies tried to curse you." She saw the older witch's eyebrow raise.

"You have no obligation towards me."

Hermione laughed bitterly, before turning to run to Ginny's aid.

"It seems like I do." She didn't see Narcissa or any other Malfoy again. Instead, she was joined by Harry and Ron, then the four of them got Ginny back in the game.

Now they were reunited, the three friends ran and somehow made it through the many fights. Nobody paid much attention to the three pairs of feet running, as they were trying to win for their sides. Going through the motions was all she could do at this point. Having witnessed Fred's death had brought a sense of reality to this all and now that they were next to Snape, catching the last of his memories she felt desperate. Voldemort didn't just kill his enemies now, he simply killed anyone in the path to his success. If she had to guess not even Bellatrix would be safe at this point.

Coming back to the castle was more devasting than she had imagined. She followed Ron towards his mourning family. She hugged Ginny, trying to give comfort where none could be given. She focused on Fred to prevent having to look around to find more people she cared for. It was finally her friend who pulled her into a more quiet corner. They sank against the wall, sitting on the cold stone ground. Ginny's head on her shoulder, while her own rested on top.

"Why did you help his mother?" So she had seen that. Good for Ginny that she was able to pick up on that while battling multiple Death Eaters. She was glad that the other witch was staring across the room and didn't look at her directly.

Hermione swallowed. She didn't have time yet to think about it. There were logical reasons why she had helped, but she knew those reasons were connected to emotions she was not ready to face.

"As a Malfoy I'm so supposed to be loyal to them." She felt her friend nod her head, but she remained quiet. She seemed to know that there was more to it. Once again Hermione could feel tears in her eyes. This marriage was going to ruin her, she just knew it.

"I tried to make him promise to not kill anyone I knew." A bitter laugh sounded next to her, but Ginny remained quiet otherwise.

"He said he would try and ask me in return to aid his mother."

Now Ginny's head came up and her brown eyes found Hermione's, trying to look past the barriers each of them had mentally put up. The older witch didn't last long before she looked away.

"I assume had it been Lucius, I wouldn't have stopped, since he specifically asked to aid his mother."

"Well that's a relief." The redhead sounded like she didn't mean it and she couldn't blame her. They sat in silence for a time. Both of them dealing with their own demons, occasionally glancing at the rest of the Weasley family.

"He went, didn't he?"

Hermione now looked over to her friend. She had been caught up in her own thoughts, not expecting her to speak again. Her confusion seemed to show, as she got a shaky clarification.

"Harry, he went to him, didn't he?" Tears were falling from Ginny's eyes and Hermione wished she could say she believed otherwise. She scanned the room. It was just now that her mind realized that Harry had never joined them to mourn. She couldn't say when he had left, but it had probably been almost right away.

"I don't think anyone could have stopped him." It was the only truth that she could speak. He never wanted any of them to be in danger. It had been his greatest regret to see his friends and family hurting. Of course, he never thought of the tears he didn't see. Hermione's arm went around Ginny, as the other witch now let her head sink into her lap. She was shaking in tears and all Hermione could do was stare at an indistinct point in the great hall.

"Didn't think he had it in him."

She closed her eyes as if that would get him out of her head. She waited for him to say more but he seemed he had no interest in a conversation.

"Would it be your husbandly duty to teach me occlumency when this is over?" There was no response. "Let's say to keep your own secrets safe?"

"It would not."

She didn't say anything else. Not that she needed to, as he was probably roaming around her head without her permission. Her eyes focused again, as she looked around the room. Not far from her she spotted a couple of dead students that had been in her classes - a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff. She hadn't spoken to them very much. Always busy with Harry's adventures.

What would have happened if she had gone to Ravenclaw? The hat had suggested it. Her eyes went to her lap, where Ginny had calmed. Just shaking every once in a while. What would have happened to Harry and the Weasleys, if she hadn't been part of their group. It might have ended in first year since Harry would have been stuck in the potions riddle. She sighed.

"Are you still in my head?"

"Pretty much done. Once you started your little crying session with the she-Weasel it became pretty dull."

"So you saw what he did to Snape?"

He didn't respond. Anger flashed through her. Snape had done more for Malfoy than anyone else and there was no reaction.

"Do you really think he is not going to do the same to you or your family?"

If yelling in her head was possible, she did it now. She wasn't sure how loud it would echo through him. But here was her outlet. A pathetic Slytherin who actually thought his stupid loyalty would save his life.

"Are you with him?"

Still no response.

"You know Harry overheard him talking to your father. Voldemort thinks you are a traitor."

She wanted to jump up and stomp like a little child throwing a tantrum. Having to do it in her head was not satisfying at all.

"He will kill you, just like he killed Snape. I just hope for your sorry ass that him killing you will not have any effect on me. Because if it does, I will make being dead hell for you."

"Shut up."

She let out a frustrated groan as she noticed that he seemed to have commanded her since she couldn't respond anymore. Ginny looked up to her in confusion. Her eyes were red from crying, but she sat up as she studied Hermione.

"Malfoy." The older of the two spat the word, hoping the redhead would not need any further explanation.

"He is still in your head?"

"Reporting to him as we speak I assume."

They stared at each other. Both knew that Harry no longer had the factor of surprise on his side. Voldemort would be expecting him now. It seemed like forever that they sat, stared, and thought. At one point Molly appeared with nutritional potions. They would need all their strength when the hour was up. She hugged both girls before she went back to the rest of the family.

It was the piercing sound of his voice that brought action back to the mourning crowd. Ginny and Hermione stared at each other in horror as Harry's death was announced. They ran past the other people out into the open where they could see Voldemort and his army united. She scanned the people for Harry. For the quickest moment she caught the eyes of her husband, then her mother-in-law, but then she found her friend. Hagrid had been ordered to carry him. Tears streaming down his cheeks and she could hear his mumbling although she didn't make out words.

"No." Her voice was echoed by Ginny and Ron. They stood frozen. She could feel Ron's hand beside her, grabbing it as a reflex.

Voldemort went on and on about his win. Her eyes never left Harry. He looked unharmed, but then again the killing curse usually didn't leave much else than death. She tried to think of any possible way that he was still alive. A miracle that would lead them to victory after all. Of course, they still had to kill Nagini, and then maybe McGonagall and some of the other professors had a shot at killing him. Her eyes drifted to the disgusting snake.

It was then that Neville found the courage to stumble forward. He pushed past her and she could hear the laughter of several Death Eaters. When she looked past Neville though, she realized that the red eyes were not on him but on her.

"Draco, be a dear and tell your wife to find her rightful place by your side."

Her breath caught in her throat and she felt Ron's hand tightening around hers. Ginny moved closer to her other side, grabbing her arm.

Hermione's eyes darted to Draco, who like his mother seemed even paler than usual. Lucius of course wore an expression of disgust.

"We are waiting." Voldemort's hiss was certainly not patient.

"We will keep you safe, just walk as fast as you can."

"Hermione, come." There were gasps. Almost nobody on her side had known. Some of her closest friends and confidants stared at her in shock. The Weasleys, Luna and a few others mixed the shock with disbelief. She realized then that Draco had never truly commanded her to do anything before. He had always asked and she still had some free will to decide on how she wanted to do it. Her feet were moving and she felt the grip of both Weasleys tighten.

"I can't stop." It was a small whisper. "You can't risk yourself for me." She felt Ginny loosening her grip. But Ron was still by her side.

"I didn't know you allowed boyfriends." There was laughter as Voldemort teased Draco. She could see the boy's face tense.

"Let go." She closed her eyes. "You know what to do." She hoped he still had his common sense and would find a way to kill that snake.

When he finally, let go of her hand, she began the seemingly endless walk towards the Malfoys. She was halfway when the Dark Lord took it upon himself to let everyone know that she had been spying for him. There were more gasps and between the fear of being so exposed, she wondered if any of them had ever really trusted her. They would have let her, Ron and Harry die for the cause but seemed to not have any confidence in her loyalty.

"That's a lie." Neville had stepped back up, catching the attention of the Dark Lord once more. She stumbled the last few steps towards the Malfoys and was surprised to feel Narcissa's hand on her arm as if to calm her. When she saw the doubt and disgust on so many faces on the other side of the courtyard, she couldn't keep the hurt taking a grip on her, nor could she hide it from her face. It was one thing to be regarded with disgust by Lucius and his kind, but the people that claimed to be her friends were a whole different story. It was then that she felt Narcissa's hand tightening around hers.

"It seems it's not just me with lacking support." Her whisper was only meant for Hermione. Her focus then went back to Neville and she watched in horror as the flames engulfed him.

"No." Her whisper was soft, but she could tell by Draco's glare that it was not appreciated. Before she could glare back through all kinds of things started to happen. There was Grawp yelling for Hagrid. Neville who suddenly had the sword of Gryffindor in his hands and sliced off the snake's head, and just before Draco caught her hand to whisk her away, she saw that Harry had disappeared.

She found herself in the cellars of Hogwarts when the blur around her faded.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Giving you a chance to fight and not be cursed by hundreds of people before you make the first step. By the look of your little friend's face, I wouldn't trust anyone, if I were you." He glared at her before he vanished once more in the dementor like apparation that was a trademark of each Death Eater.