Chapter 15

Despite it having been months since she had run regularly, Hermione could hear the steady echo of her breath off the walls as she raced down the darkened tunnel.

It felt amazing to be herself again. She was back in her original body and appreciated it more than ever.

After leaving the beach, it took a week of apparating, hiding, and dodging her way from town to town to discover where Darrow Hill Way was. Though terrified of returning to this haunted place from her past, she was more determined than ever to get back was taken from her. And the only way to do that was to find the Permanent Polyjuice antidote. She had descended carefully down the darkened staircase to ensure no one was lurking in the basement below. She noticed the dingy smell of the trash wafting up from the corner of the room, giving her the clue that no one had been there in days. That being said, it didn't take long for her to find the box of vials that Vanya had shown her months ago. A few were missing, but the ones she was looking for were there, as if the shimmering marine liquid had just been waiting for her to come get it. She didn't think twice before grabbing one of the three blue vials and sucking it down her throat. Despite her stomach rumbling of hunger, her body hummed in a different nauseating way, but this time, she was happy about it. She could feel her body shrinking, her skin softening, the hair on her face disappearing, she knew she was turning back into herself.

After she felt the humming stop, she found her way to a mirror in the bathroom and looked at herself. Then without warning a tear fell down her cheek, then another, then another. She was sobbing, both out of relief and sorrow. Her face was hers again. She felt hope for the first time in a long time.

Although Hermione cast multiple alert and protection spells on the basement, she took a shower with the guard's wand in hand to ensure she was prepared for any surprises. After an hour of standing in the hot water, she pulled herself out and into her plaid shirt and the brown corduroys she found piled up in the corner. Apparently Vanya had not been a fan of all of her clothes.

She looked at herself in the mirror again. Her wet ringlets weighed down, but she no longer looked like a mud-caked, drowned rat. Despite that, she did still have all of the cuts and bruises from her time in Azkaban. Her eyes were sunken in and she definitely looked like an emaciated version of her former self.

After another hour of slowly cleaning out cuts and magicking wounds away, she pecked around the room for food. That's when she saw it - the scribbled plans, the open vials and parchment lists. They had been sitting there in plain sight in front of her this entire time, and she had not noticed because of her tunnel vision and desperation to be in her own body again.

Plans. Plans for murder. She glanced through. It was definitely Vanya's handwriting and listed key plants and herbs that did only one thing, cause death. Her breath caught as she flipped over parchment after parchment. Every new page dug deeper and deeper into Vanya's lethal plans. She read about Hogwarts, a ball, food, dignitaries, and a toast.

Hermione choked as she realized that Vanya had finally finished becoming Hermione. Now she planned to kill. She planned to kill Ron and Harry, maybe everyone...and according to her plans, it would happen tonight.

Her body picked up speed running down the darkened tunnel. She didn't have time to go to the Aurors, all she could do was get to Hogwarts. Not completely sure they would let her in the front door as her doppleganger was probably not far away, she decided it made the most sense to break in from Hogsmeade. Grateful for the light fingers of the once Weasley Twins, she knew exactly where to find the secret passageway from Honeyduke's Cellar all the way to Hogwarts. She broke in, and was now racing to save those she loved.

It didn't take long to open the stone covering that hid the secret passageway. Her heart expanded as she entered the halls of her alma mater. The warm golden hallway that was lined with portraits brought a sense of power and strength back to her. She picked up speed, running as quickly as she could to the Great Hall.


Ron had to give it to Hermione. She had put together an event that was truly magnificent, not that it surprised him. She always accomplished anything she put her mind to.

He had picked her up from her flat so they could apparate together. She had decided to wear a more sophisticated version of her Yule Ball dress. His mouth had dropped when he'd seen her. Even back then he couldn't quite cover the beauty of Hermione in that dress, but now it was much more refined and form fitting.

They had arrived at Hogwarts with a variety of press and dignitaries to greet them. It was like attending a premier and they were celebrities. They made their way to the Great Hall. While the ceiling still offered a beautiful view of the evening sky, everything else had transformed. Instead of four long tables side by side, there were only two, each on opposite sides of the room covered in deep blue cloth and perfect place settings, leaving the center open for mingling and dancing.

He and Hermione greeted Harry and Ginny, along with a variety of old friends from Hogwarts and a few key dignitaries. Hermione guided Harry and Ron to their seats at the front of the room. She explained that dinner would be served, and that they would need to give a toast before eating and dancing could commence. Ron was surprised to see that Hermione had reserved three seats for them on the dais at the front of the Great Hall, normally reserved for the Headmistress and Professors. He glanced in surprise over at Ginny, who was slightly put out as she walked with Dean, Seamus, Luna and Neville to a spot at what would have been the Gryffindor table.

Hermione asked that she, Ron and Harry stand at the front of the room to give their toast.

"Hero Weasley" A squirrely voice said to Ron's right holding out a platter. Ron hadn't even noticed the waiter standing off to the side waiting to hand them each a goblet of what appeared to be champagne.

"For the toast." Hermione clarified. "Then we can eat."

Ron nodded as he, Harry and Hermione all took theirs. His eyes connected with the blonde waiter just a moment longer than necessary, but before he had a chance to think much more on it, the waiter was gone to grab more drinks for those at the tables down below.

They waited calmly for everyone to receive their goblets. Hermione had said she felt strongly that they would not use Hogwarts elves this evening, and instead have food and drink be served by wizards.

It took another five minutes before everyone had quieted down and prepared to drink.

Harry normally did the talking at functions like these, so Ron looked to him expecting him to speak. Even Harry opened his mouth to make a typical toast, but was interrupted by Hermione who stepped slightly forward.

"Thank you all for coming to our Hogwarts Reunion Ball this evening." Her voice was unwavering and echoed through the halls with gravitas.

"As a remembrance to all of us who wandered these halls, and those who are no longer able to, we toast to you."

She held up her goblet. Everyone else followed, Ron included. She looked over at him and smiled.

Before he was able to bring the goblet to his lips, a shuddering explosion shook the room.

Ron's body tensed as he watched the door to the Great Hall explode open, wooden shards flying in all directions. He couldn't make out the figure that entered, but he didn't wait, he was already moving to act as a barrier to Hermione.

"Percutiens Lucem!"

Ron had to blink twice to see the form calling out the spell. Unable to comprehend the figure running toward him, and before he had a chance to think about it, the ceiling of the Great Hall burst into a thunderous roar shooting down two insidious bolts of lighting towards each long table, instantly setting them ablaze.

Before he had a chance to properly understand what he was seeing, he watched a mirror image of Hermione barrel forward pointing her wand at him.

"Erupit Venti!" The voice that sounded uncomfortably like Hermione's called out, shooting a green light through her wand straight at him. He had now fully put himself between Hermione and all three flung backwards into the air, the champagne and goblets flying and clanging unceremoniously to the floor nearby. He could hear Hermione's voice, now behind him, scream in anger and terror as they were flung against the wall, and then onto the floor with a thud.


"Bombarda!" Hermione called pointing her wand at the monstrous oaken double doors.

Hermione didn't hesitate when she burst into the Great Hall. Her heart pounded in fear that she was too late. Would she find Ron, Harry and many of her others on the floor lifeless?

As she entered, racing toward the front of the room she watched as faces she knew and didn't didn't know looked on in surprise and then confusion as they recognized her face. Hermione didn't realize how much it meant to her that people finally recognized her.

Hermione used that moment to point her want to the ceiling and call out her next spell. Her friends may be moments from death as many of them had their goblet in hand ready to drink.

Hermione pointed her wand to the Great Hall ceiling alighting it with stormy fury. "Percutiens Lucem!"

She always wanted to try that spell. Immediately, two bolts of thick sparking lightning charged down from the ceiling above as if Zeus himself had sent them.

The two tables on either side of her instantly erupted in a blaze of fiery tendrils. She pushed forward as everyone left and right erupted from their seats. Many bee-lined for the doors to escape, worried that this may be an attack. Others pointed their wands at her with conflicting feelings. She did look like the war-hero, Hermione.

She deflected a few half-hearted spells as she raced to the front of the room while also sending another spell up to the sky to begin the rainfall. Despite her desire to stop anyone from drinking or eating, she also wanted them safe and out of the way.

There in all their glory, she saw the Golden Trio standing stoically as the rain began to fall. It felt slightly surreal to see them all standing there. She knew she was one of them, but seeing them together in their dress robes, together and prepared to fight, she could see what made people look up at them in admiration and pride. They looked like heroes together.

Hermione watched as Ron inched further in front of her doppelganger, Vanya. Her heart ached slightly at the sight of it. That he was protecting Vanya from her. She didn't agonize over it as she saw the goblets in each of their hands.

"Erupit Venti!" Hermione called, pointing her wand toward them. She could feel the pouring rain dampen her frizzy tendrils. Another flash of green cascaded from her wand. Hermione didn't hesitate as she watched her two best friends and her enemy fly towards the back wall and fall to the floor.

"You bitch." Hermione heard a growl from nearby.

She had deflected a few more spells while she searched for the threatening voice. It was a voice she recognized, but couldn't visualize the face it went with. That is...until it came into view.

"Andrei." She growled back.

Instantly Kovac sent a curse flying her way. She deflected it. Back and forth they went. Most guests of the ball that had not already escaped during the fire were now running out of the room to protect themselves from the rain and ricocheting spells. She was sure at any moment they would be sending for the Aurors. This was her chance. She only had a few minutes until either Aurors arrived or Ron and Harry came to.

After a few dodges and parries, Hermione whipped around, water wicking off her shirt and knew she had him cornered.

"Stupefy" she called and her spell hit him squarely in the chest. He tensed and fell backwards with an unceremonious thud. She raced to him as quickly as she could, pulling out one of the two remaining blue vials from her pocket. She used her teeth to uncork the top with one hand while deflecting spells from those remaining in the hall.

Hermione crawled atop of Kovac and grabbed his jaw with delicious vengeance.

"Now let's see how you like it." She rumbled in satisfaction, the water from her hair sliding down dripping on his face. She held his jaw open as his eyes widened in fear. Then without hesitation, she poured the blue liquid down his throat.

"Get away from him." A voice called behind her. It was the voice she had longed to hear. It was the smooth, deep, masculine voice that she replayed in her mind over and over the first few weeks in Azkaban for fear that she would forget it.

Slowly she turned around to see a dripping Ron pointing his wand at her. She watched his eyes as confusion and caution flitted across his face while he registered hers. She could imagine that it might be quite odd to see two of her at one time, though her heart ached that he hadn't known Vanya wasn't really her.

"Ron." She breathed. "Just watch." She lowered her wand slightly and guided Ron's sightlines to Kovac on the floor.

They gazed on as the body of the blonde waiter slowly began to gurgle, shift, and mutate.

Ron's eyes widened.

"Kovac." He breathed. Hermione nodded, feeling another level of relief. She looked at Kovac and recalled intimately what it felt like to be him. She did not wish it on anyone, anyone except Kovac, who certainly deserved the punishment.

Ron walked toward Kovac, seeming as if he momentarily had forgotten that there were currently two Hermione's in existence. Hermione knew this was her chance to get to Vanya and transform her as well. Once that happened, everything would fall into place.

She heard Kovac rumble to life and somehow work his way out of her Stupefy spell. She barely looked back as Ron moved toward the smuggler that got away those months ago. Hermione didn't care and didn't worry. She knew that Ron would be alright. Besides, she now had more important things to attend to.

"Vanya." Hermione said slowly and intentionally. She rounded the table looking for her evil twin.

Hermione watched as Vanya pulled herself up off the floor in a sopping beautiful mess, slightly dazed from the blow, but with an unyielding and infinitely growing malice on her face. Hermione could see every inch of her own mousy frame build up into a roaring fury. Hermione was impressed. She looked rather formidable despite the water continuing to pour down from the heavens and despite being in a ballgown.

"I will kill you for this." Vanya hissed to her.

"Sure...You know, you really make a pathetic me." Hermione sent back.

Hermione glanced over at Harry, unconscious on the floor. Vanya didn't bother to look back, but instead decided that her patience had come to an end.

"Crucio!" she screamed at Hermione. Hermione was quick to deflect it and sent a counter-curse back her way. Back and forth they went, bounding hexes towards each other and dodging others.

Hermione could hear Ron in the background sending curses toward Kovac. She could swear she heard Ginny as well. She wouldn't have been surprised if more of her friends had stayed to fight and protect them. The question is, in the end, if she couldn't turn Vanya, which Hermione would they protect?

Light flung back and forth across the Great Hall as Vanya screamed furiously.

"You may be the best at potions, but I've always been better with wand-work." Hermione goaded. For some reason seeing Vanya furious made Hermione want to taunt and tease her more than ever before. With such a void of joy and hope in her life these past weeks, it felt good to feel in control of her life and her destiny. It felt good to teach Vanya a lesson.

Despite their continued dueling, Hermione noticed from her peripheral vision things changed in the room. The sky had returned to it's calm self, looking as it would just after a heavy storm. Soggy food, goblets, cutlery and plates were strewn across the floor. She could smell the smoldering of wood from the scorched tables.

"Secare!" Vanya called to her, and Hermione's distraction had cost her. Vanya's spell sliced her arm as it ricocheted and dissipated into a nearby wall.

Hermione didn't retreat, instead she shifted, turned and sent a counter-spell towards Vanya that shoved her backwards onto the floor, sending her eyes rolling back in her head.

Hermione knew this was her chance. She splattered across the floor toward Vanya. Just another fifteen feet and Hermione could clarify any confusion around the evening's events.

She was nearly halfway there when the worst happened.

"Don't touch her." Ron's voice said sharply and with an unquestioning air about it that she knew he would not hesitate to stop her at all costs.

Hermione stopped. Her heart lurched. He stood there, crimson hair dripping, looking at her with a facial expression of someone that didn't even know her.

"Ron, that's not me." She took a step forward. Ron pointed his wand at her.

"I'm serious. Don't come any closer."

Hermione was struck silent. While she knew he would experience a little bit of confusion seeing two Hermione's in the same room, she just naturally thought that once he saw her that he would know it was really her. She would be special in some way. That her soul mate would just know.

Every part of that fantasy came crashing down around her like a glass castle, bursting into shards of nothing.

She looked around the room and saw Ginny, Luna, Neville, Professor McGonagall and a few others she knew intimately surrounding her from behind their wands all trained on her.

She wanted to scream and cry. How could this be happening? How could she be so close to finally being free and safe again, and the only person standing in her way was Ron.

"You can't be serious." Hermione pleaded. "She kidnapped me and took my body...Ron, that's Vanya."

Ron sent a surreptitious look behind him.

"I've got the antidote in my pocket. Just like for Andrei." Hermione tried to reason.

"Why don't you both take it." Ron said, cautiously. Hermione could see his mind going a mile a minute trying to make sense of everything.

"This is the last one. If you don't give it to her, she'll have my face forever." Hermione took another step, but Ron gripped his wand tighter signaling her to stay where she was.

There was a long silence.

"How do I know it is really you?" He asked after a moment, barely above a whisper.

Hermione paused, struggling to get the words out. "How do you not?"

Before either had a chance to say another word, a flash of green light erupted somewhere to the left. She felt the shock of it hit her and everything went dark.

Ron looked on in astonishment as he watched this thinner, more beaten and sopping version of Hermione crumple to the ground. He looked toward the source of the green light and saw Harry lowering his wand.

Harry looked at Ron. "I think we deserve a moment to figure out what the bloody hell is going on here."