Dear readers – do not forget that anything that is in BOLD and Italics are quotes from various sources that I feel have affected me, the characters, or the plot of the story!

What have you become?...

"You think you know…what you are…what's to come. You haven't even begun…"

Hermione was still in the infirmary, holding onto her child, when Cedric entered. Hermione smiled at him with love in her eyes as she beckoned him to join her in the bed. He sat next to Hermione – putting his arm around her as they looked at Morgaine – who was looking back up at them.

"What?" Hermione asked. When he joined her in the bed he had a smile on his face, but she could tell that it was strained.

"Nothing." Cedric said.

Hermione recoiled from his touch. He told Minerva that he was more observant than most, but Hermione was even more observant than he. "Cedric." Hermione said, looking into his eyes.

"It's nothing, I'm just tired, and…well…you're starting to smell a little ripe." Cedric said with a chuckle.

Hermione smiled. "Yeah, I know – there really hasn't been much time lately. I feel like I could use a good bath."

"Why don't you go take one then, I'll take care of our baby." Cedric said, looking down at Morgaine with love that any father would have for his child.

Hermione hesitantly looked at Cedric before saying, "Yes. Actually, that would be fantastic." She handed Morgaine over to Cedric. She stood and stretched – as though her muscles could go on for ages. "Oh Merlin, that feels good."

"Then go for it, I need to bond with my sweet daughter." Cedric said.

Hermione smiled. She gave Morgaine a kiss on the head, and Cedric a deep kiss on the lips – before retreating to the infirmary's bathroom.

After Hermione left, Cedric was alone with Morgaine. He knew what had to be done…

Hermione finished her bath and headed back to the infirmary. When she entered the room, Cedric was not there. Hermione went to Poppy's office, and Poppy was not there. Hermione then went to her parents' quarters – and found not only Poppy, but Cedric, Albus, Minerva, and her parents. Hermione looked at them all with confusion, before walking over to Cedric and saying, "Give me my child." Cedric did not give in to Hermione's request.

"Cedric. Give me Morgaine." Hermione said once more.

Deadly serious glances were exchanged across the room. Hermione looked from face to face before demanding once again, "Cedric – give me my child."

Cedric rose from his seat and left the room. Hermione followed after, but Albus magically locked the door behind Cedric. Hermione waved her hand and went to pull the handle…nothing. She waved her hand once more – nothing. She looked at Albus with a mixture of curiosity and anger.

"It will only open for me, Miss. Weasley." Albus said.

Hermione was shocked – she was able to break through Cedric's spell earlier, but then she realized that she was now dealing with the most powerful wizard known to man.

"What the hell is this?" Hermione demanded.

"Hermione, dear, please sit down." Molly asked.

"NO!" Hermione cried, "I will NOT sit down. Not until I have my child here."

Glances were once again exchanged across the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Hermione demanded. She was seething – and it did not go unnoticed by the remaining occupants of the room. Hermione began to slightly glow, a red-golden color. Her eyes were fierce – as though they were on fire. Energy was crackling in the air as Hermione's fear and anger took control. The rest of the group in the room cringed back in fear and disbelief. They did not believe what Cedric said about Hermione's power at first, but now they were seeing it in all of its glory.

"Dear…" Molly began, walking towards her daughter. Hermione pushed her away without even using her hands – or a wand. The second that Hermione saw her mother approaching her, Molly was pushed back by an unseen force, out of Hermione's mind – causing everyone to go wide-eyed.

"Do NOT 'dear' me." Hermione exclaimed. "I want to know what the HELL is going on?"

No one knew what to do at the moment. They saw Hermione use her powers with wandless magic – by the wave of a hand, but now she was doing it without having to use anything but her mind – her thoughts. This was unknown territory, and it scared them all.

"Baby, listen. Please stay calm. We just want to talk to you." Arthur said.

His reasoning did not matter though, for everyone saw the look in Hermione's eyes. The beautiful chestnut eyes that she once bore were now traded for a deep gold – with flecks of red. The heartbeats and anxiety of everyone in the room increased by ten-fold. It was something unlike they have ever seen before – it was new, different…and frightening. Minerva stood back – realizing that Cedric was right. Hermione's magic was clearly unstable – and even Albus clearly did not know how to approach the issue. Calmly, he stated "If you want to know what is going on, then you need to pull yourself back and listen to us, instead of attacking."

Hermione no longer glowed, and there was no longer a pulse in the air, but Hermione's eyes were still a deep golden color, flecked with red.

"Hermione, come sit next to me." Molly patted the seat by her.

Hermione sat down – making eye contact with each person in the room, clearly not trusting any of them.

"Hermione," Albus began, "concern has been raised regarding your stability."

Hermione's laugh bordered between disbelief and psychosis. "Of course I am not stable!" She yelled. "Have any of you even been around me this past year? Who the hell would be stable after everything that has happened – some of it, may I remind you, was your doing."

The words tore through Minerva like a knife – clearly, Hermione was still furious. She was at a loss about what to do. First she believed that Hermione would want to be brought back, then discovered she was furious about the life support and intrusion of her mind – only to cry out for help 8 months later, yet to lash out at everyone once more. She was losing her mind. At one time, they agreed to help each other – pull each other back, but Minerva now wondered if Hermione was becoming too far gone for anyone to rescue…especially her.

"Your mood swings are giving me whiplash."

"No. We did not forget, Hermione." Molly said gently. "We have seen it, witnessed it, lived through it, and suffered for it."

Hermione stood, her eyes beginning to glow brighter. "What the hell do you know about my suffering, mother." She said scathingly.

Molly stood and faced Hermione. She was clearly a foot shorter, yet she held her ground and seemed to grow as she spoke. "How can you even ask me that? How can you ask any of us that. We suffer because we witnessed someone we love dearly be hurt so badly. We suffer because we saw you on the brink of death – wondering if we would ever get the chance to express our love. We suffer because you were suffering so badly that your only solution was to take a flying leap off the tower after slashing your arms to ribbons!"

Everyone in the room had their eyes averted in different directions, recalling the memory. The only ones who did not take their eyes off Hermione were Molly and Minerva. Molly began to pace as she continued, "Do you know how painful it is to see your child want to die? To see her hurt herself and try to die? Do you know how it felt to sit by your bed, day by day – wondering if you would wake – or to see you finally wake, but barely live - staring out the windows for days at a time – talking to no one, responding to no one? Think on it Hermione, put yourself in my position – you are a mother now, how would you have reacted if it was Morgaine going through all of this – you would do everything in your power as a mother to fight for her when she was unable to fight for herself. You would take on her pain – and cry for her, suffer for her…with her."

Hermione was still quaking. "You say you know, but you have no idea!"

Arthur, unable to contain himself any longer, stood and shouted "I cannot stand this self-righteous attitude from you anymore!"

Hermione stumbled back for a moment, she had never heard her father speak to anyone that way – let alone her.

"Do you think that you are the only one in this room – or this world who has suffered? Look around you Hermione, there isn't a person in this room who has not been through war! Yes, we may not have been through the type of assault that you have – but we all have our own scars to carry, nonetheless – and at some point you have move on and do what is good not only for yourself, but your family and friends as well. Part of me is starting to think that you like wallowing around." Arthur said.

"How dare you…" Hermione began to glow again, but Arthur would not back down.

"How dare I? How dare you! Look at what has been sacrificed for you – your well-being…you have a host of family and friends at your beckon call – but instead of taking our help when you need it, you make use of it only when you want it – and once you have gotten what you wanted, you push everyone away again. Now. We said we would be here for you no matter what – no matter how many times you push us away, but that does NOT mean we will continue through this cycle without speaking up." Arthur said.

Molly spoke up once more, "Darling, we are saying these things not out of anger, but out of concern. I know you don't like to talk about it, and you definitely don't want to hear about it – but it is time that you do. You need to hear these things. We are not angry, just frustrated. Just when it feels like there is some semblance of calm – the earth is upended once again…it has become exhausting for us – as well as you."

"Sorry I'm such a burden." Hermione replied sarcastically.

Arthur rolled his eyes, "There you go again. It's all about you. God damn, Hermione – someday I am going to grab the Pensieve and FORCE you to see what you put your mother and I through while you were gone. The sleepless nights, not knowing where you were – how you were, if you were scared, or hurt…or worse."

"So this is all my fault?" Hermione asked, challenging her father.

"Not all of it, no – of course not. You did not ask to be attacked at the Granger home, or the dungeons – but your actions afterwards were of your own making, choosing to run off into the night with no plan or support. You chose to leave – you were grieving, depressed, and angry – but left on impulse…" Arthur said.

"People tend to do that when they are out of their minds…" Hermione said coldly.

"That isn't the reason you left – I know you don't want to hear it, but I think you left to punish us." Arthur replied.

Hermione stood as though she were slapped, she opened her mouth to deny it, but closed it once more. She suddenly felt naked – as though some sort of realization hit her that she never considered before. "If I left to punish you, then why would I have wanted to come back?"

"Because you were scared, and lost." Molly replied. "Maybe you saw the error of your ways in regards to it not just being about you…but I don't think that is the case. You knew you were stuck in an impossible position – and you cried out, knowing that we would come to the rescue…as we always have, and always will – but we don't want to continue being punished for doing what we thought was right at the time."

"I am not continuing to punish you!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I think you were punishing us, but it grew into punishing yourself for pushing people away." Albus said quietly. Hermione shifted her gaze to the wise old man as he continued. "Time changes many things, Hermione. You found a reason to stay alive – for your child. Would you have preferred her to die right along with you - had Minerva chosen not to heal you?" Hermione's eyes then shifted to Minerva, who was still looking right at her. Hermione was conflicted. "You were so happy that Minerva came to you in the graveyard, yet you have barely spoken two words to her since your return. You continue to blame her, yet she has not turned away – she was there when you needed her most. No matter how angry you are, how much you push – she has still been there every step of the way. I think you are continuing to blame because you are unwilling to embrace your own pain. I believe this because you would not have been able to call to her any other way. She knew how and where to find you – that is the type of bond that you have with each other. Some part of you knows that - but you are past the point of rational thought. Feeling angry at someone else is far easier than internalizing our grief and working through it – it is hard work, but it will heal you in the end. The path you are on right now will only lead you to destruction. The instability of your emotions is what is driving your magic now…not your mind or your will. That is dangerous beyond all measures, and believe me when I say that in the end, you will be consumed – and Merlin hope that you don't take someone else with you in the process - just because you are too afraid to examine the past in order to move on with your life."

"I am not afraid." Hermione said quietly.

"Keep telling yourself that, but I know that you don't believe. You are as transparent as the window – everyone here can see that you are self-destructing…which is why Cedric has taken Morgaine." Albus said.

Hermione looked him dead in the eye as he continued, "We have come to a decision that it is in Morgaine's best interest that you not be around her for the time being." Hermione's eyes flared. "Your magic has become highly unstable – and highly powerful. Morgaine has no way to defend herself, and so long as you are not in control – we feel it necessary to keep her at a distance until she and yourself are no longer at risk."

Hermione's jaw hit the floor. The other occupants in the room bore solemn, yet determined faces – there would be no wavering on this issue.

"How." Hermione said. "How could you do this to me, haven't I been through enough?" Hermione began to glow once more as she started to seethe. "Where is my child? I demand you tell me."

"Or what, you'll attack us? Is that the point you have come to?" Albus asked. "Yes. You have been through enough, but what will become of you if you accidentally injured Morgaine, or worse – would you be able to live with that? Would we? Knowing what we know?"

"You. You all just want to hurt me. Just like everyone in my life so far. This is what I get in life, I am being punished." Hermione said.

"You are not being punished, Hermione. You are being saved." Minerva finally spoke – looking directly into Hermione's eyes. "We have seen your power grow so fast that it has become frightening. We don't know the limits to your power – and I don't think you do either. We haven't spoken with you about this before because we didn't want to admit to ourselves about the road you are going down. But you need to think on it, hard. Do you want to allow us to help, allow us to guide you in the direction you need to go in order to heal…or do you want to become the most frightening dark witch to have ever graced the planet in over 500 years?"

Hermione, wide-eyed, looked to the others in the room for confirmation. No one disputed what Minerva said. Hermione could not believe her ears. "That is what you believe me to be? You are frightened of me?"

"No. But that is where the road will lead if you continue on this path." Albus said.

"We are frightened for you, not of you. We don't want you to go down a path where we cannot, and will not follow. We love you too much. We only want to see you get better – so you can take care of that beautiful baby. She needs a strong mother to help her grow and thrive." Molly said.

"I am strong." Hermione said defiantly.

"You are. But it is the wrong kind of strength – and it's the type that Morgaine does not need." Minerva said, not tearing her gaze away from her cub, she needed this intervention of sorts.

Hermione's gaze, however, bore into Minerva's. She began to glow until her skin became transparent – it looked as though flames were being forged underneath it. Her eyes became dark for a moment, then bright as fire as she addressed Minerva. "Then maybe you should have killed me when you had the chance…like I asked you to – it would have saved you all of this strife." Then, in a burst of blinding golden light, a Phoenix was perched on the edge of the chair. Everyone in the room gasped and was wide-eyed…Cedric was right. Hermione fluttered to the open window, but before she got a chance to leave, Albus spoke up. "Minerva is not the person you are angry with, Hermione. Not anymore – think about where the blame really lies regarding the source of your pain…it is time to stop running."

And with that, Hermione leapt off the window sill and soared into the sky. Everyone in the room watched as Hermione glided off into the wind, leaving a trail of flames behind her in the updraft.

Albus whispered…."But we will be here when you come back."

Albus, Poppy and the Weasleys turned their backs to the window, about to continue their discussion when they realized that Minerva was gone. Somehow she managed to break through Albus's wards as the door was standing open. Albus sighed and looked down, for the first time in many years, he had no idea what to do.

Meanwhile, a small tabby cat was streaking through the halls of Hogwarts. Once she reached the grounds, she halted and sniffed the air. She was unable to see Hermione, but the cat's keen sense of smell was able to track her via the patchouli that hung in the air. Minerva began running towards the dark forest, stopping every now and then to sniff the air – adjusting her course accordingly. The next time she stopped, however, the scent was not in the air – it was coming from the ground. 'Hermione must have landed' Minerva thought. She continued on, a little more slowly, as the scent was becoming stronger. She did not want to startle Hermione and scare her off. There was a clearing up ahead, and Minerva knew that Hermione was there. She leapt up into a tree, trying to remain hidden, as she watched Hermione – now in human form – pacing and raging. Hermione was no longer glowing, but her eyes were still gold with red flecks. Minerva wondered if she would ever see Hermione's beautiful brown eyes ever again. Minerva had no plan when she left the castle – all she knew was that she needed to find Hermione – fast. She sat in the tree, watching, wondering what her next move should be…should she approach Hermione? Should she ask to speak with her? Minerva decided to hold off a little while longer. She needed to gauge Hermione's reactions before revealing herself. Minerva's heart sank as she watched Hermione sink to her knees, releasing a loud, guttural sob. Hermione held her head in her hands and rocked back in forth. Minerva thought that she would use that moment to reveal herself, until she saw Hermione stop moving and crying. "NO!" she cried out, and rage overtook her once more, but this time she began to cry as she fumed. Minerva could tell there was a war waging inside of Hermione – as though her personality was split between wanting help, wanting love, wanting to be well – and something altogether more sinister – which wanted to run, wanted to hate, wanted to blame. It was at this moment that Hermione shrieked. It was not a human shriek, though - it was the scream of a Phoenix in pain, yet Hermione was still in her human form. All of a sudden, Hermione extended her arms and looked at her hands, as though she was questioning the danger and nature of her power. Hermione, arms still extended, raised her face to the heavens and half screamed, half sobbed. In a flash of red, Hermione's forearms and hands burst into flames.

"I touch the fire and it freezes me. I look into it and it's black. Why can't I feel? My skin should crack and peel…I want the fire back."

Minerva's eyes were wide. She was about to spring into action when she that Hermione was not in pain…in fact, she had a look of relief and curiosity on her face as she watched the fire that was engulfing her arms and hands. A small smile came to Hermione's face, but Minerva could tell that it was not a smile of the Hermione that she knew. Minerva watched on, thinking, "Hermione…what have you become?"

Minerva decided against revealing herself to Hermione, the outcomes of her presence were far too unpredictable with the state that she was in. That didn't keep her from watching through her branch in the tree, though. Hermione was her cub, and she was her lioness. Minerva vowed before that she would protect her – 'As long as there is breath in my body' – it did not matter to her how much Hermione pushed her away, how angry she was – because the source of it stemmed from Hermione being broken. What they needed to get Hermione to realize, though, was who was truly responsible for the shatter – and that the person responsible most certainly did not reside within Hogwarts.

After a few minutes, Hermione's arms and hands were extinguished – without so much as a blemish upon her skin. 'Cedric was right.' Minerva thought. 'She is burning from the inside, out'. As Minerva sat perched in the tree, she vowed to stay and watch over Hermione – who obviously had no concern for herself. It was at this moment that Minerva began to wonder what else Cedric may have been right about…

Hermione sat on her knees and looked calm. She took several breaths in and out through her nose before she began to cry once more. Minerva looked on sadly, wishing there was something she could say, something she could do – to help her cub through this grief.

"I wish I could lay your arms down, and let you rest at last. Wish I could slay your demons, but now that time has passed."

Hermione ended up rolling onto her side – in the fetal position, as she sobbed herself to sleep – in the middle of the clearing. Minerva decided that Hermione had enough bombardment of people saying "we love you, we want to help" for one evening – she needed to sleep, and Minerva would watch over her throughout the night.

At some point, pure exhaustion must have gotten the better of Minerva because she woke with a start. She felt the same rush of anxiety course through her veins, to her heart and soul that she felt not a few days before – Hermione was calling to her, no…screaming for her. Minerva stood on the branch – still in animagus form, and looked into the clearing…it was on fire – and Hermione was still curled in the fetal position in the middle of it, as the flames grew nearer and nearer. Hermione had called for her, it was clear – but by the looks of the clearing, Minerva wondered if Hermione cared whether Minerva would make it there in time or not. Minerva knew that her Hermione wanted to be rescued – the other Hermione wanted to burn to ash. Minerva leapt out of the tree and transformed back to her human form. She drew her wand.

"Now through the smoke she calls to me. To make my way across the flame. To save the day – or maybe melt away. I guess it's all the same."

"She is drawn to the fire, some people never learn. She will walk through the fire and let it burn."

It took Minerva all of 5 seconds to extinguish the fire in the clearing. Once it died out, only smoke and ash remained…save for Hermione, who was lying on her side – sobbing into her hands. Minerva approached cautiously before she heard Hermione whimper, "You came for me."

Minerva knelt down and gently lifted Hermione into her arms – cradling her as though she were a child. She kissed her forehead, then her cheek. "I told you that I would always come for you. My heart will always find you."

"I should be dead by now." Hermione whispered.

"You would be…if I wasn't sitting in tree 15 feet away…as I have been since you left." Minerva said.

"You followed me." Hermione whispered, her voice hoarse from inhaling all of the smoke.

"I made you a promise…a long time ago, Hermione. That I would help you heal, as long as there was breath left in my body." Minerva said.

"I was so awful to you. I was so angry….so angry that you came for me…here." Hermione said as she touched her own head. "I was finished. I was about to greet death as an old friend…"

"You do not possess the Deathly Hallows, Hermione. Death was not an old friend, but a new one. One that you were not ready to greet yet. I think you know that, but it is always easier to give in, isn't it?" Minerva said.

Hermione nodded. It was easier. "I'm so tired, Minerva…so…so tired."

"Then rest, love, just rest. We will carry you. You need to forget your notion that you are a burden to any of us, and please let us help you. If you were a burden, we wouldn't have stuck through it with you. We wouldn't have spent months trying to track and find you – we would have given up. If you were a burden, I would not have followed you – I would have let you go…" Minerva said.

Hermione was quiet for a while, crying silently – knowing full well that she was soaking Minerva's robes with her tears. "And why did you not let me go?..." Hermione asked.

"I thought that would have been obvious, dear." Minerva said. "You are my cub…"

Hermione sobbed at the words that left Minerva's lips.

Minerva continued. "You are my protégé, my mentee…and my friend. A friend whom I have come to love very, very much..."

Hermione's head, still in Minerva's lap, turned up to face her mentor – "You have never taken a mentee…why me?"

"I told you, I saw so much of myself in you, Hermione. I still do – which is what is so concerning to me…I am concerned because my cub is hurting herself…I know where that leads…but don't forget that we vowed to help each other find ourselves."

Hermione thought on Minerva's words 'I still do – which is what is so concerning to me…I am concerned because my cub is hurting herself…I know where that leads.' Hermione chose not to question Minerva on her comment, though she wanted to – it was not the right time, not the right place. Minerva looked down at Hermione's face - tears were flowing in a steady, silent stream. Minerva wiped them away, then kissed Hermione on the head once more – rocking her like a babe, humming the sweetest lullaby Hermione had ever heard.

Hermione's eyes opened, meeting Minerva's. Minerva saw that Hermione's were still golden, with red-flecks. "Why do you continue to try – why did you choose me?"

Minerva thought silently for a moment, thinking on everything that she was feeling – her feelings from the first time she met Hermione – her feelings for Hermione over the years…and about what Cedric said to her…she had no conclusive answer.

"Like all of us of the old ways. You cannot think that this is the only life where we have met."

Minerva kissed Hermione's forehead before responding. "None of that should matter, lamb. Just be glad that we are in each other's lives right now. Let me in. Let me help you. If it was not what I wanted, I would not make the effort. I would not be sitting in a wet, ash-laden field telling you how important you are, if I did not mean it."

"I want to apologize to you, poppet." Minerva continued. "I know that you feel violated…me entering your mind. But I want you to know that I never knew that was going to happen. I was supposed to go to sleep and only heal you through contact. I had no idea that we were joined – I thought I was dreaming until I heard the alarms going off – and Rhea saying that you were awake. I had no idea that we connected, and that you followed me out – until after the fact."

Hermione was surprised to hear that, she thought that Minerva forced her way into Hermione's mind. "Oh Merlin, I am so sorry, Minerva." Hermione said. "I thought that you intentionally came in to guilt me into coming out…I had no idea."

"None of us did, lamb." Minerva said. "This magic is old and new at the same time, because it is rare. It can only be performed through a strong bond."

Their eyes met once more, and Minerva saw beautiful, chocolate covered eyes. Her breath hitched for a moment, joy coursing through her veins, believing Hermione to be back. Her joy changed to confusion when Hermione leaned forward and gave Minerva a quick kiss on the lips – innocently, the way a mother may kiss her child…yet something stirred – each of them realizing this on their own, but not acknowledging it between them. Both of them believing that the other regarded it as innocent affection…something was different between them though…they felt the bond that they shared on previous occasions when Minerva healed Hermione.

It meant nothing…and it meant everything all at the same time.

TBC! PLEASE REVIEW! PRESS THE BUTTON, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!