A/N: Thanks again to HeartOfAspen for her invaluable help on this story.

Hermione dutifully studied for her OWLs over the next month, doing her best to forget about everything else happening in the world. Hagrid had been forced out by Umbridge on the same night as their Astronomy final, and Professor McGonagall had been hit with several stunners to the chest as she tried to defend him. It was a relief to hear that she would recover, but it still worried Hermione to no end. At least they only had one O.W.L. left before the school year was over. Then she could go back to focusing on the mermaid colonies around the world and how to protect them rather than making sure a hidden giant in the Forbidden Forest was being fed.

She knew that Harry wasn't doing well. He was continuing to have bad dreams about Voldemort every night. The dark circles under his eyes were more than telling, even if he didn't divulge every detail of the nightmares. The next morning rolled around and Hermione sighed once more as she watched Harry almost fall asleep at the breakfast table. They had all morning to study for History of Magic which she was going to take full advantage of.

"Harry?"

He looked up at her. "Yeah?"

"How about we go up to the common room after breakfast? You need some sleep before our exam this afternoon and I could use some last minute studying. We can post up on the sofa in front of the fire."

Harry gave her a brief smile and nodded his head. "That sounds nice."

"Okay then." She sighed in relief that he didn't try to fight her on the matter.

Harry slept the morning away on one side of the sofa in the Gryffindor Common Room, curled up in a blanket, his head resting on the arm. Hermione sat on the other side, several books open, refreshing her memory on Goblin history. She knew she should be studying, but she couldn't help but stare at Harry and think about their relationship. They hadn't been able to sleep on the sofa much together because Hermione was up late studying and Harry always went up to bed early, hoping to catch some sleep. The last time they had even had quality time together, just the two of them, had been before they were busted for Dumbledore's Army. A month! With the busyness of their schedules, romance had definitely been pushed to the backburner. She let her mind wander for several more minutes about how she could change their current situation when she was brought out of her haze by a popping noise.

House Elves brought sandwiches and tea rather than having the students studying trek down to the Great Hall whilst they were trying to study. She felt it was unnecessary for them to do so as students had legs that could carry them down to the Great Hall, but she didn't have the energy to fight at the moment. Harry had woken to eat and then just laid resting until it was time for their exam.

Twenty minutes until start time, Hermione, Harry, and the rest of the fifth year Gryffindors made their way to the Great Hall. It had been transformed just like their other exams to have several individual desks with an enchanted quill to prevent cheating placed on each tabletop.

"Good luck, Harry," Hermione whispered as they took their seats and the Ministry-provided test administrator called for silence. Umbridge walked in at that moment, her pink heels clicking across the floor as she made her way to the front of the room. She had been overseeing all exams.

"You too," he mouthed back at her, winking before his face turning stoney as he looked at Umbridge.

She smiled and was happy to see this little bit of his original self, even if it was only for a moment. The test administrator gave them their instructions and then Hermione was scribbling away as soon as time started.

Hermione was close to finishing her exam and starting on her next, when she heard a commotion next to her. She had zoned everything out, but there was such a ruckus that she couldn't help but think that maybe the Weasley twins were back and causing more mayhem. When she looked briefly over, her mouth flew open in shock.

Harry was on the floor having fallen out of his seat. The test administrator had gone over and helped him up. "There you are, Mister Potter. Are you alright?"

He shook his head frantically, his eyes wild. "No," he panted out.

"Very well, how about you finish your—"

"I'm finished," he said, cutting her off.

"Very well." She drew her wand and banished the test to wherever the finished tests went. "You best head to the Hospital Wing if you really aren't well."

"I'll head there straight away, ma'am."

Umbridge looked pleasantly surprised at Harry's departure from the Great Hall. Hermione knew that she'd be hoping that Harry did poorly, and Hermione was worried as well. He'd been so distracted lately… and speaking of being distracted… she only had a few minutes left before time was called. She quickly finished her last question and handed it in to the administrator. Moments later when the bell rang, signalling the end of the test, Hermione bolted out of her seat and ran from the Great Hall.

She sprinted up the steps and was halfway to Gryffindor tower when Ron grabbed her arm. "Hermione."

"Ron, stop, let go!" she shouted back at him.

"Hermione," he said again, pulling on her arm. "Listen to me."

Hermione finally stopped trying to get away and Ron let go of her arm. "Harry isn't in Gryffindor tower, I saw him bolt toward Umbridge's office."

"Oh no," Hermione whispered, her eyes going wide. "She'll be back any moment."

"Neville, Ginny, and Luna are helping distract her. They were who I could get together under short notice to help. I don't know what he's up to, but maybe we can get him out of there before he lands himself in more trouble."

Hermione nodded. "Let's go."

Ron led the way with his long legs and minutes later they arrived at Umbridge's office. The door was wide open, the kitten plates on the walls were meowing incessantly and Harry was on his hands and knees, his head inside the fireplace.

Hermione quickly drew her wand and shut the door, locking it, and casting a charm to pull blinders over the cats' eyes so they could no longer see what was going on and report back to Umbridge.

"What the bloody hell is he doing in here?" Ron asked, clearly as exasperated as she was.

Hermione shook her head. "It has to have something to do with why he was laying on the floor during the History of Magic exam."

"He fell asleep," Ron told her. "You were next to him and didn't see, but he passed out on his desk halfway through the exam. The next time I looked up, he was falling out of his chair." He shrugged. "That's all the information I got."

"He looked scared… something happened. He wouldn't have barged in here otherwise."

Just as Hermione said that, Harry pulled his head out of the fire. He was still panting. She rushed over to him.

"Harry what is going on?"

"Sirius, he has Sirius!"

"Who, mate?"

"Voldemort." Ron flinched at the name.

"Harry, you can't be serious. Please be rational."

"Don't tell me to be rational," he growled at her, pulling out of her grasp and standing on his own two feet.

"We have to get out of here!"

The door unlocked and pushed open at that moment. "That won't be happening, Mister Potter."

Umbridge stood there twirling her wand, the Inquisitorial Squad behind her, holding Ginny, Neville, and Luna as prisoners. She stepped into the room and to the side.

"In," she demanded, ushering in everyone else.

The next ten minutes passed in a blur to Hermione, so much seemed to happen at once. Umbridge called Professor Snape in for Veritaserum, but Snape only raised his eyebrows and did nothing when Harry attempted to cryptically ask for his help. Umbridge then threatened to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry, while all of the rest of them struggled in the grips of the Inquisitorial Squad.

...It was then Hermione came up with a lie that told Umbridge what she wanted to know.

Those were the only details Hermione remembered as she, Harry, and Umbridge trekked through the Forbidden Forest. She hoped that the others would be able to get away from the Slytherins while they distracted Umbridge. How they were going to distract her, she didn't know. Right now, she was wandering aimlessly through the forest, and perhaps a little in the direction of Grawp's area.

When they got closer, they were attacked by a couple of centaurs and thankfully, they carried off Umbridge for attacking one of their own. Harry and Hermione were lucky to get away—one of the centaurs wanted to punish them as well for bringing Umbridge in the first place.

"We are so going to Azkaban for that," Hermione said, shaking her head.

"No, we are going to the Ministry where Voldemort has Sirius! Come on!"

Harry ran off, Hermione on his tail. "Harry, please rethink this," she begged, as she jumped over tree roots and ducked under branches. "I think we should ask for someone's help. Professor Snape will help us, he's been helping us all year. Please."

Harry just ignored her and continued to run.

"Harry!"

He finally stopped as he reached the edge of the forest and turned around to face her. "We don't have time to stop Hermione, we have to save Sirius."

"I am trying to talk to you about that," Hermione said, breathing heavily, leaning against a tree. They had run so much she had a stitch in her side. "Please reconsider. We can't go to the Ministry. It's closed, it's dark, and we have no way to get there."

"Well, we will fly of course." Hermione turned her head and Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna stood there. Luna had spoken.

"Fly to London? That's crazy!"

"Not on brooms, thestrals!" Luna pointed behind them and when Hermione looked, she didn't see anything.

"You've got to be kidding me," Hermione muttered. She looked at Harry who shrugged. "Please, Harry, we don't need to go to the Ministry."

"I'm going, Hermione," Harry said, matter-of-factly. He walked over to a thestral and ran his hands over what looked like it's head. To Hermione, it just looked like he was caressing the air. Harry climbed on its back and was now sitting in mid air. "You're welcome to stay."

Hermione shook her head. If he was hellbent on going, she was going too. She looked at the others. "I can't let Harry go without me. Are you staying or going?"

"Going," they all replied simultaneously.

"Fine," Hermione mumbled. She had hoped that if the others were against going, Harry would change his mind. Though, that had never stopped him before. "Luna and Neville, can you help the rest of us who can't see the thestrals?"

Luna happily agreed and both she and Neville helped Hermione, Ron, and Ginny onto the thestrals, showing them where to grip. Hermione held on with a death grip, terrified. She wasn't very good at flying on a broom and she didn't think this would be any better.

"How do we tell them where we want to go?" Hermione asked, looking at the others as Luna climbed up on her thestral. Ginny and Ron looked just as nervous as Hermione, and Neville looked skeptical despite being able to see the animal. Harry just shrugged.

"They'll know," Luna replied.

It was as vague as an answer as she expected from Luna and she looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow. He shrugged his shoulders once more and spoke to his mount, "We need to get to the Ministry of Magic, quickly."

Almost immediately, the thestrals began running as a unit, beating their wings as they took off into the air. Hermione screeched as it felt like she was going to fall. The wings beating behind her legs was uncomfortable. In an attempt to calm herself, she laid her head down on the thestral's back, gripped a little tighter and closed her eyes. If she was lucky, they would be there in no time.

What seemed like hours later and probably was, they touched down in London. They all scrambled into a telephone booth, where Harry instructed Hermione to dial four specific numbers. When Harry told the lady on the phone why they were there, it spit out badges for all of them denoting that they were on a rescue mission. Seeing the words rescue mission made Hermione uneasy. What if Harry was right? What if Sirius was trapped in the Ministry under Voldemort's wrath? She should have fought harder to keep Harry away for his safety, not to mention all of the school rules and laws they were disregarding—they were sure to be in deep trouble. Her head was starting to pound with the beginnings of a headache—stressed, she was stressed. And she didn't know how to feel or what to think. However this turned out, she hoped it was in their favor.

Once they grabbed the badges, the telephone booth lowered into the Ministry where it came to a stop in the atrium.

"If we aren't going to Azkaban for what happened to Umbridge, we are going to for breaking into the Ministry after hours."

Harry took off at a run. "We can't worry about that now—we have to save Sirius!"

Hermione just shook her head, the stupid badge that the phone booth had given her bouncing against her chest as the ran after Harry. They all jumped into the lift after him, cutting it close as it shut right behind Ron. Harry wasn't waiting for anyone.

She was out of breath as Harry continued to run once the lift opened. Once they found the correct door in the Department of Mysteries, Harry ran through and stopped at a shelf.

"He should be right here."

"He's not here, Harry," Hermione said, peeking into several aisles around them.

"I know he's not!"

Hermione held up her hands and took a step back away from him. He noticed and his face fell. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I really thought he would be here."

She stepped close again and grabbed his arm. "I know you did. But now that we know that he's not here, we need to leave. We'll be in so much trouble if we are caught in here."

"Ahh, trouble seems to always find you doesn't it, Mister Potter?"

Hermione and Harry whipped their heads around to see someone in a long black cloak walking toward them. Their face was covered with a mask, their hair hidden by a hood. They brought their wand up and in a cloud of smoke, the mask disappeared.

"Mister Malfoy?" Hermione said, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Very good, the mudblood remembers me."

A cackle came from behind him and a witch came into view. Hermione recognized her from the wanted posters. It seemed Neville did too.

"You're Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Very good, Longbottom." She looked toward Lucius and then to each side of them and behind. "Looks like we have some friends joining us for the fun."

Hermione whipped her head back around and sure enough, they were surrounded by Death Eaters. If anything was positive about the situation, it was that none of them had their masks on so she could identify each and every one of them. She had memorized their wanted posters and it was coming in handy. That is, if she were alive later to pass that information along to the appropriate authorities. Hermione shook her head—she couldn't think like that. Gryffindors were bold and brave—she took a deep breath—she could do this.

The Lestrange Brothers, Dolohov, Avery, Macnair, Crabbe and Goyle Sr., Nott, Rookwood, Jugson, Mulciber, and of course, Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy were all in attendance. The others drew their wands and turned to each side so they were all facing the Death Eaters head on.

"Now, Mister Potter, no one has to get hurt here today," Lucius said, as Harry and Hermione drew their wands from their pockets. "We only want one little thing and we will be on our way."

Hermione watched as Harry's eyes flickered to one of the shelves. When she looked back at Lucius he was grinning wickedly at them. "I know he showed you what it was. Why don't you grab it?"

"What is he talking about, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Bellatrix laughed maniacally. "You mean to tell me that itty-bitty-baby Potter didn't tell his friends what he saw? Tsk-Tsk."

Harry just shook his head and looked back up at the shelf. Hermione tried to keep one eye trained on Malfoy, but was curious enough that she squinted and took a glance at the shelf Harry continued to look at.

It was a glowing orb with two names on it. Tom Marvolo Riddle and Harry Potter? Hermione then realized that this was the Hall of Prophecies—it had said so when they had run in, but in a panic, had forgotten.

"Don't take it, Harry," Hermione warned him.

"Don't you want to know what it says?" Lucius said, trying to tempt Harry into taking it off the shelf.

Harry looked at Hermione, and she knew she had lost him. He knew so little about his very brief childhood and his life before living with the Dursleys that he wasn't going to let this pass up. He gave her a nod and jerked his head toward the others.

Hermione nodded her head, hoping she was interpreting his message correctly. She stood facing Lucius and Bellatrix and Harry reached for the glowing orb prophecy, but she moved one hand behind her and gave Ginny's hand a squeeze. She prayed to Atargatis and Merlin and whoever else that could help them, that this worked.

As soon as Harry picked up the Prophecy, it started speaking but Harry didn't allow it to finish. He threw it to the ground and yelled, "Now!"

Hermione and the others cast simultaneously in the direction of the Death Eaters standing in front of them. If anything, it took them off guard and they were able to run.

Harry took off first and Hermione followed. As they ran, Hermione looked behind her and saw only Neville. Ginny, Ron, and Luna must have gotten split up from them and headed in a different direction. Harry flung a door open in front of them, Neville shutting it behind him as soon as they were all in. They were in the Time Chamber—Hermione recognized the time turners on the wall.

The Death Eaters following them hit the door, but it didn't take them long to magic the door open. They flung several curses their way, hitting the time turners and bursting them. Hermione ran for the next closest door as she saw a blur run in front of her. Just as she was about to reach the door, she ducked down and tried to catch a glance at who was in the room.

She could still see Neville and Harry holding their own against the three Death Eaters—Jugson, Crabbe Sr, and Rabastan Lestrange. The other was Dolohov and she could see him squinting through the dark, looking for her. He must have spotted her and he opened his mouth to shout to get some help.

"Silencio," Hermione shouted, not hesitating, knowing that he would kill her if he could.

Despite being silenced, he continued to advance on her and pointed his wand in her direction. A purple curse unleashed from the tip of his wand and hit her right in the chest. The last thing she heard was Harry and Neville yelling her name as the world faded around her and she lost consciousness.

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