Author's Note:

And everything is set up for the finale! ;-)

Just in case, the last scene in this chapter might warrant a warning for torture, although nothing too serious happens. Still, consider yourself warned and read at your own risk.

Again, many thanks to MusicLover19 for beta-reading! 3

..

They Won't Hurt You Anymore

"Hermione! We aren't finished yet!"

Striding through the Ministry with angry steps, Hermione rolled her eyes at those words. She flexed her hand to keep herself from turning around and slap Draco for his stubborn behaviour.

They were having an argument ever since he had found her going through old notes on Death Eater and their practices that morning. If only she hadn't been so stupid to tell him what her plans were and what the inspiration was.

"Hermione! Stop!"

"No!" Out of spite, she sped up to reach the lifts before he could catch up to her. To her dismay, the lift she hoped to reach before it left closed its doors in front of her nose. And the next one up to the Auror Department was still several floors away, which meant she was stuck for a moment. She braced herself with a smile and turned around to face Draco, just as he arrived as well, still looking as angry as he did when she had left her place earlier.

"You can't just run away," he said with a hint of a growl in his voice. "We aren't finished yet."

"You mean you aren't finished yet."

"Yes, I'm not finished yet, because you aren't listening–"

"I heard what you said, and I think you are overreacting! I'm not a small child that you need to protect at all costs–"

"Your plan is outrageous and too dangerous! You can't just go and take your revenge on–"

"I can! Especially if that means I can save you and your goddamn arse from being destroyed any further, for Heaven's sake!"

"I rather not lose you, Hermione."

She sighed as his words gave her heart a guilty pang. From the corner of her eye, she could see the sign of another lift going up arriving nearby, so she moved towards it just as the doors opened. "I know, my dragon."

"Lift is full, sir," An elder wizard said as he stopped Draco from entering, barely hiding his disdain at the other's presence.

Draco stared at him for a long second with his eyebrow raised. "The lift is almost empty, so get your hands off me."

"The lift is full," the elder wizard repeated with a stern look and a hidden warning in his voice both Draco and Hermione knew just too well.

Hermione wanted to say something in Draco's defense, but just as she opened her mouth, the lift doors closed, leaving her alone with the elder wizard while Draco had to wait for the next one. As soon as he was out of sight, she turned towards the elder wizard with the most disapproving glare she could muster. "You know that it is against the law to discriminate against someone based on their past?"

"He's a Death Eater, that's enough for me." With a bored shrug, he pulled what looked like a small messaging device from his robes; she immediately recognised the design.

It was one of Draco's developments.

She was fuming now; the hypocrisy of the people when it came to Draco was still utterly unbelievable—they didn't mind using his devices to facilitate their daily life, but at the same moment continued to condemn him for his past.

To her relief, the lift finally reached the floor where the Auror Department was located; with a sigh, she stepped out, throwing back a glare. "You better apologise to the man who saved me next time we meet you... Or I will have to report your behaviour."

His shocked response to her words were enough for her to smirk all the way to the Auror Department.

Once there, she took a deep breath and headed straight for Harry's office to see if he could already deal with her request she had sent first thing in the morning before she even put on the kettle for her first coffee.

Harry was searching his shelves for a file when she came in, surprised at her rather sudden arrival. "Hermione! I didn't think you'd come so early..."

She shrugged with a small sheepish grin and made to sit down in his visitor chair, just as he placed the papers in his hands on his desk. "I've had a change of plans."

"Hermione!"

Harry briefly glanced at the open door from where they had heard the voice before returning to her with a sigh. "So, you're aware then that he is following you..."

"Yes. We already had an argument this morning," she replied defeatedly as she placed her head on her hand. It was only a matter of seconds now until Draco would join them. "I told him my plan, and he thinks I'm on a suicide mission... Anyway, did you get my request for a visit to Azkaban?"

"Yes, but I'm not letting you go there alone."

"She's going nowhere, Potter." Draco stood in the office door, his hands in his trouser pockets and glaring at both of them. "I haven't sacrificed everything just for you to go and do something so incredibly brash and not thought through at all."

Her anger flaring up again, Hermione got up. "At least I have a plan!"

"Hey, what's going on?" Ron asked with a confused expression as he showed up behind Draco. "And what's Malfoy doing here?"

"Trying to keep her from doing something stupid," Draco replied, taking a step to the side. "Maybe you could tell her that it's just suicidal to go after The Hungarian, maybe she'll listen to you."

"That's your plan?" Harry let out, getting up as well after pushing his glasses back up. "You didn't mention that part."

Ron shook his head, hands on his waist. "I do have to agree with Malfoy here, this is suicidal, Hermione. Seriously. It's not a good plan."

"Neither of you managed to capture him! He's still out there, doing everything to destroy you, Draco, and threatening everyone else in my life. I have to do something!"

"But not like this!" Harry replied with a cold glare.

"Have you forgotten what he's done to me? What that felt like? The nightmares I still have? Do I have to tell you all what it was like to be a play thing? To be tortured?"

By now, Hermione was furious; balling her fists that were tingling by now, she stormed straight at Draco with the full force of her anger. She saw the small shock on his face before her vision briefly blurred, a clear sign that a transformation was threatening to take over.

She was inclined to let it happen.

"Revenge is not the way, Hermione; you know that! You'd only get yourself killed..."

Her eyes still transformed, she turned towards Harry who was still standing behind his desk with a stern and schooled expression that accepted no further defiance. "You won't stop me."

"Yes," all three men replied in various degrees of anger and frustration at her determination. Then Draco made a step towards her, holding out his hand in an offer of truce. "I'm sure your plan works too without you going after The Hungarian–"

"We still have Riverside under arrest," Ron added with a nod. "I'm sure he'd volunteer..."

Hermione let out a frustrated growl that turned into a short screech as she let her head fall back. Riverside wasn't the one she wanted, even though he deserved all the pain she could inflict on him. She wanted The Hungarian, she wanted to pay him back for all the torture and fights he had put her through before she'd use his tattoo to finish them all off.

Just how could she make those three stubborn men understand it? That she craved revenge to get any form of closure? That anything less wouldn't feel as satisfying?

"Fine," she finally let out through gritted teeth, momentarily accepting the defeat to get out of the situation. "But I'm still going to Azkaban–"

"Not without me."

"Draco, please–"

"No. I'm coming with you to make sure he's being nice."

..

Hermione was already sitting at the table in the visitor room at Azkaban when Lucius was led inside, her arms crossed and taking a deep breath to keep her still simmering anger down. The fact that she could see Draco in the far corner didn't help her patience either.

"What a surprise to see you, Ms Granger. I heard you wormed your way back into my son's life..." He kept studying her with that famous look of disdain on his face while the guards fixed him on his chair with their Chaining Charms.

"Nice to see you too, Mr Malfoy." Hermione was not at all fazed by his demeanour, and just returned the disdain without even blinking. She had dealt with worse in the last few years. "I see life in here does you good."

Lucius narrowed his eyes at her for the briefest of moments before returning to a more collected expression. "Now that we exchanged pleasantries, why are you here?"

"In short, to save your son's life." Hearing a deep sigh from the corner Draco was still standing, she glared at him. Right now, she didn't want to deal with his overly protective streak and his belittling behaviour. "I have a plan, and you can help me make it work."

Lucius seemingly ignored her last words and instead turned his head towards the corner, having heard the sigh as well; he was smirking as he acknowledged Draco's presence in the room. "And you support this?"

"I'm here for her protection, Father, that's all."

Lucius studied him for a few more silent seconds, shaking his head as he cocked his eyebrow. "For her protection, of course."

Hermione could see Draco clench his jaw, as Lucius returned his attention to her, seemingly unaffected by the tension building in the room. Flexing her own jaw muscles, she finally leaned forward, placing her arms on the edge of the table and fixing Lucius with her glare. "How much of your Dark Mark is still there?"

"My Dark Mark? Why?"

Now Draco joined them at the table, taking the seat next to Hermione, only to lean back. "Her idea is based on how it works–"

"Yes, your Dark Mark," Hermione said, stopping Draco from taking over. "It must be the Protean Charm combined with other spells. At least that's all I could find in such a short time..."

Lucius' gaze wandered to Draco's left arm, his expression showing a hint of sadness before he nodded. "The Dark Lord never revealed the details, and he always did the Marking himself... But yes, the Protean Charm is part of it."

"I could have told you that too–"

Hermione shot Draco another glare. "When? Between telling me that my idea is stupid and dangerous?"

"Not here!" he retorted in an angry whisper. "You wanted some information, now get it."

She huffed at him in response before taking another deep breath to keep her anger under control; the urge to hex him was tempting, something she should have done earlier when they had still been in Harry's office. Instead, she got up to pace a few steps in front of the table while the men followed her with their gaze.

"Show me," she finally said, stopping right at the edge of the table. "Show me your Mark."

The men shared a confused look before hesitantly rolling back the sleeve on their left arms. Draco's Mark was a mere shadow on his arm, barely visible, while the outline of Lucius' Mark was still visible albeit fading as well.

She found the difference curious, and she could only guess that it was due to how long they both had it. However, as interesting as it was, she was here for another reason, so she took a closer look at Lucius' Mark; the skull design no longer scared her, even though it still brought up a few memories from the War.

"Hasn't changed much in all those years," Lucius said, studying her intently as she inspected his Mark, her finger hovering only an inch over his skin, following the outline. "But what do you want with it? Why the sudden interest in it?"

Hermione looked at him. "The Organisation uses a similar tattoo... A little ferret."

"Oh, I see." Lucius' smirk returned as he shot his son a gaze before returning to her. "I have to admit, this is an idea only you could come up with."

"Would you agree to a test?" she asked, only to be interrupted by Draco's disapproving huff. "What?"

"Nothing." Draco got up from his chair, rolling his sleeve back down. "Guard?"

"Ah yes, I haven't missed the arguments between you two," Lucius commented with an amused tone.

"We're not arguing," Draco replied coolly as he reached the door, waiting for the guard to open it.

Hermione simply shook her head at his petty behaviour, but didn't indulge him with a response. "And I haven't missed your sarcasm."

They both watched Draco leaving the room with a last scowl towards Hermione, to which she only sighed. "Now..."

"How long has he been like this?" Lucius asked, his gaze fixed on the door for a few more seconds.

"Long enough," Hermione said, sitting back down. "He just doesn't agree with my plan to go after them."

Lucius nodded in acknowledgement, playing with his rolled-up sleeve. "As I said before, it's a plan only you can come up with. For his sake, I do hope you know what you're doing."

"Do you agree to a test to see if my idea works?"

He brushed over his Mark, seemingly considering the option. "If your plan works, and you take them down, I want a reduction of my sentence. You know I miss my wife..."

She wasn't at all surprised at his demand, knowing that he barely ever did anything from the good of his heart. "I'll see what I can do, but I won't promise anything. After all, you should be grateful that I'll do anything to protect your dear son."

"I demand to be released from Azkaban... House arrest is better than this hole."

"If I succeed, I might suggest it as a reward for your help." Sighing, she felt exasperated at how he was dragging it out. She was agreeing with her creature's growing impatience; after all, she had already lost almost an entire morning to futile and petty arguments.

She ached for the moment she had her former torturer at her mercy.

"You better succeed with your little plan..." Lucius' tone lost its sneer, as he leaned forward with a quick glance to the door. "But above all, be sure. You might just as likely not survive–"

"I'm not going to let them kill Draco. They already destroyed enough. And I know what I'm running into." Gritting her teeth, she searched for her wand. "Now, let's get it over with."

Moments later, pressing her wand against Lucius' Mark as she cast her spell, she could hear the whole prison floor shout and scream in pain, just like Lucius next to her, even though he tried to control himself. The screams were the proof that her plan worked exactly as she thought, momentarily satisfying her need for revenge.

Just as she removed the wand from Lucius' Mark, the door to the visitor room was opened once more, and Draco returned, holding his arm in pain. "What in Merlin seven hells was that?"

"It works!"

"Hermione!" Draco entered to let the guard close the door behind him, rubbing his arm to ease the pain a bit. "You're out of your mind!"

"Oh, come on!" Hermione got up to meet him on the same level. "I told you–"

"I really wish you'd see some sense!"

"Guard!" Lucius ordered, rubbing his arm where the Dark Mark had turned red from the spells used. "I think we're done here. And you better succeed, Hermione."

..

All the way back from Azkaban to the Auror Department an icy silence lay between Hermione and Draco. Whenever she tried to appease him with a gentle reach for his hand, he pulled away, adding a hurt glare before pushing his hand further into his coat pocket.

"Draco, please, don't be like that," she said when they were in the lift where he had put as much space between them as possible.

"How?"

With a sigh, she motioned in his direction before crossing her arms again. "Like this. Like a petty child who didn't get what they wanted."

"A petty child?" Now he made a step towards her, his eyes narrow and showing a stormy grey. "Hermione, I basically sacrificed everything in my life to keep you safe, because those people are still after you, for Heaven's sake! You left me before just because you thought you knew what's best for both of us. You are doing it again! I really wish you'd see some sense–"

"I know what I'm doing!"

"No, you're not, Hermione! You're fucking hellbent on taking revenge on The Hungarian instead of letting go–"

"He tortured me, Draco! I was his plaything..." She swallowed hard as her throat threatened to choke at the memories flashing through her mind. "I have so much anger in me, I need to do this. I really tried to hold back and be there for you, but... but I really need this."

"Hermione–"

"I wish I could show you what it feels like to deal with so much anger... We want to make them pay for what they did to both of us. We want to hear them scream in pain and beg for mercy." With every word, her voice turned more and more into a low screech, as the creature took over her mind.

"Riverside is not enough?"

She shook her head, her eyes now fixed on the floors slowly passing them. "For the spell, yes. But not for me."

It was a relief when the lift finally came to a halt and the doors opened to let them out on the level of the Auror Department.

Their dispute was forgotten as soon as they reached the Department, as the place was in full raid preparation mode—every Auror getting ready, checking their wands and gear, bustling between the desk rows.

They were met with suspicious glances as they passed through to Harry's office; Hermione almost ran into Harry as she walked into his office, avoiding a crash at the last moment with a step to the side. "What's going on?"

"Oh good, you're back!" Harry returned to his desk after a quick nod in acknowledgement in Draco's direction, only to pick up a piece of parchment and handed it to Hermione who stood in front of Draco in the door. "It's a search warrant–"

"Draco, it's for your estates!" Hermione looked up, holding up the piece of parchment for Draco to see. "I thought you'd do everything possible to keep him off! The claim was already unbelievable!"

"I know, Hermione," Harry replied in a resigned tone, taking in his glasses off to clean them. "I tried everything, but I can't stop them this time... Purcell somewhat managed to screw over some of the Council members to get what he wants. I'm sorry–"

"And I thought this day was already bad enough," Draco let out in defeat, briefly rubbing his eyes before passing Hermione to enter the office. "First Hermione and her outrageous plan, now this."

"I'm really sorry, but I would have risked my job if I ignored the order from a Council member, regardless how stupid I think it is."

Draco let out a growl, but took a deep breath to calm himself again. "Purcell on my grounds? I'll strangle him if he dares as much as touch anything."

With growing worry, Hermione watched Draco pace up and down in front of Harry's desk. "Who are you taking with you, Harry?"

Harry put his glasses back on and shrugged apologetically. "I don't have much choice; there's so much ground to check that I have to use everyone."

"Great. I'm going to end up just like my father."

Hermione came up to him, tapping him gently on the chest. "I'm not going to let this happen, Draco. This is what I want to stop, this is why I need to do this."

"No, Hermione. You're all I have left–"

"I know, my dragon. And I won't let them take you away, okay?"

"Listen," Harry said, now leaning against the front of his desk, making sure his gear fits as it should. "I'll supervise the search in the Manor, and you should come with me, Malfoy–"

"Who's checking his London house?"

Harry looked at her for a long second before he pushed his wand into its arm holster. "Since I need everyone, you'll make sure everything is okay there. Theo and Ron coordinate the rest."

Draco nodded. "I don't have much choice anyway, but–"

"I'll deal with Purcell–"

"No, he's mine." Straightening up, Draco glared at Harry before making a step towards him. "This is between us!"

"No, Draco!" Hermione went between the two men, to stop the argument from escalating. "It's not worth it. Just go with Harry, okay? I'll make sure that they follow the rules at our place. They know I will have their sorry arses otherwise..."

The briefest of smiles softened Draco's face, just before he slumped his shoulders and reached for her hand to pull her closer. "Fine."

Hermione let him wrap his arms around her shoulders, although his frantic magic overwhelmed her, leaving her breathless. She could hear him sigh as soon as she managed to expand her own magic. "I mean it, okay? I'll have their sorry arses if I hear as much as them touching anything they shouldn't."

"Believe me, she will," Harry added with a smirk. "Although I rather hope she doesn't have to."

"Let's get it over with."

..

Later that evening, Hermione returned to the Auror Department once more.

The afternoon had been stressful making sure that her Auror colleagues stuck to the rules; to her relief, both Tibby and Tilly had an additional eye on every room, as they knew the place the best and would know immediately if something didn't belong there.

The search at the Manor took ages, and she had found Purcell's joy absolutely disgusting when she had arrived, but had been relieved to find Draco collected enough to deal with the chaos and a rather upset house-elf whom she had recognised as the head of household elves.

However, once the search was done, Draco had left, only mentioning that he wanted to see Pansy to discuss his options.

As much as she had hoped for a quiet evening in front of the telly with him, it also was an opportunity for her because there was one more thing to do, and she had wanted it for weeks.

The sound of the cell door closing behind her was a surprisingly satisfying metal sound; it meant she was alone with the cell occupant, and most likely even unwatched as the guards trusted her enough. "Get up, Riverside. We have to talk."

Riverside greeted her with a malicious smirk, but remained in his lying position."Well, hello, Granger. I heard your little boyfriend was searched today–"

"I said get up." She pulled her wand from her sleeve pocket, gripping it tightly as she pointed it at him. "Mobilicorpus!"

Riverside yelped rather ungraciously as the spell forced him on his feet in an abrupt and rough manner. He tried his best to fight against the spell's grip on him, but his effort was futile against Hermione's force.

She had him fixed in his position, content to see his previous smirk fade into a thin, defiant line. "The Crucio would still be too nice for you..."

"You... You won't dare."

She cast a Stinging Hex that had him gasp in pain, music to her ears. "You're just lucky that I'm after someone else. But I can still make you feel the pain."

"What do you want?" he asked, gritting his teeth from the strain of still being under the control of her spell. "Your little boyfriend not enough?"

She growled at his words, the anger seething from her creature taking over, filling her mind with the thirst for blood. So, before she could regain control, her free hand was at his throat with her fingers digging deep into the flesh.

It would be so easy to drive the Harpy's talons into his neck.

So temptingly easy.

She could almost taste the blood on her tongue, but then she shook her head and took a deep breath. "Not yet. Not yet."

"You still lose your temper so easily, Granger." The sneer in his words was lost to another pained gasp as she responded with another Stinging Hex.

"I want you to deliver a message. I know you can, you spineless, filthy rat!"

"We do not take orders from someone like–"

"You will deliver it. But the more you refuse to do so, the more I'll enjoy convincing you, Riverside. You'd do me a favour even..."

"I can take it–" He inhaled sharply as she cast another Stinging Hex, this time more concentrated on his chest area. "Do they even know... you're in here?"

She studied him with narrowed eyes, her mind full with the creature's screeches to use the same spells she had been tortured with at the pit. "It's not their concern... But would like to know the favourite spell of The Hungarian?"

"Nothing you do will–!" The rest of his words were lost in a pained scream as she hit him with the same Punishing Curse she had to endure at the pit.

"It hurts, doesn't it? I enjoyed it for weeks, thanks to you." With a low screech escaping her, she reached for his neck once more to make him look at her. "This was nothing."

"You're crazy..." Riverside was panting heavily, even gritting his teeth in pain. "You completely lost it. I'm not going to take orders from someone like you. You're nothing..."

"I am the one with the wand here." With delight, she hit him again with the Curse, more intense this time; his screams filled the cell and her mind. "Will you deliver the message now? I know they want me back..."

"Yes." He winced as he tried to take a deep breath after she had stopped the curse. "But–"

"Tell them I agree under the condition that only The Hungarian comes to the meeting point. No one else. He doesn't like sharing his playthings."

"The Hungarian?"

"Yes." Growing impatient, she poked him with her wand, threatening to send another Punishing Curse through his body; his wince at just the threat was a delightful little sound. "Only him. If they don't agree, I'll make them pay."

Riverside laughed, although it changed into a pained cough. "You making them pay?"

In response to his words, she hit him with another round of the Curse, until he was coarse from screaming this time. "We want more... Your screams are not enough for us."

"Granger!" His eyes were wide in shock at the changes she had let happen, the strong tingling having taken over her body, her vision blurred from the threatening full transformation.

His outcry brought her back in control, and she took a deep breath before she leaned in. "Deliver the message, or you'll learn what a Harpy is capable of."

"Hermione, no!" Just as she was about to cast another round of the Punishment Curse, Ron stormed into the cell, reaching for her wand hand to pull her away. "It's enough!"

"Let go of me!" Growling, she tried to pry his grip off her wrist. "You don't understand–"

"No!" Ron briefly checked Riverside before lifting the hold of the Mobilicorpus on him. Only then did he return his attention to Hermione who was still working on getting out of his grip. "You've gone too far, Hermione! You willingly ignored a direct order, and you used some sort of torturing spell on him."

"He deserved it!"

"She's nuts!" Riverside interjected, now sitting on his cot, still taking deep breaths. He laughed when she tried to reach him again, only to be pulled out of the cell by Ron.

"Let go of me! I'm not a child!"

"No. I'm not going to let go of you until Draco is here." He pulled her further along to the exit of the cell area. "You lost yourself in there, you know?"

Back in the desk area, Hermione finally started to calm to a more manageable level. "I always had control..."

He opened the door to her office, waiting for her to enter. "What were you doing in there anyway?"

"Just paying him a visit." She sat down in her office chair with a tired plop. As she turned around with it, she saw the picture on her shelf where she kissed Draco's cheek. "Just don't tell Draco."

Closing the door behind him, Ron entered as well. "'Mione... I know you want to protect him, but... I don't know... Honestly."

"He already thinks I'm out of my mind–"

"And he's right, to be honest." Ron sat down in the visitor's chair on the other side, his arms crossed. "Fine. Tell him whatever you want to tell him. But I have to tell Harry as your superior."

She nodded, adding a tired smile as she reached for the picture. Looking at it, she wondered whether they would ever be as happy as back then. If their smiles would ever be as carefree again. "Thanks."

"Oh no. Don't thank me. And you better hope that Harry isn't too angry with you..." After one last sceptical glance at her, he got back up. "You stay in here while I send a message to Draco?"

"Yes." She nodded without taking her eyes off the picture; she didn't even look up when she heard him leave the room.

"They won't hurt you anymore, my dragon."

..

Just a small end note on Hermione's behaviour in this chapter:

The change in her behaviour, as in her determination to have her revenge and her ruthless and rather cruel streak showing through, that is all on purpose. That's her creature slowly taking over her thoughts and actions...

And no, it's not out of character either, because Hermione canonically has a ruthless streak if her loved ones are threatened (the DA coins, anyone?)