A/N - Well, this has been in the works for a while, and since my beta is currently busy moving, this chapter has gone without. Enjoy, and I own nothing!
Hermione thought that she must know what animals in a zoo felt like now. The stares from Order members, friends, and trusted allies were unnerving. She fidgeted in her seat on the Headmaster's over stuffed chair, nervous under so many eyes, all with probing questions, all searching for answers she didn't necessarily have. They all stood around talking, their voices growing steadily louder, trying to determine what the best course of action was, what her fate should be, whether they should let her fight in the upcoming war. Minerva was caught in a heated argument with Kingsley and Dumbledore. Harry and Ron were faced off with Luna and Neville, the latter two refusing to let Harry and Ron go without them when they had heard that Hermione was in trouble. Tonks and Remus argued with each other. No one seemed to agree on anything regarding her. However long she may have known this was coming, knowing that she would become the freak that people whispered about behind their hands and stared at, it still hurt to see in front of her eyes.
The young witch's eyes drifted to Minerva. The older woman was filleting Kingsley and Dumbledore alive. Her sharp tongue tearing into the both of them, causing the sheepish expressions on both of their faces. Hermione smiled softly. The older witch was furious with the two men for keeping her in the dark about one of her 'cubs', a term that she had heard the green eyed woman use to refer to her students several times. Hermione knew that Minerva cared for her as more than just her student. They were friends, and Minerva was furious that Dumbledore and Kingsley had forced her to lie to her mentor. The younger witch looked away. She stared without seeing at the floor in front of her, absentmindedly rubbing her thumb against her palm.
"Hermione!" Minerva's shout startled her out of her thoughts and her eyes snapped up to meet emerald green orbs. The elder witch knelt in front of her and took her hand, inspecting the palm. Hermione looked at it, noticing immediately the burned skin and cracking. Minerva pulled her wand, intent on trying to heal the skin but the brunette pulled her hand away.
"It's ok. It doesn't hurt. It happens when I don't think about what I am doing. It's normal." Hermione whispered. It took only a moment of focus on the afflicted area before it returned to normal flesh. "I guess I will have to remember that in the future. Hiding from him is going to be hard enough without that happening every time I lose focus."
Hermione could hear Harry and Ron sneering from the far side of the room before either of them ever spoke. "Are you sure you intend to hide from him?"
The brunette witch couldn't hide her shock. Of all of the people in the room she hadn't expected that tone of voice to come from her two best friends.
"I mean, if this thing is coming for her, if means avoiding war, give her to them. She has lied to all of us, who knows what else she could be lying about. We can't trust her. She may very well be helping these things to get here and bring about a second war," Harry snapped.
Hermione could, in a way, understand their reluctance to trust her, even if it did hurt. Having been on the run and unsure who to trust, she was sure that finding out that one of his best friends wasn't what every one believed her to be must have been a devastating shock. Harry had so few true friends anyway, it hurt her to know that she had hurt him so badly, but the fact that he completely misunderstood the situation also really ticked her off.
"You are completely missing the point, Harry. I may be his daughter, biologically, but it isn't me that he really wants. Giving me to him, while it might slow him down for a little while, he would still come after this world. He wants what was taken from him and isn't willing to take no for an answer," Hermione hissed at him.
"And yet you still haven't told us exactly what was taken or how this should be of any importance to us," Harry snapped.
Hermione sighed. She placed her head in her hands. This was even harder than she thought. Most of the adults in the room seemed to get it, but Harry and Ron were completely lost, as well as Tonks, Remus, Molly and Arthur. Various other Order members and Aurors were glaring either at her, or at Harry and Ron. It appeared that sides were forming.
"Hermione," Tonks sat next to her. "Perhaps it would help if you start at the beginning. I am not sure I understand what exactly is going on." The pink haired witch laid a hand on her shoulder.
"The beginning? That is a very, very long time ago, and I am not sure I know the whole story, but I can try." The young woman whispered.
"It's alright, dear." Albus sat down on her other side and wrapped an arm around her. His eyes cut to Harry. "You should be ashamed, Mr. Potter."
"I am not sure how to begin." Hermione whispered.
Remus knelt in front of her, taking both of her hands in his own. "Just relax, take a deep breath, and take your time. It will be alright," he whispered, and watched as Hermione did as she was told, closing her eyes, breathing deeply, and focusing her thoughts.
"In the beginning, three were created. Man, made of clay. Angels, made of light. And a third made of fire, called the Jinn. Created with free will this third race ruled the world for thousands of years. When man was given dominion over the earth, a sect of Jinn, known as the Shayateen became resentful, believing the Sons of Adam were nothing more than savages. For centuries these shayateen have been lying in wait. But there are a few who have been watching, guardians who have sworn their bloodlines to protect man, and all that is good. And ensure that darkness never overtakes this world. Man has all but forgotten the Jinn ever existed. It is time for him to remember. At least, that is how I understand the story goes. I know that the guardian exist. Mr. Granger, my father is one of them. He was supposed to watch over me and my mother, and fell in love with her," Hermione's head was bowed and she stared at her hands, dwarfed by Remus's larger ones. "I didn't have a choice but to lie to you, Harry. I was forbidden from speaking of it, ever. Unless the prophecy was to come true, I was never to speak of what I am."
"So what? Your little fairy tale is supposed to make us believe you? That doesn't explain what you are. Stop speaking in riddles and just say it Hermione." Ron hissed.
"Fine," Hermione snapped back, "You want me to say it? Fine. I am half Jinn. My biological father is one of the Shayateen."
"So now we have the truth," Harry whispered. He stepped towards Ron, not sure who to trust at this point. "Now what?"
"Now what? Now we have to fight another war but this time, Chosen One," she stood and stepped around Remus and marched over to Harry, "This time it isn't you who has to bear the burden of being at the center of it. This time it isn't you who is going to be hearing things in your head. This time it isn't you who the other side will be after. And frankly Harry, from what I know of the Shayateen, they make Voldemort seem like a tame poodle.
"So please, tell how bad this is for you, tell me how you can't trust me, and I will give you just as many reasons why we shouldn't have trusted you during the war. I honestly don't have time to deal with your tantrums or Ronald's attitude. There is too much at stake. If you don't want to help us, then leave." She turned to face the rest of the room. "That goes for anyone who doesn't wish to be a part of this. No one is going to force you to fight, but I cannot do this alone. I can't defeat them by myself." Each face in the room watched her. She looked into each of the sets of eyes that stared at her.
One by one, people began to walk out of the room. Molly and Arthur following Harry and Ron. Molly paused by her shoulder. "It has nothing to do with you, dear. I simply can't risk anymore of my family. We already lost Percy." Molly whispered. "Come on, Fred, George."
"No, mum, the twins said. "We are staying. We are going to help."
Molly refused to look back as she took a shuddering breath and walked out of the room.
When all was done, only Tonks, Remus, Fred, George, Albus, Minerva, Kingsley, Seamus, Luna, and to her astonishment, Draco and Pansy both stood there. She hadn't noticed them before. "When did you two get here?"
"We followed Potter and the Weasel up. We figured something big was happening when McGonagall's patronus showed up in the library. It was Draco's idea to use notice-me-not spells to eavesdrop," Pansy shrugged.
"I might be a total git, but fire demon things taking over the earth sounds bad. So we need to stop it," Draco grinned. "Count me in, Granger. I'll help, even if Potter and Slug face won't."
Hermione laughed. "The irony of this situation is not lost on me," she chuckled. "Harry and Ron abandon me just in time for Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson to swoop in and take their place." she shook her head and looked around at the rest of the faces in the room. "This is not going to be easy, but I think we can do this."
Minerva walked over and tucked a strand of hair behind Hermione's ear. "We will all be there for you, dear, as long as you need us."
"Thank you, as much as I appreciate it, this is still going to suck."
Everyone in the room chuckled.
A/N - And that's it. The next chapter will come later! Love you guys! Don't forget to Read and Review!