Hermione's shoes made little indents in the mud as she strode purposefully towards Riddle Manor. She was halfway up the walk when a hand reached out from behind a topiary and dragged her behind it.
"Umph!" A hand clamped over her mouth, cutting off her cry.
"Miss Malfoy," a familiar voice growled in her ear. The smell of parchment and lake water hit her. "Hermione. Have you lost complete control of your mental faculties?" Severus Snape released her, and frowned down at her. "Do you know what you are doing?"
She glared up at him, and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm helping the greater good."
"By doing what, exactly?"
She stared at him incredulously, "By being a spy! By doing exactly what Dumbledore raised me to do!"
His black eyes narrowed. "Dumbledore didn't raise you. If I remember correctly, your parents did. Therefore, by your logic, you should be doing what they raised you to do." He lifted his chin so that he had to look down his nose at her. "And I am certain they did not raise you to be an idiot."
"I want to help," she challenged. "I want to be like Bellatrix and my mother-"
"Then use your brain," he interrupted.
For a moment they stared at each other. She wanted so desperately to do something. To have control over her actions.
"If you go in there," he said softly, "He will ask you to do things that you cannot come back from. That is, if he lets you live. His desire to see you may be a ruse."
Hermione scoffed, and stepped back so that her back was against the scratchy branches of the shrub. "You almost sound like you care."
"I do care!" He spat. "You are my goddaughter, your brother is my godson, and your family has been the closest thing-" Red sparks shot from his wand, and he took a deep breath. "I have known you since you were a baby." He spoke very slowly, and his wand continued to spit red sparks. "I have watched you grow, I have tutored you the best I know how, and I have kept your secrets-" here his eyes flashed, "-and your parent's secrets. At great personal risk! How, in Merlin's name, can you think I don't care?"
Hermione's heart pounded, and she felt Bellatrix stirring at the edge of her mind. Suddenly the enormity of what she had been about to do hit her, and her knees felt weak. "I just wanted to be important," she said.
"You are important!" He stepped forward, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "To me, to your family, and to Bellatrix! If you won't save your sorry hide for yourself then do it for us!"
Bellatrix's anxiety flooded her, and her eyes began to water. She sniffled, and choked out, "I don't know what to do."
Severus' whole body relaxed, and he closed his eyes in relief. When they opened, he exhaled and said, "Come back to Hogwarts. You can write him and tell him that you've chosen him, that way you aren't at risk from the Carrow idiots."
She cracked a small smile at his conspiratorial look.
"Then, if what your mother tells me is true, you can be on hand for when Potter returns to build his reputation."
Hermione cast a glance at Riddle Manor. It looked rich and inviting in the darkness. Then another wave of Bellatrix's anxiety overwhelmed her. A sliver of doubt entered her mind.
As if he was reading her thoughts, Snape stepped closer to her. "He will ask you to prove your loyalty," he cautioned. "He will never stop asking that of you, and it will be worse each time." His eyes flicked back and forth between hers, "Please, Hermione. Please come back with me instead."
It was too much. Hermione's resolve crumpled, and she swallowed heavily. "Alright," she whispered. "I'll go back with you, instead." She could feel Bellatrix against her Occlumency shields, and she reached out to grasp his sleeve. "But can we return to my home first? I need to tell Bella where I'm going."
He nodded once, and informed her that he would be going along.
She stepped closer to him, and spun on her heel. A moment later they were on the front steps of her home.
The first thing she noticed was the shrill scream that echoed from Thistledown. The wards were still in place, and none of the windows seemed broken. Her wand whipped out, and she saw Severus do the same.
As soon as she opened the door, her heart crumpled.
Bellatrix was on the stairs in her nightshirt. Her face was red and she fought against Lucius' hold. "I have to get to her!" She screamed. Her father was behind her, restraining her with his arms crossed over her chest.
Narcissa stood in front of the door, her arms outstretched. "You're not going anywhere."
None of them had noticed Hermione and Severus walk in.
For a moment, Hermione was frozen as Bellatrix's distress washed over her. It made her stomach roil, and she barely kept her composure.
"Stop," she whispered. Then, louder, "Stop!" She pushed past her mother and flew to Bellatrix. "You're hurting her!" She scathed at her father.
He released Bellatrix immediately, and the older witch wrapped her arms tightly around Hermione.
"You left me! You left me!"
Horror lanced through Hermione, and tears sprung to her eyes. Oh, Bella… I'm so sorry.
"You left me."
Hermione sniffed, and cradled Bellatrix against her. I'm back, she swore. I'm so sorry. I didn't think- Bella, please. She scowled at the step behind Bellatrix, I was selfish, she admitted, so selfish. Please, my love- I'm so sorry.
There was no answer, but Bellatrix pressed herself even more firmly against Hermione.
Her father cleared his voice, "She wanted to go after you," he explained. "Obviously that would have been disastrous."
Hermione shuddered, and tried to rock Bellatrix. The other witch was moaning low in her throat, and the sound made Hermione feel sick. Bella, can you walk back up to bed?
In answer, Bellatrix's hold tightened around her.
Ok, Hermione soothed. Ok.
Her uncle stepped closer, and pressed his hand against Bellatrix's forehead. "She's burning up," he said in a low voice. "What happened?"
Narcissa told him about Rodolphus, and the extent of Bellatrix's injuries.
"You had a regular nurse looking after her?" Severus shook his head, "It should have been a specialist. She likely has spell remnants that are causing the fever."
Hermione felt cold. "What does that mean?"
He frowned, "Nothing good. It's not like you can take her to St. Mungo's, and I don't have the power to control it. Madam Pomfrey might, her apprenticeship was in the intensive ward at St. Mungo's…" His frown deepened.
"Then we'll take her to Hogwarts!" Hermione said immediately. She did not want to leave Bellatrix again, not if this was the result. Bellatrix's moans had become sobs, and Hermione's shoulder was soaked.
Her parents exchanged a look, and Severus sighed. "We can't just take her to Hogwarts," he said.
Hermione's face flushed. "Why not?" she challeneged. "We'll get her a long-lasting disguise charm. Something no one will recognize-"
"We have a few," said a quiet voice from above her.
Hermione looked up, and saw the concerned faces of Harry and Draco. It was Draco who had spoken.
"We have a charm that will make her blonde, and another to give her a different nose," he continued. "There's another that will give her a deep tan. We can make her look completely different."
Hermione turned to face her uncle. "Please, Uncle Sev?" She begged. "You have to help her. I don't know what I'll do if something-" she broke off, unable to finish.
Her mother spoke, "Just for a few days, Severus? The boys will be returning to Hogwarts this weekend. I can come along and bring Bellatrix back here. Surely a few days would be enough?"
There was a certain sag to Severus' shoulders that told Hermione that they'd won.
"I have to get Madam Pomfrey to agree," he warned them. "I don't want to force her."
"Of course," Narcissa said immediately. "And tell her we'd compensate her however she sees fit."
He snorted, "Of course you will." To Hermione he said, "Are you coming with me, or-"
"I'm not leaving Bellatrix again," she said solemnly. "If Madam Pomfrey says no, then I'll stay with Bellatrix until…" a lump formed in her throat. "Until she gets better."
Severus nodded, and moved to the door. "Then I'll send her response as soon as I get back to the school. I'll go now."
As soon as he was gone her mother turned to her with fiery blue eyes and said-
"I hope you've learned from this experience."
She disappeared with a flourish before Hermione could reply.
"She was worried," Her father explained. He sat on the step above her, and gently ran his fingers through her hair. "We both were. I'm glad Severus was there."
Shame ran, white hot, through Hermione. She felt her cheeks burn, and had to swallow several times before she could speak. "I just wanted to be important," she said.
"Oh, sweetheart." He sighed, and bent to kiss the top of her head. "You are important. To me, to your mother, to Bellatrix. We all felt the way Bellatrix did tonight."
That made Hermione feel worse.
"Life isn't about being important," he said, "it's about knowing you've done something worthwhile. That you've followed your principles and that you've cherished what you hold dear." He gave her a significant look, "Putting your family into a panic because you've done some Gryffindor-level… well, it's not very kind to your family, is it?"
"No," rasped Bellatrix. "It's not."
Hermione held her tighter. "I'm so sorry," she said, to both of them.
Bellatrix squeezed her once, and it felt like an enormous weight was lifted off of her.
"This is something I expect from Potter, not you," the older witch said.
"Hey!" came a voice from above.
Hermione remembered that the boys were up there, and turned pink.
Lucius broke off into a loud laugh.
XX
A doe patronus returned a half hour later, and said in Severus' voice, "She says yes. Come after midnight- Amycus should have passed out by then."
Harry looked at it strangely, but otherwise was happy to offer as many of the disguise charms as they had. Bellatrix drifted in and out of consciousness (they had moved her to the sofa in the front sitting room) but she kept a firm grip on Hermione.
Her mother went with her to take Bellatrix to Hogwarts. It was a slow walk from Hogsmeade to the front door, and Narcissa made it slower by insisting they use disillusionment charms and double back every few yards.
At last they made it to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey was waiting with a ready bed and an arsenal of potions and amulets.
"Go to bed, Miss Malfoy," she said to Hermione when the girl sat on the end of Bellatrix's bed. "I'm quite capable of handling this, and you can visit tomorrow after classes."
Bellatrix shot her an amused look. "Go," she said, "You're safe in Hogwarts, and I feel better being in the same castle as you."
Hermione bent to kiss Bellatrix gently, I'm so sorry, Bella.
"Stop apologizing and go to bed." Her hug was just a little too tight, then Bellatrix gave her a tired smile, and dutifully swallowed a potion offered to her.
To her credit, the Mediwitch managed to hide her surprise very well. She merely made a shoo-ing motion to Hermione, and returned to running diagnostic spells.
Her mother, on the other hand, followed her to the door and clamped a hand around her arm the moment they were out of Bellatrix's sight.
"If you ever put yourself in unnecessary danger again, I will obliviate you and send you to live with your grandmother in Brittany." Her nostrils flared, and her eyes burned into Hermione's. "What you did today was stupid, and cruel. Do you have any idea what might have happened had Severus not stopped you?"
Hermione opened her mouth to say she was sorry again, but her mother crushed her into a hug.
"I didn't raise you to be stupid, Hermione," her mother's voice sounded watery. "Or cruel. Think about your family the next time you decide you'd rather be a legend than a productive member of society!"
Hermione hugged her back. "I love you, mother," she said in a small voice.
Narcissa's hug tightened. "And I love you, my girl."
XX
Hermione spent all of her spare time with Bellatrix over the next few days. When he could, Coram joined them, and amused them with his slathering impression of Amycus.
Her favorite times were when they were alone though. If Madam Pomfrey was out, she laid down on the bed alongside Bellatrix and listened to the older witch's thoughts. It was such a relief from a few days earlier, and more than once Hermione cried from the sheer happiness that she felt.
Bellatrix spent Tuesday and Wednesday sleeping, but by Thursday she was talking happily- sharing stories about her childhood and her plans for Thistledown.
On Friday, she became crotchety. "Can't I get up?" She asked Madam Pomfrey, "I could help you do… something."
"You can help me by resting," Madam Pomfrey said with only the tiniest hint of impatience. "You won't do anyone any good by getting up now. Your sister comes tonight and then tomorrow you can return to your usual routine."
"But I feel fine!" Bellatrix groaned.
"Miss Malfoy?" Madam Pomfrey looked to her for help.
Hermione sat down in the chair beside Bellatrix's bed and grabbed her hand. "One more day, Bella. Then you can go home and drive my father crazy."
Bellatrix pouted. "Won't you come with me?"
Hermione stiffened, but then thought of Bellatrix's condition earlier that week, and smiled, "Of course I can. I'll pack after dinner, if you can entertain yourself for that long," she teased.
Bellatrix's relief flooded her, and the older witch settled back among her pillows.
"I want to take Coram with us," Hermione said in a low voice, "I know he's safe, but…"
Bellatrix smirked, "That boy will be perfectly fine. Do you know he was here while you were in your Ancient Runes lesson yesterday? He said he's been helping the D.A. and he's got Alecto wrapped around his finger." She tsk-ed, "Can't believe he's in Gryffindor."
"I know," Hermione said, smiling fondly.
Bellatrix clenched her hands, as if to steady herself. "Dove?"
"Hmm?"
"When we get back to the house… Well, it's unplottable, and it has a hiding charm that allows me to relocate it wherever I want it to go…"
Hermione frowned at the nerves she could feel from Bellatrix, and ran her thumb over the back of Bellatrix's hand. "Bella, what is it?"
"Can we leave?" Bellatrix's eyes were suddenly bright. "We can take your parents-and the boys too, but let's take it to America somewhere and hide. We can let the Order finish the job after Harry destroys whatever it is in the castle. We can start over." She licked her lips, and switched speaking methods.
"I have plenty of money, we wouldn't even need to work. We could just… live. No war, no sides. Just the family and us. We can walk away and let it resolve itself."
Hermione froze. She made it sound so easy. So simple. And maybe it was. She remembered her parent's words, remembered the fear and distress she felt rolling off of Bellatrix. In that moment she had decided that she never wanted to put Bellatrix- or anyone she loved- in that position again.
Was being a hero worth hurting her family?
She already knew the answer. Nothing was worth hurting her family. Not even fulfilling the destiny that Dumbledore wrote for her.
She pressed her forehead against Bellatrix's, and felt warmth fill her.
"Of course we can, Bella. Let's go as far away as we can."
Bellatrix shut her eyes in relief.
Something warm touched Hermione's elbow, and she turned to see a stag patronus.
"We're in the castle," it said in Harry's voice. "He's on his way."