Author's Note

Warning: a bit of bad language in this chapter-necessary for the situation-apologies if you dislike that sort of thing.

Chapter 36-Shattered Soul

Draco gasped, he suddenly felt a crushing weight on his chest as if his soul were being torn out. He fell his knees hitting the earth of the dank tunnel that Aberforth had led them into.

"Malfoy?" Harry turned at the sudden thud as Draco's knees hit the floor.

Draco tried to respond but he was panicking, struggling for breath but he began to realise it was not his panic it was Hermione's.

"Hermione," he managed to rasp out, "there's something wrong."

Harry went white but quickly recovering himself then, with uncharacteristic decisiveness, he pulled Draco to his feet.

"Come on Malfoy let's get this over with then we can get Hermione out."

"I need to go to her," Draco said.

"Don't be a fool boy," Aberforth intervened, "you will just get yourself and properly Hermione killed too."

Draco was barely listening, he fought to shake off Harry's grip.

"Malfoy," Harry yelled trying to get the blond wizard to focus, "Draco," he tried again. Harry's unexpected use of his given name seemed to snap Draco to attention. "You can't just go charging in there you'll blow her cover, expose her as a traitor, the chances are pretty high neither of you will get out alive."

"Harry's right," Aberforth added seeing that the blond was clearly conflicted, "Hermione knew what she was getting herself into Draco, would you have wanted her to risk herself to come charging in after you?"

"I don't care," Draco gritted out petulantly.

"Think about the greater good…" Aberforth suggested, it was the wrong thing to say Draco's emotions exploded.

"Sod the greater good, fuck everyone else, fuck this war and fuck you." Exhausted by his diatribe Draco slumped back to his knees, "she's all I ever wanted." He said so quietly it was almost to himself.

Harry could honestly say, at that moment, it was the first time he had ever felt any affinity with the blond Slytherin.

"Would Hermione do it for the greater good?" Aberforth persisted.

"Of course she would," Draco spit out with considerable vitriol, "she's a bloody Gryffindor."

"Then if you honour her you can follow her lead, get up and let's get out of here." Aberforth told him.

Draco bristled at Aberforth's assertive tone but he got up and brushed himself down.

"Right," Harry said trying to ease his own tension and set off back down the tunnel.

Hermione fled from the Drawing Room like a scolded cat Theo on her heels;

"My Lady," he called after her, she ignored him but Theo was a good head taller than Hermione and his legs were longer. He quickly outpaced her.

"Hermione," he tried again catching her elbow.

"Let go of me," she rounded on him, "don't touch me!" she yelled. Theo dropped his hand and stepped back he was fearful, she was not stable and he did not want to be on the receiving end of her wand. That didn't mean he would not try to help her.

"Hermione," he tried again his tone soft, not threatening, "look at me." Her eyes were broiling with rage. She looked almost demented he knew he needed to calm her and he knew that there was only one place where she would feel safe. Cautiously placing a hand on the small of her back he guided her to Draco's room.

When they were through the door he silenced and warded it.

"Hermione," he said softly pulling her into a gentle embrace in order to comfort her. Hermione began to sob.

"What have I done…he will never accept me now…how can I forgive myself." Hermione babbled somewhat incoherently.

"He was a bastard," Theo said seeking to comfort her, his words did nothing to reassure her.

"I felt it," she told him

"Felt what?" Theo asked a little confused.

"My soul shatter."

They reached the castle emerging into the room of requirements. Draco shivered as he recalled the hours he had spent here trying to fix the vanishing cabinet. He was snapped out of his memory when he sensed the presence of someone else in the room.

"There is someone here," he whispered to Potter as he raised his wand.

"It's alright," Aberforth reassured them putting out a hand to lower Draco's wand, "it's your welcoming committee."

"Neville?" Harry surged forward to greet the other Gryffindor grasping him by the forearm in a manly hand shake.

"Harry!" The other wizard returned, a hopeful expression on his face before he saw Draco. On catching sight of the blond Neville's features morphed into concern. "What is he doing here?"

Draco was a little impressed, there had been a time when Longbottom could not speak to him without stuttering, but here he was bravely staring him down.

"He's with us," Harry reassured. Neville didn't look reassured, "he's Hermione's husband."

"What?" Neville looked aghast.

"I know, long story, do you trust me Neville, trust my judgement?" Harry asked.

"Well yeah of course," Neville replied.

"Well I trust Draco and so does Hermione." Harry told him emphatically.

"Ok," Neville said but Draco could tell the taller Gryffindor was skeptical and would be watching him closely.

"Longbottom," Draco finally acknowledged the other man with a characteristic smirk. Neville ignored him and turned to Harry to ask;

"So what are we looking for Harry?"

Hermione went rigid as she was ripped from Theo's arms and thrown across the room someone had broken through the wards on the door.

"Are you not forgetting something, My Lady?" Lucius Malfoy said with a degree of vitriol that was unusual even for him. "Don't even think about it boy," he turned to face Theo who had struggled to his feet and raised his wand at the elder Malfoy. Bravely Theo did not flinch clearly determined to defend Hermione but Lucius, clearly disregarding the threat from the younger Wizard, turned his ire back to Hermione.

"You may not have been my choice for my son, but you are his wife and you will behave accordingly." Her Father-in-Law warned her. Hermione was too stunned to speak, Theo looked confused.

"What, do you mean she is Draco's wife?" Theo questioned.

"Oh, yes, did the little harlot fail to mention, while you held her in your arms, that she has a husband?" Malfoy senior said maliciously. Theo was clearly piecing things together;

"Has a husband?" he questioned.

"Damn it Lucius," Hermione spat out her temper boiling, "keep your mouth shut."

Lucius Malfoy looked dumbfounded, he had rarely if ever been spoken to like that.

"How dare you…" he began to bluster before he could go any further Hermione had him disarmed and her own wand at his throat.

"Be very careful what you say Lucius," she warned him, "I suggest you leave quietly. I have already killed one man today I would have few qualms about killing another."

Lucius Malfoy was unaccustomed to being threatened and clearly considered resisting his daughter-in-law's demands but he must have read the determination in her eyes and it was enough for him to think better of defying her.

"This conversation is not over," he told her as he spun on his heels and departed. Meanwhile Theo had continued to piece things together.

"I knew you could never have killed him," he told her his tone accusatory, "he's alive isn't he."

Hermione knew it was futile to deny it now, Lucius had said too much. She simply nodded.

"How?" Theo asked.

Hermione knew this was the crunch moment, Theo would either accept what she told him and agree to change sides or she would be force to take drastic measures.

"Polly juice potion," she began to explain, "The man you saw me emolliate was a recently deceased muggle transformed into Draco."

"So Draco is…"

"Alive and well, "Hermione finished for him.

"And you are his wife?" Theo sought to clarify the situation.

"Yes," she told him emphatically.

"I'm sorry Hermione I would never… if I had known," he began by way of apology but stopped as something rather more important than his inappropriate behaviour occurred to him. "You're a spy, then Draco…" Theo trailed off as realisation dawned on him that one of his best Friends was not only very much alive but also a traitor."

Author's notes

Thank you all for reading so far. We are approaching the end of the story now. I like to treat the 'in progress' stage of the story as a 'draft' of sorts so feedback is much appreciated as it helps to finalise the work. Thank you for those of you who have taken the time and trouble to review. No one betas or proof reads my work. I am aware that I am rubbish at proof reading, so more reviews would be much appreciated especially if there is anything that doesn't make sense. I know many people only read complete work as there is so much work left unfinished- I promise to finish but would like the final story to be as good as it can get before I press the complete button. So it would be great if you have managed to make it this far if you can review.

(P.S. If you spot proofing errors please be specific about where they are so I can correct them-it's frustrating if you have been kind enough to highlight then and I can't find the error.)