Chapter 42-Grim reality

"Shit Hermione," Harry began, "you scared the crap out of me."

"What are you two doing here?" Draco asked looking confused, "you told me you wouldn't leave and you've brought Nott here."

"I had little choice," Hermione began justifying her appearance in the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix with another known Death Eater, "we had been exposed and without Lucius help well…" she trailed off knowing that she need not explain the consequences.

By now Remus had appeared.

"Theo," Remus said, "drawing the attention of the younger man, "I'm afraid we can't afford to trust you yet." Theo didn't seem surprised.

"Come with me Theo," Tonks said levelling her wand at him although it was a somewhat sympathetic gesture.

"The rest of you," Remus signaled the way to the Kitchen.

Over the next couple of hours Hermione updated them on what she knew, what she had done. At the end of it Remus looked grim. The grim reality of war had robed Hermione of much of her innocence and it angered Remus more than he would admit that she, like the others at the table had been forced to grow up too fast.

When Hermione had finished Harry updated her on the Horcrux hunt.

"So Ravenclaw's diadem is another of the horcruxes?" Hermione clarified.

"So it would seem," Harry confirmed.

"Then we need to go to Hogwarts and destroy it," Hermione enthused.

"It won't be that simple," Draco cautioned, "Luna said it was lost and we have no means of destroying it."

"I can destroy it," Hermione claimed, the others looked dubious, "one of the 'benefits' of being He-Who-Must- Not–Be–Named's lieutenant is that he taught me things. I can make fiendfyre and what is more I can control it."

"Then we just have to find something that no one has seen for centuries and that we don't know what it looks like," Harry said, "No problem!" He concluded sardonically.

"Didn't Luna say there was a portrait?" Draco recalled, "at least we can find out what it looks like," he suggested looking at Remus for confirmation.

Remus hated the thought of placing them in danger, they had all given so much already but then he told himself they were running out of options.

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully Remus let out a sigh.

"Alright," he told them, "we are running out of both time and options tomorrow we go to Hogwarts see what you can do."

Draco had seen little of his mother since he had feigned his death. He was unsure if he would survive much longer and he desperately wanted to tell his mother that he loved her. So when the meeting dismissed he told the others he was going to spend the night at Andromeda's. Hermione agreed to go with him and, having collected a change of clothing, they left Grimmauld Place.

"Draco," his mother greeted her face lighting at the pleasure of seeing her only son.

"Mother," he replied quietly as she rushed to embrace him. She hugged him fiercely before pulling back to look at his face her eyes taking him in to ensure there was no hint of harm, no damage to his beloved face. Draco smiled, that beautiful genuine smile so few ever saw, he had come to tell his mother he loved her but somehow he found he didn't have the words.

"I know," she told him as if she had read his mind, "I love you too!"

Draco swallowed the lump in his throat that almost choked him. His mother, the sole person he had loved for so many years, the women who he had been so desperate to save that he had quite literally sold his soul to do so, understood that he had come to say goodbye.

"Hermione," his mother acknowledged his wife, "shall we go inside?"

"Harry, might I have a word in private?" Remus asked the dark haired hero as they all rose to leave the table at the end of dinner. Harry nodded a brief flash of concern crossing his features as if something told him, what ever Remus wanted, it could not be good.

When the others had left the room Remus began;

"So Harry, we have identified another horcrux," Harry nodded again, "you understand that he cannot be killed unless they are all destroyed," again Harry nodded, so Remus continued, "I have reason to believe that there are two more."

"Two?" Harry interrupted, Remus' heart sunk the boy didn't know could he tell him? Should he tell him? Remus wondered he ploughed on wondering if Harry might reach his own conclusions.

"Do you have any notion of what the other two might be?" Remus questioned.

"I had wondered if the snake Nagini might be one, he always keeps her close."

"Yes, Severus always thought so." Remus acknowledged.

"But you said there were two more?" Harry recalled clearly not understanding the implications of what Remus had said.

"Yes, I believe there may be another one that he never intended to create," Remus confirmed, "can you think of what this might be?"

Harry shook his head.

Remus couldn't do it, not yet; he couldn't tell Harry what was ultimately expected of him.

"Perhaps you could give it some thought, and then we will talk again." Remus contented himself with saying hoping Harry would indeed work it out.

Back in her beautiful room in Andromeda's house Hermione could almost pretend there was no war. Draco lay his head in her lap as she gently stroked his platinum locks. She watched his beloved face as he, clearly lost in contemplation, gazed up at the ceiling.

"Hermione," he said breaking the spell, "I have a theory concerning Harry, why he is the chosen one and all that, that I want to discuss with you."

Hermione cocked her head to one side as if to say really, we are finally alone and you want to talk about Harry.

"Am I right in understanding that Harry can sometime hear You Know Who's thoughts?" he asked.

"Yes, sometimes and vice versa, Harry has to work hard to keep him out of his mind."

"Harry told me when we were at Gringott's that he could sense the horcrux in my aunt's vault."

"Where are you going with this Draco," Hermione asked sitting up straight as if she had already drawn her own conclusions and was alarmed by them.

"I think there is a reason Harry can hear the Horcruxes…" he didn't finish before Hermione interrupted him;

"No!" she said despairingly, "then Harry would have to…No" Hermione wept, the brightest witch of her age had deduced that her best friend was a horcrux. She finally understood what the prophecy meant. Draco said nothing just pulled her into his arms and held her close as he wondered if Harry actual knew what destroying Voldemort would cost.

Author's note

Another update for the holiday season as promised. Trying to up the pace to bring the story to a conclusion. Reviews in lieu of presents would be gratefully accepted :)