AN: I'm sorry about the wait, dear readers. This chapter was critical to get right. It has been re-worked and admittedly put off because it was so daunting. I hope the result was worth it. Aftewards, I'll update warnings accordingly. Here we go…

Chapter Eighteen: Emmeline (Part II)

It seemed fitting that the return of spring was mild and crisp, even by Scotland's standards. The hours dwindled rapidly toward Easter break, and so, the library was chalk full of students squeezing a term's worth of homework into the final hours. Rather than risk her concentration, Hermione chose to work in her usual place by the Great Lake. A warming charm kept her comfortable as she tried to focus on the homework before her, but runaway thoughts made it hard to focus.

An essay on Golpalott's Third Law seems trivial in the grand scheme of things as her quill hovered above the parchment. Hermione of yesteryear would have scoffed at such an idea, but here she was, a rookie playing at a dangerous game.

A shout drew her from her thoughts. "Hey princess! Have you seen Draco?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the trite nickname Pansy Parkinson had adopted of late. "I'm afraid not. Last I saw, he was meeting with Professor Snape." On the surface, the statement wasn't a complete lie, but held enough truth so that it rolled easily off the tongue.

She was slowly perfecting the art of lying with truth. Her Defense Professor would be proud.

Parkinson rolled her eyes, but seemed to accept her account. "Fine, but he better be at dinner tonight. I imagine you'd both be locked in a broom closet, but it's important to keep up appearances. Do tell him that when you see him," Pansy quipped with a lift of her lip.

The air between the lion and the snake had warmed from a frozen tundra to tepid chill. Hermione likened it to her relationship with Draco, and whatever message her mate had driven home over the winter hols. When the term had resumed earlier in the year, Pansy had been less … snippy towards Hermione.

The Slytherin princess left before Hermione could correct that she and Draco had little time for broom closets and the like. Not that Hermione wouldn't have minded the distraction of getting lost within her mate's arms for several minutes, but their attentions were needed on other pressing matters at the moment.

Hermione turned to Hogwarts in the distance where Draco had been meeting with Professor Snape before returning to the task given to him by the Dark Lord. She closed her eyes seeking him out across the distance. Their bond was still very new. Though they had been pledged together by their parents, and had accepted each other by spoken vow, they had yet to cement her Veela bond through blood and ... other carnal activities that caused her to blush fiercely.

It was the final part of the claiming ritual as described by her Aunt Apolline that had her worrying incessantly of late. The being within the very heart of her flourished and warmed at the idea of claiming Draco for all the world to see. The being within wanted them bonded for life.

But Hermione was not ready yet. Though her newly awakened Veela urged her to complete the ritual, she just wasn't there. What if something happened to one of them in the coming war? Would the other waste away after so recently being claimed? She would not dare put her mate through such pain. She did not care if she faded because something happened to Draco; her Veela would gladly welcome it, she imagined, but she could not doom him to live a shell of a life should something happen to her.

She closed her eyes to sense out her mate's presence. The feeling was weak, but there. He was somewhere inside the castle, nervous and ill-ease as much as she at what was to come.

Hermione shut her book and rolled up her parchment, frustrated beyond belief. Claiming rituals and essays could wait as she rose from the ground.

The task that was assigned to her task crept ever closer.

As June finally brought the land surrounding the castle into the warm pastels of spring, Hermione tittered between the boundaries of black and white. Of course she knew the world did not operate in the extreme, but rather along the expanse of colored greys in between.

Take her newly found Godfather, Lucius Malfoy. The man had dubious morals and wasn't above hurting others to elevate his family, but she could not deny the extreme lengths he travelled for the ones he loved, her included apparently. She had not forgotten that night in the Ministry when he had protected her from harm. For all his faults, Lucius raised Draco to be a gentleman, which he was towards her once he found out her true parentage, mind you.

When it came down to it, Hermione gathered she was not that much different than the Malfoy patriarch. She was ready to take on the impossible to spare her mate. Kingsley had been willing to fight in spite of blood, while Lucius was ready to defend his. She the saw the two men as opposite sides of the same coin. So, where did that leave her?

She had been stewing over the question for the past two hours in her dorm while her roommates relished in the arrival of the summer wind outside. Reviewing the hasty words on parchment, Hermione folded the pair of letters, each tailored to its audience accordingly, before setting off to see them delivered.

Instead of heading for the owlery, she found her way to Hogwarts' dungeons, passing students caught in the glow of the approaching end of the year. None knew what was coming for them, or deemed it incapable of reaching them here.

Finding her destination, she knocked twice, absentmindedly tapping the letters on her wrist to bide the time.

The heavy wooden door creaked as it revealed her Defense professor. He sneered as he caught the missives held out for him. "Sentimental last words?" Severus snatched the pre-offered envelopes from her hand.

Hermione sighed, as she straightened her shoulders. "I trust you to deliver this to my father. And the other to my parents in Surrey." She rubbed sweaty palms down the side of her skirt as she waited for his response. She figured he would be annoyed, but still, she trusted him to do it.

He sneered at the letters in her hand. "I needn't caution you that the contents they hold would be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands."

Hermione nodded before lifting her gaze to meet her professor's head on. "Hence why I trust you to deliver them for me."

"If you insist," he sounded bored, though he took them and stuffed the envelopes into his inner robe pockets. "Professor Dumbledore took Mr. Potter out of the castle earlier. Where? I cannot say," he preemptively responded to her unspoken question. "They will return tonight."

She took a deep breath. "I understand."

Severus gave her a skeptical brow. "Do you, Ms. Granger? The true ramifications of one's actions are often unseen until it is too late."

It was hard to miss the tint of regret between his words, but Hermione nodded. "I understand sacrifices have to be made by us all," she gave resolutely as any good solider would. "May it could include friendships, or family. Kingsley and Marie sacrificed for me many years ago. I always knew much would be required of me in this war. Given my family's connection to the Malfoys', our current trajectory doesn't take me by surprise."

"Gryffindors and their self-pity," Severus drawled, snapping her from a road that would certainly lead to nowhere. "When you are ready to join Draco and myself in reality, we'll be waiting this evening. Ten p.m. by the statue. Do not be late."

He was right. Tonight was not for self-pity or second guesses. Focus and precision was needed. Hermione clipped her head to the older man. "Yes, Professor."

He gave her a strange look at the formal title, given what was about to occur before backing into shadows of his private quarters. He left her standing in the flickering light of the torch-lit hallway.

Unsettled nerves made her miss dinner. It was probably better that way. Having to share a meal with the Slytherins, and watch her former friends across the Hall would prove difficult.

Oddly, she did not seek her mate out before their predetermined meetup time. She spent her last hours of the evening strolling through Hogwarts' library, up the staircases, and through Gryffindor's common room before meandering about her dorm. She committed every single detail to memory.

When it was time, she snuck out of her dorm alone. Harry and Ron would not accompany her this adventure.

In dead of night, two teens met by the gargoyle statute that guarded the entrance to the Headmaster's office.

Hermione ran to Draco the moment she saw him, eager to be in his arms this night. She molded herself to him as he rested his chin on top of her head for a quiet moment. She pondered briefly when had he grown tall enough to do that?

"Are you alright?" Draco spoke above her.

She clung to his shirt too tightly from him not to discern the truth. "As well as one can be. And you?"

One hand pulled her closer to him, "Terrified," he admitted quietly.

As he approached, Severus found the teens clinging to the other before statute. He observed Draco in his custom black, she, in tailored black trousers and a satin blouse courtesy of Narcissa.

"Are you two ready?" Their professor queried, though all knew it was too late not to be.

Draco nodded.

Hermione bit her lip, but nodded as well.

"Then Draco, make your way to the cabinet. Ms. Granger, with me," Snape ordered. He turned in a flourish of robes not waiting for her to follow.

With a parting glance to Draco, Hermione squeezed his hand and jogged to catch up with the man.

"Emmeline, Professor," she corrected as she fell in step beside him.

He slowed his gait at the correction, but quickly fell in step with her again. "Ms. Shacklebolt, then," he slowly amended as the two began the long climb to the top of the Astronomy Tower.

She felt the June night air before she emerged at the tower's pinnacle. Her wand dropped into her hand as they ascended the stairs. Both slowed as they approached the open-aired balcony and positioned themselves to wait.

The actual wait was longer than it seemed. But before she knew it, as Severus said, Harry and Professor Dumbledore appeared at the tower's edge, worn and shaking from exertion. Her heart squeezed as she battled against the instinct to run and give her Headmaster aid.

Right. There was a matter of priorities.

As she and Severus emerged from the shadows, Harry looked at them in surprise. His green eyes pleaded for assistance. "Professor Snape! We need your help. We've just escaped…"

With a flick of her wand, Hermione sent the Boy-Who-Lived skidding away from their Headmaster.

"Hermione?" he asked in utter confusion as he pushed to his knees.

"I'm sorry, were you expecting us to do something?" she carefully measured each word to minimize the tremor in her voice. She twisted her vinewood wand in her hand, lifting Harry to his feet. "Petrificus Totalus," she calmly remarked, the tremor gone now. There was no need to say the spell aloud, as she had made great strides in non-verbal magic that year. The effect was merely for Harry's benefit.

She needed him to know it was she who had cast the spell.

Green eyes froze in shock as he locked into place, the confusion and surprise clear for all to see.

"Ms. Granger…" A frail call turned their attention to their Headmaster, who struggled to push himself off the ground.

"Experillamus!" she shouted quickly as his wand flitted from his fingers and into her grasp. She caught the loose wand and pocketed it in the waist of her trousers.

Dumbledore stood defenseless, his back to the clear June moon. "It seems our calculations were incorrect, Severus," Dumbledore admitted, almost humorously, as he lifted outturned hands in surrender.

But the air around the quartet chilled as manacial laughter echoed in the small chamber. Hermione closed her eyes briefly for patience. She would never get used to Bellatrix LeStrange's shrill 'laughter' as long as she lived.

Bellatrix gleefully asked as she joined the play already in motion, "What have we here?" Hermione did not have to see her to know the woman's eyes were alight in mirth.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Draco had joined them as well. She drew strength from his proximity and re-trained her focus to the clear blue eyes of her Headmaster before her.

Dumbledore, with arms outstretched, cautioned her directly, "I presume you have thought about what you're doing, Ms. Granger."

Hermione gave a sad smile and whispered, "I afraid she doesn't exist anymore, Professor. She hasn't for a while now."

Across the way, Harry's eyes screamed his hurt and anger. His anger was always a powerful thing and was the catalyst to partially break her spell. Though he could yell, he could not yet move his limbs. He growled in spite, "I will never forgive you this!"

Hermione blinked at the utter revulsion she found in his glare, as she battled away the emotion curling about her gut. "I expect you not to."

However, it was Dumbledore's plea that drew the teens' attention. "Ms. Granger, please."

Her eyes darkened as she looked lastly to her mate, to what would await him should he fail. It was what set this entire course in motion. She would do the impossible to save him, her family, and even Harry; though her former friend cursed her, she would do it for him, too.

The intensity of Hermione's devotion morphed as it poured from her heart into her wand arm. Along the way, it shifted into something vile and unnatural, but every word was purposeful as she uttered the inevitable.

"Avada Kedavra."

There was only Bellatrix's shout of glee as she cast Morsmorde. All who were present watched as the life of Hogwarts' Headmaster was stolen by the Heir of House Shacklebolt.

Before his lifeless body hit the floor, Harry, his anger finally strong enough to overcome her spell, quickly fired in response, but Hermione had expected as much. His first attempt was easily blocked, as was the second barrage.

"Destroy him!" Bellatrix roared from somewhere behind her, eager to see the former friends duel one another to the death.

But she would only block and slow him, even as he fired increasingly dangerous spells at her.

Hermione sensed Draco as he inched closer to her side. She could feel his desire to jump into the duel, but she could not allow that. Hermione blocked another stunner before Harry shifted his aim to Draco beside her.

Then her world tipped to black.

An searing tear across her shoulder blades was her only warning before the tower was shocked into silence. Her wings, powerful and all-encompassing, quickly extended to encircle Draco before Harry's spell could land. The spell hit her wings though it felt like a pinch to her. She looked over the spines of her feathered appendage as she darkly warned Harry, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"What is this?" Bellatrix cooed in wonder.

But it was Severus who stepped into the middle of them of the all. With a swish, Harry was ensnared by thick ropes, his surprise at her Veela heritage his downfall. "Leave," Severus bid them all. "The Aurors will be here shortly."

But Bellatrix's blood lust could never be contained. "We take care of the boy now. Our Lord will be reward us handsomely."

Severus stripped Harry of his wand as he dismissed her idea. "Someone needs to be left alive to explain what happened here. Who better than the Boy-Who-Lived?"

From the ground, Harry vowed, "You all will pay. I swear it."

Beside her, Bellatrix toyed with her curls, "The brightest witch of her age is on our side. You don't stand a chance."

Severus warned them again, "The Aurors are coming. Bellatrix, with me." He nodded to Hermione, shock at what she revealed clear on his face, but he trusted her to safely see herself and Draco away.

As her wings reared back, leaving the tattered remains of her shirt, she took Draco's hand into her own. "I'll take Draco. We'll be fine."

Severus nodded as he nudged Bellatrix down the stairs. "Find me when you are away."

Then, only Draco, Hermione, and Harry remain with the dead. Hermione neared the tower's edge and surveyed the distance to the ground as Harry hissed from the floor. "Hermione! How could you?! I trusted you."

Hermione did not chance a look at her former friend, keenly aware of what awaited in his eyes. "There are some things that can never be forgiven, Harry," she replied cryptically as she magically positioned Dumbledore's body beside Harry's.

Harry struggled to move, but Severus' binds were tight. Without a wand, he was powerless. "Bullshit. When have I ever hurt you?"

Hermione led Draco to the edge, indicating it was time to leave. She whispered to herself, "The moment you raised your wand to my mate." Harry remained perplexed as he pushed her to respond, but there was no time for explanations. Perhaps when this was all over, they could sit down and discuss what happened tonight. "Goodbye, Harry."

Teetering on the edge, Hermione secured her arms under Draco's as they did that night on the Great Lake. He filled her vision and her heart stitched, so dangerously close to shredding into miniscule pieces. That Avada rent her soul.

Hugging her close, Draco whispered above her, "Let's go, Hermione."

Her wings expanded and beat on their own accord as the pair lifted from the tower's ledge; Harry's calls trailed long after their exit. Soon, they were deposited to the fields below Hagrid's Hut. As their feet hit the ground, both took off running.

As soon as they cleared the castle's wards, both Apparated into the night.

Because several months ago, Dumbledore requested that Hermione take Draco's task to kill Hogwarts' Headmaster. Severus and Draco had successfully gained access to Voldemort's circle before the school year began. Together, the Slytherins presented Draco as a way to bring honor back to his family name.

However, Dumbledore did not think Draco adequately prepared to take on the task assigned to him by the Dark Lord. So Severus and he persuaded her, under the cloak Emmeline Shacklebolt, Heir of House Shacklebolt, to assist Draco with this terrible task. Voldemort would not turn down an alluring offer to strike at the new Minister for Magic, while simultaneously crippling the Light. Ever since the four of them discussed these plans in secrecy, she had dreaded this day.

She did not agree because Dumbledore asked her all those months ago. She agreed because it would save her mate's soul. Hers could be repaired later, when all would be revealed and made right.

For now, Hermione and Draco would play the part Severus and Dumbledore had so carefully concocted. Bolstered by Bellatrix's firsthand account to Hermione's willingness to betray the Boy-Who-Lived, Hermione would convince Voldemort that Emmeline Shacklebolt was more than ready to take her place by her fiancée's side on the Dark.

Though neither she, nor Draco, could anticipate the true costs that such duplicity would have on a pair of seventeen year-olds.

Dear Father,

By time you read this, I imagine you would have heard the news by now. I am truly sorry. I'm sorry we won't be able to spend the summer together. I'm sorry I have disappointed you. I was looking forward to returning to Cambridge, but war is finally upon us and we all have a part to play. I have chosen mine.

Yours in truth,

Emme

.

.

To the only parents I have ever known,

There are matters that require my immediate attention. I will not be returning for quite some time. It may be months, it may be years, but know that I need to see this through. Please do not attempt to contact me. I will not respond. Lastly, it is my wish that you leave this country, for there is nothing left for you here, except heartache and death.

Leave now.

I remain forever grateful for everything you've done for me, but please. Go.

All my love,
HG