A/N: Thanks as usual to RenitaLeandra and Keladry Lupin for all their hard work. And thanks to everyone who has reviewed!
Chapter 12
The next several days passed with an eerie and tense sort of calm, both at Order Headquarters and Death Eater Headquarters. Severus had delivered his report to the Order, and there was both a sense of deep concern as to what the attack might be and jubilation that they had the best chance yet of finding the Horcruxes.
Professor McGonagall spent long meetings with the Minister of Magic and the board of governors, and it was finally decided to go ahead and open the school to students. There was no way of determining when or where the attack was going to happen and with the added presence of Aurors at Hogwarts, it was believed that it was the safest place for the children. So, there was a fair bit of scrambling as everyone tried to ready the school. Ginny and Luna, who had returned to Grimmauld Place, also prepared to return. They were the only two Order members who, although they had now officially reached adulthood, were not yet considered fully-qualified witches and were planning to join the rest of their classmates on the Hogwart's Express.
Hermione felt restless with her imprisonment. Neither Draco nor Severus had told her of Voldemort's plans, but she could sense a subtle change in the atmosphere at Riddle Manor. At times the guards were distracted and it seemed that everyone, Draco included, had a bit of nervous energy.
She was taken in front of Voldemort every night, but he had not yet broken through to the last vital memories, specifically,the destruction of the ring. Although he performed the Cruciatus on her every night, she had not been subjected to the torture of Bellatrix and Dolohov again and, in fact, she had only seen them a couple of times since that night.
Severus came to see them at least once a day, sometimes being forced to create a distraction for the guards so no one would suspect why he was visiting the prisoners so often. He always had a bit of food for them and often a pain potion for Hermione. Although she wanted nothing more than to get back to her friends and out of danger, she came to look forward to his visits. If nothing else, it broke up the monotony of the days that otherwise were punctuated only by conversations with Draco. He had grown used to silence and often times wasn't much in the way of company, although he had a knack of taking her mind off things just when she was sure she couldn't stand it a moment longer; whether it was by telling her some crude joke or by intentionally provoking an argument by insulting her heritage. Only afterwards did she realize that he had been doing it to get her mind occupied on something other than their situation.
Then, early one morning, the strange quiet was broken when Severus burst into the room. Hermione could tell he was in a terrifying mood and she felt her heart began to pound.
"Come on, Granger," he growled. "The Dark Lord is requesting you and he is in no mood to be kept waiting."
As he stalked over to her she couldn't help but cringe in the corner. As he saw the fear in her eyes, his expression softened for a moment.
"The Dark Lord is in a furious rage," he said as he removed the chains from around her ankles. "I don't know what is going on, but I haven't seen him like this since Potter escaped. He has been away all night and he just came in and told me to bring you to him."
Hermione felt panic rise up in her and she tried backing away. "No… please don't make me. I can't deal with this anymore."
"It won't be much longer," he said trying to reassure her, but she continued to panic, tears welling in her eyes.
"What if… what if he kills me?" Hermione whispered. "He's going to tire of questioning me eventually. Severus, I don't want to die."
"Hermione, look at me," he said forcefully and she looked up into his hard, black eyes. "I will not allow that to happen; even if it means compromising my position. Do you understand me?"
Hermione nodded but he could still feel her shaking and he knew that either way he would have to end this soon. If she was tortured too much longer, she was in danger of losing her sanity.
"I never thought the time would come that I would see a Gryffindor afraid," he said, intentionally goading her. "I thought Gryffindors were supposed to have courage!"
Hermione glared at him. "We do!" she spat and pulled away from him, walking on her own towards the door.
Severus quickly tried to hide his smile. Too bloody easy, he thought to himself before walking across the room to join her. He grabbed her arm and, refusing to look at her, pulled her through the door to the hall.
They reached the library where Voldemort was standing, looking out a window. He turned as they heard him approach and his red eyes were narrow with anger and disgust. He walked over to them grabbing Hermione away from Severus.
"Perhaps, Mudblood, you would like to explain where the Slytherin ring is?"
Hermione swallowed hard. It had been only a matter of time before he discovered that it was destroyed. She mustered all the courage she could find before she spoke.
"It's destroyed."
"And by who?"
"A greater wizard than you will ever be!" she yelled. She felt a hard blow across the face and she struggled to stay upright.
"I think that you have forgotten who you are speaking to," Voldemort hissed. "There are worse curses in the world than Avada Kedavra. Would you care to be introduced to them?"
Hermione shook her head.
"THEN TELL ME WHO!" he screamed at her.
"Albus Dumbledore." She said the words quietly, but with conviction. Yet he seemed to find this amusing.
"What a pity then, that dear Severus disposed of him for me. I suppose your cause thought this was a great loss. Well, I am sure that Potter will find it disappointing then, that he will never be able to reach the last three Horcruxes."
He walked away from her to a table where there was a large velvet cloth covering something. "I am going to show you something very special. And do you want to know why I am going to show this to you, the one person closest to my greatest enemy?"
Hermione did not want to respond and she gave a small shake of her head.
"Because you are not going to live to share it with anyone; and even if you do, there won't be anyone left to share it with."
Hermione felt a chill at his words. She wanted desperately to glance at Severus but she knew she could not chance it. Voldemort walked over to the table and removed the piece of cloth revealing a small golden cup and a thick, ancient-looking wand. She tried desperately to control her reaction. There were sitting two of the remaining three Horcruxes and, if Dumbledore was correct, the third was slithering around the Manor somewhere. Voldemort picked up the wand, waving it a couple times.
"I thought you might find this interesting. Godric Gryffindor's wand. I enjoy very much the thought of using a Gryffindor artefact to help me obtain immortality." He set the wand back down and covered the Horcruxes back up again. He motioned with his hand and Wormtail came forward. "Put those away in the vault," he said shortly. Wormtail bowed and walked out with the two Horcruxes.
"Now, there is nothing I would like more than to kill you and be rid of you, however, you have caused me such trouble that I would like to see you suffer just a bit more."
Hermione cringed and prepared for the Cruciatus. Voldemort saw her and smiled a hideous evil grin.
"Oh, no. I have a better way to torture you than with just the use of curses. As we speak, preparations are being made for an attack today. One that, I believe will have a special significance for you, Mudblood." He said the word "Mudblood" with an extra emphasis before turning away and touching his own Dark Mark. In the next minute, Hermione saw dozens of Death Eaters appear, many of them leering at her, and several of them making crude gestures, terrifying threats, or both.
"My dear friends," Voldemort said turning to address the crowd. "Today is the day we have been waiting for. I have planned an attack on both Hogwarts and the Hogwarts Express. Attacking the offspring of those we fight against."
There was a murmur and a couple of the Death Eaters looked concerned. Hermione guessed that surely there were several that had children who attended Hogwarts.
"Do not worry," Voldemort said with a smile. "None of your children will be harmed. I am sending Dementors to King's Cross Station to attack the Hogwarts Express. They have been instructed to give the Kiss to all the Mudblood children!"
Now the murmur was one of excitement, even joy. Hermione felt sick. How could these people be pleased at the idea of doing this to children? However, Voldemort was continuing to speak.
"Most of you will also be sent for the attack on Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. I want you to be prepared for a fierce battle. I have learned that there is an increased Auror presence at Hogwarts, but I have great faith that you will prevail!"
There was now a small cheer. Hermione felt as if she couldn't breathe. Had Severus known about this?
"I am putting Bellatrix in charge of the Hogwarts attack," he said nodding to the woman next to him who was flushed with pride. "I myself will be leading the Dementors. Severus, I would like for you, Wormtail, Antonin, Flint and Bole to stay behind to guard our prisoners and our other precious possessions. The rest will be joining Bellatrix in her attack."
He gave Severus a significant look, leaving him with no doubt as to what precious possessions he was speaking of. There was now a flurry of activity and people ran in opposite directions, seemingly already prepared. Voldemort returned to where Hermione was standing.
"I want you to know that I will take great pleasure in seeing many of your friends die this day. And when I return, I will personally kill you and deliver your body to Potter before I kill him as well. Dolohov! Take the Mudblood back to the dungeons!"
Antonin Dolohov stepped forward, a chilling smile on his face. "My pleasure," he said grabbing a hold of her.
He led Hermione away and somewhere inside she knew she should be scared, terrified even. Yet she could no longer find it inside her to be concerned for her own safety when all she could think about were all the people she cared for who were about to lose their lives. Would they even have warning?
He pushed her into the room, chaining her to the wall. She hoped that he would leave, but she was not so lucky. Instead he pressed her against the wall, his body against hers and his heavy, foul breath in her face.
"I could do things to you that no one would ever know about," he whispered in her ear. "I enjoy watching a woman in pain." He grabbed a hold of her neck, choking her and brought his mouth down on hers. Hermione tried fighting him off, but he was much larger and stronger than she was. His other hand reached up and tore at her shirt. She felt the panic and lack of oxygen overwhelm her and her mind began to go blank.
"Huh…" came a voice from behind them. "I never took you for a Mudblood lover, Dolohov."
Turning around, Dolohov saw Draco leaning up against the opposite wall, a smirk on his face. "Do you mind, Malfoy?"
"Not at all. Please, do continue. I'm sure I'll enjoy the show." Draco was still smiling and speaking as politely as if he was being invited to tea. Dolohov did not continue, however. Instead he backed away as if realizing what he was doing. He spit on Hermione in disgust and wiped his mouth.
"Filthy Mudblood," he said and stormed out of the room. As soon as the door shut, Hermione collapsed onto the floor, gagging and sobbing as she was finally able to release all the emotion she had been keeping inside.
"Granger?" Draco said tentatively. She did not respond. "Granger? What happened?"
"H-Hogwarts… Dementors," was all she managed to stammer out as she cried.
"What about Hogwarts?" Draco asked.
"At-attacking the Hogwarts…Express," Hermione sobbed. "Killing all the… all the… Muggle-borns."
"Merlin," Draco breathed out. Even he looked disgusted. "It's sickeningly brilliant. He can get rid of an entire generation at once."
Hermione continued to sob until she did not have the energy to continue and she lay herself down on the floor, tracing patterns in the dirt with her finger. As the hours dragged by, her head filled with fears of the death and destruction that would be taking place. She wondered how many of her friends were dead. Was Harry dead? Was Molly mourning the loss of any more of her children? How many Order members had been killed?
After several excruciatingly long hours, she heard the door being opened. She looked up expecting to see Severus with news, but instead she saw Dolohov and Wormtail. They looked as if they had been drinking, celebrating perhaps, as they were not walking entirely straight.
"Well, well," Dolohov said staggering into the room. "Perhaps you would like to join us in our celebration, Mudblood."
Hermione glanced nervously at Draco who was watching both men intently. "I doubt the Dark Lord would appreciate you being drunk while you're supposed to be guarding us," he said.
"Shut your mouth!" Dolohov sneered and then turned back to Hermione. "Do you know what we're celebrating?"
Hermione shook her head but said nothing.
"We're celebrating death to Mudbloods!" Wormtail shouted gleefully. "We're ridding the world of their filth!"
"Yes, we are," Dolohov said swaggering nearer to her. "And now I finally get my chance to do to you what I wish."
He turned away and looked at Wormtail. "How much pain do you think I could inflict before she dies?" he asked and Wormtail giggled. "Do you think she would last longer than the Longbottoms before going insane? Bellatrix tells me they were tortured for hours at a time. Shall we find out?"
He turned back to her and raised his wand. "Crucio!" he shouted, and no matter how many times the curse was performed on her, she was never prepared. Her screams echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls of the confined space. He let her continue for several minutes before letting up the first time. She was on her knees sobbing and gasping for air.
"Crucio!" he yelled again. Time after time he continued to torture her, pushing Hermione to the brink of her endurance. And just when she thought she could not stand another second, the door flew open.
"Avada Kedavra!" she heard someone yell and for one terrifying moment she thought she was going to die. Instead she realized that Dolohov had fallen to the floor. She looked up to see Severus standing in the door, his face a mask of anger and hatred as he stared at Wormtail. He raised his wand again, but Wormtail fell to his knees.
"Please… please Severus. Do not kill me!" he begged, his whole body shaking. "It wasn't me that tortured her. I would never hurt the friend of James's son."
Severus looked at Hermione for a moment, almost as if asking permission. She shook her head slightly. There was no need for more death than what the Death Eaters were already causing. He gave a grimace of annoyance and then yelled, "Stupefy!"
Wormtail slumped over face down in the dirt where he had been kneeling. Severus walked over to him and kicked him hard in the side of his face. He did not move.
"Coward!" Severus said before moving over to Hermione. He quickly unchained her.
"Hurry," he said standing up. "We need to get out of here before the other two realize what has happened. Can you stand?"
"I think so," Hermione said struggling to get up. Severus grabbed her arms and helped her to her feet. "What about the…." She didn't want to say the word; almost as if she was afraid the walls could hear.
"I have them," he said patting a bulging pack that he was carrying. "That's what took me so long. There were dozens of wards to get through." He was helping her towards the door when she suddenly stopped him.
"Malfoy," she said and she tried to turn back to get him.
"No, Granger," Draco replied with a bit of a sad smile on his face. "I have a role to play here as well, but it isn't with the Order."
She looked at Severus with desperation, but he shook his head as well. For a moment she considered arguing, but then Draco looked at her, winked and yelled, "Guards! Guards! Come quick!"
"Bloody idiot!" Severus growled and grabbed Hermione, pulling her through the door.
They ran down the hall, Hermione trying to keep up but limping badly. She had no clue where he was leading her and, at times, Severus was nearly dragging her along. Once he had to pull her into an alcove as Marcus Flint had hurried by. After going up a flight of stairs and running down several more hallways, he finally pushed his way through a small door into bright sunlight. It took Hermione a moment for her eyes to adjust; she had spent so much time in the dim light of the Manor.
Severus continued to pull her along, though, and she struggled to keep up, her legs aching. She was continued to limp heavily and for several desperate minutes she didn't think she would make it. Finally, they came to a small grove of trees. He pulled her up hard against him and she could feel the familiar squeezing sensation of Apparition. The next thing she realized they were just outside number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Severus continued to pull her along until they were up the stairs and inside the front entrance. For one moment Hermione looked around, drinking in the safe familiarity. And in the next, she collapsed, her body no longer able to handle the strain of her ordeal as she finally knew that the danger – for her at least – had passed.