Author's Note: Yeah I know, it's been since about August or something since I've updated. hides Most of it was pure laziness, but I have been busy lately, I lost my job and I'm trying to find another one. Apparently it's not as easy as it once was lmao. Anyways, enjoy!!

Chapter Fourteen

Lupin sat, magically bound to his chair. He had been "Silencioed" while he was hit with different spells and curses. Finally his interrogator, Lucius Malfoy, made his men stop hitting him with spells and lifted the Silencio off him.

"Now Lupin, where to begin?" Lucius started. "Tell us where Potter is."

"I'll never do any such thing you sick bastard!" Lupin shouted.

"Crucio!" Lucius shouted, with his wand pointed at him, making Lupin writhe and scream in his seat. Lucius took the spell off. "I don't think that was the right answer Lupin my dear boy."

Lupin gasped from the seat. "I can't tell you anything anyways. I'm not the secret keeper for the Order." He tried to smirk, but it came out as more of a wince.

Lucius shrugged. "Ah well, we'll have our fun with you anyways." And with that said, he pointed his wand at him, said the incantation for the Confundus Charm, making Lupin go slack in his chair, his eyes glazed over and slightly crossed, pus oozing out of them.

Lucius smirked at him. "Here's another one, just in case. Obliviate!" He said, causing Lupin to jump in his chair. He motioned to the other men in the room. "Do with him what you will, but do not kill him. The Dark Lord wants him alive."

The men nodded and started to close in on Lupin, brandishing their wands.

Lucius shut the door behind him and made his way down the hall and up the stairs to the main building. He went down the hall to Draco's room and knocked on it before entering.

"Draco, please let Granger know that the Dark Lord is especially pleased with her. He knows now that she truly is one of us and can be trusted." He said.

Draco nodded. "I'll be sure to let her know father."

"Good. I'll leave you to it then." And then Lucius swept out of the room, leaving Draco alone again.

"Well?" Ginny prompted.

Hermione looked around the room quickly, trying to stall. "Well, uh, I didn't want to tell anybody. I mean, you know, in case someone asked. I was, uh….wandering the halls."

"Wandering the halls?" Ginny said slowly.

"Yeah, I was wandering the halls, so I uh, could clear my head. It's hard to study when you're distracted." Hermione said.

Ginny nodded skeptically. "All right then Hermione." She said slowly, not sure whether she believed her or not.

Ginny left, and Hermione finally sank down onto her bed, tired after her ordeal. She kept replaying the conversation in her head and getting mad about it. "What does it matter where I was?" Hermione thought angrily. "It's not like I made them come along with me! To fight for the Dark Lord." Hermione giggled at that thought. Oh, if only her friends could've seen the way she fought tonight!

Hermione lifted up the sleeve on her left arm and stared at the Dark Mark on her smooth white skin. She traced it with a finger and sighed, pulling the sleeve back down. Nobody would know what she was capable of doing. Nobody would ever get to see her in all her glory.

Except Draco. Hermione smiled sleepily and snuggled deeper under her covers. He would know. He would see her. Comforted, she rolled over and fell asleep.

"Don't you think it's odd at all Harry?" Ginny asked him at breakfast the next day.

Harry chewed his food thoughtfully and swallowed. "Well I've done it quite a few time myself, to be honest Ginny."

Ginny growled in frustration and stabbed at her breakfast with her fork.

"But if it makes you feel any better," Harry started, "I do think it's odd that she disappeared at the same time the battle was going on." He put another bit of food in his mouth. "I'm just glad someone else has noticed her strange behavior."

"Yeah." Ginny replied. "Sorry about not believing you. But if she was fighting for the Order why didn't she or Dumbledore say anything, or let us go for that matter?"

Harry gave her a look and Ginny gasped loudly. "No. Not Hermione. She would never do something like that!"

"Have you seen her arm?" Harry asked.

"No." Ginny's eyes widened. "Did you?"

"Of course not, she can't stand being near me anymore, let alone look at her arm to see…that." Harry said, gesturing about.

They were silent, eating their food. Harry had a thoughtful look on his face, and then looked up at Ginny with a gleam in his eye, who looked back warily.

"Veritaserum." Harry said proudly. "We use Veritaserum on her. Tonight. I bet Snape has extra potions we can - er - borrow."

Ginny wasn't quite so sure. "I don't know Harry. We could get expelled or something."

Harry gave an exasperated sigh. "Oh come on Gin. It's not like we haven't done worse before." He put on his "begging" face, puppy dog eyes and all.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fine, Harry, I'll do it."

Harry grinned at her. "Good then."

Later that night, the common room had finally emptied, save for Ginny and Harry. As soon as the last person left, they leapt up and put on Harry's invisibility cloak as they went through the door.

They reached Snape's store closet uneventfully and went inside. Inside, it was shelves upon shelves of potions. Big ones, little ones, purple, bubbly, clear…you name it, Snape had it.

"Whoa." Harry and Ginny whispered together.

They started searching, getting nowhere fast until Ginny suggested that maybe the potions were alphabetized (which they were) and that Veritaserum would be at the back of the room (which it was).

They took the smallest bottle that they could find and ran all the way back to the common room. They stepped inside and took the cloak off, trying to catch their breath.

Harry looked over at Ginny. "You ready?" He questioned.

Ginny took a deep breath and nodded. "I suppose so."

Ginny crept up the stairs and then levitated Harry up, since he couldn't walk up. They went to Hermione's room and over to her bed. She was laying on it, studying. Harry motioned for her roommates to leave, which they did complacently.

Ginny stepped forward. "Hermione? We'd like a word."

Hermione jumped and flipped around, eyes narrowed. When she saw who it was, her expression lightened a bit.

"Though she does look a bit annoyed." Harry thought.

"What about? I'm busy right now." Hermione said gruffly, a scowl on her face.

Harry sighed and pointed his wand at her. "Stupefy!" He yelled, the red jet of light hitting her square in the chest.

Ginny squeaked in fright and ran over to her, waving her hands in Hermione's face. "She's out cold." She proclaimed to Harry.

He nodded and walked over, unstoppering the potion. He poured a bit into Hermione's mouth, and then just a bit more, just to be safe.

They stepped back and Harry said "Ennervate.", waving his wand at her.

Hermione coughed, choking on the potion. "What in the bloody blazes are you thinking?" She yelled.

"Hermione, did you fight in the battle?" Harry asked bluntly.

Hermione's eyes widened when she realized what was happening; her face contorting as she tried to fight the potion. "Y-yes." She finally said.

Harry looked at her. "And whose side were you fighting for?" He asked.

Hermione glared at him, hating that she was being forced into this. "I fought for the Dark Lord!" She spat out. "And I'm not sorry either."

"Did you kill Hermione?" Harry asked, almost whispering.

"Yes." Hermione answered, a proud look on her face.

"Hermione…please tell me you're not a Death Eater." Harry said heavily.

She just sat there, looking at him.

"Are you a Death Eater?" Harry rephrased the question.

Hermione sat there and then replied with a "Yes."

Ginny gasped and Harry let out an explosive sigh, covering his face with his hands. He looked over at Ginny, who seemed to be in shock. "We have to go to Dumbledore." He said to her quietly. "Incarcerous!" He pointed his wand at her. She fell backwards into a chair while ropes appeared around her, binding her to it.

The two of them left, and Hermione struggled in her chair.

"Hermione?" She heard a male voice say.

"What the hell?" She thought. She looked around, but nobody was there.

"Hermione, where are you?"

It was Draco! She had forgotten about the mirrors.

"Draco! Harry and Ginny found out! They're on their way to Dumbledore, you've got to help me!" She cried out.

"Um okay. I'll be right there, don't move!" Draco said.

"Fat chance of that." She thought sarcastically.

Ten minutes later and still nothing. Hermione's legs were starting to fall asleep from the way she was sitting in her chair. She perked up when she heard footsteps approaching. The door opened and Draco walked in.

"Oh thank Merlin Draco! I thought you were Dumbledore." Hermione said to him.

Draco smiled and said the counter charm to let her up. "Well I'm not. What happened.?"

"It was Harry and Ginny." Hermione explained. "They ambushed me, and poured Veritaserum down my throat."

Draco smirked. "Oh they did? Well then…do you really like me Granger?"

Hermione gaped at him. "Y-yes." She stuttered.

"Do you want to stay in my room tonight?" He asked, walking closer.

"Yes." Came her answer.

"With me?"

"Yes." She said, walking towards him.

Draco moved in closer. "Good. But we don't have time for that right now, we need to go." And with a wave of his wand, all of Hermione's stuff was packed and Draco went to the door and opened it.

Hermione growled in frustration and made a face at his back. "What a bloody tease!" She thought, following him out the door.

It seemed her life at Hogwarts was officially over.

"Professor, I swear she was here!" Harry cried.

"I believe you Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said.

Harry looked around in distress. How the hell had she gotten out? She's a talented witch and everything, but this was near impossible! Unless…she had help? But then how would they have known she was in trouble, and how did they get in? Harry shook his head. This was getting confusing, and anyways, the important thing was that they knew now where Hermione's loyalties truly lay.

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry Professor. If I had thought that she'd get away, I would've made one of us stay here with her."

Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Not to worry Harry. None of this is your fault. It's still a bit of a shock. Voldemort now has a very bright and talented witch on his side. We must take that into consideration from now on."

Harry nodded and turned to Ginny. "I guess we'd better be getting to bed." He said to her.

She nodded. "Good night Professor Dumbledore, Harry." With that, she walked out of the room and down the stairs to her dormitories.

"Don't fret Harry." Dumbledore said to him. "I'm sure our Hermione is in there still…we'll just have to wait and see."

Harry nodded and Dumbledore left, leaving him alone. He plopped on his bed and groaned. First Ron, now Hermione. Who would be next? He rolled over and stared out the window, finally falling asleep.