Chapter 14: Fact and fiction
Hermione and Severus did attend the ball like he said, and despite the fact that they were student and teacher and husband and wife, they had fun and enjoyed being with Minerva and Albus. However, the happiness came to an end on the fifteenth of February, Albus told Hermione when he saw her that there was an Order meeting that night and that he needed her to pass on the word to Severus for him. She of course did and he wasn't too happy but made to leave with her anyway. That is how they came to be at the table at Grimwald Place with Lupin, Molly and Arthur Weasley, and their older children minus Ron and Ginny, Harry and the others. They talked about the Dark Lord's plan to attack and his plan to get Goyle back to his side.
"He can't do that, the ministry's law says…"
"Molly anyone with half a brain could easily counter one of those laws, there is always something that most overlook." Severus said.
"So now we just need to study the banishment law and possibly see what he is going to try to do." Hermione suggested.
"Hermione, how do we get a hold of an official document?" Harry asked.
Hermione thought about this as the others began to argue amongst themselves, suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Harry, that's easy," She said as if there hadn't been anything else going on.
"What's easy Mione?"
"Well, getting the law of course."
"Hermione, you are insane, there is no way to get our hands…"
"Harry, he hit me, I know the Dursley's hit you but my situation is different, I put myself in that situation, you didn't, I don't expect you to understand! Look what I am trying to say is that we could pull some stunt that I am terrified that he could come back and I want to read the law over seeing what they are doing about him being banished from our world!"
"Hermione…" Harry said looking at her, "You are bloody brilliant!"
"So I've been told," She smirked. They devised a plan to get a copy of the law for the meeting on Tuesday and then the topic changed again; to the dark lord's plan.
After an half an hour of discussion Moody stated, "So how do we know that he isn't just sending Severus with false information?"
"We don't." Hermione said.
"So we risk a major operation for something that we don't even know is true."
"Look we have hit a small snare in our plans but it isn't anyone's fault."Remus defended Severus's position.
"Oh so who slipped up the ministry?"
"No I am." The whole table fell silent looking at Hermione, whose eyes had dropped to a random crack in the table.
"Hermione dear what are you talking about?" Molly asked.
"It's obvious isn't it?" the table stayed silent, "If I hadn't been so pathetic, I could have made the right choice in the first place instead of placing myself in danger and then using Severus as an out an then if we hadn't gotten married, he could still be getting valuable information rather than us guessing what he is telling us!" she cried as she rambled. Minerva looked worriedly toward Severus who was stunned by his wife's outburst. He wrapped his arms around her and attempted to comfort her but the tears didn't stop.
"Hermione this isn't your fault, it is the ministry and the war, you can't help that you're…
"A mudblood." She said coldly, she didn't even notice that everyone flinched at the comment, including Draco.
Minerva had had enough, she got up and when to Hermione's side grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to look at her, "Hermione, look at me, this isn't your fault at all, your heritage has nothing to do with this, we will make do with what information we have, you cannot sit here and pity yourself and yelling at everyone for something that is out of all of our controls." Hermione cried a bit harder, the tears came faster and then she was leaning into Minerva feeling sorry for what had just unfolded.
"Severus, Minerva, why don't you take Hermione out for a moment and let her relax for a moment, we will continue the meeting when she has calmed." Minerva looked at Albus suspiciously before she realized what he was going to do, she nodded and she and Severus helped her out of the kitchen. They sat on one of the couches with a silencing charm over the room while they waited for Hermione to calm down. She eventually calmed enough to say, "I don't think I should go back in there."
"Hermione…"
"No Severus, I can't take Moody taking the blame out on you, it's killing me. This is…"
"Not your fault dear," Minerva said.
"I know, but that doesn't mean that someone needs to get blamed for that."
"I agree."
"I think I'll rest here until the meeting is over and then I'll join everyone for dinner."
"Are you…"
"Sure, yes, you two should get back in there." Minerva and Severus looked at her for a moment longer before she nodded to tell them to go. They rejoined the meeting where they were talking about Hermione's situation.
"Sir, what if he gets a hold of her?"
"I'm not sure what will happen should he get a hand on her but we will do everything in our power to ensure that he doesn't," Minerva said.
"I agree, I can assure you all that if that should happen, whatever he does to her won't be pleasant." Severus said.
"Severus, you are aware that we are talking about…"
"Hermione, yes, he also talked about it before he dismissed us." Severus relayed his plans and then they dismissed the meeting. Molly wanted to go get Hermione but Minerva insisted that Severus could handle it, so he went to the living room and found her laying down fast asleep. He didn't want to wake her but he knew that he would never hear the end of it if she didn't eat Dinner, so he did the only thing he could think of to wake her gently, he kissed her. She stirred slightly and then her eyes slowly opened to the sight of her husband. He told her that she needed to eat and she nodded before sitting up and joining him in the kitchen. The rest of the evening went un eventfully.