Disclaimer: The only thing I own in the Monogatari family and anything related.
A/N: Forgetfullove's trailer for "Evanescent Memory" is complete! The link is on my profile. Please read and review and by "review" I don't mean leave asinine threats about what an awful writer I am if I don't do what YOU want me to do. Keep in mind as you read that every detail is there for a reason…every detail is planned out and has some sort of meaning toward the plot or character development.
Chapter 11
My Immortal
Rabastan's mistake was not seeing who all chose the side he was on…not looking to see who exactly crossed over pledging to stand next to that vampire.
Now he stood in the old Lestrange residence staring at the faces of those present…with the exception of the Death Eaters sent on a mission by their leader. He looked around curiously.
"Where is my brother," he asked the room at large.
A large red head Death Eater, Fowl, spoke up.
"Rodolphus," he asked as if there was another brother. "He remained behind. He remained with that vampire."
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They knew where they would be disapparating from. They were told…information was given. And they were guaranteed one way to finish what the Dark Lord had done with that traitor—aim for the Mudblood.
It was too easy.
The traitor actually believed they were there for the Mudblood. Why wouldn't he? They were the Death Eaters…the true Death Eaters, the faithful Death Eaters. The traitor didn't know they were told not to kill the Mudblood. He didn't know she would be dealt with at the appropriate time…punishment would be given—they just hoped they would be included.
Patience is a virtue.
Crowley led the team of Death Eaters on this mission and he was the one to fire the curse. He would not allow any one else the opportunity to fudge this up. If he left it to any other idiot, that idiot might miss. If being a Death Eater taught him anything, it was to not trust those around him. He would not rely on anyone but himself to do this right. He would not return to an angry Rabastan and possibly face a horrible wrath when the one leading them found out.
So Crowley fired the shot…the shot that was meant to kill.
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After nightfall, Cyprus Grove was a vibrant little village. The park in the middle of Cyprus Grove Square was filled with children laughing and playing in the moonlight. Individuals were walking their dogs and stopping to chat with various neighbors along the way. Others were walking to the local grocer and butcher, entering, and leaving with their paper bags and white paper wrapped meats.
The villagers would pass by the Queen Anne style Victorian house without a second glance. It was as if the occupant of that house was just like them. Every now and then a villager would glance curiously at the house, knowing how unlike the rest of them she was, but knowing she was family…she was a coveted family member of the Royal Family.
She was not to be harmed.
And no one in the village wished to harm her. She didn't look at them strangely, knowing she was the "strange" one in the village. Some sought her out, seeing her as a counselor of sorts in the village, seeking her advice. They all loved her…as much as any "true" vampire could love a normal person. When night fell over the village and she heard the chimes of her doorbell, she fully expected it to be one of the villagers.
Not the mini family reunion she found on her porch.
Hanajima stood in her doorway looking between the three men standing before her, each stubborn in their own way and each denying how alike the other they were. Behind them, out in the village, Hanajima could see how still the life out there had become. The villagers were watching, curious as to why the Prince was there with other members of the Royal Family.
She stepped aside so that they could enter.
She watched each Monogatari man enter, thinking how the only one they were missing of the men was Rui. The men knew where to go; they knew where Hanajima would take them. Hanajima followed them to the kitchen where they sat down at the table where food was already spread out waiting for them.
She knew they would come.
Hanajima looked over the rim of her teacup at the three, thankful Rui wasn't there. He would have reprimanded her for her way of drinking tea, or tried to at any rate. She smiled at that thought as the warm liquid touched her lips.
She found it difficult to think of the three across from her as "men." Yes, two of them were technically older than her, but she still saw them as boys…especially Kuro, her grandson. Kuro ate with as much gusto as the other two. She chuckled slightly into her tea. Ayame ate without losing that look…that haunted look in his eyes, his jaw set in defiance of the world around him; though not the world he lived in now, the world he used to live in. He was always more comfortable in Cyprus Grove where he knew nothing but vampires dwelled.
To Ayame, normal people…people that were not vampires were off limits. They would die and any sort of relationship with a non-vampire could offer only pain.
Her smile faltered.
He was such a sad angry boy.
"Hanajima," Chi said finally putting his chopsticks down and clearing his throat.
Hanajima looked over at the half-Taiwanese family member and watched him push his glasses up on his face. He glanced at Kuro and Ayame and she smiled knowing very well why they were there. Her eyes flickered to Kuro.
"She gave you her blood," Hanajima said not as a question, but a statement of fact.
Kuro was looking from the top of his eyes over the table at Hanajima. Where the look would frighten anyone else, Hanajima laughed.
"Kuro, knock it off. I knew she would offer, if it meant your life or death."
She took a sip of her tea.
"She is the one after all."
"He needs to return home. There is much he still needs to learn before taking over," Ayame said with a dare in his eyes for Hanajima to deny this fact.
She smiled at him, which only angered him. He sniffed rather indignantly and looked away, his eyes falling on a picture of Kuro when he was just a bit younger. It was the Prince's throne in the throne room of the Monogatari Estate. Kuro had crouched down and balanced himself on the arm of the throne when the picture was taken. Ayame rolled his eyes at the sight of the picture hung there as if Hanajima was proud of her grandson's behavior.
"His current job is to return home and to his lessons."
She sat her teacup down and noted the war rising in Kuro. He wanted to lash out at Ayame. It wouldn't be the first time. Too often Ayame tried to act like the King and demand things of Kuro, but history should tell Ayame that it never worked. Kuro was the crowned Prince…his crowned Prince.
"My current job is ridding the family of the curse, Ayame."
Kuro's words were soft, but deadly.
"No one gave you that job," Ayame said with his voice rising.
Chi cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up on his face again. Ayame and Kuro turned to look at him, aware he wanted to say something in a calm manner.
"Actually, Ayame, if you read the archives that record the words of the oracle you will recognize that this job was given to Kuro."
Silence followed. Hanajima could tell something was on Kuro's mind. It was in that I want line he often got between his eyes.
"I stood in the sunlight," he said, attempting to turn the conversation back to the problem at hand and away from Ayame's issues.
Hanajima lowered her teacup slowly until it clattered on its saucer.
"After drinking her blood," Hanajima was reaching for clarification.
Kuro nodded once.
"Blood of a witch, blood of another," Hanajima whispered as if trying to figure out a riddle.
She lifted her teacup back up and took a sip. She suddenly sat the cup back down.
"Kuro, your best bet is to get the archives of the oracle. Chi, you know the library at the Estate better than anyone; perhaps he would like your help?"
Kuro shook his head.
"Chi can go without me. I must stay here. Hermione must be guarded…"
"Ayame can do that for you. You haven't figured out how to enter the castle yet anyway," Hanajima interrupted shooting a surreptitious look Ayame's way.
Ayame was glaring daggers at Hanajima. His nostrils flared and his cheeks seemed to suck in when he took a deep breath, trying to control his explosive anger.
"Rui wishes to speak with you anyway," Hanajima continued.
Kuro looked over at Ayame. If he told Ayame as his Prince to watch over Hermione, he would. He knew that much about Ayame. Honor was important and it would be dishonorable to go against family and go against your crown Prince. If the King and Head of the Family wished to see him, then Kuro was honor bound to go. He nodded his head before standing up to leave. Chi followed him.
Ayame made no hint of getting up. Instead, he moved some strands of his orangish-brown tinted hair out of his face. Hanajima watched him rather amused. He was refusing to look at her at first and then, suddenly his eyes cut across to her.
"This is ridiculous, Hana. That boy cannot solve a curse Rui can't even deal with."
Hanajima smiled and put her cup down.
"Are you that frightened of emerging from the darkness?"
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The moon hung in the sky casting what light it could offer through the trees and onto the road in front of the school. The entrance gates of Hogwarts were a large daunting structure of black wrought iron and stone. Gargoyles sat on pillars as still as stone in the muggle world. Their wings did not move; their eyes gave no indication of life. They were plain ordinary gargoyles that could be found at any number of churches across Europe.
The stone muggle gargoyles were there for the muggles. Any muggle looking upon the gate would see a sign warning about the state of destruction the building beyond was in. To a witch or wizard, that was not what would be seen beyond that gate. Beyond the gate was not a decrepit building, but a castle of magnificence. Lights twinkled from different windows showing an onlooker the life that thrived inside the castle.
The wind blew dried leaves off trees and they were floating down to the ground like a magical leaf rainfall when out of the darkness appeared three figures. The man with the long blonde hair stood regally like some king of the castle, holding his serpent handled cane, his nose in the air as he looked down it at everything around him.
Next to him stood a young woman he normally…previously saw as filthy. It was hard admitting, just to himself, that he hadn't really seen her as "filthy" since watching her stand up to the Dark Lord at Harry Potter's side. She still held his hand from disapparating them away from the Death Eaters that were attacking them.
On the other side of Hermione, on the dried leaf scattered ground was a still heap of black robes. The moon barely cast a shadow on it.
She dropped Lucius' hand and screamed in utter terror as she dropped to her knees. Lucius watched her shaking Severus' still form, begging him…pleading him to wake up. Her tears poured down her cheeks; her voice became more and more hysterical as each second passed.
"Call for help! Get someone!"
It was unusual to see her like that and for a moment, watching her tears, hearing her hysterical voice as her heart broke made Lucius feel slightly guilty, but only for a moment. Hermione kept shaking him, begging him to wake up and then frantically demanding Lucius get help, as if anyone could.
"Hermione, lets get inside and we'll send someone out."
He held his hand down for her to take it. She wrapped her arms around Severus' head, holding him tight against her chest and shook her head frantically in denial.
"NO! I won't leave him! I won't leave him here like trash!"
She leaned over slightly, shoulders shaking in her grief as her tears fell into his hair.
"Just send your Patronus to the Headmistress," she mumbled into Severus' hair.
Hermione felt like her world was crumbling around her. Severus was the closest thing to a father she had since her own father was murdered, probably by the same men. Everyone was being taken away from her…snatched away in the night. The grief was so overwhelming she didn't know if she would ever be able to move. She saved him once, perhaps she could will him alive this time.
Help was not coming though.
She looked up. Through her tears she saw the blurry image of Lucius Malfoy attempting a Patronus. He couldn't produce one, not even the vapory mist some people conjure when trying. Nothing happened when he tried. He snarled into the night at his inability to produce such a menace when it was pertinent that he show his ability to do so. Hermione had more important things for the moment on her mind. She reached into her pocket and threw the tip of her wand out in front of her calling off the spell.
Lucius watched as a shimmering snake shot out of her wand, flying through the bars of the gates and toward the window of the Headmistress.
Recognizing the change in her own Patronus, the tears fell harder as she curled up toward Severus again…burying her face into his hair, begging him to open his eyes and give her detention. The wind blew around them, swirling the dead leaves that had fallen to the ground. Overhead, clouds shifted across the moon and thunder rumbled.
Professor McGonagall and Remus found them still on the ground, rain pouring down on them while Hermione cradled Professor Snape's head still begging him to be alive.
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The light was dim in the hospital wing. After the celebratory feast, Madam Promfrey insisted on keeping Severus Snape there. He had been bitten by a snake and even though Hermione saved him before his last breath, he still needed medical care.
He scowled on the bed. The moonlight shone through the window casting a strange light across his bed only to finally taper off where his savior sat. There was no Golden Trio in the room. No Gryffindor boys to torment him about the memories he had disclosed to Harry when he believed himself dead. There was just her. Dirt across one cheek, soot from what fire he wasn't sure across her forehead, and blood appeared on various places.
He knew the blood was not her own.
Her warm eyes stared wide eyed at him, thankful he was alive and well. She blinked, her eyes swimming in unshed tears. She couldn't save everyone she wished she could during that battle, but she saved him. All she could do was sit there in that chair and watch him breathe. His eyes, so cold, stared at her as if she had done him some great wrong. He took a deep breath and looked at her through narrow accusing eyes.
"Why," he asked. "Why did you save me? Why couldn't you just let me die?"
She sat up a little straighter; her mouth fell open. He didn't say it, but she recognized that tone.
"Y…you didn't want to be saved," she choked out.
"What would make you think I wanted to be saved?" He turned his head to look out at the stars and moon he was now cursed to see every night
"Dead I'm with Lily," he barely whispered, but Hermione still heard him.
It was overwhelming, all the death from the war and final battle and then saving a life only to have them hate you for it.
Perhaps some part of her saw herself as saving her father when she saved Severus.
Her body began to shake with sobs.
Severus turned from the window and looked at the girl cast in the shadows, shaking in grief for all she couldn't do and all that she had done. How many times through the years had she said or done something that reminded him of Lily? How many times had she reminded him of himself?
Hermione was balled up in the chair, overcome by her tears when she felt long fingers grip her wrist. With a slight hitch of her breath from crying so hard, she looked up. Severus had a hold of her and a look akin to regret and defeat on his face.
"As insufferable as you are, you often remind me of what I could have had."
Through her tears she could see how much he hated saying that…how much he did not really want to say those words.
Then she gave him that watery smile that brightened her tear streaked face, giving him a reason to live…
And a reason to die.
He would continue to heal at Grimmauld Place. Mrs. Weasley continued to cook for those staying there, sending Hermione up to his bedside with each meal. She would knock once and enter…the only one that could get away with such an abrupt entrance. He kept that room dark and she would reprimand him for it, sitting the tray down and tossing open drapes to allow sunlight to flow through.
A smile would threaten to grace his lips as she would stand there with her hands on her hips after throwing open the drapes.
So much like Lily.
"You can't just live your life in the dark, Severus," she said.
When she started calling him that he couldn't remember. Probably around the time he started calling her "my Little Princess." He picked up his spoon, leaning over the bowl of soup with a slightly raised eyebrow, looking up at her.
"I've lived my entire adult life in the dark, my Little Princess."
He put the spoon of warm soup in his mouth, fighting the smile he felt emerging at her indignant cry.
"Well, I think it's time you live in the light."
She was his light.
He chose to live. It seemed so with his day to day life still fighting along side the Order, helping Remus run things…helping them all get things in order. Hermione could see it in his eyes though. The regret. She knew she had ripped away his chance of reuniting with the one woman he ever really loved…she took that away from him and he, in truth, welcomed that death…hoping for it to come in the near future. Still, things had to be done while he was alive. His world, his goal became one tracked—keeping Hermione Granger safe, keeping the girl that could have been like his own daughter safe. She had no father…murdered at the hands of Death Eaters unknown. Severus was quick to make sure her mother was placed somewhere hidden…somewhere safe.
His world had become Hermione Granger.
His otherwise cold heart broke when she clutched onto Harry and Ron at the mention of being separated from each other…hidden away from one another. He was ripping her away from the friends that were still alive for her own good.
Maybe, deep down, he saw himself saving Lily by saving her.
She was so much like Lily and he would live what life he had in her light…in their light.
The sight of a Death Eater pointing their wand at Hermione with the intentions of snuffing out her life like someone so insignificant ripped Severus' heart out of his chest.
Never again.
He would not stand idly by and watch this...not this time.
She was his light…his Little Princess.
She would live…even after he was reunited with Lily.
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She felt the warm hand of Remus Lupin on her shoulder. She shook him off as if he were the personification of the plague. The rain pelted down on her like punishment for saving the life of the man she now held onto with an unhealthy desperation for him to be alive. Her body shook as her sobs overtook her, devouring her in grief.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said.
Her voice held such worry, but Hermione didn't care just then. Nothing around her seemed real. The only real thing was Severus Snape's body in her arms…her clinging to him like life itself. The voices of concern and alarm around her were nothing more than muffled sounds. The rain echoed in her ears though and her cries screamed in agony.
McGonagall, Remus and Lucius all stood there in the rain looking down at Hermione clutching Severus' body. McGonagall blinked back tears. She knew how close the two were…a father-daughter type of relationship that both needed. Seeing Hermione Granger clutching his body though…seeing her wracked in sobs…the normally very controlled Hermione Granger overcome by emotion…it was too much. McGonagall's hand covered her own mouth and looked away before a sob could be vocalized.
"We need to get her out of the rain," Remus said softly.
Lucius looked away, not being able to bear the sight of Hermione like this. It took him by surprise. His son was coming though. He could barely make out his figure running from the castle to the gates, thankfully alone.
Draco stopped just at the gates, his hands wrapping around the wrought iron fencing and staring pale and wide-eyed at Hermione and Severus. In seconds, the rain had soaked Draco's hair to the point of lying limply around his face. His eyes, nearly accusatory, looked up to his father. His father…he looked so taken aback…heartbroken even.
Hermione wouldn't budge.
"I won't leave him…no…no," she kept repeating over and over.
"What happened," Draco asked almost afraid of the answer as he stepped passed the gate and stood right behind Hermione, trying to get her to release Severus' body.
He was shoved away as well causing her to cry out as if in pain.
"The killing curse," Lucius said rather softly for his usual self.
He paused and looked up at his son.
"He threw himself in front of her…in its path."
Her mumbling…her sobs…it was all heart wrenching.
Lucius watched in turn as each person tried desperately, some with tears of their own, to get Hermione to release her hold of Severus. Each was treated like the one that fired the curse. Lucius couldn't look at her like this. This was not the Hermione Granger that stood next to Harry Potter to defeat the Dark Lord.
She was broken.
He dropped down beside her, knees on the wet ground and wrapped his arms around her. His mouth by her ear he whispered.
"Severus wouldn't want this…I don't want this…Please, Hermione…for Severus."
Her tear streaked face rose up from Severus' head and looked back at Lucius. He felt her arms relax and he seized the opportunity, sweeping her up into his arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her hands burying themselves beneath his hair. He felt her body shake against him with her sobs. She turned her face into his neck and he felt the warm tears mingle with the cold rain.
He nodded to McGonagall that he had her.
"I'll stay until the Aurors arrive," Remus offered.
McGonagall nodded and gave Draco a slight push toward the school to follow Lucius.
Through the rain he walked, holding her close, allowing her to cry. She held onto him so tightly, as if afraid he would be next.
Walking into the castle holding Hermione Granger while she cried, proved to be drama inducing when it came to her Gryffindor friends. Harry and Ron were sitting on the stairs waiting for her return, worry gracing their faces because she was late. When they saw Lucius step in with his son nearby and Hermione in Lucius' arms, both boys were on their feet with their wands drawn.
"What did you do to her, Malfoy," Ron yelled accusingly at Draco as he lunged for the Slytherin.
Wands were not used. It was strictly a muggle fight. Draco would not just lie there and allow a Weasley to hit him; he hit back.
"Mister Weasley! Mister Malfoy! Stop that this instant," the Headmistress said as she came into view behind Lucius.
Harry stood there, his wand still out noticing that Hermione was not hurt…physically. The fighting around her seemed to be happening at a great distance as she held Lucius even tighter when she barely heard Harry offer to take her from there.
"Mister Potter, you may follow us to Madam Pomfrey. Mister Weasley and Mister Malfoy will separate and be in my office tomorrow morning right before breakfast."
Professor McGonagall glared at the two boys. They nodded and the Headmistress waited until the two boys moved to go to their separate common rooms. She motioned for Lucius to go ahead with Hermione. Lucius held her tightly in response to her grip on him…her sobs muffled in his neck.
She was so broken…shattered into pieces.
He would put her back together.
He would fix her.
And once he did…she would be his.
A/N: Don't be mistaken and think this was easy to write. Like I said, everything I put in a story is there for a reason. I know many of you are not happy with this chapter, but I will not put up with threatening reviews. To those readers that will stop reading at this point: first, you were warned in the prologue about a significant death (keep in mind Severus is not the main character here) and second, you should have no problem finding a fluff piece to read on ffnet—it's filled with them.