A/N: Sorry, it's been a long time.
"Hermione, wake up!" Brandy whispered, her voice tightened with anxiety. Hermione opened her eyes and frowned.
"What is it?" she asked. The question was answered as the ground below them shook, small rocks falling from the ceiling.
"What's going on, mom?" Athena asked, scooting closer to her mother.
Hermione watched as the guards stood as well, wands at the ready. A woman came flying down the stairs, her black robes billowing behind her.
"Get the mudblood," she ordered.
"What's going-"
"GET HER!" the woman shrieked, looking back up the stairs.
"What about the others?" the other guard called.
The nervous woman glanced at Brandy and the girls then shook her head. "Kill the muggle and get the girls also," she snapped, her wand shaking slightly.
The men were about to ask something else when the ground shook again.
"What's going on?" one asked as they went over to the cell.
"Aurors… Their at the entrance, trying to get in. Someone must have squealed," she answered, glancing over at the stairwell again.
Hermione scrambled over to Brandy, grabbing her shocked friend and pulling her towards the back as the guards opened the cell.
"NO!" she screamed, pulling her daughters towards her. The guards ignored her, violently grabbing a screaming Brandy and dragging her out of the cell as the girls started to cry. They threw her to the ground and pointed their wands at her.
"Ow!" one guard complained, looking around while rubbing his head.
"Stop stalling, kill her!" the woman growled.
"Ow! Something hit me!" the other guard whined, rubbing his arm.
"Oh for crying out loud, I'll do it!"
There was a flash of light then three bodies hit the floor. Brandy raised her tearstained face and looked around to see them all on the ground.
"What happened?" she asked, sniffing.
"They're knocked out," Aphrodite said, shuffling down the stairs, clutching her stuffed animal closely. "Mr. Strawbee didn't like them," she whispered.
"Aphrodite!" Hermione exclaimed, running over to the child and falling to her knees, crying.
Aphrodite froze, her mind searching for something familiar. Something she should know.
"Are you really my mum?" she asked quietly.
Hermione pulled away and looked at the child, nodding. "Yes… yes I am… I'm so sorry for what happened to you… I never meant to leave you behind," she whispered, holding the girl's face in her hands.
"Mommy," Artemis whispered.
Hermione turned to the two girls and then they all screamed as a enormous explosion sounded, followed by silence. Hermione got to her feet and grabbed Artemis and Athena's hands.
"Aphrodite, you have to lead us out," she said.
Aphrodite faltered for a moment then nodded, picking up Mr. Strawbee and turning back to the stairs. Athena and Artemis broke off from their mother and followed their sister. Hermione helped Brandy up and they followed the girls.
The moment they hit the main level, it was apparent what had happened. The Aurors had finally been able to break into the underground fortress, destroying the entrance hall and flooding into the main axis. Fighting was everywhere, flashes of light filling up the dusty halls.
"Come on!" Aphrodite yelled over the noise, leading them past several people that Hermione didn't recognize. Her heart began to race. Her three children were in front of her with no protection at all. This horrifying fact made Hermione run forward and grab all three of them, pulling them to the ground as more explosions could be heard.
"Stay down!" Hermione ordered, watching a group of people race by, ignoring the ones on the floor. Hermione began inching forward, her eyes darting back and forth as curses were fired.
"Hermione!" someone screamed.
"Bill!" Brandy screamed, waving him over.
The man came over and knelt down beside them all, double taking when he saw Aphrodite.
"Is… is that…"
Hermione nodded. "It's her… but we can talk about that later, we have to get out of here," she whispered urgently.
Bill ducked a curse and fired off one of his own before grabbing one of the girls. "Come on!" he said, leading them down one corridor and down a flight of steps.
They entered the main hall, where the massacre was only beginning. Deatheaters were being forced back as the Aurors were winning. Hermione didn't want to see anymore, nor did she want her daughters seeing any of it. She grabbed Artemis and Aphrodite, covering their eyes.
"Don't look," she whispered, her eyes searching the ranks for someone…
"Ron!" she shrieked, watching him fly back when a curse hit him. The moment he hit the ground, she sprinted out, ignoring the cries of the others for her to stay. Hermione's heart had dropped to the pit of her stomach and her stomach was starting to churn.
No… no… no… she repeated in her mind, dodging curses and scampering over the fallen rocks and men. Her vision was starting to get blurry and she wiped her eyes, diving to Ron's side and grabbing his arm. She looked over his face, searching for something. Anything. His eyes were closed. Reaching forward, she felt for air from his nostrils.
"Please, Ron," she begged.
"Hermione!" Brandy screamed, pulling her down as a curse flew by.
"He's not breathing," Hermione sobbed, placing her ear to his chest. Her heart stopped. "No… no…" she whispered repeatedly as she started to shake him, only half aware of what was happening now. Her mind was growing fuzzy and a nasty taste was threatening to spill out of her lips. Her hands were shaking violently as she reached up and touched his pale face, fingers brushing over cold lips.
He couldn't be dead…
"MOMMY!"
Hermione didn't respond.
"MOMMY HELP!"
Hermione looked up and around, her eyes taking in everything but her brain not responding. That's when she saw what was happening. Over where she had left the girls, were Draco Malfoy and two men. They had grabbed Aphrodite and were carrying her down a dark corridor. Athena and Artemis were screaming for their mother.
"Aphrodite…" she muttered, not really connecting the cries for help with the scene before her. She looked back down at Ron's prone body, then back up at where her daughter had disappeared. Suddenly the world came crashing down upon her, bringing her back to the harsh reality she was now living.
"APHRODITE!" she screamed, getting up off the floor and running after Malfoy. Hermione tried to block out the images of Ron's body lying in the middle of the dead bodies.
No, Hermione! He's not dead!
Hermione let out a sob and continued to follow after, trying to swallow the dread that gripped her and focus on her daughter. Aphrodite.
Running into the corridor, she was greeted with relative darkness. Stopping so that she didn't run into anything, she waited for her eyes to adjust before sprinting off for the shadowed figures in the distance. As she went along the corridor, the sound of water met her ear, causing her to panic. What were they going to do?
Rounding the corner, she came to a stop, eyes wide with fright.
"Take one more step, Weasley… Just one more," Malfoy growled
Malfoy was standing by a small bridge that went over roaring water. Behind him was Aphrodite, Pansy and a few other men. Hermione's heart was stuck in her as she inched closer.
"You sadistic bastard, let her go," she growled, her voice displaying a strength she didn't feel.
Malfoy smiled. "Now is that the language to be using in front of my daughter?"
"SHE'S NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" Hermione screamed, lunging forward.
Malfoy yanked Aphrodite to him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned.
Hermione stopped herself, holding up her hands. "Don't do this… please…" she begged, watching as Malfoy pulled the scared girl closer.
"Don't try to claim my daughter, just because you abandoned yours," he growled, holding her tightly.
Hermione's eyes filled with tears, her mind wandering back to the day she had escaped, not only from here but from the world.
"I did not abandon her."
Malfoy smirked. "Sure you did… you left her behind while you saved those other creatures," he sneered.
Aphrodite was wiggling around, trying to break away from the man she called father.
"Leave her alone," she complained. "She's my mom!"
"Shut up!" Malfoy grabbed her and shoved her over to the men. "If you know what's best, Weasley, then I'd stay away," he growled, backing up, wand still on her.
Hermione could hear her hear pounding in her chest now, her brain searching for a way. She needed to get Aphrodite… she wasn't going to lose her again.
"Hermione!" someone called, coming down the corridor behind her. Malfoy turned from his place on the bridge and pulled another sneer.
"Potter."
"Malfoy!" Harry snarled, coming up beside Hermione. "Where do you think you're going?"
Malfoy smirked, pointing to the little girl behind him. "Where you can't follow," he answered, backing up slowly.
Hermione moved forward but stopped when the man holding Aphrodite dug his wand in the girl's neck.
"Please," she whispered.
Harry pulled her to him, wand fixed on Malfoy as he continued to move. "You're not getting away this time, Malfoy," he warned.
Malfoy snorted. "I got away last time… I can do it again," he said. By now they were already on the other side of the bridge. Hermione's grip on Harry's arm was tightening as the small party disappeared around the corner.
Not able to stand it any longer, she dashed across the bridge, the sound of water roaring in her ears.
"Hermione, NO!" Harry cried, going after her.
Hermione was about to round the corner when there was a huge explosion from the main hall as well as the corridor she was now in. The entire place shook, forcing Hermione to her knees. Harry caught up and put himself over her as rocks fell from the walls and ceiling.
"APHRODITE!" Hermione screamed, breaking away from Harry and continuing on her way, ignoring the jagged rocks that fell around her. Harry followed her, grabbing her arm.
"Hermione, no! We have to get out!" he yelled over the noise.
Hermione pulled away from him and continued down the hall. There was a high-pitched scream and a very bright flash that went off before more explosions were heard. Harry pushed Hermione to the ground in time when a large body came flying overhead.
When the air cleared, a deafening silence filled the area. Harry pushed some debris off of them and they looked around. Hermione was shaking slightly as they looked around. Hermione gasped and looked away upon seeing the impaled man near the bridge. Harry held her close, looking around. They moved over the rocks, making their way down the hall and rounding the corners. Hermione let out a sob and broke away once again, stumbling over the debris until she reached the bodies. Falling to her knees, she moved some of the rocks, her eyes searching frantically for the little girl.
"Harry, help me," she pleaded, moving more rocks. The bodies she found weren't what she was looking for.
Harry moved some rocks, looking around the carnage. "Hermione… Malfoy's not here," he whispered.
"I don't care, Harry!"
Getting up, she grabbed more rocks and began to move them angrily, tears streaming down her face. "I can't lose her again," she muttered. "First Trinity, then Ron…. I'm not losing her," she sobbed, moving a bigger rock.
Harry went over to her and grabbed her. "What do you mean Ron?" he asked, shaking her.
Hermione broke down then and there, her knees buckling from under her and her sobs filling Harry's ears. "He's dead!" she cried, pointing towards the bridge. "I saw him fall… he was so cold!" she sobbed.
Harry's face drained with color, his grip on her arms tightening. Ron… was dead…
"Mommy?"
Hermione turned around and gasped. She let out another sob and scrambled over the rocks, scooping the dust-covered child up in her arms. Hermione was crying hard as she held Aphrodite close. Aphrodite pulled away slightly and looked at Hermione's face.
"Why are you crying?"
A/N: Here yu go! hope you likey!
ronandmion4ever: I'm glad you liked it so much. I like Aphrodite also.
laura truewood: Thank you so much.
RHrWilLizKataangPrincess2010: I LOVE PotC! You'll find out more about Hermione's brain loss later on.
sballLuvr5: Don't worry. Aphrodite's eyes is just a genetical error. Hermione didn't have an affair or anything. You'll find out more later.
charma10: Yes, well... you know me! I love to keep the reader amused. Anyway, as for the toddler thing, I found that a little easier. I just remember what I see in movies and incoorperate it into my writing.
Wesker888: Well, thank you so much.
Chapter Tease:
"Hermione doesn't want to hurt anyone," Harry whispered.
"Then don't be responsible for killing him," Ginny replied, pulling away from Harry and walking into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.