"Hermione!"

She squirmed on top of the cushions, and groggily clutched at her throbbing head. Pain coursed behind her left eye socket, and her mouth felt as though it had been stuffed full of cotton.

"Hermione get up!" It was Helen, shouting at her from across the room and the brunette's eyes struggled to focus upon the source of Helen's voice before spying her mother standing inside a painting of a forest that sat above the fireplace. Helen's expressions were of grave concern as she continued to yell for her daughter's attention.

Hermione became confused. "How'd you get in there mother? Don't you know that it's much too early for a hike." Hermione's voice was drunken in quality, as was her appearance; for her hair, encrusted with blood and sweat, was matted against her head. As her skull lolled about her neck she slowly began to regard her damaged surroundings; glass littered the floor, furniture had been overturned and muddy boot prints and handprints dotted the floorboards and walls. A single bloody handprint with fingers that appeared to be dragged was near the front door, which was only just hanging from its frame by a single hinge.

"Darling! WAKE UP! FLEUR IS MISSING!" Helen let out a tremendous screech with both arms held out stretched above her head.

At the mention of her lover's name her thoughts rapidly became lucid, and her stomach twisted into an excruciating knot at the realization that something very, very wrong had happened at night. "What the…"

"I've been trying to wake you for the past few hours! They…they-" Helen was out of breath.

Suddenly she was interrupted when Bill, Kara and Bellatrix rushed in from opposite sides of the living room, and each wore an equally shocked look upon their faces once they saw the damage.

"What the hell happened in here! What did you do to my living room!" Bill stomped toward Hermione upon the bed and thrusted a finger at her chest before gesturing heatedly at Bellatrix. "I knew it was a mistake to let you both in this home. Where is Fleur? What have you done!"

Bellatrix grew incensed at the accusations. "Still your tongue Weasel. I have been asleep this entire time. I am just as in shock as you are at all of this wanton destruction!" Bill was unconvinced.

A shouting match ensued between the elder Weasley and the Death Eater. Expletives were hurled left and right before wands were drawn. At this moment Helen shrieked at the top of her lungs from the landscape above the fireplace. "STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU! Listen to me!"

Bill blinked with shock at the sound. "The painting of your mother…" He shot Hermione a flabbergasted look. "She's awake!"

Helen spoke rapidly, her gaze never leaving Hermione still sitting upon the bed. "Several men broke in late last night. I heard the scuffle from my perch in the study, and followed them through the frames into here. They had made a bit too much noise, and once you had awoken, one of the men punched you my dear knocking you out cold. They bound Fleur and apparated away with her, not before she put up a fight of her own. I couldn't get anyone's attention, and Hermione has only just awoken mere minutes ago!"

Bellatrix took a step toward the landscape and touched Helen's hyperventilating figure with an outstretched hand. "Calm down Darling, tell me, who were these men, did you get a good look at them?"

Helen nodded. "One was a rather piggish-looking fellow; small, hairy and timid. The other was the exact opposite, bulky, burly and I am quite certain he had fangs."

"Greyback." Bellatrix and Bill said in unison.

Hermione still remained frozen and reticent on the bed, coolly rubbing at her swollen nose and black eye. Her brain was still hazy, grasping at straws while trying to comprehend what Helen was saying. "Fleur? Where is Fleur?" She blindly groped at the bed sheets, feeling for her lover's form. Once she neared the edge of the bed she fell face forward over it, banging her forehead on the floorboards and tumbling into a ball. Bellatrix ran to her side, as Hermione doubled over clutching at her now throbbing head. "Shit!"

Kara clung tightly to Bill's arm, her mouth agape with fear. "Why did they do this?"

"Why else? To get to Hermione." Bill's tone was terse as he stared off at nothing in particular.

Bellatrix shook the girls shoulders harshly, an attempt to rouse her from her anger, but Hermione swatted the older woman away with a whip of her arm. "Get off of me. Now!" Levered to her feet Hermione turned her head up to stare daggers back at the other occupants of the room; her mother in the nearby painting included. "Where. Is. Fleur?"

Helen cowered from inside the landscape over the fireplace as though she was about to be slapped. "She's gone darling…they took her."

"Greyback and Wormtail most likely." Bellatrix snarled and sniffed the air. "I can just about smell the foul creatures from here."

Clearly ignoring them, Hermione cupped her hands around her mouth and began to shout loudly. "Fleur! Fleur where are you!" She started to run from room to room calling out to her lover and each time that her cries were met with silence her heart only began to throb harder. Bill and Kara could only shake their heads in a despondent manner and Bellatrix gave chase, albeit slowly and from a distance, but Hermione ignored her as well. After ten minutes of frenetic searching Hermione sequestered herself inside the bathroom, slamming the door and falling back against it. The tears flowed freely as she came to the realization that Fleur had indeed been kidnapped. Snatched right from her arms. "I'm so foolish." Hermione chided herself, grabbing a fistful of hair on each side of her head. "So, so goddamn stupid!" Sobs quaked her body, and she pulled at her curls, ripping several strands out from her scalp.

Frantic knocking came from the opposite side of the door, and she could hear Bellatrix' muffled cries but cared little for the words being said. It was over, she thought. Her mind reeled over what could possibly be happening to her lover at that very moment, Fenrir had her, and she remembered the predatory way in which he looked at Fleur. Each thought that crossed Hermione's mind was progressively worse than the one before. Rape. Torture. Dismemberment. Death.

"Open the damn door!" Bellatrix shrieked after a burst of vicious knocking at the door.

"Fuck off Bella!" Hermione snapped back and right away there was silence. Getting to her feet Hermione crossed the tiled floor to face the mirror. Staring back at her was an entirely different person. Though she had grown slightly taller over the years, she could still see the youthful face of Hermione Granger, hidden underneath the hardened layers of Hermione Gaunt. She reached up with a hand to trace the pronounced cheekbones of her face in the glass, and the rim of her sunken eye sockets, one of which sported a furious contusion around it. Her unruly hair no longer had its old fullness as it now hung flaccidly down her head. She turned to the side and lifted her shirt a little to reveal the xylophone of her ribcage. The skin around it was so tight against the bones, a finger could fit snuggly between each one of her ribs. "Look what you've become…" she murmured to the girl in the mirror. "A shell. That's all you are. He took everything from you. Friends. Family. Now she's gone. There's nothing left of you." She wanted to cry, but nothing would come from her tear ducts. Despite her crying moments prior, her eyes were in fact painfully dry; devoid of any moisture just as she was devoid of any emotion. She was drained. It's over.

Her eyes wandered to a glittering object on the counter top; Bill's razor blade. Immediately she whipped her head back forward to face the mirror. No, she thought, not that way. Reaching into the liner of her bra, she produced her wand and with a quivering arm, aimed it at the mirror. The nerves wracking her body were so intense she bit down on her lower lip so hard it drew blood. Sweat beaded on her forehead and rolled down the slope of her head, stinging her lachrymose eyes. "G-g-good bye Fleur…"

Suddenly the door was ripped from its hinges, revealing Bellatrix standing in the frame with her fists clenched tightly at her sides. The dark witch only needed to survey the scene for a matter of seconds before realizing what was about to happen.

Hermione regarded the intruder for a moment before looking back at the mirror. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

With blistering speed, Bellatrix sprung in the air and collided with the young witch, knocking their bodies hard into the tile floor. The green bolt reflected off the mirror and bored a blazing hole directly through the wall that remained smoldering after the bolt had faded away.

"You weakling!" Bellatrix screamed, grabbing at each of the younger girl's shoulders, shaking them with vigor. "What in the hell do you think you're doing! Do you really think ending your life will solve anything!"

"Living hasn't solved anything either!" Hermione growled through gritted teeth. "All of this is my fault. What the hell am I supposed to do! I have no family, save for a murdering psychopath, all that's left of my mother is a talking picture frame, Fleur could be dead, I've doomed the world as we know it…every time I try to make things right, it just explodes in my hands. I'm done."

"So that's it then." The elder witch spat. "You're just giving up." She stood to her feet before eyeing the young with acid. "You're no goddaughter of mine, pathetic wastrel. You disgust me." Bellatrix turned to leave before she was halted by a deafening crack. Whipping around she saw Hermione standing mere inches away, breathing heavily through flared nostrils. To her left was a fist shaped hole in the wall, and she could see the younger witch clutching her right hand with her left. The skin of her knuckles was torn and bloody, a mottled pallet of black and blue began to bloom. Heat rushed to her cheeks as Hermione stared down the Death Eater, anger threatening to cause her to snap once more. Tension filled the small room as a smile carried the corners of the dark witch's lips upward, followed by mocking laughter. "Struck a nerve have I? What ever will you do about it?" Came the arrogant response. "Go ahead. Finish what you started. If you've got the nerve."

"Fuck. You."

The laughter continued. "DO IT ALREADY! I'll gladly bring your body to the Dark Lord if it'll please you. Hand him yet another victory achieved by your hands."

Without warning, Hermione drew back her bruised fist and sank it deep into Bellatrix' jaw, sending the elder witch sprawling back a few steps. Bellatrix gaped up at the brunette in momentary shock, rubbing at her now split lip before renewing the derisive mirth; her blood stained teeth were bared while she howled like a hyena. "Pathetic!"

Muscled tensed as she pulled back for a second blow. With the speed of a viper, Bellatrix ducked out of the fist's trajectory and made to grab for the younger witch's elbow, twisting and pressing it hard into her back. A knee connected brutally into her stomach, doubling Hermione over. Soon she found struggling to be useless as the wounded woman had enormous strength Hermione was completely unaware of. The laughter stopped and silence fell like lead upon them both. "Now you listen to me, and you better listen good." Bellatrix twisted Hermione's arm at an impossible angle, causing pain to radiate from the hyper-extended elbow. "Offing yourself is the last thing you need to be doing. I know you're upset, and I don't care. Right now the love of your life is in danger and the only person who can possibly hope to save her is busy trying to kill themselves. Though it seems things are dire, you are not alone. Up until I met you no one cared about me. My one chance at love was pried from my grasp all those years ago. I became a monster, hated by all, and loved by none. Then you came along. You trusted me, believed in me, and shit…helped me find love again. To give up now before your finest hour would be utter foolishness. Pick yourself up. Get angry. Get yourself together. Voldemort has harmed our family for the last time, and it's time he answered for his crimes."

Rage consumed Hermione's thoughts as she processed her godmother's words. The harsh reality dawned upon her that Bellatrix was right, suicide was weakness, though the firestorm they were about to find themselves in, might be suicide in it's own right. She watched mutely as Bellatrix twitched for a moment and looked down upon the throbbing tattoo on her forearm. A wicked smile grew across her face as her charcoal irises met Hermione's.

"It's time."

The Dark Lord was pacing furiously before the great fireplace of the Malfoy Manor while being watched by several of the Death Eaters. Wormtail was shaking nervously, rapping his fingers together.

"Will you kindly stop that…" Voldemort hissed as he came to regard the small man.

"M-m-my L-l-lord we d-d-did as you asked!" He stuttered while stumbling back against the wall in utter fear.

The Dark Lord's anxious voice was as smooth as oil. "Patience Wormtail. All will be fine in a matter of hours. This madness is nearly at an end."

CRACK! Bellatrix and Hermione appeared on the far side of the room, instantly grabbing the attention of Lord Voldemort, who crossed toward them in several wide strides..

"Ahh Bella, Hermione, how nice of you to join us. I was beginning to think you had renounced our great cause."

Bellatrix began to walk toward the group by the fireplace with a rigidity in her step, and her hands were tucked into the pockets of her cloak. Hermione followed in kind and stayed near to the Death Eater. She patted the left pocket of her jeans for a moment, feeling for a square object. Helen. Shrunk with a simple reduction spell, Hermione wasn't going to leave the woman behind.

The two women came to a halt before the Dark Lord. "Oh Hermione, what has happened to your face?" Instantly she could hear several sniggers coming from the shadows. Turning her head, she could see the forms of Fenrir Greyback and Rabastan Lestrange materialize, each of them sporting demonic grins on their faces. The Dark Lord cleared his throat to command her attention once more. "Dreadfully sorry about that, but there is something you need to see. Follow me please." He approached the two women and took each of their wrists in his hands before apparating them away. They landed in the dank cellar of the Manor that was bathed in darkness save for a few dying candles littered about. "Follow me."

A sense of foreboding washed over the young witch as she followed the serpentine man, behind them walked Fenrir and Rabastan, each audibly cracking their knuckles in a menacing manner. They stopped before cast iron bars containing two shadowed figures. Rabastan, still giggling menacingly, extended his wand forward. "Lumos"

Bellatrix let out a loud gasp, her hands clamping tightly over her slackened jaw.

Blonde hair reflected in the faint light, and Hermione had to stifle the urge to vomit as the sight materialized before her. Shackled to the wall Fleur sat upon her bruised knees, her nightshirt torn in several places. A gag was wrapped tightly around her mouth. A chain on her ankle led to another body, crumpled on the floor and faintly breathing; Narcissa Malfoy. Narcissa too was dressed in tattered rags, but she her skin was raw with slashes and claw marks. The woman had clearly been beaten recently; blood steadily oozed from her myriad of wounds. They looked as though an animal had inflicted them. Looking back at her lover, Hermione's eye followed the trail of bloodstains on Fleur's body until she could see two large spots on her shoulder blades, where her shirt had been torn. She had transformed. Fleur struggled against her bonds, her face wide with despair. Muffled screams erupted from her throat as she tried to stand but the attempt was futile as she slipped on the blood soaked floor, falling hard onto her shoulder. Hermione winced at the sound of the flesh connecting with the floor, but she was hesitant to show any severe emotion at the moment, and her stony gaze belied the powerful yen inside to scream and run to the wounded women.

"Wormtail has proven himself to be quite resourceful, recalling that Seaside retreat you had been staying at this summer. Since you had the audacity to take something of mine, I have decided to take something of yours."

Bellatirx shot Voldemort a quizzical look. "What are you talking about my lord?"

"Oh dear Bellatrix Lestrange…or shall I say…Bellatrix Black. Your little girl here killed your husband nary a day ago."

Rabastan snorted from the shadows. "Little bitch."

Bellatrix whipped her head around to look at the young witch, who merely gave a shrug. "He deserved it." Hermione deadpanned. Bellatrix smiled wickedly before breaking out into gleeful laughter.

Rabastan immediately made to grab for Hermione in a sudden fit of rage, but the Dark Lord was faster, sending the man sprawling backwards with a stunning spell. "Still your hand Rabastan. Perhaps you'll get a chance to avenge your brother's death…should I deem you worthy of it. But for the time being, this little bitch is of much more importance to me than any of you." Disapproval was obvious in the Dark Lord's tone as he turned to face Hermione and chuckled. "Such a delicate creature…" He gestured toward the trembling woman shackled to the wall.

Out of the corner of her sight, she could see Bellatrix leaning against the bars staring longingly at her fallen sister, a single tear running down her angled face.

"Oh yes dear Narcissa…we needed some fodder."

"Fodder, my Lord?" Bellatrix asked, her face a mixture of confusion and despair. "And where is Lucius…and Draco!"

He gave a slight nod before producing an object from the pocket of his cloak. A phylactery. His skeletal fingers wrapped tightly around it and his eyes closed. Within seconds Fleur descended into a fit, her body rapidly transforming, the bloodied wings beginning to sprout from her back. Her eyes grew feline and her body doubled over. Her wrists twisted painfully in the shackles as she tried to tear her body away from the wall amid the bestial tantrum. She was attempting reach for Narcissa. The soft skin of Fleur's wrists began to bleed from the rubbing of the rusted metal against it, and at the sight of the crimson liquid the Dark Lord released his grip on the crystal. Fleur fell forward limply against her bonds, the transformation halted.

Hermione couldn't tear her eyes from Fleur.

The Dark Lord spoke harshly. "You do know what I want. It doesn't need to be said. Though it would behoove you to retrieve it quickly, for time is running out for your love. Allow me to demonstrate." He trained his twisted wand upon the Veela and a crimson bolt exploded forth, hitting Fleur square in the chest. The effect was immediate, the gag on her mouth could scarcely contain the macabre scream erupting forth. She twisted and writhed against her bonds, her body contorting in impossible angles. Hermione could barely stand to watch before her defenses were finally leveled.

"STOP IT! STOP!"

The screaming stopped, followed by a soft thud of flesh on the stone floor. Fleur was slumped forward once again, her head hanging loosely between her shoulder blades.

"Every hour that passes and you don't deliver, Fleur will find herself another step closer to death. At midnight she dies. That is a promise." With a deafening crack, he apparated away, leaving Bellatrix and Hermione alone with Rabastan and Fenrir.

"Mmmmermione…mmndont do mmeet!" Fleur screamed against her bonds.

Another bolt stuck the blonde, this time cast from Rabastan's wand, and her screams roused the elder Malfoy from her unconsciousness. Fleur's shackles tore away from the walls with her seizures, causing her to fall to the ground in a heap. Immediately Narcissa clutched the bloodied Frenchwoman in her arms, and she looked at the group of people watching them through the bars. At the sight of her sister Narcissa called out, "Bella! Help me…please…" The words trickled into frailty.

Bellatrix pressed herself against the bars, before turning to face Hermione. "You heard him. Get going. Now."

Hermione nodded and apparated away.

She appeared next to a lone park bench next to a small playground. She stumbled forward a few steps before collapsing into the grass and breaking out into loud sobs. Instantly she felt a warmth on her finger, and she gazed down at the silver band.

Stay calm. Promise me you'll stay calm. You did well back at the Manor. Had you shown any semblance of despair, the Dark Lord would've likely killed Fleur then and there. But that doesn't mean you should take the threats lightly. I will do what I can here, but you know what you must do.

More resolved than ever Hermione steeled herself and stood to full height. She strode out onto the deserted street and with a resolute gait, made her way toward the familiar stretch of brownstone row homes. The rusted street sign read "Grimmauld Place" and Hermione braced herself as the house numbers steadily increased.

9…

10…

11…

13…

Standing at the wrought iron fence, she watched with ever increasing trepidation as number 12 Grimmauld Place materialized before her in an accordion-like fashion. Sitting on the front stood were two people she had hoped to never see again in her life. Ron and Lavender. Ron saw her immediately.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing here!" The demand was harsh and unwavering as Ron stomped down the stone steps, closing the distance between them quickly.

"I need to speak to Harry. Now." She gestured toward the row home, and the response only set Ron aflame with anger.

"You've got to be completely barking to think I'd let you within ten feet of him. Weird how you just show up right after You-Know-Who sacks the Ministry. Wouldn't be surprised if you had something to do with it!" He snapped.

"Let me see him." Hermione was in no mood for this, and it became apparently that there was scarcely room for a diplomatic course of action. "It's important."

Ron snarled. "No way. The Order doesn't trust you. Why would I let you through? Do you think I'm stupid or something?"

"Yes. Very much so. Now let me through." She made to push past him, but he shoved her hard in the chest. He drew his wand and aimed it at her head and Hermione simply glared at him. "What're you going to do with that?" She challenged, and Ron bristled at once, the muscles of his forearms going completely tense. From a distance Lavender began shouting at the two Gryffindors staring each other down. Hermione could not process what was being said since her mind was so fixated upon how obnoxious the shrill voice was.

In a single bout of rage Hermione silently cast the stunning spell, knocking out Ron's feet from beneath him and he crashed to the ground. Hermione broke into a run and made a beeline for the front entrance of 12 Grimmauld Place and she nearly reached the doorknob before her own feet were pulled out from under her, sending her sprawling into the stoop. Her shin connected directly with one of the middle steps, sending a shockwave of agony through her leg. Lavender jumped out of the way and rushed to Ron's side, helping him up to his feet. Hermione too, struggled to stand, anger bubbling underneath with indignation barely contained within. She could hear the scraping of Ron's sneakers against the walkway as he came closer to her. Immediately she stopped moving and focused intensely upon the sound, disciplining her body for her next course of action. The word was on the tip of her tongue, ready to be unleashed upon Ron. Revenge for every sniping comment uttered by his lips. She was ready to torture. To maim. To harm. To hurt.

But it would not come. An image of Fleur's battered form flashed across her mind, and she opened her eyes. Ron moved to strike at her once more, and Hermione braced for impact. The bolt rocketed toward her.

"Protego!"

"Oy mate! What gives!" Ron shouted watching with great surprise as Harry raced out of the front door and stood in front of the downed girl. "The bloody Queen is attacked, the Ministry falls, and she just happens to show up. Something ain't right here mate!" Ron made to strike at the brunette once more only to be stopped by Harry once more.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry knocked the wand from Ron's extended hand, and snatched it from the air as it flew toward him. "That's enough Ron." The boy-who-lived pocketed the wand and turned around to extend a hand to Hermione, who reached up for it with a trembling one of her own. He gently pulled her to her feet and their gazes met for the briefest of moments before he gathered her into a hug. The simple gesture ignited something within Hermione and she immediately broke down into tears, pressing her wet eyes into the fabric of his flannel shirt. Harry instinctively held her tighter, allowing the emotional release to continue uninterrupted.

He brought his lips close to her ear as he tenderly rubbed broad circles on her back. "'Mione…I'm sorry. For everything."

A/N Yep a short one, but know this, we are nearly at the end! Just a few to go...

A/N 2: To anyone disappointed that Hermione didn't rip the crap out of Ron, I am sorry. It's all part of my crafty master plan.

To TheMe90210: Excellent question! Honestly, the short answer is, the Fidelius charm placed on Hermione was powerful enough to fool the sorting hat (in my AU). Perhaps I could've addressed it in the earlier chapters as it's a totally legitimate question. And I hear you on the autocorrect, I wrote a few chapters of Monster on an iPad…shudder…