Here's the next chapter. I know it isn't as long as the last one but I really felt that I had the perfect ending for the chapter right where it was. I didnt want to add anything else. I hope you guys still love it even though it is shorter. Also, a special shout out to DramionexTivaxFan. The answer to your question is yes. In due time. =) Don't forget to review.
-SilverSlytherinWitch
Hermione dusted off her robes as she stood in the middle of the kitchen at Headquarters. Ginny cursed while pulling herself up off of the floor. The two friends exchanged a worried glance as they looked around the empty kitchen. There weren't many times in the history of the Order that the kitchen was silent. Something big must have happened. Hermione's breath caught at the thought. They couldn't already know about her true parentage. She knew for a fact that the Order didn't have connections with the inner circle of the Death Eaters. None of their spies had ever infiltrated that far except Snape. Nobody trusted Snape after he killed Dumbledore so they wouldn't go by his word. Hermione shook herself, she needed to stop being paranoid. They didn't know.
Hermione whispered, "I wonder where everyone is."
"Yeah," Ginny whispered back, "Let's have a look around."
"Wait. Homenum Revelio." Hermione chanted swishing her wand. The tip of her wand glowed red and she paused.
"Well?" Ginny whispered impatiently.
"They're all in the basement?" Hermione said puzzled.
Ginny frowned, "Lupin?"
Hermione shook her head, "No full moon." She said as she headed out of the room. The pair made their way to the basement door and paused.
"What if they know?" Ginny asked when Hermione reached for the door.
Hermione sighed, "Then we make the best of a bad situation."
She reached for the door again and slowly pushed it open. They saw lights at the bottom of the stairs and slowly stepped into the stairwell. Ginny barely breathed as she worried about what the Order could possibly be doing down here. This wasn't a good sign. They knew something or they weren't willing to take the chance to let Hermione explain herself. Either way, this wasn't good. Hermione squared her shoulders and marched down the stairs with her head held high ignoring her paranoid thoughts. As she stepped off of the bottom step and completely into the basement she gasped. The entire Order was gathered, and they were all looking at her. Ginny rushed down the stairs to see what had surprised her best friend. She jumped slightly at seeing everyone but didn't let any emotion cross her face.
"What are you lot doing down here?" Ginny asked sharply as she gripped her wand.
Harry spoke from the front of the crowd, "We were waiting. The alarm sounded as soon as you enchanted that portkey to drop you in the kitchen. We weren't sure who was entering Headquarters and we didn't want to be caught off guard. You should know better Gin. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that a portkey would be the quickest way for to get Hermione and me straight into Headquarters. We didn't want anyone following us." Ginny defended.
Harry nodded accepting her explanation and then he turned towards Hermione, "Speaking of Hermione. What have you done to your hair? And your skin?"
"Felt like a change." Hermione answered with a shrug sticking her hands in her pockets. She could draw her wand quicker if she needed to.
"Oh," Ron sneered from Harry's right shoulder, "Death Eaters not enough of a change for you Hermione? Did you need to alter your appearance too?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Enough Ronald. I'm not having this argument with you."
"Nobody is arguing," Harry interrupted, "However, seeing as you did spend over a week with the Death Eaters we will need to interrogate you. To make sure that you didn't reveal anything. You understand of course. Right Hermione?"
Hermione nodded, "I understand Harry. I'll answer any question that you would like to ask."
"After you've taken Veritaserum." Harry added coldly.
Hermione's face dropped into an indifferent mask, but her eyes flashed in anger. Ginny winced at Hermione's resemblance to Malfoy. Judging by Harry's expression he saw the similarity too. That could only mean that he would assume the worst. At that moment Ginny realized that this was how the Order would push Hermione away, by not trusting her. Even when she had proven her loyalty, they still didn't fully trust her. The prophecy had guaranteed that they never would again.
"I'm not taking Veritaserum Harry." Hermione responded calmly.
"Why Hermione, don't you trust us?" Ron mocked.
"I could ask the same of you. If you trusted me I wouldn't have to submit to questioning at all." Hermione countered.
Fred Weasley chose that moment to step in, "Hermione we trust you. But after Snape we can't be too careful. We know you wouldn't voluntarily tell them, but if they tortured you…"
"Do I look like I've been tortured?" Hermione snapped, "They didn't ask me to give them information. They just gave me a place to stay."
Ron laughed without humor, "Yeah, a nice warm bed, silk sheets and a young Malfoy heir. All for just a little information about the Order."
"You've got it all wrong Ron," Hermione whispered venomously, "Which isn't surprising considering who I'm talking to."
"Watch yourself Hermione," Ron snapped taking a step towards her.
"Are you going to hit me Ronald?" Hermione laughed viciously, "As if you could even bruise me much less draw blood."
Ron growled taking another step forward, "Enough Ron," Harry ordered, "Look Hermione, you will submit to questioning with a truth potion. One way or the other."
"No!" Ginny snapped stepping in front of Hermione, "Can't you see that this is how we will push her right into their waiting arms! She wants to be here with us! Stop doubting her and leave her alone. You're pushing her away!"
"Shut up Ginny!" Ron yelled.
"She has a point," Fred reasoned, "Hermione hasn't done anything wrong. We should trust her."
Harry paused for a moment in thought, "No, take her wand and bind her hands. She will spend the night locked in Lupin's safe room. We'll deal with the questioning tomorrow."
On his orders the entire room moved to grab Hermione. She growled and cast a string of jinxes before George Weasley managed to disarm her. Ginny and Fred then stepped in front of Hermione raining hexes on their relatives and closest friends while trying to protect her. Some of the Order member were having a hard time jinxing their friends. Ginny and Fred were using the Order's hesitation to their advantage. Ron ended up tackling Ginny while Harry disarmed Fred. The Order then tied all of their hands and stood them up to face Harry. Hermione stared straight into her best friend's eyes and saw nothing but cold determination looking back at her.
"I bet you wish you had made a different decision now don't you Hermione?" Harry asked, "You'll never go back to them again. Because if you try to, I'll have you killed."
Members of the Order gasped at his words while others nodded their silent approval. Nobody spoke against Harry. Hermione could tell that fear was now the driving force of the Order. None of the members were thinking clearly. The only thing they were thinking about was the prophecy.
Hermione locked eyes with her childhood best friend and smirked, "My mind was powerful enough to break a memory charm. I'm pretty damn sure that I can break through a truth potion too."
"We'll see." Harry hissed before shoving her through the basement over to the holding cell for Lupin.
"If you do this," Hermione warned, "there's no going back."
"There's no going anywhere for you." Ron snapped pushing her into the cell. Ginny and Fred were thrown in after her as the rest of the Order filed back upstairs to go about their day. Harry placed locking charms on the cell door and was the last to leave the room. He threw one final glare at the three of them before he left. The basement was silent as the occupants listened to the movements of everyone upstairs. Hermione sighed realizing that Draco had been right. They hadn't deserved her loyalty. Ginny was thinking along the same lines.
"What did I tell you Granger? You really are dumb." Ginny whispered in her best Draco impersonation.
Hermione chuckled, "I know. We'll get out of this though. I'm not Hermione Granger for nothing."
"Well when you do," Fred whispered back, "take me with you."
"Sure thing Fred," Hermione promised, "Glad to have you aboard."
The next day Harry reentered the basement with Ron in tow. Harry sneered at Hermione as he unlocked the cell door. Ron entered long enough to grab her by the hair and drag her into the middle of the room. Hermione locked her jaw and didn't say anything as Ron man handled her. She knew that he would get payback in the end. Harry smiled holding up a vial of clear liquid.
"This is the last of Snape's stock of Veritaserum. You seemed so keen to try to overthrow it that I figured why not try the absolute best." Harry said cheerfully.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Of course."
Harry frowned, "Hermione I'm only going to warn you once. If you cannot show some respect you will be punished. Am I clear?"
"About as clear as your vision is Harry." Hermione replied back in a cheerful mocking tone.
Harry sighed gesturing to Ron. Ron took a step forward before slapping Hermione across the face. Ginny gasp and Fred growled shaking the cell bars. Hermione just clenched her jaw and turned to face her childhood best friend.
"You'll pay for that Ronald." She whispered menacingly, "You know never to hit a girl. Your mother taught you better than that."
Ron rolled his eyes before slapping Hermione again. This time Hermione didn't answer but spat blood into Ron's face. "Son of a bitch Hermione." Ron bellowed.
"Ron," Harry interrupted, "Give her the potion."
"Gladly," Ron snapped uncorking the bottle and forcing the potion down Hermione's throat. Hermione's eyes glazed over slightly and she sat down on the floor.
"What is your full name?" Harry asked sitting down on a stool directly across from Hermione.
"Hermione Jasmine Riddle." Hermione answered immediately.
"Riddle?" Ron asked, "As in Voldemort?"
Hermione blinked once before answering, "Yes, my father."
Ron recoiled away from her and looked at Harry, "She couldn't be messing with us could she?"
"No," Harry answered, "She's his daughter. Dumbledore told me before he died."
"And you didn't share that information?" Fred snapped from the cell.
Harry shrugged, "It wasn't important at the time. The prophecy made it important. Anyway we're wasting time. Hermione, what are the Death Eaters planning?"
Hermione closed her eyes, "I don't know."
"Open your eyes!" Harry ordered. Hermione obeyed meeting his cold stare. "Do not lie to me Hermione."
"I'm not," Hermione answered calmly.
Ron pulled his wand out of his pocket, "Crucio!"
Hermione rolled onto the floor sideways letting out a gasp as the pain hit her. She didn't like it but she welcomed the pain knowing that the pain would help her throw off the effects of the Veritaserum. She clenched her jaw and focused on the potion running through her bloodstream. Hermione didn't know exactly how to overthrow the potion but she hoped that fighting the effects would be sufficient. One tear leaked out of her closed eyes as her heart broke from the betrayal of her friends. She would make them pay. If it was the last thing that she did she would make them all pay. Ron dropped the curse about thirty seconds after casting it.
Hermione pushed herself into a sitting position and sneered, "That's the best you've got? Draco was rougher than that with me in his bed."
Ginny laughed from the cell as Fred whistled acknowledging the good insult. Ron growled casting the spell for the second time. Hermione clenched her jaw again and used the pain to drive the last effects of the potion from her mind. At least now she could lie again. Ron let the curse fade once more stepping back beside Harry.
"I'm going to ask you again Hermione." Harry said slowly, "What are the Death Eaters planning?"
"Fuck off Harry," Hermione answered spitting blood onto the front of his robes, "I'm not telling you anything."
"Very well," Harry sighed, "Crucio!"
Harry's curse was much stronger than Ron's and Hermione couldn't help but scream as it hit her. All she felt was the white hot pain enveloping her body. She screamed until she ran out of air and then she screamed again. Harry didn't let up though and Hermione kept writhing on the floor consumed by the pain. Finally she got to where she couldn't scream anymore so she just whimpered trying to fight the pain. Ginny couldn't take watching her friend in pain any longer.
"Stop it Harry!" Ginny screamed over Hermione's whimpers, "She doesn't know anything! Leave her alone!"
Harry locked eyes with Ginny lifting the curse, "I will leave you to help her. But we will continue with this every day until I get some answers out of her. And when she breaks, I'll move onto you."
"Like hell you will Potter," Fred snarled stepping in front of his sister, "I'll kill you if you touch my sister."
"She is a traitor. She has to be dealt with accordingly." Harry reasoned.
Fred shook his head, "You've gone bat shit crazy. They didn't do anything wrong."
"They stayed with Death Eaters. We must assume the worst." Harry snapped.
Ron roughly shoved Hermione back into the cell. She moved as far away from him as she could get and curled into a ball. Ron laughed as Harry locked the cell doors back. They both left in good spirits, not caring that they had just alienated one of their oldest friends. Hermione fell unconscious shortly after Harry and Ron left. Ginny and Fred spent most of the day trying to revive her and assess the damage that the Crucio curse had caused. Ginny cried at the memory of her best friend being tortured by her brother. Fred did the only thing he could do in their current predicament. He held his sister and cried with her. They cried for Hermione, for themselves, and for the injustice that had been done at the hands of someone that they had trusted.