Disclaimer : I said it thirteen times, I'll shall say it again. J.K.ROWLING!!!!

Chapter 14 : The Duel

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The trios were at Hogsmeade, having a little break before they apparate to Grimmauld Place. After finishing their little break and butterbeer, the three of them walked out of The Three Broomsticks and towards the apparition point. Hermione saw a couple of stuffs she was interested in and stopped to have a look. Harry and Ron were at the opposite stall, looking at a few Quidditch related treats. They were engrossed in what they were doing that they were startled when a few pops were heard around them and a people started screaming around them.

The three of them whirled around to see about a dozen Death Eaters, all in an entirely new costume, surrounding them. The three of them had their wands at the ready, standing back to back by the time the Death Eaters were approaching them slowly. In the middle of the group, they saw someone who had entirely different yet almost similar clothes to the Death Eaters, but the trio recognized him by his platinum, long hair.

"Lucius Malfoy... blonde monkey... "Hermione hissed lowly.

Apparently, Lucius heard Hermione and decided to have a little fun.

"Ah, Miss Granger... or is it Mrs. Snape now? Haven't done anything yet to your little... 'Relationship' eh? How is the little traitor? The coward he is..." Lucius twirled the cane slowly in his right hand.

"He is not a coward! You are... You pathetic Git! You think with all these new stuffs you gave to these stupid trolls, they will follow you like sickening puppies? What are you trying to be? The next Lord Voldermort?? What will your name be then, Lord Git of all Trolls?" Hermione grinned in satisfaction when Lucius stomped his cane down.

"I was really hoping that we would have a...'association' between you and your friends... probably help me out a little. Unfortunately you are just as stubborn like Severus and you shall suffer the same problem he is facing now..." Lucius snarled at them, fire raging in his eyes.

"Help? Ha! The famous Lucius Malfoy asking The Boy Who Lived for help? And for a while I thought that Kinixies were real." Hermione taunted.

"What the hell are Kinixies?" Ron whispered to Harry.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask Luna later? She probably will help you out with that." Harry whispered back.

Lucius shook his head and gave them an evil smirk.

"Typical brave little Gryffindor, always trying to see logic in words. Always speaking their mind without even thinking of the consequences it shall have. You had your choice, now you'll just have to die." Lucius grinned and gestured for the others to proceed towards them.

"Ron, once we attack, send a Patronus to the Order for help... You understand me?!" Harry whispered harshly at Ron. Ron nodded.

"On the count of three then... One... two... " Hermione informed, "... three! Confundus!" Hermione lash out at the Death Eater nearest to her.

"Protego! Now Ron!" Harry deflected a curse headed towards him. Ron turned to a clearing and sent his patronus out, An Eagle flying through the air leaving only a silvery white trail on its track.

"Harry, watch out!! Immobilus!" Hermione cursed a Death Eater heading his way to Harry.

"Expelliarmus! Thanks 'Mione..." Harry grabbed the wand of the fallen Death Eater and threw it aside.

"Rictusempra!" Ron sends it to a Death Eater, whose mask fell of to reveal Mortimer Goyle. "Take that, you slimy troll! Laugh at your own predicament!" Ron left Goyle laughing and giggling on the floor to attend to the other Death Eaters.

After a few minutes, the three of them were half exhausted but more determined as ever. It seems that every time one Death Eater falls, another seemed to pop up and attacked them again. There were a few more pops heard and Ron gave a groan.

"When.Will.These.Wankers.Stop.Fighting?!?" Ron was having a duel with both Avery and Crabbe, sending hex after hex at them. Once they went down, he turned to send one more hex to the black hooded figure behind him only to find a familiar face.

"Snape!

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Severus Snape was having his tea at Grimmauld Place that afternoon, munching on a few cookies while reading the papers. He was improving well in his charms and spells lately and he wished that Hermione was there to share the excitement with him. It had only been a few days and he was already missing her. Her smile, her laughter, her twinkling eyes...

"Severus!"

Snape was brought back out of his reverie by Sirius Black bursting into the kitchen door. He rolled his eyes and snarled at him.

"What is it, Black?"

Sirius was taken aback for a while before he shook his head.

"What's wrong?" Snape asked, frowning.

"For a while, I thought you were back... but, thank Merlin." He said. Snape rolled his eyes again.

"You have any business to be here, interrupting my teatime? If not, please leave..." Snape asked, setting the papers back to read it.

"Severus, Its' Hermione. They are being attacked by Death Eaters and we need to leave now!"

Snape pushed his papers down on the table to stare at the man in front of him.

"What are you saying?"

"The truth now come on let's go!" Sirius dragged Snape out of the chair and out the kitchen, "... we have to go by apparition, and unlucky for you, you haven't learned that part yet. Now hold on to me...damn..." Sirius said when Snape hugged him by the front, wincing and a little stiff.

"I'll be damned if anybody sees this..." Sirius said. Just then Remus came down the stairs and saw them both. He stopped halfway and burst out laughing.

"Oh shut it Remus! If you like what you see then you do it!" Sirius said, still hugging Snape.

"I don't mind. Unfortunately, Tonks won't like it... So you are on your own, mate... I better rush there first to meet Tonks before duel..." Remus said, going out the door, "... Oh... and didn't you set up wards in her? And aren't you supposed to be OUTSIDE before you dissaparate?" Remus chuckled before dissaparating.

Both Sirius and Snape blushed red before releasing each others hold.

"Don't you dare breathe a word about this to anyone, Snape..." Sirius hissed before stomping out the door.

"I know, I know... I love Hermione." Snape said, accioed his robes, shoved it on him before stepping out. He once again hugged Sirius and both of them dissapeared.

Snape closed his eyes as he felt himself being squeezed for a couple of seconds before he felt the air coming back to him. He heard woods blasting and a few shouts and screams. He opened his eyes to see a swarm of black robes and few lights going over his head.

"Oh man..." he heard Sirius gasped. They were still holding on to each other when Remus came by behind them.

"You know, you should have just hold on to his hand when you apparate. You both look like... " Remus struggled, trying to find the perfect word, "... gay lovers afraid of losing one another."

At that last word, both Sirius and Snape snapped away from each other, brushing away invisible flecks of dust or hair. Remus shook his head before getting his wand ready.

"This is it guys... Harry, Ron and Hermione might be there in the middle... We got to get to them." Remus said. He went running to the left and sent a flying hex.

"Okay, dude... You know most of the curses and all right? I'm leaving you to it then..." Sirius said before leaving Snape alone. Snape took out his wand from his sleeve, pulled up his hood and ran into the swarm of blackness, blending in just right. He sent a hex towards a hooded figure, relishing in the joy of seeing him crash to the ground. He saw the unmistakable red-hair in the midst of the hoods and rushed up to him. The red head turned around to hex him but manage to stop himself.

"Snape!"

"Weasel..." Snape ducked a light blue curse.

"Weasley!" Ron retorted angrily and sent a hex towards a Death Eater near him.

"Where's Hermione?" Snape sent a curse behind Ron.

"Am not sure... she... Oh there she is! There... by the sign." Ron pointed before ducking a hex, "...listen... I'm a little busy at the moment." Ron jumped to his left and cursed one more Death Eater.

Snape craned his neck to find his bushy haired girl and saw her fighting off two Death Eaters. Her face was in full concentration mode and her nose was scrunched up. Hmm... I love it when her nose does that. Its sooo... so... Oh damn it, we are in the middle of a fight and you're thinking about her nose?? Snape ran, with his robes billowing behind him, and hexed one of the Death Eaters.

"Reducio!" Snape bellowed.

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Hermione knew she was losing but she won't give up. She was a Gryffindor after all. Cornered by both Rodolphus and Antoine Lestrange, both menacingly large and well built, Hermione could not help but shiver in fear as they send hex after hex towards her.

Both of them stopped hexing her, sneering and grinning madly.

"Well, well... look who we have here... Bet your Sevvie-kins can't help you out now." Rodolphus laughed out loud.

"Actually... I am beginning to understand why Severus wanted you for only himself... quite a body you have there, little minx." Antoine said, rubbing his chin while looking lustfully at her.

Hermione felt her blood boil and she raised her wand at Antoine, but before she could say anything, Antoine was hit with a purple light from behind and rapidly shrunk to the ground. Both Hermione and Rodolphus blinked at the space where Antoine used to stand. They looked down to see a small size, furious Antoine, jumping up and down. They both knelt down to hear what he was saying.

"...Outrageous... impertinent! I demand you to set me back to my original height! Now! Now!!" Antoine squeaked while stomping his foot about. Hermione was busy trying to stifle her giggling behind her hands as Rodolphus went wide eyed.

"Antoine!! What happened!" Antoine set his 'tiny' glare at Rodolphus.

"How was I supposed to know?" Hermione laughed out loud when she heard him going all high pitched. Antoine got all flushed up and raised his wand at her.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Hermione gasped as the green light headed towards her. She raised her palm to stop the light from reaching her face, remembering that she still had her wand, she cast a protection shield. The curse broke through the shield a little and dissapeared when it hit her palm. Instead of falling down dead, she flinched as she felt her hand burn hot.

"Ow! That hurt, you sadistic, small sized psycho!" Hermione growled. She kicked the small sized Death Eater and watched him flew off. Rodolphus roared in rage and raised his wand at her.

"Avada-..."

"Stupefy!" a voice roared. Rodolphus eyes went wide as he stiffened and fell backwards. Hermione turned to the sound of the voice and saw Snape approaching her...

"Severus!!" Hermione ran and jumped on him, hugging him close to her.

"Hermione... Oh gods..." Snape closed his eyes as he felt the familiar warmth enveloped him once again. It had been too long, far away from her. He pulled back to kiss her fully on her lips. Oh... he missed that too. If only there wasn't a fight going on around him, he would have taken her right there and then.

They broke off the kissed when oxygen became too important at the moment, caressing each others cheek. Snape saw a blue light headed for them and he raised a protection charm on them, deflecting the hex. Hermione arched an eyebrow, grinning wickedly at him.

"Have you been experimenting with your wand when I was away?" she asked him. He returned her grin with an equal one.

"Oh yes... Indeed, I have." he chuckled as they hugged again.

"Oye!" A voice shouted behind Snape. They both turned to see Sirius dueling with a Death Eater. Once he went down, Sirius turned to them both.

"Are you both mental? We are in a middle of a fight and you both are playing Merlin and Nimue? I'll bloody hex you myself if you both don't separate and help out here!" Sirius ducked a curse.

"Sod off, Black!" Snape scowled, still hugging Hermione but Hermione wriggled her way out of his arms.

"Listen, lets' get rid of these black heads first, then we can have a 'proper' welcome. What say?" Hermione beamed up at him. Snape scowled but her nodded in agreement. He raised his wand and hurled a hex to Nott, winked at Hermione and stroll off, sending more hexes. Hermione shook her head before sending a protection charm towards Harry.

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The duel went on for the next 15 minutes as Aurors started to fill in and more Death Eaters were starting to fall. Lucius was nowhere to be seen when the Aurors came and kicked most of the Death Eaters ass. Snape was walking side by side with Sirius and Remus, going through the fallen bodies. Luckily, none were from them.

"I can't believe they had the guts to even cast the Unforgivable out in the open. I mean... Can the Death Eaters be anymore stupid than before?" Sirius asked, kicking one body aside.

"Well, they had Voldermort before for a leader, who had half a brain. Now they have Lucius for leader, whom I presume had no brains at all." Remus said. Sirius chuckled while kicking most body aside. Snape was looking out for Hermione and spotted her with both Harry and Ron at the side.

"Excuse me..." Snape told the two guys before walking up to Hermione. Sirius shook his head.

"Look at that. If anyone had told me about two years ago that Sniv-... Severus Snape was to fall in love with our very own, Hermione Granger... I would have recommended Azkaban to that person." Sirius huffed and continued his pace.

"Why... are you jealous?" Remus smiled, walking beside Sirius.

"What?? Jealous? Why should I be! Excuse me but I have better things to do rather than be jealous of Snivellus right now."

"I didn't say it was Snape you were jealous of... It might be Hermione that you were jealous of." Remus walked off stifling his giggling before Sirius had the chance to absorb what he had just said. Once Sirius did, he picked up a fallen piece of wood before throwing it at Remus.

"Shut up, Remus!"

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Snape stood in front of the trio, clearing his throat. Hermione was nursing both their injuries. All three looked up at him, nodding their greetings.

"I see that you both were not seriously injured." Snape said.

"Yeah... thanks to Hermione's healing skills." Harry said.

Snape frowned. Hermione was looking a little pale at that moment and he was concerned about her.

"Hermione... are you okay?" He asked.

Both Ron and Harry turned to Hermione and saw her facial color turned pale. They both went wide eyed.

"I'm fine... it's just that... I'm tired and I think this duel drained much of my energy." She gave them a faint smile.

Snape knew she was lying but he didn't want to push it further. Hermione stood up and went over to him for a hug, which he did comply. He tightened his grip on her when he heard her sigh.

Hermione was feeling very faint. She had been running around, dodging hexes and curses, protecting both Ron and Harry that she paid little attention to herself. Once she felt Snape's arms around her, she felt safe once again. She was so weak that she really did faint.

When Hermione slide down to the ground, all three guys looked down at her in shock.

"Hermione! What happened?" Ron knelt down beside her and shook her hard.

"Weasley! Stop that!" Snape barked at him, pulling Hermione onto his lap, "I think we better go back now. She is too weak."

"Okay then. You can't apparate yet, can you? You don't remember how right?" Harry asked Snape.

"No..."

"Well, hold on then." Harry said.

Snape braced himself for another hug but was surprised when both Ron and Harry grab hold of his elbow and disappeared.

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