A/N: Here it is: the final chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing guys.

Chapter 10

Hermione sat up in bed, wide awake. She could remember her dream with a vivid clarity and knew immediately what she had to do. Salazar had said she didn't really want to let his magic go but Hermione was a witch and there was a simple solution that could fix that. A potion so simple she had overlooked it when considering the problem.

Similar to love potions, other potions existed to incite other emotions: happiness, depression, madness, to name just a few. Of course, they weren't ministry approved, but Hermione wouldn't let that stop her. Sal was worth breaking the law for.

She apparated into the potions room in the chamber and checked her stores. She didn't have any reserves of trust left, but no matter, it would take less than a day to brew.

As the day passed, Hermione lost track of time. She didn't stop to eat or rest as she worked on the potion. Occasionally she would feel someone attempting to break through her protective barriers, but she ignored them- the rest of the world could wait. Eventually, when her hair had frizzed beyond control from the fumes and sweat coated her forehead and neck, the potion was ready.

Dark blue and creamy in colour and texture, the potion shimmered with an ethereal light. Hermione checked the black market potions book that contained the formula and was satisfied that the results were perfect. With trembling hands, she scooped out a mouthful of the glistening liquid and drank it down.

A hot tingling spread down Hermione's throat and around her body. With it came the ease of tension that she hadn't even known she'd been carrying. Her body relaxed so suddenly that she almost fell to the floor and she had to hold the desk to steady herself.

If the potion had worked all she now had to do was to focus on sending Sal's magic back to him. Walking on unsteady legs, she made her way to the bedroom and knelt on the floor beside his head. She cupped his cheek with her hand and focussed on the magic inside of herself.

The force of the combined magic sent another wave of tingles over her body and she concentrated on sending it through her body, along her arm and into Sal. It was working! Her breathing turned shallower and her head began to feel lighter. As his eyes fluttered open, her eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped on to the floor.

Not quite unconscious, she felt his heavy arms band around her as he called her name. He was awake! But she didn't know how long she would be as the blackness closed around her and threatened to drown her.

"Fight it, Mione." He growled in her ear, shaking her shoulders roughly.

Her eyelids flickered open and tried to close again, but at the sight of Salazar awake she somehow managed to ground herself. She felt so powerless- after weeks of having his magic combined with hers, her own seemed laughable in comparison.

She groaned as she sat up slowly, trying to dispel her dizziness. "You're awake."

He chuckled at her. "Nothing escapes you."

Slowly standing, she shot him a teasing glance. "I'm a smart cookie alrightHe."

His face turned serious, eyes darkening. "You are. Thank you for saving me."

She embraced him, holding him close. He fisted her hair as he held her and sighed in contentment. Hermione had never felt so close to him- they'd never spent time apart and had the chance for a reunion- and she knew in that moment that she hadn't managed to hold a single piece of herself back from him. He owned her heart, body and soul and she couldn't make herself regret it.

I feel the same way about you. You are my heart and soul.

Hermione started at his voice in her head. She had forgotten how intense it was to have this mind link, how he could hear stray thoughts as if they were his own. How had she gone without this?

"I remember Rowena and Helga appearing during the fight." Salazar said slowly, as if he couldn't believe he hadn't mentioned it instantly.

Hermione's jealousy flared. Mere minutes after waking he decided to mention the two people guaranteed to dampen her happiness. They wanted to take him back to the past, had solid reasoning to do so and Hermione was worried he'd let them.

"Yes, they're here." She snapped, storming from the room to retrieve some potion for Ginny.

Salazar trailed after her, unsure of the reason behind her anger. Did she have a quarrel with his friends? He had assumed that she and Rowena would get on like a house on fire, they were so similar. After all, Salazar had a sneaking suspicion that Hermione was a very distant relative of Rowena- all muggleborns were descendant of magical families.

He caught up to her in the potions room where she gripped his arm without a word and apparated them to the Hospital Wing. He watched as she handed Ginny a navy blue potion without a word.

The Hospital Wing was empty but for the three of them and Gryffindor who was unconscious on a bed. Sal's anger and hatred rose at Gryffindor's presence but he didn't attack, not even when Gryffindor began to stir. A loud gasp from behind him drew his attention.

Rowena and Helga had entered the room through the large double doors and their eyes had widened when they had seen he was awake.

"Salazar!" Rowena cried, running to him and throwing her arms around him.

He heard Hermione's growl of anger in his head and turned towards her. She wouldn't meet his gaze but instead walked over to Ginny and Gryffindor. He almost growled at her for being so close to his enemy but managed to contain himself. He extracted himself from Rowena's arms.

"You're awake! How did you manage it? Never mind, you can tell us when we return home. The longer we're here, the more off balance the world becomes." Rowena rambled.

Then her words sunk in: when we return home.

That was the reason for Hermione's anger. Rowena intended to take him back to the past and away from Hermione. But Salazar wouldn't leave Hermione here. If he had to go back he would take her with him.

I'm not going. My students are here and I won't leave my friends. Her tone was harsh as her words snapped in his head.

Disbelief overwhelmed him. She didn't love him enough to stay with him? He would give her the world if he could. He would give up everyone he'd ever met to stay by her side. He had given them up- he'd stopped trying to get back to the past mere days after he had found himself trapped here. She was too important to him.

He watched as she stalked out the room. Don't follow me.

Well he wouldn't defy her wishes this time.

X x X

Hermione couldn't stay away from him. If he was going, she needed to tell him goodbye. She needed to tell him that she loved him. She needed to tell him that she would go with him if he would just let her.

She apparated from the Head's library to the Great Hall before she could chicken out. The four founders stood alone in the centre of the hall, the tables pushed roughly to the side. Salazar was facing her with no expression on his face.

"Sal, wait!" She cried. She tried to reach out to him with her mind but he had her completely blocked. "I'm sorry. Take me with you."

His face didn't soften as she'd expected. He didn't hold out his arms for her to run into either. In fact, he didn't soften towards her at all. She stopped short in surprise. But she couldn't let him go without a fight. Damn it, she didn't want them to be separated ever again. Slowly she closed the distance between them.

Before she could speak, he dipped a hand into his deep green robes and pulled out an envelope addressed to her. He hand it over to her silently until she tried to open it. "Not until I've gone. Promise me."

Tears spilled from her eyes and ran down her cheeks. But she couldn't deny him anything, not even this. "I promise."

Nodding, he stepped back into the circle of founders who stared at her emotionlessly. She hated them all for it and for taking him away from her. But if this was what he wanted then she wouldn't stop him. Her tears fell harder as they began chanting in Latin. Before she could choke out one last goodbye they were gone and she was alone.

Sniffling, she sat on the floor and opened the letter with trembling hands. The smell of the parchment soothed her only slightly and it took a moment for the words to make sense to her.

Dear Hermione,

I have used the Polyjuice potion to switch places with Salazar and to travel back to the past with Godric. Godric and Salazar have sworn an unbreakable vow not to attempt to hurt each other anymore. They needed four to return to the past as four had come to the future- the balance needed to be kept.

I could not take my child- the trip may have damaged him/ her and I would not risk that. Anna has promised that my child will be well cared for and I know I can trust you to do the same. I fear that Godric and I would have made terrible parents anyway- neither of us are ready for that kind of commitment yet.

I am sorry for my part in all this ugliness and, even though I know I don't deserve it, I hope you can find it in you to forgive me. If you could make sure Harry knows how sorry I am for walking out on him I would be grateful. I will miss you and all my family terribly but I cannot live with Godric anymore than you could live without Salazar.

Love Ginny.

"Hermione?" Salazar's voice echoed around the large hall, stirring her from her shock as she struggled to process what she had just read.

Ginny had left with Godric and Salazar was still here- Hermione couldn't believe it. It almost seemed too perfect to be true. She turned towards him with a large smile on her face and tears of relief in her eyes.

"You stayed." Hermione's voice was breathless as she ran into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He held her so tight she thought her ribs might crack but she wouldn't have allowed him to gentle the embrace. Her relieved sobs wracked her body as Salazar soothed her with his hand rubbing gentle circles on her back.

"It's okay baby, I'm going nowhere." He soothed. "I love you too much."

"I love you too!" She choked out, sliding her feet to the floor and lacing her fingers with his. She offered him a smile as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with her spare hand. Gryffindor had returned to where he couldn't hurt them. It was all over.