Chapter 32: All the pieces
"I don't see why not." The Lestrange family morphed back into themselves again, Hermione had her bushy hair back from her husband's black locks, Bella's hair simply changed from Brown to black and her skin paled out, and Severus morphed into his body from his mother-in-law's.
"Ah that's better," Hermione said pulling on her bushy hair slightly.
"You are telling me, I love you Severus, but I am glad you are a men, you are a scary woman." Narcissa said jokingly.
"I try." He smirked at his friends before turning to his wife who had sunk into the chair close to her, "Are you ok?"
"Define Ok."
"You know it had to be done Hermione."
"You honestly think that I don't know that Draco? He was our friend, and after strict orders were broken, something had to be done, I know why things happen I am not stupid!"
"I'm not saying that you are…Look wrong choice of words," Draco would have continued but the murderous look he was getting from his aunt told him to shut up.
Severus knelt by his wife, "Love, we know that this is hard for you, but you didn't cast a single unforgivable, you had to sit and watch, and sometimes that is worse. Hermione, we did this for you, now please tell me that it wasn't in vain and that you are going to be ok, that you aren't going to shut us out."
Hermione looked at her husband and smiled sadly, "My love, I just need time, I saw a whole new side to every single one of you, and I have only seen my loving family, this past month has been difficult." She kissed him lovingly on the lips before standing and leaving the office without another word.
"Do you think she will be ok?" Minerva asked.
"I don't know Minerva, let's give you your biological, loving parents, rape you, and have you watch that loving family turn violent to avenge you and see how you react so you can tell us." Severus said.
"Now is not the time for sarcasm Severus." Minerva said glaring.
"Perhaps, since all of you were the ones to initiate the act of violence, maybe Minerva and I should go talk to her, give her an outlet, it's hard to watch your loved one's dark side's surface, even if you do know they exist."
"Fine Albus, but if my wife is hurt during her alone time, I will hurt you, and I am sure Bella will help."
"Deal my boy, now all of you go clean up and go get some rest." And He and Minerva left to go find the young witch.
They found Hermione sitting outside under a tree by the lake; quiet tears streaming down her cheeks, a sudden snap of a twig behind her caused her to come out of her reverie. "Hello Professors, what can I do for you?"
"We just came to check on you dear, we are all worried about you," Minerva said.
"I'm fine."
"What's on your mind Hermione?" Albus asked.
"Everything, my family, my friends, the war, where my loyalties lie, and the plan."
"Hermione you know that the plan was going to have its flaws."
"I know, but I still wonder if it was the best way to go about it."
"Yes I recall you saying as much three days ago."
Flashback:
Hermione, Severus, Bella, Rudolphus and the Malfoys all sat in front of the Headmaster's desk, they were attempting to come up with a plan to keep Hermione from casting and unforgivable and maintain her respect of the Dark Lord and his followers.
"Albus, if she doesn't cast it, she is going to be questioned."
"I know Severus, I know Tom better than most would think."
"Damn it Albus, just because you are an old meddling fool doesn't mean you get this privilege."
"What if she's not the one doing her bidding." Draco asked.
"What like demonic possession?" Hermione asked.
"No no, I am talking about the changing spell."
"The what?" Minerva and Hermione asked at the same time.
"Score one for Draco for knowing something the know it all doesn't."
"Shut up Draco and explain." Hermione said.
"Ok the changeling spell will allow you to change into whoever you want, as long as you have a piece of them."
"So it's like polyjuice potion."
"Yes but it only takes a masterful hand to cast it, not a month to brew."
"I don't know Draco. What if he can see through it?"
"I don't know, but according to the book, if the spell is cast out of pure love and care, it can't be broken unless by choice."
"See you don't know, this isn't safe, there has to be another way because if he sees through us, he will kill us all!"
"Hermione darling, you are getting hysterical, calm down and breath."
"Calm down, mother, your nephew is suggesting a suicide mission."
"Yes but, we don't know what will happen unless we try." Rudolphus said.
"Daddy, you can't be serious."
"I am more than serious; I will keep my family safe at any cost."
"I still say there's a better way,"
"Well bookworm, you go to the library in the few days you have to find and master a spell and then we will do it your way." Hermione glared at the young Slytherin before submitting to the idea.
The night they were summoned, Albus quickly morphed Hermione into Severus, Severus in to Bella and Bella into her daughter.
End Flashback:
"I hesitated."
"What dear?"
"I hesitated Minerva, when Mom called me forth to take "Severus' right to defend me, I pulled my wand and I hesitated."
"That is only normal dear, you have a pure heart, you see the good in everyone whether you realize it or not."
"I could have killed my entire family; I don't know how I would have lived with myself."
"But you didn't get any one killed, you are all fine and safe here on the grounds, I believe that you did your job Hermione."
"Albus, you don't understand, I am just as responsible for them as they are for me, that's what family is!" Her voice getting higher as she continued to rant. "If they had fallowed that rule we wouldn't have had to go on with this stupid plan. If they had been there, I would have been safe, we all would!" she stood and looked at her professors and friends as she spoke, pain clearly in her voice, then something suddenly struck her, she collapsed into a sobbing fit at their feet. Minerva quickly went to the girl's side, whispering quiet comfort words in her ear. "It's all my fault, I wasn't strong enough, I'm so weak, I can't do this, I will end up losing everyone I love." She sobbed.
"Oh Hermione," Albus joined Minerva on the ground next to the distraught girl, "No you're not, you are strong, a lioness, you are not at fault here. What Mr. Zambini did was out of your control." Hermione leaned into his chest and let out all of her frustration, "We aren't going anywhere."
After fifteen or twenty minutes, the trio made their way down to the dungeons to her quarters. She bid them farewell at the portrait after assuring them that she would be fine. She entered and found her husband on the couch nursing a glass of wine.
"Hermione," he said quietly when he noticed her presence; He stood and walked over to her, "Are you alright?"
"To be honest, I don't know."
"What can I do for you, what do you need?"
She took a shaky breath, "You, I need you; I need you to help me, I need you to be my rock, I need you to hold me, to kiss me, to love me…"
Her words were cut off by Severus pulling her to him, she wrapped her arms around his lean waist, "I am here for you Hermione, through thick and thin, I promise, I meant what I said at our wedding."
"I know," She drew her second shaky breath as the tears started to fall down her face, "I am so scared, I am worried that I will lose my family, my friends all because of this stupid war, I am utterly terrified that I will lose the one thing that matters to me… you, I don't believe that I can live without you." Severus's motions stilled, "I feel so weak and pathetic, and I'm not strong enough." She quietly repeated what she had told Albus and Minerva simply moments earlier over and over again.
Severus pulled her to the couch, pulling her onto his lap as he attempted to sooth her; sure they had admitted to having deep caring feelings for each other early in their marriage but he never expected her to say that she couldn't live without him and losing him was her biggest fear, he felt the exact same way about her. He understood her feelings of being weak, she had been violated and he had avoided touching her in case of frightening her. But he didn't understand why she felt pathetic, she was stuck in between two sides of the war and she didn't have a choice, she was doing just fine. So he said the only thing that he thought of at that moment.
"Hermione you are not going to lose me, I will be here until the end, and to be honest, I am utterly terrified of losing you above all else, you do complete me Hermione and I want to help you. You are not weak or pathetic, you are strong. You are dealing with what Zambini did to you, I love you and his actions aren't going to change that."
"Severus…" She was at a loss for words, "Why haven't you done anything?"
"You mean physically to comfort you?" she nodded, "I didn't think you wanted it, you were through a tragic event when I couldn't protect you, when you were most vulnerable, I didn't want to hurt you."
Hermione looked into his eyes, attempting to read him, she couldn't, so she settled for something else, she sat up straighter and took his face in her delicate, tiny hands; she leaned in slowly and kissed him with every passion in her body. He returned the kiss slowly but he did respond; he ended up laying on top of her on the couch grabbing one of her hands and entwining their fingers, her other hand instinctively wrapped around his neck while his other arm supported him from crushing her delicate frame under his weight. They pulled away when the need for air became too great.
"I love you Severus."
"I love you Hermione," He smiled at her, "Come on, let's get to bed, we have a busy week ahead of us."
She smiled as he carried her to the bedroom and laid her softly next to his spot, with a flick of his wand, their cloths were their pajamas and they lay in silence in each other's arms as they drifted off to sleep.