Hey guys! I'm glad everyone likes the story so far and that makes me extremely happy. Huge thank you to those who are review, you're feedback really does help. So THANK YOU TO YOU GUYS! And just giving you heads, this chapter here was extremely hard to write but I needed to get it out now. So I hope you enjoy and REVIEW at the end!

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth
- Fix You ~ Coldplay

All was well for the residents of the Weasley household and their guests as all slept peacefully, well except for one certain chestnut haired colored woman. In the nursery, the babies slept peacefully like their blond haired mother was but Hermione…something else was interrupting her sleep. It wasn't something it was someone to be more precise and that person was none other than the Dark Lord himself, Lord Voldemort. The chestnut woman's head tossed back and forth as her mind was soon over ran with his evil presence and corrupt deeds. And with that, Hermione was dragged into the darkest parts of her mind and soon, face to face with the man she was trying to destroy.

A coy smile danced on Voldemort's face as their eyes met, one holding complete coldness while the other anger and fearless. A chuckle escaped passed his pale lips as he turned around from the woman before clapping slowly and turning back towards her. "Ah my dear Hermione, it's taken me a great deal of time to find you. You don't know how happy it makes me to finally see you, face-to-face." He remarked as Hermione tried to rush forward but magical restraints held her back from him and with a nap of his fingers, several Death Eaters appeared by his side. To be exact Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew and Severus Snape were those Death Eaters. Hermione's eyes locked with those of her old Professors', who looked away in worry and disappointment. He expected her to find all of the Horcuxes before something like this would happen but I guess, even the smartest witches and wizards can fail.

"What do you want with me?" Hermione questioned dangerously as she tugged once more on the restraints and clenched her teeth together in frustration. Bellatrix pulled her wand and pointed it at the girl before Voldemort placed his hand on top of it.

"Now, now Bellatrix. Now's not the time for such games." He smirked once more before slowly walking back towards the bound girl. Slowly, he began to pullout his wand from within his sleeve and tapping it against his palm. This was something that the Dark Lord has never done: delay the pain of his prey. But this was an exception. Before him was the most powerful witch of the age, one who even had the power to surpass his if he ever let his guard down for a split second. "Correct me if I'm wrong Miss Granger, are you or are you not hunting out my Horcuxes?" Hermione just stared back at him, mimicking his smirk and giving no reply. All movements coming from the Dark Lord stopped as he got his reply before he pointed his wand at her. "Crucio!" The Gryffindor arched backwards as the pain shot into her body, muffling her screams as the pain gradually got worse.

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Meanwhile as the torturing was going on inside of Hermione's mind, it wasn't going unnoticed by those around her. Fleur immediately woke up as she felt Hermione began to squirm unnaturally under her and quickly sat up from her resting spot. Her eyes quickly took in the sight before shooting out of bed and catching her balance as she almost slipped as Hermione's muffled screams reached her ears. Something was most definitely going on inside of her lover's head and she didn't know what to do. Once she caught her footing again, she ran towards the one room she could count on: Dumbledore's. Before her hand could reach for the door knob, the white bearded man stood before her and the smile that was on his face, quickly vanished once he looked at Fleur's petrified face and knew right away that Hermione was in trouble.

"Fleur, go get Draco and the others. I feel that we're not alone in this house." And with that the two parted, Dumbledore running towards the Nursery, where Hermione laid and Fleur getting the other's up. The elder man quickly entered the room and stared at the body that was arched up into the air as if being tortured. "Merlin, no….it can't be."

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The Crucio curse was cut off for the fifth time as Hermione's body slumped down, gasping for breath and staring at him with the same look she had been giving him for the last half an hour. Just as his wand was going to perform the Cruciatus Curse, Snape called out before walking over to the Dark Lord. He need to stop this madness before everything that she had been working for is destroyed.

"My Lord, I have another suggestion that might…satisfy yourself even better than what you're doing now." Snape answered before returning his attention to Hermione's, who looked away in shame. Something that was going to change the course of everything was going to happen and slowly she looked back at him. Her auburn eyes boar into his darker ones, who apologized over and over again for what he was about to do to her.

"Well Severus, what is it!" Voldemort asked in an inpatient tone as his wand slowly began to point back at the younger woman. He didn't like to wait, especially when he was in the middle of hurting the one thing that was going to destroy everything he was doing. Slowly his patience was were very thin and just as about he was flick his wrist, Severus caught it and pushed it down before continuing to speak about his plan.

"It's something that I created awhile back while I was at school, so I'm not exactly sure if it'll work but…It's called the Signum Mortis: The Mark of Death." A smirk appeared on the Dark Lord's face as Severus looked back at Hermione, who was looking back at the ground with guilt and weariness. Hermione's shoulders began to shake as she heard footsteps began to walk towards her and she soon had Bellatrix and Lucius at her sides, which she tried to move away from but failed. "It's mark is the snake of course but its path is different than the path the ones we have on our arms." Severus slowly began to explain as the two Death Eater's grabbed onto Hermione's shirt and ripped the back off completely, exposing the light tan skin that she held. The chestnut haired woman trashed back and forth as she felt the cold hands of her capturers on her shoulders, holding her down for the curse.

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"Dumbledore, what's going on!" Draco asked as he came crashing into the room with Gabrielle, the Twins, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and the rest of the hidden order. Their eyes immediately were drawn to Hermione, who was now flipped onto her back with nothing covering it. Something wasn't right. "Dumbledore…"

"She's drawn into the darkest parts of her mind right now…with the one person we're all searching for and trying to kill." His voice full of worry and angst as he looked at them before returning his attention to Fleur, who was pacing the room back and forth, trying to remain calm. "And from what I can tell…something horrid is about to…" And before he could complete that phrase, Hermione let out a blood curling scream as Fleur rushed over to her side and stared at her back as her lower back slowly began to turn red.

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Voldemort put his wand away as Severus slowly began to walk around to the backside of Hermione, who was screaming out in pain from the pre-casting of the spell he was about to perform. "The snake will travel up her backside, on your command, slowly making its way to her heart. Once it's there, you must chant out the final part of the curse before it can be completed." He said and cut himself off once he reached behind Hermione, who was struggling to break free from the group. Severus gulped down his stomach before leaning in the girl's ear and whispering his sorry to the girl. "Hermione, listen to me. The curse is breakable, I just need time. I'm so sorry for this." And once he slowly moved away from her, his wand was pointed centimeters from her dark red skin and slowly it began to dance. "Signum Mortis!" Severus casted out and once again, the screaming came as the tint crimson red slowly spewed from the tip of his wand and onto her back.

Slowly the shape of a snake began to mark itself onto the lower left hand side of her back, hissing out the pleasure of being released from it prison. It curled its tail around itself as it looked back at Severus, as if it was waiting for its commands. Its tongue, pitch black like death itself and its body held the same color. It was as if he created Death into a simple creature. What has he done?

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"'Ermione!" Fleur screamed out as Hermione's back slowly began to show for everyone in the room and Draco held the unconscious girl down as Dumbledore examined the black creature slowly completed its form and stared back at the white wizard, staring its emotionless eyes at him. He slowly stood up got up before walking over the window with his hands behind his back. For once in his life, Dumbledore didn't know what was going on and what type of spell was casted on the young witch. Fleur rested her hands on the middle of her back, slowly calming her down within and holding her tears at bay, which were slowly, beginning to make their way out.

"Draco, I need to you prepare the group for another journey but this time, we're splitting the group up. Hermione and I will head to Gringotts while the rest of you return to Hogwarts, I have a feel that there are two more Horcuxes remain in those two places. It's your job to find out which one and destroy it as soon as possible. Time is running out for us and we need to get this done before that time is up." He looked at the chestnut haired girl through the glass and held a grim expression as his hand came up and rested over his eyes. "What have I done…?"

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Slowly catching her breath again, Hermione looked up with blurry eyes as she saw Voldemort slowly walking towards her with his wand out. Not again, she slowly began to move her shoulders and her legs, which felt a lot lighter than before the production of the mark. No one was holding her back anymore and for sure, there were no more bindings on her wrists or ankles. Hermione let something inside of her…like a swell of power that has remained domain for so long and slowly she closed her eyes, trying to reach out to it. Whether it was good or bad, she wanted to embrace it into her. The sensation was like a light wind, slowly embracing her with its strength and speed, holding her body against its own. But then there was a tingling sensation at her back, where the death mark now stood, hissing at what passing through her and slowly it moved so now it rested at the center of her back.

As her eyes opened, Hermione stared back at Voldemort with her solid black eyes and her hands flexed out, ready to lash out at anyone who dare came within range of her. Her dangerous smirk reappeared on her face, causing the Dark Lord to stop in mid stride and staring at her in wonder.
"Get out…" Hermione whispered, causing Lucius and Bellatrix to back away from the witch and disappearing from her mind. Voldemort stood there, confused before looking behind at Severus, who shook his head before too disappearing from the Gryffindor's mind.

"What did you say…?" The Dark Lord asked as he resumed his movement towards the girl, slowly ignoring the warning she just gave him. But when he realized it was too late, he was hit with a swell of power from the witch in front of him and he let out a scream of pain before hearing her once more.

"Get out…"And with that, Voldemort was removed her mind and Hermione soon fell back into her black abyss, free falling from the back of her mind. As she fell, something in the back of her mind began to hiss at her and slowly communicating to her. "I will kill you…." Dimming away with a hiss and with that her eyes slowly began to close as she returned to the present, wondering who would be there to save her from this nightmare.

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Opening her eyes ever so slowly, taking in the image of the sight before her and felt her eyes begin to cloud up with tears as the first sight she saw was her daughter. "Momma, you okay?" Aimee asked her gently as she climbed into the bed, resting her head next to the older woman before rested her small hand on the pale cheek. All Hermione could do was slowly reach out and wrap her arm around Aimee before bring her closer and crying into her. Aimee didn't move, for she didn't know what was going on and only that her mother was hurt. Snuggling into her warm mother's embrace, she whispered the only words that she knew that always helped. "Everything will be alright, momma. Everything always is."

Hermione slowly sat up, bring Aimee to be sitting on her lap, and looking down at her wonderful child. How did she ever get this lucky? Kissing the child's head, she slowly began to rock back and forth as she heard footsteps coming from down the hall. "Aimee, I need you to make a promise for me." She whispered to the younger girl before she got a nod in return and let out a shaky sigh. "Look out for Wyatt and your mama, no matter what happens to me. You might not understand now but can you do that for me?" Aimee looked at her in confusion for a bit before slowly nodding and jumping off her lap, heading out the door. Her eyes watched the child leave the room before slowly standing up, wincing at the pain in her lower back before grabbing her wand and walking towards the mirror in the corner of the room. Once she reached it, she slowly turned, revealing the black snake on her back, and stared into its cold black eyes. "You will not kill me." She whispered before hearing a slight chuckle in her head and casted a spell on her shirt, turning it into a black tank top and spelled on a pair of jeans.

The chestnut woman grabbed the small pack from underneath the bed before heading out into the hallway; ignore all the commotion that was happening at the other end. She needed to get out of here. Something was coming and she knew it was coming for her. Making her way down the steps, Hermione picked up the pace as she heard everyone else behind her and hurried out of the house. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Draco and Fleur chasing after her and she quickly turned back around. "Stop following me!" She shouted towards them in frustration once they reached the edge of the forest but that didn't stop Fleur.

"Fleur don't!" Draco shouted but it was too late, she had already entered the forest after her lover. It was still just before sun rise, so the woods were still dark and so pulled out her wand to cast Lumos. She could see her lover trying to shake her off but Fleur wasn't going to give up without knowing why. Fleur wasn't going to let her get away for the third time, she promised herself so the other night.

Hermione looked over her shoulder and let out a frustrating noise when she saw how close Fleur was to her before picking up the pace. She was still a little worn out from what happened inside her mind so her fatigue was running out fast. Once she saw the clearing, someone was already there waiting for her. The Gryffindor squinted her eyes for a splint second before hoping over the fallen log and onto the soft dirt close to the pond. Dumbledore was already there and waiting for her as if he knew that she was going to be doing this.

Dumbledore turned around when he heard a branch break behind him and held out his hand for the younger woman. He knew that she wanted to get these items destroyed now as soon as possible for now, her life was timed. As Hermione reached him, he let her catch her breath before she reached out and held onto his hand. But just before they were about to apparite, Fleur caught up to them and pointed her wand at the two as she caught her breath.

"'Ermione Jean Granger…you better not be leaving me… without an explanation." Fleur demanded in between breaths, her wand slightly shaking from what has been going on in her life. This being one of the worst she has ever seen. Hermione gave her a sympathetic look before letting out a sigh. She always had to get her way.

"When I return, Fleur, everything will be going according to plan and then…" Hermione looked at Dumbledore before walking over to her lover with a gentle smile. The snake on her back slowly began to tingle again but she ignored it to the best of her ability as she approached the French woman. But once she reached her, Hermione reached behind her and unclasped something from around her neck before pulling it out. The Delacour Ring, the cherished earlobe that was given to her almost two Christmas' ago and Fleur slowly lowered her wand until it was by her side. "Once I return, you and I can finally spend the rest of our lives together." Hermione whispered as she reached up and clasped the ring around Fleur's neck. "I love you dearly, Fleur and when I get back, I'm going to marry you no matter what." And with that Hermione, leaned up and kissed Fleur with everything she had left in her before stepping back towards Dumbledore, who rested his hand on her shoulder, and the two, took off into the early morning.

Fleur reached up and grasped her family ring before a small smile slowly blossomed into her face as she took off for the Weasley's house again. The only thing running through her mind was the thought of finally marrying the woman she loved and spending the rest of their lives together. But some where off in the distance, a dark figure loomed with a deadly smirk before appariting out of sight as the messenger back to the one place that was now under Death Eater hold: Hogwarts.

I hope you guys liked the new chapter! I wanted to get this one up before working on the other chapters! Remember to review!

See you guys soon!

Sara