CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Summary: Hermione's secret is discovered by The Order of the Phoenix. Before Harry is rescued, she needs to be first. But from who? With the help of Sirius she learns to put the past behind her, and with the help of two Weasleys, they show her a happy future. But Hermione isn't who she thinks she is, what she discovers will change her life for good. Rated M for a reason.

Disclaimer: All original characters and canon events belong to J.K. Rowling. Non-canon events are my own ideas. I am not making any profit from posting this fanfic.

Page count: 8

Hogwarts – Friday 8th March 1996

Hermione and Fred were in the Room of Requirement, they had decided to skip dinner in the great hall and George had gone down to the kitchens to get them some food.

They were currently sat on the ground covered in blankets and pillows and facing each other. Fred was telling Hermione about a prank they'd pulled on Percy a few years ago and he was beaming and laughing as tears fell from Hermione's eyes and she gripped her sides, shaking with laughter.

"Why would you do that to him?" she asked through her laughter.

"He deserved it, the prat told Mum that we were the ones that ate the chocolate cake, and it wasn't even us, it was Ron!" he exclaimed and her laughter grew louder.

"I can only imagine the retribution Ronald found himself on the end of for that stunt," she mused.

"We threw him into the lake naked," he nodded, pleased with himself and she started laughing again.

He watched her fondly, a smile tugging at his mouth, his eyes bright as they kept focus on her.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down, when she did she noticed the way he was staring at her and her cheeks held a hint of pink.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked quietly.

His smile softened and he chuckled at her.

"I can't believe you don't know how beautiful you are." Her blush darkened.

"I'm not beautiful," she muttered and she looked down at the ground, fiddling with her fingers.

Fred leaned forward, putting his hand under her chin and tilted her head up so she had to look at him.

"Yes, you are. Your beauty is unrivalled in my opinion, both inside and out."

"No, it's not," she argued.

"Yes, it is. You are beautiful. And until you get sick of us, George and I are always going to be here with you and for you. I promise you that we'll reverse every bad thought and feeling your parents ever made you think and feel about yourself. I will make you see yourself the way I see you, the way we see you. I will not give up until you can see yourself for the incredible witch you are."

"I'm damaged."

"No, you're just slightly cracked, but you're almost healed, you'll likely still have flashbacks, but they won't be as often. You can live your life without fear. You are not damaged, you are beautiful." She shook her head. "I'm going to spend every opportunity I get proving that to you," he whispered.

She hadn't realised just how close they were to each other, their faces were now inches apart. Unconsciously her eyes flickered down to his mouth, back up to his eyes, then back down to his mouth and her tongue darted out to swipe across her lips.

The corners of his mouth twitched and he leaned in closer.

"Stop me," he whispered, stopping just before his lips touched hers. She didn't say anything so he tilted his head down and pressed his mouth to hers.

Her breathing stopped and her eyes closed, but not for the reason Fred thought and he pulled away from her quickly, watching her worriedly.

Hermione had barely felt his lips on hers before he pulled away from her. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at his worried face in confusion.

"Why'd you pull away?" she frowned.

His eyes searched hers. "You're alright? You didn't have flashbacks?" he questioned.

"No, should I have?" It was his turn to look confused. "You're not him, Fred, I know that, besides, he was more focused on touching me than kissing me, it's why being touched by others affects me more."

"You're alright?"

"I promise you that I'm fine" she said softly.

He kept his eyes trained on hers as she slowly lifted herself up onto her knees, she took his hands in hers and leaned forward, Fred titled his head up to keep in eye contact with her.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she tilted her head down and pressed her mouth to his gently, moving her lips over his slowly. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings before he responded. She pulled his hands around her and behind her back and he took the cue and pulled her to him, his arms folded around her back and holding her as her hands moved to loop around his neck.

They heard the door and pulled away from each other with smiles on their faces.

"Dobby's going to send up some food in fifteen minutes and..." George trailed off when he noticed the atmosphere in the room was different from when he'd left. "What have I missed?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, noticing Hermione's flushed cheeks and Fred's far too happy expression.

Hermione bit her lip and shared a look with Fred who raised an eyebrow in return. She bit back her smile and stood up, quickly making her way over to George. To his surprise she jumped into him, and he had to give himself credit for catching her in time ad he held her around the waist, her head above his and she stared down at him with a twinkle in her eyes that had him mesmerised.

Without giving him any warning, she titled her head down and kissed him and he stood still, surprised. He heard Fred snort and it brought him back to his senses, realising that he currently had a beautiful witch held against him and kissing him. He kissed her back, until they were both breathless and they had to pull back for oxygen.

Her eyes sparkled as they gazed at each other, him amazed and her amused.

"So that's what I missed," he cleared his throat and she laughed and nodded. "I don't understand though," he sounded confused.

"Neither you nor Fred are him. I know you wouldn't hurt me, it's different for touching than it is kissing, I'm not as upset by it. I haven't had any flashbacks."

"Good to know," he said, his eyes darkening slightly and she laughed at him.

~000~000~000~

12 Grimmauld Place - Monday 1st of April 1996

Hermione was on Eater break, she and the others had arrived at Grimmauld not long ago, and whilst the others were unpacking, Hermione was in the study with Sirius.

"How are you doing?" her father asked her, as they sat in front of the fire.

"Better, a lot better than I was before," she answered truthfully, Sirius smiled at the news. "I can ask the elements to do almost anything and they will, I'm still having problems with my lightning conjuring though."

"Fear and anger are difficult emotions to control; it'll come to you in time, at least you have mastered the other elements."

"I wouldn't say I've mastered them," she muttered embarrassed.

"Which means you have" he chuckled at her.

"I still have plenty to learn."

"Which means you'll perfect it in a few weeks," he rolled his eyes good naturedly. "Are you having any problems at school?"

"Everyone follows me around and stares and whispers. Ron drools, Ginny tries to speak to me but I ignore her as best I can. Malfoy is far kinder than he used to be. We've been meeting up a few times a week to talk and do homework together. He's not as bad as I thought he was, he just had up a good front of being a bully, he's actually quite sweet, not that he'll show that side to anyone. Umbridge is pissing me off."

He frowned; he'd witnessed how the horrid witch behaved during his two weeks stay at Hogwarts.

"My magic wants to punish her, I can feel it, she's a horrid human being. She's used a blood quill on Harry and the twins more than once and I want her to suffer," she said coldly, anger lingering in her tone.

"The twins?"

"She knows that we're dating, hell, the whole school knows. She knows that Fred and George are important to me, she knows that I care for them. She's been wanting to punish me for months but she knows she can't, she will suffer the consequences if she does, so instead she's punishing me by hurting them. She'll get her comeuppance."

"You're protective of them, you think of them as equals?" he mused.

"They are my boyfriends," she replied.

He looked at her thoughtfully.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason," he said innocently. "How's it going with Fred and George?"

She narrowed her eyes at the way he changed the subject, but answered him.

"Really well actually, I hardly flinch anymore when they touch me."

"Sex?" he asked shamelessly.

"No, I'm not that comfortable yet, the twins aren't pressuring me, they've never once complained about our relationship, they've never once looked at me in pity or sadness when I flinched away from them. Things are really good between us, most of our time together is spent in the library or the Room of Requirement. I don't flinch when they touch my face, arms, shoulders, stomach or back."

"And what have you been doing that they've seen your stomach and back?" he smirked, finding amusement in the way she shifted in her seat.

"Nothing, we just laid together and they ran their hands over my back and stomach until I was comfortable with their touch. I fell asleep."

"You fell asleep?" he asked surprised. "Did you have any nightmares?"

"That's the weird part, I didn't."

He was looking at her strangely.

"That's interesting," he muttered.

"What is?"

"Nothing," he said innocently and she snorted.

"That look doesn't work on me, not only have I witnessed it on your face countless times, I see it every day plastered on Fred's and George's faces." He chuckled at her. "What's interesting?"

"I'll let you know, are those boys of yours ready to join us?"

"Not yet, but I suspect they're not far off a corporal patronus."

~000~000~000~

Thursday 11th April 1996

"Please?"

"No!"

"Please?"

"No, it's not safe."

"Please, I just want to go outside. The weather's actually pleasant for a change and I want to spend some time with you, just you and me without everyone around. It's the Muggle World, no one knows who I am, please," Hermione begged.

Sirius sighed in defeat. "Fine, the Muggle World, but no more than three hours."

"I can work with that, let's go," she grinned.

She grabbed his hand and dragged him through the house and to the front door. She pulled down a light weight jacket and slipped it on over her t-shirt, Sirius doing the same with his leather jacket she'd gifted him at Christmas, of which he made sure to wear often.

"Where exactly are we going?" he asked as she opened the door and they stepped out into the spring weather, the sun shining brightly with a light breeze.

"It's a surprise; I'll have to apparate us."

"You don't have your license," he reminded her.

"I don't have my license because The Ministry won't recognise my coming of age until next year. So I am technically seventeen and of legal age to apparate. I would just like to point out not having a license doesn't mean I'm not capable of performing apparition."

"Very well, just don't kill me," he joked.

"I can't hurt the innocent," she replied seriously and he shook his head at her. They walked further down the street before Hermione took hold of his arm and apparated them away to the destination she had in mind.

~000~000~000~

They landed outside a large race track with tyres covering the metal edges that marked out the route to be taken, black marks littered the concrete floor and loud noises hit their ears as two figures flew past them in karts.

"What is that?" Sirius asked, looking excited.

"Go-karting," she grinned. "I've always wanted to try it, let's go!"

She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the entrance, he followed dumbly staring at those currently on the track and racing around it.

Hermione reached the reception area and paid for them both and they were directed into a changing room and instructed to put on the coveralls.

Hermione's were far too big for her and bright red, Sirius' fit him perfectly and were a deep blue.

"We have the track all to ourselves for the next hour and half, apparently they've been quiet today, no other bookings till later this evening," she said, as she rolled the sleeves of the coveralls up until she could actually see her hands, much to Sirius' amusement.

"What do we do?" he asked her, picking up his helmet and together they walked through the door and followed the directions to the track.

"We race around the track, but you have fun doing it," she grinned. "It's basically legal speeding, if you did this in a car on the road, you could lose your driving license and hurt someone," she shrugged.

When instructed to they each climbed into a go-kart and fastened the restraints, listening to the employee's instructions and then they set off, it took Sirius a few tries at figuring out the controls, Hermione had already done a full lap by the time he was able to get out onto the track and when they did, the race was on.

Hermione was laughing loudly and she could hear Sirius' deep, boisterous laugh coming from her right.

As she made another lap -she stopped counting after twenty- she could've sworn she saw a dark cloak billow in the wind, but when she narrowed her eyes there was nothing there. She shook her head and in her distraction Sirius drove past her laughing madly. She smirked and stepped on the accelerator, quickly catching up to him. For the next hour she continued to see things out of the corner of her eye but she just put it down to her imagination.

They pulled up at the end of the track and climbed out of the go-karts, slowly they made their way through the building until they reached the changing rooms.

"Okay, getting out of the house and spending time together was a great idea," Sirius commented with a grin, his hair messy from the wind and the helmet and his cheeks tinted pink from the wind and breeze.

"It's about time you saw my brilliance," she gloated and he laughed at her.

"I'll be right back," he said and headed into the bathroom.

Hermione chuckled and made her way over to the locker with her jacket and bag in. She opened it and bent down to pick up something that fell out. When she stood up, both her arms were grabbed and she stiffened and panic set in her as she felt the familiar tug in her stomach, consistent with apparition. She caught sight of Sirius' horrified face before he disappeared from view and everything went fuzzy.

"HERMIONE!" Sirius yelled, but she was gone.

Fear replaced his usual joyous expression. He quickly changed out of his coverall, grabbed his jacket and Hermione's things before running out of the building, ducking out of sight and apparating.

~000~000~000~

12 Grimmauld Place

Sirius slammed the door behind him, waking his mother's portrait up and she started screeching, but he ignored her. He ran to the floo and called out Dumbledore's address, before sticking his head in

"Hermione's been abducted!" he yelled in a panic, before withdrawing his head without waiting for Dumbledore to respond.

"Sirius, what happened?" Remus rushed into the room, followed by Harry and The Weasleys, after hearing the noises he'd made upon his arrival home.

He was pacing back and forth and pulling at his hair.

"Hermione, she was abducted!" his voice trembled. Gasps, shouts and curses were heard.

"Do not fear, Sirius."

Sirius rounded on Dumbledore as he stepped out of the floo, soon followed by Snape and McGonagall.

"Do not fear? DO NOT FEAR! MY DAUGHTER'S BEEN ABDUCTED!" he yelled furiously.

"We know where she is, she is safe; they won't hurt her," Snape drawled.

"Where is she? Who won't fucking hurt her?" Sirius demanded.

"The Dark Lord."

That answer was not what Sirius wanted to hear.

"We have an inside man, he has been protecting Miss. Black since the reveal," Snape informed them. "Not only will he not allow any harm to come to her, no one would dare hurt The Blue Mage."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"We have a spy in The Dark Lord's ranks, he has been passing information to me since January, there were several attempts to abduct Miss. Black during her time at Hogwarts and at Hogsmeade weekends, our informant gave us the information in time and we were able to thwart their attempts, without her even knowing."

"She mentioned that she thought you were following her," George spoke, drawing attention to his far too pale face.

"Can't get anything past her," Snape agreed with a slight nod. "I was following her to ensure that no harm would come to her, this attempt was successful because it was a last minute plan, they couldn't have known you were leaving the house, they must have been tracking you and took the opportunity when it presented itself."

"Who is this informant? How do you know he can be trusted?" Remus asked, his eyes on Sirius who was still pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath and pulling at his hair, on the verge of a breakdown. Remus had never seen him so distraught.

"I would trust him with my life, he is an Unspeakable, you have met him before." Sirius stopped pacing. "He was at the testing."

Sirius searched his memory.

"Rocket?"

"Comet, you Imbecile," Snape sneered. "He's our spy and has been for a while now, I know his true identity and I trust him with my life, you should trust him with Miss. Black's."

"I am not trusting a complete stranger whose identity is unknown with the protection of my daughter," Sirius snapped.

"He's closer to you than you think."

Sirius clenched his fists by his side to restrain himself from punching Snape square in the face, and that's when he felt the cold metal of his ring. His ring!

'Hermione Black, where they hell are you?' he thought in a panic. 'Come on, Kitten, please answer me; don't make me ground you,' he begged. There was no answer.

Panic and fear like he had never felt before crashed into him and he couldn't breathe, darkness began to swim before his eyes. His chest tightened painfully. He was having a panic attack.