AN: Hi All, sorry for the delay in posting. Thank you for the amazing reviews, please keep them coming.
Please note that this chapter contains references to rape, though not explicit I would ask that you take care of yourselves.
Chapter 29 A Battle upon the Horizon
Hermione sipped the cup of team as she listened to the sound of the voices on the other side of the kitchen door. She rubbed her temples. She was most definitely getting a headache, this sparked a tiny ember of fear in her and she checked her mental walls, sure enough they were thin and cracking in places. Sighing she dragged herself up from her seat and pushed through the door scanning the room for Fleur, she smiled as her eyes landed on her, she was talking emphatically with a group of wizards which included several Weasleys. Feeling eyes on her Fleur looked up and locked eyes with Hermione, she smiled in return but as Fleur took in Hermione's creased brow and the dark circles under her eyes, her smile began to falter.
Fleur rose to her feet but was stopped by a hand on her arm; she turned her attention to the owner of the hand and found Ginny. "It's my turn, you looks just as worn as she does," Ginny admonished and Fleur reluctantly nodded her agreement. With that Ginny strode across the room, took Hermione's hand and pulled her into the relative sanctuary of the kitchen.
Hermione looked at Ginny who had begun to scowl, "You are not looking after yourself, you should have let us know earlier!" worry laced the red heads voice as she pulled ingredients out of the fridge to make a sandwich.
"Ginny...I," Hermione began but before she could explain any further they were interrupted by someone coming through the kitchen door. Hermione slumped in her seat as Professor McGonagall swept into the room and gave each of the young witches an appraising look.
"Miss Weasley, Miss Granger, would one of you care to explain?" McGonagall asked.
Hermione slumped into a chair and rubbed her temples, maybe it was a migraine that was coming on, she sighed.
With some effort, Ginny ignored McGonagall and continued to make her sandwich, she cast a cursory glance at Hermione and grimaced, she seemed to be getting paler by the minute.
"Shit!" Ginny cursed as she grabbed her sandwich and made her way over to Hermione, she threw herself down in the chair next to her and grabbed the hand. Ginny thrust half a sandwich into Hermione's hand and then wrapped her own around Hermione's wrist.
"Language Miss Weasley!" McGonagall admonished but it seemed as though Ginny was not even in the room with her.
Hermione rolled her eyes to where Professor McGonagall was standing, the look seemed to convey the message she was trying to get across; something was very wrong.
"Professor! Get Fleur and tell her that the wall is crumbling, we will explain everything later." Ginny snapped finally.
Minerva McGonagall swept her eyes across the scene once more; Hermione seemed to be fighting a battle. She took in all the evidence, Ginny's blatant disregard for manners, the sandwich and the state of Hermione. Decisively McGonagall strode forward and rested her hands on Hermione's shoulders, pouring energy into her. Moments later, Hermione had recovered some of her colour and though she was trembling, seemed to be perking up a bit. Ginny grabbed her half of the sandwich and began to eat.
Without a word McGonagall went over to the counter and prepared three more sandwiches and set one in front of each of the two younger witches and then began to eat one herself. The three remained silent until they had finished their respective sandwiches.
It was Hermione who finally broke the silence, "There is rather a lot to fill you in on so here is the short version; Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy are attacking me mentally in an attempt to control me because I control the Black fortune. My plan will involve kidnapping Harry and Voldemort, while attacking Bellatrix and Narcissa and destroying Nagini, the Dark Lord's snake."
McGonagall stared at her favourite student with a mixture of Pride at the fact that this was all going on and not getting the best of her and confusion as she was clearly missing some key pieces of information.
"Miss Granger," McGonagall started, then she softened her tone, "Hermione, for Bellatrix and Narcissa to attack you that way would mean..." even Professor McGonagall could not voice that particular fear. Hermione remained silent, hoping to Merlin that the Professor would not say out loud what she had avoided admitting to for so long. McGonagall saw the fear and misplaced shame in Hermione's eyes and knew that her worst fears had been realised, she swallowed and changed the subject.
"Tell me how you come to be in control of the Black fortune." McGonagall asked instead.
Hermione turned her pleading eyes to Ginny, who although was no longer holding onto Hermione, was making it appoint to sit close enough that their legs were touching. Ginny smiled, reached up and swept some of Hermione's hair out of her face.
"Sirius Black is Hermione's father." She announced tactlessly then added, "Oh and other things you should note; Ron betrayed Harry and Hermione and is working for the Death Eaters; AND Fleur and Hermione are dating!" she said the last part with pure joy.
McGonagall pressed her lips together and gave both witches a stern look, Hermione slumped forward and started bang her head off the table, and Ginny slipped a hand on the table to protect Hermione's head.
"What, it's not like you two have actually gone on a date, I could have said a lot worse!" Ginny said in defence of herself.
Hermione turned scarlet with embarrassment. "Well I think that is quite enough for now Miss Weasley." McGonagall said trying her best to redeem the situation and save what little was left of Hermione's dignity. "I suggest you brief the teams and then I shall return with you to your safe house Hermione, we can go over the finer details of what I need to know there, and skip over what I do not need to know." She said the last with a pointed look in Ginny's direction.
"Yes I think that is the best plan," Hermione agreed as she dragged herself to her feet, went through to the living room and briefed Dumbledore's army on the plan of attack.
Kreacher apparated an exhausted Hermione and Professor McGonagall back to Grimauld Place, a few hours later. The kitchen was a hive of activity as Luna and Ginny began to prepare the evening meal, Fleur set about making fresh coffee and Kreacher continued his characteristic moaning about having the place full of guests he was not informed of having.
Hermione winced as she sat down in her chair at the table and everyone stopped what they had been doing, spinning to look at her. Professor McGonagall was not quite sure what to make of the situation therefore remained silent as Fleur approached Hermione with narrow eyes then turned to Ginny.
"She got zrough ze wall and you did not tell me?" Fleur asked Ginny accusatorily.
Ginny held her arms up in defence, "She told me not to, besides if we had told you, then you would have freaked out, like you are now, only you would have had a massive audience and neither of you want that." Ginny explained, bracing herself as Fleur's blood seemed to boil.
Hermione lifted a hand and rested it on Fleur's arm, "I ate, I took a pain potion and the wall is back up, Professor McGonagall helped me too."
The sound of Hermione's shaky voice caused Fleur to return her attention to her but not before she gave a cursory glance to Professor McGonagall who had one eyebrow raised almost challenging Fleur to tell her off.
Fleur swallowed her anger and began to gently pull Hermione's hoodie off; Hermione did not have the energy to protest at being undressed in front of her Professor and simply complied with Fleur's motions.
"Oh my!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed her hand rising to cover her mouth as Fleur discarded the hoodie and Hermione's scars and wounds were revealed to the room.
Fleur studied the wounds, that bitch had re-opened a couple of the lash marks but not as many as she had managed to previously. Luna made her way over with a slave and gently began to layer it onto the wounds, neither of them even wasting time with wands as they had learned by now that magic was not healing these wounds. Tears freely flowed down Hermione's face as Ginny disappeared out the kitchen door and Fleur and Luna tended to her back, she lifted her gaze to Professor McGonagall to find that she too was crying.
The professor sat beside Hermione and took her hand gently stroking it, "My dear little cub, what has Bellatrix done to you?" she asked.
Hermione found herself speechless, such a show of emotion from her Professor was almost unheard off. She was so tired, tired of fighting, tired of hurting, and tired of the responsibility. Hermione let out a sob as the migraine that had begun earlier threatened to now black out her world. She looked up at her professor; there was a time when she would have relied upon this woman to take all the fear and pain out of her world, when her very presence gave her solace in uncertain times.
"I'm tired," she said meekly, unable to think of anything worthwhile to say. How she longed to be back in the log cabin just her and Fleur. Fear gripped her and she suddenly felt as though everything was overwhelming her, she squeezed the Professors hand as she worried that her entire plan was a fool's errand designed to kill them all rather than free Harry from the horrors he was experiencing.
Hermione could hear Fleur whispering tenderly in her ear but could not make out what she was saying, her world was swimming and she fought to stay cognizant but was fast losing the battle. She smiled as darkness swallowed her, she wasn't in pain anymore.
Hermione opened her eyes gingerly and was surprised when the act had not hurt her. She was sandwiched between two bodies; the red hair in her face told her one was Ginny. Hermione slowly moved her hand to grasp that of the one flung over her waist, she found it to be Fleur's and though the movement caused her body to ache she took comfort in the feel of Fleur's hand in hers. She felt the bed move as Fleur leaned forward and placed a kiss on her head.
"'Ow do you feel Ma Petite?" Fleur whispered.
Hermione turned her head slightly and found that her world swam, "I am going to be sick!" she stated and quick as a flash Ginny moved off the bed and grabbed the rubbish bin holding it for Hermione as she evacuated her stomach.
"Merlin," she groaned as she felt Fleur stroking her hair out of her face. Ginny brought a glass of water and Hermione sipped it, grateful to wash the vile taste out of her mouth. She lay very still on the bed.
"I think it is safe to say Miss Granger that you are going to be out of action for some time." Professor McGonagall's voice came from the chair on the other side of the room. Hermione's eyes widened as she moved them to look at Ginny who was re-entering the room, Ginny shrugged in response.
Professor McGonagall came into Hermione's line of sight, she was smiling at her and reached out gently cupping her face, "Hermione, get some rest Fleur has filled me in on everything." She told her kindly.
Hermione dropped her gaze to the floor, "You have nothing to be ashamed of my little cub, and you have fought bravely." Professor McGonagall said kindly. To hear those words come seemed to allow relief to wash through Hermione's body, she smiled a little as Fleur, gently squeezed her and she drifted back to sleep.
Professor McGonagall smiled as Fleur held her cub safe in her arms and turned to Ginny, "Miss Weasley, let us take a look at these cells I have been hearing about." And with that Professor McGonagall and Ginny left the room.
The next time Hermione awoke was the middle of the night, she was still safely wrapped in Fleur's arms, though her heart was racing, she had been dreaming. She turned in the bed with much effort and though it hurt, the nausea stayed away. Fleur's big blue eyes were watching her carefully in the darkness.
"You were dreaming," Fleur said soothingly and Hermione nodded. Fleur leaned forward and kissed her head, "do you want to talk about et?" she asked.
Hermione considered this for a moment, she actually wanted to forget about it but she did not think that there was much chance of that. She looked deep into Fleur's eyes and found love and reassurance there; she smiled and then pulled herself closer to Fleur, resting her head on her chest.
"I was back at the Manor, more of a memory than a nightmare really." Hermione began, fear coiled like a spring in her stomach. "Narcissa was healing me after the whipping; Bellatrix came over and beat her for helping me." Hermione's heart was pounding in her chest as she remembered, "I was on the floor in my underwear, she was so angry, accused Narcissa of playing with her 'toy'" Hermione choked back a sob as images of what happened flashed through her mind. She was silent for a long while and Fleur just held her. When Hermione finally spoke up she told Fleur of many unspeakable things that Bellatrix had done to her.
By the time she was done, Hermione was sobbing uncontrollably and Fleur held her safe and did everything she could to soothe the distraught witch in her arms. Fleur was fighting her own battle with the Veela inside her whose blood was boiling with rage at hearing how its mate had been raped and tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. She reaffirmed her promise to the beast that together they would protect Hermione at all costs, even if that meant killing Bellatrix.
Long after sleep took Hermione her body continue to be wracked with sobs and whimpers, Fleur took the time to quell the beast inside and grieve on Hermione's behalf, while she tried her best to offer as much physical comfort to the witch that she loved so dearly.
Professor McGonagall slipped into the room and Hermione stirred from her sleep a little but a few soothing French words convinced her to settle.
"Miss Delacour, forgive me but I heard the crying and just wanted to check on you both. You look exhausted and angry, can I take that to mean Hermione has told you some things about how Bellatrix has quite the hold on her?" the Professor asked quietly.
Fleur nodded as tears fell from her blue eyes. Professor McGonagall smiled sadly, "Yes I expected as much, but you should bear in mind that Hermione is the strongest cub I have, and she is fortunate to have you." Professor McGonagall told Fleur and the blonde witch leaned down and kissed Hermione's head softly.
"She will recover from this and she will come out of it even stronger, you just need to be patient with her, for she will not look after herself." The professor confided. Fleur nodded in response, this was not news to her but at least Hermione's lack of self care was not abnormal.
Professor McGonagall got to her feet and walked to the door, smiling at Fleur as she left.
Hermione stirred as she felt Fleur leave the bed, she lifted her head to protest but felt Fleur's lips brushing against her cheek, "shh ma Petite, rest wiz Ginny, I will return I promise." Fleur told her.
Hermione settled in the bed and felt Ginny's body press against her, it was not the same as having Fleur in bed with her but she took comfort in it all the same. She scooted back so that she was pressed right up against Ginny who giggled as she wrapped her arms around Hermione.
"Do you remember when we used to do this in the summer?" Ginny asked.
Hermione giggled too, "Yes we used to talk all night if I recall correctly. You were pining after Harry; I was pining after the library."
Both witches burst out laughing at the memory, "Things were definitely simpler then." Hermione stated after she stopped laughing.
"Yeah," Ginny answered, then after a moment began "Hermione?"
Hermione could sense that something was bothering her best friend so she rolled over to face Ginny, she was right. Ginny had the same look on her face that she got when she was about to confess to something that she thought that Hermione wasn't going to like. She reached forward and swept the hair out of her friends face.
"Out with it Gin," she said with a reassuring smile.
Ginny smiled back, "Bellatrix hurt you deeper than the scars didn't she?" she asked in a whisper, as though there was a taboo in saying something so terrible out loud.
Hermione sighed, "Yes, she did." She worked hard to get her voice to sound calm and confident, to hide the fact that inside she was falling apart.
Ginny lowered her gaze from Hermione's face, "I am really sorry that my brother is such an arse," she said.
Hermione almost laughed, relieved that this was all that was bothering her friend. She reached over and laid her hand on Ginny's face, "Ronald has been an arse since before you were born if the twins are to be believed, so none of this is your fault, ok?" she paused waiting for Ginny to respond that she understood, Ginny nodded. "The blame is strictly Bellatrix and her twisted mind," she finished and she took a deep but shaky breath, admitting that out loud seemed to lift a weight off of her chest.
"Are you ok?" Ginny asked, and Hermione knew that her friend was not asking about her physical state of being. Hermione smiled again, this time it was a sad smile.
"Oh Gin, I'm, as far from 'okay' as I have ever been." She answered but then added, "but with yours and Fleur's help I will be ok, so will you, and Harry too."
Ginny smiled, satisfied with the answer, "So you've been up here for thirty six hours, aren't you starving?" she asked.
Hermione considered this for a moment, she hadn't really thought about eating but now that she did she discovered that she was hungry, she nodded.
"Good cause McGonagall is making pancakes!" Ginny said excitedly. Hermione rolled her eyes but turned over and slowly sat up testing her body, it hurt but the pain was not too bad. It certainly was not going to keep her from pancakes, that was for sure.
"Hey what are you trying to do? Fleur and McGonagall will kill me if they see you out of bed!" Ginny protested, "Lay back down and read a book they will bring the pancakes up, I made Fleur promise."
Hermione got back on the bed but remained sitting up; she had remembered the book that Andromeda had given her and searched the bedside cabinet for her wand, she summoned the book and started to read. Ginny sprawled herself across the bed, her head in Hermione's lap and promptly fell asleep.
Hermione was a good portion through the book when the door opened and fleur came in carrying a tray with two plates stacked high with pancakes, Ginny sat bolt upright at the smell and Hermione bit her lip trying to stifle a giggle. Hermione took her plate from fleur and in return handed her the book that she had been reading, "Take a look at this chapter," she told Fleur as she tucked in to the plate of food.
Luna and Professor McGonagall joined them a few moments later and as they ate they took turns reading from the book and, with McGonagall's help, turned theory into practice. After just a few hours, Hermione's defences had been doubled and the amount of magical energy she was using had been greatly reduced. This was a step in the right direction.
They had decided that Hermione needed two more days to recuperate and practice what she had learned; with the help of Fleur's potions she would be ready for the battle. While she recuperated they planned the attacks that would take place, fine tuning some details, Ginny took a flight over Hogwarts, to ensure that there was nothing that they might have missed while Luna chaired another meeting of Dumbledore's army with the twins, giving the plans of attack that they had devised to the different teams.
After some debate it was determined, much to Fleur's chagrin, that she would lead the main attacking force, so that Minerva could slip behind enemy lines and kidnap the Voldemort wearing Harry's body while the Death eaters were occupied. Fleur had argued that Hermione would need her in her hunt for Nagini, but that was not the logical side of her brain talking and McGonagall and Hermione convinced her otherwise. Ginny and Luna were given the task of retrieving Harry in Voldemort's body; the pair had gone over their plan several times and were quite confident.
Everyone had their orders, even Kreacher and after a finally cursory check of the holding cells the group of witches stood in the kitchen just before midnight ready to go about their separate missions. Hermione was much better than she had been in days previous; she had even got some practice in with wielding the dagger. Fleur had made a hearty stew and fresh bread for dinner so they were well fed. Nothing else remained to be done but to set about their plans.
Ginny nervously cast 'tempus', "right we should be off," she turned to Kreacher, "You understand your part in this?" she asked the house elf who snorted.
"Kreacher understands." He replied and then turned to the house elf behind him, which had been borrowed from Hogwarts, "this one understands as well." he stated as he looked down his nose at Winky.
Ginny nodded, took Luna's hand then turned to Hermione, "Good luck," she said.
Hermione nodded nervously, "and to you, see you in a couple of hours," she replied. With a single nod of her head Ginny and Luna stepped out the back door, Winky following them and with a loud crack the apparated away.
Hermione turned to Fleur and McGonagall, "You two better get going to Hogsmeade," she told them as she nervously flicked the dagger from one hand to the other.
Fleur wrapped her arms around Hermione and held her tight, "Promise me, any problems and you will come straight back," she said and it sounded more like an order than a suggestion. Fleur had not mentioned it as she figured everyone had enough to deal with, but she had a very bad feeling about this plan.
Hermione nodded her head, but as though that was not enough Fleur turned to Kreacher. The wizened old house elf nodded his head, he knew the plan, they had gone over it with him several times.
Hermione smiled, she actually felt stronger than she had in a long time, she leaned up and unashamedly kissed Fleur passionately. Fleur smiled and returned the kiss as they held each other intimately. They did not break apart until Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, "That'll do, there will be plenty of time for all that when we are all back here safe and sound." McGonagall admonished and both witches had the good sense to blush.
Fleur turned and walked towards the back door but Hermione held onto her hand, "be careful Fleur," Hermione said, her last minute nerves getting the better of her. Fear gripped the inside of Hermione's stomach and twisted as Fleur nodded then she and McGonagall apparated away.
After a moment she turned back to Kreacher, walked over to him and took his hand, her stomach lurched for the second time in as many minutes as she too was whisked away to begin her mission.