Albus seemed to collapse into himself. "A horcrux Miss Granger? Harry is a horcrux?"

Hermione sighed, "Yes, Harry is a horcrux, and I have discovered a way to get rid of it. Through an act of pure love. Harry and I, well what would have been the future Harry, we went through hell together. When you bleed, sweat and cry together. When you would die for one another, the bond that forms... it becomes unbreakable. We were as close as any brother and sister could be, and I love him far too much to let him go through that again. That is why I'm here now." She looked down at Harry, "You are my brother, and I wish to make you my brother in blood as well. It is your choice in the end, just know that I wish to do this out of love."

Snape conjured up chairs for himself and Dumbledore before sinking down into one. "The Dark Lord made horcurxes."

"Yes, although Harry was an accident. Harry, I realize that this may be a difficult choice for you, but you need to make it now."

Harry glanced at her before asking, "If we do this, what will happen?"

She smiled, "Well, for one you will live with me. I know you don't like going back to the Dursleys, and the second is no more Voldemort." Hermione felt around her waist looking for something before she pulled out a small beaded bag. "Here it is! I wasn't sure if they would send it with me or not, and before you ask 'they' are the Fates. Or Gods. They are something very powerful, that's what I know." She stuck her hand into the bag, "I had hoped the rest of the horcrux containers made the journey with me, would save me the trouble of tracking them all down again, and I would rather not break into Gringotts twice."

Severus looked up sharply, "You broke into Gringotts?!"

Hermione stopped her rummaging for a moment to answer him, "Yes. Harry, Ron and I did. We almost got caught when we went through Thief's Downfall, but we managed to escape on one of the dragons."

"Dragons?!" Harry exclaimed.

Hermione looked amused. "Yes, dragons. Amongst other things, but I will tell you about all our adventures later. Right now we should do the ritual... you do want to do it Harry?"

"Yes. I mean, I know you... sort of. At least you seem to know me extremely well. So, I accept."

"Alright, though I will warn you it will be quite painful because of the horcrux. It wont want to leave, but doing it here in the heart of Hogwarts will make it a bit easier." She reached back into the bag and pulled out a silver knife. "I apologize, but it is a blood ritual. I'll be making four cuts, one on each of your forearms and one on each palm. The important thing for you to remember is that you cannot let go. You wont have to say anything, I'll be the one preforming the spell. Just don't let go, ok?"

Dumbledore stood up, "Miss Granger! I don't believe this is the right course of action. Harry must stay at the Dursleys, it is the only place he will truly be safe, an-"

"And after we complete the ritual he will be my blood brother. The blood that runs though his veins will run through mine, just as mine will run through his. The sacrifice his mother made will still hold true, not that it will be needed soon enough." Hermione stared down Dumbledore, "Do you understand what needs to be done Headmaster. You will not win this argument. Harry is the whole reason I came back, so I could protect him from everything that happens in the future. Do you know how many people in this room right now make it out alive? Two. Harry and I. Want to know how many students die in the first month? Seventeen, tortured out of their minds for information that they didn't even have. My parents didn't even make it out alive, I wiped their memories and sent them to Australia to protect them, but that didn't stop those bastards from finding them anyway and killing them. I came back here for him, and I am going to do my best to give him a normal life. He will not become a soldier in a war that I can end right now, do you understand me?"

Albus dropped back into his chair, "I understand Miss Granger. I apologize, I have just spent so long-"

"Protecting him. I understand that Headmaster, I really do, but it is my turn now." She glanced at Harry who seemed a little shaken by her outburst. "Sorry for that Harry, do you still want to do this?"

Harry shook his head as if to clear it, "Of course."

Hermione gestured over to the center of the hall, "Join me over here please Harry."

Once both of them were in the center she made the cuts on Harry before doing the same to herself. She placed her hands on his forearms and gripped him tight as he did the same to her then she began to chant.

The two onlookers watched as the air shimmered and swirled around the two children as Hermione chanted in a language completely foreign to them. As Hermione finished the spell Harry collapsed screaming in pain. She held on to him tightly, and as soon as she spoke the final words she was on the floor pulling him onto her lap whispering comforting words.

A sickly green ooze pushed itself out of his scar as Harry's screams gave way to a trembling body, and as the last of the ooze exited it exploded in a flash of gold light.

Hermione looked up at the two men, "Perhaps when Harry is ready to stand we could adjourn to a sitting room of sorts. I know I for one could use some tea." She smiled weakly at them, "I promise you Harry is alright, that disgusting parasite was attached to his core and didn't want to leave, but it is gone now. For good."

Albus recovered first, "Perhaps we could go to my sitting room, and I'm sure I could trouble one of the elves for tea."

Hermione sat up more and flourished her wand as a doe emerged from the tip. It searched the area for enemies before coming over and nuzzling her. She whispered soft words to it, and it bounded off on it's mission. "Just thought I would let Professor McGonagall know where we were going."

Snape watched the doe leave and gently whispered, "Lily."