A/N:Hello everyone, I would say 'sorry for the delay', but I'm quite sure you're reading that same line over and over again from different authors. :D So, here is my next chapter, and I also have to tell you that there will be, most likely, another 2 to 3 chapters after this. I know, sad, but everything has to have an end, right?

Anyway, I have a question for anyone who is willing to read my rambling. I was watching DH2 with my daughter the other day, and I honestly don't know how it slipped by me before, but did you see Hermione's face at the end, on the bridge? When she takes Harry's hand, she just stares at him lovingly, and when Ron butts is, she looks down at their hands and frowns?

Honestly, I ask myself over and over again…What the hell was J.K.R. thinking? Harry and Hermione were made for each other. The books portray it, the movies do too. I was very disappointed with the end and I know I'm not the only one. *sigh* Well, that's what FF is for. Anyway, thank you everyone for the amazing reviews. Enjoy.

Chapter23.

''Hermione…exactly how many are they?'' Draco asked hesitantly as they exited the Forbidden Forest.

Hermione laughed out loud. Draco was paler than his usual color, his eyes were wide and his bottom lip was slightly quivering. ''At the moment only the ones you saw. But when the battle comes, they'll be about 1200. You didn't really think we'll be fighting all of them, did you? I know for sure Voldemort has more than that, plus some werewolves, if your aunt didn't use them all. I'll be occupied with the demons, and some of them will also protect the school. Even if we hide the others, you never know what will happen.''

''True.'' Draco said and nodded more vigorously, then sighed. ''You know…I don't think I ever thanked you properly, for what you've done for us.''

''There's no need you prat.'' Hermione laughed, a bit uncomfortable.

''Yes there is.'' he said and stopped walking. ''We were…are…Slytherins. We could have betrayed you at the last minute, but you took a chance. You were patient and taught us what we needed to know so we could protect ourselves, and our loved ones. Do you want to know why I decided to come to you?'' Hermione nodded. ''When we saw you that day fighting that demon…we realized that there was another choice. Our fathers never gave us a choice, either we joined, or we were killed for betrayal. Not you though. You gave us a choice, and I'm sure that if one of us is too scared, you won't make him or her fight. That's why we came to you. We wanted it to be our choice.'' By the end of his speech, the mighty Draco Malfoy's eyes were full of tears.

Oh, Hermione could understand pretty well what he meant. Sometimes, even she wondered what she would have done given the choice of either train with the demons or not. She also knew that the blonde boy respected her greatly. It also took quite a bit of courage for a snake to admit what he just had.

Wiping a stray tear with her thumb, she pulled him in a hug and thanked him. Hermione knew she was young, but sometimes the DA was nothing more than her own children, brothers and sisters, or something along those lined. They weren't just friends anymore, they were indeed a large family. A family that would stick together no matter what.

The next few days were quite busy. Preparing the Chamber of Secrets, in order to suit every need for those that were to be secured there, was time consuming. Harry would go with either Hermione, or Severus. Within a week, they had managed to set a bed for each student and professor that was to stay there, bathrooms, a hospital area and whatever else was necessary, new wards and passwords, individual protection shields around every bed.

McGonagall had had a fit when Severus told her that Dumbledore planned to have every student on the grounds and fighting, whenever a battle would start, and had almost screamed at the top of her lungs in protest when Hermione informed her that she would be in the Chamber of Secrets, along with the other professors, protecting the younger ones. She was a Gryffindor through and through, so as a fiery Scotswoman, she refused to hide and do nothing.

It took Severus a few sarcastic comments, and some quite harsh ones too, to make her see that if the others somehow managed to pass them and enter the school, that the students needed capable protectors.

So, within two weeks of Narcissa's news, the Death Avengers were ready to act at any time. They had also started wearing their protective suits under the usual robes at all times, and all weapons in place and disillusioned.

Everyone could feel it coming. Voldemort was too quiet, and had been so for months. No attacks, no destruction, nothing. It was, how they say 'the calm before the storm', and the upcoming battle, was slowly building up into the biggest hurricane ever.

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''My, my, lovely Tezrian, you are quite the charmer, aren't you?''

A girlish laugh erupted from the high armchair that stood in front of the fireplace. The room was quite dark, the only light sources being the glowing embers in the hearth, and the silvery moonbeams.

A willowy figure rose from the armchair and turned to look at her brother with a wide grin on her beautiful face.

''Well, dear brother, who could deny me anything? The giants never stood a chance and you know it.''

''Indeed I do.''

Tezrian nodded, picked up her goblet full of wine and strode towards the high window. Alastor looked at his sister in admiration, not only was she beautiful, but she was the best there was when a war was raging. Her methods and strategy thus far had been very useful and victorious. Oh he couldn't wait to get his hands on Lillith's angel. He loved it when he ripped them apart, then feasted on their flesh. Nothing tasted sweeter than that.

''So, you didn't tell me, do you intend to keep the snake as your pet in the end?''

Tezrian laughed again and turned away from the window. ''I haven't decided yet. We could, considering his magical ability, but I know he'll want total control and he'll fight us over it. He wouldn't win, but he doesn't know that, now does he? Anyway, I was thinking in letting that boy take care of him, it is after all in the prophecy.''

''Come now sister dear, you know those lines are just that, useless poetry. There is no prophecy, we would have known of it years ago if it were. But you are right, why bother with him, when he is already 'destined' to fall.''

''Indeed he is.'' Tezrian smirked and embraced her brother. ''Have you polished your blade, brother?''

''Both blade and hammer are ready dearest. We only await your command.'' Alastor said stroking his sister's rich hair.

''Are they ready?''

Alastor sighed. ''As ready as they'll ever be. These mortals pride themselves in being the best in the wizarding world, and yet they don't even reach half the scale in my standards.''

''Your standards always were even beyond the king's, Alastor. I'm sure you trained them well though. That fool, Dumbledore, won't know what hit him. He has in no way reached our levels of strategy, and that Angel will be alone against the both of us. She won't stand a chance.''

''You will let me play, won't you?'' Alastor pouted and Tezrian had to laugh again. It was quite pathetic to see a pout on a man twice as big as a normal wrestler, and more vicious than a starved Cerberus.

''Of course. She's all yours.''

A wild grin spread on Alastor's face as he lifted his sister off the floor and spun her around.

''So, how long?''

Tezrian walked slowly back to her armchair and sat back down. ''A week, dear brother.'' her laughter filled the room once again, Alastor just nodded and walked out. Finally, he would play.

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Severus smiled as he watched his witch press herself even closer to his body. It was pure bliss to wake up with her in his arms every day. With her sweet scent invading his nostrils, her taste still on his lips. There was nothing he wanted more than her.

Then he sighed, as he did every morning for the past two weeks, as the thought of what was coming once again filled his mind. He knew his team and himself could take on whatever Voldemort threw at them, his concern was for her and those two bloody demons.

He closed his eyes and pulled her even closer. If anything happened to her, he wouldn't survive. He knew it. Without her, there was nothing to look forward to. There had been nothing before her, and there would be nothing if she wouldn't be there after.

Severus remembered his years after the first war: the loneliness, the bitterness, the hate…he didn't want that anymore. Just like the light at the end of the dark tunnel, she was the light that shone brightly over his dark days. She was the one that brought back his passion, his happiness, his desire to live, his desire to see another beautiful day. Hermione Granger was officially his everything.

''It's beginning to smell in here. You're thinking too hard again.'' Hermione's melodious voice always brought a smile on his lips, and it didn't fail to do so this time either.

''Good morning my angel.'' he whispered and kissed her soft lips.

''What were you thinking about?'' he asked softly, her eyes fluttering open for him to see the rich amber color that he loved.

He shrugged, ''The usual.''

''Hmm…'' Hermione groaned and rolled over to her side of the bed. ''Do we really have to get up?''

A humorous laugh left his throat and he pulled her back against his chest. ''No, not really, but I'm sure everyone would notice our absence.''

Hermione hummed in agreement, kissed his cheek and extracted herself from the covers. ''What time is it?''

''Eight fifteen.''

''I'm headed for the shower, would you wake up Harry for me, please?''

Severus could only nod, although she wasn't able to see having her back to him, but he couldn't quite manage to get his tongue working. He was indeed heading for the shower…and leaving an article of clothing every few steps on her way there. So she was completely naked when she stopped in the doorway, looking over her shoulder at him, with a mischievous spark in her eyes. ''Or maybe you would like to join me?''

Severus didn't need another word from her, he was up before she finished the sentence.

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''Could you possibly explain to me why you decided to have a lie-in and didn't inform me?'' Harry asked, still yawning, as they rushed through the corridors towards Transfiguration. ''I'm hungry.''

Hermione turned to him with a wide grin on her lips, ''You don't want to know.''

Harry's eyes went wide and he chocked back another yawn. ''Now THAT, I certainly didn't want to know. Let's just hope McGonagall doesn't decided to take points off.''

Hermione laughed and followed. It wasn't unusual for them to make this kind of jokes, even if some parts were true, but now, there was a certain tension in everything they did. The jokes seemed somewhat forced and some times down-right pathetic, their smiles strained, and minds often lost in some deep thought.

The final move on the gigantic chess table was almost upon them and they were growing uneasy with every day. The fact that they didn't know the exact day when Voldemort would strike didn't help either. But maybe it was for the best? This way they were poised for an attack every moment of every day, they were more alert, but sometimes the younger members of the DA were jumpy.

Hermione honestly didn't know what to do. The three weeks that Narcissa had warned them about were almost over, but it still seemed surreal.

The class had already started when Hermione and Harry tried to silently make their way to a worktable in the corner of the room. They saw McGonagall's eyes roam over the students as she lectured, but didn't spare them a second glance. She, too, was tense and waiting for the signal at any time.

The Heads of Houses were to start gathering students as soon as the alarm went off, and lead them to the newly warded Chamber of Secrets. Severus had discussed with them the problem of the Slytherin students and the fact that they might not comply with the orders of another Head of House, so they decided that the best way was for one of them, probably Minerva, to try and take them down there, and if they refused, they would be sealed inside the Slytherin common room. It was so deep inside the dungeons that they didn't fear an attack that far down. Not to mention that they were children of pureblood families, thus in no actual danger.

Classes were dull that day, as most of the teachers decided to just leave them revise for the upcoming exams. It was dull and boring. By dinner though, Hermione thought that the day couldn't end better than with a well played prank. It would not only cheer up the students, but it would also ease the tension a little.

Sitting amongst the Gryffindors, Hermione glanced discretely at the Great Hall's doors and winked in return when she received one from a pair of large emerald eyes and grinned.

Having made the charmed Galleons into pendants, Hermione touched hers lightly with a finger and watched as every DA member read the message and frowned in confusion.

It didn't take long for the 'treats' to take effect, soon enough, every single student that Hermione knew to be a Death Eater in training, or already one, started emitting different sounds. They watched as one Adrian Pucey jumped on the table and started both acting and shouting like a rooster, slowly followed by almost every seventh year Slytherin, half of the Ravenclaws and even a few Hufflepuffs, mimicking different animals.

If not for the lack of transformation to their bodies, with all the sounds, anyone listening would believe the Great Hall to have turned into a Zoo. It was hilarious, even the professors were laughing, but what most counted for Hermione was the fact that the DA members were having a good time.

It was half hour later that both Hermione and Harry entered Severus' chambers. Harry was still laughing as he recalled some of the charmed students' actions. Such as, chewing on Dumbledore's hat, searching each other for lice, chasing each other like cats and dogs, and other different funny scenes. All in all it was a view that had Hermione grinning brightly at her best friend. If he was happy, she was too.

Hermione felt like she'd barely closed her eyes when an electric pulse ran through her body. Sitting up, she shook Severus to wake him up, and rushed towards Harry's bedroom.

''Hermione, what is going on?'' Severus called after her, both puzzled and slightly panicked.

She came back to his bedroom, with Harry right behind her. Taking a deep breath, she looked them both in the eye, ''It's time.''

Ava-Pottergal: I really thought I said in one of my early AN, that the characters would be OOC. If I didn't, I apologize. If I'll find a Beta willing to correct my mistakes, or if I manage to do it myself, I'll be sure to mention it at the beginning. Thanks.

Sampdoria: made me laugh once again. Thank you for that. I'm trying to think of something very embarrassing for Dumbledore to do during the battle. Any ideas?:D

A/N:Liked it? Hated it? Leave me your thoughts. Thank you all.