Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the late update. This chapter goes out to regular reviewers CharlotteBlackwood and LexieF as well as to new reviewer random-name-4-random-person.

Chapter 66

Hermione's POV

The water reflected a dull grey that had little to do with the weather and more to do with the time of day. I pulled my jersey tighter about my body, regretting that I had not donned my cloak for protection of what was fast becoming a chilly night.

"Have you ever flown over the lake?"

I glanced to my side, her forest green eyes transfixed on the body of water before us, a reflective glimmer sheened across them, a sliver of light that was all the thoughts that ticked behind the bright orbs.

Her light pink lips twitched into a smile, independent of any response to her previous question as she continued with her perusal of the Great Lake.

"It's like swimming and flying all at the same time, if you hover just right above it at the right time of day you get to see your reflection on the surface and in that few moments you're both in the air and on the water yet at the same time existing in this third state of mind where you're neither in the air or on the water... you're a disembodied power that has the ability to leave this earth behind, to go up up up and away..."

I was never fond of flying and wouldn't dare fly across a lake but even without having performed the activity I understood exactly what Daphne was saying. The ability to just hop on a broomstick and leave had never seemed more tantalizing an option for me.

"And then you reach the other side," I glanced at the little island that sat in the middle of the lake which was currently just a mass of black, "Where there's no reflection, no magical third state and every little problem you have latches onto you like the thickest shackles and drags you back down to reality. Do you think there are people who don't have shackles? People that can just fly and fly and exist in that third state of mind without ever ever having to come down?"

I took in a deep breath, the cool air refreshing me from within and I tightened my arms about my midriff, "Well there would be no third state of mind then would there? Everyday life itself would be a third state of mind... and you wouldn't appreciate its specialness because... it wouldn't be. Would it?"

Her smile widened to expose her perfect pair of incisors, "Exactly."

She didn't say more, and I chose to watch her long blonde strands dance softly in the breeze rather than stare at the lake in introspection, for I was neither emotionally capable for such an act nor was I in the mood. Daphne was being uncharacteristically positive and I was beginning to doubt seeking her out for advice tonight.

"We're stuck on that Island Granger. Me, you, Theodore, Blaise. We're stuck on that island, not existing in the air, or water, or a third state of mind. We're just stuck. And the saddest thing is we're not even stuck in there together and sadder still is just feet away there's the water on the other side but every step closer to it, closer to your broom, closer to that third state is harder to make than if you were trapped by devil snare. And all the while your friends are up in the air, flying about... smiling down at the lake and it hurts, it hurts because you've experienced that third state. And then you wonder whether it would have been better if you never knew it in the first place..."

I turned away from her pale face which held no smile and stared across the lake... would it have been better if Theodore and I never fell in love? It surely would have been easier...

I closed my eyes, remembering his face...remembering how his nose twitched when he laughed and how his eyes conveyed a thousand words just by latching on to you and his lips held a smirk that could rival anyone and I tightened my hands about myself because I knew no matter how much easier life would be, I would never give up the memories of that third state.

"I can't tell you what to do Hermione. I can't tell you whether it's better to let him go or stay with him because both options have you stuck on that island because if you stay with him the shackles will get heavier. It won't be easy; I think you know full well of that. There is a third option but somehow I don't see you making that move."

Leaving. Just leaving. Running away with Theodore like how she ran away with Blaise. We had no dangerous fiancé to hunt us down... yet it could never be an option to me... I could never leave them. Harry, Ron and Ky... Even if they were flying above me and I could never join them I could never leave them.

And if I stayed with Theodore... if we continued with what we were doing... then what? Was I to be the reason that he lay unconscious in a hospital bed again?

And if I let him go...

"Nobody wins in this. Except that island. It gets more and more inhabitants. I will tell you this though; Trevor Nott is one of the scariest islands you can ever exist on. Theodore has survived him for seventeen years but he is a cruel and vengeful man and it would be that much harder to escape him."

"I know." I glanced to the ground, my nose burning and my throat itchy, "It's just not fair."

She scoffed yet she never turned away from the lake, "It's not supposed to be fair Hermione. If it was fair, then it wouldn't be worth it."

I felt warmth at my side and I glanced up to see a long pale neck as she pulled me into her side as my chest shook with the tears.

"It's going to get harder. Much harder. For one thing we have no idea if and when Theodore will come back. He's going to have to convince his father somehow and explain away his miraculous recovery and if you think it's hard to live whilst he isn't here it's a million times harder to even breathe whilst his two feet away and there's ten feet of walls keeping you from each other. And you've not even started erecting it yet... you'll have to break up with him first."

Break up with him? It seemed such a nonsensical notion, as if there was this neat little tear away line that I could rip down the middle where he goes his way and I go mine taking exactly what we brought with us but in truth there was no line. There was no him and me, just a big page of us and there was no way of ripping it apart without losing bits of me or him in the process.

"How do you do it... how do you... with Blaise..."

"Easy." She glanced down at me as she rubbed my right arm consolingly, "If I stayed with him then we'd be permanently stuck on that island... he'd be six feet under... and there would be no possibility to even break these shackles... no second chance at the third state...you just have to outlive the island Hermione..."

I didn't mind waiting. Waiting for Theodore. Waiting until we could be together... waiting... for what really? For his father to change his mind? His father who nearly killed him for being involved with a muggle born? Or waiting until his father was placed behind bars? Was Trevor Nott truly the only thing that stood between us...?

I straightened up from Daphne's shoulder and glanced at her profile. What was she waiting for? She was waiting for Blaise but they had all the cards in their favour, they were both purebloods, they were both in love...

"Why don't you just say no? Reject his proposal. What happens if you do?"

She looked down at me, "You are in love with a pureblood Hermione, you should learn our culture. Did Ky ever tell you about the night of the Yule Ball?"

My brows furrowed in thought recalling the night that felts eons away. I recall being so aggrieved by Ron and his insults and accusations I had retired early... I awoke to find Ky hurt but she said something about tripping... she only recently told me that it was a token from her fight with Harry.

"It was that night that she earned my respect... it had little to do with the fact that she saved Blaise's life by pushing him out of the way of an albeit weak attempt at a killing curse, but more to do with the fact that she never questioned why. She never pushed for the reason why Barriston had attacked Blaise in the first place because Blaise and I were so busy living in the height of our third state that if she forced an answer out of us it would have had us hurtling back down and I didn't want to hurtle back down... I wasn't ready for it then..."

I tried to follow her thought process, why would Barriston Blishwick attempt to kill Blaise Zabini?

"You see, marriage has nothing to do with love with us and everything to do with furthering the family name. Children are just these blossoming assets that when ripe can be plucked and manoeuvred like some pawn. It's even common amongst the elite to forge favourable associations at birth and that's what my father chose to do. The Blishwicks' were not dark, not at the time of my birth, they were a decent family who chose to stay in the background, away from all the politics, just like we did. An agreement was struck and a betrothal agreed upon and I was only informed about it when I turned thirteen. Somehow along the years though the agreement was tentative and I don't know... something changed and I didn't have to marry into that family anymore. That was all before Bastian though. When he returned... everything was different and somehow my father... he just gave in."

So Barriston saw Daphne cavorting with Blaise and took that as a slight against his family name and attacked him?

"You see, it's not about me. Nor is it about him. It's about those spattering of letters that trudge behind my name and eclipse everything I am. So even if I run away again. Even if I flee further away, break those shackles and never stop flying... it won't change the contract. There'd still be a ripe fruit with the right letters attached to her name and can I truly do that to my own sister? Allow her to marry that vile creature."

She sniffed in a deep breath as her words sunk in. If she disappeared then her younger sister would just have to take her place. I mimicked her, taking the deep breath to quell my frustration... was there nobody without their own island? Without their own shackles?

"Theodore... isn't... he isn't?"

She shook her head, "No. The Nott's and Malfoy's usually allow the men in their family to choose a bride because their suitability is almost completely guaranteed. They're brought up in a way that ensures that their choices would be appropriate for their family." She smiled and looked down at me, "Trust Theodore to be the one to knock the Nott's off the Pureblood Directory."

I glanced down at the floor, well at least I didn't have some fiancé to worry about... their customs however were more in depth than I thought... I thought back to the Black family tree adorning the walls of Grimmauld Place... was Theodore's destiny to be just a smudge on his own family tree? Was it right... was it right to do that... no matter how horrid his father was... it was his father...

"Now." Daphne turned us both in the direction of the castle, "I do believe you have a party to attend that I am not invited to."

I wiped my face, the breeze drying up most of my tears and smiled at the girl who I had become close to over the past weeks. "Like you would even grace us with your presence if you were invited."

"Well if there was anyone I would risk social suicide for it would be Ky." She scoffed, "Not that I have a social life at present, but I think it would do more harm than good, my sudden appearance in your common room for a party no less. Millicent might grab me in a headlock for fraternising with the enemies, not that Millicent knows what fraternising means in the first place."

I laughed, the noise just slightly forced as we made our way across the lawn, "Thanks for helping me plan it nevertheless. Harry could hardly make a move without Ky knowing which is entirely his own doing..." I smiled; it was such bliss to at least see those two happy after they were miserable for such a long time.

"Well planning parties are what little pureblood princesses are pruned to do. And it really was my pleasure, the house elves always crave clear instructions when it comes to food preparations and considering you weren't even allowed in the kitchen's..."

She laughed, amused at the fact that I had to wait outside as she spoke to the house elves about the food for tonight. Apparently they didn't forget very easily... I suppose it didn't help that I left a few galleons payment for their services either; they sent it back with Ron when he went to fetch some of the food and apparently they were appalled by the sight of the gold.

"Oh and I showed the dress to Parvarti and Lavender and they agree that it would look stunning on Ky. Oh and Parvarti let it slip about the party today... oh she's engaged! Yes... that's happening. Godric..."

Daphne shook her head in amusement as we stepped into the Entrance Hall but something told me that it had more to do with my expression than the actual news. Why was I the only one that thinks they are too young!

I glanced towards the stairs to the dungeons, sighting a shock of black hair ascending them. I sighed, poor Daphne, she can't go five minutes without being trailed by those insipid spies of Blishwick's. I didn't even ask how she managed to sneak out today. My scowl was erased however when I saw just who it was.

It's weird, Blaise Zabini and I rarely spoke, even whilst Theodore was around, but listening to stories of him from Daphne's point of view, it was easy to like him.

He returned my smile with an unusually warm one of his own which probably had more to do with the fact that Daphne was not two feet away from him now. "Daphne. Granger. Bit late for a stroll isn't it?"

"We're actually coming in from one." Daphne's smile was barely suppressed as they stared into one another as if I was invisible. I made to move but was stopped when Blaise's eyes snapped to me.

"Where are you off to?" I stilled, unused to talking to the boy but even more unused to having my actions questioned by him... even if the question came out as a snap I answered it without anger.

"Back to the common room. You both have a good night. Daphne." I nodded at her, knowing we didn't have to keep our friendship a secret in front of Blaise.

"We'll walk you." I frowned, definitely unused to Blaise Zabini offering me company. I glanced at Daphne and she was also staring at him with a quizzical look on his face. He ignored our looks with a smirk, his dark cheek bones making it look positively sinful and he stepped onto the grand staircase and we followed behind him.

We walked in silence for the first few flights of empty corridors. Even though it was just after dinner everyone was either recuperating from the long nights of studying or celebrating the end of exams. I watched his shiny black shoes ascend and descend from the cold tiles with soft taps as he walked ahead and I wondered what he was up to?

I didn't have to wonder long though, I caught his light brown eyes gazing at the blonde as she ran her fingers over the cream wall of the fourth floor, staring up at the ceiling as if it were the roof of the Sistine Chapel and I realised this might be the only glimpse of the third state they get a chance at.

They're ten feet wall of separation eradicated by my very presence for how could they possibly be alone whilst I am here? How could they act out on their two feet distance when I was there to stop them... I was a comfortable barrier that allowed them to bathe in each other's presence...

I sighed and Zabini glanced back, "Come now Granger, you can't possibly be tired, it's barely eight and I expect Thornton won't be happy if you snooze through her party?"

My brows twitched but I didn't find it that odd that he knew about Ky's party, it was a wonder she only found out about it today considering how well secrets are guarded in Hogwarts.

"What time does it start?" His eyes were ahead of him again and I glanced at his short black hair.

"Plan on gate crashing?" I asked but the bite it usually would have had never made an appearance considering I was plagued with curiosity.

His only response was a smirk as we neared the seventh floor and he stopped at the top of the stairs. I nodded a goodbye at Daphne and then him, but he again stopped me with nothing but an intense stare.

"Here." I broke his gaze and glanced at the bottle in his hand, "Tell her I say Happy Birthday."

I could tell that the wine was expensive by the raised brows that Daphne sported and the dust that gathered at the bottom of the bottle showing that it had spent quite a while down in a cellar.

"Stepfather number five had a wine cellar that any man would kill for. Seriously, found him dead in his chambers whilst half his cellar was wiped clean, these are one of the few bottle mother managed to salvage."

"And you're giving it to Ky?" I couldn't help the question and he turned around, ready to make his way back down to the dungeons.

"I'm giving it to you Granger. It's been a long six weeks... he'd have wanted you to relax."

I looked at Daphne as she gave me a quick hug, ensuring she glanced around the corridor before doing so.

I walked slowly to the Fat Lady, staring at the long French words yet the translation never came to mind. Blaise Zabini gave me a bottle of wine? Expensive wine? Because he would have wanted me to relax...

"Hermione!" My head snapped away from the bottle of wine at the shout and Parvarti ran up to me, Dean right behind her. "Dean insists that Ky would want to play spin the bottle even though she is practically spoken for!"

"I didn't say Ky HAS to play! I'M not even going to play!" Dean moaned, "I'm just saying we should at least have it on the agenda for those people who ARE single! Jeez, it's like you've never planned a party before. I'm working with a bunch of amateurs Hermione! Did you see what they did with my banner?"

He pulled me towards the large birthday banner which shone magnificently down from the wall above the fireplace.

"Wow, Dean... its beautiful!" I gasped, staring at the black and gold work with its intricate designed borders and impeccable penmanship.

"Beautiful! Granger do you not see the hulking Pegasus where my pretty little baby unicorn should be!" I squinted at the little galloping horse like creature, observing both the horn and the wings, "I give them one job... one job to stencil out a unicorn-"

"Ky doesn't like unicorns!" Parvarti grumbled.

"DOESN'T LIKE... of course she likes unicorns! What kind of girl doesn't like unicorns?"

"Oh so she HAS to like unicorns because she's a GIRL!" Ginny stopped laying out cupcakes to glare at her boyfriend who stared at her, mouth gaping open.

"No... I mean... it's like... you know..."

"And he wants to play spin the bottle Ginny."

Parvarti tattled on Dean and then grabbed my hand and pulled me away, "More importantly, Alex has been looking for Harry to talk to him about the announcement but we can't find him. Oh and Demeter Robins seems to think that it's appropriate to buy Ky edible underwear, I glanced through some of her gifts and tossed his in the fire, no need to sour Harry's mood by having to give the big brute a thumping. Ooooh red wine! Fancy!"

Before I could get a word in edgeways she grabbed the bottle and handed it to Seamus who was manning the drinks table.

Neville was behind him, floating balloons up to the ceiling as last minute decorations just as the portrait swung open.

"Ta-da!" Lavender waltzed in with Ron hovering a bunch of containers behind which was swiftly grabbed by Hannah and Angelique and they started laddening the empty tables with food.

Lavender modelled towards us in her sky blue mini dress that would look more at home in a night club. "Let see that bitch Juliette outdress me today."

I rolled my eyes at the blonde's remark and turned to help Hannah and Angelique just as the portrait swung open again.

I sighed relieved that it wasn't Ky, we probably only had a few minutes before she returns from helping Madam Pomfrey with...

"Harry!" I gasped as he leaned against Ron, looking as if he had been running for miles. "Are you okay?"

"I haven't got much time," He panted and all thoughts of islands and shackles and third states went out the window at my best friend's dire face.

I rushed down the very same stairs that Zabini had emerged from an hour ago and turned down the corridor, the soft taps of feet right behind me, our way was unobstructed and I wondered whether that was the potion doing its work. I mean, it would be unlucky trying to explain our presence in the dungeons at this part of the night.

"Hermione?" I turned to Luna, her light grey eyes curiously looking at me as she stopped a few feet behind me. I just realised what I had done and back tracked, I was so used to going down to Ky's lab that my feet just took me there...

I glanced back down the corridor has Harry's words echoed in my head...

"Don't tell Ky."

"But Harry-" He cut across Ron and stared at me with a determined gleam in his eyes.

"Just don't tell her, please. She's in a horribly unpredictable mood ever since Selina and Silvain's... I'm afraid that if something does happen she... she's blinded by anger and the thirst for revenge and-"

"Harry! She'll be furious when she finds out that you didn't tell her this. That you didn't ask her to help. And she'll be here any minute-"

"And you lot will be gone by then! Hannah, Angelique, clear everything out please. I've already left her a note saying I'll be going with her grandfather. She'll come here and assume that Ron's with Lavender and you're on prefect duty and she'll just go have a rest or something. I have to go now; please just... don't tell her!"

"We should have carried some garlic." I glanced at Luna who was staring vacantly at the sign that read Prof Severus Snape. "You don't have any on you do you?"

"What?" I grabbed Luna's hand and dragged her to the end of the corridor, we were supposing to spy on his office but we could hardly do so right in front of his door. Why we had to watch him in the first place was beyond me. I could understand Harry's obsession with Malfoy but Snape of all people was on OUR side.

"Garlic. It's like an onion only it's not...oohh they should be some in the potions store room!"

"Luna, why would we need garlic?" I ground out, my eyes stamped on Snape's door. Was Harry saying that Snape was the enemy? He may say that he didn't want Ky to help because he wanted to keep her safe but in truth it was probably to save himself from the wrath he would have to endure at accusing Snape at not being on our side

"...and Scrimgeor also has the same pallid complexion which is easier-"

"Luna!" I snapped, "Snape is not a vampire!"

I heard footsteps and dragged her further into the shadows just as two figures emerged from the end of the corridor. I watched as they walked up the stairs into the Entrance Hall, the boy being extremely familiar as I saw him many times tagging along behind Daphne. The girl was familiar as well as I caught her out of bounds in the Dungeons months ago. Anna Smith.

"This is ridiculous." I muttered after a while... it was already well over half an hour since Harry left and nothing had happened. Draco was not a death eater! Snape was on our side! Harry was just being paranoid! By Godric Ky would be leaving for...

Ky... Ky should have left by now?

She can't be still brewing the draught of the living death for this long? She should have been back by now or we should have met her on our way down here...

"Hermione."

I ignored Luna and ran past Snape's office and down the corridor towards her lab. Godric! How could we not think, if something bad was going to happen how can it not concern Ky!

I snapped the password at the portrait and stepped through quickly.

"Hermione." I glanced across the lab, at the pictures on the walls and shelves of books and the scarlet armchair and the green scatter cushion and the oak table and matching bench and the cauldron...

The unlit cauldron that held a handful of sage leaves...

"Is this Ky's lab? There are wrackspurts all over!" She squealed, running to the closest book and blowing dust off it in excitement.

Ky never leaves a potion unfinished... plus I could barely smell the draught and if she made it recently it should still be strong in this room.

I ran out of the room and made my way back to Snape's office and was shocked to find the man himself thundering down the corridor.

"Professor Snape!" I screamed, suddenly the facts sinking in.

"Miss Granger, now is not-"

"Ky's not in her lab and she's supposed to be in her lab and she's not and there are sage leaves just lying there in the cauldron and she's-"

His black eyes glanced behind my shoulder as if to ascertain for himself that Ky was in fact not there. My lips ran dry and I licked it as his eyes darted up the corridor and towards the stairs.

"Miss Granger... Professor Flitwick is currently in my office. He has passed out from the excitement... I've sent for Madam Pomfrey but until then I need you to wait with him." He held his hand up as I began to protest, "I will find Bane. Do not worry. Just wait here."

He was off with a swish of his cloak and I took a deep breath. I'm being paranoid! Ky probably just took a walk. Or she's... she's okay... Godric I wish I hadn't given the Marauder's Map to Ron.

"Hermione."

I snapped towards Luna who was kneeling beside Professor Flitwick and I rushed towards him. Snape said that he passed out from the excitement? What excitement? What has Professor Flitwick come all the way down to the dungeons... fetch Snape... oh Godric...

"Move aside, move aside!" I did as I was told on instinct as Madam Pomfrey fell next to Luna.

"Madam Pomfrey, is Ky with you?"

"What?" She had her recitator out and begun observations on Professor Flitwick, "Like I told Severus moments ago she left me an hour ago. His heart rate is fine. His breathing is stable...ennervate."

Professor Flitwick jumped to his feet just as I gasped.

He was stunned.

"Hermione!" Luna screamed after me as I ran for the Entrance Hall.

Stunned.

Snape stunned him!

Harry was right! Snape is bad! Oh Godric and I've sent him after Ky.

Floor after floor was just a blur as I ran like I never run before towards the Room of Requirement. All I needed to do was find Ron, find the map, find Ky first.

Suddenly the world was doused in blackness and I could only make out my panting... this had to be the seventh floor... I turned around but it did nothing to help me find my surroundings.

"lumos."

There was no beam of light and I ascertained one thing... Peruvian instant darkness powder...

I closed my eyes and concentrated on listening to my surrounding rather than sight and followed the sound of footsteps and voices. I tripped as I realised I reached steps and I opened my eyes as I found myself on a familiar set of stairs.

"LAVENDER!"

Ron's voice had me surging up the stairs and I emerged into the familiar corridor that housed the stairs to the Astronomy Tower.

Before I could take in my surrounding I saw just what Ron was screaming about and ran forward, "Anapneo."

My yellow spell hit Lavender right in the neck and the death eater that had been strangling her turned his wand on me instead. I took a wary step back and pulled up a shield charm, glancing around at the many duels that were happening.

Ron and Parvarti were fighting of a huge death eater that I could only assume was female by her voice as Alex was duelling what looked like Fenrir Greyback all on his own.

"Crucio."

I dodged the spell that he tossed at me just as my shield broke and raised my wand in a striking gesture, "Baubillious!"

The blinding whit spell hit the death eater right in the face, blinding him momentarily and I quickly raised my wand again, "Expelliarmus!"

His wand flew out of his hand just as my ankle caught on something and I tripped. For one moment I stared into the empty brown eyes of an unknown death eater.

I didn't have much time to recover from the shock of the dead body as a piercing pain shot through my skull as someone stepped on my hair. I glanced up, just to see the shock of electric blue eyes and I raised the shield charm just as she threw the red curse at me.

Nevillle didn't take lightly to Alya Bellamy ignoring their duel and he shouted a violet curse at her that rebounded weakly off her own shield charm. I flinched as someone threw a blasting hex and I dodged the shrapnel that was heading our way.

I watched as her red lips cocked into a smirk as the shrapnel lifted off the floor and flew back at me, I wasn't able to dodge it this time and I felt something pierce my left leg.

"Cruc-"

"Expelliarmus!" Neville's spell was almost on target if she hadn't turned and with a flick of her wand Neville was on the floor...

"NO!" I screamed, "Stupefy!"

She laughed mockingly as she stepped out of the way of the spell in the direction I predicted, "Colloshoo!" Her smile faltered as her foot rooted to the ground and I quickly used my moment, "Expelliarmus!"

Her wand went flying out of her hand and I jumped to catch it but before my fingers could wrap around it my body was flung to the floor for the second time.

"Ahhh." I felt someone trod on my hair again but I could tell it was on purpose and I watched with watery eyes as Allison Fleeceheart handed Alya Bellamy back her wand.

I felt ropes wind around my legs and I screamed as it ran roughly over the opened wound on my left leg and the tears broke forth but it didn't blind me to the victorious blue eyes and the dark wand that hovered below it,

"Avad-"

My heart stopped for one singular moment as a piercing pain hit my back and the darkness fell over me as I fell to the floor, the green spell flying above me and the last thing I processed was warm hazel green eyes below dark strands and above a smirk that set my heart on fire and the world was black again.

Theodore.

Reviews as always will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for reading

Kalina