Author's note: Okay 5. I can promise you guys 5 total chapters on this, without my people following my other WIPs absolutely losing it on me i think. Lol. The following is a quote from the actual books, in one of the last paragraphs for this chapter i used it for inspiration. "But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. Because there are somethings you can't go through in life and become friends, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them." A word of caution if you've read any of my previous works you know i always add this warning. For those of you who don't. I write the most bittersweetly, devastating endings imaginable. If I haven't left you aching and sobbing on the floor I don't feel i've done a very good job on my work. All of that being said i hope you follow along on Hermione's journey into madness and darkness it's going to be one hell of a ride. (Rating will change I imagine as we go) It's Dramione after all and what's Dramione without a little spice?

Xoxo

Catstclaire

ps mad love to Wendy snakesinthegardenx on Tiktok, without her this story would never have come. She made a lovely video on this story already, and i encourage you to show her some love on her account!

A year ago Hermione had arguably been Harry's best friend. Now arguably she was the worst person he ever met. A year ago it would have ripped her up inside to see herself now. Wearing Ron's face with her wand set on Harry, and 'Avada Kedavra' on the tip of her tongue.

She just wasn't that girl anymore.

The one who could throw herself head first, following after Harry into the latest way the universe was trying to kill him, at the drop of a pin. The girl that would have given her own life for Harry's without a question. The one who thought of Harry as someone who was entirely good, and worth saving.

Hermione just wasn't that girl anymore. She had been filed over the years, like nails at a solan, and instead of coming away sharp and neat she had come away blunt and dangerous. Each new nemesis or crisis they faced was like a single cut, none of which had ever been all that serious on their own. But. When all of it was bundled and wrapped up into one, it felt like death. Like she had died or at least a very big part of her had at some point. Being the friend of Harry Potter was death by a thousand cuts.

Hermione had hated the older Order members. Lupin, and Moody types. Who had always believed in sacrifice for the 'Greater good.' She thought them callous, and monstrous. The way they sent children out to fight in a war they had absolutely no experience for. She used to wonder how they slept at night knowing they'd allowed someones son or daughter to become cannon fodder.

Hermione knew now watching Harry watch her. They slept just fine.

She would to.

"Draco's been taken prisoner. Voldemort has him. He's allowed for an exchange. Draco's life for yours."

"And Ron?"

"Dead."

Harry's eyes closed softly, and Hermione wondered if he was praying.

"Let's just think on this for a moment Hermione. We can- we'll-" Harry uncrossed his arms and his eyes searched hers for something she was sure must have died with Astra. "When i lost Ginn-"

"But I haven't lost Draco!" Hermione thundered at him, and she went around the counter and sauntered closer to him. He backed away cautiously out of instinct. "Weren't you listening? He isn't dead." Her voice was cold, and unwavering.

Harry stepped backwards, for every step she took forwards. Both of them moving almost in sync, a push and pull motion between them. Her eyes were calculated and calm. His were apprehensive and blown wide with the sudden shock of grief or betrayal, Hermione wasn't sure.

As they progressed back into the living room Harry's hand slid against the wall, and it knocked a frame off the wall. It clattered at their feet. She was close enough that she could push his glasses back up onto his nose if she wanted. They'd gone askew at some point during their quarrel.

"What happened-" Harry asked her as his back finally met the back of his front door. He was trapped, and he knew it. He ran his hand threw his hair messily, a nervous habit of his Hermione knew. "Where did we both go wrong, do you think?" He swallowed thickly, and Hermione sat the tip of her wand against his temple. "Was there a point we might have righted all the mistakes we made?"

"I can't speak for you, but i probably i went wrong the second i sat next to you in the great hall, when i made Gryffindor." Hermione tilted the wand just so, for a better angle. "I'll be correcting my error, now."

There didn't need to be much more than this Hermione told herself. She had explained herself, Harry knew why she had to kill him. What point would there be rehashing everything that had happened between them? She didn't want some dreadful sort of goodbye with Harry. 'I'm sorrys- or- i love yous.' No. To hell with all of that rot.

"With Ron's face though, Hermione?"Harry's eyes were blearry then, and a single tear had streaked down his cheek. "Why his face?"

A crack of lightning lit up the room, and Harry shuddered.

"I didn't want you to see it coming."

Hermione knew that deep down Harry loved her. Yet she also knew that part of him was afraid of her now. Of what she might decide to do at any given time. Part of him secretly agreed with Kingsley. That she couldn't be trusted fully with Order business any longer. They both thought she was unstable, and the loss of her daughter had left her crazed.

The thing that happened with Luna itched at the back of her head...

Perhaps. Maybe they had a point.

Harry was currently all but staring down the barrel of a gun in her hands.

"How thoughtful of you." His eyes stared passed her, over her shoulder back to where the picture frame had fallen off the wall.

Harry mostly saw Hermione as a danger only to herself. Another reason he established the port key for her. It was safety from others, but also from herself. She still saw though every once in awhile. She would see the truth that lingered in Harry's head unspoken. In the ways his hand hovered over his wand pocket and he only seemed to see her when others were around, there was the truth. He didn't trust Hermione with himself anymore. He knew exactly how dangerous she had come to be. If she had shown up alone earlier with the rain pouring down, and the sky thundering behind her Harry would have immediately been on his guard. He never would have unlocked the front door without having first armed himself.

She shook her head to get back to task this was supposed to be quick, and-

"Avada ke-"

The sudden crack of apparition from outside stole her attention. It was only a split second but her wand arm had relaxed, and Harry used her distraction to duck down onto the floor. Then the sound of a creaking floor board behind her had her whirling around just in time.

"Stupefy!" Someone screamed and the spell exploded into the window. The shattered bits of glass flew around them, and Hermione absently felt the sting of a cut on her cheek. "Move! Now Harry!"

Several more spells shot across the room at Hermione. She cast a protego on herself.

Harry army crawled his way out of her reach. The 2 Aurors must have come in from the back windows she guessed. But how had they known to come when they did?

Hermione looked back at the frame on the ground as she stepped over it. It was a photo of Ginny. The back of it had some sort of sigil- a rune actually. Harry must have knocked it off the wall on purpose, to signal for help. Of course Harry would have several fail safes in his home in case danger came knocking. Hermione had acted much to prematurely.

"Confringo." Hermione threw out at them as the 2 of them dueled her.

Harry was pressed between the wall and the back of the bigger of the 2 Aurors. Each of the Aurors had a small puddle forming at their feet, their uniforms were soaked through from the storm. Water droplets flung in every direction as they fired spells at her.

It was arduous work to duel 2 on 1, and Hermione knew she wouldn't have a shot in hell if Harry somehow made it to where ever his wand was. Fuck. She would have to flee.

"Weasley's gone mad." One of the Aurors remarked crossly. That was when she realized they hadn't been firing anything lethal at her. They didn't know that it was Hermione they were battling. "The hell's wrong with him, has he been cursed?" He barked at Harry.

Harry didn't answer. He was staring at Hermione as she worked like he had never seen her before in his life.

"Incarcerous!" The tip of the Auror's wand spat out thick rope like cords but they missed Hermione spectacularly. They knocked bounced off the coffee table and knocked over the coat rack.

The 2 Aurors advanced on her at the same time, and her shield fell. Dammit.

Harry was slumped down against the wall at an awkward angle without the weight of the Auror to keep him up. His mouth was slightly agape, and more tears had trickled down his face.

A third auror appeared from back within the kitchen. The other 2 wove around him with their spells so he could get to Harry. He was carrying a med kit. He pulled Harry until he was sitting upright, and he slapped at his cheeks.

"That isn't Ron, it's..." Harry tried to tell them weakly, but he couldn't say her name.

Hermione wondered briefly if they would have already resorted to unforgivables if they knew it was her they were dueling with. The wife of a known former death eater, the daughter in law of Lucius Malfoy, the prized pupil of Severus Snape.

The crack of apparition came from outside again. More Aurors were still coming. She had to get out of there. If the Order caught her Draco was done for.

"Sectumsempra." She hurled fourth, and was pleased when it hit her mark. The Auror crumpled to the ground with a wail, and his red cloak became even redder still as blood bloomed out around his chest. His eyes rolled back into his head and his partner abandoned his duel with Hermione to help him.

Several moments passed where she stood stalk still staring at Harry like he was down some sort of tunnel. Their eyes locked. Emotions of all kinds swirled within her gut as she looked at him. Devotion, loyalty.

He had always been there, whenever she needed him. Just a floo or a broom ride away. For so long it had been that way. They had grown up together. Someone told Hermione once that 'Sandbox love never dies.'

Yet.

Somehow.

It had.

Then she remembered what she had at stake. The next time she looked at Harry Potter it would only be in distaste. Hermione turned away from him, and broke their connection with finality. She dashed up the staircase and she sent a confringo at the nearest window. She pulled a broomstick out of the hall closet. Then she mounted the broom, and kicked off before any of the Aurors downstairs came after her. She flew threw the air and several jets of light sliced through the rain around her. The Aurors outside the house had seen her make her exit.

Rather they'd seen Ron Weasley make his exit.

She tried very hard not to think back on the beginning of them all, as she flew at break neck speeds over all the houses more than 50 feet below her. On how the golden trio had begun all the way back in first year in the girls bathroom when the troll was set free in the castle.

Maybe there would be a time far off in the future when Harry was gone, and Draco back in her arms that she could properly mourn the golden trio. She had loved Ron, and she had loved Harry once.

But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became his enemy. Because there are somethings you can't go through in life and become enemies, and the love of her life depending on Harry Potter's death was one of them.

As she held tight onto Ron's broom she began to concoct her next plan. Several ideas came to her somewhere over Surrey. There was poisoning, and cursing. So very, many ways to kill someone.

In order to Kill Harry she would need time, she couldn't go in rushed, and half daft like she had this time. She had lost the element of surprise, and now she had to make her plans exceptionally carefully.

Hermione knew exactly where she could go in order to remain hidden while her plot unfolded.