Warning: This chapter contains themes and images that some readers may find distressing.

She wanted to be done. Hermione wished more than anything that she was taking her N.E.W.T.s. That once she completed those, she wouldn't have to worry about school anymore. She could focus on other things. She didn't want to go into Finals Week, because she knew what would happen when it ended. She only had five exams. She didn't have that few since primary school.

While Harry and Ron were furiously studying for History of Magic, Hermione lounged back, twirling a pencil around her fingers.

"Aren't you going to study?" Ron demanded. "These are important, you know!"

He sighed and hung his head when Harry snorted.

Hermione paused her pencil twirling but kept her chair balanced on the back legs.

"I've only got one more," she said. "Potions and that's tomorrow. Sixty percent of our exams were on my Level Ones at Castelobruxo, so Potions should be no different."

"So why aren't you spending time snogging your girlfriend?" asked Harry.

"Why aren't you?"

His quill snapped in his hand and his cheeks darkened. "Daphne and I aren't dating! I just asked her to dance at the formal and she didn't fling punch in my face. I'd hardly call that a relationship."

Hermione smiled vaguely. "Just teasing you. Sorry, I'm still working on tone. Char is working on her N.E.W.T.s. and Daphne, Tracey, and Millicent kicked me out of the dorm because they got distracted when I put on a movie. I couldn't figure out how to connect my headphones."

"Since when are you and Millicent friends?" asked Ron.

"I wouldn't call us that. I think there's always a part of her that will look down on me and I don't need that in my life, but she likes having someone to talk to about working out and archery, so we've settled for a sort of 'I won't mention it, if you won't.' She's no ally, but that's not my problem."

The pencil slipped from her grasp and landed on the floor. She stared at it indifferently.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked.

"I'll probably fail everything. I haven't studied at all."

He snorted. "Yeah right. You'll wipe the floor."

She wasn't exactly lying. She'd been spending most of her time and energy preparing. Practicing. Training.

Pretending.

"Hey, Harry, can I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

"I'm worried I'll have to sneak away on the last day of school, you never know who's hiding out at Hogsmeade Station, see, and I was wondering if you'd take Crookshanks to your place. He'll be happy with Belle."

"Where will you go?"

"Don't know. Shouldn't say anyway. The walls have ears you—WHOA!" Her chair fell back the rest of the way, sending her crashing to the floor.

"NIA!" Harry and Ron cried, standing up.

Hermione rubbed the back of her head and tried not to tear up. "My bad. I think I might just go for a walk. Run over some flashcards."

"You sure you're okay?" Harry asked, even though she never said she was.

"I'm fine," she said. "Worry about yourselves."

She wandered around the castle, running through the plan in her head, minding to keep her defenses up in case an unknown legilimens was trying to peek in. Cedric was unusually in-tune, but natural legilimens typically were.

"Miss Granger."

She spun on her heel. "Professor Snape. Are finals done for the day or did you actively seek me out to berate me one last time?"

"Mind your tone. I am still a Professor of this school and you will show me the proper respect," he said coldly.

Hermione stared at him. "Why do you hate me so much? Ever since I raised my hand in your class, you seemed to make it your mission to treat me like I've always been treated by teachers. I don't even mean this year, I mean since my first year."

He sneered. "You? You're soft. You have a plush existence with all your whims attended to. You have never faced real struggle in your life! When you face the real world you will be hopelessly unprepared."

She should have been angry. Indignant at least. Instead, she felt nothing and her lack of reaction seemed to make him grow colder.

"Is that what you think?" she asked.

"I don't think. I know."

"Hm…"

Trap.

She had a feeling he wanted her to let him in. If she showed him those memories, then he would have easier access to the ones she locked away tighter than her horcrux kit. Still, she didn't want to leave, letting him think he was right. She had enough of that.

"Have you finally been struck speechless?"

"No. Just wondering where to start." She stared at him. "I shouldn't have to explain myself to you. I don't know why I am now, but if you keep treating people like this… you never know when you'll push the next Bailey Todd over the edge."

"You dare speak his name?"

"Yes, I dare. When I was in that orphanage, hidden away from the world, tormented by kids and adults alike, hair caught fire, my things destroyed, hit, spat on… I never saw a future. I thought, 'this is life for me. I will never know anything else.' And by chance, I was adopted. And yeah, they gave me whatever I asked for, because they knew life would be hard for me and they didn't want to add to it.

"You think you're the first to make fun of my stutter? Or my hair? Or my face? You don't even compare." She took a deep breath. "I don't care if you hate me for the rest of your life, but you better start treating students better. I'm glad you're the only teacher who didn't receive an Order of Merlin. Well, you and Trelawney, but she really needs to stop telling kids they're going to die."

His lip curled. "I'm sure you know that the Defense Position is cursed and therefore I will be removed in some way."

Don't say. He'll tell. If he was aware of the curse, then why accept the position?

Hermione hummed. "Any other misconceptions you have about me?"

"You think you've changed my mind?"

"I don't have to change your mind. I just refuse to let adults make me question if I suffered enough. I think that just prevents people from pushing back when they're being treated badly because they think others have it worse." She stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Dumbledore might trust you, but I don't. I know he's dying and when he's gone, I'm cutting you out."

"That's not your decision to make, you insolent child!"

Hermione stared at him and he seemed unnerved.

"Isn't it? You seem to underestimate me, sir." She shrugged. "No matter. All I care about is making sure nothing happens like what happened to Cedric. I refuse to lose anyone else and I'll do whatever it takes. Even if I die trying."

"Are you so arrogant to believe you can save everyone?"

"Au contraire Snape-a-doodle, I just refuse to roll over and accept what some call 'fate.' If there's nothing else…?"

He said nothing, so she walked away. She spared him no other thought as she sought out Char for a flirt and a kiss.

The following day, she woke up feeling like she used to before class in primary school. Scared to the point of being sick. She fought the urge to pack her bag and run home. She couldn't do that to Draco. She couldn't risk what Dumbledore was going to do to Harry.

She spent the morning preparing everything. It all had to be in place and she and Draco would have to work fast the moment Potions ended.

It was a wonder that she wasn't shaking. She had desperately wanted to wear her armor, but she decided she couldn't without raising suspicion. She still wore her bracers, but she donned the same outfit she wore on the train to school.

The clock chimed.

"Please place your potions on the table," said Professor Slughorn. "Enjoy your last week everyone!"

Go time.

Hermione placed her potion on the table and made brief eye contact with Draco. He would be going straight to the anchor stones and hide out there.

She sensed Dumbledore in his office and went straight that way, taking her secret passages so she wouldn't run into anyone. The gargoyle stepped aside for her without prompting. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk looking very old and frail.

"Professor," said Hermione. "Sorry to disturb you, but as the teachers are busy collecting finals and I really don't see any need to call for alarm, I thought it best to come to you."

"What is it, Miss Granger?"

"I found an odd passage down by the anchor stones," she said. "I don't know where it leads and it seems to eat wand light. I thought, perhaps, you could take a look and determine if it leads somewhere dangerous or… if it's a tunnel that could be compromised in the future."

At first, she thought he might dismiss her, but he nodded.

"Very well. Thank you for getting a teacher rather than managing the situation by yourself." He gave her what she was sure he thought was a grandfatherly smile. "Adults are not entirely useless, you know."

"Yes, sir."

It was maddeningly slow going. Dumbledore didn't seem to walk very fast and was keen on greeting everyone he passed. She suggested taking the lift, but he declined claiming the walk would do him good.

Finally, finally, finally, they reached the anchor stones.

"You know," he said. "I never did know these were here. How on earth did you come across them?"

"My first year," she said. "With Cedric."

"Miss Granger… I know you don't believe me, but I am sorry for what happened to the boy. He was a good one."

Hermione led the way towards the very real passage. "I believe you."

When he had stepped in the center of the circle, she disarmed him and yelled out the spell to trap him in a dome. It crackled with energy and Dumbledore's face fell into shock.

"You…" he whispered.

"Me," she said simply, placing the pendant at East and tucking his wand in her belt.

"But… but why? I expected Draco Malfoy."

"Nia is helping me." Draco stepped out from the shadows and took his place opposite the circle from Hermione.

"I obliviated you, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore. "You were supposed to forget until the time was right!"

"I would give a monologue, sir," said Hermione. "Why, how, but I'm afraid I'm on a very tight schedule."

"I never would have taken you for a murderer."

"Murder? Who ever said anything about murder?" Hermione raised her hands, channeling Hogwarts through her to boost her own magic. She and Draco began to chant and the circle grew bright.

Before them, Dumbledore's spine straightened. His hair gained its luster back, and his nails were meticulous.

"You don't know what you do!" he shouted.

Hermione and Draco kept going. Quickly, his beard darkened from white to an ashy red. His beard began to recede, his hairline crept forward then thickened, his wrinkles began to smooth.

"Who are you?!" he shouted in a commanding tone that almost halted the whole thing. "Why do you do this?"

His hair turned auburn and shortened. His expression grew confused.

"What am I doing here? Please, stop! I'm meant to be in Germany! I can't let him do this alone!"

Then his beard melted into his skin, his hair lengthened once more and his height shrank.

"Stop, I beg of you! GELLERT WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Still he shrank, down, down. Teen, tween, adolescent, child, toddler; his silver robes billowing around him. That's when he began to cry. Hermione's heart broke at the sound. Finally, she stopped chanting and canceled the enchantments, approaching Dumbledore.

A baby lay writhing in his robes, his eyes a startling blue and a tuft of red hair atop his head. He almost could have been Ron's baby brother had he any freckles.

"We… we did it," Draco whispered.

"Yes," said Hermione, feeling drained. "I've got everything in that bag. Go and take it to the Astronomy Tower. I'll take care of him."

Draco nodded, looking ghostly pale and hurried off.

Hermione wrapped Dumbledore up in his own robes and cast a silencing charm. He stuck out his lower lip and sniffled inaudibly. She held up his wand, long and white with knobs like a finger. It didn't push against her. In fact, the magic inside it was true neutral, much like Harry's invisibility cloak, and it accepted her as its wielder.

She stashed it away in her kit and held Dumbledore in her arms.

"I'm sorry," she said, walking towards the tunnel created just for her. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. Maybe if you had listened to me, things could have turned out differently… Not dismissed me so much. I think you're out of touch and that would have proven dangerous. I don't want to let people think you're dead, but we'll be martyring you. I hope I'm making the right decision. No one can ever know, of course. If I ever meet you again, I don't intend on telling you who you were. I can't put that sort of pressure on a child."

She paused to put on her cloak with Gryffindor's Pin for the invisibility and wrapped Dumbledore in an untraceable blanket. She hurried out of the tunnel into the cave near the end of the train tracks. Hogsmeade was quiet and dead, the only noise coming from the wind and the fluttering of wanted posters.

Hermione tucked the letter she had written into the blanket and placed the now sleeping baby onto the step of the Hog's Head. She hurried to hide just as the door opened.

"What the—" the wizard who nearly stepped on the baby slurred. "OI, barman! Did'ja order a babby?"

"A babby?" Aberforth Dumbledore's head poked out of the doorway and stared down at the bundle.

Albus began to cry and stretched his arms out towards his brother. Whether Aberforth recognized his brother or not, Hermione wasn't sure, but he picked him up and looked around as if hoping the mother was close by, before disappearing back into the pub.

Satisfied, Hermione returned back to school. She had to hurry.

Thankfully, nobody stopped her as she sped down the passageways to get to the Astronomy Tower. There, Draco was sitting around.

"Did you do it?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said. "I left a letter stating his name was Brian. Long-lost relative from America. Too sick to care for him. Blah, blah, blah. I think he'll be alright. Come on."

They summoned the Dumbledore look-alike from the bag and grew it to full-size before dressing it in the clothes the real Dumbledore left behind. Hermione combed its hair and braided its beard. It was a puppet assembled from a pig's carcass among other items. She'd had the items sent to her staggered out, though the pig was from the kitchens. The elves had dismissed the missing pork as a counting error.

"Remember," she said. "Soon as it's done, get as much distance between you and them as possible. And don't worry, I'll be close by."

Hermione went down to the area below the stargazing platform and drew a circle on the ceiling.

"It's almost time!" Draco called when she had finished.

Hermione paused. No… no, no, no. A group was heading towards the Room of Things. Cecilia, Tonks, Fleur, Bill… what were they doing here?! Why were they going to the Room of Things?

"Nia? Everything okay?"

"We have company," she said. "Curse-breakers. Aurors. Going to the Room."

"What?! Why?"

"I don't know. SHIT! The Death Eaters are coming through! Draco, I can't stop this, they'll be able to leave."

"Well, can't you stop them from calling the room?"

"No! They already opened the door! We go as planned. They'll be making their way here no matter what." Hermione clicked her walkie-talkie. "CODE BLACK! I REPEAT! CODE BLACK! DEATH EATERS IN THE SCHOOL! SEVENTH FLOOR! GO ON TOTAL LOCKDOWN!"

She lifted the hood of her cloak over her head and connected to the Dumbledore puppet. She pushed it off the floor, seeing through its eyes with her own closed ones like so many of her visions. She unsteadily moved it over to the railing and Draco took his place in the middle of the room, training his wand on it. A false version of Dumbledore's already in hand as if he'd taken it from him.

Like this, Hermione could not sense what was going on in the castle. Or, perhaps, Hogwarts cut her off, enraged by what had just transpired.

Before long, steps clattered up the stairs.

"You don't have to do this, Draco," said Hermione, speaking with Dumbledore's voice. "We can protect you. We can protect your mother, too."

"No, you can't!" Draco rolled up his sleeve to show the dark mark. "I'm marked by this!"

Four made it to the room, the sounds of fighting came from down the stairs. More had come than expected.

Shit.

There were two people who looked like they'd been made from clay then dropped on their faces. Their names popped into Hermione's head. Amycus and Alecto Carrow. Estranged relatives of the girls from the Slug Club. There was also Fenrir Greyback, he looked horrific, blood dripped from the corners of his mouth yet one eye was gouged out and the lid swollen shut. Rather than let this take him out, he seethed from the pain allowing it to anger him and fuel him. The fourth was a scrawny man whom she could not place. He had not been on the Wanted Posters but he also didn't seem like a trainee.

"You brought friends, Draco," said Hermione. "How on earth did you let them in?"

"He's stalling," Amycus snarled. "Finish him off Draco."

Yes, do it. Draco was stock-still, terrified of doing the deed even when he knew this was a puppet before him and not Dumbledore himself.

"Well, shouldn't an old man have a right to have some questions answered?" Hermione asked to give him time to steel himself. "For instance, where do you find so many people to join your cause? Fenrir Greyback… I'm surprised you follow a man who views you as his inferior."

Fenrir grinned gruesomely, a sight made worse by the blood. "All of wizardkind views werewolves as inferior. Might as well follow the one who will give us a steady supply of fresh meat. And so many delicious throats to rip out. Of course… my aim tonight is the Granger girl. I'll tear down as many of her friends as I must to get to her."

"I'm sure she's just dying to meet you."

"Enough talk!" said Alecto. "Go on, Draco. Do it now!"

"Draco… please." Dumbledore's withered hand stretched out.

Draco opened his mouth, the spell forming, when a new voice stepped in.

"No."

Snape stepped out of the shadows. Hermione didn't account for this. He wasn't supposed to be here.

"Severus…" she whispered.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Hermione quickly disconnected and the puppet tumbled over the railing down to the courtyard below. She threw back her hood and pointed her wand up through the slats of wood.

"Well, Draco," said Alecto. "You succeeded in leading us in, which means your mother will be spared and returned to Lucius. You, however, failed in killing Dumbledore yourself."

"Leave the boy be," said Snape. "He was never going to do it. The deed is done, might as well leave the matter alone."

"Sorry, Severus," said Fenrir. "Rules are rules."

As he pounced, Hermione cast the switching spell on the second dummy she had made. This one a life-sized doll made of burlap and filled with sawdust. Draco stood before her, lowering his trembling hands. Tears flooded his eyes and he hugged her fiercely.

"SAWDUST?!" Fenrir roared. "WHAT TRICKERY IS THIS?!"

"You saved my life," Draco whispered.

"We're not out of the woods yet," said Hermione.

She dragged him over to a wall and pressed him close against it, she pointed her wand at the platform and cast a disintegration spell at it. The wood splintered and shook away the runic circle she had made in chalk. While the Death Eaters shouted in surprise, Hermione pressed on a stone. The wall spun around, depositing them down a slide that encircled the entire Astronomy Tower, dumping them into the thick of a battle taking place in the corridor.

Teachers and the crew going to the Room of Things fought hard against dozens of Death Eaters.

Hermione jumped into the fray, throwing spells left and right. She sensed students in their common rooms, though some from the D.A. as well as a few seventh years going into Auror training had run up to join the fight.

"TRAITOR!" a death eater yelled at Draco just before receiving a stunner.

"I'm not one of you!" Draco retorted.

Hermione inhaled deeply and roared, blasting a jet of flames at a cluster ganging up on Professor McGonagall. Her hands crackled with energy as she sent stunners and petrifying spells along with bouts of her fire breath.

Fenrir Greyback stumbled back into the corridor. He shouldn't have been walking, but his hatred seemed to give him strength.

"FENRIR GREYBACK!" Hermione bellowed.

He turned and gave her a gruesome grin.

"Miss Granger!" he called over the din. "We meet at last!"

"I'm going to steal all your teeth!"

Professor Lupin paled.

"No! Don't engage! Run, Nia!"

"Little Remus Lupin!" Greyback sneered. "Give my regards to your dear old dad!"

Hermione roared and charged, casting an old Maori spell that loosened teeth. It was originally meant for sharks, to easily collect the teeth for weapons and jewelry and such. Fenrir pounced and she raised her armored arm defensively. His teeth sank in as he knocked her to the ground and he dug his sharp nails into her shoulders.

She kneed him in the groin.

He let go and half his teeth came out, stuck in her bracer. His remaining eye bugged out and he howled in rage,

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

"Giving you yours, Fenny!" Hermione worked her shrimp maneuver and pummeled him in the face with her boots, several more teeth flying.

"I'll cut your throat open you fucking whore!"

She summoned her bat out of her bag and swung it with all her might, knocking him out cold. The wood splintered and she dropped it. Her vision went grey, all she could sense were her enemies. Some of these were not her students. She had to protect the innocent. Her teachers fought around her and Snape ran through the group.

"SEVERUS SNAPE!" she roared, aiming a spell at him. "You dare betray Hogwarts? Dumbledore trusted you!"

He fired off a stunner, which bounced off her bracers.

"SEVERUS!" Professor McGonagall cried. "Help us hold them back!"

Snape sneered at her and fired a curse, which she blocked. Her eyes went wide with fury. Hermione—or was she Hogwarts now?—engaged. Snape spent his energy holding her off. She inhaled deeply and spat fire, catching his robes. He withdrew a cluster of instant darkness powder and made his escape while more surged to take her on. She fought fiercely until they were running from her in fear.

"That's the mudblood!" someone screamed. "GET HER! KILL HER!"

"ENOUGH!" Hermione shrieked, raising her arms. "GRAVITAS NULLUM!"

The Death Eaters drifted to the ceiling, still trying to fire spells but now more vulnerable bumping against the vaulted ceiling.

Dodge. Hermione dropped to the ground as someone bellowed, "Avada Kedavra!"

The green light shot from a wand and Hermione screamed in pain, clutching her heart. The person standing behind her hit the ground. In her pain, the spell canceled, sending them all hurtling towards the ground. They were quickly apprehended. Snape and the other Death Eaters from the Astronomy Tower, save Greyback, were racing off the grounds. Too far away to be captured.

Breathing heavily, Hermione felt cold. She couldn't turn around. She couldn't bear to see who took the killing curse meant for her. Someone screamed in agony.

"No!" they wailed. "Please! Please no! You can't!"

She saw Cecilia kneel in front of her. She sounded faint. Far away. Hermione's vision blurred and she slumped over into unconsciousness.