A/N Hello my lovely readers! Once again thank you all so much for all your views, comments, and subscriptions!
I know, I know. I'm putting more space between chapters but at least the average length of the chapters has risen.
I am still aiming for 30 chapters and an epilogue.
I hope you don't hate me for this chapter. A lot happens but we have taken a break from Sev's POV for a bit.
I would love to hear what you think!
Happy reading!
He knew his godfather would probably wring his neck but Draco felt that liquid luck was truly the best accessory to the completely barmy plan they had come up with to trick his psychotic aunt. An ironic chuckle escaped him as he remembered how his mother had promptly taken a dose of the same potion when he had told her what it was. He refocused as he heard the creak of the door and the floorboards as someone entered the cabin.
"Ickle little Draco has finally come to his senses?" Bellatrix sauntered into the room. Before Draco could respond she hit him with a curse, "Crucio!"
It didn't feel nearly as bad as it had from his past experiences. When he was finally released from the clutches of the spell, his aunt grabbed him by the hair and pulled him into a kneeling position, "If Cissy wasn't my sister I would kill her for taking you away from your father and the Dark Lord! But look at you, finally growing into your family jewels and coming to me."
"Yes, Aunt Bella. I didn't want to go but my mum was insistent! You have to tell the Dark Lord that I'm still loyal to him. I have information he needs. They trust me now, they say things they shouldn't around me. Foolish righteous Gryffindors!" Draco responds, trying to embody the darkness he had seen so many others emulate. He is immediately relieved when his aunt doesn't suspect him of duplicity.
"What information Draco? I'll be the one to decide if it's important enough to bring to our Lord. Wouldn't want to waste his time, now would we, nephew dearest." Bellatrix releases his hair and shoves him away, a sickening smile on her face. She had her crooked and claw-like wand pointed between his brows.
"T-they are looking for these objects. Dumbledore seems to think it's the key to defeating the Dark Lord. I don't know how many but they are sure there's some Hufflepuff cup or something," He stuttered out, sticking to the script his godfather had come up with.
"What did you say? A cup?" His aunt was never good at keeping her emotions in check and Draco immediately knew that they would get the confirmation they needed. She cackled insanely and screeched, "Ha! Yes, the Dark Lord has entrusted ME with something so important. Those mudblood loving fools will never be able to take it from me!"
"Aunt Bella…you know about the cup?" Draco asked, urging her to reveal more information. He was nervous but he knew that his godfather and mother were close by if anything went wrong. "Do you know what it is?"
"Of course I know what it is!" She snapped back defensively. That was the only tell he needed to know that she didn't. "Do you? Have they found out?"
"A horcrux," Before Draco could continue Bella gasped in shock. But once she fully processed the information she cackled with glee, practically vibrating.
"HE entrusted me with a part of him! He entrusted me because he knew that Snape was never to be trusted! I was right! I've been right all along and the Dark Lord has rewarded me by giving me a piece of him to protect!" Draco couldn't hide the disgust he felt at his aunt's unbridled glee. But he schooled himself and continued his mission.
"Where are you keeping it? You have to make sure that no one can get to it! You don't have it with you do you?" Draco countered knowing that insinuating that Bellatrix would make such a stupid decision would cause her to spout out more than she should. Bellatrix rounded on him, bringing her wand back up to his chin.
"You think I would be so stupid! It's in my vault at Gringotts bank ready for whenever the Dark Lord commands. Soon it will be joined with the diadem…that now that I have you, I can have you retrieve it for me," The dark witch cupped his cheek and Draco fought his instinctive reaction to flinch away from her touch. "You can go to the Come-and-Go Room for me. I saw it there last year. I wanted it for myself back then but now I know I was just drawn to the piece of the Dark Lord inside it. You must go back and get it for me, Draco!"
Draco was trying to process the new information when his mother apparated into the room, disarming her sister with a quick movement. In another moment the dark witch was bound and silenced. "Are you alright Draco?"
"Yes, Mother, did you hear what she said? There's one in the castle." He was shaking with adrenaline. Could it be this easy? Were they about to kill two birds with one stone?
"Imperio," The deep voice of his uncle softly intoned. The plan commenced. "Go back to the castle, both of you. I will let Remus know that I have her and we will handle Gringotts."
"Severus, it was risky enough to let you come here, but to go all the way to Gringotts. He has spies looking out for you everywhere," His mother hissed at his godfather.
"I cannot trust that Remus will be able to maintain the imperius curse for as long as we need it," the ex-spy responded. A nod to Draco reminded him to pull out the enchanted coin and give Lupin the signal.
"Mum, let's go. You insisted on coming even though we planned everything and literally sat on this plan for weeks. It will be alright," Draco insisted. He had suggested the plan to his godfather who had refined it with the werewolf. His mother had only found out a few days beforehand and it took allowing her to at least be nearby while he confronted his aunt for her to stop her whinging.
The regal woman looked worried but turned to his godfather and her now docile sister, "Be safe Severus. You have a lot of people waiting for you to return."
There was a crack of apparition as Lupin appeared, nodding to them in turn. "We have a window of half an hour where all of the 'Thief's Downfall' will be 'out of order' thanks to Charlie. We have to go now, Severus."
"See you soon, Godfather," Draco imparted before he took his mother's hand and activated the portkey that would take them to the Shrieking Shack.
Hermione had been doing her best to live her daily life as normally as possible. She was present and involved with every class, meeting, and research party regarding the horcruxes. Today was the day that Draco, Severus, and Remus would be implementing their plan to ambush Bellatrix and hopefully get their hands on another horcrux. She could have been more worried about it, let anxiety derail her until she got news of their success or otherwise. But she had occluded those emotions.
Harry had been avoiding her to her chagrin. She understood that he felt guilty but considering what destroying the horcrux had done to Severus, it was obvious that the incident between them was a result of Harry wearing the locket for so long. The bond she had with Harry wasn't as needy as the one she had with Severus but she still felt oddly itchy having not had contact with him in weeks. Truthfully, Hermione was growing increasingly more off put that Harry, who said he loved her, was having such an easy time avoiding her. Perhaps a part of her was still very much a teenage girl. But this was yet another aspect of her life that she was occluding her emotions about. There was too much to do.
For weeks she had been studying her journals and notes in the Room of Requirement on her own, late into the night after her classes and other meetings were finished. The plans laid out in the journals were more detailed, thought out, and dark than she could have predicted for herself. It frightened her how much work she had done in the 6 months that she lost. She willed herself to remember all the thoughts that went behind every detail if only so that she could wrap her head around it all.
She now sat in the library in a back corner that she had claimed as her own many times in the years that she had attended Hogwarts. Hermione had been happy to have a moment to herself and work on the homework that had become so insignificant to her as the war raged on. It seemed every day more and more horrors were splashed across the front of the Daily Prophet. It was odd to live half her life as a regular student while the other half made war plans and strategies in the Potions Master's living quarters.
Reminded once again that Severus was on a dangerous mission she opened her mind to the bond and felt it pulsing strong and unbothered. His liquid magic met her fiery essence and told her that the plans were going off without issue. She closed the bond off again and returned to her studies. Refocusing on the table in front of her she realized someone had joined her while she was lost in thought.
"Hello, Hermione. How are you?" The ever ethereal and kind Luna Lovegood sat before her.
"Hello, Luna. I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. How have you been?" Hermione replied. She realized that she hadn't seen the witch or spoken to her since before the winter holiday and felt guilty for not cultivating the friendship.
"I've been well. I spent the winter holiday hunting for snorkaks with my da. He sends his well wishes and says that if you ever need to use the Quibbler again to share anything, he would welcome the change of pace," Hermione was enthralled by the carefree nature of the younger girl. She recalled seeing some notes about Luna in her journals but had skimmed over them.
"That's wonderful Luna. I hope your father is handling everything well. I've noticed that he has continued to spread unbiased news. I really appreciate the updates on which muggle villages have been attacked. It really adds perspective," Hermione eased herself into the conversation, hoping she could probe the younger girl for more insight into her research.
"I have a feeling that the war will end by the end of this school year," Luna said with such confidence and nonchalance she might as well have been talking about the weather.
"What makes you say that, Luna?" Hermione asked. The feeling that Luna always knew more than she let on had returned in full force and supported by her apparent role in her own plans.
Luna hummed to herself as she pulled out some of her own classwork. Once settled she looked at Hermione again, "You should be getting your memories back soon. You'll need them to understand your bonds."
Not sure how to react, Hermione opted for another question, "What bonds are you talking about?"
"I can see them floating around you, changing your aura. You've mixed yours with theirs." Luna mused as she scribbled something in her notes, "I always knew you could handle dark magic. You're a very powerful witch, Hermione. But witches like us benefit from people underestimating us."
Wide-eyed Hermione took in her friend like she was a newly discovered form of magical creature that had just shown its face for the first time. "Witches like us? Sorry, Luna, I'm just so confused."
"You don't remember, obviously, but we sent post back and forth all summer about Alchemy. I had told you once at Slughorn's party that my mother was an alchemist before she died. So when you decided you wanted to try something with it, you asked me," Luna smiled at Hermione indulgently, "I can help you get your memories back if you like."
"You helped me…Wait, how would you help me with my memories?" Hermione truly felt like she was in another universe. Never before had she felt so baffled and confused. Luna had helped her with her plans this whole time.
"Legilimency, silly. But then again you're really not silly you've just forgotten. We kept it a secret. I do appreciate you trusting me with your secrets. I've never had many friends who wanted me and only me as their secret keeper," The blonde girl looked incredibly happy to say that and it made Hermione's heart ache.
The longer she talked with the Ravenclaw the more she felt deja vu. Which only made sense considering all the things Luna was saying. "Can you help me get them back now?"
"Of course! Let me put up some wards so no one interrupts us in your library," Luna skipped around the secluded corner, swishing her wand in a graceful fashion. Hermione felt the brush of wards around them before Luna sat on the table cross legged and gestured for her to do the same. Despite the seriousness of everything Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the playful nature and the absurdity of it all. "Alright, we should hold hands. It will help us stay anchored just in case."
Hermione grew anxious as the younger girl took her hands and her ice blue eyes bore into her brown ones. "It's alright. Trust me, like always."
She did.
"Legilimens."
"You should just talk to her, Harry. You've been avoiding her so much she's actually starting to get mad and she wasn't actually mad to begin with," Ginny chastised him.
"Gin is right, Harry. Whatever happened between you two couldn't have been that bad or she would have turned you into a twig or something, or abandoned you in the forbidden forest with the centaurs," Neville pointed out.
"You don't get it. What happened was unforgivable," Harry sighed, sinking deeper into the sofa of the common room. It was a nice day outside and most if not all of their classmates were out enjoying the weather. Neville and Ginny had taken it upon themselves to keep him company since he was 'determined to live the life of a kicked puppy'.
"If it was so unforgivable then why has she told everyone that she forgives you and isn't mad at you," Ginny slid off the arm of the couch and down next to Harry, bumping his shoulder with hers, "She loves you, Harry. She'd forgive you anything."
"Honestly, Harry. I think you're being an idiot. If I had someone who loved me as much as Hermione loves you, I wouldn't wallow in self pity when she's already forgiven you," Neville said, looking off into space, "This war is only going to get worse. You're both going to be in the middle of it. Wouldn't you want to enjoy the time you have together now instead of wishing you had after everything is said and done? There's no guarantee that any of us are going to survive this. We don't have the luxury to waste time."
Harry looked over at the taller boy. They had all grown up together and Neville had probably changed the most out of all of them. He had become a tall and strong looking but gentle giant. The anxiety and fear that had chased his fellow Gryffindor seemed to have shed from him to be replaced by a stable calm. Harry could see how this young man could have been the other 'Chosen One'. "You're right, Neville. I need to go talk to her."
"Then get the map and find her! Come on Neville. I think he's finally come to his senses," Ginny was grinning as she offered her hand to the shy boy and pulled him along. Harry had no idea where they were going but he liked the idea of the two of them together. Without wasting another moment, Harry ran up to his dorm to retrieve the Marauder's Map.
It wasn't long before he was running up flights of stairs to catch up to Hermione who seemed to be making her way to the seventh floor. Taking a shortcut he appeared right in her path and was ill prepared for the way his friend barreled into him, toppling them both over. With an agility he didn't know she had, she rolled into a crouching position and had her wand pointed at him.
"Oh! Harry!" Realizing it was him, she tucked her wand away and then helped him stand. She kept his hand held in hers as he dusted himself off. When he finally looked at her and saw that there was no anger or fear in her eyes, the relief was instant. Before he could think of anything else he wrapped her in his arms in a tight hug that she returned.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. For everything. For what happened at Grimmauld. For wearing the locket. For ignoring you. It was all so stupid but I can't be away from you anymore. Who knows what will happen during this war!" Harry pulled back enough to look down at her face. He didn't realize he had tears falling down his cheeks, "I love you, Hermione. I know you love me too. The way you forgave me so quickly is proof enough. But please don't be angry at me for taking so long to catch up and realize that everything between us is ok."
Hermione looked at him as if she might cry then pulled him to her in a tight embrace, showering him with kisses to his neck, cheek and temple. Then she pulled back and held his face in her hands. "I'm always going to be with you, Harry. No matter what happens between us. No matter what we have to face. Bond or no bond. You were my first friend and I'll never forget that."
Then she kissed him. It was more passionate and hungry than any kiss she had ever bestowed upon him or him on her. She pressed herself against him, nipping at his lip and carding her fingers through his hair. He groaned, feeling the bond between them releasing tension in his shoulders. Between kisses he repeated his love and care for her, letting her lead this amorous moment. "I've missed you so much. I'll never hurt you. I promise. I love you. Hermione, I love you."
So distracted was he that he didn't notice how she maneuvered them through a doorway and into a deserted classroom. His hand tugged lightly at the hair at the base of her neck, tilting her as he deepened the kiss. The feel of her tongue and lips was euphoria after spending the recent weeks thinking that he would never taste them again. When the backs of his thighs hit a desk and he sat heavily on it, Hermione finally pulled back. Both of them were out of breath as a wide grin appeared on his face.
"Wow." Harry saw the ardor in Hermione's face shift into something indecipherable. She took a few steps back. Harry tried to reach for her and continue what they had started but he found his hands had been affixed to the desk he sat upon with a sticking charm. "What? Hermione, why did you do that?"
When he looked up Hermione wore a determined face. "It will be your turn to forgive me, Harry. I know where the next horcrux is and I'm going to go and destroy it. Severus is out of the castle and so is Remus. They are the only ones I would trust to be there with me. There is no doubt in my mind now that there is a piece of the Dark Lord inside of you and if you're too close when I destroy it, I'm afraid of what it might do to you."
"No! You can't do it on your own! Just wait for them to come back. I don't care if I can't be there while you do it but at least bring someone with you! You saw what it did to them when we destroyed the locket! Draco still has nightmares about what he saw. Sirius said that Remus almost couldn't control Mooney the last time he turned because a bit of the dark magic was still affecting him!" Harry tried to make her understand the danger she was putting herself in.
"It will be quick. Severus has the fangs and will be able to destroy the cup. If I get rid of the diadem tonight as well then that just leaves the snake and you, Harry. We can't let this war go on much longer." Hermione was vehement as she backed out of the room. "I'll come back when I'm done. I promise."
With that Hermione shut the door and warded Harry inside with his hands stuck to the desk. He knew no one would be able to hear him. So he resigned himself to waiting even as a sick feeling wedged itself in his stomach. The worst was that the bond didn't seem to be all that bothered by Hermione running into danger head on. It felt ecstatic. Or maybe that wasn't the bond at all.
Hermione ran the last few flights of stairs and corridors until she was once more in front of the Room of Requirement summoning the Room of Lost Things. Luna, the insane genius that she is, knew exactly what Ravenclaw relic Voldemort had used as a horcrux. The diadem. A lost diadem that she had seen on the way to her lost journals.
She raced through the stacks of chairs and piles of half melted cauldrons until she saw it, looped around the leg of an overturned stool, atop a pile at least 5 meters high. Hermione considered what to do. She had a fang that she could stab it with. But after seeing what close proximity to a horcrux had done to the others she didn't want to risk it. With no Gryffindor sword coming to her aid she turned to her last resort.
In that cavernous and cluttered room, Hermione pointed her wand at Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem and yelled, "Fiendfyre!"
Like a rolling pack of animals and demons the fire burst forth in a canon-like shot straight for the diadem. As she expected the fire devoured the circlet and she witnessed the horrific wail as the soul fragment was destroyed. But her relief was short-lived as the fire ignited the pile of broken furniture and spread. With every cancellation spell failing as Hermione ran through the maze of objects, she began to truly panic.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Hermione yelled at herself for being so reckless. The fire had quickly circled around her. Aiming one more word of hatred at herself, the young woman grabbed a broomstick as she ran and mounted it. As the broom sped and jerked she feared she might fall into the very inferno she was trying to escape. She couldn't spot the door and willed the room to create an exit for her. To her left a wide window appeared. With all her will-power, Hermione directed the broom towards the window, shielded her face with one arm and smashed through the glass into the light of the setting sun.
Her relief was short lived as the broom continued to malfunction, speeding up and jerking left and right. She couldn't stop her own screams of terror as she was jettisoned across the grounds, past the tree line, and crash landed in the Forbidden Forest. She couldn't hold back the shriek of pain as she broke her leg in her tumble to the bramble and root of the forest floor. Dazed and discombobulated, Hermione took a moment to survey her injuries and take in her surroundings.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A snack?" The gravelly voice made the blood stop cold beneath Hermione's skin. Adrenaline kicked in as she turned to her back with her wand at the ready. The hulking beast of a man lunged at her, "None of that!"
Unbridled terror took over as Hermione recognized the ugly visage of Fenrir Greyback as he held her down, tossing her wand away across the forest floor. Voldemort must have had some of his men watching the castle at all times. She tried and failed to push or kick him off. When his clawed hand wrapped around her throat she swiftly began occluding as much of her fear as she could.
"Aren't you the little mudblood whose pussy is so sweet even old Severus was swayed by it? Maybe I should get a taste. See what all the fuss is about," Fenrir licked a long line from her chin, along her jaw and up her cheek. When he ground his hips against hers and she felt the proof of his sick arousal, she nearly gagged.
"Get the fuck away from me!" Hermione spat in the mutt's face only for him to bring the back of his hand hard across her cheek. She saw stars.
"I love the disobedient ones. Breaking them is much more satisfying," His chuckle was inhuman. Fenrir's expression turned into one of perverse delight, "But I know the Dark Lord has been hoping to get his hands on you in particular. I hope he doesn't kill you before I get a chance to have my fun."
A chill ran up Hermione's spine but she shoved the fear away. She closed her fist and thought of Severus, knowing it would be too late for him to save her, but needing him to know anyway. The ring warmed just as Fenrir pulled her up by her collar. Hermione knew that this may be the end for her but she would not allow the evil despot to discover their secrets and plans. Swiftly she sank into deep occlusion just as she felt the pull of apparition in the back of her stomach.
Dumbledore watched from his disillusioned spot in the forest. He had been on the grounds when he felt the destruction in the Room of Requirement. When he saw the overzealous Gryffindor Princess fly straight into the Forbidden Forest, he followed, shielding himself from detection. Moving at a speed that no one would expect from him, he found Fenrir and his men lurking, feasting upon a felled doe. He had known the werewolf pack had been roaming around the castle but felt that keeping the danger close would help him to instill the fear in his people that was necessary for them to follow him without question. It was the same reason he allowed more attacks on muggles to go on without intervention.
Silently, he circled the werewolves and willed them to look up just as Miss Granger careened above them and deeper into the forest. Fenrir ran off with Dumbledore following closely behind. He cast a tripping spell as the girl fell off the broom, breaking her leg as she came down on a boulder. When Fenrir lunged at her, the Headmaster cast a quick expelliarmus that had her wand flying out of reach. The forest grew silent once more as the wolves disapparated, to follow their alpha to the Dark Lord.
"You will be a martyr yet, Miss Granger," Dumbledore hummed to himself as he made his way back to the castle.
A/N sooooo...
What do you think is in store for Hermione?
How will Harry and Severus react?
What more has she learned after her meeting with Lunat?
You'll find out in the next episode of my feverdream.
PS I still would love having a BETA if anyone was interested. While you would check for general errors I would also love someone to bounce ideas off of.