Disclaimer: All Characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is purely for entertainment only.

Summary: Harry died in the Forbidden Forest and Ron and Hermione must find a way to finish his mission in a world where Hermione and her blood status leaves them both in incredible danger.

Chapter 8

Hermione disapparated them to the closest point she could think of that Hogwarts would allow, the Forbidden Forest, though she was certain now that Hogwarts had fallen under Voldemort none of the old rules about the grounds were the same. He would want quick access everywhere he could get it.

When they landed, Ron took a quick look around and shook his head. "This is where you bloody picked?"

"Put the enchantments up quickly," Hermione said, knowing there was plenty that could go wrong in the Forest already, they didn't need to have themselves readily exposed.

Ron nodded and moved to put up the enchantments on one side while Hermione worked on the other. Once they both felt they had completed their task they seemed to relax and Hermione quickly got the tent up. They would still need shelter while they figured out their next move into the castle.

Once they were settled in the tent they felt better, or a little safer at least.

Ron was still on edge, knowing all the things in the Forbidden Forest that were equally as dangerous as a Death Eater. He sat at the table, his knee thumping up and down in a steady rhythm.

"Ron, calm down, you're shaking the table..." Hermione said as she put a small plate of eggs down in front of him.

Ron realized he had been lost in his own thoughts of the dangers ahead and quickly stopped, turning his attention to Hermione and the food she had put in front of him. "Sorry."

Hermione gave him a soft smile as she sat down across from him. "It's alright...I know we are both on edge here."

Before either could say another thing they heard a rustling outside the tent. Both froze as the noise got closer and Hermione was concerned the charms had not held up the way they were meant to.

Ron was on his feet swiftly, his wand raised. Hermione did the same and the two slowly moved out of the tent, Ron ahead of her.

Hermione grabbed Ron's hand, ready to apparate them somewhere if they encountered trouble outside the tent.

The pair took a few steps into the dark forest as the sound grew closer and more rhythmic and within seconds Ron and Hermione could see a stamped of centaurs coming quickly down the hill, maybe fifty meters or so from them.

"I thought they had all been captured..." Ron whispered to Hermione, remembering a report that all beings and beasts that had not fought with Voldemort had been taken north.

"There's a lot of them in this forest...maybe they just haven't all been found," Hermione reasoned.

As the words came out of Hermione's mouth, however, a large net seemed to come out of nowhere, capturing a handful of the centaurs while a few ropes also flew the air, rounding up those that the net had missed.

Within seconds, Ron and Hermione saw a dozen death eaters come down the hill, capturing the struggling centaurs. A few killed some of the creatures immediately, causing Hermione to turn her face into Ron. She didn't like seeing any creature harmed and despite being surrounded by it so frequently recently, death was not something Hermione would ever get used to.

Ron gently stroked her hair, watching the scene below intensely.

"Bring them three! We can send some up north!" One death eater yelled up the hill.

Hermione pulled her face away from Ron's chest at the sound of the voice and what sounded like wheels. A second later an old carriage being pulled by two giant spiders appeared and Hermione could feel Ron shiver a bit at the sight of the spiders.

The carriage stopped and it was obvious, even in the dark, that it was full of humans, hands and faces visible out the old window.

Hermione studied the faces and quickly realized she recognized at least one familiar face.

"Put them in with the teacher! That will teach him to try and teach poison potions to his students!" Another death eater instructed one who was pulling a centaur toward the cart.

"Poison, eh? Should have used them on him!" Another death eater laughed.

Ron also squinted and recognized the same person Hermione did. "Is that Slughorn?"

"Yes..." Hermione's voice was quiet and sad as she acknowledged the captured teacher in the cart.

"Where are you taking this lot?" The death eater loading the centaur into the cart with Slughorn asked.

"As far north as we can. It's to a work camp so if this travel doesn't kill them all, the work in the cold up there certainly will!" The other death eater laughed and banged the side of the carriage, startling Slughorn.

"Are you coming back down here after you off load them all?" Another death eater asked.

"Yeah. We have to be back in two days...the sorting hat ceremony is then...any students not sorted into Slytherin will be getting loaded up here to go north themselves..." The death eater answered.

"Or sold for a pretty penny to some Purebloods," Another death eater added with a smirk.

"North to Ireland? To the new camp?" The death eater asked as he closed the door on the carriage.

"Yes...the one that they are building the weapons at...the new one...apparently they are tweaking the muggle technology," The other death eater said.

"Muggles won't know what hit them when we come for them," The last death eater laughed as he smacked the wagon and the spiders began moving again.

Ron and Hermione did not move until the death eaters were long gone, and even then they stayed on the hill in silence for a long moment.

"Well, that settles it then..." Hermione said quietly.

Ron could hear the shaking in her voice and turned to see she had a tear or two in her eye. "Settles what?"

Hermione turned to look at Ron now directly and he could see she was indeed fighting back tears. "Voldemort is building weapons...he's building an army...he's going after the muggles."

Ron realized Hermione was so upset because it was just confirmation that both worlds she belonged to were absolutely being threatened and potentially destroyed. He reached out and pulled her in for a hug, kissing her forehead as she settled weakly into his arms.

"I can go alone...you don't need to come to the castle," Ron offered, now knowing that it was only growing more unsafe for them both to do anything anymore.

Hermione shook her head and lifted it to make eye contact with Ron. She knew he was using the moment of weakness to get her to stay back and, in his mind, keep her safe.

"No...we are doing this together...especially now. I don't want us to be apart," Hermione told him firmly.

Ron sighed, but nodded. He knew that was a battle he wasn't going to win. He pulled her back in close and the two of them stayed like that until the forest grew so cold and dark that Hermione shivered a bit.

"Let's get inside and rest up...figure out what we are going to do tomorrow," Ron finally said.

Hermione nodded and allowed him to take her hand and lead her back into the tent.


Ron lay in the bed he and Hermione shared as he waited for her to exit the shower. He wanted them both to get as much sleep as possible before they started on their mission the next day but he also knew a long, hot shower was one of the few things that actually relaxed Hermione.

After what seemed like forever he finally heard the water turn off and Hermione come back into the main tent, wrapped simply in a towel, her hair still wet.

Ron gave a soft smile to Hermione and threw his arms out, welcoming her to join him.

Hermione obliged and climbed into the bed with him, towel still wrapped around her. She surprised herself often with how comfortable in her own skin she had gotten around Ron. When they had first started becoming truly physical in their relationship she has been quick to cover her naked body once the act of sex was over, but over the last few weeks she had grown more bold and comfortable. She had a feeling she knew where the night would eventually lead them so she didn't see a point of putting on pajamas; it was the same as nearly every other night. They would seek physical comfort with each other at night the same way they sought mental comfort during the day. Hermione knew they were lucky they could provide each other with both.

Hermione lay her head on Ron's chest and he ran his fingers through her wet curls for a long moment before she felt him take a deep breath. She knew what that meant and waited for him to start speaking.

"So what is our plan for tomorrow?" Ron finally asked.

"Aside from trying to get into the castle and kill that snake? I mean...sounds easy, right?" Hermione sighed sarcastically, causing Ron to smirk a bit.

"Is my sarcasm rubbing off on you, Miss Granger?" He asked.

Hermione smiled against his chest, allowing her own thoughts to drift to simpler times, memories of Ron's sarcastic and often teasing words back in their Hogwarts days. What she wouldn't give for that again.

Silence filled the room again and Ron continued to stroke her hair.

"Hermione...if something happens to me..." Ron started softly. He had wanted to have this conversation for a long time, it just never felt like the right time, but now that they were so close to Hogwarts and about to fight again he felt like he had to.

"I don't want to talk about that, Ron," She responded.

"We have to," Ron told her. He sat up on the bed and pulled her up next to him, wrapping his arms around her as she sat between his legs. He kissed her shoulder softly. "I want you to forget all of this and get away from here as fast as you can. Go...live in the Muggle World. Find your parents...live as long as you can there. You'll be a little safer-"

"Ron, if something happens to you there will be nowhere for me to go...logically we will be together so whatever happens to you will happen to me as well," Hermione cut him off.

"You don't know that..." Ron told her.

Hermione turned so she could face Ron. "I'm not leaving you. You...you are my life now. I will see this through to the end with you and if we make it through all this I expect a wonderful life afterwards."

Ron studied her face carefully. She seemed so sure of her words that the thought of a future with her made him smile a bit. "A wonderful life, eh?"

Hermione smiled back and settled into his arms. "Yes...a lovely little home...a nice garden I can tend to when I'm not busy with the amazing job I will obviously have..."

"A muggle car I can learn to drive..." Ron added with a smirk.

Hermione laughed and smiled again, taking Ron's hand and giving it a kiss. "I'm sure you'll be an excellent driver..."

"Will you go back to school? Assuming that's an option after all of this?" Ron asked her, a bit more serious after a long moment.

Hermione shrugged. "I honestly hadn't even thought of that but...I suppose I would if I could. I would want to finish my education."

"Can't say I'm shocked by that..." Ron teased.

"I would just want to make sure I've set my family up for a a good life...which means I'd need a good job," Hermione reasoned.

"Family?" Ron questioned. This was the second time Hermione had mentioned that in the last few months.

Hermione nodded. "I already told you, Ron, someday I see myself with a family...with you...should we survive all of this."

Ron nodded, thinking about a future where he and Hermione had children running around a happy home. It was a comforting image. An image worth fighting for.

"I wouldn't mind a few little ones flying around on brooms someday..." Ron smiled.

"Well, that will be your job to teach them. You know flying is the subject I least enjoy," Hermione joked.

"No problem...probably the only thing I'll be better at teaching them than you anyway," Ron said, kissing her shoulder again.

Hermione laughed and turned into him, capturing his lips in hers. Though they were joking, the future they were discussing was one she desperately wanted because, she hoped, it would be the normalcy they both would want, and would have earned after everything they had lost. If they could finish Harry's fight, they could have a somewhat normal life.

Ron responded enthusiastically to Hermione's kiss. It could have been the hopeful conversation or the fact that he knew things could go poorly the next day, but he suddenly wanted to make sure Hermione knew she was his. He grabbed at her towel, ripping it off so her naked form sat between his legs and he dove in for another kiss.

Hermione shifted to make herself more accessible to Ron. She too knew the next day could bring disaster and so she wanted to have one last moment with Ron where they were the only people who mattered.


Hermione and Ron spent the next morning observing the castle from the safety of their enchantments. They watched as carriages of what they assumed were captured witches and wizards who would not bow to Voldemort were brought up to the Castle. They also saw Death Eaters they recognized, such as Greyback and Yaxley, move in and out of the Castle, sometimes beating a student who was busy still cleaning up the destroyed courtyard.

Finally, after about an hour of observing in close to silence Hermione felt Ron tense up next to her, his fist balling up at his side. She saw his physical reaction to something that his eyes were locked on in the distance.

"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked, gently placing her own hand on his fist to try and calm him.

"Bloody Malfoy...and Bellatrix..." Ron hissed the name of the woman who had nearly killed Hermione.

Hermione followed Ron's line of sight and saw the Malfoy family walking slowly up to the castle while Bellatrix nearly danced around, completely deranged, on her own trot to the castle. Twice they watched her curse students, killing one by stunning them off the damaged bridge to the castle.

Hermione felt her breath hitch as she watched the evil witch. No matter how long she lived she knew she would never forget that it felt like to be in Bellatrix's evil grasp, to have the woman hold a knife to her neck and curse her until Hermione wished she was dead.

Without thinking, Hermione's fingers moved to her neck, gingerly tracing the scar from Bellatrix's blade.

Ron noticed Hermione's action, only making him clench his jaw more. He hated what Bellatrix had done to Hermione. He was grateful Hermione had survived but he'd seen it in her eyes after they were rescued by Dobby and taken to Shell Cottage. The attack and torture had changed something in Hermione, stripped her of some innocence she had still been holding onto.

"If I get the chance I'll kill her...I promise," Ron nearly growled.

Hermione turned a sharp eye on Ron and shook her head. "No...I won't have you live with that. She's a monster...she isn't worth the thought."

Ron firmly disagreed but said nothing, his eyes back to watching Draco and his parents. All three did not seem like they were in a hurry to get to the castle and it nearly made Ron snort. He had always known the Malfoy's to be cowards and opportunists. He would have expected them to relish in the fact that they were on the winning side, yet none of them seemed happy to be there. In fact, if Ron was being honest, Draco looked paler than normal, almost ill.

Hermione sighed, snapping Ron from his thoughts.

"We need to figure out a way to get to the Astronomy Tower without being seen. There's so much traffic in and out of the castle it seems impossible," She said, pointing up at the peak of the Castle.

"That won't matter without the sword...or Basilisk Fangs...," Ron reminded her.

"Right," Hermione shook her head, unable to believe she had forgotten about the sword. That was the most crucial part. "Well, we knkw where the fangs are. I suppose the sword would likely be somewhere in the Gryffindor Tower...that's its rightful place."

"Brilliant so we need to get in there first," Ron sighed. He didn't like the idea of being in the school longer than they needed to be.

"I think we need to just watch things a little more...maybe there's another way in there..." Hermione said.

Ron sighed but nodded in agreement, leaning back into the rock behind them that they were using as a resting point. Knowing Hermione, they would be watching things for a while.


It was late in the afternoon when Ron felt Hermione's hand collide with his shoulder and stir him awake. He realized he had fallen asleep while they had been watching the school. He hadn't meant to but the sun had been warm and he had grown tired of watching death eaters shuffle in and out of Hogwarts seemingly with no purpose.

"Sorry...didn't mean to fall asleep," Ron said, sitting up.

"It's fine...look..." Hermione never looked at Ron but instead kept her eyes transfixed ahead.

Ron followed where she was pointing and straightened up immediately as he saw Bellatrix dragging a small boy in Gryffindor robes by his neck out of the castle to the field in front of Ron and Hermione. Draco was a few steps behind his aunt, walking with his wand out and his head hanging low.

"What's that prick doing now?" Ron asked, his eyes locked on Draco.

"More like what's she doing," Hermione spoke of Bellatrix.

Bellatrix had just thrown the student on the ground, using her wand to flip them onto their back and then yanking them up by his collar. She aimed her wand at him.

"Now I'll ask one more time...where is the sword of Gryffindor?" Bellatrix hissed at the student.

"I...I don't know!" The young boy was clearly crying.

"Bloody hell...he can't be more then a second year," Ron nearly growled, his fingers gripping tightly around his wand.

The anger in Ron's voice made Hermione proud of Ron. Despite everything, he had not lost his willingness to defend those who weren't able to defend themselves. It also made her sad because she knew there was nothing she or Ron could do for the boy Bellatrix had. Hermione gently reached out, locking her hand over Ron's on his wand, forcing him to lower it to his side as they continued to watch Bellatrix, Draco, and the student.

"You're lying! You're a Gryffindor! You must know where it is!" Bellatrix blasted a spell causing the boy to scream in agony.

Hermione flinched and looked away for a moment, remembering her own torture session with Bellatrix.

"I swear!" The boy screamed.

"Well if that's so...then you're useless," Bellatrix let go of the boys collar and gave him a good kick before blasting him with one final curse. "Avada Kedavra!!"

Hermione and Ron both winced as the Gryffindor student fell dead. Hermione also noticed that Draco seemed to flinch at the curse and look away from his aunt.

"Was that necessary?" Draco asked his aunt, still not looking at the dead student.

Bellatrix turned a sharp eye on her nephew. "Was what necessary? Killing him?"

Draco nodded.

Bellatrix seemed to turn on her nephew and Ron and Hermione both saw Draco straighten up a bit as his aunt began walking menacingly around him.

"Why Draco...you know better then to question the Dark Lord. You see...that sword is the one object we don't want falling into anyone else's hands. It's the one thing left that's a real danger to the Dark Lord. We need to find it by any means necessary. Do you understand?" Bellatrix was in Draco's face asking the question.

Draco just nodded in response.

Bellatrix seemed to relax and pat Draco on the chest before looking back at the dead student. "At any rate... the sorting hate wouldn't have put him in Slytherin tomorrow...those Gryffindors are far too proud so he'd have been dead by the end of the week anyway."

And with that Bellatrix gave a simple shrug and made her way back to the castle, leaving Draco alone in the field, standing over the dead body of the other student.

Ron and Hermione watched Draco intensely as he examined the body, walking closer to it.

"What's he getting at?" Ron asked out loud, his eyes glued to Draco.

Hermione merely shook her head in response. She has no answer but she watched the blonde closely.

Eventually, Draco knelt down by the dead boy and glanced around as if to see if anyone was watching him. When he seemed certain he was alone, Draco flicked his wand and the ground began to turn, allowing the boy to be buried. When the body was covered, Draco flicked a single stick up and put it in the ground as a marker of some sort. He then went back to the castle.

"Oh no..." Hermione suddenly covered her mouth with her hand.

"What is it?" Ron turned quickly, assuming something was wrong.

"Ron...look..." Hermione's voice was barely a whisper as she pointed out to the field again.

Now Ron saw what she saw. Dozens of single sticks pointing out of the ground, similar to the one Draco had just fixed on the fresh grave. He felt his stomach drop.

"Are those..." He started.

Hermione nodded, clearly trying to hold back tears. "Graves."