CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Summary: Sent to Volterra in order to negotiate terms of an alliance to end the war, Hermione's life is turned upside down as she is brought into the world of the Volturi, better known as the Vampire Kings. There she is made a part of a new kind of family and a most trusted member of the guard, whether she likes it or not, and surprisingly, she does. Rated M for language, violence and sexual content.

Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and Stepenie Myers. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. As for the descriptions of appearances for the Twilight characters, all my research is based on the books and not the movies, but I may have changed a few things regarding Alec's height and age.

Page count: 8

Saturday 2nd May 1998

"Who is it?" Hermione asked sadly, seeing the distraught looks on Harry's and Ron's faces as she approached them in the great hall.

They were in the same state as her, both covered in blood and dirt, wearing torn and bloody clothing and they were littered with burns and cuts, Ron had a swollen eye and Harry was favouring his left leg.

"Flitwick and Sprout died five minutes ago and Seamus is in a coma."

Hermione's heart clenched and she swallowed back the ache in her throat as she forced herself not to cry. She would have time to grieve later if she survived, and if she didn't, then she'd see them in the afterlife.

She sniffled and nodded.

"The cup's been destroyed."

"Nice job, 'Mione," Harry praised with a small smile, "We haven't been able to get anywhere near Nagini, we haven't even seen her."

She frowned. "He can use the connection between the two of you to cause you pain and to communicate," she thought aloud. "In theory, you should be able to do the same."

Harry frowned, too. "What're you saying?"

"You can use your connection to locate Him. Where he is, the snake is, too."

He blinked slowly. "But I don't know how to use the connection."

"Just focus on him, force your way into his mind like he does with you. All we need is a couple of seconds for you to be able to see where he is and given our current circumstances, he won't think to expect it and therefore won't be protected against it."

His frown deepened but he slowly nodded and closed his eyes tightly, a concentrated, determined expression crossing his face. He hissed in pain, his hand coming up to press against his scar and when Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder, his eyes flew open.

"I know where they are."

~000~000~000~

"Take it," Snape's voice shook and so did his hand as he pointed to the tear falling down his face.

"Memories," she whispered in realisation before quickly finding a vial and handing it to Harry for him to collect it. "Go, Harry, I'll stay with him," she instructed. Harry nodded before leaving out of the shack and heading back to the castle, taking Ron with him.

Hermione shuffled closer to Snape and fished out the medical supplies Alec had given her for the journey back to England. She put pressure on the bite wound were blood was dribbling from the puncture wounds and she covered it with some gauze, trying not to panic whilst racking her brain for a way to save him.

"Why can't I just die in peace?"

"Be quiet and you'll have your peace," she shot back.

Much to her surprise a chuckle left him.

"You and that smart mouth, you're too clever for your own good."

"It's going to save your life," she argued.

"The venom is in my bloodstream, I'll be dead in minutes."

"Venom," she muttered to herself. "Venom, venom, venom," she repeated, mulling it over in her head. "Professor, you're a genius!" She cried joyously.

She summoned a basilisk fang from her beaded bag and he cried out in agony when she unexpectedly stuck the pointed tip into the wound, holding it in place for a few moments before pulling back and much to her delight, black goo began to pour from his wound.

His eyes were drooping. "Nagini is a Horcrux which can be destroyed by basilisk venom. The basilisk venom is destroying Nagini's venom and removing it from your system," she explained and he gave her a look of surprise before his eyes closed.

She ran her wand over him, sighing when she saw that he was just unconscious and she covered him with a blanket to keep him warm before warding the shack to prevent anyone from getting in and she left back to the castle.

~000~000~000~

The battle had resumed. Many more were dead and injured. Harry had disappeared and she had lost sight of Ron. She was duelling a hooded figure but she found an opening in his weak Shielding Charm and he dropped to the ground, unconscious and bound.

She ran down the corridor and rounded the corner, slamming straight into a member of Greyback's pack. She fell backwards, landing on the stone floor and she only just managed to not bang her head, because Merlin, she couldn't deal with a headache as well as the rest of her aching body.

"Mudblood!" The tall and imposing figure growled, a smile pulling at his mouth. "My Alpha's been looking everywhere for you. My reward for bringing you to him will be worth my weight in gold."

He grabbed her by the arm and roughly pulled her up but before he could do anything else, there was a blur and before her eyes, the nameless werewolf had been slammed into the stone wall, a crater formed beneath him and he was pinned to the wall with an olive-pale hand around his throat.

That hand belonged to Demetri.

He looked murderous. Furious. His eyes were black. His face contorted in unrestrained rage. His fangs were bared and she would swear she could see his fingers twitching around the werewolf's throat.

It occurred to her that she should be frightened, terrified, horrified and yet she wasn't. She thought that although he looked truly frightening, it was oddly beautiful. Maybe she was going crazy. Maybe the torture she'd endured was slowly turning her insane, but to her, he looked beautiful.

"Dead or alive?" He questioned, his voice coming out in a snarl but she knew it wasn't aimed at her.

She stepped closer to him, bringing her hand up to rest on the arm that held the werewolf to the wall. He turned his eyes to her. Surprise briefly flickered across his face, surprise that she was willingly so close to him when he knew he was the farthest from being human at this point.

"Whichever you prefer," she answered. She reached up and placed a kiss to his cheek and he blinked, the rage disappearing from his face momentarily to gaze down at her softly. "Thank you," she said gently before she removed her hand from his arm and she disappeared around the corner.

~000~000~000~

She still hadn't been able to find Harry and she just hoped that he hadn't done anything stupid. Who was she kidding? This was Harry; of course, he's likely doing something stupid.

"... Minister, I quit."

Hermione recognised the voice of Percy Weasley.

"Perce, I haven't heard you joke since we were..."

Hermione rounded the corner just as a loud explosion made the stone wall fall forward. Right were Fred and Percy were standing.

"NOOOO!" She screamed, a beam of light shooting from her wand and heading straight for the wall in hopes of preventing it from landing on them.

The stone wall slammed to the ground and when the dust settled she could see two figures peeking out from beneath the wall, but they were wearing dark robes.

She turned her head to the left where Percy and Fred stood unharmed and Alec was beside them. Like Demetri, there wasn't a hair out of place or a single crinkle in his clothing. He looked as angelic as ever.

"Thanks, Sparkles," Fred grinned, although he looked a little pale at having nearly died. He grabbed Percy by the arm and dragged him down the corridor. "Percy made a joke! Georgie, where are you? Percy made a joke! Get the fire whiskey!" He yelled loudly as he disappeared from view.

Alec turned to her and she stared at him.

"You..." She said quietly. "You..." Her feet started walking towards him of their own accord. "You saved my brothers," she whispered.

And before she could stop herself, she grabbed him by his cloak and pulled herself against him, reaching up on her tiptoes and she pressed her mouth to his. The ice-cold of his lips was a strange feeling against her warm lips but it wasn't unwelcome. She felt him stiffen against her in surprise before he relaxed and his hands came up to gently settle on her hips.

"Thank you," she whispered, pulling back from him and running off down the corridor, leaving him standing there stunned.

"What happened to you?" Demetri rounded the corner and stopped beside him.

"She kissed me," he muttered.

Demetri scowled. "I've saved her twice and she only kissed my cheek, what did you do?"

"I saved her brothers," he nodded to the part of the wall that was now on the ground with two figures peeking out. "One of the twins, the two eared one, and another I didn't recognise, I think the twin called him Percy."

"The one she told us about, the one that abandoned them?"

"It must be; he was fighting beside his brother."

"Curious," Demetri hummed.

A voice rang out, echoing through the castle and it pulled their attention.

~000~000~000~

"No, no, he's not dead," Hermione muttered to herself, pushing herself to the front of the gathered crowd in the entrance courtyard of the castle.

Voldemort stood, as terrifying and hideous as ever, at the front of the Death Eaters and his followers who were crowded behind him. He had a cruel and gleeful smile on his face.

"Harry Potter is dead! He betrayed you. I killed him when I caught him trying to leave you all."

"No, he isn't," Hermione mumbled, shaking her head in denial. Her words were echoed by the crowd that surrounded her, not believing his words either.

When Hagrid came forward, chained up like an animal and with a lifeless Harry in his arms, she didn't hear the cries of Ginny Weasley or of the hope that was ripped from everyone, as an ear-piercing scream tore from the back of her throat.

"NOOOOO!" Her voice resonated in the silence and was carried by the wind.

Voldemort's eyes snapped to her, something flickered through his eyes briefly before he smirked at her cruelly.

She didn't feel herself fall to the ground, nor did she feel the two vampires on either side of her, cradling her between them and trying to soothe her as screams of anguish continued to leave her.

Anger was building within her. Anger she had never felt before. The bullying. The torture. Her parents. The death of good and innocent people and children. The death of those she cared for. The near-deaths of her family. And now, her little brother was dead.

It was swarming inside of her, making her dizzy, making her nauseous. Her entire body felt as though flames were licking at her skin. She could feel her magic pulsing in her blood, in her veins and in every cell and nerve ending. Her magic was congregating to one place inside of her, building and building and waiting to be released.

She was partially aware of Neville stood bravely in front of Him, the Sorting Hat dangling from his hand, and suddenly he held the Sword of Gryffindor.

Voldemort's wand raised and aimed at Neville before his eyes snapped to her, as did everyone else's. Why? Because she'd stopped screaming. She was quiet, too quiet.

Alec and Demetri suddenly jumped back from her when her pulsing magic sent an electric shock through their bodies and they observed her silently, cautiously, as she slowly rose to her feet. Tears fell down her face, her hair was in a tangle of bushy ringlets and she stood tall with her hands clenched by her sides, her shoulders squared and her head held high. A soft glow was emitting from her and bright golden sparks were shooting from not only her hair but her skin, too, and they crackled around her, falling to the ground.

And when she spoke, she truly had everyone's attention.

"You are going to die, Tom Riddle," her voice was soft and musical, nothing like the screaming she had been doing a few moments beforehand, nothing like her usual tone.

She raised her hand, her arm outstretched and palm facing forward and screams of agony rang out as the first three rows of followers on Voldemort's left, went up in flames, their clothing being melted into the skin and their bodies burning until they were charred and unrecognisable.

Alec and Demetri noticed that those on their side of the battle took several steps away from her, looking at her in horror and terror. But they stood by her side, watching her in awe.

"Marvellous," both vampires muttered softly, in a manner like their leader, Aro.

"You are not going to win, you are going to die," she promised.

Voldemort's face contorted in fear before he slipped the cool mask back in place and he raised his wand in her direction, the words were on the tip of his tongue but Harry jumped up from Hagrid's arms and fell to the ground and gasps rang out.

Hermione clicked her fingers, the flames that had been devouring its victims were suddenly extinguished, leaving thirty or so Death Eaters, snatchers and werewolves burnt to a crisp and dead on the ground.

Harry's eyes flickered to hers briefly before his attention turned to Voldemort.

~000~000~000~

Everyone gave Hermione a wide berth after witnessing her act of raw and undiluted power. Voldemort's followers did their best to avoid her but she wasn't allowing it. She felt energized. She felt alive. More than she ever had in her life and she found that suddenly, wandless and non-verbal magic was a lot easier than it had once been. Yes, it was still difficult and required focus, but it was just easier than she remembered it being.

She was able to use her wand and send spells wandlessly simultaneously, meaning she could take down two, even three opponents at once. She hadn't tried to conjure the fire again, she hadn't meant to do it in the first place.

She couldn't explain it. It was like she wasn't herself. It was like something else had taken her over completely and she was helpless to stop it. But now, she felt different. Things she didn't understand before, she now did. Things she didn't see before, she now did. She didn't know how or why, but she was different. And so was her magic. She could feel it, her skin was tingling pleasantly and her magic was ready to fight until the war was won or until she died, whichever came first.

She rounded the corner and ran into the great hall, just as Bellatrix flung the Killing Curse straight at Ginny's turned back.

"GINNY!" She cried out in warning, and suddenly, Ginny was gone and the curse slammed into the wall.

She searched the hall, seeing that Ginny was on the other side of the room and Demetri was behind her. Ginny had gone pale but she looked at Demetri gratefully before throwing herself into battle once more.

"Not my daughter, you bitch!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked in outrage, but Hermione's gaze was locked on Demetri's and she paid no mind to her surroundings.

Demetri began making his way towards her and she was rooted to the spot when he halted before her, his ruby eyes staring down at her intensely.

"You saved my sister," she whispered.

And like she had with Alec, she grabbed the front of Demetri's robes and reached up. He must've expected it; the gleam in his eyes was unmistakable. The moment she reached up, his arms wrapped around her and pulled her against him and seeming to not care what her intentions had been, nor that she was human, he ducked his head and met her mouth with his own.

It was clear that Demetri was a man that took what he wanted and it was clear that he wasn't afraid of hurting her either, as he moved his mouth against hers but he was careful to keep his fangs from going anywhere near her.

"Oi, lovebirds, you can snog later, but right now we need you!" Ginny called in amusement. They drew back, their eyes locking and understanding passing between them. "MUM!" Ginny yelled.

Demetri was gone before her eyes and she whipped her head around to see Mrs. Weasley safely beside Ginny and Demetri looking surprised as Mrs. Weasley hugged him tightly.

"Oh, you dear boy, you saved my daughter, as well as me, I may have misjudged you," Hermione heard her say as she approached them.

Demetri cleared his throat uncomfortably and she sniggered, his pleading eyes to cut hers and she took pity on him.

"Mrs. Weasley, he can't protect anyone when you're hugging him with the strength of a giant."

She jumped back. "Sorry, Dear," she said sheepishly.

Demetri cleared his throat once more. "If you'll excuse me, I have some business to take care of," he spoke, his eyes darkening and his face contorting into murderous rage once more. And in the blink of an eye, he was gone and so was Bellatrix.

~000~000~000~

"We won," Hermione whispered, looking down at the ground in surprise. "We won," she repeated.

"Your world is safe again," Alec's voice sounded from behind her and she turned her head to see both Demetri and Alec approaching her.

"It is, we won," she said disbelievingly. "Harry's alive, the Weasley's survived, and Remus and Tonks..." she frowned. "I haven't seen them since before Harry turned out to be alive. They must be in the great hall, that's where everyone will be," she said, turning and heading in that direction. "Where's Remus and Tonks?" Hermione asked as she entered the great hall.

Kingsley approached her. "Hermione," he said her name softly, sadly.

"No," she shook her head. "They're not dead. Where are they?" She demanded.

He looked behind him and her eyes followed, seeing two figures on the floor covered with blankets. Sandy blonde hair poked out beneath one of the blankets, bubblegum pink beneath the other and their hands were clasped in the centre of them.

"No," she shook her head in denial, tears forming in her eyes and she approached them.

She dropped to her knees and slowly pulled back the covers, a heartbroken sob tearing from deep within her. She held their clasped hands between hers, bowing her head as her body shook with the force of her sobs.

Alec and Demetri hovered nearby and everyone else in the great hall was silent, tears of their own falling down their faces as they silently observed Hermione's grief.

"Who did it?"

No one answered.

"Who killed them?" She demanded, her tone lowering and her eyes clouding over in anger.

"Greyback," Kingsley answered sadly.

"Is he dead?"

"He escaped," he admitted.

She made to stand and leave but not before placing a kiss to Remus' forehead and one to Tonks', her tears falling against their cooling skin. She covered them back up and without telling anyone where she was going, she ran out of the great hall. She didn't stop running until she reached the edge of Hogwarts' Anti-apparition wards, and by this point, Alec and Demetri were beside her.

She wordlessly held out her hands and without asking where it was she was taking them, they disappeared before anyone could reach them or stop them.

She was a witch on a mission.

A mission of vengeance.