A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows! Huge thank you to lanamarymack for alpha/beta reading this chapter! You can find me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates and answer questions.
Ugh, how awful was it to lose Orion in the last chapter? I am really going to miss him. Some people have been asking me to write an Orion x Hermione now and I am like... not hating the idea at all. But, I have no plot in mind at the moment, so we will see what happens. I realized that here on ffnet, you can't see the chapter count like you can on AO3. I have everything sorted out now. There will be 75 chapters in total, promise. That means, we've basically got two weeks left with this fic — I am not crying, I promise!
Please let me know what you thought of chapter seventy-two and be on the lookout for chapter seventy-three soon!
Hermione couldn't hear anything over the sound of her blood rushing in her ears, but she could still see the way that Bellatrix's head fall back while she cackled, seeing how shocked Hermione was to see her beloved father dead in front of her. Time slowed while her thoughts caught up with her ability to process them, all while guilt and anger were welling up in her. She took a moment and pushed it down, along with the overwhelming wave of sadness, until every emotion fell away except one.
Uncontained rage.
The sensation felt similar to the untamed power of the fiendfyre, filling her every cell with nothing but hate for the witch who stood in front of her.
Hermione strode forward, putting one foot in front of the other, closing the gap between them. Bellatrix must have noticed the change in her gaze, because she was suddenly gasping in delight. "Ooh, coming to get me?" she asked, in that familiar grotesque baby voice that Hermione detested.
She didn't say anything, but raised her wand, sending a barrage of curses her way. But, despite Bellatrix's cavalier attitude, she was anything but unprepared. She met each and every curse, batting them away and sending them off in far flung directions, smashing various bits of the castle to pieces.
"You'll have to try harder than that," Bellatrix said, cackling.
Hermione was utterly undeterred, her anger rapidly coming to a boil. This time, despite knowing the danger, she did conjure the cursed flame that had done so much for her. A massive serpent slithered out of the end of her wand and immediately sought out Bellatrix, coiling around her and rearing up to catch her prey.
Bellatrix's laugh turned nervous, her eyes going a bit wide when she realized that danger was rapidly closing around her. Hermione felt victorious, relief flooding through her and fanning the flames higher, eager to make Bellatrix hurt just as much as she did.
But, she was unpracticed and could do nothing when Bellatrix sent the counter curse her way, smothering out her flames until the only thing that was left was a singe on the edge of her robes. Bellatrix stomped over to her and grabbed Hermione by the hair. "You stupid bitch, you could have killed me!" she roared, pulling until Hermione had to look at her.
"I'll kill you! I'll do it!" Hermione shouted back, struggling against the tight hold, making tears spring into her eyes.
"Bellatrix," a voice barked from nearby. "Stop playing around."
Hermione's eyes widened to see Rodolphus standing there, her unexpected salvation.
But Bellatrix wasn't one to comply. She pressed her wand into Hermione's neck, enjoying the way she winced away from it. "Oh, I'm not playing," she murmured. "I'm just taking care of a stain on my family. Filth."
"She belongs to House Lestrange now," Rodolphus snarled back. "Or did you forget about the blood pact? Or perhaps you want to revisit our old betrothal?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Bellatrix sneered. "Besides, you don't want this one. She's a squib."
Rodolphus snorted. "She's not a squib and we will get what our family is owed, or see the destruction of your house," he said, frowning. "Besides, don't you think that the Dark Lord would rather see her for himself? He's been so curious about her."
Hermione could see Bellatrix's nostrils flare in fury at being told what to do. "Fine," she said, before pushing Hermione in Rodolphus's direction. "But she's your problem now."
Grabbing her by the upper arm, Rodolphus pulled her to stand next to him. "Come on. We are expected in the courtyard," he said, pulling her along.
"Why are you helping me?" Hermione asked, with a whisper.
Rodolphus kept his gaze straight ahead and for a moment, Hermione wondered if he didn't hear her. But, he stopped when they got in front of the doors that led outside. When had all the fighting in the castle stopped? "Rabastan has decided that he wants you," he grumbled. "If you are good enough for him, I won't argue. I don't want to have to marry Bellatrix and my father won't let this go."
He pushed her outside, nearly sending her tumbling down the stairs to the courtyard before them. Hermione was shocked to see the Death Eaters clearly had a hold of the situation. It seemed as if they had won the battle. Hermione looked around for Sirius and Regulus, wondering if they knew about their father. There was Sirius, holding up a bloodied and battered Remus Lupin, his eyes on the gravel in front of them. And Regulus was there, standing beside Professor Snape and Draco, unclear if he was a captive. Only, he had to be... Regulus wouldn't have become a turncloak. There was no way that Hermione was willing to accept that.
She swallowed, looking for Harry, wondering where he could be. And then she saw him, in Hagrid's arms, lifeless. "Harry!" she screamed, expecting him to get up, to stand up, but there he remained. Hagrid had tears in his eyes and shook his head, letting everyone know that it was too late.
"Hermione!" Rabastan called out, relief clear on his face when he saw her.
"Ah, Rabastan Lestrange," the Dark Lord's voice rang out in the clearing. "I've heard so much about you from your brother. He assures me that you will be a valuable soldier in our fight."
"I'm not a soldier," Rabastan said bitterly, his gaze unwavering when he looked at the Dark Lord.
"But you've dueled so admirably today," Voldemort said, a smirk on his face. "Though, strangely, not for me. I have no intent to spill good, pure blood, though. All is forgiven, if you come and join me now. Come, take your bride for yourself."
"Please, Rabastan," Rodolphus begged.
Hermione realized that Rodolphus must have bartered on behalf of his brother. She felt her heart clench at the thought, suspecting that family might have been more important to Rodolphus than anyone had ever thought. And, the way that he'd stepped in and helped her with Bellatrix seemed to suggest that he saw her as part of their larger family.
"Don't do it," Hermione said when Rabastan's face fell. If he decided to join Voldemort now, it would feel as though everything she'd gone through had been for nothing.
"Hermione," he said, his eyes wide and willing her to understand. "I just want you safe."
"Yes, yes, she will be safe," Voldemort said, waving his hand as though it wasn't really a concern. "You just need to accept your place in this new world now that Harry Potter is dead."
"Excuse me!" Neville said, stepping forward, leaning heavily on one leg. Hermione felt tears streaming down her face and she wondered how things could have possibly gone so wrong.
"Neville... Longbottom, is it not?" Voldemort asked with a smirk. "Yes, we have room for you, too, though Salazar knows what you'd be bringing to us." The Death Eaters laughed like it was the funniest joke they'd heard.
But, Neville wasn't cowed. He didn't back down for an instant while he spat at Voldemort's offer to join, saying that it didn't matter that Harry Potter was dead. That the things that they were fighting for didn't die with Harry — that they were never fighting for Harry. They were fighting for something bigger... a better wizarding world where blood purity was recognized for what it was: a vicious lie.
The Death Eaters started to laugh at his impassioned speech, only to have the laughter die in their throats when the next moment, Harry leapt from Hagrid's arms, wand drawn and very much alive. The courtyard immediately erupted into chaos, when everyone realized that Harry Potter was not just the boy-who-lived, but the boy-who-lived twice over. Suddenly, Voldemort didn't seem so invincible.
She could hear pops of apparition as some of the Death Eaters began to run away, worried that the tide had turned and they could no longer count on their leader. But, the ones who remained were the most vicious and determined to remain absolutely ruthless in their dueling, hoping to wrench back victory for their Lord.
Harry engaged Voldemort in a duel, but Hermione knew that Nagini was still out there. Hermione looked around wildly, trying to get her eyes on the rest of her wizards. Regulus was fighting fiercely against McNair and she saw Sirius, there, fighting against Yaxley, but all her breath left her when she saw Bellatrix creeping up behind Rabastan, who was trying to help a Hufflepuff boy who'd been injured.
She tugged her arm, trying to get free from Rodolphus. "Let me go!" she begged. "I need to —"
"Rabastan would never forgive me if I let you get hurt," he said, though it was clear that he was struggling with the idea.
"Rodolphus, look at Bellatrix!" Hermione warned him, begging him to see what was going to happen right in front of their eyes. "I won't let her take him from me, too."
Rodolphus roared, seeing that, and flew into a rage. He let Hermione go and charged through the crowd, headed to save his little brother. He began dueling Bellatrix, their spells meeting and sending sparks shooting in every direction.
Hermione ran across the courtyard, hoping to help her family where she could, only to be caught in a duel with Dolohov himself. Furious that he was standing in her way, Hermione sent curse after curse his way. Clearly, she had learned a lot during her time with the Blacks, because it only too a matter of minutes before she'd worn him down and caught him in the side with a cutting curse. He gasped, pressing his hands against his skin, hoping to staunch the bleeding, only to fall to his knees, gasping.
Rodolphus and Bellatrix were well matched in their duel, so even though Hermione burned with the desire to kill her to get revenge for what she'd done to Orion, she wouldn't step in. Instead, she ran to Rabastan's side, throwing curses at the massive Fenrir Greyback. Thinking on her feet, she sent a modified incarcerous his way, wrapping him with silver chains to neuter his werewolf power.
Rabastan turned and looked pleased. "You thought of that just now?" he asked, rewarding her with a bright smile.
"Yeah," Hermione answered shyly, before she was back dueling again, wondering when this would ever end. If this would ever end.
"Look, Hermione, there is the snake!" Sirius called from across the battlefield, pointing away.
Hermione tore off after the slippery creature, wondering if her fiendfyre would seek the snake out, or if it would go after anyone who got too close. But, just when she was closing in on the snake, Neville jumped out from behind a column, the Sword of Gryffindor raised in his hands. He brought it down, decapitating the snake in an instant.
It was as if a ripple of magic moved through the courtyard. Everything stilled at it was clear that something had changed again. Hermione spun around to see Harry and Voldemort, their two spells colliding against each other. They had been locked in equal balance, but now — now Harry's spell was gaining, sending Voldemort's spell back on him.
She sucked in a breath, watching as the green spell rebound and struck Voldemort in the chest. He was struck by his own Killing Curse and was dead before he hit the ground, his face permanently etched in shock.
Gasps rang out in the courtyard as they realized that they actually won! Death Eaters tried to apparate away if they could, but the ones who couldn't finally dropped their wands in defeat, realizing that their losing battle was actually lost.
All except for Bellatrix. Hermione could see that she was still fighting, spitting mad that the Dark Lord had been felled, and for once, she was worried that she might actually beat Rodolphus, who'd not given up yet either. She had promised that she would kill the witch, but Hermione knew that she could not resort to the same underhanded tactics that Bellatrix had. When Rodolphus stumbled, falling backwards, Hermione saw her chance. She stepped in the middle of their duel, ready to engage her.
"I told you I'd kill you," she snarled, ready to end this once and for all. Bellatrix had been the cause of so much heartbreak — sending her to the past, forcing her into a betrothal, and killing the Father who'd taken her in. She wasn't going to let her get away with it.
Bellatrix was an amazing duelist, cruel and quick to cast, but she was also tired and sloppy after the day that she'd had. Hermione easily deflected the curses that she tried to send at her, even side stepping a Killing Curse. She smirked when she realized that she was gaining the upper hand.
"Expelliarmus!" she called, catching the more experienced witch off guard with the relatively simple spell. Only, it struck true and Hermione was able to snatch Bellatrix's wand out of the air. She sent a trio of cutting curses slicing through the air at the other woman, catching her in the leg, the side and the cheek.
It might not kill her, if someone decided to help Bellatrix in time, but Hermione was certain that the blood loss would catch up with her sooner than later. Bellatrix gasped, falling to her knees, fury in her eyes. Hermione watched her, determined to see this to the end.
Regulus got to her side first, wrapping her up in a tight hug. "Are you out of your mind? Why did you throw yourself into her duel?" he demanded. "Do you have any idea what I would have done if she'd hurt you?"
"I had to... for Father," Hermione answered, finally letting the tears swim in her eyes as the realities of the day swept over her.
"He would have loved to see it," Sirius said, pressing a hand to her shoulder, pleased that she was okay. "You dueled so beautifully."
Rabastan was the last to join them. "I can't believe it's actually over," he said, looking lighter than he had in a long time, like he was floating on air.
"We were about to return to Grimmauld Place, if you'd like to join us," Sirius suggested.
"We were?" Hermione asked, wondering when her brothers had decided that.
"I would," Rabastan said, pleased that they were all still working together as a team, despite what had happened. "But, I should really go track down Rodolphus and get things sorted. May I join you later?"
"If you don't, I would be very cross," Hermione said. She understood that Rabastan had to take care of things as the Heir to his family. And, she really thought it was for the best that she and her brothers have some time to themselves to talk about their Father.
"See you then," he said, grabbing her hand and giving her a squeeze.