A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows after last chapter! 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.
Please let me know what you thought of chapter forty-five and be on the lookout for chapter forty-six soon!
Unfortunately, for the wizarding world as the year moved on the Death Eaters grew more brazen in their attacks. It quickly became evident that targeting Hogsmeade was not a one off. Nowhere was safe from Voldemort's reach, something that he was keen on proving again and again. Diagon Alley had been the scene of another large attack, leaving several severely injured and one person killed. There had also been a large explosion at the Ministry and even though they tried to deny it, it was not hard to make the leap that he'd done that, too, what with the Dark Mark scrawled in the entry atrium, the image captured by The Daily Prophet before the Ministry could do any damage control.
A prominent muggleborn in the Ministry — The Department Head of Magical Transportation — had been killed, alongside his wife, leaving their two children as orphans. Many people had gone missing, whether to flee the country or forcibly removed, no one knew for certain. And that was nothing to compare with the muggles that were found killed by magical means (though the muggle law enforcement were left spinning their wheels, sure some new drug was on the market).
It was practically all that anyone could talk about at Hogwarts, even the Slytherins. At breakfast, the sound of the owl wings bringing the morning post was sure to cast a pall over the students and faculty alike. Then, the rustling of pages would be the only thing people could hear while they poured over the words written on the pages.
For a while, Slytherin house felt especially isolated from the news, seeing as it was no secret that purebloods were not targeted. But as the acts became more violent and more overt, there was no denying that a real war was being fought outside the school's walls. And soon, everyone had a reason to be worried, even the Slytherins.
Hermione felt her stomach twist everytime that she thought about Sirius, foolishly having joined the Aurors. She thought about Remus and James and all the other people in the Order who were waging a secret war against Voldermort and his Death Eaters. While she knew that Remus and Sirius had survived the first war, she was not so naive to think that her mere presence hadn't changed the odds on if they would survive this time.
When they would get together in the Common Room, the seventh years were slowly beginning to discuss what was happening out in the real world. They all had come to the realization that they were going to be graduating into chaos of that, and for once were uncertain if their families would truly be safe.
"Tristan has been quietly making inquiries about moving to another league," Mallory said, a frog in her throat at the thought of being parted from her older brother. "His wife is expecting again and she doesn't feel safe here."
"You'll be able to visit, though, won't you Mal?" Priscilla asked, hopeful as ever, though she looked sad as she rested her head against Nella's leg.
"I hope so, but I've heard that they are cracking down on International Portkeys," she said, sounding despondent. Ansel wrapped his arms around her tighter, trying to give her the strength. "I just can't imagine being parted from my nephew. What if something happens?"
"Maybe you could go with them," Elvira suggested from her spot cuddled next to Angus. "I mean, surely your sister-in-law could use the help with a new baby."
"And leave everyone behind?" Mallory asked with a squeak, though it was clear that she had thought about it. "Mother thinks that it might be best, but I just don't know."
Nella sighed. "Now that I'm going to be graduating, my family has decided to take a year off to travel," she said, her eyebrows drawn together. "I'm sure they think that I'm stupid...coming up with an excuse like that."
The snort that came from across the room was unmistakable. It was clear that Bernie had been listening to them, even though he was more or less ostracized from their group. "They are being stupid," he insisted. "Thinking that they need to flee the country."
"What's that supposed to mean, Bernard?" Priscilla demanded, annoyed that he was butting in where he wasn't wanted.
Bernie stood up from his spot by the fire, leaving Barty by himself with an unfinished game of Wizard's chess in front of him. He stalked across the room, until he was standing near the settees where the rest of the seventh years had set up camp for the evening.
"Look around you. Read the bloody newspaper. Who is actually having issues? Mudbloods, half-bloods and blood traitors," he hissed, like they were scum on his boot.
"That's not true," Ansel argued. "Three aurors were killed recently, in an attack near the Leaky Cauldron. One of them was Edgar Bones. Pureblood."
"Are you listening to yourself?" Bernie asked, chuckling to himself, that cruel smirk of his making him look all the more sinister. "I said blood traitors. Can't help them if they are willing to turn their back on what makes them great."
"And just what is that?" Priscilla demanded, unable to stop herself from engaging with him.
"Blood purity, of course," Bernie said, the firelight glinting off of his blond curls. "We are purebloods and it's time that we stop acting like it's a bad thing. We are the only ones who are entitled to magic — it is in our blood and we can't keep hiding behind that anymore."
"I don't think there is a single one among us that is ashamed of being pureblood, Bern," Regulus said, his gaze fixed ahead, though Hermione could see a slight twitch in his jaw. He was worried about her, about her running her mouth in front of such an enemy and finding trouble. He was trying to preempt her from speaking. "It's just the tactics that are growing abhorrent."
Bernie laughed again. "You've gotten so soft, Reg," he said, shaking his head. "There is no need to worry about things that aren't going to affect any of us. We are all pureblood. We won't be harmed, if we don't speak out against the Dark Lord, of course. He wants us purebloods to flourish. So, really, your dumb brother and parents are only causing more harm, by leaving our native land."
Mallory bristled and Nella just looked sad. Hermione could see the tears swimming in her eyes and she had to bite her tongue not to jump into the argument. She knew that there would be no winning with Bernie — he was too far gone. Though, a part of her wondered if she shouldn't tell him that his precious Dark Lord was a half-blood, too. She doubted that he would believe her.
"Though, I would be worried if I was you, Regulus," Bernie said with a smile, his eyes a bit wild. "I mean, you are the only one of us here who has shunned him already. Last year you were just as eager as any of us to join in on those abhorrent tactics and become a Death Eater like you promised. Like you said you wanted."
"Things can change," Regulus said firmly. "The Black family will always make decisions that keep us safe."
"And I suppose you do have to keep your stupid little sister safe, don't you?" he asked, tutting in mock concern. "Why, she decided to go after Death Eaters herself. I suppose she could be forgiven, seeing as she is just a witch, but — I wonder how deep her blood traitor tendencies go."
Hermione felt Rabastan's arm tighten around her shoulders reflexively. This whole time, he'd been listening like he didn't care, but Hermione could feel him slowly getting more and more upset the more that Bernie spouted off. The closer he got to hurting people Rabastan cared about, the more tense he'd become.
"Leave Hermione out of it, Rosier," he snarled, unable to stop himself.
"Oh, and how could I forget you, Rabastan?" he asked, with a laugh. "I almost forget that you are there sometimes. Not hard to do when your brother's shadow looms so large. Will you be joining the Dark Lord, as was your intention just last year?"
"You know what the Dark Lord did to my family," he hissed back. "Why would I want to join someone who steals from a family in the Sacred Twenty-Eight?"
"Please, if a witch can be so easily swayed by another then she was never yours in the first place," Bernie sneered at him. "If anything, the Dark Lord was doing your family a favor when he showed you Bellatrix's true colors. At least your father won't have to question the paternity of your brother's heir now. You should be thanking him."
"I would never—" Rabastan seethed, disgusted at the suggestion.
"Oh really? Because I've heard that your fortunes have changed since," the other wizard said with a chuckle, gaining the attention of all the Slytherins.
"Leave it, Bernie," Regulus ordered, staring down his former friend.
"It's not like they won't find out eventually. We might as well tell everyone the happy news," he said, venom dripping off his every word.
"What are you talking about?" Elvira asked, curiosity in her voice. Even though she knew that Bernard was an awful little person, she couldn't help but recognize that there was some truth in what he was saying, just based on how Rabastan and Regulus were reacting.
Bernard laughed — a horrible laugh that sent a shiver up Hermione's spine. "It's no wonder that they haven't said anything. After all it's so embarrassing," he said, letting his eyes slip between Hermione and Rabastan again and again. "Rabastan and Hermione are betrothed."
"What?" Mallory squawked, turning to look at Hermione in shock.
"Yes, seems like if they couldn't have Bellatrix, the Lestranges would be willing to settle for the next best," he teased, looking so proud of himself for outing their little secret. "I'd say it's too bad that it had to be her, but I think that you two just might deserve each other."
Rabastan's face went an odd shade of red. Hermione looked at him, unsure if he was embarrassed or angry or somewhere in between. She stared at his face, seeing the muscle in his jaw twitch while he decided on if he was going to say anything back.
"Though, she must have to be settling for you too, Rabastan," Bernie continued on his little tirade, obviously pleased with himself.
"Shut your mouth, Bernard," Rabastan said, fiercely, finally standing up and drawing his wand.
"What? Don't want to face the facts, Rabastan?" he said, drawing his own wand with a flourish. "You spent all of last year pining over her and she didn't even give you a second glance, even though she was happy to throw herself at Ansel and me."
Regulus was ready to get involved, then too, hopping up to stand beside Rabastan. "I thought you'd figured out by now to not speak about my sister," he seethed, rage in his voice.
"I am sure that you've tried to forget about how she acted like an eager little slut for me," the blond wizard said, with a smirk on his face, apparently no longer cowed by whatever her father and brother had done to him. "Even with Rabastan swooping in to play the dashing hero — she still didn't want you then. How pathetic, you had to wait for a betrothal to get the girl. Have you convinced yourself that she really likes you now, Rabastan? That she isn't just settling for you?"
Hermione stood up now and reached out to grab Rabastan by the hand, as she could see that Bernard's words were affecting him greatly. "You have no idea what you are talking about," she insisted to Rosier, wondering how she'd ever given him the time of day in the first place. "Don't presume to know my feelings. We haven't spoken in over a year, not since I last put you in your place."
She drew her wand now, too, and was pleased to see a flicker of fear in Bernie's eyes, finally. But then he scoffed. "You aren't even a man, Lestrange," he said, pleased with himself. "She has to fight your battles for you."
Before she even knew what was happening, Rabastan was launching himself across the space between them and catching Bernard with a punch across the face. A second punch across the jaw, and complete shock at being attacked in such a muggle way, sent sprawling back, his head hitting the ground hard.
Rabastan shook his hand in pain, before he turned to look at Hermione. His face was rather stricken and she could just see the wheels turning in his head. After seven years as roommates, it seemed that Bernard knew all the right buttons to push to really upset him. Before she could say anything, to reassure him that Bernard was wrong, he was turning on his heel and storming out of the common room, despite her pleas for him to wait.
It didn't take her long to decide what to do. She was going to follow him, because she needed to let him know that Bernie was wrong. She wasn't settling for him and her reluctance to the marriage had nothing to do with him. Well, not anymore, at least. Because, somewhere over the months that they'd been together, she'd discovered that Rabastan might really be perfect for her.
And, it had gone on too long without her telling him she honestly felt.
Regulus tried to stop her next, but there was no stopping her now that her mind was made up. She was sure he just didn't want to be left alone to clean up after Bernie's mess, both figuratively and literally, based on the flurry of questions that she heard from her excited friends. And, someone would probably have to take Bernie to the hospital wing once he got his bearings, but it certainly wasn't going to be her.
She had something far more important to do.