Disclaimer: This chapter contains scenes and dialogue from HPatDH, Ch. 17 (Bathilda's Secret) to be exact. You know how it goes… Credit to JKR for creating it first.

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Hermione took a few steps closer to the bookshelf, picked up a discarded publication that wasn't quite as grimy as its companions, and wiped the layer of dirt from the cover. She gasped as she read the title and glanced over her shoulder to make sure she was alone. For some reason, it felt like the blind witch's gaze was still on her, watching every move she made.

Without too much guilt, she slipped the book into the inside pocket of her jacket. Silently promising to return it, if they were ever given the chance…

Harry would want to see the contents. Of that, she was absolutely certain.

Suddenly a loud crash echoed from the upper floor, Hermione looked to the ceiling and called out, "Harry?!"

There was no response. Not from her friend or the mute witch who had led him up the flight of stairs. She tried again as she followed the way they had just disappeared. When she got to the top of the landing Hermione almost screamed. Harry was sprawled on the floor wrapped in the deadly embrace of a monstrous snake. The thing's thick muscles pulsated under shining scales as it coiled around his body.

"Flipendo!" She shrieked, aiming her wand at the unnatural creature.

Her curse bounced off of her target and hit the window directly above the mass of struggling flesh. She managed to anger the snake enough that it released Harry and struck out at her. Intent on pumping its venom into her body. On instinct, she dove out of the way and felt somewhat triumphant when it launched itself into the wall behind her.

A second of dazed confusion gave her time to point her wand before the heavy animal was on her. Trying to twist itself around her middle, she thanked her lucky stars that it didn't immediately go for the kill for a second time, giving her the seconds it took to aim directly at the fanged mouth and grunt out, "Bombarda!"

Hermione sucked in deep gulps of air as the snake flew into the air. Before she could reorientate, Harry grabbed her arm and yanked hard, screaming at the top of his lungs, "He is coming! Hermione, he's coming!"

Scrambling to her feet, she cried out from the sharp pain of his grip but obediently followed where he guided her. Her eyes stayed on their attacker and as soon as it reared back to strike again she shouted, "Confringo!"

The spell ricocheted off of the magically imbued scales and began to fly around the room. Exploding the wardrobe mirror in the corner and showering them in a storm of broken glass, the bright yellow light continued to bounce from floor to ceiling. Just missing Harry as he pulled her up onto the bed, to a broken dressing table, and then… Straight out the smashed window into the blank nothingness of night.

She screamed, her free hand clutched at the open air. Struggling to find anything solid to grab onto and stop her downward descent. Miraculously, it came in contact with the scratchy fabric of Harry's woolen robes and she managed to twist her body around…

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It had been hours since they had landed just outside the protective boundaries of their camp. Harry should have woken long ago… But he was trapped inside of a nightmare. No matter what she did, his eyes stayed closed and his lips whispered heretical obscenities at the things only he could see.

At first, she had tried to treat his injuries where they were roughly deposited, but it had quickly become apparent that he wasn't going to regain consciousness anytime soon. So she'd moved him to the bunk that Ron had occupied, treated his wounds, and waited… Listening to the vile mutterings mixed with parseltongue.

When his fever had begun to rise, Hermione started to panic. She had done everything she could, including using dittany on the snakebite and hexing the horcrux from his chest. It wasn't like they could traipse into St. Mungo's without apprehension and that was only if he survived the journey. Which was looking more and more unlikely as the minutes ticked on… She couldn't leave him defenseless to find help either.

Forced to sit idly by while Harry fought the venom that coursed through his veins, she watched as he wrestled with the darkness of his mind. Grumbled elation at the deaths of what she could only assume were his own parents was the hardest to bear, but she stayed at his side, wiping the sweat from his forehead and trying to wake him every so often.

"Nooo…" He mumbled, his face twisted in pain.

"Shhh," She consoled, dropping the stained sponge into the basin on her left.

"Nooooo…" The moan of agony was drawn out as his head started to sway from side to side.

"Harry, it's all right," Hermione murmured, more for herself than him. "You are all right."

"No… I dropped it… I dropped it…"

For the first time since their narrow escape, he sounded like himself and she perked up, "Harry, it's okay, wake up! Wake up!"

It took a moment but he did as he was told and opened his eyes.

"Oh, thank the Gods…" She whispered. "Harry, do you feel… all right?"

"Yes." The lie was accompanied by a wince as he looked around the tent. "We got away."

"We did. I had to use a Hover Charm to get you into your bunk, I couldn't lift you. You've been…" Hermione leaned down and wrung out the sponge for something to do. "Well,.. You have been ill. Quite ill."

"How long ago did we leave?"

"Hours. It's nearly morning…"

"And I've been… what, unconscious?" Harry asked.

"Not exactly. You've been shouting and moaning and… things." She said uncomfortably, not wanting to go into the more disturbing parts of his break from reality. "I couldn't get the horcrux off you. It was stuck to your chest. You've got a mark; I'm sorry, I had to use a Severing Charm to get it away. The snake bit you too, but I cleaned the wound and put some dittany on it…"

He lifted up the sweaty t-shirt that he was wearing and checked on the bright crimson oval left behind by the locket. "Where have you put it?"

"In my bag… I think we should keep it off for a while…"

He nodded and stared up at her, his voice cracked as he attempted an apology, "We shouldn't have gone to Godric's Hollow. It's… It's my fault, it's all my fault, Hermione. I'm… sorry."

More perturbed by the uncharacteristic display of vulnerability than horrific groaned offerings earlier, Hermione quickly moved so she was sitting next to him on the bed. "It's not your fault. I wanted to go too. I really thought Dumbledore might have left the sword there for you."

"Yeah, well… We got that wrong, didn't we?"

They sat there in heavy silence for a few moments and then Hermione couldn't stand it anymore, "What happened, Harry? What happened when she took you upstairs? Was the snake hiding somewhere? Did it just come out, kill her, and attack you?"

"No," he said. "She was the snake… or the snake was her… all along."

"W… What?"

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath before trying to describe the specifics. "Bathilda must've been dead a while. The snake was… was inside her. You-Know-Who put it there in Godric's Hollow, to wait. You were right… He knew I'd go back."

Her mind went blank as she tried to conjure the terrible images. "The snake was inside her?"

He gave a soft sigh and then opened his eyes to study her face. "Lupin said there would be magic we'd never imagined. She didn't want to talk in front of you, because it was parseltongue. All of it was parseltongue and I didn't realize… Of course, I could understand her. Once we were up in the room, the snake sent a message to You-Know-Who, I heard it happen inside my head. I felt him get excited, he said to keep me there… and then…"

She stayed quiet and waited, trying to stop the hysteria that wanted to rise, even though they were already safe from the threat.

"...she changed, changed into the snake, and attacked. It wasn't supposed to kill me, just keep there till You-Know-Who came." Frustrated by something she couldn't pinpoint, he pulled himself up into a sitting position and threw back the blankets.

"Harry, no, I'm sure you ought to rest!" Hermione scolded the struggling wizard.

"You're the one who needs sleep. No offense, but you look terrible and I'm fine. I'll keep watch for a while." Harry said with the usual authority that got him what he wanted in the end. "Where is my wand?"

She couldn't answer. Her tongue suddenly felt stuck to the roof of her mouth. She knew that he wouldn't respond kindly to the news…

"Where is my wand, Hermione?"

Tears sprang to her eyes and she bit her lip to stop the sob that threatened to burst out of her.

"Where's my wand?"

His shout echoed in her ears and she reached down to pick up the pieces that were held together by the exposed and fraying phoenix feather. Staying silent, she handed them over to the aggrieved owner.

His voice was like a tiny child as he tried to hand it back, "Mend it. Please."

A tear rolled down her cheek as she told him the truth, "I.. I don't think… When it's broken like this…"

"Please, Hermione, try!"

She unpocketed her own wand and pointed it at the piece of wood that dangled from his hand, "R…Reparo."

The splintered holly resealed and Harry held it up. "Lumos."

For a second the tip of the wand sparked feebly before going out, he turned and pointed the wand at her. "Expelliarmus!"

She felt the tiny jerk but her wand stayed put. The feeble attempt at magic was too much and Harry's wand split back in two, the bright red feather making it appear as if it was bleeding. Hermione did not know what to say as shock took hold of her friend.

He stared aghast at the conduit for his magic. The twin to Voldemort's, he had put too much faith into the handcrafted stick and the odd connection between the cores. As she had feared, she watched as the last shreds of hope left his eyes.

"Harry…" She whispered, the guilt eating her alive. "I'm so, so sorry. I think it was me. As we were leaving, you know, the snake was coming for us… So I… So I cast a Blasting Curse and it rebounded everywhere. It must have… must have hit…"

"It was an accident," His platitude was mechanical. "We'll… We'll find a way to repair it."

"I don't think we're going to be able to," Hermione confessed, her tears falling freely now. "Remember… Remember Ron? When he broke his wand, crashing the car? It was never the same again, he had to get a new one."

"Well…" Harry's voice was hollow as he stood up and avoided meeting her eye. "Well, I'll borrow yours for now. While I keep watch."

She swallowed down her sobs and handed over her wand. He turned, his gait unsteady, and stalked from the tent.

It was clear he couldn't get away from her fast enough…