The Dark Lord's Mistress

Chapter 21

Hermione's POV

I stood looking out the window near Syria's cradle. A messenger had come from Tom himself to tell me about the one hour cease fire. I was wringing my hands as I stared out over the rolling hills of the Manor's grounds. My friends were in danger. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco, Bella, Cissy, they were all in danger and I was hiding like a coward.

'Tibby!' I called. A sharp crack sounded as the little house elf appeared before me. Syria let out a whimper but was otherwise unaffected by the house elf's appearance. 'Mistress is calling Tibby?' the house elf asked. 'Yes Tibby. I need you to watch my daughter. She'll be safe here.' I said as I grabbed my cloak and threw it over my shoulders. I grabbed my wand and knocked on the door.

The guard opened it and I silently stunned him and caught him before he could fall and make any noise. 'One down, 4 to go.' I thought as I dragged him into the room and closed the door behind me. I had to get out of the manor and to the apparation point as soon as I could. One name kept flashing through my mind as I found and stunned the death eaters that were guarding the Manor. I could only pray that he was all right and as far from Voldemort as humanly possible.

I thought about Hogwarts and the grounds surrounding it. I turned on the spot and disappeared with a sharp crack. I only hoped I wasn't too late.

I arrived somewhere near the Great Hall dodging students frantically running left and right. “Harry!” I called out as I spotted him, Ron and Ginny heading toward the Ravenclaw common room. He turned when he heard my voice and came running down to encase me in a bone-crushing hug.

“Mione, I’m so sorry I was such a git.” He said as his arms wrapped around my small frame. “I’ve lost too many people in my life and even though you’re in love with the greasy- I mean Snape, I won’t let this make me lose you too. You’re the sister I never had and I love you.”

I stifled a sob as I listened to Harry’s apology and hugged him back full force.

“I love you too Harry. Thank you for that, it really means a lot.” I said trying not to cry. He released me and I turned toward Ginny and Ron who moments later hugged me with the same force.

Ron let me go moments later and to my surprise said, “I never meant to say any of the things I said to you, and I am so sorry! Please forgive me, Mione. I know you’re still mad at me, you have every right to be, but I love you, Mione. I’ll always love you and if that great bat hurts you, he’ll have to answer to me!” Ginny nodded in approval and came to stand beside me before I enveloped her in a hug as well. 'Thank you for telling them for me. I don't think I would have let them live if I had told them myself.' I whispered to her.

I broke away from the group and looked toward Harry asking where they were headed. He told me about Hufflepuff’s cup and Ron mentioned the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk fang to destroy it. As much as I wanted to help, I knew I had to find Severus before it was too late.

I turned as Ginny grabbed my arm. 'I'm sure he's fine. You'll find him.' She said. I nodded. 'Take care of them for me.' I said as she turned toward the boys. She handed me my beaded bag before looking back at the pair. 'Ginny, go help the DA. Ron and I will find the horcrux.' Harry said. I watched as Ginny kissed Harry and then took off up the stairs while Ron and Harry ran towards Ravenclaw tower. I took my wand out of my sleeve and quickly changed the long velvet dress into a pair of jeans and jumper before I took off down the stairs at a dead run dodging hexes and curses along the way.

I scanned each of the faces as I continued to run. 'Look out!' a male voice yelled as I was pulled to the ground. I looked up to see Draco hovering over me. 'You shouldn't be here. You just gave birth.' He said as he cast a protection spell around us.

'I have to know everyone is alright. I have to do my part to end this war.' I said as a curse rebounded off the shield. 'Is he alright?' I asked. 'I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since the start of this battle.' He said. He helped me up and deflected an oncoming Cruciatus curse.

We both paused when we heard Bella's cackle raise above the din of the battle. 'Seems like Aunt Bella is enjoying herself a bit too much.' He said. 'At least she is still with us.' I said. 'Mother is hidden deep in the forbidden forest with the rest of the healers and I just saw father a little while ago. No sign of Potter or his sidekick the Flying Weasel.' He said.

I smothered a giggle. 'I just saw them both a little while ago.' I said as I deflected a stunner. 'Oh good, Saint Potter here to save the day.' He said. 'I need to find Severus, Draco.' I said as I continued to deflect curses. I cried out when my arm got sliced open.

I healed it as best I could. 'Keep an eye on everyone.' I said as I turned away from him. 'Be careful 'Mione.' He said as we parted ways. 'I will.' I said as I watched him take off through the battle. I ducked behind a toppled statue, held my wand in my hands, and cleared my mind.

'Point Me.' I said quietly with my eyes closed. I opened my eyes to find my wand had shifted to point towards the Black Lake. I shrugged before I poked my head from behind my hiding spot and ducked back down again.

'Crucio!' A female voice cried. 'How dare you! How dare you show your ugly mudblood face here!' She screamed as she cast Sectumsempra.

'I really don't have time for this.' I thought as I narrowly avoided that curse. 'Alecto, you have no idea who you are dealing with!' I said as I cast incarcerous. She managed to dodge it and threw another Sectumsempra at me.

I watched as it sliced through my left arm. I looked down and saw that my arm was still intact albeit bleeding heavily. 'Crucio!' I screamed and watched as my curse hit its mark and Alecto fell to the ground writhing. 'Incarcerous!' I shouted as she attempted to get back to her feet.

'You have no bloody idea who the hell you were dealing with Alecto and I hope the dementors find you before I have a chance to come back.' I said as I walked by her. I stunned her before continuing towards the Black Lake. That little duel had cost me precious moments.

I took off towards the stairs and saw that Harry and Ron had already made it down to the dock. I reached them as I heard Voldemort instructed his vile snake to attack Severus. I made to enter the house but Ron and Harry grabbed my arms.

'If you go in there now, you'll be making Syria an orphan.' Ron hissed. I looked at him pleading to let me go to Severus. I heard the pop of apparation and yanked my arms from Ron and Harry's grasp. I wrenched open the door to the boathouse and pulled out my wand.

'Lumos.' I muttered. I wished I hadn't lit my wand. Blood covered a good portion of the floor. 'Severus!' I cried as I fell to my knees, rolled him over, and looked at him. I pressed my hand to his neck to stop the bleeding. 'Hermione?' He asked as he opened his eyes.

I shushed him. 'I'm going to stop the bleeding and then we can talk.' I said as I began to cast different healing spells. 'It's….not going to….work…. Too much….blood…..loss.' He gasped out as Harry kneeled on his other side.

'Take them.' Snape said looking at Harry. He gestured to his face where milky white tears were rolling down his cheeks. 'Hermione. I need a vial, a flask…anything.' He said as he held out his hand. I dug through the bag, pulled a small vial from the bag, and handed it to him. I then started a frantic search for something, anything that might save Severus' life.

I watched as three tears rolled into the vial and collected at the bottom. 'Take them….to the pensieve. Look….at…me.' He said as he struggled to breathe. 'You have your mother's eyes…'He said before he exhaled and his entire body relaxed. I felt my heart break as I realized that he had just taken his last breath.

'No!' I said as I grabbed the potion I had been looking for and uncorked it. I dumped it down his throat before Harry or Ron could tell me it was no use. 'You will not die on me Severus Snape! You will not leave my daughter without a father!' I said as I tried to revive him. I watched his body for any signs of movement while I kept my hand pressed to his neck.

'Hermione….Hermione! Stop! It's no use. He's gone.' Harry said as he shook my shoulder. 'I can still save him! He can't be gone!' I said as I grabbed my potions again and went to administer them. I didn't want to admit to myself that he was gone. It would be like saying Voldemort had won the war and that would happen over my dead, lifeless corpse. 'Hermione, he's gone. We can't bring him back.' Harry said as he stilled my hands. I looked up at him then at Severus. I put my head in my hands and stated sobbing aloud.

'Voldemort is still out there.' Harry said. 'We have to finish this.' Ron said wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I turned into him and cried. 'He's gone to a better place 'Mione. He'd want you to help Harry defeat Voldemort.' Harry said.

I nodded as I sniffled. I closed Severus' eyes with my hand and pressed a kiss to his lips. 'I love you.' I said softly as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. It was the first and only time I would admit to him that I loved him and he wasn’t even alive to hear it. I stood and took my wand from Ron. 'We have a job to do.' I said as I turned to face Harry.

I heard a sudden ringing in my ears before it became so loud that I clamped down on my ears to try to block out the sound. 'You have all fought valiantly… I do not wish to continue this bloodshed….Every drop of magical blood lost is a waste. I speak to you Harry Potter. Surrender to me. Do not allow your friends and family to continue risking their lives when it can be settled between you and I. I shall be waiting in the Forbidden Forest. Don't not allow your friends to be slaughtered while you hide like a coward.' Voldemort's voice said. I looked at Harry. 'We don’t have much time.' I said. Ron and Harry nodded.

Together we left the boathouse but not before, I looked back at Severus' still form. As a group, we walked towards the remains of the Great Hall. Bodies mixed with the rubble. No one I knew was there although there were several students and Aurors were laying with their eyes unseeing towards the darkening sky.

We entered the hall and began looking for any signs that our family was still alive. Ron took off towards his family. All members of the Weasley family were standing around two of the fallen. I put my hand over my mouth to stop the sobs.

'Poor Teddy.' Ginny said she threw her arms around Harry and cried. I turned into Ron and sobbed. I'd lost someone who had been like a sister to me and I had lost the father of my child. I sniffled as Ron put his hand on my shoulder. 'Come with me.' He said.

I held my hand back for a moment before I put my hand in his. He led me from the Great Hall where all of the bodies had been placed while the cease fire was going on. We took a seat on the steps near the Great Hall and looked at the ruins around us.

'This is pointless. He's destroying the one place we've ever felt safe, just so he can get to Harry.' Ron said. I nodded. 'Hermione, look at me.' He said. I looked at him with tears in my eyes. 'I know I can never replace Snape, but if you ever need anything….' He said. I nodded and kissed him on the cheek. 'I know Ron.' I said quietly.

I put my head on his shoulder and we sat there like this for what seemed like hours before footsteps coming down the stairs broke us out of our reverie. 'Where have you been?' I asked as I stood. 'We thought you went to the forest.' Ron said even though I knew we had not been thinking at all since we sat down. 'I'm going there now.' Harry said solemnly.

I almost burst out crying. 'I'll come with you.' I said as I choked down a sob. 'No…No kill the snake, then it's just him.' He said. I flung my arms around him and cried. I cursed Voldemort. He had killed Severus, he'd killed Remus and Tonks, and he was about to kill Harry too. Harry passed me back to Ron and continued down the stairs.

'Come on, we have to tell McGonagall.' Ron said pulling my arm towards the Great Hall. We split up upon entering the Hall. I passed the bodies of Colin Creevy, Lavender Brown, Tonks, Remus, and Mundungus as I approached Professor McGonagall.

I explained to her what was going on and watched as her face twisted into a grimace. 'That foolish, entirely to brave for his own good, stupid boy.' She muttered. I allowed myself a small smile at her words. I turned from her as she went to gather the remaining Order members for a final stand.