Hello everyone! Okay please don't hate me. I'm really sorry for taking so long to update this. Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews. I had half of this chapter written for about half a year and just couldn't bring myself to finish it. It was only when I was diagnosed with Corona Virus and unable to leave my house that I was finally forced to sit down and fight through the writer's block (side note, I really hope the fever I'm rocking now doesn't make this chapter feel half crazed). And also, please no one hate me for the contents of this chapter. I feel like I need to say that the pairing is still not going to be solidified for a good few chapters, so please just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

Chapter 21

Severus raced across the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic, his heart in his throat. His charm, set to inform him the moment the wards around Hermione dropped making her trackable, had alarmed a few minutes ago. He wasn't stupid enough to track her down, he knew with how high profile the case was the Aurors would be ten steps ahead of him. He just needed to be there when she was brought in. He wasn't thinking about the possibility that she might not even be conscious, that she might not even be alive.

James Potter and Sirius Black for some reason had made it their business to follow Severus, he felt their presence hot on his heels. It had been a mistake to ask for their help earlier that day, he had revealed too much. He hadn't realised just how much Hermione had let slip to Black during their time together. Something twisted in his gut at his own thoughts. 'Their time together', he repeated to himself. He couldn't help but wonder how Black had seen that scar on her arm. He had been too desperate for their help earlier to invade the Gryffindor's mind for answers.

Severus spotted Frank Longbottom the instant he entered the Auror Department. He raced forward darting around people who were hurrying across the office.

"Where is she?" Severus demanded, summoning Frank from the file which had been consuming his attention. Instantly, the young Auror lifted his gaze and stared the Slytherin up and down, recognition slowly dawning. Severus had almost forgotten about his muggle attire, not wanting to seem self-conscious he stubbornly refused to transfigure his robes back in front of him.

"She's being interviewed," Frank stated, but he seemed to be distracted by something over Severus's shoulder. Severus shot a look behind him, before rolling his eyes as Sirius Black and James Potter barrelled into the open plan office.

"I want to see her now," Severus all but demanded, preparing for refusal. To his surprise Frank simply nodded.

"I'll see what I can do," Frank murmured. "But I should warn you, she hasn't spoken since we brought her in. A medical exam showed her arm and ankle had been badly broken and healed recently, and not by a professional," he added, confirming Severus's worst fears. He froze for a moment struggling to find his words.

"Where did you find her?" Sirius Black demanded, obviously having overheard Frank's warning.

"Wandering around in century old dress robes, in the middle of nowhere," Frank allowed with a grim expression covering his face, his eyes didn't leave Severus's. The Slytherin began to fear how professional the young Auror was behaving. How bad was it? Where had she gone?

Severus watched as Frank walked across the large office and disappeared behind a corner. If this had been a few months ago he was sure he would have followed Frank, hot on his heels, demanding answers. The war had been one tragedy after the other, he had rather shamefully grown numb. He had seen terrible atrocities committed inside the walls of Hogwarts, unable to protect its inhabitants from the evils that had seized the wizarding world. He had, however, grown unused to tragedy in his trip to the past.

When Severus had seen Hermione Granger carrying Bellatrix's wand all those months ago, he had known just how brutal the war had been on the girl. The carving on her arm and her obvious nerve damage just seemed to emphasise that. He took a deep breath and composed himself. He had to remind himself that he was not some teenage boy, he was a survivor. He'd been a Death Eater, a spy, a Headmaster, a murderer, but he was not a coward. It seemed for most of his life he had been doing damage control. He'd always had a plan, always had some sort of master. When Hermione had gone missing, he was sure he would lose his mind if he didn't find her. Suddenly there was no fight, no tragedy to circumvent. Without the girl there was no cure for what ailed the Wizarding World, and he supposed there was no cure for what plagued him either.

…

Hermione stared at the mirror in front of her. She had been sat in an interview room somewhere in the Ministry. Her brain had partially turned off the second she had seen the fountain that occupied the atrium, flashes of darting around it hailed in spell fire flew through her mind as she followed Harry who had the locket clutched in his hand. Her past life was starting to seem more and more like a dream the more she pondered it. How outlandish her imagination would have to be, to evoke memories so cruel.

Two Aurors Hermione didn't recognise had picked her up the second she had left the wards of the Rabastan summer home. She supposed there had been a lot of people that had been waiting for tracking spells to function on her. She had been so careful when she had been travelling with Ron and Harry, always warding against the likes of 'point me's and other more nefarious tracking methods. However, without magic she was completely vulnerable to being found by just about anyone. Even then, she could feel her magic slowly simmering just below the surface, finally fighting the suppression charms that had been placed on her. Her hands trembled in testament to the struggle, her jarred nerves still not fully recovered.

Several Aurors had come and gone in Hermione's time in the office, all trying to tempt answers from her. She couldn't give them however, no matter how much she tried. She wasn't sure she had fully come to terms with the last few weeks. The time spent at the Lestrange summer home had been filled with silent contemplation. Yet, it had been the type of ruminative thought that was almost poisonous to the mind. Over and over the possibilities had swirled around her puzzled brain, no answers appealing to her near perpetually robust reasoning.

'Robust Reasoning,' Hermione almost scoffed at the description. She had always thought herself a very grounded person. A person who knew right and wrong so definitely. Someone who had no room for shades of grey. Yet, if that were true, why was she considering Rabastan's plan so comprehensively. It was clearly madness, but there was something in Sage's writing that tempted her. Could she return to her own time? Could she complete that horrifying ritual on the off chance she could see Harry and Ron again? The very fact that she was having these thoughts made her question her own grip on reality.

The door to the interview room opened once more to admit, finally, a familiar face. Frank Longbottom walked carefully into the room, unable to hide how uncomfortable he was feeling. Hermione decided the best procedure was to ignore him, in favour of staring at the large mirror opposite her. In it a girl she hardly recognised stared back at her. Her brown eyes were empty, large and unavoidable on her pale thin face. Her continually bushy hair sat flat against her head, seemingly devoid of life. When had she grown so gaunt looking? There hadn't been many mirrors on the run, yet she couldn't remember seeing herself look so drastically different.

"I brought tea," Frank stated, placing a porcelain cup in front of Hermione. It was pretty, with a pink floral pattern and looked entirely out of place in the grim room. She wondered if he honestly thought that she would drink anything that he, someone who had often very blatantly shown his dislike of her, gave her.

"They must be desperate to put you in here," Hermione muttered quietly. Reaching up she rubbed her eyes harshly, trying to push down some of the exhaustion she was feeling. What was she going to do? This didn't seem like the type of mess she was going to weasel her way out of. She wondered if the Headmaster had even admitted to the Aurors that she had been taken. It wouldn't surprise her if he had tried to cover it up, like he often did with unfortunate plans that didn't suit his agenda.

The Aurors had however, located her mere minutes after she had stumbled into the muggle town, so they had been searching. She was desperate to know what had been going on in her absence. Severus's face appeared in her mind for a moment before she dismissed all thoughts of him, she had no idea what he had been doing without her. She didn't even know what she wanted to tell him about her abduction.

"That's what I said," Frank replied with a scoff. He reached up and massaged his shoulder without meeting her eyes. He seemed like a completely different man to the one that Hermione was accustomed to her. Gone was the false bravado, and in its place, a tired wizard.

"So, Auror Longbottom, is there a reason I've been locked away in here?" Hermione asked, trying her best to sound like the dismissive Pureblood she had been immolating so poorly over the last few weeks. Her attempts fell flat in the tense atmosphere. It seemed almost pointless to pretend with only the two of them there.

"You're not locked away Lady Prince," here Hermione had to physically restrain herself from flinching at the title. "We're simply trying to determine if there was any foul play involved in your recent disappearance," he continued, almost gently. Slowly, as if not to startle her, he reached out and opened a file that was resting on the table which separated them. She hadn't even noticed it until then.

Frank withdrew a page and placed it in front of Hermione. She hesitated before looking down, tired of the surprises the young Auror had been throwing at her of late. She expected to see another picture of whatever he felt she was culpable for that week, another jarring image of the muggle Detective that had tried to help her. Instead she found a printed document, filled with tiny writing.

Luna Prince - Healing Examination Record.

Hermione couldn't read the details. Her eyes were watering without her permission.

"They say your ankle was crushed and that-," Frank began hesitantly.

"A game of cat and mouse," she whispered, interrupting the facts that he was spewing. She didn't need to hear them, after all, she had lived through them.

"Excuse me?" Frank asked, surprised by her willingness to converse.

"In the end, that's all this amounts to Frank, a game of cat and mouse," Hermione echoed tiredly, forgetting herself by using his first name. He paused for a moment, unsure where the conversation was diverting to.

"And are you the cat, or the mouse?" He finally settled with. Hermione couldn't help but scoff at his question.

"You and I are the fools betting from the side-lines," she finished bitterly. "And do you want to know what my ticket says?" Here she paused sarcastically, not even looking at the young man in front of her. "It says that Lord Voldemort is going nowhere any time soon," she hissed angrily, the reality of the situation settling heavily on her shoulders.

"Lady Prince-," Frank tried to interrupt.

"Perhaps it's destiny, you know? I used the think that the light had fate on its side, some kind of divine providence to rid the world of his lunacy. Now it seems that fate loves Tom, saves him from any harm-," her voice was rising unbeknownst to herself.

"Lady Prince-," Frank attempted once again.

"While I-," she grabbed the sheet in front of her so forcefully that it half crumbled in her hand, "I seem to have been scorned by her over and over again. You know how difficult it is to live through these repetitive fiascos? Do you know how hard it is to continue, as if we have there is any hope left in this world? How difficult it is to just… go on," she dropped the sheet, seeming to realise how much she had lost control of herself.

…

"No," Frank replied quickly, stirring her from her thoughts. "I have no idea what it is that you've suffered through. I admit, this world has been rather kind to me. I've had wonderful parents, an education that was filled with wonder and friendships that have weathered every storm," he continued. "I can't even imagine what you've been through," he added truthfully.

"I'm so very tired," Luna confessed, closing her eyes and exhaling heavily. "And I want to go home," she added sadly, she felt her tears drip from her chin but didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Severus Snape is here to bring you back to Hogwarts, if that's what you want," Frank muttered, despite himself. He was supposed to convince her to describe what had happened to her, to clear his name in the eyes of the press. Watching the distress coating her features, he couldn't bring himself to encourage her to stay.

"Snape is here?" Luna questioned, as if just remembering that such a person existed.

"Yes, he's waiting for you," Frank replied, unwilling to tell her Snape was closer than she could possibly imagine, watching from one of the many observatory rooms which overlooked the interview room.

Luna paused for a moment, her eyes lifting from the table to catch his. Some of the mania that had filled them was draining out, exhaustion beginning to take hold.

"Can I ask you a question?" She mumbled suddenly. Frank hesitated, well aware of how tricky the girl in front of him could be.

"You can ask, but I might not answer," he settled on, peering into her eyes and leaning forward on the desk to close some of the distance between them.

"Would anything I tell you, any thing I say, convince you to leave this country and this war?" She asked. On any other occasion, the question from a Pureblood heiress would border on threatening. That day, however, there was too much curiosity in her tone to unsettle him.

"No, I don't think I'd ever abandon this fight," Frank answered, measuring his words carefully. A bitter smile grew on her pretty features. "Why?" He pressed before he could help himself.

"I'm wondering if destiny is unalterable," she muttered after a moment's pause. Frank's eyebrows raised at her peculiar statement.

"You think I am destined?" He questioned, unable to remove the sardonic smirk that flittered across his face. He had never had any time for Divination.

"I think everyone here is," she answered. "Besides myself," she added, gazing at the piece of crinkled paper in her hand.

"So, you consider yourself above fate. That must be pretty freeing," He answered, the disbelief he was feeling entering his tone. This wasn't the first time he had supposed the Prince girl thought highly of herself, but it was definitely the most surprising. Then he remembered the things she must have suffered through the last few weeks and began to reason that perhaps this was not ego, and more an abandoning of reason.

"On the contrary Auror Longbottom. It's like a farmer's child first trip to the abattoir, watching the cows you raised move single file into their doom. Having no idea what to do about it or why it need be done at all," she muttered, more to herself. "I would like to see Severus now," she continued quite suddenly.

Frank could only nod in return, unsettled by her words and even more so by the far away look in her glazed eyes.

"I have to ask Lady Prince," Frank continued after a few moments pause. He stretched out and opened the paper that listed her injuries, which she had scrunched up earlier. "Do you know who did this to you? Where you've been for the past few weeks?" He questioned, both hoping and dreading to hear an affirmative answer. She paused for a moment and seemed to consider her answer carefully.

"No, I have no memory," she responded, her words hesitant. Frank noticed her hands shook when she spoke. He wondered if she had once again been forced to undergo the Cruciatus Curse.

"We can protect you," Frank stated clearly. Luna raised her gaze to meet his, a smile twisted her dainty features unpleasantly.

"Don't tell lies Auror Longbottom," Luna began. "Not when we both know how poorly your department is doing," she continued, her words bitter. Frank cleared his throat, looking around the room worriedly. Severus was by no means the only person watching their little tête-à-tête.

"I have no memory," she repeated. "I would like to go back to Hogwarts now," she stated, rising hesitantly from her chair. Frank had no choice; they couldn't keep her there. If word got out that they were harassing a victim there would be hell to pay with the public.

"Can you at least tell me how you've recovered so well? The last time I saw you, you were at Death's door," Frank murmured, rising himself to follow her. He didn't want to waste a minute of their conversation.

"Who said I had recovered?" She intoned darkly, before heading towards the locked door and looking back at him expectantly.

"St Mungo's have not formally released you yet," Frank muttered, though he moved to unlock the door nonetheless. Luna smiled in his direction, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Madame Pomfrey is more than capable of monitoring my health," she returned. "I think I can release myself," she added, a sly double meaning in her words that did nothing to abate Frank's worries. Is that what she had done? Released herself? Clawed her way to freedom once again? No, none of his worries were abated, not in the slightest.

…

Sirius paced in front of the interview room. Frank had only allowed Severus in to view their exchange, citing that only family were allowed. He had huffed, never being closer to revealing the truth to the young Auror. A sharp look from Snape had silenced him however, and he had no idea why. Sirius didn't listen to Snape. He hated Snape. But the Slytherin had been looking more and more desperate of late. He had to be to ask James for his help. So, Sirius had hesitated and considered the implication of revealing the secret. He had thought of how the only person who would really suffer was Luna. And then he had kept his mouth shut.

Or should I call her Hermione, Sirius thought to himself bitterly. Hermione Granger. The name suited her more than Luna Prince. It was different, but not in the way that most wizarding names were. It didn't refer to some far away constellation, or some mythical creature. It was just unique.

"You'll wear the floor out Padfoot," James called from behind him from where he was sat on a metal chair attached to the wall. They weren't in a waiting room, but in an empty corridor lined with seats. The occasional ministry employee would pass by them, not sparing them a glance. "I'm sure she'll be out in a minute," he reassured, patting the seat next to him.

Sirius couldn't think about sitting down. He couldn't think about anything. Not Snape, not the lies that surrounded Luna, not even the explosion that had brought them all there. He just needed to see her face. He desperately needed to see her, know that the life that had taken so long to return to her eyes hadn't disappeared once again. He needed to see her smirk wickedly, as she had when they had duelled on the Hogwarts Express. Just some sign that the girl on the grass all those months ago still existed.

"How long?" James asked. Sirius turned towards him, not understanding the question. His eyebrows raised in a silent query. "When did you decide you loved her?" James expanded further, almost as if the first question had just been an extension of some passing thought that Sirius had not been privy to.

A silence descended between the pair and Sirius desperately wished a ministry worker would pass by once again to disturb them, but no one came. He was left alone with the question. Was that what this was? Love? Was that why his thoughts hadn't left the girl in weeks? Was that why he had been checking the papers every morning with his heart in his throat? Was it why he still hadn't brought himself to forgive Lily Evans?

"If this is love then I hate it," Sirius responded angrily. His gaze raising to meet his best friends, whose eyes were clouded with concern. "I hate it Prongs, and if I could kill it I would," he hissed, dropping his head into his hands. "I can hardly breath with it," he growled before turning suddenly and punching the stone wall with all of his strength. James didn't so much as flinch at his friend's violent outburst. Sirius's knuckles burned, but still there was no relief.

"Pads," James summoned evenly. "She'll be alright," he confirmed without hesitation. "It'll all work out, you'll see," he continued soothingly.

"I wish I'd never seen her. Never looked out the window in Lily's bedroom. Never watched her. Never got to know her," Sirius babbled uncharacteristically. 'Never saw her when no one else did. Never decoded those hidden expressions of hers. Never been sucked into her mysteries,' he added silently. Sirius withdrew the picture from his pocket before thrusting it in James's direction, sick of all of the secrets.

"Yeah, she looks like a completely different person," James surmised when his eyes fell on the photo. A small smile turned up his lips, the same that had played on Sirius's before he had noticed the background of the photo. Hermione looked alive; it was impossible not to smile at her. Her expression was lively as she watched someone just out of view of the photo.

"That's Grimmauld Place Prongs," Sirius explained. James's eyebrows raised in surprise, but otherwise his reaction was limited.

"So, she visited the Blacks. Not unusual for Purebloods to socialise," James answered, not understanding the direction his friend was taking the conversation. Sirius sighed loudly before pointing towards the background of the photo.

"My mother would die ten times over before letting the wall paper look anything like this. And she certainly wouldn't allow any girl into the house in muggle clothes," Sirius explained heatedly, feeling more like a conspiracy theorist with every word he spoke.

"What are you getting at here?" James asked, taking the photo from Sirius's hands. His eyes scrunched behind his glasses, trying to make out every detail of the grainy picture.

"I-," here Sirius paused, unsure if he truly wanted to voice the ideas that had been running through his head for the last hour. "You'll think I'm mad," he finished, eyeing his friend warily.

"Try me," James suggested ruefully.

"I think I've figured it out Prongs. The answer has been staring me in the face all this-," Sirius began but was interrupted by the opening of the door he had been pacing in front of. His head whipped around automatically. His eyes searching for the glance he had been hoping for.

Hermione stood just inside the interview room. She had frozen mid-step the moment she had spotted him. She was as beautiful as always in that fierce and wicked way he had grown so used to. She was clearly exhausted, dark circles surrounded her eyes and there was a weariness in her expression he hadn't seen in months. She wore old robes that were still perfect, as if they too had been trapped in the wrong time. 'For that was what she was,' Sirius considered silently, 'trapped in the wrong time.'

Despite his usual restraint he couldn't help but close the space between them. His hands raised to cup her face and lift it towards his, almost in an effort to make sure she really there. Her eyes met his, and there was an emptiness there that he desperately wanted to fill. The relief at seeing her alive and standing was overwhelming. The last time he had laid eyes on her she had been on death's door with no hope of recovery. He released a shuddering breath he hadn't known he had been holding.

Wordlessly he pulled her to him. She buried her face in his robes and his arms encircled her in a fierce embrace. It wasn't the first time that he had held her, but it was certainly the most instinctual. Having her there silenced something inside of him, something that had been restless since that explosion had ruined him.

"Come on," he whispered, pulling away from her just enough to study her once again. The vacant expression that had coated her face seemed to fade as she took him in.

"Sirius," she murmured distantly. The way she said it, as if she had finally landed in front of someone she trusted, broke something inside of him. She slouched against him, finally able to rest in safe arms.

Sirius moved her into the hallway and out of the prying eyes of those unseen observers. Without a second thought he reached down and gently picked her up bridal style. It was a testament to how tired the fiery girl was that she didn't protest. Instead, she rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, her face pale.

"Let's get out of here," Sirius murmured in James's direction before moving towards the exit. He didn't spare Frank Longbottom a single word, knowing to do so would force him acknowledge the other person that had entered the deserted corridor. His heated stare was already burning a hole in the back of Sirius's head. Severus Snape would have to wait. He was done with the Slytherin and Hermione's every changing relationship. Right then, she was the girl in his arm, and that's the way he intended for it to stay.

….

Severus followed Black closely, annoyed that he had ever taken the two Gryffindors along for his expedition that morning. Now they knew more than they ever should have and he had no one to blame but himself. His blood boiled when he had watched Hermione lifted into the arms of his one-time nemesis. She was hardly conscious, she should have been with someone she trusted, someone who knew her. He should be the one caring for her, not some teenage boy who knew nothing of the terrors outside the walls of his precious school.

Black would never understand Hermione. She was bold and brave sure, but she was also methodical and battle scarred.

Severus had watched her haunted eyes questioning Longbottom worriedly. Something had happened, something big. Nothing else would have kept her away from him, or so he hoped. He needed to see her, to look into her eyes and see that she wasn't changed. That no one had hurt her. He couldn't face going back to Yule break when she couldn't sleep a single night without clinging to him for comfort. He had worked so hard to heal her, to make her strong. And then he had lost her.

Fed up Severus hurried forward to catch up with Black before they reached the apparition point. He didn't care how desperate he seemed, he needed to see her. The Atrium of the Ministry of Magic was crowded and busy, though still people had time to stop and stare at the disowned Black heir and the girl he carried. He jumped ahead of Black, effectively blocking the way.

"Out of the way Snape," Black hissed, gathering Hermione closer to his chest. Severus narrowed his eyes at the implication that he was a threat. He lowered his gaze and watched as Hermione's heavy eyelids fluttered open at the change in motion. Finally, her eyes turned to meet his and he was pleased to see relief flitter across her face as she recognised him.

"Move now Snape," Black repeated fiercely. Out of the corner of Severus's gaze he watched as Potter's grasp on his wand tightened, preparing for a confrontation.

"Do you want to go back to Hogwarts?" Severus asked suddenly, his eyes not leaving Hermione's. Surprise over took her features at the odd inquiry.

"What are you playing at?" Black asked angrily. Severus ignored his loud complaints. Instead he leaned down slightly to block the boy out completely. He sighed in relief at his proximity to her, something unbridled in his heart settled itself. A part of him, the dark part that hadn't festered since their trip to the past, was sure that he would never see her again. It was the longest month of his life and he had never felt so alone. It seemed almost surreal to see her in front of him. To feel her penetrative stare one again hot on his skin. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight again.

"If it's too much we don't have to. I know you didn't want to go there in the first place," Severus began hesitantly. "I thought it was safe, but now I don't know," he murmured uncertainly. A pensive expression seemed to overtake her features.

"She's not going anywhere with you," Black susurrated darkly. "Whatever twisted game you're playing with her, it ends here and now," he repeated firmly. He side-stepped Severus and made his way towards the Apparition Point determinately.

"Put me down Sirius," Hermione's quiet voice spoke, halting Black's hurried pace. Severus closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning and trailing after them.

"I don't think-," Black began angrily. Something in Hermione's eyes must have stopped him though, for ever so gently he dropped her legs until she was standing. Though Severus noted darkly that the boy didn't take his hands off of her. Instead he wrapped one arm around her so that she would lean against him and reached for his wand with the other. Hermione looked exhausted; it was beyond strange for Severus to watch her dependant on someone for support. Or was it simply strange that it wasn't him she was depending on? It had been just the two of them for so long. Even before that Hermione was never one to admit that she needed help from anyone, even the Golden Trio. She was always the strongest, the most durable.

Severus approached her hesitantly, completely unsure of how she would react to his questions. She hadn't spoken a single word to him since she was back. So many questions tumbled through his mind.

"Severus," she implored lowly. His name on her tongue, a treat he never thought he'd hear again, was almost a transcendent experience. "I'm tired of running," she continued, exhaustion clear in her voice. "It's all you and I have been doing since Dumbledore," here she paused and closed her eyes tightly. After a moment she raised her gaze once again, no tears were there, just a resigned weariness. "Since that night in the Astronomy Tower," she muttered lowly. Severus couldn't help the flinch that shook his body at the reference to what was one of the darkest times of his unusual life.

"Aren't you tired?" She questioned when he didn't speak. "I know more shielding spells than I ever thought I'd need. I've seen more devastation than I thought possible. I've done terrible things, made brutal decisions. I've been clawing my way back to life for so many years-," here she paused her listing to take a deep breath. "I won't be able to do it again Severus. I don't have it in me," she finished darkly.

"Hermione-," he tried to interrupt.

"We do this now. No more waiting," she finalised. She either ignored or didn't recognise her birth name being called to her. "Let's test out his theory," she added more to herself, her eyes looking more distant than he had ever seen them.

Severus took a few steps forward until the distance between them was almost closed. He reached into his pocket and produced the wand that Frank Longbottom had given him when they had been leaving the Ministry. Bellatrix Lestrange's accursed weapon that had seen so much evil. She reached out a shaking hand towards him and he pressed the wand into her hand, grasping her fingers tightly in the process. She returned his grip firmly. Her small warm hand now felt familiar to him. It was the one he had held to check for life way back in the Department of Mysteries, each time she had awoken from a nightmare at Spinner's End and when she was sick in Hogwarts Infirmary. Something awoke inside of him at the contact.

"You lead the way and I will follow," Severus settled upon, not dropping her hand. No doubt the girl would never understand the significance of his words. That after Dumbledore he had vowed that he would never blindly follow anyone. That for her, he would make a painful exception.

Black stepped backwards, pulling Hermione from Severus's grip easily. He whispered something into her hear, and she nodded lightly in response. Severus couldn't help the rush of hot fury that raced through him at the boy's nearness and their private exchange. He wasn't sure when they had grown so attached, but it had definitely been unbeknownst to him.

"Let's get out of here," Potter muttered from beside Severus. Sirius nodded, tucking Hermione into his side and supporting her with a firm hand around her waist. Hermione leaned into him and the pair continued their walk back towards the Apparition Point. Severus hesitated, unsure of where he fit in this new unfamiliar equation.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Potter repeated, patting Severus on the back twice. The gesture was so shocking to Severus that he actually did start following the pair. When they finally did reach their destination, they each apparated without much fuss. Severus had, of course, reached out to side-along Hermione himself, but Black had simply glared in return. It seemed that the day had revealed so much more than any of them had intended and he doubted what they had all learned would stay locked in the stale air of the Ministry of Magic.

….

Lily Evans paced back and forth along the carpet of the Gryffindor common room. It was now evening time and still James and Sirius were no where to be found. If it wasn't for the fact that it was a weekend, she was sure the Professors would have launched a full-scale manhunt for the would-be miscreants. Lily had considered seeking Professor McGonagall out, so that she could have someone else to share her worries. She hated how things had finished between James and her.

"James and Sirius always disappear," Remus reasoned from his place beside the fire. Lily had noticed however, that he had taken the seat that looked onto the portrait entrance so that he could watch who was coming and going. "They probably got caught up with one of their projects," he added, though once again it seemed more for his own benefit than anyone else's.

"I remember I didn't see them for an entire week back in fourth year, before they flooded the Slytherin Dormitories," Marlene added with a small smile. She had been quiet lately, ever since the Imperious she had been put under had been lifted. Lily could tell she felt guilty for her part in Luna Prince's disappearance. 'If I had just been strong enough,' she had overheard her muttering to Alice. If Lily was brave enough, she would have told her friend to cease her worrying, the real blame rested heavily on her own shoulders after all.

"It's just strange is all," Lily commented wearily. She had been up all-night waiting for the boys to return. She didn't know whether to regret or be grateful that she had alerted Sirius. The boy hadn't spoken to her since the accident and it had been a thoroughly awkward affair. Nevertheless, he had raced after his friend, something that in hindsight Lily herself should have done.

"I'm sure they just-," Alice began from the couch she was sharing with Marlene. A loud voice, which permeated the air interrupted her.

"Students are to return to their Dormitories and remain there until further notice," Dumbledore's commanding voice surrounded them, stemming from no where in particular. "Heads of each house will be arriving shortly to inform you further," he finished. The message was short and to the point, but the words put a cold fear in Lily's chest.

"Did you hear that Hogsmeade is under attack?" a passing fifth year muttered to their friend. If possible, Lily's heart constricted further. Without even realising she had grabbed the girl's arm and twisted them to face her.

"Who's attacking?" Lily demanded heatedly. Her face paled at the older, popular girl's half-crazed question.

"Lily," Alice warned from behind her, but she ignored her, instead tightening her grip on the girl's arm.

"That group that are always in the news. The Death Eaters," the girl answered, wincing slightly. "It's a good job this isn't a Hogsmeade weekend," she added, in an attempt to return the conversation into casual territory, her smile weak. Lily let go of the younger girls arm instantly.

"I knew they had been gone too long," she murmured, more to herself.

"We don't know anything yet-," Remus attempted to comfort, his book resting on his lap, long forgotten.

"How can you be so calm?" Lily insisted, her voice high-pitched and barely recognisable.

"Lily," Alice admonished once again. "That's not fair," she added.

"I just don't think panicking when we have no idea what's going on will do us any good," Remus responded, his voice laden with tacit irritation. Lily turned from her friends, shame and worry overtaking her thoughts.

"Sorry, I just-," Lily began.

"I understand," Remus cut her off. His usual endless supply of patience replenishing steadily.

Lily closed her eyes and for the first time since she had received the letter declaring her to be a witch, she prayed. He needed to come back to her, needed to hear how much he means to her. Their last exchange couldn't be some tense argument, it just couldn't. The last thing he thought of her couldn't be judgments of a girl that had nearly killed someone. She needed to make things right, she needed that chance.

…

It would be easy to say it had been the shouts and out of place noises that had alerted Hermione to the fact that something was amiss in Hogsmeade. Really though, she had sensed it before her eyes had opened. The darkness that seemed to infuse through the air alerted her, almost as if her magic itself was another more powerful sense. One that recalled the dangers she had faced better than her body ever could.

Instinctively her wand was drawn in front of her. She took a step forward, separating herself from Sirius's warm comforting embrace. She couldn't have anything reassuring halting the rush of adrenaline she desperately needed.

The four of them had apparated into the alley beside Honeydukes sweet shop, intending to make use of the secret passage way back to the castle. Hermione watched as a masked figure flew past their little hide-away, a wicked spell springing from their wands before they were out of sight.

"Fuck," Sirius hissed from behind her. Hermione couldn't help but agree with the expletive, which was most unlike her. She turned, her eyes seeking out Severus's gaze. His attention was completely consumed with the alley entrance and the occasional person that hurried by.

A coldness descended upon her making her shudder before she could help herself.

"He's here," she murmured, not fully understanding how she was so sure. Perhaps it was all the time she had spent with that damned locket around her neck or maybe it was just the wickedness that always seemed to follow the monster. Either way, he was there and so were they. Severus turned to her with his eyebrows raised in a silent question.

"I can feel him. He's close," Hermione repeated. Severus nodded, a sombre expression overtaking his features. He didn't press her for more information, or ask her how she knew, instead he turned and watched the alley entrance once again. Sirius and James were murmuring between themselves. No doubt they had figured out the 'he' to whom she had been referring.

"We're in no position to fight, we need to get out of here," Severus whispered to her. She nodded in agreement. Fighting Tom without any of the Horcruxes destroyed was a pointless risk. If it were simply Death Eaters plaguing the town, she might have been willing to jump into the fray. Tom however, was an entirely different matter.

"All we need to do is circle the building and get down into the secret passage," Hermione replied, already wracking her memory in an attempt to work out exactly how big Honeydukes was.

"We can't just leave," James interrupted their conversation, his tone adamant. "These people need our help," he declared heatedly, annoyed that they had even suggested running away. Hermione couldn't help the unbidden smile that crossed her face, feeling closer to Harry than she had in months. Except Harry had learned how difficult it was to leave people to their fates when a more important task was at hand. He had learned that the Greater Good was a cruel mistress that often-demanded the renown that came with bold courage as its first sacrifice.

"This isn't the time-," Hermione began hesitantly, knowing that Harry wouldn't have taken no for an answer. Much as he hadn't when he had decided that he was going to the Department of Mysteries.

A scream echoed its way down their hidden alley and before she could grab him James had taken off into the not so distant fight. Before either Sirius or Severus could react, Hermione was racing after him. Her exhausted body seemed to scream in protest. Night had fallen on the usually quiet town and she had to watch her footing, having only the intermittent flashes of spell fire to light the way. All of the street lamps were out, but still Hermione could make out the mess the town was in.

Hermione ignored everything, focusing solely on catching up to James before he was lost to the brawl they were quickly approaching. The combination of the light from both offensive and defensive magic might have looked like fireworks on the night sky were it not for their random nature. She called out to James, but it was pointless, her voice was lost in the hustle of the battle. She doubted he would have heeded her cries, even if he had heard her anyway.

Before Hermione knew it, she was raising shields and blocking spells that were flying at her from every direction. It was instinctive, as Defence always had been for her. To have magic once again flowing through her veins felt wonderful after such a long time supressed. Her eyes roamed the crowd, trying to make out James's figure in the carnage, but it was too late. He had disappeared into the abyss. It seemed that no one knew what side she was on, spells were firing from every direction intent on bringing her down.

Automatically Hermione stunned a Death Eater who was narrowing in on an elderly shop owner. She didn't have a chance to watch them fall before another masked person was engaging her in a hasty duel. She vaguely noticed that the Death Eater's masks and dark robes were the exact same as they had worn in her time. In fact, nothing in this battle would change from the one that would take place in roughly twenty years. That itself was a harrowing thought.

"Lady Prince," a confident voice spoke from behind her. She turned hurriedly, almost tripping on her feet as she did. She already knew who the voice belonged to. People seemed to continue fighting around them, all happy that his attention had been captured by someone else. Although his voice had been familiar that was where the similarities ended. Before her was a handsome middle-aged man, no snake nose or blood red eyes. Just a man.

Hermione was so shocked that she nearly lowered her wand.

"What an unforeseen surprise," Tom commented, as if they had bumped into each other while out for the weekly shop. "And here I was thinking you had gone missing, that's what trusting the press these days will get you," he continued, a smile playing on his thin lips. Hermione still remained quiet, not yet trusting her ability to speak.

"I hope none of my associates were involved in that fiasco?" Tom persisted, taking a few steps forward. "I'd hate to have anything come between our potential connection. Your father, after all, was a dear friend," he added, his smile growing. A smile that, in her time, would have looked crazed seemed almost charming.

"No," Hermione found herself saying. Her voice permeated the air, almost as if he had cast a charm so that they could hear one other over the fray. He had more than likely lifted a ward so that their words were private. That was Tom's style, having a sequestered chat while everyone fought for their lives. "This is my first time meeting your associates," she murmured, gesturing to the absolute chaos that surrounded them. A stray curse rushed at Hermione but before she had lifted her want to deflect it Tom had already eliminated the threat.

"You need not lie to protect my pride Lady Prince. I am aware that your arrival to this country was not as smooth as it should have been," Tom declared, his smile never wavering. She forbade her expression to change at his words. She had, quite unrealistically, thought she had been flying under his radar for the last few months. Snape was right, Tom knew everything that was happening in Wizarding Britain.

Of course, Tom had seen the muggle file the police had kept on her. The marking on her arm and the state she had been in when she had first arrived to the past had probably been recorded diligently by Detective Barrows. A record that had been stolen by corrupt Aurors. Tom's corrupt Aurors to be exact.

"If you would but tell me who had done those things, I would be more than happy to deal with the situation," Tom continued. It was obvious from his words that he had already tracked down the most obvious perpetrators and found no answers. It must have been strange for the Dark Lord to lose track of his goons, to have to do damage control with potential allies as he was attempting with her. It must have been exceptionally frustrating for such an assiduous man.

"I don't think I have any interest in furthering our discussions," Hermione continued, trying her best to impersonate a Pureblood Lady offended by the liberties that had been taken with her person. As if she had been uninvited to a party and not tortured nearly to death. Something dark flashed across Tom's face and Hermione was utterly glad the Dark Lord was still in the habit of impressing rich Purebloods.

"Come now Lady Prince, I would not have us on such bad terms if it could be helped," Tom insisted.

"And can it be helped?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself. A spark of amusement alighted in Tom's eyes.

"The strengthening of a friendship between a Lord and a Lady should always be helped," he answered almost flirtatiously. In that moment Hermione could see how the man had amassed such a large following. He was charismatic, handsome, witty and intelligent. The only traits a dictator really needed. He seemed almost entertained by their exchange.

From the corner of Hermione's eye, she could see the ray of light that was Dumbledore filter his way through the crowd.

"I believe your attention is about to be engaged away from me," she commented, nodding towards the Headmaster that was nearly on top of them. Tom's gaze did not leave her however. Of course, he had already sensed the powerful man's approach.

"You are quite unique Lady Prince," he commented, a wry smile raising the corners of his mouth. "And I should like to grow even more familiar with that individuality," he continued, though it seemed to be more of a promise. In an instant he had turned to prepare for Dumbledore's advancement. She was pushed backwards in the crowd that was beginning to form around the Dark and Light famous duo. When her back hit the firm wall of a shop front she hardly noticed.

Hermione shook herself, completely thrown by the frightening conversation. She slipped into the alley beside the shop and hurried towards the back of the building. Harry would have stayed to see Dumbledore and Voldemort fight. He would have revelled at Albus's ability to verbally spar with the deranged Lord. She wasn't Harry.

Instead she rounded the corner into the empty side-street and leaned heavily against the building she had been skirting. Her breathing was beyond erratic. The encounter had seemed like a bizarre dream, and she was drawn back to a conversation she had shared with Severus what felt like years ago. 'I don't even really know if this is the past anymore or if it's some strange afterlife that I've got saddled with you as punishment for my sins,' she had said to him in anger. He had dismissed her worries automatically, but what if she was right? What if they were stuck in Hell and didn't even know it?

"Hermione," Sirius's voice called in relief. It was a testament to how distracted she was that she hadn't noticed him searching the side-street until he had announced himself. "Are you alright?" He asked as he crouched to where she had slid down the wall unbeknownst to herself.

"I'm-," she began, but then paused. She had been about to tell him she was fine, but how could she be? She had just had a chat with the Dark Lord and now she was questioning her own sanity.

"Why did you run off like that?" Sirius demanded when she had hesitated for too long.

"I couldn't just let James run off by himself," she replied with a tone that suggested that her answer was an obvious one. Her eyes rose to meet his earnestly. There was a small smile playing on his lips.

"Of course not," he replied, his dark eyes glinting with some unfamiliar emotion. "Sometimes I wonder how I can be the only person to see right through you," he whispered to her. For some reason her breath caught at his words. The sound of the battle suddenly seemed far away from their little hide-away.

"And what do you conclude?" Hermione couldn't help but ask, her eyes never leaving his. The smile left his lips.

"That perhaps that's just the way I've been built. That I was made to know you," he responded. He reached out and touched her cheek with his large calloused hand. He felt so real to her, so tangible in a day that had been nothing but a forgotten dream. She leaned into his hand before she could help herself. Dropping fully to his knees in front of her, he moved closer. "I was made to see you Hermione Granger," he murmured lowly.

Hermione barely had time to register the shock from the use of her real name. His lips pressed to hers and all of her thoughts silenced themselves, as if by magic. She leaned into him, desperate not to lose the grounding feeling that flooded her system at his touch. Lust burned through her system unlike anything she had ever felt with Ron.

She opened her mouth to accept him and he responded wholeheartedly, pressing himself to her until he was kneeling between her legs, which too had opened at his silent request. His hands travelled down her body until they had reached her lower back. With one strong movement he hoisted her up until she wasn't sitting on the ground anymore. Instead she was balanced between the wall and his study body, her legs straddling him. The fabric of her dress, bunched at her thighs, did little to veil the firm feel of him against her.

A scream echoed from the battle, drawing Hermione back to herself. It was the ice-cold shower that she needed. Immediately she pulled back from him.

"Oh God," she muttered, out of breath from their passionate kiss. "We can't do this," she said, more to herself than him. She pushed against his chest, trying to put some distance between them but his grip on her didn't lessen.

"Why not?" He demanded, raising a hand to gently move her chin so that she would look him in the eyes. Their proximity combined with their intimate position was wreaking havoc with her reasoning skills.

"There's no much you don't know," she answered simply. Darkness entered his eyes at her words.

"I know a lot more than you think, that much I can guarantee," Sirius replied, his eyes held such a knowing look that she found herself wondering what Severus had been saying in her absence. She pushed against him again until he relented and released her. She stood on shaking legs and he followed suit.

"Sirius, I can't-," she began, before pausing. How could she possibly articulate how wrong her best friend's godfather was for her.

"What can't you do? I know that kiss wasn't nothing. I'm not a fool. I can feel how you respond to me," he challenged impatiently, his grey eyes roving over her weak figure.

"I can't love you," she finalised, her eyes brimming with tears. To her surprise Sirius barely reacted to her words.

"Yes, you can," he argued vehemently. "You're just terrified to let yourself be a part of this time," he murmured. "And perhaps finally letting go of wherever it is you come from," he finished, reaching towards her. She flinched away from him.

For the second time that day Sirius Black stole Hermione's breath away. She should have asked who had told him about her dalliance with time. She should have demanded what exactly it was he knew.

Instead, she fled.

….

Remus sat in the soft armchair by the fire in Gryffindor common room. Though, he took comfort in neither the warmth or the luxury. His friends had been missing for most of the day. Night had fallen over an hour ago and still they hadn't returned. Minerva McGonagall had long left the common room, the names of the two missing students noted carefully on parchment, as if she would forget. The Professor hadn't even seemed surprised when she had called their names and had heard a resounding silence.

The Marauders hadn't been fully right in weeks. James seemed like a completely different person. Somehow, he was managing to both fawn over and avoid Lily Evans, for some unknown reason. The couple had seemed to really hit it off, and then suddenly it was like James couldn't even look at her. They had barely exchanged more than a few words in weeks.

Then came Sirius, the one person you could usually count on to be unaffected by nearly everything. It almost seemed like he was trying too hard to be himself. Which at first had seemed to Remus like a preposterous observation of his overthinking mind. But Sirius Black was constantly on edge, laughing too loudly to hide the fact that he spent most of his time deep in thought. His eyes always flickering over to the Slytherin table at meal times. If Remus didn't know how poorly he and Luna Prince had gotten along he might have thought his friend to be affected by her disappearance.

Then there was the fact that Sirius wouldn't even acknowledge Lily Evans presence. Remus couldn't understand what the girl had done to merit the cold shoulder from both her boyfriend and his best friend.

Then there had been Severus Snape's visit to their dorms, along with James's parents and his own mother. Remus had been more than shocked to hear that Prongs had visited the Pureblood heiress, who had taken ill suddenly before her disappearance. What business had James with girl? Whenever he had tried to broach the subject with James afterwards, he had brushed off the questions. Clearly something was going on that he hadn't been clued into. He didn't feel so bad at being left out as Peter, Marlene and Alice all seemed to be as oblivious as he was.

Remus adjusted himself in the chair, intending to get comfortable. He would wait for as long as it took for his friends to come back through the portrait door. Already the common room was emptying. Lily sat on the couch opposite him, a long forgotten text book strewn across her lap. Otherwise only a smattering of students remained.

"I feel like I'm missing a puzzle piece," Remus thought aloud. Lily's face snapped towards his.

"Excuse me?" She asked, looking around to see if he had been talking to anyone else.

"I've just been thinking back on things, with James and Sirius missing," he expanded hesitantly. "And there seems to be something I'm missing," he finished.

"Or someone," Lily answered vaguely, her eyes dropping to her text book once again.

Remus had just been about to press her for answers before the Portrait door swung open for what felt like the first time in months. To say he was surprised to see Luna Prince step into the common room would have been an understatement of the highest order. There she was, the lost heiress, dressed in dishevelled old fashion robes. James followed her in. He was a pace behind, but his arms were slightly out-stretched, as if to catch her should she grow weak. The portrait door closed behind them loudly.

James seemed so distracted by his charge that it took him until half way through the common room before he realised he had an audience. It was safe to say that the few people still remaining were completely focused on the unlikely pairs progress. All conversation seemed to have come to an abrupt halt.

"Er… hi," James muttered to no one in particular. He met Remus's gaze briefly before returning his attention to the heiress. "Are you alright?" he asked her so lowly that Remus only heard because of his additional hearing.

"I'm perfectly okay, and entirely sick of everyone thinking I'm going to collapse if they look away for a moment too long," Luna snapped back, her eyes fiery. Remus might have though that her harsh comment would put his friend off. If anything, it had the opposite effect. James rolled his eyes and a smile grew on his face.

"Well then stop with all the mystery ailments," he quipped rapidly. The heiress simply grunted in amusement, clearly too exhausted to formulate any response. She reached the bottom of the stairs to the girl's dormitories before she paused and seemed to consider the exertion begrudgingly. James held out his hand to her, which she took without hesitation. He gave her an extra boost for the first few steps, his foot not touching the enchanted stairs.

James looked around the common room, as if deciding who he would choose to help the heiress. Lily moved to rise from her couch but James simply motioned for a third-year girl, who had been watching the pair, to continue to aid Luna's progress. She hopped out of her chair obediently and did as she was bid without any complaint.

"Wait," Luna called as James took a step away. There seemed to be some question dancing behind her eyes, which were partially obscured to Remus by the darker shadowed staircase passage. She opened her mouth, but closed it once again.

"Goodnight Luna," James voiced. His comment seemed to settle something tumultuous inside of her, for her shoulders lost their tension and her eyes seemed to lose their penetrative gaze. She nodded once, before turning and accepting the third-year's help once again.

James turned and his eyes automatically fell on his would-be girlfriend. She returned his gaze and he even took a step forward before he seemed to shake himself from his daze. He turned and hurried up the stairs and towards his own dormitory.

Just when Remus thought the excitement would be over the night the portrait door swung open and Sirius rushed into the common room. His eyes searched the room seeking evidence, of what, Remus was sure he could guess. When he found nothing, he huffed loudly and turned to follow James up towards the dorms.

Remus rose from his chair, his eyes sought out Lily. The girl's gaze was still directed towards the stairs where both James and Sirius had disappeared.

"That's my cue," he muttered, though he was sure she wasn't listening. Taking the prompt from his friend he raced up the stairs, taking two at a time. He didn't know if he was hurrying so much to avoid sitting alone with Lily, who looked like she had a hundred questions that he couldn't answer on the tip of her tongue, or if he simply wanted to see his friends and get some explanations for himself.

Either way, that missing puzzle piece, no longer seemed as hidden as it once did.

Sorry guys, had to stop here. It was getting a bit long. Please review and stay safe out there.