This is it. Last chapter lovelies. Thanks for all of the support.

When they reappeared at the stoop of 12 Grimmauld Place, Hermione felt a wave of apprehension and nausea flood her senses. She nervously straightened her skirt and tried to clam her unruly hair. Severus allowed her this moment to compose herself before opening the door. As they entered, the portrait of Mrs. Black spouted off obscenities.

"VILE SCUM! MUDBLOOD FILTH! DESECRATING THE HOUSE OF BLACK! THIS ONE'S TOO WEAK TO BEST A MUGGLE! VERMIN!"

Hermione burst into tears. The small bit of composure she had managed evaporated at the sound of her words.

BOOOM!

There was a flash of angry red light and a deafening noise and then all was quiet except a flurry of footsteps and concerned calls. Severus had blasted the entire wall out of existence so that only a small pile of ash remained on the floor.

"Oh dear," exclaimed Mrs. Weasley.

"I had no patience to deal with that portrait any longer, Molly." He bit out.

"Of course not. Come this way." She held out her wand and swished it as they walked by cleaning the drywall dust off them. "Hermione, love, it's-"

But whatever it was, Hermione wouldn't know, because Mrs. Weasley stopped suddenly and wrapped her in a warm, tight embrace. "Oh, you poor child." Hermione was distinctly uncomfortable as she hadn't mended enough to be squeezed so vigorously and she let out a soft whimper. Snape who had been walking in front of them snapped his gaze back at Hermione.

"Molly, her bones are not knit yet." He offered quietly so the others wouldn't hear, trying to spare Hermione. Mrs. Weasley dropped her arms at once and apologized looking pained.

"Of course, dear." She instead moved her arm to the small of Hermione's back and gently led her to the kitchen. "You're thin as a rail, love, let's get you a solid meal before the meeting starts."

Hermione sighed recognizing her guess at Molly's response was correct, but taking solace remembering Severus's words. She was trying to help in the only way she knew how. Hermione was relieved but uncertain why there were so few people in Headquarters.

"The others should be arriving shortly. There was a raid so most of the members left." Mrs. Weasley explained the lack of Order Members. "I received a Patronus saying all was well and to expect them any moment." She put a heaping plate in front of Hermione at the table and turned to Severus.

"Scottish egg, Severus?" Mrs. Weasley inquired. He nodded appreciatively to the Weasley matriarch. How she had deduced this was his favorite, he would never know, but he did not want to pass up the opportunity to have some of her cooking without the rest of the Order to watch him eat.

Mrs. Weasley put a generous plate in front of Severus and busied herself about the kitchen when there was a commotion at the front door. It sounded as if someone tripped and swore loudly.

"Wait a minute!" A female voice cried out. "That wretched portrait is gone! I can trip in peace now!"

"Who managed that I wonder?" Asked a deep, male voice.

"Dumbledore said he'd be here in a couple minutes, Molly" Arthur called to his wife.

A few moments later, Tonks, Remus, Kingsley, Harry, Ron, Arthur, the Weasley twins, and several others from the Order entered. Their excited chattering stopped when they noticed Hermione.

"Bloody hell, Hermione. You're a right sight." Ron exclaimed thoughtlessly.

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley chided the boy.

"Sorry, Mum." He responded immediately.

"Hermione, are you alright? What happened?" Asked Harry.

All at once, there were half a dozen inquiries to her trying to surmise what happened, if she was okay, who did this, and so on.

"Silence." Severus's cold voice cut through the cacophony of noise. "We are eating now. When the meeting commences, you will be debriefed and you will hold all questions until the end."

His directive was not one to be ignored and each of the Order members grabbed a plate from Molly and ate in near silence. As their plates were nearly emptied, Professor Dumbledore entered the room.

"Ah, good to see everyone is here and well-fed. Thank you, Molly." Proclaimed Dumbledore. "This is a special meeting as we will be hearing what has become of Ms. Granger this summer. My deepest apologies Ms. Granger that we could not spare resources to collect you sooner. If you could please detail what happened and how it happened. We need to be absolutely sure that this wasn't a plot by a rogue death eater or perhaps that Severus has fallen out of favor with Voldemort and he's no longer privy to all information."

Severus was glaring daggers now. Spare resources. Really? She was one of their own. He also balked at the callousness of Dumbledore wanting information over her being properly healed.

Hermione stared down at her empty plate and sighed. The room was silent and waiting on baited breath for her to start but she was struggling to form words. Her hands fidgeted in her lap and her eyes darted about as she tried to think what the beginning of this story even was. She was feeling entirely overwhelmed and thought she might start to cry when she felt a hand on her own. She looked subtly to her side and noted that Severus had pulled her hand from her lap and held it between them. It was a small gesture but she no longer felt so alone in the spotlight. She cleared her throat and in a small voice unlike the assured one she had in school when a teacher asked her to answer a question, began.

She relayed the story of her father died unexpectedly. Of her mother meeting him. Of how he grew violent slowly, but that she was unable to defend herself as she had no wand. Of how it continued for months. Of how the muggles in the hospital wanted to help. Of her confusion at why her friends never sought her out. Of the day that Professor Snape came for her. She ended the story flatly by saying that she was here now.

"Is it your opinion that your stepfather was a muggle or do you think that he could have been magical and put up to this by Lord Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked directly.

"He is not my stepfather." She answered instead. Dumbledore looked peeved by this response.

"Is it your opinion that the man who attacked you was a muggle or do you think that he could have been magical and put up to this by Lord Voldemort?" He tried again.

"He never used magic and seemed fearful of it. I think he was just a muggle." There was no emotion in her voice. Just a tiredness.

"Headmaster, when I alerted the Aurors this afternoon, they checked and he was a muggle. They had the nerve to lecture me on using magic in front of him." Severus volunteered.

"I wish you had not done that Severus. You were instructed to retrieve Hermione and that was all. The Death Eaters will be able to report to Lord Voldemort that our numbers are fractured since this was allowed to occur."

"We are fractured since you allowed this to occur." He spat.

"And you would have your Master know that?" Moody cut in acidly.

Hermione was becoming more and more distressed and she squeezed his hand firmly wanting the yelling to stop. Snape had been about to bite out a retort but halted immediately and looked at the now trembling witch next to him.

"What is done is done." He replied calmly. "You all are as free as ever to question my motives, but this is agitating Miss Granger and I must implore this be over now,. Do you have any other questions, Headmaster, or are you satisfied."

"I have no further questions, Severus," Dumbledore said with a tone of finality.

The others began to ask Hermione is she was alright and began clearing the table. Hermione merely nodded and remained seated. Severus remained by her side.

"Come along now dear, let's get you up to bed. You've had a rough time of it." Hestia said comfortingly. Hermione stiffened and shook her head confused.

"We have your room that you shared with Ginny all made up and we can draw you a nice bath. It's alright." She held out her hand encouragingly to try and help Hermione up as if she were a very scared child.

"I can't stay here." She let out in a cry. Her heart was racing. How could she be expected to stay here? She loved these people, but she didn't want to be surrounded by their pity. They didn't know what she needed.

"Of course you are Hermione. You can't leave. We'll keep you safe here. No one will hurt you here." Harry added in a tone he must have thought was helpful.

"No." She looked frantically around. Hearing that she couldn't leave was a tipping point and she frantically looked around. "No. I need to get out. I can't stay here." She eyes locked with Severus pleadingly. He squeezed her hand once, and let go of it to rise. Hermione felt a pang of fear wondering why her anchor was leaving her.

"I do not feel that this is the best environment for Miss Granger to recover in. Molly, if you could owl Madam Pomfrey to meet me at Spinner's End, I would greatly appreciate it. His voice was stern, but it softened when he turned to Hermione. "Would you like to accompany me, Miss Granger?"

She nodded and rose timidly.

"What in Merlin's pants are you talking about? She's not going with you, you old bat." Ron blurted out.

Moody's electric blue eye whizzed to inspect Snape. "What are you playing at Severus?"

Remus and Tonks surveyed the room worriedly and then Remus spoke. "Hermione has been through an ordeal we can't imagine. I know it isn't exactly comparable, but when I am most vulnerable after a moon, I don't want pity or to be taken care of or really to be around people no matter how much they desire to help. If Severus is willing, I expect his home is devoid of both crowds and trite phrases and it is likely exactly what she needs."

The room was quiet and to break the awkwardness Tonks chimed in "He's a right spot of fun after a moon. But really, we should be putting aside differences here and helping Hermione get better on her own terms."

Hermione gave a weak, appreciative smile to the couple and stood closer to Severus. "Thank you. I know you all mean well. I just need a bit of time I think. This has all been a little overwhelming."

Severus turned and his cloak spun in his wake, Hermione following quietly. As she left, she could hear disapproving murmurs. When they stood on the stoop of 12 Grimmauld Place once more, she let out a shuddering breath she didn't know she had been holding and stood to face Severus.

"Thank you. You know... I really think it's going to get better" She managed to get out before dissolving in tears once more. He wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"It will, I promise. I will do whatever it takes to help you on this road to recovery." And with that, he apparated them to Spinner's End.