Baby Girl

At the end of Fourth Year, everything changed for the Golden Trio. A year later, the Ministry finally accepts that Voldemort has returned. With Sirius Black a free man, what will happen when rebellion and tragedy strike our hero and heroine?

A/N: Sadly, I do not own anything associated with JK Rowling or the world of Harry Potter (excluding the books and movies). The plot, as well as any original characters, is mine. (Story and chapter banners are in my profile.)

THIS IS NEW! I know that some of you like the old story, and I did too. This is basically the same, but I'm starting at a different point in time to move the story along. I'll be doing some flash backs to explain certain things, but otherwise this is taking place from the end of the 5th year on. Please R&R!

ALSO: Pottermore . com If you're on there, add me, I'm MirrorStorm9305. Have questions? PM me, and I'll try and help you out :)

Chapter Soundtrack:The Cranberries- Zombie, Emily Browning- Sweet Dreams

Pain coursed through Hermione as she was deluged in a cascade of heavy books. A particularly sharp corner of one book tore into her head. She lifted a hand to her temple and it came away covered in blood. Pressing her hand against her wound, her head spun as blackness threatened to overcome her vision, but she fought against it, concentrating on the sharp sting near her eye. Blinking, she looked to her left to see Harry fighting to remain upright after being thrown back into the stone wall.

"WE'VE GOT HIM!" She looked around wildly to see the Death Eater nearest Harry crying out. "IN AN OFFICE OFF-"

"Stupefy!" cried Hermione, throwing her wand arm up and sighing in relief as her spell hit the cloaked man. He tumbled over a stray desk and crumpled on the ground. In an outrage, the second Death Eater rushed forward, making a slashing movement with his wand. Just as a purple flame appeared to gather at the tip of the Death Eater's wand, two voices cried, "Petrificus Totalus!"

The man's arms and legs snapped together and he fell facedown on a rug at Harry's feet. Hermione looked gratefully into Harry's dazed green eyes and found Neville anxiously peering out from underneath a desk.

"Are you alright?" Neville asked, wiping the sweat off of his brow.

Hermione and Harry nodded, carefully regaining their balance and stepping away from the wall. Harry stumbled slightly and Hermione wrapped an arm about his waist. He leaned against her, raising a hand to the back of his head. With a groan, Hermione sagged as Harry's knees buckled and they both fell to the ground.

"Harry!" Hermione cried out, panic etching her face. "Neville! Help me!"

The boy crawled out from under his desk and kicked the Death Eaters' wands out of their reach. Shuffling over to the pair, he bent down and slipped an arm underneath Harry's and heaved him onto his feet.

"What now?" Hermione asked the boys.

"We need to find Ron," Harry breathed out, "and Luna and Ginny. We've got to get out of here."

Nodding in agreement, Neville and Hermione maneuvered Harry's stumbling form over the petrified and stunned men and snuck passed the baby-headed Death Eater without notice. Once the Time Room's door had shut behind them the walls shifted once more, leaving their vision streaked with fiery crosses and blue candlelight. The moment the walls stopped moving, a door flung open and three figured stumbled into the circular room. Ginny sunk to the floor, clutching her ankle, while Luna attempted to support Ron.

"Ron! Ginny- are you all-" Harry stopped himself as Ginny shook her head and Ron began giggling uncontrollably.

Luna looked at the two red heads helplessly. "I think Ginny's ankle is broken. I heard something crack. And Ron… Well, I don't know what spell they hit him with but it's made him go funny. I was barely able to get him along."

Harry slipped from between Hermione and Neville, shaking off their attempts to help him. "I'll be fine. We have to leave now, before anyone follows us." He turned to Luna. "Do you think you could help Ginny?" Luna nodded and ignored Ginny's attempts to support herself. "Neville, I need help getting Ron out of here."

As Neville and Harry each got a hold of one of Ron's arms, there was a distant shout from their right. Hermione ushered Luna and Ginny through the nearest door, which- as luck would have it- was also their way out. She stood ready and held her wand aloft as Neville grunted with the effort of pulling Ron through the door. Just as she thought they were free a red jet of light flew over their heads. Hermione threw herself on the ground and Harry pushed Ron through the door, spinning about and throwing a stinging hex at the nearest Death Eater. Neville and Luna had both turned back but before they could reenter the room, Hermione cried, "Colloportus!" and sealed the door shut.

Ignoring their friends' shouts, Harry yanked Hermione to her feet and they ducked into the nearest room. For a moment it felt as if they were suspended in mid-air and then their bodies collided with stone. They tumbled down stone step after stone step and with a sickening crack, they both landed at the base of the stone dais. The archway came in and out of focus as Hermione fought to return air to her lungs. She heard Harry gasping as well and struggled to her knees, hugging her ribs while fighting back tears. She crawled toward Harry whom had rolled onto his back, shaking as he examined his bloody left hand. Instinctually to break his fall, Harry's hands had gone out in front of him, but the prophecy had shattered upon impact and the orb now lay in pieces. From the remains on the ground rose a figure that stared at them with magnified eyes and opened its mouth, but before a sound came from it Death Eaters started pouring in from above. Harry and Hermione shared a look and she held a hand out to his uninjured one. They struggled to their feet, supporting one another as they raised their wands, prepared to fight as long as possible, but there was no hope in either of them. They were surrounded by half a dozen Death Eaters and without the prophecy it was unlikely they would be able to make another marvelous escape.

Lucius Malfoy stepped forward, flanked by Bellatrix Lestrange and held his hand out lazily. "Give us the prophecy, Potter. You have no way out. Either you will give it to us or we shall take it from you."

All of the Death Eaters had their wands out, slowly closing in on them from all sides. Hermione glanced around her, any sense of calm evaporating as her vision continued to cloud and Harry swayed next to her.

"We don't have it. It's broken," Harry said, holding up his bloodied hand as proof.

"No!" the Death Eaters hissed around them.

Malfoy flung out an arm to prevent Bellatrix from rushing at the pair. He appeared to deliberate very carefully before coming to within a hairs breadth of Harry. "What did it say, Potter?" Harry didn't answer. "WHAT DID IT SAY?" he screamed, shaking the front of Harry's robes.

"Depulso!" Hermione yelled, jabbing her wand at Malfoy and flinging him backward. Death Eaters rushed at them from all sides. She threw a shield up and pulled Harry down as a green jet of light flew over his head. He set the nearest Death Eater's robes ablaze and they climbed onto the dais.

"Harry! Behind you!" Hermione cried as Malfoy shot the Cruciatus curse at them. Throwing herself in front of the boy, she screamed in agony as the curse overtook all of her senses. It was lifted momentarily and she lay shaking on the ground, confused as ringing in her ears muffled new noises that were slowly filling the room.

Feet were pounding down the steps and the crackling of magic thrummed around her. Shouts of pain and fury filled the air as Harry crouched over her, throwing jinxes at anyone who came near. Then, he was there, long black hair singed, gray eyes wide.

"Sirius," she whispered. And then it hit her. Sirius! Her mind went wild with the implications and she sat up, her head swimming. Looking around her, she recognized the fierce faces of the Order of the Phoenix, screaming and fighting like wild animals. She clung to Sirius's arm as he yanked her up, protecting her as Yaxley flicked his wand in their direction.

"Harry, Hermione! Get out of here, now!" Sirius yelled, fending off another approaching Death Eater. He pushed them both behind him, his wand arm tracing intricate designs as his other was stretched out in front of them, trying to shield them from the bright jets of light thrown their way. As he stunned his enemy, he produced a shield charm and yelled again for the teens to get out of the Department of Mysteries.

Hermione gripped her wand firmly and held onto Harry's hand as they ducked out from behind Sirius's protective shield. They ran, shielding themselves and ducking when a green and red jet collided. Harry jumped up and held out a hand. As Hermione rose to her feet she noticed Harry pause, starring passed her in a dazed manner. "Harry. Harry!" she cried, pulling on his arm, but he didn't move. Finally she turned and looked in the same direction and saw Kingsley fighting against none other than Peter Pettigrew. His watery eyes were triumphant as they watched the auror fall to the ground, screaming as he was encompassed in a bright red light. He let out a high peel of laughter, revealing yellowed rat-like teeth. Hermione watched as Harry flicked his wand and easily disarmed the distracted man. Peter's eyes widened as he saw Harry approach. With a gasp of fear, he turned and darted across the room.

"Harry, no!" Hermione screamed, horrified as he sprinted after his parents' killer.

Harry was throwing every jinx and curse he could think of at the man, even screaming an unforgivable as the two ran up the stone steps, getting closer to the exit. Hermione tried to follow, stumbling as her disequilibrium got the best of her. As Peter disappeared through the doorway, there was a blood-curdling scream. Whipping around, Hermione watched as Tonks crumpled to the floor, blood seeping from her face and chest. Bellatrix laughed triumphantly as her enemy fell and turned her sights on Sirius who had just dodged Yaxley behind the veiled arch. Bellatrix's dark eyes gleamed as she raised her wand. Hermione's heart stopped for one terrifying moment as she recognized the murderous look in the woman's eyes. Breathless, Hermione ran toward Sirius, screaming out his name and throwing herself into his arms.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Sirius dropped just in time, wrapping his arms around the small witch as she fell on top of him. The green light flew overhead and an avalanche of stone and dust filled the room as the curse hit the ceiling. Death Eaters and Order members alike screamed as the room collapsed. Bellatrix screamed in outrage when she spotted Sirius and Hermione unharmed. She advanced on them as Hermione rolled off of Sirius, seething with fury. Faster than Hermione could blink, a bright purple flame rushed at her.

All at once, every little scrape, bruise and broken bone that Hermione had ever had returned to her. Her nightmares replayed themselves, filled with memories that had shocked or terrified her. Every failure, every bad thought and worry plagued her, all while fire coursed through her very veins, searing her insides. The pain rose tenfold with every breath, the images of her parents, Harry, Ron, the Weasleys and Sirius dead and lifeless filled her mind before she was engulfed by blackness.

Sirius threw a stunner at his cousin, but with an evil grin she had turned herself into what appeared to be thick black smoke. She rose and twisted in the air, wrapping herself around Order members who cried out in terror as they were disarmed and thrown to the ground, before whipping toward the exit and out of the room. Professor Dumbledore came through the door moments later, casting his wand about and preventing the uninjured Death Eaters from disapparating. He looked livid as he descended upon the scene. Having recovered, Kingsley and Mad-Eye corralled the Death Eaters into one section of the room while the remaining Order members started work on digging the others out of the pile of rubble. Turning to Hermione, Sirius fell to the ground and pulled her limp body onto his lap. He breathed heavily as he felt her neck for a pulse and sighed in relief as he felt the faint galumphing under his fingers.

"Where is Harry?" Dumbledore thundered, looking around the room full of rubble and injured witches and wizards.

"Professor," Remus Lupin called, rushing by Sirius. "Professor, Harry saw Peter and ran after him."

"Peter?" Dumbledore repeated, his eyes cold as ice. Remus nodded. "Sirius, take Ms. Granger to the hospital wing. Let Alastor deal with the others."

"Dumbledore, Harry is my godson. I cannot just leave-"

"My word is final, Sirius," Dumbledore said, "Remus, go with him and see that he gets Ms. Granger to the infirmary." With a glance at Sirius and the unconscious girl in his arms, the headmaster swept out of the room with his wand at the ready.

"Sirius?" Remus turned to his best friend. "Sirius, we need to get her to Madam Pomfrey."

Sirius was still holding Hermione, his expression dark as he held firmly to Hermione's hand. He looked up and Remus saw all of the emotions he himself had felt when he had realized two years ago that Peter was still alive and had betrayed their best friend.

"Let it go, Sirius. There's nothing you can do. Let Dumbledore take care of it."

"If he hurts Harry, I swear-"

"I know, Sirius. I know." Remus rested a hand on his friend's shoulder and stared hard into Sirius's eyes until he finally nodded.

Sirius brushed a hair away from Hermione's face, swallowing thickly as he was suddenly overcome with a sense of déjà vu. He blinked away the stinging in his eyes and scooped the girl up, cradling her as they exited the Department of Mysteries.

"Hermione… Hermione, can you hear me?"

The words were soft and confused at first. Hermione's head swam in a pool of images: her mother's face, a white cast, dragons, and blue-gray eyes. Her ribs ached and she strained to listen to the voices above her. An older woman spoke, irritated and sharp with the others around her. A young girl, perhaps her own age spoke as the older woman left. Her voice- the smug tone- was familiar, but she could not immediately place to whom it belonged. There was another presence to her right, but they did not speak and she no idea who might be with her.

With heavy eyelids, she slowly forced her eyes open, blinking as the brightness of the room filled her vision. She was temporarily blinded before everything came into focus. She was in the Hospital Wing, laying in one of the pristinely white beds, tucked tightly into the linen sheets. A warm, calloused hand enclosed her own, squeezing as she regained consciousness. Immediately she was enveloped in a warm hug, the laughter of the girl filling her ears. When the girl pulled away, amber eyes met dark ones.

"Oh, Hermione, I was so worried! When I saw you, Harry and Umbridge going to the forest I just knew something bad had happened." Amina spoke fast, flushed from excitement and the joy of having her friend conscious. "Mr. Black and I have been waiting an eternity for you to wake up."

Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion. "Mr. Black? You mean…" She looked to her right and heat burned through her as she met the gaze of one Sirius Black. He smiled at her and she returned it for a fraction of a second before she was struck with fear.

"Sirius! You can't be here! If the Ministry finds out-"

"I'm a free man," he said simply.

Hermione was speechless. She looked to Amina for confirmation before stuttering, "B-but how? When?"

Sirius's eyes darkened somewhat before he asked, "What do you remember from last night?"

She searched her mind, stumbling through memories of shattered spheres of glass and a baby-headed Death Eater. There was one where a ceiling had collapsed upon her and then…

"Wormtail! Peter Pettigrew! He was there and Harry saw him… Where's Harry? What happened to him?"

"Harry's just fine," Amina assured her, keeping her hands upon Hermione's shoulders so she could not rise. "He is with the headmaster right now."

"But what happened? Harry ran after him and afterward the ceiling… and Bellatrix…"

Sirius sat back in his chair, running his fingers through is already tousled hair. "Neville and Luna were able to get Ron and Ginny to the atrium just as we showed up. They're all okay," he insisted as Hermione opened her mouth to interrupt, "They were fairly banged up, but they're going to be just fine. Madam Pomfrey has seen to them."

"Where are they?"

Sirius pointed to a few beds up and across the room from Hermione's. "They've both been given a Dreamless Sleep potion. Luna explained what had happened. Most of us went immediately after you and Harry while a few escorted Luna, Neville, Ron and Ginny back here. The moment we got to the Department of Mysteries, it turned into a blood bath."

"Was anyone else hurt?"

Sirius nodded sadly. "Of course, there were a few Death Eater casualties, but Bellatrix hurt Tonks pretty bad. She was moved to St. Mungos about an hour ago, but they're still not sure if they can save her. She was really beat up. Kingsley had some bumps and bruises, as well as Mr. Weasley and Bill, but everyone else wasn't too bad."

"Harry ran after Peter. And Bellatrix-"

"Ah, well, Bellatrix was always good at getting out of as sticky situation. From what Dumbledore told us before he went to talk to Harry, she had joined up with Peter and Harry just before Voldemort showed up."

"You-know-who… Was at the Ministry?"

"Dumbledore came just after you were cursed. He went after Harry, fought Voldemort and won, at least we think he did. The Minister and his aurors showed up at the last moment and saw him before he disappeared. They know he's back now. Peter was too slow to escape and was caught by the aurors. The Minister sent word that as of now, I am a tentatively free man. Peter will be put on trial for treason and the deaths of James and Lily Potter, Marlene Mckinnon, Rebeckah and Sarai Greengrass and the muggles for which I was previously convicted. Once he is sentenced, I will regain full citizenship and all of my possessions will be returned to me."

"You said Marlene Mckinnon. Wasn't she killed before Peter-"

Sirius interrupted, "Dumbledore always had his suspicions that Marlene was killed by an insider. Someone from the Order. He collected evidence and later conceded that it must have been me, but he told me it never sat right with him until after he discovered the truth about what happened between Peter and me."

"What about Rebeckah and Sarai Greengrass?"

Sirius swallowed, opened his mouth and then closed it. He looked away and Amina answered instead.

"To the best of my knowledge, Rebeckah was a distant cousin of James Potter on his mother's side. She was a squib, so she never came to Hogwarts, but her family considered it a disgrace that she was non-magical so they abandoned her the moment she turned 17. The theory goes that they requested her disposal so they would no longer have any ties to the muggle community."

"How do you-" Sirius asked, dumfounded as he viewed the witch before him.

"Oh," she waved his question off, "I'm a bit of a genealogy freak. I started looking at the major pureblood families with children at this school and I am telling you, they've all produced at least one squib in the last fifty years and have thrown them to the dogs. Either they've been given to the muggle community or murdered. They're all ashamed of having non-magical relatives and want to be rid of them as soon as possible. Looking into the muggle records, it appears that many of the families have actually regretted letting their squib children live and have had them killed after they had settled into a peaceful muggle existence."

Hermione looked at Amina in shock and glanced at Sirius. He was staring at Amina with a strange mixture of sadness, fear and curiosity. Amina returned his questioning gaze which was only broken by the hospital wing's doors creaking open to permit a very cross Severus Snape. He had several vials in his hands and stopped with he saw the company around Hermione's bed.

"Ms. Renaud," he began, his voice very dark as he swept forward. "What interesting company you keep. Is it not passed your curfew?" He placed the vials on a table at the foot of Hermione's bed.

"I do believe, sir, that the headmaster gave me permission to visit Ms. Granger." Amina returned his gaze, eyebrow raised as if challenging the potion's master. "He outranks you, does he not?"

"Amina!" Hermione hissed, unable to believe that she was challenging the head of Slytherin house. Even Harry, who despised Snape more than anyone she'd ever met, rarely stood up to him, let alone show out right disrespect.

"It is also none of your business whose company I keep."

In a deadly calm voice, Snape pointed to the door and said, "Out."

Amina rolled her eyes and smiled at Hermione. "I'll stop by again tomorrow, if that's alright."

"Of course, but Amina-"

Amina waved off her friend's worries and flicked her hair back. Wiggling her fingers at Sirius, she nearly skipped from the room. Snape scowled as he watched the girl openly ignore him. He turned on his heel and followed, robes billowing in his wake.

The door clicked shut and Sirius let out a breath. "Is that girl mental or does she have as big a vendetta against old Snivellus as the rest of us?"

Hermione was speechless for a moment before answering, "I don't know. Honestly, he's her favorite professor. She told me so last year," she told him when he threw her a disbelieving look. "You should see the way they interact in class. It's like… Well, I don't even know how to describe it. Some days they are absolutely cruel to one another and it's like they enjoy it. Other days they basically ignore each other."

Sirius stared at her for a moment, thinking over her words. "You don't think they're…" he raised an eyebrow and it took a moment for Hermione to understand what he was getting at.

"Of course not!" she exclaimed, positively repulsed. "Ugh, ew, ew ,ew, ewwww!"

Sirius laughed at the young witch.

"This isn't funny, Sirius!" she cried, though the effect was somewhat ruined by her starting to giggle. She winced as pain seared her side and all laughter ceased.

"What's wrong?"

Hermione shook her head, taking slow deep breaths. "What happened?"

Looking down at their entwined hands, Sirius whispered, "You have a few broken ribs, a sprained ankle and some cuts and bruises. Madam Pomfrey said you'll be fine in a few days, but the residual effects of the curse…" He shook his head. "You saved my life." He looked up and found Hermione's eyes trained on him. "Again. I- I would be dead right now if it weren't for you. You saved me from the dementors, from starving in Hogsmeade, and from the killing curse. You jumped in front of me… and I couldn't protect you. None of us know what Bellatrix hit you with. Not even Snape. And now… No one knows what will happen to you or how it will affect you."

Hermione raised her free hand and brushed his cheek. His breath caught as she traced the line of his jaw, her eyes never leaving his.

"Why?" he asked, "Why did you save me?"

"I had to," she said simply. Her hand dropped to her lap and her eyes flickered away. "I didn't really have a choice."

"Hermione, I…" They looked at each other once again. In that moment, something passed between them. An understanding of sorts, although neither one understood how deep it went for the other. Without a word, Sirius raised Hermione's hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her pale skin. Her eyes fluttered shut and she finally relaxed against her pillows, never letting go of Sirius's hand.

"Stay with me," she whispered.

"Always."

A/N: What do you think? Okay? Anything really squirrely? Anything you love?

LBR