What's this? An update? Surely not. Well, yes. Yes it is. And it's all down to ashenrenee who choose this stories over all the others to be updated. (I chatted to her on tumblr and offered her the choice, because I can be a dreadful ditherer and sometimes need the decision taken from me)

A huge thank you to Catherine Morgenstern, who waved her grammar wand and corrected my mistakes. She really is a super star. Thanks Dear.

Chapter Nine

Still 24 days until the full moon

Hermione looked over Remus' shoulder and froze. Standing opposite them was a half-giant. He was about the same size as Hagrid but that was where the similarities ended. This man had patchy, grey hair and a face shaped like a potato. He was wearing threadbare pants and nothing else. His chest, arms and neck were bulky with misshapen muscles and smeared with blood and dirt. A necklace of teeth circled his thick neck, digging into his grubby skin. Beside him stood a woman with jet black hair and skin the colour of caramel. A collection of swirling scars decorated her cheeks and jaw, spilling down her neck to pool in the hollows of her collarbones.

"We've been looking for you." Her voice slid against Hermione's skin like honey. Sticky and unpleasant. "Days and days searching this endless fucking forest." Ebony eyes flicked down Hermione's body before switching to Remus. "I trust you'll come peacefully. If not, then Stubbed," - she jerked her thumb at the silent half-giant - "will be more than happy to assist you."

"We won't give you any trouble," Remus murmured, reaching back to take Hermione's hand.

The woman's mouth stretched into a cruel smile. "Splendid," she beckoned them forward with silver-tipped nails. "Come along then."

Hermione squeezed Remus' fingers as he led her forward. A small comfort that did little to ease her growing fear. The smell of sweat reached her as they got nearer to the half-giant. She wrinkled her nose and immediately switched to breathing through her mouth. It didn't help. The air was thick with his musky, sweaty scent. She unconsciously stepped closer to Remus, hugging his arm as they came to a stop. The woman frowned, her cool gaze sweeping from Hermione to Remus and then back again. She squinted and then eased forward, pressing her face into the curve of Hermione's neck. Silky hair brushed her cheeks as the woman sniffed in a deep breath. Hermione could feel the bump of her nose caress her thudding pulse. A low growl crawled out of Remus' throat. It was so deep and low that Hermione felt it vibrate against her chest where she held his arm.

She felt the woman smile at the sound before slowly moving back. Hermione stared back at her defiantly as their eyes met. They were the same height but the woman had a presence about her that made her seem much taller.

"Oh, dear." Her hand reached out towards Hermione. "What did that witch do to you?"

Remus pulled her away. "Enough games. Take us to Caspian or let us go."

"Go?" The woman let loose a throaty laugh. "The only place you'll be going to is hell," she stepped back, "and it looks like you'll be dragging your little witch with you."

She gave a nasty smirk before spinning around and marching away. "Move out of the fucking way," she spat at Stubbed who was blocking her path.

The half-giant grunted and shuffled to the side. His head collided with a branch and he lifted a hand to swipe it away. It snapped, landing at their feet with a dull thud. She felt Remus tense beside her but he remained quiet, instead leading her around the branch and towards the retreating woman. Hermione stayed at his side, aware of the plodding Stubbed behind them. His footsteps made the ground shake the tiniest amount. He had yet to speak.

She turned her head to the side and caught sight of Remus' grim face. Hermione had never seen him look so serious before. Not even during the war when a wry smile had always seemed to be hovering on the corners of his lips. Sensing her gaze, he titled his head and gave her a reassuring look. "It'll be alright, Love."

"Quite sure of that, are you?" The dark-haired woman tossed over her shoulder.

Remus' eyes flashed amber as Moony rushed to the surface. Anger sharpened his features as his gaze swept down the woman in swift perusal. Hermione had the feeling that Moony was looking for weaknesses, a place to attack that would cause the most harm. His eyes lingered on the back of her neck and Hermione knew he was thinking about sinking his teeth into that soft skin and tearing the flesh away.

"Hey," she called out, squeezing the wolf's hand.

His head whipped to face her, those glowing amber eyes staring into her own. She could practically feel the wolf tapping against her head, trying to tear into her thoughts and taste who she was. Remus was completely absent at that moment and Hermione felt fear tumble down her spine. She watched in horror as his nostrils flared; smelling her anxiety.

"Stop it," she hissed.

The wolf blinked, the amber in his eyes slowly morphing to soft green. Remus grimaced and opened his mouth, likely to apologise. Hermione shook her head impatiently before he could speak.

"Don't," she said, turning her attention to the path.

It was getting broader. The trees on either side were spaced more widely apart and when she tipped her head back, Hermione could see the cloud-filled sky. In front of them the woman stopped walking. The weak light bounced off the polished leather pants she wore and made blue highlights stand out in her hair. She turned to face them with a bored expression.

"We'll portkey from here." She pointed to a moss-covered stone that was sitting beneath a twisted oak tree. "I'd planned to take you separately," her gaze dropped to study their necks, "but that will be impossible now."

She strolled towards the portkey, lifting her boot and placing it on top of the lopsided rock. "Well?" she said, when neither of them moved to follow.

Remus glanced at Hermione and shrugged. He tugged on her hand and they made their way towards the portkey. They had little choice with the hulking form of Stubbed hovering behind them. Once beside it, Remus manoeuvred Hermione in front of him and looped an arm around her waist. She could feel the hard muscles of his chest pressing into her back.

"Don't want to lose you," he murmured into her ear.

She shivered at the intimate position but knew that it was necessary. Portkey's had the nasty habit of spitting you out and away from your companions. That wouldn't normally be a problem but with the bond tethering them together, it could be life threatening, or at the very least, excruciatingly painful.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," Hermione said as they both bent slightly over to press a hand to the stone.

Stubbed squeezed in beside them and the moment he did, the dark-haired woman spat out, "Portus!"

Hermione pressed herself into Remus as her stomach dipped. The sensation of being pulled inside out rushed through her, followed by intense dizziness. Everything blurred as they were whipped to the side and spun around. It lasted a second and then they were hitting the ground with a hard thump.

"You okay?" Remus muttered, shifting to the side and off her.

Hermione lifted her head from the hard-packed ground and glanced around. "Yes," she said.

They had landed in a clearing. A large, open space, circled by Rowen trees. Red berries clung to the branches, giving the illusion of droplets of blood. Several cages were dotted around, reminding Hermione of the first time she'd been imprisoned and the grisly aftermath. Her eyes darted around in panic and fell upon Caspian, he was bracketed by two stone-faced men. He gave them an indifferent look before gesturing for the dark-haired woman to approach him.

As they were talking, Hermione and Remus climbed to their feet. Stubbed stood behind them, shuffling and gurgling. It sounded like he was chewing on a mouthful of slime. Hermione ignored him, instead fixing her gaze on Caspian. He spoke to the woman for a few minutes, at one point shifting his gaze to her and Remus before murmuring to the two men beside him. Her stomach clenched when they began to walk towards them.

She moved closer to Remus, feeling him tense as the men closed the distance.

"Stay close," Remus whispered.

Hermione nodded her head, quickly glancing around the clearing for any possible escape routes. When she looked back, the two men were in front of them. They were both covered in bulging muscles and fitted robes. As the first reached for Hermione, Remus growled and used his shoulder to push her behind him. The move made her knock into Stubbed, who then batted her aside like a pesky fly. She hit the floor hard, gasping in pain when a small rock dug into her thigh.

When she looked up, Stubbed had his massive arms wrapped around Remus. Lupin was kicking and thrashing. A snarl was ripped from his throat as Moony rushed to the surface. He didn't stand a chance against the half-giant's superior strength. Hermione scrambled towards them, but a hand reached down to grasp the matted clump of hair that fell down her back. Her head was ripped back as she was pulled away from the struggling wolf.

She gasped when she felt her neck begin to burn. "Stop!" Her eyes filled with tears, the pain intensifying as she was dragged away from Remus.

"Please!" Hermione was barely able to squeeze the word through her narrowing throat. Pain slashed at her neck, causing black spots to dance across her vision. She could feel herself dropping into unconsciousness, but the agony was so intense that she was pulled back to the surface. Moony's rumbling growl filled her ears as she fought to breathe. The person holding her hair yanked, making her tumble to the ground. Her hands leapt up to her throat, the pain from the bond intensifying as it was pulled to breaking point. She ignored the distant sound of metal in in the background. Her attention was fixed on Stubbed and Remus.

The half-giant had one hand wrapped around the wolf's throat, cutting off his air. Even as she watched, Remus' face turned a deep maroon as he fought to stay conscious. She could see that he was being led to a cage, a small rusted square that would barely allow him to stand up straight. Stubbed let out a grunt when one of Lupin's heels collided with his shin. The half-giant seemed to lose his temper for a moment as he slammed Remus into the side of the cage. His head hit with a clang and he went still. Hermione gasped as an echo of his pain, slithered through the bond and into her.

She clenched her eyes against the sickening throb that settled in her head. It was so intense that she felt nausea rise up from her feet and threaten to spill the contents of her stomach. For a moment all she could do was breathe, seeking to absorb the waves of pain that bled out of the unconscious wolf. When at last the pain faded to a dull pulse, Hermione opened her eyes.

She was inside a cage. A glance around showed her it was almost identical to the one Remus had been sealed into. Almost. Lupin's cage didn't contain a pile of rags tossed haphazardly in the corner. Hermione pressed herself into the bars, if she could've squeezed herself through them, she would have done so. Not only to get away from whatever shared her prison, but also to ease the agony of the stretched bond. The distance between them was too great. She could feel the magic tethering her to Remus clawing at her neck. Every breath was akin to swallowing glass.

The slide of fabric reached her ears and she switched her attention from Remus to Caspian. He was standing in front of her, with a bored indifference.

"Miss Granger, how fortuitous we were able to find you." His tone said quite the opposite.

Hermione glared, unable to force any words through her swollen throat.

The pureblood pulled his lips into a smile. "I must admit that it has all worked out splendidly." His eyes dropped to her neck before darting across to Lupin. "Although, perhaps not for the two of you."

"Wha-" Hermione flinched and folded her lips against any further words. Even that single word, hastily cut off, had felt like razor blades scraping her throat.

Caspian tilted his head, the fading light slid across his skin and gave the illusion of a grotesque mask. "Most fortuitous indeed."

Hermione sent him a fierce glare, but he merely chuckled and turned away. Her eyes once again sought out Remus. He hadn't moved but she could see the steady rise and fall of his chest. For a moment she watched him, willing him to wake and crawl closer to the bars. Closer to her. It wouldn't stop the pain, but it might ease it the tiniest amount. At least the pain in her head had faded. It was now a fading ache that was easily forgotten when pinned next to the ferocious torture the bond was inflicting.

Curling her fists around the thick bars, Hermione glanced around. The other cages were all occupied, their inhabitants lying or sitting in the cramped space. A rusted bucket was the only furniture. She refused to think about what it was used for. Pulling in a careful breath, she turned her head to the side as far as she dared. The small movement made her dizzy.

From the corner of her eye she saw that the pile of rags was now sitting upright. A pale, oval face peeked out at her.

"Kara did that to you." It was a statement that immediately made Hermione twist around.

Even as she faced the girl, she forced her head back into the bars, seeking to keep the distance between herself and Remus as small as possible. She opened her mouth to speak but her throat convulsed, trapping her words in her aching chest.

The girl eased forward. "Where is she?"

Hermione felt utterly defeated as she remembered the girl's fate and helpless tears spilled down her cheeks. Kara's sister blinked, her face smoothing into a blank mask. The sight of it broke Hermione's heart. She once again tried to speak, wanting to offer comfort, but every attempt she made edged her closer to unconsciousness. Instead, she stretched out her hand, curled her fingers and slowly moved them to her throat. She had to do it several times before the girl refocused on her.

"It's a fidelity spell created by my great-grandmother." Her pale eyes drifted towards Remus. "It can't be undone."

Hermione's legs gave way, folding to deposit her on the ground in an untidy heap. A sob burst from her lips, followed by a dagger of pain so intense that she fell into darkness. It lasted a mere second before she was pulled away and enveloped by bone-jarring pain. A hand was brushing the hair back from her face. The fingers gentle and soothing. Blue eyes looked down at her with pity.

"Don't fight it," the girl whispered. "Fighting makes it worse." She leant down until her cheek touched Hermione's. "Did Kara plan to use the bond?"

Hermione rumpled her brow and tried to shake her head.

"It must have been or she wouldn't have put in the extra charm." The girl whispered the words into the space between them.

"What?" Hermione forced the words out.

The girl blinked down at her. "The bond works to ensure that the two people it's placed upon can never be parted. It was created by my great-grandmother, and laid on her soon to be husband out of spite. She detested him and was determined to make his life miserable. They were forced to share the same room for the rest of their lives." Her blue eyes darted around the forest to check that nobody was within earshot. "But when my grandmother used the same bond on the day of her wedding she added an extra layer to the spell."

Hermione felt a surge of hope rise inside her at the girl's small smile.

"My grandmother didn't want to live as her parents had. She wanted a happy marriage." Here she looked across at the unconscious wolf. "The closer and more intimate she became with my grandfather, the looser the bond. It stretched until they were able to lead normal lives. They could never part though and when my grandfather died, he pulled my grandmother into death with him. But they were happy."

Hermione felt her eyes widen as the words sank in. Her hand reached up to pull at the girl's clothes, desperate to shout out a dozen questions. If they could stretch the bond without Caspian knowing then they might be able to plan an escape. At the very least it would mean that she wouldn't need to be trapped inside a cage with Remus when he changed.

Her focus returned to the girl. "How?" she gasped.

"You must get close to him." The girl jerked her chin at Lupin. "Build trust and quickly."

"Do trust," Hermione forced out.

"Then it will be easy." She pressed her lips to Hermione's ear. "Touch him, speak to him, have sex with him if you must. The bond should start to loosen in days."

Heat rushed into her cheeks. That certainly wouldn't be happening. Besides, even if she was willing to do such a thing, Remus would absolutely not be. They would simply have to loosen the bond through friendship.

"How touch?" Hermione asked, pointing to the gap between the cages.

The girl pulled back. Her brow wrinkled and then quite suddenly she grinned. "I have an idea that will have you moved into his cell." She glanced at Hermione. "We'll have to wait until morning, though. Can you make it that long?"

Hermione pulled in a determined breath and nodded. She'd made it through far worse after all.

Thank you so much for reading and please, please leave your thoughts. I've been rubbish at replying to reviews but I'm determined to answer every one from this moment forwards. I've made a note of the last person; wingchan7 (thanks so much) and will thank each of you personally.