First off, I'm sorry about the initial chapter... That was me just kidding. I realised that I had left a few important things out, so that's why there are apparently two chapter tens. Anyway... On with the show.

Well, well. Here we are once again (and without too much delay)! I was a little surprised by the lack of input from the last chapter, though I would love to thank my four faithful reviewers who really made that chapter worth it after initially getting no input. So a HUGE thanks to Rum-Running-Rachel, Roni, fierysoulgirl, and M. Alba who all left the most wonderful reviews! This is dedicated to you!

Anyway… this chapter is going to be lots of fun, although I'm definitely feeling bad for my poor characters. Gone are the days of simple character development and semi-peace they've been having. So with that I leave you with this…

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Division

Mnemosynesque

Summary: Life's gotten more dangerous day by day, and unfairly the burden of war has been placed on the shoulders of youth. Hermione and Blaise (now joined with a reluctant Draco) struggle to maintain daily life while dealing with all of this, but too soon this tenuous balance will break and imperil the lives of our heroes. A sad, but necessary, fact of war is that not everyone will make it through.

Rating: PG-13 still.

Disclaimer: Some things in life are simply unattainable. This would be one of them, unfortunately. This is J. K. Rowling's. I haven't got a chance of owning it, so screw you.

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Chapter Ten: Do not kill/The spirit of love with a perpetual dullness

Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said
Thy edge should blunter be than appetite,
Which but to-day by feeding is allay'd,
To-morrow sharpen'd in his former might:
So, love, be thou; although to-day thou fill
Thy hungry eyes even till they wink with fullness,
To-morrow see again, and do not kill
The spirit of love with a perpetual dullness.
Let this sad interim like the ocean be
Which parts the shore, where two contracted new
Come daily to the banks, that, when they see
Return of love, more blest may be the view;
Else call it winter, which being full of care
Makes summer's welcome thrice more wish'd, more rare.

Hermione sighed as she read the last words of the sonnet. Day by day, the pressures of war had gotten more oppressive and Hermione had, of course, taken to books as her comfort. She was currently making her way through Shakespeare's sonnets, a book which she had been reading on and off throughout the year. Each time she read, it both soothed and frightened her. Too often the poems had hit too close to home for her, almost as if Shakespeare had written them for her life, and not his own.

Stretching her arms above her head, she caught sight of the two boys diligently working on some Charms work that she had finished days ago, and smiled slightly. It was nearly a week since they had all gone to see Dumbledore and Draco had not yet left. She suspected that it was because something had happened in the Slytherin dorms but she, of course, would never dare to ask him.

She supposed she was happy enough to have him here. Certainly Blaise seemed much happier to have his old friend back once again, and she didn't mind him (nor did he mind her as much when he saw she was not just a third of the Golden Trio). Plus, it gave her less to worry about if she could keep an eye on him most of the time because – somehow – she had grown somewhat attached to the blonde, painfully thin boy across the room.

She supposed it was mostly because of the night after the meeting with the Dumbledore, and the safe feeling she had woken with as she found herself with the two boys.

Somehow they had made it back to the Heads' common room, each filled with a deep and enduring exhaustion from the meeting. Hermione felt herself being led to the couch and firmly ensconced between the two Slytherin boys. Somehow after she had comforted Blaise in the hall their roles had reversed, and the two boys were now taking care of her. She didn't mind though; it was just like being with Harry and Ron, but without the nagging.

But she would never tell them that, of course.

She closed her eyes and felt herself drifting off almost immediately, but not before she felt someone pull a blanket over her and wrap a strong arm around her shivering shoulders. She sighed gratefully, and it seemed that both Blaise and Draco were brought out of a trance with her soft sound. After a few minutes, Blaise bent down and checked on the girl between them. Finding her asleep, he pulled her closer to him and looked over at Draco who, after coming to his senses, had scooted to the far end of the couch. "It'll be better this way, right Draco?"

"Of course it will," the blonde replied fiercely, obviously believing it. "It can't be any other way." He sighed, seeming to lose what little energy he had left. "Damn, it's bloody cold in here." He ignored the crackling of the fire, not willing to acknowledge that it was something deeper than just a chill in the air that was making him so cold.

"Come closer then. Share the blanket with us." Seeing the doubtful look on the pale boy's face, Blaise sighed. "Now's not the time for any qualms. I know she won't mind and you did just sell your soul to Dumbledore." Blaise smiled slightly, as if he had made a joke that only he could understand.

"It's not that… It's just…"

"I know. Don't worry." And he did know.

It was the archaic rules of Pureblood society that outlawed familiarity and anything that could be construed as friendship. People were to be used as pawns for gain, no more. This sort of… bonding was strictly prohibited and Draco Malfoy came from a family that never deviated from the acceptable.

Draco scooted back over towards the two and, with a lingering sight and a great deal of dark muttering, managed to get under the blanket and curl up with the two.

That was how the three had woken up in the late hours of the next morning. It was a fleeting moment of comfort for the students and none had mentioned it again, for fear that their tenuous bonds of friendship would not be able to stand it.

And, strange as it was, they did have some sort of friendship. Of course it never went out of these rooms; she, Harry, and Ron were just as friendly and the two boys never suspected a thing. But then again, why would they? It was such a fantastic thing it could not be believed.

She looked up and saw that she had about ten minutes until ten. That left her about five minutes to get to the front gate to meet up with Harry and Ron before going to Hogsmeade. Normally she and Blaise would have to do the checking out, but for added security the administration had chosen Professors McGonagall and Flitwick to stand at the gates today. Hermione had scowled when told that (and Blaise had laughed at her). Of course she was angered that they didn't think they were up to it!

As Draco had so snidely remarked, "Only you, Granger, would be upset that you didn't have to do extra work."

She supposed that this increasing security was due to the increased Death Eater activity, but also suspected it was for the protection of the two Slytherin boys she had come to want to protect. Either way, many rules were being reined in. At least they were still able to go to Hogsmeade, but there would (of course) be a great deal more security there. She had heard through Ron and Harry that Remus and Tonks would probably be there, along with many other Auror/Order members.

Shaking her head and returning herself to the present, Hermione stood from the couch. She grabbed her scarf and shrugged on her coat. She ignored the inquisitive looks of the two boys and instead tossed behind, "I'm off to go to Hogsmeade."

"See you there," shouted Blaise as she walked through the portrait hole. She last saw him getting elbowed by Draco, probably for his response to her.

She made her way quickly to the front gates. She was, of course, there early and Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen. However after a quick hello to a sixth year Ravenclaw she knew from D.A. Harry and Ron had managed their way to her side.

"Guess who?" Harry slung a long arm around her and hugged her tight while Ron stood to the side, grinning cheerfully. "Sorry we're late," Harry continued, "but Ron here thought it necessary to stick his tongue down Lavender's throat for a few extra minutes before we left."

Hermione and Ron shouted, "Harry!"

"I did NOT want to know that," griped Hermione while a crimson Ron said, "Was that really necessary, Harry?"

"I felt it really was, Hermione!"

"As happy as I am for you and Lavender, I NEVER want to hear anything about that again you two!" Hermione shuddered at the thought of her best friend and the loud girl she had never really liked. Of course, she kept that to herself.

"Hey! It's not like I was the one to bring it up. It was that four eyed bastard!" Ron laughed as Harry tried to swat him with his free arm. Harry laughed as he nearly pulled Hermione and himself over into the snow with his rambunctious efforts. Finished with the two immature boys, Hermione pulled away from him and made her way toward the gates, trying to erase any images of the Ron – Lavender snog fest that was running through her poor, tormented brain. Harry and Ron followed not far behind and the three joked back and forth all the way to the town of Hogsmeade.

"Brr, it's a little cold today, isn't it?" Ron shivered and pulled his threadbare cloak further around his lanky body.

"You're such a smart kid, Ron!" Ron ducked and yelped as Hermione made to ruffle his already unruly hair. She giggled as he sprinted just far enough to be out of her range.

"Oh, knock it off you two," said Harry good naturedly as the three friends stepped into Honeydukes. "Come on Ron, we need to restock our stores for the room." With that the two boys swept off, shoving aside the younger children when necessary. Hermione shook her head and did not follow; her Muggle dentist parents' rules had been firmly ingrained in her head.

Instead she sat herself on the empty bench at the front of the store. From here she could see outside and watch the excited students of Hogwarts filter through the small town. She shivered as she felt a cold draft of air run down her back, undoubtedly from the small crack under the door. She was shaken from her contemplations by a small commotion outside that turned out to be Draco and Blaise engaged in what seemed to be a vicious snowball fight with a few sixth year Slytherin boys she could not identify. Off to the side was a pale man that – with a start – she realised was Remus under some sort of appearance altering charm. Knowing he could not see her, she returned to watching the young boys play.

They were all laughing loudly, able to be heard through the thick glass of the Honeydukes window. This continued for a few minutes before the boys seemed to exhaust themselves and they all began to walk the lonely path towards the Shrieking Shack, their breath curling behind them in the cold air. She watched them until they were out of sight and finally turned around when she felt a tap on her back. It was Harry, laden with packages of tooth destroying goods.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Oh nothing Harry, I just saw something sort of funny." She smiled up at the two boys and allowed herself to be led to their next destination, wherever that was.

"It's good to see you smile Hermione," said Ron. Harry nodded in silent agreement.

She blushed. "Nonsense. I smile enough."

The two boys rolled their eyes, obviously thinking something else, but refused to argue with the hot headed witch. After all, in the end, she would win. After living with the bloody woman for nearly seven years, they had learned this the hard way.

The rest of the day continued pleasantly until Hermione found herself sprawled across "her" much neglected couch in the Gryffindor Common Room with Ron and Harry sitting in two chairs across from her.

"What time is it?" She hoped it wasn't time to go back yet, she was having such a good time with her friends and the fire's soothing warmth was lulling her into a near sleep state.

"It's nearly ten. Why?"

Hermione sighed and sat up. "I have to get back to my rooms then. Since security has been tightened around the school even I have to answer to curfew." As much as Hermione Granger was a stickler for rules, it had been nice to be able to go about the halls late into the night with no worry of being caught. Plus, it had filled her with pride that she was trusted to not abuse that power, which of course she would never do.

Ron looked mutinous, but merely stood up and gave her a hug. "Need us to walk you there?"

"No, that's okay. You'd never make it back in time and I'm fine."

Harry hugged her as well and then she was on her way.

As she told the boys, she had made it back fine and just in time to make curfew. Expecting to see Blaise and Draco taking up an inordinate amount of space with their long bodies and legs, she was surprised with the opposite.

"Curious," she muttered to herself, refusing to let herself become nervous. They were probably just going to come in right at curfew, laughing at their daring. However that had passed… five minutes ago. She jogged up the stairs to Blaise's room, just to make sure they weren't there – they weren't.

Becoming more and more panicked as she tried to stifle it down more and more, Hermione returned downstairs and plopped on a couch, deciding to wait for them and giving them a scolding as soon as they returned. In the meantime, she reached for the closest book, which turned out to be the book of sonnets. Opening it she turned to the poem she had been reading in the early morning.

Let this sad interim like the ocean be/Which parts the shore, where two contracted new/Come daily to the banks…

Chills ran down her spine and she tossed the book aside, refusing to think of a "sad interim" while Blaise and Draco were not here. She forced herself to close her eyes and relax as she waited for the duo, which was sure to return in just a few minutes…

The echoes of footsteps were closing in on them…

Suddenly the door flew open, revealing a furious Bellatrix Lestrange. Her black hair frizzed wildly around her pale face and her dark eyes looked madder than usual.

"Aunt Bella. What a surprise." Draco was able to keep his voice strong, but inside he was quaking. He, of all people, knew what his aunt was capable of.

"Be silent, boy! You two saw it fit to betray your Lord? I could expect that from you, Master Zabini. Your whole family is a useless lot; why the Dark Lord would pursue you for so long, I don't know, but I do not question the mind of my Lord. I merely serve as a humble servant, unlike you," she spat at Blaise, seemingly holding herself back. It was clear she wished to attack him right there, but managed to restrain herself. After a few moments she turned toward her defiant nephew. "But as for you, Draco Malfoy, to betray the Dark Lord was unthinkable! You went to that old fool Dumbledore for help. Ha! What a laugh that is. You thought that idiot could protect you? The Lord is much to wise and powerful for that fool, no matter what the Light say. Yes, yes indeed, it was such a surprise to hear this certain news. But here we three are. Well, what is to be done must be done."

"Aunt Bella," Draco started once again, but was silenced with a wave of Bellatrix's wand.

"Shut up, Draco. I thought you would be useful, but I was wrong. You have greatly disrespected the Dark Lord and you must suffer. It was originally only you planned for this little, ah, adventure, but since your little friend here came along, it seems he will have to be dealt with." At this she leaned forward with a predatory gleam in her eye, as if she wished to tear him limb from limb. Which, he thought morosely, she probably would.

Blaise remained silent through the exchange, realising he could do nothing but wait for his end. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Draco begin to rise and clutch for the wand that was not there but was quickly thrown backwards into the wall with a silent curse from his aunt.

"Now for you," she hissed, a thin tongue darting over her pale as death lips. "Crucio!"

Hermione's eyes flew open as the dream – no, nightmare – abruptly ended.

Her body jerked upwards and she flew up the stairs, yanking the door off of its hinges. "Blaise?" she heard herself yell. "Draco?" Her voice became shriller each time she yelled for one of the boys, but as she ran through their space, her worst fear was confirmed: they were not there. With each passing second she was more and more sure that they had been taken by the Death Eaters, tortured, killed – no! She mustn't think of it. Holding back tears, she forced herself to stop panicking and just think. Finally, a ration thought broke through her mind: she had to find Dumbledore.

She tore back down the steps and out of her rooms, certain now that something was seriously wrong. She reached Dumbledore's office severely out of breath, but managed to gasp out "Baby Ruth." Dumbledore had recently taken to a great deal of Muggle candy.

She rushed up the stairs and entered the office, cursing her lack of exercise. Luckily Dumbledore was at his desk, reading over papers as she entered his office. He looked up, immediately worried by her heavy breathing and the terrified expression on her face.

"Please sit down Miss Granger." He pushed forward his customary offering of lemon drops and she shook her head, finally regaining composure as she too a seat. "Now what seems to be the problem?"

"Blaise and Draco are missing! I stayed up to wait for them because they were out past curfew and never came home from Hogsmeade, but then I fell asleep and when I woke up they weren't there so I came here. Oh! I had a terrible dream and they were in a small cell and they were going to be tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange! I'm afraid it's a vision and that it might be true!" She realised she was babbling, and stopped herself, trying to retain her composure in front of the Headmaster.

"That is most curious Miss Granger, for I was told that everyone had returned from Hogsmeade. You are almost certain they didn't return?" She nodded her head, not knowing how she knew, just that she did. "Well, let us clear up this matter at once." He pulled an old scrap of parchment out which she quickly realised to be the Marauder's Map. Not even bothering to wonder where he had gotten it, she watched in nervous anticipation as he perused the map. He sighed heavily as he closed the map. "You appear to be correct, Miss Granger. They are nowhere to be found on the grounds of Hogwarts."

Hermione whimpered, her mind racing towards all sorts of horrible possibilities. "What can we do?"

Dumbledore suddenly looked years older at the realization that two of his students were probably in grave danger. "Let me fetch Professor Snape, their Head of House." With this he stood and strode to his fireplace tossing in a bit of floo powder and saying "Professor Snape's Quarters." He had a quick, muffled conversation and then returned to his desk, Snape appearing out of the fire directly behind him.

"You say they did not return from Hogsmeade?"

Hermione refused to be cowed by the tall man before her, and returned in a fairly steady voice, "No, sir. Though I don't know this for sure, I have a strong feeling that they did not." She also quickly recounted her dream to the man, who seemed to be getting paler by the moment. "Oh, the last time I saw them they were having a snowball fight with some sixth year Slytherins in front of Honeydukes and then they all went off towards the Shrieking Shack. I don't know what happened after that."

"Who were these two Slytherins?" Snape asked tightly.

"I don't know their names, sir."

"Could you describe them for us, Miss Granger?" The Headmaster's voice served to sooth her only very little.

She did, though, describe them and was frightened to see a look of definite worry cross both the Professors' faces. "What? What is it?"

"Those two are both seventeen and therefore of age. They have most certainly taken the mark. They only rarely interact with Draco or Blaise, and this coupled with the fact that they were the last ones seen with them and the fact of your dream… It is almost definite that Draco and Blaise have been taken by Death Eaters."

Hermione began to cry in earnest at this point, just realising the importance of these boys in her life. However strange it seemed, it was fact, and now they were gone. Over her head, Dumbledore and Snape continued their hurried talks.

"They must have faked Blaise and Draco reentering the school somehow. It would not be out of the question that they used a potion, probably Polyjuice," snapped Professor Snape, clearly disgusted by his two charged.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "That is certainly very possible, Severus. The only course of action now is to find where they are. Hopefully we may be able to send out a raid by tomorrow."

"But tomorrow is the day Blaise and I were to do our Runes project!" It was idiotic even to her ears, but Dumbledore and Snape seemed to realise that it was the only thought she would allow to surface.

"Miss Granger," Snape started in a softer voice than she could ever imagine him using. It seemed he was rather shocked at the upset she felt at their disappearance. "Miss Granger," he repeated, "you must not fret. You must stay strong and tell us all you can about this dream. We must find these boys and save them before it will be too late."

Professor McGonagall suddenly burst in the door. Hermione had been unaware of any signal sent to her, but it had probably gone over her head as she had wept. The Professor immediately sat in the chair next to Hermione and looked up at Severus Snape.

"Have you any idea where they might be, Severus?"

"I believe so. As you know, Dunluce Castle is an old castle in Northern Ireland, which was owned by a Muggle family until around the 1700s. It was purported to be ruined, but of course that was only for Muggles. After the Muggle family was forced to abandon it due to monetary ruin, the noble house of Black took it over. I believe that Stewart Black was the first owner, but that is irrelevant. Anyhow, it has been passed down in the Black family for years and somehow Bellatrix came into possession of Dunluce. She, the mad fanatic she is, handed it over to the Dark Lord for use at his discretion."

McGonagall connected the facts. "This is the castle you have been speaking about? The one with all the recent activity?"

Snape threw a glare towards Hermione, clearly intimating that he thought she ought not to be there. However, seeing she was not to be moved, he nodded and continued. "That one indeed. And, if Hermione's dream is indeed correct, I believe they are being held in one of the towers of the gatehouse, both of which have small, cell like rooms that the sentries used to sleep in when not on guard. Lord Voldemort has been known to use these as cells, and Miss Granger's description seems spot on."

"Very well, Severus. Thank you for this very useful information. Now we must plot our course of action." At this he looked piercingly at Hermione. "Could I persuade you to return to your rooms and wait there?"

"No!" She seemed to surprise even herself with this outburst, but she refused to take it back. She was the one who discovered they were gone, she was worried about them, she was their… friend. She needed to be here. "No sir, I mean. But I cannot. I will help all that I can; even if that is not at all, I will remain."

McGonagall looked at her with something akin to pride. "Very well, Miss Granger. It is entirely your decision."

"Severus, would you alert the Aurors? There is much work to be done tonight."

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Not too far off, two boys sat side by side in a small, dark room unsure about their futures. They had been there for hours but neither could make a guess about how long it actually was. Suddenly…

The echoes of footsteps were closing in on them…