Disclaimer: look chapter one

Part 4: Confusion

Hermione had known since her first year that being the friend of Harry Potter could be risky -not to say life threatening. And since they were on the hunt for Horcruxes it was more dangerous than ever before. But the constant fear of being caught by Death Eaters was not the only thing which strained their time together. The pressure Harry felt himself under, his dreams, Ron's moody behaviour and her usual nagging as they called it, had to clash one day.

Hermione hadn't been surprised when it happened, though she couldn't deny being shocked when Ron simply left them. Shocked and angry, however it was nothing compared to the anger she felt when he came back and both boys acted like nothing had happened. For a fleeing moment she hated Ron with her whole heart. It was so typical for him -kicking everybody around him as if they meant nothing and then coming back and naturally expected to be forgiven.

It was late that evening, when she finally could not bear the chummy behaviour between Ron and Harry any longer and simply snatched her wand and disappeared into the forest. It was stupid, she knew that, but she needed a few moments for herself. She wasn't alone for as long as she wished to be and the company wasn't one she wished for either.

The Death Eater seemed to have come out of nowhere, even though she knew he only caught her offhand because she was wallowing in misery. Within mere seconds she was captured in a duel of life and death, one that neither seemed to win at first. In the end it was pure luck that made her use the ancient reflecting charm she had found in the old Black library in the exact moment he sent the slicing charm at her. The red light bounced of the invisible shield and found its way back to it's caster who was hit square in the chest before he knew what was going on.

Hermione could do nothing but stare at the wizard who looked at her with wide open eyes. It was dark but the stars gave enough light to catch the look of astonishment and disbelief on his face. Her face surely must have mirrored the expression because she recognised who the man in front of her was, none other than Rodolphus LeStrange.

A second later she was caught offhand once again as she heard the death spell yelled out behind her. But it wasn't her body that fell to the ground, it was Rodolphus brother she had not seen coming near in her state of shock. The moment the bodies of the two brothers hit the ground though, she could not help but wince and spin around.

There, standing only a few feet away from her was another Death Eater whose hand was still aiming at the dead wizard. Dressed in black robes but without a mask she had free reign to stare at the handsome but shell shocked boy before he managed to compose his self.

"You have to leave!" She didn't move an inch just stared at him, unsure what to think, what to do. He had killed the Death Eater and rescued her life.

"Hermione!"

He knew her name? Looking up at him, she wanted to ask why he had rescued her. She recognized him by now. One could not forget a man as handsome as him easily. Pucey. Adrian Pucey...he was a Pureblood. A Slytherin, a Death Eater. Why would he risk his life to rescue hers? But before she could open her mouth, he shook his head.

"You have to leave now, you never know if there won't be others. I can't risk you being captured."

"But...but you," finally staring at him in disbelieve. "What will you tell him? He will know that something is off and we both know what he does to those who betray him, Pucey." Her voice was getting shrill, she knew, but could do nothing against it. Even though she didn't know him and he was someone she should have feared and fought -he had rescued her life and after what he was saying it seemed he was willing to cover up for her.

"Don't worry about me; you have already enough to fear for. Let me handle this," he told her and she thought she could see a smile on his face. "Now go."

And then, because she knew she couldn't do anything else she nodded and returned his smile before she apparated back to the others.

Hermione did not tell them about her encounter. She told herself she just didn't find the right occasion to do it but that was of course utterly rubbish. But although she knew it was risky to keep silent over the incident, something deep inside her told her she could trust Pucey. The knowledge that Harry and Ron would flip was just another reason to keep it a secret.

And with everything that happened over the next days they had bigger problems to face, other people to fear. People like Bellatrix LeStrange.

Never in her life had she known such penetrating fear and pain as during the time Bellatrix had questioned her. For a fleeting moment before the crazy witch arrived she had felt a flicker of hope when Draco refused to identify them. Hermione wasn't easily mucked around with, even when naked fear was eating her alive. She knew that he had recognized them or at last her. There was a blink of a moment when he looked her in the eyes and saw the horror she felt reflected in his eyes that she just knew. She had no idea why he did not come out with the truth. Shouldn't he be gleeful to watch their final destination?

But the horror she had seen in his eyes told her otherwise. He was just as tired and sick of this whole war than she was. How dreadful must it be to live under the same roof as Voldemort? The boy in front of her was nothing like she remembered. He was even paler than usual, drained and surrounded by so much despair that it was nearly palpable.

But then Bellatrix arrived and soon she had no longer time to think about anything other than the lightening pain. She didn't want to cry, she didn't want to appear weak but the pain never left her another choice as to cry and scream till her throat felt raw and sore.

"You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!"

The never ending questioning though forced her to listen and she did her best to deny everything. It wasn't even a lie when she told Bellatrix she had never been in her vaults. How in Merlin's name should they have managed to break into Gringotts? A whole different matter was the sword.

Crucio after Crucio hit her square in the chest and she remembered Neville telling her about his parents who had been tortured by Bellatrix and lived in St. Mungos due to the mind damage the dark witch had caused. Hermione didn't want that to happen to her. She could bear death but not the thought of being trapped in her own mind. She had to do something, something to keep her sane so she started what she could do best. Use her brain.

The all consuming pain made it harder than ever but she did her best to cling to her logical part. So when Bellatrix started screaming at her again she started to analyse the questions as good as possible. Why was she so afraid that they had been in her vault? Afraid enough to not call Voldemort the second Harry was captured?

"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!"

Without waiting for an answer Bellatrix did exactly that. Pain exploded in Hermione's arm like fireworks but unlike the Cruciatus Curse the pain was concentrated on one spot. Somehow it seemed more palpable and oddly enough it was easier to bear as the lava-like spasms that flowered through her body with each Crucio.

"How did you get into my vault? Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?"

"We only met him tonight!" Hermione sobbed but was using everything in her to sound convincing as she added. "We've never been inside your vault...it isn't the real sword! It's a copy, just a copy!" As she looked up to see if her words showed any affect she was confronted with Draco's grey eyes once again. For a second he looked so utterly shocked that it was nearly funny to watch.

He must have seen through your lie, Hermione thought but oddly enough this insight didn't make her tremble with fear. He had kept silent before, he would keep the knowledge for himself once again.

"A copy?" Bellatrix screeched. "Oh, a likely story!" As expected the witch wasn't convinced.

"But we can find out easily," Lucius Malfoy piped up. "Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!" This time she couldn't help but panic. The goblin would recognize the sword as what it was, but Hermione knew that there was nothing she could do. She noticed the way Draco looked at her, before he finally turned around to do as he was told and for the blink of a moment Hermione thought she saw something like compassion and sadness there.

He was barely out of the door as the next curse hit her, this time a combination of the Cruciatus and a Slicing Curse. The impact of both hit her with enough power to throw her to the ground, where she screamed and convulsed in agony.

She would die here, Hermione realised- killed by the hand of a mad woman -left bleeding to death on the fine marble floor.

Oddly enough the last thing she saw in front of her inner eye, before everything went black, was Adrian and Draco. Both boys were looking at her with the same despair she felt for herself.

Waking up in Shell Cottage was like waking up from a nightmare, only to realise that it hadn't been a dream. Dobby had saved them and lost his life in doing so. Appearing at his funeral, even though her body was protesting to move, was the least thing she could do.

Sooner than Hermione knew was good for health they were forced to move on. Bellatrix's unreasonable fear that they had been in her Gringotts vault didn't let her go. In the end she was convinced that the mad witch must be hiding something for Voldemort himself.

Harry and Ron agreed with her that it had to be something of value. Maybe even a Horcrux.

By all means, her plan wasn't the best, but they had neither the time nor better possibilities to think of something else, so they stuck to it. Being forced into the body of Bellatrix LeStrange felt horrible but Hermione was intelligent enough to see the benefits of it. In the end it had been worth every minute of it. They actually managed to break into -and out – of Gringotts. Hermione could think of far less fearsome ways out as on the back of a nearly blind dragon, but that didn't matter. They got the Horcrux and none of them was hurt.

Going back to Hogwarts left Hermione with mixed feelings. She connected the castle with happy memories and the safety of her childhood. Now it would be turned into the setting of the one war that would decide over the destiny of the wizard world. She shuddered at the mere thought of it but she knew she had to be strong, if not for herself than for Harry's sake. The burden he was laden with since his birth was not easy to handle, but he had to realise that he wasn't alone.

"I think Ron's right. We don't even know what we're looking for, we need them," she tried to convince her best friend. "You don't have to do everything alone, Harry." That finally got a sigh out of him and he nodded before he turned around to inform the others of the Ravenclaw object they were looking for. Not that they had any idea what it could be. As the conversation turned to the diadem Hermione finally felt something like hope. It was the best they had come up with so far so it was only logical that Harry went with Luna to look at Ravenclaw`s portrait.

That left Ron and her to find a way to make themselves useful. To say that she was surprised when Ron came up with a plan -a brilliant one nonetheless -would be an understatement. But it was nothing compared to her surprise when it actually worked in the end.

"You did it, Hermione. I'm so proud of you. We are rid of another Horcrux!" Hermione felt the same excitement as Ron. She destroyed a piece of Voldemort's soul and Harry was one step nearer to defeating Voldemort once for all.

"Looks clear," Ron mumbled and a moment later they slipped onto the floor to return to the others. They had barley put back a quarter of their way as Ron was hit with a stunner and sunk to the floor even before he was able to mutter a spell. The Death Eater did not hesitate to a attack her but she wouldn't be an easy target.

At first the duel reminded her of the one she had had with Rodolphus LeStrange but a few minutes into it she realised that this one wasn't even half as quick as the other wizard. So it did not take her long to finally hit him with an ice charm.

The feeling of a deja vu hit her again only mere seconds later when another Death Eater rounded the corner only to sink screaming to his knees. The man was convulsing much like victims of the Cruciatus Curse only that suddenly the screams stopped and he sunk dead to the side.

"Avada Kedavra!"

With widened eyes she watched the Death Eater; she had turned into an ice statue being consumed with green light before he joined his comrade on the ground. Hectically she turned around to look at the spot she expected to find the spell caster but nobody was there.

There was a slight movement in the air and she realized that he or she was hiding under a Disillusionment charm.

"Who...who are you?" Hermione hated herself for sounding so frightened and once again she asked herself why she didn't raise her wand. On the other hand, whoever the mysterious person was, he could have easily stunned or killed her if he had wanted to.

A moment later she swallowed in shock.

Did he just sniff her? Something told her that she was undoubtedly dealing with a man. Hesitant but willing to confirm her suspicions she raised her hand to touch what she expected to be the back of a head. The hair was short and rather fine and backed of her theory.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who likes your smell." Warm breath tickled her ear and she couldn't help but shudder at hearing his confession. "They wanted to kill you, we...I couldn't let that happen...wildflower."

We? Did he say we? Hermione did not recognise the voice, but something in the way he was talking had her taken aback.

For a long moment she just stared at the spot he was standing in front of her, but it was him who finally broke the silence.

"Be careful!" She heard him mutter a spell and the next moment Ron, still on the ground beside her, started to groan and wake up from his unconsciousness.

"I'll watch over you wildflower." The man told her and again she could feel a shudder running down her spine. Hermione wasn't sure what she had expected but it was not this and she was not exactly comfortable with it either. Uneasily she looked around, but he had stepped back and with the Disillusionment charm still working she couldn't make him out, though she didn't doubt he was still around.

"Mione?" Ron's slightly groggy voice forced her to concentrate on other things and with a last glance around she helped her friend up to his feet who noticed the two dead Death Eaters and fired a line of questions in her direction. Like with the Pucey incident before she kept silent over the help she received. Instead she came up with a likely realistic story.

Why was she lying?

"Where the hell have you been?" A few minutes later Harry's stressed voice ripped her out of her thoughts and soon enough she had other worries than the mysterious man. That was until Crabbe tried to kill her and aimed the death curse in her direction. Who ever that man was, rescued her the second time that day as he pulled her out of the way. So he was still there, well he told her he would watch over her.

"Don't kill him! DON'T KILL HIM!" Malfoy yelled again in Crabbe's direction but the other boy didn't listen to him and aimed curse after curse in their direction. Malfoy did too, but other than his former cronies he only used simple hexes and somehow Hermione had the impression he failed to hit them deliberately.

Then the Friendfyre broke loose and they barley made it out alive. The only benefit from nearly being roasted to death was that Friendfyre was one of the few things which could destroy a Horcrux. And with the diadem down there was only one Horcrux left: Nagini.

Getting into the Shrieking Shack was harder than any of them expected with the castle being the battlefield it was. Wherever they went Death Eaters, Order members, DA members and any sort of magical creature were fighting with and against each other.

The invisible clock was a great help but still, they were stopped every few minutes by all sorts of trouble, not to forget the heavy weight of Fred's death that reminded them just how dangerous their situation was. Somewhere in the trouble, Hermione was sure of it, she lost her invisible man but had no time wondering about it. In fact it seemed they had no time at all. The next hour felt like day and Hermione still had trouble to bear it all.

Lavender attacked by Fenrir.

Snape killed by Nagini.

Voldemort trying to convince Harry to capitulate.

Finding Tonks` and Remus` pale and dead bodies on the floor of the Great Hall.

All the crying and exhausted looking people around her and finally...hearing Voldemort announce her worst fear -Harry Potter was dead! The brother she never had. Hermione felt as if someone had ripped a part out of herself. But seeing his body being abused, even in death, got her blood boiling and she wanted nothing more than to rip that foul smile out of Voldemort`s snake like face.

Pride filled her when she heard Neville telling Voldemort that hell had to freeze over before he would join him and agony filled her when she saw the Dark Lord putting the Sorting Hat on her friends head only to see it burst to flames a moment later.

And then...the biggest shock of all. Harry, as he jumped back to his feet. And than hell broke loose...literally.

Before she knew what happened she was in the middle of a fight. As one of the Golden Trio she wasn't astonished that more than one of Voldemort`s followers wanted to bring her down personally. But what really shocked her, more than Adrian Pucey killing Rabastan LeStrange and the look of despair and compassion in Draco Malfoy's eyes while she was tortured was when her mysterious saviour appeared by her side -only that he wasn't disillusioned this time.

The curse of the Death Eater nearly hit home as she stared shocked at none other than Barty Crouch Jr. who greeted her with one of his maniac grins.

"Hello my wildflower!" Hermione nearly choked on her next curse as he stepped in front of her to protect her with his own body. Her only advantage was that the Death Eaters in front of her seemed to be astonished too about her unexpected knight in shining amour.

The right term -Hermione realised a few minutes later -would be knights. Utterly confused but in no position to slow down in her attempt to fight, she had to accept her two other knights that came to her rescue.

None other than Adrian Pucey and Draco Malfoy joined the ring of her protectors, much to the distress of the older Malfoy's as it seemed, who were visibly scared for their son's life.

Or maybe just shocked that their son was willing to risk his life for the Mudblood queen.

Hermione felt as if she had been sent to another reality. She Mudblood extraordinary, insufferable-know-it-all and Princess of Gryffindor was protected by three Death Eaters. Even though two of them had already saved her life or, in Draco's case, at least tried to do so she still had trouble believing it.

Hermione had no idea how much later it was, when finally the only duelling wizards where Voldemort and Harry. She wanted...well she wasn't sure what she wanted -she knew that she couldn't interfere. But at least she wanted to support him. Giving him the strength he needed to do what had been expected of him his whole life, but her three new found saviours seemed to think different.

"No, it's not safe!" Adrian shook his head.

"If Harry doesn't defeat him nobody is safe!"

"Than we better hope that wonder boy will finally succeed in something." She glared at Draco before she tried to march over to the others, but once again she was held back.

"We can't let that happen...no...You must wait till it's safe, wildflower. We won't risk your life." Hermione wasn't sure if he was speaking about the three of them or if he was merely speaking about himself. Somehow she had the pressing suspicion that it was the latter. Nonetheless the other two nodded in agreement and before she had another chance to break free and rush towards her friends the three men positioned themselves around her. The message was clear.

"Who in Merlin's name do you think you are? Let me through!" She snapped angry. How dare they!

"Don't fret, Hermione," Adrian tried to sooth her. "We only want you to be safe," he assured her though Hermione didn't miss the wary glance he shot at the others, especially Barty Jr. But both of them had fought as determined at her side as Adrian himself which seemed to ease him in the end.

"Why?" Hermione knew it was the most unfitting time for such a question, as the destiny of the Wizard World was about to be decided just a few feet away from her but she couldn't help herself.

All three of them blinked at her as if she had asked the stupidest of questions.

"Really Granger," Malfoy finally mocked her and Hermione felt oddly comforted by the familiar tone. "For someone who is supposed to be the brightest witch of her age you are really dense sometimes."

"Is that supposed to be an answer?"

None of them answered just smiled knowingly at her. Draco with a hint of haughtiness, Barty with the clear sign of insanity and Adrian, well he just smiled brightly at her.

Hermione barely registered as everyone around her suddenly started to shout and squeal with joy. She realized that it must mean that Harry won -Voldemort was dead -but all she could think about while she looked from one Slytherin to the other was that she was in deep trouble, as the look in their eyes reminded her of believers who looked at something they thought to be divine.

Oh yes Hermione, you are in trouble, really deep trouble.

Sighing she tried to find something positive in it.

There could be worse things than being a goddess to snakes, right?

***End?***

A/N: Skopode, all4edward, xoulblade, Amelia Jade326 and JillianUnleashed thank you so much for taking the time to review. There might be only a few but that only means I cherish them more^^

Sequel: ? For now it's complete but I must admit there is an idea in my head that would like to come out. I'm not sure when I will find the time though.

Anyway let me hear what you think.