Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 40

-

"Harry?" a weak voice spoke close to his ear. Harry opened his eyes tiredly - a dream again, he was sure. They were stinging and he wasn't sure he had heard it. Three days had passed since arriving at the camp.

He turned to look at her. She had opened her eyes and was staring at the ceiling.

She looked so much better. Once Madame Pomfrey had confirmed that her potions were healing Hermione, the change had happened rather rapidly. She had healed quickly and only a small hint of bruises was on her face. Her abrasions on her back were still an angry purple-green, but they had closed and started to heal.

"Thank you Merlin," he groaned and kissed Hermione's hands. Tears ran from his face on to her hands, she pulled one of her hands away and gently caressed his cheek.

"What happened? How did you get me here?"

"I'll tell you everything my love, but I want to get Madame Pomfrey first."

-

She groaned. All she wanted to do right now was complain. Everything was hurting too much.

"More eggs?" Harry asked her eagerly and she tried to focus on his words.

Hermione had been awake for just an hour and finally they had the tent to themselves. "You can have mine!" he encouraged. She smiled kindly at him. "Or should I get more milk, or sausage?"

"Stop," she laughed. And there was a hint of begging in her voice.

"What?"

"Milk? Eggs? Sausage? Is this a luxury hotel or what? Just get me bread and water like usual."

"This isn't a usual day," he frowned and moved from his chair to sit next to her on her bed. He looked down at her hand and noted that she was shaking slightly as she reached for her egg.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"I will be." She looked up and met his gaze. "Just ask me Harry, ask me anything you want. I know you want to know what happened. You just told me how you got me out… so I guess I owe you." She smiled kindly.

"No!" he objected and looked intently into her eyes. "We don't have to talk about that for a lone time, or ever, "he quickly added, "you shouldn't have to relive it."

"It's fine!"

"No!" he objected and looked away.

Hermione tried to read his face but she couldn't. She felt both anger and hurt. She knew he was trying to spare her. But she knew that anyone else who had been broken out of the Death Eaters clasps would be expected to tell their story.

"So should I tell Ron or one of the others, if you don't want to hear it?" she asked. Harry looked up at her and now he looked hurt. "Just stop Harry," she commanded and he remained silent. "Why can't I tell you? I am telling you that I'm fine!"

"I know," he said silently, "But I don't know if I can hear it."

"You'll live, who else needs to hear it? I guess it's better if someone else is here so you won't have to retell it over and over?" she suggested.

"Ron, I guess. And I think Cedric wants to know…" Harry thought aloud and Hermione nodded.

-

The others were sitting on the floor in the small tent; the fire was burning everyone faces but Madame Pomfrey said Hermione needed to stay warm while she was healing.

"Do you want to ask questions or can I just tell my story?" she asked.

"I guess it's better if you just tell it," Ron answered. "Is it okay if I take a few notes? Names, places… you know."

She nodded and glanced over at Harry. He was looking fixedly at her, not blinking. She took a deep breath and started;

"Okay, so Cedric and I were getting the children to safety. They're all safe right?" she turned to Cedric who just nodded. "And the Death Eaters came, I didn't see any other way than letting them find me." She glanced at Harry and he was clenching his jaw tightly. She rolled her eyes and reached for her mug of water.

"They took my shoes and made me walk through the forest, they placed a hood over my head so I couldn't see where we were headed, and then we met other Death Eaters. I heard that they had other prisoners, most of them sounded like muggles because they were very confused. They killed them at the spot…"she swallowed hard, remembering in her head the spells and the thuds as bodies smashed into the cold ground"... and just brought the muggleborns along. I couldn't see who the others were and we couldn't speak because we would be cursed at once if we did."

None of the Death Eaters really bothered with us until we arrived at… I'm not sure where it was, but we were floo'd right to the prison. I thought we were in Azkaban but Harry told me we were at the top floor of the ministry…"

Hermione's mind wandered a bit and she reached for her water again, she took a large sip and steadied herself. "Then we were questioned."

She noted that the three faces in the room looked uncomfortable, they all knew, they had seen what had happened to her.

"I didn't recognize the voices of the man asking the first questions… but then, when the others came…"

"The others?" Cedric said and looked up.

"First there was a man asking me questions, just questions. And when I couldn't answer them well enough I was taken away. And two others interrogated me. I didn't catch the name of the first one, but the other two seemed friendly. Like lovers, or maybe siblings."

She saw form the corner of her eye how Harry's head twitched and cocked to the side. She knew at once that he had a feeling what name she would say.

"The woman was called Alecto, or Electro or something like it. I couldn't quite catch the man's name…"

"Amycus and Alecto Carrow," Harry hissed.

"Yes!" she nodded fervently. "Are they married?"

"Siblings," Harry answered. "Known to be evil." He appeared to realize what he had said just at he said it.

"Not the most pleasant I've met," she nodded and looked away. Suddenly she found it harder than she thought it would be, to talk about it. She rubbed the backside of her hand against her forehead and took a shallow breath. She wasn't sure if it was the difficult subject, or if it was the fact that Harry was staring intently at her, and she knew the words would hurt him terribly. She guessed it was both.

"Could you…?" Ron's voice trailed off. Harry moved up on the bed and sat next to her. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Of course." She took a deep breath. "I don't know how many details are necessary. They asked me about why I was in the woods, where I had been, who had sent me there, who I had spoken to… just basic questions. Nothing that gave me any information. When I didn't tell them anything…I told them I was there to visit my muggle grandmother." Hermione swallowed hard. "So naturally they tried to persuade me." She forced a smile which no one returned. "So you know what happened next," she waved a hand nonchalantly and drank more water, her mug was starting to empty out.

"What?" Harry was the one who asked and his question sounded like an order. She met his eyes, trying to ask him if he really wanted her to go on. "What, what happened next?" he said and leaned forward slightly. She wasn't sure if it was the fire reflected in his eyes, or if something ready to kill was glaring out at her.

She scratched her shoulder distractedly and then looked down at her hand.

"Then Amycus told Alecto to get her… her whip." She didn't look up. "And that's when the real questioning began. So she used the whip on me and asked me the same questions over and over, but I never told her anything. I have no memory of them stopping, I guess I passed out." She looked up and quickly continued, "There is something sick about those two. They had a rare and strange relationship. That's why I thought they were lovers. They love this job… beating people. They got such a kick out of it."

"We've heard about them before," Ron told her and she nodded and then bit her lip, she wasn't sure what to say next. How much was needed to tell? If just Harry had stayed outside, she could have said everything but she was so aware of him and his reactions.

"I was to be hanged the day after you came for me," she finally breathed. Three faces turned to her but no one spoke. Alecto wanted to do it at once in the room after I didn't say anything. But Amycus said he had a feeling I had more to say, so he used the rope to tie me to the hook on the wall. And I guess that was sometime before you found me. At least, I can't remember anything else…"

"So the first man," Harry spoke, "He had nothing to do with the questioning after you left him?"

Hermione thought for a moment.

"Well I remember hearing his voice once-" Harry interrupted her.

"You were hooded again?"

"No I-… I couldn't see anymore. My eyes were beaten shut." She swallowed again. "Well he came into the room and asked what they had gotten from me. When they said nothing, he said they should just throw me out the window or give me to Fenrir, because they had new prisoners coming and I couldn't waste the space."

She felt her chest tighten as she spoke of it. She could help flying back to those days in that cell. She had been absolutely sure she would die, without a doubt. She knew Harry could never get to her, and she prayed he'd never try. She had wondered when he would find out that she had been taken, would it be weeks, months after she had been tossed away.

She heard the others discussing wildly now, but she couldn't focus. She drifted back again to her time there. The beatings, the blood, the pain really had been nothing. Knowing she would never see him again had been her only horror. She snapped out of her morbid thoughts and looked at Harry.

Her lip jerked and she wanted to cry, she was so madly in love with him and she was so happy to have been given just another moment with him. When she thought about what he had done to save her, she couldn't help but think that it hadn't been worth it. She would never say that to him, it would just make him angry and upset.

But now everyone knew that Harry Potter had saved a muggleborn from prison. Either they would assume he was in love with a muggleborn which was a horrible out-casting sin, or that he was a traitor… either option were sure to cast him away from society forever. The latter would surely set a bounty on his head.

She heard their voices around her and she seemed to fade away. She had become such an expert at it when they had beaten her, just drifting away to somewhere in Bulgaria. When Alecto had whipped her so hard her flesh slid sideways and her whole body jerked from the force she had thought about the color of the sheets in the bed she and Harry had shared when they had gotten married. In her head she had hummed along to the song the band had played when they had gotten married. She had tried to remember the chocolate muffin Harry had bought her. She had tried to remember the warm and loving smile of her parents, but the years had made those memories pale and she had focused on Harry's face again.

"Hermione?" she snapped her head back up again. Ron was speaking to her

"Yeah?"

"I know it's soon and all," he sounded very apologetically and she nodded encouragingly,

"but the camp wants to throw a feast in honor of your return."

Hermione frowned, she hadn't left her tent yet, meeting all the people… Harry interrupted her thoughts.

"It's not until tomorrow, more than twenty-four hours away. They are all overwhelmed with joy that you got away; it's a symbol of hope Hermione. If you could just go out for a moment, just to say hello."

She understood what he was saying. So many husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, daughters and sons were waiting to hear from their families. Seeing her would give them hope.

"Of course, I'd love it!" she smiled.

"No you won't," Cedric said, "But you are such a good person for doing it." He was the first one to get up. Hermione guessed he had read her face and knew she was tired and needed her sleep. He walked over to her on the bed and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you for being alright," he whispered in her ear and squeezed her harder.

"Thank you for being alright!" she whispered back and felt his hot lips on her cheek.

-

Hermione clutched Harry's hand hard against her. He was lying behind her on the bed, holding her tight. He snuggled his face into the crease of her neck and just breathed in her skin.

"So when do you have to leave?" she asked.

He lifted himself from her neck and Hermione rolled on to her back, Harry still holding his arm over her waist. He looked into her eyes.

"No deadline this time," he whispered and leaned down and kissed her. "Should I get my arm off?" he said and pulled away.

"No!" she objected angrily, "I told you, I'm fine. Your weight is heaven," she assured and kissed his earlobe. He seemed content and leaned his head on her chest.

"What time is that feast?" she asked sleepily. Harry looked at his watch.

"Don't worry Hermione, it's just morning. The feast isn't `til tonight." he assured.

"Good, and they won't mind if I'm a bit late, I have five hours right?"

"Of course,"

Hermione smiled and ran a hand though Harry's hair. She was asleep again a moment after. Harry rolled her on to her side again and put his face back into her bushy hair and made his way to her neck. He felt her hot skin and kissed it gently.

-

Hermione washed in front of her small mirror by herself. She had stayed inside the tent all day, Harry had brought the food for her and she had hesitated stepping outside.

She had heard music for close to two hours now and she felt hesitant to leave her tent. She kept glancing at yellowish bruises on her face. The bruises were fine, but she was worried what the people outside wanted from her. A hero's story? A detailed story about what had happened?

Get a grip! she told herself, You have never heard anyone ask something like that.

She looked at the choke hold around her neck and decided to let her hair down.

What she really felt like was asking Harry to get some dinner for them, sneak in a couple of bottles of wine and just hide away from everyone. She wanted to finally make love to him, and just lay in his arms. She sighed again. She couldn't become a hermit, she knew that. The sooner the better!

She stood at the opening of her tent and took a deep breath "You can do this," she told herself and stepped outside.

-

She sighed loudly, it was nothing like she had expected. A wild celebration was happening outside of her tent but no one was even looking at her as she exited. She sighed again, very loudly this time but with relief. They were all there to celebrate that someone had made it out, they didn't know her details. She looked around and some friends and familiar faces were waving happily at her. She waved back before she hurried to find Harry. He was with Ron around the fire, they seemed deep in a discussion and she had a feeling she shouldn't go there. She didn't want to know what they were talking about. She whirled around and looked for someone else, someone she knew. Cedric? Sirius?

She saw Cedric sitting on one of the benches with one of the older women. She hurried to his side and sat down without a greeting.

He turned to her and smiled.

"Hi," he said. She smiled back. He turned to the woman. "Will you just excuse me for a moment?" and she hurried away. He turned and looked at her, then he threw an arm around her shoulders and puller her to him. "I was so worried Hermione, you have no idea…"

She laughed and pushed him away but his arm remained over her shoulders.

"So I bet you hate all of this huh?" he asked and nodded towards the party.

"I thought I would, but they are all so considerate. Just look at them," she nodded towards the large gathering of people dancing around," They just need an excuse to feel happiness. I am glad to give them that, they are happy I am alive, but they don't want details. It's quite wonderful…" she dreamed aloud. Cedric seemed surprised but nodded along with her words.

"Haven't you just been here for a couple of minutes? Just wait until the wine start flowing," he joked and she smiled. He grew serious. "I was so worried," he began again and she smiled at him. "I don't-…"

"Am I interrupting?" Hermione turned around quickly and smiled when she saw Harry standing there. He was holding two cups of homemade wine fore them.

"Of course not," Cedric said before Hermione could answer.

Harry handed Hermione a goblet and then gave her his free hand. She turned to Cedric as she left.

"See you later," she grinned and he nodded.

-

Hermione looked up at Harry's face.

"You are so gorgeous," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Why thank you," he kissed the tip of her nose.

Her stomach fluttered and she felt overly sentimental.

"Can I just talk to you for a moment alone?" she asked.

"Sure," he sounded doubtful, "Don't you want to just take a walk around the camp? Meet eve-"

"Soon," she assured and pulled him by the hand to the tent.

As soon as the tent walls had closed behind them Harry started.

"What's wrong, are you ok-"

Hermione threw her arms around him and kissed him violently on the lips. Slightly surprised he staggered backwards before he found his balance.

He hugged her tightly, his arms closing around her waist. Her lips pulled from his and trailed down his jaw. She felt his hands move up into her hair and grabbed fistfuls of it. It hurt her slightly and she loved it.

She kissed his neck viciously and hungrily.

"I need you Harry," she moaned into his skin and at her words she felt him tense. He let go of her hair. "No!" she demanded and grabbed his hands before he pulled away. "Don't," she pleaded now.

He looked down into her eyes and she tried to read what he was trying to tell her.

"But you're hurt, you need to heal…" he trailed of quietly as she leaned forward and kissed his neck again.

"I need you," she mumbled. "That's exactly what I need right now, I need you to make me feel alive."

He yanked her from him and stared at her. At first Hermione thought he looked angry but with a jerk he tugged her back to him and kissed her intensely.

He grabbed her roughly and pulled her into a tight hug, he spun halfway around so she was standing against the small cot. He grabbed her face with both his hands and looked into her eyes before he slowly leaned down and let his lips barely touch hers. His tongue tickled her lips as it graced them and he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her down on the bed.

She scooted back on the cot and looked up at him, longingly as he pulled his shirt off. He remained standing, just watching her as she laid there. She knew him well enough; she knew what his face was portraying.

"It's okay," she promised. He didn't move so she sat up and in return pulled of her own shirt. She reached behind her back and unhooked her bra and let it fell of her. Then she opened her pants and pulled them of. When she was completely undressed she laid back on the bed, Harry still watching her.

She smiled kindly at him and reached for him. He gave her his hand and she pulled him down over her. They kissed at once and she ran her fingernails roughly against the skin of his back.

She did need him; she needed him in such a ferocious and primal way. Harry raised himself on his knees, placed between her legs and started opening his pants. She sat up swiftly and kissed his chest. She bit his nipple a bit too hard and he hissed at her. She smiled wickedly and part of her wished he'd bite her back; she wanted to feel her body, feel alive. Once his pants were off he leaned over her and pushed her hair away, about to kiss her neck when he saw the hand shaped bruises around her neck and pulled away quickly. She noticed of course and it angered her. She wasn't angry at Harry, but she was angered and frustrated with the circumstances.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and they spun around so he was lying on back. He looked doubtful and she smile wickedly at him.

"Scared?" she taunted.

"No," he answered and reached up and cupped one of her breasts. Just as swiftly he moved and she was pinned under him.

"I need you," she breathed and gasped in surprise as he entered her. Harry groaned at the same time, it had been a while. And it seemed that thinking you would never see the one you loved, could be the biggest aphrodisiac of all.

Hermione clutched hard against his back and felt his muscles tensing and moving under her palms, he was sweaty now.

"Harry," she whimpered in pleasure.

"Don't ever leave me again," he whispered in her ear. She looked at him, he had his eyes closed but he looked so focused and intense. She knew he was carrying as many scars on the inside as she was on the outside.

Soon, too soon, he was lying with his head against her naked chest, panting roughly.

"That was wonderful," Hermione smiled and almost giggled. "I needed that," she admitted.

"I love you Hermione," Harry said and looked up. She was just about to answer when they heard footsteps outside the tent.

"Eh... Hermione?" Ron asked.

Harry hurried of Hermione and she pulled her blankets to cover herself.

"Yes?" she called back.

"Sirius is looking for Harry, do you know where he is?"

"Um... no."

"Yeah right," Ron laughed and Hermione turned slightly pink.

"We'll be right there Ron, thanks!" Harry called back and they started getting dressed again.

--

Again - sorry about the slow updates. But my little baby girl keeps me so busy. This sleep deprived mother sure would like some updates ; - )

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