Safe

-------

Safe

-------

Hermione missed him. The aching loss that ate into her soul every time Luna mentioned him, the feeling of falling apart every time she saw a picture of him. She was a wreck. When the newspaper reported his death, she thought she would collapse there and then on the street. At his funeral, she wept, wept for him and how he died, tortured by Voldemort until he died of insanity.

She was told this by an ashen faced Lupin, after he had had flooed to Hogwarts to defend the castle. Apparently he had saved McGonagall and Dumbledore from stunners, then the killing curse. He dived in front of them to save them. Because the curse had come from Bellatrix and not from Voldemort, he survived. Bellatrix died from the rebound. After checking the teachers and Hogwarts was safe, he then apparated to Albania. There he went to the last known hide out of Voldemort before he was captured. Voldemort subjected him to the Cruciatus Curse numerous times before using an old method of excruciating torture. Voldemort had a Metamorphmagi who owed him a life debt. He ordered the metamorphmagus to morph into Hermione. Voldemort then proceeded to curse, torture, beat and even rape the Hermione/metamorphmagus, all whilst he watched on.

Apparently, he refused to watch. They cursed out his eyeballs, but he still refused to watch. In the end, the Order arrived. They were too late to save him however. Gently, Minerva took his wand and shot the killing spell at Voldemort, bound by an Anti-apparation jinx by Dumbledore. Harry didn't need to kill Voldemort, only his wand did. After Minerva killed Voldemort, Dumbledore came over towards him and Minerva. He stood, and gazed down at the boy he had loved, like a son. As he looked back into the old man's eyes, he uttered a single sentence that Hermione would live to remember. Whenever she though she couldn't go on, she recited his words in her head, and the world's torrent of abuse seemed to lessen slightly.

Dumbledore softly picked him up and apparated back to his and Hermione's flat. Dumbledore raised his hand to knock, but the door was answered by Hermione, panic etched in every line of her face. Hermione gently scooped him out of Dumbledore's arms and cradled him to her, breathing in his scent. Hermione knew it was the last time she would see him. Apart from the look on Dumbledore's face, she knew if there was any hope, St. Mungo's would have been their first place of call. Tentatively she laid him out on the bed and sat down beside him, stroking his hair. He couldn't speak, but his eyes spoke volumes - of the pain he was suffering, of the love he held for her and another, and the relief at being able to let go.

Hermione lay her head on his chest, and his arm twitched. Moving his arm to her head, she felt his hands slightly weave themselves into her hair. She fell asleep that night, happy and contented.

***

When she woke the next morning, she saw Albus and Minerva standing by her bed. No, not her bed. A bed in St. Mungo's . Looking at the floor, she climbed out of bed and shuffled towards the window. After what seemed an age, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Hermione paused, and then started. For the hand wasn't that of a man, but of a woman. She turned around and, for the first time lifted her eyes to those of her former head of house. They were filled with sorrow and regret, yet a small hint of hope. Confused, she stepped back, looking questioningly at Dumbledore, who amazingly, smiled. Only a small smile.

A nurse walked in. "Congratulations Miss Granger, you are expecting a boy!" Hermione stood there, shocked. Then she remembered their final night together, all those weeks ago. She too smiled.

***

Eight months later, Harry James Potter-Granger was born. Hermione cradled him in her arms, wishing that his dad was their to share the moment. When Hermione fell asleep that night, she imagined their last night together, when Dumbledore dropped Harry off. How she wished she could feel a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around her. So she could feel warm, love, comforted. But most of all, so she could feel safe.

A solitary tear trickled down Hermione Granger's cheek that night.