So Long, Farewell

7 – So Long, Farewell

I don't judge people...if you judge people, you don't have time to love them!

Mother Theresa

Waking up, still on the woollen rug in front of the fireplace, next to Severus, beat every sensation of joy Hermione had ever experienced. Her heart swelled as she looked down herself and saw his arm wrapped around her midst. She lifted her head to look at his face and smiled when he opened his eyes.

"Good morning," he said and pulled her closer. "My love..."

"It is a good morning," she agreed and placed her head against his chest, tracing random patterns with her fingers while watching the flames play. He had kept the fire going all night.

Severus pulled her closer. "Isn't it..." he mused. "Who would've thought...?" Then he tilted her head upwards. "What are you going to tell your friends, Hermione?"

She shrugged. "What else but the truth? If Harry doesn't understand, Ginny will make him. I've not had contact with any other Weasleys or

other wizards since I moved to Avalon. Life on the isle is tranquil and doesn't really lend itself to socialising." Then, she smiled. "Severus, I don't care what other people think about us. As long as you and I are happy, that's all that counts." A Warning suddenly entered her mind, and she shuddered. "Severus?"

"What is it?" He looked at her, frowning.

"I think things are about to get... problematic." Hermione had barely finished when the door opened and Louisa stumbled in, tears streaming down her face.

"Hermione! I think the Malfoys are in trouble!" The girl knelt down in front of Hermione, completely oblivious of the unusual presence of Severus.

"Explain, please," Hermione straightened.

"I... I had a vision," Louisa started and was interrupted by her own sobs.

Severus and Hermione rose and then sat down on either side of Louisa.

"What happened?" both asked in unison.

"Draco..." Louisa uttered and collapsed against Hermione's shoulder.

Images flooded Hermione's mind, and she stood up, horrified. "We need to go there. Now. Let's meet in five minutes at the front door. Louisa, get your sisters ready. Severus, please get the boys ready." She was oblivious to her own authority, but both stood immediately and turned to leave.

"Five minutes," Severus said, stretching his hand out towards her.

She took it. "Yes. I'll meet you at the door. I need to get dressed." With a lopsided, hesitant smile, she let go of his hand.

Doing her ablutions automatically, Hermione ran through her mind what she'd seen and dressed in Muggle clothing: jeans, t-shirt, woollen jumper. On her way out, she threw on her cloak to keep warm and rushed to the door. It took barely a minute for all five children to turn up...Severus was already there...and she said, "Let's leave. We'll have to Apparate nearby."

They rushed to the gates, grabbed each other's hands, and Apparated, landing at the top of the lane leading to the manor where eerie silence met the group.

Kurt looked around. "There is something wrong." His eyes sought Hermione's. "We normally land much closer to the manor."

"Yes, Kurt. The magic, I think, has been disabled, unless it's my inability to cast it. Try, everyone!" Hermione said.

Nobody's wand worked, and Hermione was overcome with dread.

Remember why you are where you are! came Minerva's voice, making her straighten up and be fully conscious of her priesthood.

"Come. We'll go up to the manor and knock on the door." If her words hadn't done it, her appearance certainly did, for she'd turned into a priestess of Avalon, and everyone followed her without questioning towards the gate, which opened readily, and then up the stairs to the front door.

She knocked and willed the sound to carry, ensuring whoever was there would hear it.

A Muggle in police uniform opened the door, sneering. "Who are you? And how did you find this place?"

Hermione, in one swift movement placing the children behind as Severus moved to stand next to her, smiled politely. "Sir, I believe you wished us to find this place. We are here to see the Malfoys."

"The Malfoys? You mean the blond couple? They've been taken into custody under the Terrorist Prevention Act," the policeman returned with a disturbingly smug expression.

Hermione groaned inwardly. Just how far will this Muggle government go to stop our magic...?

Gretl's outcry of "Hermann!" followed by a heart-rending sob interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to the small girl. "It's okay, Gretl. We'll find him. I'm sure this nice police officer will let us know what happened to Hermann."

Hermione turned back to the officer and smiled. "Won't you, sir? Hermann is Gretl's friend, and it will calm her to know that he is fine." She willed a modicum of conscience on the man.

"He's been taken into foster care by a family in Glastonbury, madam, and that's all I can tell you."

"And would you be able to tell us where the Malfoys are being held?" she asked.

"All terrorist suspects are moved to Holloway Prison while awaiting trial. Don't you read the papers?" He sneered again, and Hermione realised he was reaching the end of his patience the same moment as she felt Severus tug her sleeve.

We need to leave! "Right. We've bothered you enough and better return home, then. Thank you for your time, officer." Hermione turned, nodding towards the lane as she glanced at the children.

In hurried strides, the group descended the stairs and rushed back to the path leading to the gate and beyond. Nobody spoke until they reached the top of the hill.

"Quickly. Let's get outside their wards so we can Apparate."

Someone called from the gate. "Oi! Come back! I know who you are!"

Hermione looked at Severus. "What now?" The moment she'd said it, though, she could feel the magic humming again. "Okay. Let's get out of here. Hands, everyone!"

Seconds later, all landed safely outside the gate of Severus's home. "Quickly, let's get back in. I don't know how far the elemental wards reach outside the property." Severus pulled Gretl along at first, but soon lifted her up to carry her the few yards to the gate. The other children ran towards their home as fast as their young legs could carry them.

Once they'd all reached the safety of the house, Severus turned to Hermione. "Do you realise the danger you were in? If they'd caught you, you would be joining Lucius and Narcissa! How could I have allowed you to go out?" He shook his head, his expression one of despair.

Hermione's hand rose to gently stroke his face. "It's outside your control, Severus. I should have thought to at least put some kind of glamour on my person so the Muggles won't connect me with the picture in the paper. Alas, for now we are safe."

He nodded, still frowning. "For now. But the moment we leave here again, we won't be, and nor will the children." Severus turned to Gretl, who'd started sobbing again.

"Gretl, Hermann will be fine," he said, but Hermione was unable to detect any reassuring nuance in his tone and not surprised when the girl's sobs intensified. He lifted her into his arms again and faced Hermione. "Any suggestions?"

With sudden, uncanny clarity, Hermione knew what to do. "Yes." She stopped for a moment to collect her thoughts. "First of all, we need to ensure the children's safety. Then we need to get in touch with Harry. And then get the Malfoys out of jail. And move Hermann to safety as well."

"Oh, easy, then," he said with a sneer.

"No," Hermione returned, "but doable. Let me take the children to Avalon. There is no safer place. Then I'll try and track down Hermann, and if...when...I find him, I'll take him to the isle, too. In the meantime, you could contact Harry, find out if he knows anything...I'm sure Minerva already told him he's Umbridge's target...and then find a way to get Lucius and Narcissa out of Holloway." She swallowed. "Not easy, no. But if we don't try, they'll win."

"Hermione." He extended his free arm and pulled her close, holding Gretl still in his other arm. "How are we to contact each other? We cannot rely on owls."

"No." Hermione sought eye contact with him before continuing. "I don't know how or if Legilimens works where the magic is disabled, but try and connect with me now." She opened her mind to him and felt his gentle prodding. "Yes, like that," she said, her voice softening. "Remember that... sensation you've just had? Seek it, and I will hear you in my mind. It is the best we can hope for if owls don't work." She closed her eyes at that. May it work for us...

He offered a curt nod and then turned to Gretl. "Young lady? I need you to be strong. You heard what Hermione said."

Gretl looked at him through teary eyes. "I did. I need to take my fluffy kneazle and the brown fluffy squirrel that Hermann loves. Then I'll be ready." She ran off to her bedroom the moment Severus put her back on the floor and returned a minute later with her two toys. "I'm ready," she said, facing Hermione before turning to Severus. "I'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you, Gretl," he said. "Hopefully, it won't be long before we're all back together." Then he turned into the teacher used to giving orders that left no room for disobeying. "All of you: I want you to go to your rooms and pack a week's worth of clothing. Louisa, pack enough for Gretl as well; she'll help you. And I'd like five minutes alone with Hermione. Go!"

Each one rushed to their feet and left. Severus turned to Hermione. "So I've found you only to be away from you."

"My love." Hermione's eyes sought his and rested there. "It won't be for long." She tried to convince herself, though every single day was one day too many to be separated from him, now that she knew he returned her feelings. "I wish there were a better solution..."

"You're right to take them to the isle." He pulled her yet closer and tilted her head for a kiss.

"Severus..." she whispered.

The children returned too fast, their energy penetrating the brief tranquillity she had found.

Louisa looked at Hermione. "I want to know where Draco is. It did not sound as if he was arrested along with Narcissa and Lucius."

"No, I don't think he was, Louisa," Severus said. "Surely, that policeman would have rubbed it in if he had been arrested. Perhaps he was not there when the manor was invaded. Though why you'd want to know about the prat is beyond me."

Louisa's face, as tear-stricken as her little sister's, fell. "Is it wrong to like someone? To fancy myself in love? I'm nearly seventeen, you know."

Hermione smiled. "Love is never wrong, Louisa, no matter how young or old you are." The smile turned into a frown as she thought of the dire situation with renewed vigour. "I promise I'll let you know if I find out anything about Draco's whereabouts. But now, we must get ready to leave. You'll be safe in Avalon, and as soon as we restore our world, either Severus or I will come back for you."

Some more shuffling between the children, a quickly cast glamour to change Hermione's hair colour, another longing look between Severus and Hermione, one last blessing, and she and the children left for a journey filled with uncertainty.

Here I am, in this sterile Muggle home, and I can't help but curl my lips and maybe take a leaf out of Severus's stance and sneer. This bedroom is so impersonal, and so are the foster parents. They strive to be the picture-perfect parents. In terms of government...Muggle government...ideas, that is, and all I want to do is sneer. I miss Narcissa's love, and I miss Lucius's reluctant love, which I know is there if only he allows himself to put aside prejudice. And he will, oh, how he will. I have faith, though, that I shan't stay here for long, for if I do, it will kill me. I miss Gretl, I miss Narcissa, I miss everyone, and I am not happy.

A/N: Reviews are love, and the world needs love, don't you think?