Chapter 11: A War of Words

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

A big hug of thanks goes out to VIVAvivacious for all of her help with this chapter.

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Snape's cottage was peculiarly quiet that afternoon, with both Hermione and Snape having left for London.

They had finally perfected the acceleration charm for the Dark Lord's potion, and in a week's time, they would be casting the spell on the potion to complete it. Hermione guessed, with the potion being of dark origin, the spell itself would also have to be a variation on old magic or something that had an element of darkness to it. When she had been looking through the last of Bellatrix Lestrange's journals that had been discovered at Grimmauld place, Hermione had struck gold, finding an interesting theory on charm work and how to make any original charm work into something darker.

For some reason, whenever Hermione had opened the books to take in what the mad woman had written, she felt a surge of power through her fingers. The book was dark, and it called to the dark stain on her soul. She willed the feelings away, but she knew she would always be unnaturally drawn to dark magic and artefacts, and her soul would call out to be with other beings that had torn apart their souls with darkness. Hermione desperately wanted to believe this was the reason for her unusual connection with Snape. He was just as damaged, if not more so than she was.

Snape had side-along Apparated with Hermione to the park across from Grimmauld Place. She had not been back to the house since before the battle in the forest. She looked up at the dirty brickwork as the house revealed itself when Snape spoke the address. She hadn't figured she would have to return there after she left the Order. She had rather hoped she wouldn't have to, either. There were too many memories associated with Harry and Ron.

When she entered the house, Hermione didn't receive an acknowledgment of any kind from Molly or Ginny Weasley, and Harry seemed to have made himself scarce, also. She was just about fed up with his behaviour, despite his testimony in her favour at her trial the week before. He was under the influence of Veritaserum – he had no choice but to tell the truth. The Order meeting started ten minutes after everyone shuffled into the kitchen, and it wasn't until then when Hermione finally saw her so-called best friend.

'Now that everyone is here, we should get this meeting underway,' Dumbledore announced from his position at the head of the kitchen table.

Mad-Eye Moody cleared his throat loudly, cutting across Dumbledore before he could continue. 'I believe there is someone present in this room who is no longer an inducted Order member,' he said loudly, his magical eye twisting around to look directly at Hermione. 'We shouldn't be discussing private matters until they have been removed.'

Snape stood up sharply, his chair scraping roughly against the stone floor. 'Miss Granger is here because she is responsible, in large part, for the matters that are going to be discussed tonight,' he said sharply. 'She will stay.'

'I can leave,' Hermione said quietly, tugging on the sleeve of Snape's robe nearest her. 'It's evident no one really wants me to be here.'

'You will stay,' Snape told her, his tone brooking no argument.

Hermione frowned before looking over at Moody to see his reaction. The man was glaring at her with both his eyes, it seemed. She shrugged as if to say it didn't make any difference to her if she stayed or not, which only seemed to further infuriate the ex-Auror.

'That girl is not an Order member and therefore should not be included in any of our proceedings,' Mad Eye growled. 'You never know if information could be leaked via her if the Death Eaters were to get their hands on her again.'

'I agree with Alastor,' Dumbledore said, shooting a quelling look at Snape, who had his fists clenched and his mouth open to protest. 'Miss Granger, I am going to have to ask you to leave the room for the duration of the meeting. You can wait for Severus in the sitting room upstairs.'

Hermione looked up at Dumbledore, her feelings of betrayal evident in her expression. Nodding, she stood and walked back up the stairs, ignoring the stares of the rest of those present in the room. She entered the sitting room and lit the fire, then flopped down onto the lounge, sighing heavily. She pulled her wand from her sleeve and stared at it intently, running her fingers along the smooth, black wood.

She stared into the flames of the fire for what seemed like hours before she finally heard voices and shuffling sounds from out in the hall, indicating the Order meeting was over. She looked at the watch on her wrist and saw it had only been forty minutes since she had been dismissed from the kitchen. She stood up and walked over to the doorway, crossing her arms and watching as the Order members filtered through the front door on their way out. Remus stopped to greet her briefly, looking a little ashamed of himself, and patted her shoulder while wishing her a good night. Molly and Ginny continued to ignore her, but when the twins exited the kitchen, they went straight to Hermione and lifted her into hug from either side.

'Dumbledore was way out of order, Hermione,' George and Fred said quietly at the same time, making her smile.

'Thanks, you two,' she replied as they released her. 'You'd better hurry on if you don't want your mother to catch you consorting with the enemy.'

'Never,' the twins said in unison as they winked and walked out of the house.

Hermione watched them walk away, her stomach in knots. She missed Ron so much it physically hurt her to see his brothers looking the same as they always had when Ron was no longer with them – his blue eyes would no longer be filled with energy. Arthur stood beside her as she watched his family leave. He put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze.

'Don't let Albus's and Alastor's attitudes upset you, Hermione,' he said softly. 'Their ignorance and distrust will come back to bite them on the arse one day. Keep up the good work. You have done well for Severus and for the side of good.'

'I do this to help Professor Snape because he is helping me, also,' she murmured, looking at her feet. 'I don't work for the Order. I am sorry I won't be able to share a lot with you because of your connection to Dumbledore, but I think it is for the best now.'

'Just don't do anything reckless,' Arthur said as he walked out to follow his wife and daughter.

Hermione hugged her arms around herself. 'I can't promise that,' she whispered just loudly enough for her own ears.

'Are you ready to leave now, Miss Granger?' Snape asked from behind her, startling her from her musings.

She spun around quickly to face him and nodded, heading straight for the cloak cupboard beside the front door to retrieve their heavy winter coats. She emerged and handed his to him before shrugging into her own. She accepted his arm so he could escort her from Grimmauld Place and back to his house. The door was closing behind them just as a male voice called out Hermione's name. She turned to look over her shoulder to see Harry holding the door open, staring intently at her with his bright green eyes.

'What is it, Harry?' she asked impatiently.

'I want to talk to you for a bit while you're still here,' he said, a little out of breath, as though he had run up the stairs to catch her. 'I've tried to contact you a few times, but I've never been able to get a hold of you wherever you and Snape have been hiding.'

Hermione let her hand drop from Snape's arm and frowned at him. 'It's Professor Snape, but I suppose I could spare a few minutes,' she said with an exaggerated sigh. 'Where did you want to talk?'

'Is the library okay with you?'

Hermione nodded and turned to look up at Snape. 'Is that all right with you?' she asked.

He nodded and gestured for them to go. Turning back to Harry, she followed him up the stairs to the library on the second floor. Once the door was closed behind them, Hermione crossed her arms and stood with her back to a wall. With things being the way they were, she didn't trust anyone not to attempt to do something to her – even Harry. He was too involved in Dumbledore's scheme and poisoned by Mad-Eye Moody to be a truly trustworthy person to her any longer.

'So, what do you want to talk about?' she demanded, staring straight at him.

He shuffled from foot to foot uncomfortably, visibly shrinking under her cold gaze. 'I wanted to speak to you about what happened that night, and about Ron and the Order,' he said, looking up at her briefly. 'You know things would be so much easier if you would just come back to the Order and tell Dumbledore what it is he wants to know.'

'Oh, for the love of Merlin!' she cried, tossing her hands up in front of her. 'What is it with everyone and their preoccupation with what Dumbledore wants? I will say this to you only once, Harry. I do not know what it is the Headmaster so desperately wants to know. I was the victim of a Death Eater's attack on the Order, and suddenly everyone thinks I am either in cahoots with them or that they are using me as a means to convey information to you all! I am neither of those things!'

'Right, you don't need to get so worked up, Hermione,' Harry said. 'It was just a simple suggestion.'

'Harry, I came up here with every intention of giving you the benefit of the doubt,' she began, winding herself up for an argument. 'Now I have been called a liar, accused of many horrendous things, and shunned by the society that made me into what I am today. I expect this sort of treatment from Death Eaters, but not once did I believe you, my friend, would do such a thing. What have you done to Harry Potter? Where is the boy I grew up with and would trust with my life?'

'Well, what have you done with Hermione?' he demanded, looking indignant.

'You lot buried her along with Ron and any hopes for our friendship,' she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. 'Harry, I don't want you to ever try to contact me again. If I see you after this, it will only be a coincidence. You be happy with the path you have chosen. I only hope Dumbledore doesn't feed you to the sharks like he did me.'

'But, what about fighting for the side of good?' he asked as she made her way over to the library door to leave.

'I'll do my part,' she answered, not bothering to look back at him.

As she opened the door and walked away, Hermione could feel the dark depths of her very soul splitting just that little bit more until it was split neatly in two. Whatever shreds that had linked her to the Order and Harry after killing Ron had finally been severed. She could feel the darkness wrap around her heart and squeeze it, drawing her in and away from everything she had once known. It was a new beginning for Hermione Granger, and she knew just what she had to do.

She walked down the stairs and met Snape, who was waiting for her at the end of the banister as though he had not expected the conversation to last very long. Allowing him to tuck her left hand in the crook of his elbow, they left Grimmauld Place together and Apparated back to his cottage from the park across the road.

Just before they Disapparated, however, Hermione looked over her shoulder one last time to see Grimmauld Place disappearing as the Fidelius charm reasserted itself. Taking a deep breath, she silently said goodbye to the place, knowing it was unlikely she would ever return.

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A/N – And so ends the friendship of Harry and Hermione.