Fanfic [HP]: The Levees Are Breaking [Part 01/?]
Title: The Levees Are Breaking
Category: Harry Potter
Characters/Pairings: Hermione Granger, Rabastan Lestrange, Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter, Ron, Fred, George & Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling & Bloomsbury, et al. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Rating: R, Older teens for future content
Word Count: 1,947 words
Spoilers: PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP
Summary: In the midst of war, she is about to discover long hidden secrets. When her world turns upside down, Hermione finds that she may have to make a choice - her friends ... or her family?
Notes: May contain spoilers for all books, but the fic starts off during 5th year and will spin AU. Written for the Cliche Challenge at Granger Enchanted eons ago.
Er, yes, it's been ages since I've updated this. Trust me, you have no idea how many times I've written and rewritten this chapter. A huge thank you to everyone who's reviewed, and an extra special thanks to those who poked at me to get this up. &hearts
Anything in italics is what Hermione's thinking.
Prologue: And So It Was
Part 01: The Shape Of Things To Come
get away get away get away get away run run faster run run run run
Hermione was bleeding.
move move move faster too slow too slow move move run go
Her face felt sticky where she could feel the blood dripping from the cut on her cheek.
too slow too slow move go they'll find you run run run
She'd dived into a table, possibly. Avoiding a stray hex (not stray, he was aiming for you, dark eyes in a silver skull, laughing, laughing, i'm going to hurt you little girl, mudblood, whore), she'd spun around, ducked and jumped. She's good at avoiding things - she was ridiculously smart, had buck teeth and no friends. She'd had to be good at avoiding things.
keep moving damnit where is everyone run run he's coming run think think think
They'd scattered in the prophecy room (there's no such thing as destiny, there's always a choice - run or stay, yes or no), Harry with the glowing sphere in his hand, Ginny with Neville and Luna, Ron torn between his sister and her (run, ronald! go go go faster they're coming). And then the large empty room, the archway with the whispery veil and the harsh grip of fingers around her arm. Harry struggling with Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov (who looks just as crazy as he had in the daily prophet photo, snarling and laughing, insanity in his eyes and oh god oh god merlin he's going to kill her) who pulled on her hair, banded his other arm around her waist.
god where are they keep looking keep moving don't stop don't stop run
The Order arrive, Professor Lupin and Tonks and Sirius (alive and well, not tortured, not laughing but insanity in his eyes and she shivers because azkaban did that to him, to them) and she pulls away from Dolohov who has better things to think about now, running towards Luna because Neville is with Ginny and Ron is racing after Harry and they should never have come here.
She pulls Luna up, ducks a hex and Luna moves with her, easy and graceful because Luna is ridiculously smart and had dreamy eyes and no friends. They pass Tonks, who scowls at them while trading hexes with Nott (apples don't fall far from the tree and god, theo sits next to her in arithmancy) and press themselves against the wall. Hermione looks for Harry and Ron (her heart is thump-thumping in her ears and her vision swims because she can't see them) and closes her fist around her wand.
"Listen, Luna, we're going to find Neville and Ginny and then you're going to get out of here, alright?" Hermione doesn't wait for an answer, instead starting towards the other end of the room where she can see Neville and Ginny crouching, wands at the ready (maybe if you lay low, duck down, they won't see you, will look over you). She looks back, making sure that Luna is still with her, and her breath hitches when she sees Sirius laughing (snarling and laughing, insanity in his eyes but he's Sirius Black and he's not going to kill her) as he duels with a woman. Bellatrix Lestrange who was Black and Tonks, whose mother is Black and Malfoy, whose wife is Black and they're blackblackblack black blood and dreams and they taint what they touch.
A Death Eater jumps into their path, his dark eyes wild beneath the mask he still has pulled over his face. He raises his wand but Hermione pushes Luna out of the way, dives down herself, adrenaline priming her muscles (fight or flight and hermione's smart enough to know that she can't realistically take on a death eater despite all her book smarts) - his spell goes awry and Hermione screams impedimenta and hopes he'll stay down. They rush past him - Hermione kicks his wand away as she runs, and they slide to a stop where Ginny is clutching at her ankle (cream and red and white oh god ginny). Neville sighs in relief when he sees her, the tenseness fading from his shoulders.
did he hurt them? oh god what if they're - no, it doesn't matter, not right now, you need to keep moving
"Are you two alright?" Hermione stays standing, her eyes flying between Ginny's prone form and the room, keeping a look out for stray hexes.
Neville nods in response to Hermione's question while he puts Ginny's arm around his shoulders, helping her up. The redhead winces in pain and Hermione shifts, biting her lip. She doesn't want to be left alone, but she can't let the others stay. "Neville, you and Luna need to get Ginny out of here. Try and head to the atrium if you can, make sure that no one sees you."
"What about you, Hermione?" Neville stiffens, a frown on his face. "We can't leave you here by yourself!"
"I need to find Harry and Ron." She shoots him a reassuring glance. "You'll be fine Neville. You were sorted into Gryffindor for a reason, remember?" Hermione watches Luna move closer to her two housemates, motions for them to go when Ginny looks like she wants to protest. She follows them to the entrance, making sure that they get out unharmed before turning back and searching for her best friends. merlin, where are they? She sees Kinglsey Shacklebolt in his Auror robes, wand out and a grim look on his face.
"Er, Mr. Shacklebolt?" He whips around, his tense posture relaxing minutely as he sees her. "Harry, Ron, have you seen them?"
"They weren't with you?" He dodges a stray hex, shaking his head. "Never mind Granger, we'll find them. Get out of here."
She doesn't bother protesting, instead moving on as he starts duelling a Death Eater, one of the Lestranges, if she's not mistaken. Hermione moves to the exit, looking out cautiously. She clutches her wand (vine wood, ten and three quarter inches with a unicorn hair - she'd lit half the place on fire the first six wands she'd tried, and then the smooth comfort of her wand washing over her) and hesitantly steps out into the corridor, watching the doors spin around.
"Hermione."
She stifles a shriek, spinning around. Her heart beat speeds up, blood rushing though her ears. shit Hermione, why didn't you look behind you? Rabastan Lestrange looks at her, a half-smile on his face as he reaches for her arms. She stumbles backwards, fumbling with her wand. why does he know her name? never mind that you silly girl, run. "Stupefy!"
get away get away get away get move hermione run
"You don't really think that a spell like that is going to stop me, do you?" He laughs as he angles his body away, tucking his wand into the sleeve of his robe. "You can put that away."
She follows his gaze to her wand and stares at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."
He smiles again, an odd half smile that tugs at her memory for a moment. "I'm not going to hurt you, Her-mio-ne." He drawls her name out, his rough voice catching on the syllables.
"And what, I'm just supposed to believe you?" Her hand tightens around the smooth vinewood of her wand while she clenches her other hand, trying to stop herself from shaking. where's your gryffindor bravery gone, hermione? She ignores the taunting voice in her head and keeps her eyes trained on the man in front of her.
"It would make things easier, but somehow I doubt you'd be that obliging. Bloody Gryffindors."
Her spine stiffens at his mocking tone. "Better than a Slytherin," she spits out before freezing. What the hell is she doing, trading barbs with a Death Eater like he was Draco Malfoy?
He laughs, his dark eyes lighting up with glee. "So you do have fight in you. I was half worried that you'd have ended up in Hufflepuff, really, after growing up with Muggles." He says the word like they're dirty, a look of distaste on his face, but she's too caught up in his earlier words to really notice.
"What are you talking about? Why would you care what house I was in?" Lestrange smiles and she shivers, because she hadn't thought smiles could be cruel.
"Do you really want to know, Hermione?" He stalks closer, his long legs eating up the space between them and she pushes herself further back in the endless corridor.
not fast enough, didn't run fast enough, you've backed yourself into a corner and he's here here here
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't!" It's almost true. "And how do you know my name?" She keeps walking backwards, freezing when she feels the smooth planes of a door behind her.
"I know more about you than you'd think, Hermione Granger." He tilts his head, an odd light coming into his eyes as he stops in front of her. "Your mother," he pauses, as if considering the word, before continuing. "Your mother was a romantic at heart - named you for the daughter of Menelaus and Helen, the only good thing to come out of years of bloodshed. 'Course, if she'd thought about how the silly bint ended up, she may have chosen differently."
"Excuse me? What makes you think you know my mother?" Hermione stiffens, the very idea sparking outrage. "And my name comes from Shakespeare, not some horrible Greek tragedy."
Lestrange looks at her, before reaching out to run his hand over her curls. She stifles a shriek as his other hand closes over her wand, preventing her from casting a spell. She shudders at the touch, both on her hair and on her wand. "Let me go!"
"I told you, Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you." He leans closer, his dark eyes boring into hers. "Tell me, Hermione, haven't you ever wondered why your parents were so accepting of your heritage? Why they let you return to Hogwarts, year after year, even after you end up in the hospital wing, even when little pretty boys die?"
"How do you know how my parents reacted? And don't talk about Cedric like that. You have no right." Hermione hisses at the Death Eater, struggling futilely against the strong grip of his hand around her wrist. But they did let you come back, Hermione, even after they read the Prophet and found out about Cedric. Read what they were saying about Harry and Voldemort. Hermione ignores the voice of reason, instead concentrating on her attempt to get away from Lestrange. "Let me go, damnit!"
stop talking, hermione and move move move
"I don't like repeating myself Hermione." Lestrange smirks as she glares at him, before casting a glance behind him where one of the doors had opened. "You may want to question your precious Dumbledore, Hermione." She recoils as he leans forward, brushing his lips against her forehead quickly. "I won't wait long, Hermione. If you want answers to your questions, I"m sure you'll find a way to find me."
"Hermione! Get away from her!" Hermione's struggles increase as Lestrange spins them around, his wand aimed at a black-haired Tonks and Hermione placed strategically in front of him.
"Remember what I said, love. If you want the truth, that is." Hermione tenses as he whispers the words into her ear before pushing her forward and disapparating quickly.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Tonks rushes towards her, a concerned expression on her face. "What happened?" Hermione hears the question left unasked - why hadn't he hurt her?
It was a question she'd like an answer to as well.
|| watch || rules || resources || affiliate || tags ||
|| reviews are loved and greatly appreciated || keep track of this fic ||
Category: Harry Potter
Characters/Pairings: Hermione Granger, Rabastan Lestrange, Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter, Ron, Fred, George & Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling & Bloomsbury, et al. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Rating: R, Older teens for future content
Word Count: 1,947 words
Spoilers: PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP
Summary: In the midst of war, she is about to discover long hidden secrets. When her world turns upside down, Hermione finds that she may have to make a choice - her friends ... or her family?
Notes: May contain spoilers for all books, but the fic starts off during 5th year and will spin AU. Written for the Cliche Challenge at Granger Enchanted eons ago.
Er, yes, it's been ages since I've updated this. Trust me, you have no idea how many times I've written and rewritten this chapter. A huge thank you to everyone who's reviewed, and an extra special thanks to those who poked at me to get this up. &hearts
Anything in italics is what Hermione's thinking.
Prologue: And So It Was
Part 01: The Shape Of Things To Come
get away get away get away get away run run faster run run run run
Hermione was bleeding.
move move move faster too slow too slow move move run go
Her face felt sticky where she could feel the blood dripping from the cut on her cheek.
too slow too slow move go they'll find you run run run
She'd dived into a table, possibly. Avoiding a stray hex (not stray, he was aiming for you, dark eyes in a silver skull, laughing, laughing, i'm going to hurt you little girl, mudblood, whore), she'd spun around, ducked and jumped. She's good at avoiding things - she was ridiculously smart, had buck teeth and no friends. She'd had to be good at avoiding things.
keep moving damnit where is everyone run run he's coming run think think think
They'd scattered in the prophecy room (there's no such thing as destiny, there's always a choice - run or stay, yes or no), Harry with the glowing sphere in his hand, Ginny with Neville and Luna, Ron torn between his sister and her (run, ronald! go go go faster they're coming). And then the large empty room, the archway with the whispery veil and the harsh grip of fingers around her arm. Harry struggling with Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov (who looks just as crazy as he had in the daily prophet photo, snarling and laughing, insanity in his eyes and oh god oh god merlin he's going to kill her) who pulled on her hair, banded his other arm around her waist.
god where are they keep looking keep moving don't stop don't stop run
The Order arrive, Professor Lupin and Tonks and Sirius (alive and well, not tortured, not laughing but insanity in his eyes and she shivers because azkaban did that to him, to them) and she pulls away from Dolohov who has better things to think about now, running towards Luna because Neville is with Ginny and Ron is racing after Harry and they should never have come here.
She pulls Luna up, ducks a hex and Luna moves with her, easy and graceful because Luna is ridiculously smart and had dreamy eyes and no friends. They pass Tonks, who scowls at them while trading hexes with Nott (apples don't fall far from the tree and god, theo sits next to her in arithmancy) and press themselves against the wall. Hermione looks for Harry and Ron (her heart is thump-thumping in her ears and her vision swims because she can't see them) and closes her fist around her wand.
"Listen, Luna, we're going to find Neville and Ginny and then you're going to get out of here, alright?" Hermione doesn't wait for an answer, instead starting towards the other end of the room where she can see Neville and Ginny crouching, wands at the ready (maybe if you lay low, duck down, they won't see you, will look over you). She looks back, making sure that Luna is still with her, and her breath hitches when she sees Sirius laughing (snarling and laughing, insanity in his eyes but he's Sirius Black and he's not going to kill her) as he duels with a woman. Bellatrix Lestrange who was Black and Tonks, whose mother is Black and Malfoy, whose wife is Black and they're blackblackblack black blood and dreams and they taint what they touch.
A Death Eater jumps into their path, his dark eyes wild beneath the mask he still has pulled over his face. He raises his wand but Hermione pushes Luna out of the way, dives down herself, adrenaline priming her muscles (fight or flight and hermione's smart enough to know that she can't realistically take on a death eater despite all her book smarts) - his spell goes awry and Hermione screams impedimenta and hopes he'll stay down. They rush past him - Hermione kicks his wand away as she runs, and they slide to a stop where Ginny is clutching at her ankle (cream and red and white oh god ginny). Neville sighs in relief when he sees her, the tenseness fading from his shoulders.
did he hurt them? oh god what if they're - no, it doesn't matter, not right now, you need to keep moving
"Are you two alright?" Hermione stays standing, her eyes flying between Ginny's prone form and the room, keeping a look out for stray hexes.
Neville nods in response to Hermione's question while he puts Ginny's arm around his shoulders, helping her up. The redhead winces in pain and Hermione shifts, biting her lip. She doesn't want to be left alone, but she can't let the others stay. "Neville, you and Luna need to get Ginny out of here. Try and head to the atrium if you can, make sure that no one sees you."
"What about you, Hermione?" Neville stiffens, a frown on his face. "We can't leave you here by yourself!"
"I need to find Harry and Ron." She shoots him a reassuring glance. "You'll be fine Neville. You were sorted into Gryffindor for a reason, remember?" Hermione watches Luna move closer to her two housemates, motions for them to go when Ginny looks like she wants to protest. She follows them to the entrance, making sure that they get out unharmed before turning back and searching for her best friends. merlin, where are they? She sees Kinglsey Shacklebolt in his Auror robes, wand out and a grim look on his face.
"Er, Mr. Shacklebolt?" He whips around, his tense posture relaxing minutely as he sees her. "Harry, Ron, have you seen them?"
"They weren't with you?" He dodges a stray hex, shaking his head. "Never mind Granger, we'll find them. Get out of here."
She doesn't bother protesting, instead moving on as he starts duelling a Death Eater, one of the Lestranges, if she's not mistaken. Hermione moves to the exit, looking out cautiously. She clutches her wand (vine wood, ten and three quarter inches with a unicorn hair - she'd lit half the place on fire the first six wands she'd tried, and then the smooth comfort of her wand washing over her) and hesitantly steps out into the corridor, watching the doors spin around.
"Hermione."
She stifles a shriek, spinning around. Her heart beat speeds up, blood rushing though her ears. shit Hermione, why didn't you look behind you? Rabastan Lestrange looks at her, a half-smile on his face as he reaches for her arms. She stumbles backwards, fumbling with her wand. why does he know her name? never mind that you silly girl, run. "Stupefy!"
get away get away get away get move hermione run
"You don't really think that a spell like that is going to stop me, do you?" He laughs as he angles his body away, tucking his wand into the sleeve of his robe. "You can put that away."
She follows his gaze to her wand and stares at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."
He smiles again, an odd half smile that tugs at her memory for a moment. "I'm not going to hurt you, Her-mio-ne." He drawls her name out, his rough voice catching on the syllables.
"And what, I'm just supposed to believe you?" Her hand tightens around the smooth vinewood of her wand while she clenches her other hand, trying to stop herself from shaking. where's your gryffindor bravery gone, hermione? She ignores the taunting voice in her head and keeps her eyes trained on the man in front of her.
"It would make things easier, but somehow I doubt you'd be that obliging. Bloody Gryffindors."
Her spine stiffens at his mocking tone. "Better than a Slytherin," she spits out before freezing. What the hell is she doing, trading barbs with a Death Eater like he was Draco Malfoy?
He laughs, his dark eyes lighting up with glee. "So you do have fight in you. I was half worried that you'd have ended up in Hufflepuff, really, after growing up with Muggles." He says the word like they're dirty, a look of distaste on his face, but she's too caught up in his earlier words to really notice.
"What are you talking about? Why would you care what house I was in?" Lestrange smiles and she shivers, because she hadn't thought smiles could be cruel.
"Do you really want to know, Hermione?" He stalks closer, his long legs eating up the space between them and she pushes herself further back in the endless corridor.
not fast enough, didn't run fast enough, you've backed yourself into a corner and he's here here here
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't!" It's almost true. "And how do you know my name?" She keeps walking backwards, freezing when she feels the smooth planes of a door behind her.
"I know more about you than you'd think, Hermione Granger." He tilts his head, an odd light coming into his eyes as he stops in front of her. "Your mother," he pauses, as if considering the word, before continuing. "Your mother was a romantic at heart - named you for the daughter of Menelaus and Helen, the only good thing to come out of years of bloodshed. 'Course, if she'd thought about how the silly bint ended up, she may have chosen differently."
"Excuse me? What makes you think you know my mother?" Hermione stiffens, the very idea sparking outrage. "And my name comes from Shakespeare, not some horrible Greek tragedy."
Lestrange looks at her, before reaching out to run his hand over her curls. She stifles a shriek as his other hand closes over her wand, preventing her from casting a spell. She shudders at the touch, both on her hair and on her wand. "Let me go!"
"I told you, Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you." He leans closer, his dark eyes boring into hers. "Tell me, Hermione, haven't you ever wondered why your parents were so accepting of your heritage? Why they let you return to Hogwarts, year after year, even after you end up in the hospital wing, even when little pretty boys die?"
"How do you know how my parents reacted? And don't talk about Cedric like that. You have no right." Hermione hisses at the Death Eater, struggling futilely against the strong grip of his hand around her wrist. But they did let you come back, Hermione, even after they read the Prophet and found out about Cedric. Read what they were saying about Harry and Voldemort. Hermione ignores the voice of reason, instead concentrating on her attempt to get away from Lestrange. "Let me go, damnit!"
stop talking, hermione and move move move
"I don't like repeating myself Hermione." Lestrange smirks as she glares at him, before casting a glance behind him where one of the doors had opened. "You may want to question your precious Dumbledore, Hermione." She recoils as he leans forward, brushing his lips against her forehead quickly. "I won't wait long, Hermione. If you want answers to your questions, I"m sure you'll find a way to find me."
"Hermione! Get away from her!" Hermione's struggles increase as Lestrange spins them around, his wand aimed at a black-haired Tonks and Hermione placed strategically in front of him.
"Remember what I said, love. If you want the truth, that is." Hermione tenses as he whispers the words into her ear before pushing her forward and disapparating quickly.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Tonks rushes towards her, a concerned expression on her face. "What happened?" Hermione hears the question left unasked - why hadn't he hurt her?
It was a question she'd like an answer to as well.
|| watch || rules || resources || affiliate || tags ||
|| reviews are loved and greatly appreciated || keep track of this fic ||