The Brightest Black - A Dramione Fanfic

Emotions are Irrational

When the four of them were seated together Dumbledore spoke, "I would like to state that I do not agree with this course, but I have been over ruled."

Hermione glanced between the two men, taking in their hard stares and the blatant disapproval in the headmaster's cold blue eyes.

"Voldemort did something that made him very happy," Harry said with no emotion. "What was it?"

Hermione stared at Harry in surprise and reached out through their link. Images of him waking up as an image of a long corridor morphed into pure, sick pleasure.

She broke out to see Padfoot looking at Harry in confusion, but it was the look on the Headmaster's face that drew her attention.

He looked as if he'd just discovered something terrible. As soon as he realized she was looking at him he schooled his features, adopting his previous expression.

"Azkaban was attacked and all of the prisoners either died or escaped with Voldemort."

A rushing filled Hermione's ears as Padfoot's words raced through her head.

Azkaban. Escape. Prisoners.

Bellatrix - she was free.

Her parents' killer. The woman who had permanently engraved Hermione's flesh with sadistic gusto.

Images filled her head. Images from every nightmare she'd ever had.

Blood, so much blood. The room around her was drenched with it. A cackling laugh swept over her, accompanied by the sounds of her mother's terrified screams.

She felt her mouth open as a knife descended downwards. The edge glinted as it caught the light.

"NO!!!" She screamed. But, this time, she wasn't alone. A warmth surrounded her and she realized she was no longer alone.

Another figure appeared.

Harry.

As she watched he stuck his wand out and shouted, "Stupefy!"

Bellatrix flew across the room from the force of the spell. Her knife bouncing harmlessly on the carpet. Hermione stared at her limp form in shock before looking up at Harry.

He reached a hand out to help her up. "I won't let her touch you again. I promise," he said softly as she tentatively reached for his hand.

As skin met skin she felt a rush of warmth. The wall she had so carefully put up lowered completely as she stood up.

Once she was on her feet he pulled her into a hug. She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, feeling safe as his familiar smell enveloped her.

After a while she opened her eyes to see she was once again back in the Gryffindor common room. The red walls were no longer reminiscent of blood. When she pulled away from Harry she saw Padfoot standing beside them, concern etched into every line on his face.

Interestingly, the Headmaster hadn't moved at all.

"Hermione?" Padfoot asked.

"I-I'm alright now. I should have seen this coming. Of course he'd want his followers out."

"We all should have seen this coming, Miss Black."

She looked at Professor Dumbledore, "How do we know it happened? It had to have been done tonight."

Padfoot quirked an eyebrow at Dumbledore. "We....have sources. Several of them. More importantly at the moment we know that the Ministry intends to not report this in the Daily Prophet. The public needs to know."