A/N- Thank you all who are still reading for being patient with me! Also, last chapter I had Ron say that Hermione was like 7 months along, which isn't true I just couldn't count when I wrote that. No, if she was impregnated halfway through August, that would make her 6 months along on Valentines day… Instead of changing it though I'm just going to pretend it was Ron's mistake, not mine… Silly Ronald.

nananananabatman- Yes I do have a lot of loose ends to tie up, but no I am not out of ideas and yes I do plan on finishing this story. Actually if I have done my job right everything should start coming together in the next few chapters. These end chapters are the only ones that have actually been planned for awhile now, and I am SO excited to finally get to writing them. Thanks for reviewing :)

Yuki Asao- Professor Figg (and Figg) are actually Mrs. Figg's twin son and daughter.

Anywhoo, on with the story!

But you're so contagious

Tell me, what am I to do?

When a fire and fever rages

And I have caught it to.

So who's to blame

For who gets burned

For holding you?

-Dashboard Confessional

Bellatrix Lestrange's filthy fingers, with their long, yellowed nails just scraping the walnut surface of the wooden wand handle, gripped ever tighter as she sent a jet of red light at the Boy Who Lived. It struck him squarely in the chest, sending him flying some twenty feet away, where he hit a tree, and then slid sickeningly slow towards the leaf-strewn ground where he lay unmoving.

The three women inhabiting the temporary campsite shrieked in unison: Pansy's high-pitched shrill voice overpowered the others as she took off into the forest in fright, the sound dying off almost the instant she was swallowed by the darkness. Hermione didn't notice; she was too busy fussing over Harry's unconscious form. When she felt a pulse she breathed a deep sigh of relief, her hearing seemingly returning to her and the mad, cackling laugh of Lord Voldemort's 'most faithful' servant instantly filling her ears.

"Aww, what's my wittle neffy-poo going to do? Curse his big bad Auntie Bella?" Hermione heard Bellatrix coo in a singsong baby voice. Draco did not respond. Hermione chanced a glance at the scene in front of her. Draco and Neville both stood stock still, their wands at the ready, while Bellatrix stood in front of their open tent, dirty and covered in bits of the forest, but looking haughty and intimidating nonetheless.

Neville raised his wand a little higher and shouted "Stupefy!" but his curse was easily deflected by Bellatrix, whose eyes never even wavered from her nephew, though she did break out in a fit of hair-raising laughter at Neville's attempt.

Hermione made use of the noise by shooting whispered spell after spell at Harry. She felt hopeless without him. Though Draco and Neville seemed to be doing a good job of amusing the Death Eater invading their camp, she knew that it would be Harry who saved them. It was always Harry.

"Draco, I think wittle Wongbottom here would like to pway with me," sneered Bellatrix. Still Draco said nothing. His aunt smirked and continued, now turning her full attention towards poor Neville, who, though shaking slightly, raised his wand with a determined sort of look on his face.

"Do you want to play? Think they'll make room for you to sleep with your dear old mum and dad in Saint Mungo's? Or maybe the place will finally realize they're wasting money housing a bunch of loonies and dispose of the lot of you?"

Neville's face was bright red. Without warning he sent a second stunning spell at Bellatrix, so strong that it broke through her shield charm and she had to leap out of the way to avoid it.

"Reenervate! Rejuviendo! Lumivia!" Hermione whispered frantically. Not hearing the curse Bellatrix sent at Harry, it was impossible to know the exact counter-curse. "Proximia! Stimulatus! Oh, Harry!" she breathed out at last, seeing Harry's eyes flutter open and his hand come up to rub his chest where the curse had hit him. Hermione put her finger to her lips to ensure that he didn't draw attention to the fact that he was no longer dead to the world, and then pointed at Bellatrix, who wasn't directly facing them, but would only have to turn her head slightly to have them within sight.

Harry stayed low to the ground and silently withdrew his wand, ready to strike at any second, though cautious. He could tell that Bellatrix was enjoying toying with Neville, and was not worried in the slightest that she could be taken down. Harry and Hermione both knew that if they joined in the fight, Bellatrix would feel some fear at being so outnumbered, and may start killing off the weakest link, just to put the odds back in her favor. It was this fear that kept them uncharacteristically on the sidelines, waiting with bated breath and drawn wands, until the moment they would be needed to protect Neville.

"Why Draco, Kitty-cat got your tongue?" Bellatrix purred, though she again failed in her attempt to rile the Malfoy heir. Draco's face was stony and expressionless, though he had gone paler than usual and his knuckles were white from gripping his wand so hard. He didn't know what to do. Whose side was he supposed to be on? Though he was itching to curse the wicked glare off his dear auntie's face, he didn't know if he was willing to pay the price for it later on. How long would it take for word get back to his father and to the Dark Lord that he had cursed a fellow Death Eater? That he had somehow hindered the plan of his evil master, even though he had been unaware of the plan in the first place?

But what if Bellatrix went for Hermione? Draco knew he couldn't just sit and watch if Hermione was in danger… But surely Bellatrix would know about the pregnancy and would not want to harm the Dark Lord's supposed heir (or heirs; did they know about the twins?). Was that why she was here waiting for them? To capture Hermione and bring her to the Death Eater headquarters so she could give birth? Hermione was quite far along now at six months, and with twins the odds were that she would have them early. Perhaps they wanted to capture her now to make sure they did not miss the birth. It made perfect sense.

Draco felt a knot in his chest tighten painfully, but somehow had found his voice at last.

"What are you doing here?" he commanded imperiously, in a voice that came out much stronger than he felt.

"I thought it was obvious. I missed my wittle neffy," Bellatrix sneered sarcastically, laughing at her own joke. She didn't seem in any hurry to start battling. Indeed she could have had Longbottom knocked out or worse a hundred times over by now. Possibly even captured Hermione, of whom she was ignoring. Speaking of Hermione, Draco snuck a peek in the direction he had seen her run after Harry in. He let out a gasp of surprise at seeing Hermione and the newly awakened Potter crouched down with their wands pointed directly at Bellatrix, who unfortunately, had now noticed where Draco's new attentions were.

"Ah, if it isn't Potty… Decided to wake up and join in the fun I see," she said, almost casually as she turned towards them. Harry stepped directly in front of Hermione before he retorted.

"Yeah, I didn't want to miss this," he smirked a second before Neville aimed another stunning spell at Bellatrix, to which she easily blocked with a flick of her wand. Before Harry had a chance to counter, she had brandished her wand at Neville, hitting him with white-hot fire that seemed to be attached to the end of her wand by a string. Neville yelped in pain and then fell silent, falling to the ground in a heap. Hermione moved to stand next to Harry, her wand up and pointed directly at Bellatrix's heart, though she was looking at the spot where Neville had fallen with worry on her face.

"Crucio!" Harry shouted. Bellatrix shrieked in either pain or surprise, but was otherwise unaffected.

"Still don't mean it, do you Potty? Pathetic," she bit out, clearly done playing her little games. Her smirk had disappeared and her heavily lidded eyes were narrowed in concentration. "Not to worry, I'll show you how it's done- Cruc-"

"Expelliarmus!"

In an instant, Bellatrix's unsuspecting wand had flown out of her hand and into the air. It landed at Draco's feet, whose own wand was still pointing at the aunt he had just disarmed. He was horrified by what he had done, though his reaction was instinctive to seeing Bellatrix aim a curse so close to where Hermione stood. What if Hermione had done the Gryffindor thing and jumped in front of her friend? He couldn't take that chance. He just hoped his father would see it his way. He could say he was simply doing his duty and protecting the Dark Lord's heir… and if they didn't believe him… well, he would think about that later…

Bellatrix had swirled on the spot to face her pale nephew, hate etched across every inch of her face. Draco recognized it as the same look she used when she had found out he failed his mission to kill Dumbledore, and that Snape, who she seemed to dislike, had to do it in his stead.

"Give me my wand wittle neffy," she said in forced calm, looking murderous as she started towards him. In an instant Draco made up his mind. He was already in for it, he might as well do the thing right.

"Potter! Now would be the time for you to do your saving people thing!" he sneered at Harry, who had stopped his attack to watch Draco and Bellatrix's exchange.

"Oh, right- Stupefy!" he yelled. Wandless and therefore defenseless to ward him off, Bellatrix fell to the ground. "iIncarcerous!/i" Harry said as an added precaution before he stepped too close. Rope sprung from his wand and binded the unconscious Death Eater, so that even if she was to somehow awaken, the most she could do was stick her tongue out at them.

A few minutes passed after Harry's final spell, in which no one spoke or moved. Harry's eyes and wand remained pointed at Bellatrix. Hermione was looking at Draco as if she had never seen him before, while Draco stared at the spot of ground in front of his feet, where his aunt's wand still lay. Only when they heard a low groan from Neville did the group shake out of their stupor.

"Neville!" Hermione wailed, rushing to his side as fast as her belly would allow. She pressed her hand to his sweaty brow as he let out another soft moan. "Oh Harry, he's burning up!"

"Aguamenti!" Harry shouted. A stream of cool water flew from his wand and onto Neville's face, possibly more forceful than intended. Hermione was about to scold him until Neville started coughing and sputtering, trying to get to his feet.

"Don't… Neville, you're not well!" Hermione yelped, putting her hands on his chest to keep him on the ground. However, Neville seemed quite determined, and though he was swaying slightly, he got to his feet, his wand drawn once again, and stalked towards Bellatrix's incarcerated form. He stood over her, fists balled and mouth in a tight-lipped line. After a few moments he started shaking, and Hermione could see that tears had leaked out of his eyes.

"Neville…" Harry whispered, getting up to stand at his side. "If you think we should… you know… off her… I'll stand by you. She deserves it."

"No," Neville responded instantly. "She doesn't, not after what she's done."

Harry looked confused for a moment before Neville continued.

"Death would be too easy. She should get the Dementor's kiss… She should have to live like a soulless empty shell for the rest of her life!" He was yelling now, and openly crying. Harry was at a loss for what to do, so he just patted his friend awkwardly on the shoulder. Hermione struggled to her feet and joined them.

"What should we do?" she asked once Neville's sobs had subsided. "I mean, should we try to get back to the castle tonight or do you think it's too dangerous? What if there are more Death Eaters out here? Our protective spells should prevent them from getting in, they just didn't work on her because she was already in here. How do you think she found us, anyway?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders, but pointed to her dirty face and hair that was full of twigs and leaf bits. "I don't know but it looks like she's been living here for a little while. Maybe this was an accident. Maybe she's just been hiding out here and when she heard us approaching she drew her wand. What do you think, Malfoy?"

Hermione and Draco both gasped in surprise that Harry had addressed him so casually, and without a trace of loathing to his words. In fact, it was almost like Harry was asking an equal for his opinion. Draco took a second to think before he answered.

"Could be either," he replied, making sure to keep the sneer from his words. "Though highly improbable that she just happened to stumble upon a tent in the middle of the forest that you two just happened to be staying in," he added, silently congratulating himself for only throwing in a hint of sarcasm.

"In any case, I think we should stay the night here, and take turns guarding Bellatrix. We won't get back to the castle until dawn if we left now and Hermione, you need to rest," Harry said. Hermione nodded, slightly relieved. She didn't think he legs would carry her rotund belly all the way back to the castle. She headed towards their open tent, but all three men yelled "Stop!" before she could step inside.

"What?" she asked.

"I'll check it out first, incase there are more of them hiding inside," Harry responded. Slightly annoyed that her friend was treating her like a little girl who needed saving by the big strong men, she crossed her arms, but nevertheless, let Harry enter before her.

"It's all clear," he said after a few moments.

"Oh goodie," Hermione mumbled sarcastically, though she was unsure Harry heard her, as he was already back standing guard over their captured Death Eater.

"Eat and get some sleep, Neville and I can keep a lookout," Harry told her kindly. Under normal circumstances, Hermione would have argued, but as it was, she went inside without a fight. Draco, not wanting to be alone with two enemy Gryffindors, followed her.

"Malfoy," Harry spoke, just as Draco was about to go inside. He turned his head to face him but said nothing. If Potter was about to warn him against messing with Hermione after he had just saved their lives, Harry had another thing coming to him.

"Thank you," Harry said gruffly. Surprised, and feeling oddly pleased, Draco nodded curtly before ducking inside the tent. To Draco's disappointment, the inside of the tent hardly seemed any larger than the outside. It was definitely not up to the disproportionate standards he would normally associate with wizard tents by any means. There was only one room, with two sets of bunk beds standing opposite each other along the side walls. Between them stood a single table with four chairs, upon one of which Hermione sat, making sandwiches. He could tell that she was purposefully trying to keep busy so she wouldn't have to look at him.

He took a seat in one of the empty chairs and started to spread jelly on the pieces of bread she was not spreading peanut butter on. There were so many things he wanted to tell her now that he finally had her alone, though he knew he couldn't say any of them unless he wanted to spend the rest of his life as Pansy's man candy. Unless of course, one of the forest creatures had taken care of that by now, though his binding ring was still firmly in place, meaning that she had yet to be fully digested. Hermione seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"I wonder if Pansy made it out ok," she said, pleased beyond belief to hear Draco's snort of indifference on the subject. "That was really foolish of her, to just go running off into the woods like that. Who knows what could be out there waiting to attack!"

"If only I could be so lucky," Draco growled out, putting a little more force than was necessary into his jelly spreading and tearing a hole in the bread. "Here, this one will be Longbottoms," he said, smirking as he put the ruined bread on top of one of the peanut butter covered ones. Hermione looked at him incredulously before snorting in laughter. Draco couldn't help but to join in.

"You're still wearing the bracelet," Draco said softly, noticing one of the charms peeking out from under her sleeve. This was neither a nice thing to say or a mean thing, it was simply an observation, and would therefore, not trigger the ring.

"I-" Hermione started, the blood rising to her cheeks. "It's- I mean I didn't want to lose it so I umm… didn't want to take it off… you know…" She fell silent, purposefully not looking at him. It was her turn to mutilate the bread.

"Hermione I-" He caught himself before he said something he would regret for the rest of his Pansy-filled life. He wished she could just understand how he felt, though she seemed to be completely unaware. Well, if he couldn't tell her… maybe he could show her…

His knife fell from his hand and onto the table with a soft clang. She looked at it for a second then glanced back up at him. Their eyes met- watery chocolate brown and clear grey- and he swooped down on her, catching her lips with his. He pressed into her with longing and passion, and she returned his advance, while the sandwiches lay forgotten.

Finally, the painful knot in his chest seemed to loosen, to be replaced with a warm swelling. The warmth increased as he drank in more of her sweet lips, suckling the bottom until they parted on a gasp. His tongue darted out to gain entrance into her waiting mouth, entangling with hers. She seemed equally frantic in her necessity to taste as much of him as possible, placing frenzied kisses all along his lower jaw until their lips met once more. His tongue plunged into her with such force that she actually felt her knees go weak and a swooping sensation in her stomach.

On and on they went, tasting on touching… devouring and inhaling. Draco never wanted to let go. He needed her so bad it hurt. He had fallen madly and deeply in love with the once witch he couldn't have. Only, he ineeded/i her. He knew that now. He needed her bushy hair, and her adorable scowl, and her caring eyes, and her soft, wet, salty-sweet lips…

He froze and opened his eyes. Her lips hadn't been salty when they had started, though they most certainly were now, and the cause was staring right back at him. Hermione was crying. Though she had been kissing him with just as much passion as he had shown her, she was crying. Instinctively he raised his thumb to her damp cheek and brushed a tear away.

"This isn't real, is it? We can't really… do this?" she asked him softly. He could hardly look at her as he swallowed down his overwhelming feelings of sorrow and shook his head no.

"Oh…" was all she said. Then, wiping her eyes on her sleeve she stood. "I should get these to Harry and Neville, they must be hungry."

Draco watched her leave feeling numb from head to foot. He got up mechanically and went to a bed. When she came back inside he feigned sleep, though he stayed awake most of the night, listening to her soft sniffles on the bed across from him.

Hermione awoke as soon as the sun rose the next morning, not feeling rested in the least. Draco was still asleep, so she quietly tiptoed outside to check on Neville and Harry. Though Neville's eyes were bloodshot, he looked determined as ever as he sat next to Bellatrix's body, his wand held steadily in front of him. Harry however, was snoring softly against a nearby tree.

"Good morning," she said loudly, trying not to laugh at Harry, who practically jumped a foot into the air.

"Morning, Hermione. Did you sleep alright?" Neville asked her, though his eyes never left Bellatrix's closed ones.

"Yeah," she lied. "We should get going, the sooner we get back to the school, the better."

Both Harry and Neville heartily agreed. Neville stood guard while Harry collected their belongings, and Hermione went to wake Draco and grab her things.

It took them a little longer to get out of the forest than it had getting in. Not only did they now have to levitate Bellatrix, but every slight movement or sound made them freeze and peer around for minutes at a time. Also, when they were about halfway through their journey, Harry was struck with a sudden idea. He kept pointing his wand at random and saying "Accio Pansy!" into the trees.

The first time he had done this, everyone stopped at stared at him, but he only shrugged his shoulders and said, "What? I'm sure she's learned her lesson by now." Though his Accio's were seriously lacking in enthusiasm.

What felt like days later, the trees began to thin, and actual patches of bright blue sky were visible between the bare branches. They were still short one camper, but since Pansy wasn't in their class and therefore not even supposed to be there, Hermione was sure their grades would not suffer because of it. It was only when they reached the edge of the school grounds that they heard the familiar screech.

"Drakey! Oh Draco I was so worried! I ran into Blaise's group this morning and told them what happened and we tried to get out as quick as we could to get help… But then I kept flying away- oh Draco it was so scary! I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for the Weasel grabbing hold of me. I think I would've just flown away into nothingness!"

Draco tried hard not to laugh. So that was why Potter's summoning charms hadn't worked…

Meanwhile, Ron and about half the staff members had rushed to the aid of Hermione and her group. Only after the teachers had taken Bellatrix away to be locked in a heavily guarded room in the dungeons, and thoroughly questioned them over and over, were they finally allowed to eat a decent meal and rest in their respective common rooms.

Draco was feeling more depressed than ever as he headed for the dungeons with Blaise on his heels and the wench he was binded to at his side. Pansy hadn't even managed to get herself eaten… Would he ever catch a break?

Later that day, six ministry officials flanked by two dementors entered the castle, and left shortly after with Bellatrix Lestrange in tow. The next day the front page of The Daily Prophet was plastered with pictures of the notorious Death Eater that had eluded capture for so long. The story told of how Harry Potter had taken her down, helped by two of his friends, and also by Lucius Malfoy's son. Bellatrix was to be held in Azkaban until her hearing, one month later, when she would be given her final sentencing.

One month, and one day later, Harry, Draco, Hermione and Neville all received identical scrolls from the ministry at breakfast.

To Miss Hermione Granger,

As a special thank you for your help in

detaining the known Death Eater, Bellatrix

Lestrange, we would like to invite you to

an award ceremony in your honor. As I

am sure you have heard, Lestrange was

sentenced to receive the Dementor's Kiss

in one month's time. We at the ministry

would like you to bear witness to this event,

scheduled for sundown on the eve of April

the 16th at Azkaban prison. Special arrangements

will of course be made to ensure the safety of

all who attend. Please R.S.V.P. no later than

April 10th. Best of luck to you, and thank you

once again for aiding the ministry in the fight

for justice.

-Cornelius Fudge

Deputy Minister of Magic.

"Pshh," Hermione huffed out in fury. "They're acting like it's some great party. 'Please R.S.V.P.' Are the kidding? Why would we ever want to go to that?"

When Harry didn't respond with equal insults towards the ministry, Hermione looked up at him. His eyes were on Neville, whose mouth was stuck in a silent and disappointed 'oh' at what Hermione had said.

"Sorry, Neville. Listen, if you want to go to this- to this ceremony Harry and I will go with you. I understand completely why you would want to be there. We wouldn't make you see that alone. We are your friends, after all." Hermione said kindly.

"It's just that… Well I feel like it's… you know… my duty to be there…" he responded softly. Hermione and Harry both nodded their understanding. Harry especially could see why Neville would need to be there. After all, he himself fully intended to be around for Voldemort's demise.

"Don't worry, Neville. We'll go with you."

...

...

"Once the spells were in place and Hermione was satisfied that not even an ant could enter their campsite."

-Muahaha, I made a funny…

Now on to more serious matters… PLEASE review! And thank you for reading!!

-Liz