My Double Agent

Chapter 36 - Knowing the Turth

Hermione looked up to Severus with tears in her eyes after learning everything, "You- you've been in love with Lily this whole time?"

Severus walks up to her and grabs her hands, "Hermione, yes. I still love Lily, I always will. But I am no longer IN love with her. Because I met you. I never thought I could fall in love with anyone who wasn't Lily." Severus holds her chin to make her look at him, "But then you swooped in and stole my heart Hermione. And I love you. I want to grow old with you, have children with you, watch Crookshanks shed with you..."

They both giggle at his joke. Hermione looked up at him, "But... I'm not Lily..." 

"I don't want you to be Lily, I want you to be Hermione. The woman I married, and the woman I fell in love with.", Severus looks at her eyes full of tears, worried she might leave. Hermione then kissed him. They shared a tender kiss for a few minuets before pulling away and Hermione smiled, "I love you too Severus. Thank you for trusting me with your past. We can name one of our daughters after Lily for her."

Severus couldn't help but shed a tear and then he hugged Hermione. Soon, Crookshanks rubs himself along Hermione's leg which cause her to pick him him quickly, "My baby!" Crookshanks let out a loving meow while Hermione hugged him. Then Draco and Astoria walk through the fireplace and look at Hermione. Astoria couldn't help herself and ran forward hugging Hermione and Crookshanks in tears. Hermione hugged her back.

"I was so scared after we heard about the bank, and then Luna wrote a letter telling Severus you were here!", Astoria cried in between sobs.

"Luna warned you guys? I love her- she such a good friend."

"I agree, she almost became a double agent without having to talk to Dumbledore or Voldemort." Astoria pulled away and shared a laugh with Hermione. Crookshanks jumped out of her arms and laid down in a chair by the fireplace.  Draco pet Crookshanks as he walked up to Hermione and hugged her, "You have given me such stress over theses last few weeks."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry anyone."

Hermione and Draco pull apart and everyone looks to Severus, "So, now what's the plan?"

Severus looked at Draco and sighed, "Well, we have to get rid of the rest of the Horcrux."

Hermione held up her purse, "I have one with me. Severus, you and I can go to the Chambers of Secrets and destroy it there."

"Alright."

"Harry said something about Ravenclaw's tiara being one. But no one knows where it is."

Draco interrupts, "Astoria and I can look through the Room of Requirements, just to get that out of the way."

"That's perfect. We split up now, and Severus and I will meet up with you in the Room of Requirements."

Everyone nods in agreement. Severus quickly turns Crookshanks into a cup and put it in Hermione's purse to keep him safe. Hermione then looks up at Severus, "The leaves two left."

"Harry and Nagini."

Draco and Astoria look at Severus shocked, "What?!" They ask at the same time. Severus looked at the couple. forgetting they were there. He then sighed an motioned for them to sit down on the loveseat. They do so as Severus sits down in his arm chair and Hermione sits on the arm of it. Severus gathered his thoughts before speaking, "Before Dumbledore died, he had informed me that Harry himself, is a horcrux."

"But doesn't that mean Harry would have to die?!", Draco asked.

Severus nods as Hermione looked to the ground holding back her tears. Astoria looks around crying, "Then what have we been doing all this for? If he dies, all we've been doing is for nothing."

"No, we can still defeat Voldemort. We just need to get the snake."

"How?", asked Draco

"We can kill it with a Basilisk fang.", "Hermione answered softly.

"Hermione, you would have to aim just right, and stab it more then a few times. What about the sword?"

"Harry gave it to Gribhook as a trade to get into Gringotts."

"He-" Draco sighed, "That makes sense, but now we need to figure something else out."

Severus quickly stands up and walks over to his brewing stand. Everyone looks at him confused, "What are you doing love?", Hermione asked.

"I'm making an antidote just in case you three get bit by Nagini."

"What about you?"

"Nagini wont bite me."

The three of them walk over and watch Severus brew the antidote. Once finished he hand each of them their own vial of it, "There, I want you three to be prepared."

They all nod. "Astoria and I will head to the Room of Requirements and start looking for the Tiara."

"Stay safe.", Severus responds. Hermione hugs the couple before watching them leave. 

Hermione walks out onto the balcony and looks out and holding back her tears, "They are already fighting."

Severus walks up behind her and hugs her while looking out himself, "We can do this Hermione, together."

Hermione nodded and turns and looked at Severus. Severus rest his hand on her cheek and they sat there with their foreheads touching for a bit. Hermione wished she could stand here with Severus all night, not fight, just, live. Severus then kissed her and she couldn't help but cry through their kiss. She was so scared that  someone she cared for would die. She was scared for the children still here who were going to have to fight. Severus pulled away and kissed her on the forehead, "I love you."

"and I love you."

"We should go now."

Hermione nods as Severus takes her hand. They leave the office and slowly sneak their way around the castle. Hermione had to hold her mouth as to not cry out as she saw people fighting. Severus had to keep her focused a few times, "You cant help them yet, let's kill this cup first." Hermione would nod and continue walking with him, their hand never pulling apart. It wasn't until they made it to the Chamber of Secrets entrance that they heard a familiar voice, "I knew you'd come."