Becoming Beta

Chapter 37

A/N: Hi loves! You are getting this early as I have plans tomorrow night. We're so close to the end now... I can't wait!

I didn't celebrate when this fic turned a year (I should have, bad author *slaps hand*), but brownlark42 has been with me through it all. So thank you, thank you, thank you to her for all her dedication and hard work into making this story a reality.

A second huge, ginormous thank you to all the readers who have stuck with me from the beginning! I can't believe this story has gotten so much support from the fandom and I want to say how thankful and honored I am that you all spend part of your life reading this. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.

Hermione stretched, feeling her body ache as it had every morning since the Cruciatus Curse she endured under Bellatrix Lestrange. It was December, months later, and she was still feeling the pain. She would be lucky if the aches and shakes went away within the year. Some things were permanent, even in the wizarding world.

Upon finding Hermione unresponsive, Draco had immediately brought his mother to Baerston Keep to help heal her. Hermione was inordinately thankful. They couldn't go to St Mungo's, and neither Harry nor Draco knew enough about the Cruciatus to know what to do. Hermione made sure Harry stayed hidden while Mrs Malfoy was there. Hermione was relatively confident that she wouldn't report her whereabouts to the Dark Lord, but she didn't have the same feeling of safety for Harry.

Hermione didn't know why she was being pursued, but the wanted poster wasn't going away. The poster didn't specify whether she'd be taken dead or alive. She shook her head, knowing it was pointless to try to figure out the Dark Lord's motives. He was insane. She was just glad they had successfully hidden Harry from Mrs Malfoy.

She rolled out of bed and stretched again, trying to work all the kinks out of her back muscles as she walked to the bathroom. Hermione needed to be top of her game today. They had been planning for weeks, but today was finally the day they would go to Godric's Hollow. Hermione still thought it was a terrible idea. But who was she to deny Harry the right to see his parents' home?

So they were all going. She was thankful that Draco had agreed to come. It wasn't that she didn't trust Harry, but she feared the Dark Lord might have left a booby trap in the place. She wasn't completely convinced that Harry had come up with this idea on his own. What if the Dark Lord had left hints, compulsions, or false desires in Harry's mind, pulling him toward Godric's Hollow? She wanted to ask Harry about his new interest in Godric's Hollow, but she was afraid it would alienate him. Neither of them could afford that. Harry was so raw emotionally lately, and she made every effort to choke down her emotions so she could be there for Harry.

Padding into the shower, Hermione tried to think of things they might need in Godric's Hollow. Certainly, the invisibility cloak, if only just for Harry. Her stash of healing potions. Her beaded bag, in case they had to flee suddenly. Maybe some Peruvian Darkness Powder as well. She mulled over the small amount of information she had found about Godric's Hollow and what they would find there. It was similar to Hogsmeade in that it was a very magical village, but it wasn't entirely magical because Muggles lived there. So any magic they found would be hidden. Would it be like Diagon Alley? Hermione didn't know, and she wasn't able to find any information out about it. She'd asked Draco, but given his family's aversion to Muggles, he'd never been there. She turned the water up as hot as she could stand it and let it cascade over her aching muscles. It helped, a little.

She was glad Harry had conceded to going there at night. If Harry, in his typical heedless way, would have walked into the village in broad daylight with his wand blazing. Everyone would have known Harry Potter had arrived. With the bounty on his head, that wasn't something they could afford.