Hermione was quiet. Harry, Ron and Lavender were sitting with her in the study hall after class and Hermione was very quiet.

It was bad enough with Sirius Black being on the lose but now Y/N had been taken. It was their first Monday of the term and everything had been normal to start with. The first two classes of the day were enjoyable, Herbology where they started learning about what they would study for the year and the history of healing herbs. In session two they had the theory component of the boggart lesson. It was awkward, but as Hermione and Y/N had the most complex fears it would help them write the best essays in the class Lupin had said.

They had been sat in their final class of the day, History of Magic, when two men had knocked and entered. Hermione gulped as she obviously recognised the men's identical glamours. Professor Khanna had been quite shocked to say the least.

They were two men, about the same height as Y/N- maybe 6'1" so an inch shorter, and were dressed in maroon suits with an unchanging facial expression. One of the two, who Hermione thought was 'Lefty' from first year, identified the pair as Unspeakables from the Department of Mysteries and said they were there to collect Y/N L/N. Y/N had not reacted other than to get up and leave with them. He only stopped to kiss Hermione and left without saying a word.

—~—

The four Gryffindors were sat at dinner in the Great Hall. Rumours had spread throughout the castle rather quickly of Y/N being removed from the castle by the Department of Mysteries.

"You don't think it's because of his grandfather do you?" Harry asked nervously.

"Maybe they are after him for the training?" Ron gulped.

"Really!" Lavender hissed in annoyance at the two boys across from her. Her expression softened as she turned to her best friend sat next to her:

"All this speculation is pointless and not helping Hermione in the slightest. He will be ok, hon. I know he will"

She gripped Hermione's hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. The gentle act pulled the bushy haired girl from her daydream, as she turned and smiled at Lavender:

"Sorry Lav, I was miles away."

"We were just saying Y/N will be fine" Lavender smiled again. Hermione nodded:

"I know he will. Thanks"

"You seem ok Hermione, you know all things considered" Harry said in a tone of relief.

"Yes, I doubt the Department of Mysteries would do anything detrimental to Y/N"

Hermione answered in a far away tone, reminiscent of Luna. The three friends looked at each other puzzled before Ron blurted out:

"Um... why?"

Hermione sighed as if considering something important before throwing up a silencing charm just as Y/N showed her. She looked at the boys intensely, worrying Harry and slightly intimidating Ron before saying firmly:

"This can't leave this table!"

The two boys nodded, and Hermione said more gentler:

"You remember that incident at Knockturn Alley? The one when we arrived back in London on the Express at the end of last year."

The boys were clueless, before a look of excitement and realisation grew on Ron's face:

"Yeah- The Punisher! The Daily Prophet said they reckon 40 dark witches and wizards were taken out and then he went to Mungos to finish the job! The Ministry doesn't have a clue who he is!"

The silencing bubble was silent for a few moments before Hermione said: "Welll...." leadingly, rolling her hand for emphasis. The boys looked at her puzzled, as did Lavender before it clicked in her mind:

"No... You're not saying?" she asked in bewilderment.

"Yes" Hermione answered solemnly.

"Holy shit!"

"Yeah" Hermione nodded.

Both boys continued to look at the pair puzzled before Harry seemed to register what was being inferred, his eyes widening in disbelief. Ron being Ron took a while longer before shouting:

"You mean Y/N is the Punisher?"

"Shhh" Lavender yelled, forgetting the silencing charm whereas Hermione sighed in relief she had placed it.

"What's that got to do with the Department of Mysteries?" Lavender asked as she turned back to Hermione, still trying to process the fact that one of her closest friends was one of the most wanted criminals in the country. Hermione grimaced:

"I can't say too much. But someone high up at the DoM knows about the Prophecy and works with other people who watch over Y/N. He sent a warning to someone important to get Y/N out of Knockturn before the aurors turned up. So, this may have something to do with Y/N being the Prophesied One, but I'm not gonna worry because he will be ok."

She smiled at her friends who smiled back as Hermione lowered the charm. The three absorbed the revelations in silence before they overheard a weasel walking passed and talking loudly:

"Seems like the Ministry have finally woken up to what a monster that blood traitor is. They shouldn't have let him out of Azkaban. My father's probably the one who ordered his arrest."

Malfoy sneered as he walked over, spitting his usual venom.

"Always the hero when Y/N's not around, aren't you Malfoy!" Hermione spat back. "You're just pathetic!"

"How dare you speak to me. You fil-"

Draco was promptly cut off as a loud roar was heard throughout the Great Hall, causing almost everyone to jump in shock:

"DRACO MALFOY!!! Walk yourself back to the Slytherin table and stay there. If I hear another word out of your mouth, Slytherin will lose every house point they have!"

Draco turned around terrified with a whimper, as did most of the Gryffindor students around where he stood. Severus Snape was standing there, and he looked furious.

Draco whimpered again before running off to the Slytherin table. Snape moved closer to the quartet, his face softening considerably as he looked at and spoke to, Hermione:

"The Headmaster has requested that you meet him immediately at the hospital wing, and that you do so without raising suspicion."

The four rose quickly with worried glances before the Potion Master placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder:

"I believe he is ok, Ms. Granger. But he may need some quiet time alone with you. I believe he may have had a difficult day."

Lavender smiled while the two boys were stunned at the look and tone of concern coming from the notoriously dour professor. Hermione smiled:

"Thank you Professor, I understand"

Snape nodded to her before glaring at Harry and Ron and turning, skulking off abruptly, leaving many in the hall confused at the interaction they had just witnessed. The four friends rushed from the hall and Ron was the first to speak:

"What the bloody hell was that? First he tells off Malfoy then he's all nice to Hermione. Where's the real Snape gone?"

Lavender growled loudly in frustration and snapped:

"You really are as clueless as you look aren't you Ronald! It's obvious to everyone except you that Y/N and Snape are close. Y/N has been doing extra lessons with him all last year."

"Since first year" Hermione added with a smile: "And we went to his house in the holidays".

"I thought they were detentions... and you went to his house?" Ron muttered out loud.

"Oh in the name of Merlin's ball sack" Lavender facepalmed. Ron turned to Harry who shrugged his shoulders.

Hermione meanwhile was completely oblivious to the interaction behind her and instead was walking to the hospital wing as fast as she could. The others ran to catch up and as they approached they heard Madam Pomfrey yelling:

"I am the medical officer in charge and this is my infirmary! Let me in, now."

The same Unspeakables, or at least two Unspeakables with the same glamour, were stood at the door of the hospital ward. They look forward with the same expressionless faces as a semi-transparent light blue shield stood across the length and height of the double doors to the Infirmary. Lefty spoke loudly and clearly, but again, emotionless:

"Under orders of name redacted, head of the Department of Mysteries, this door is to remain closed until the necessary classified person inside has been successfully returned to the guardianship of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Did he actually say name redacted" Lavender whispered to Hermione who nodded with a puzzled look on her face.

It was fortunate at this moment that Dumbledore stormed down the hallway:

"I am here and accept custodianship of Y/N L/N. Now release the magic seal immediately."

The unspeakable nodded and in a small gush of wind they were gone, as was the translucent shield.

"I thought you couldn't apparate in Hogwarts?" Lavender asked.

"That wasn't apparition. That was something else" Hermione replied in the same tone of puzzlement.

Pomfrey tried to rush in the door once her shock had sufficiently passed, but Dumbledore gently grabbed her arm, stopping her. He turned to the four Gryffindors:

"I asked for you four to be here because you are in the circle of trust. But I must impress upon you the seriousness of not speaking of anything that is said inside. Ms. Granger I believe you are aware of some of the... circumstances regarding the Department and Y/N."

Hermione nodded.

"I must warn you about the shocking nature of what we are about to see. Prepare yourselves accordingly."

The students looked at each other concerned and gulped as they followed the two adults in and caught glimpse of a sight they were truly not prepared for.

They entered the hospital wing to see Y/N sat, leant back with his arms at his side. Jacob was stood to his left with his arms crossed. The shocking thing however, was the amount of blood. Y/N was covered, from heat to toe, in it, thickly.

The group rushed over and Pomfrey gasped, covering her mouth, Lavender grabbed onto Harry, Ron looked like he was about to faint and Hermione covered her mouth with her hands- tears threatening to escape as they welled out her eyes. Y/N looked at her and the hardened glare on his face softened significantly:

"I'm ok baby, I'm ok. None of...this..."
He ushered to his body and the red drying liquid thickly coating it "...is mine."

"What on earth happened, Jacob?" Dumbledore asked, turning to Y/N's guardian without removing his eyes from Y/N. "I wasn't made aware of any of this until I'd been told your brother had been removed from the school."

Jacob shook his head.

"I didn't know anything until I got a patroni from 311 telling me to go to an address in Sheffield. When I got there I was met by those two mindless idiots that were guarding outside. Inside I found my brother. Y/N had... been busy."

Y/N snapped in retaliation:

"Didn't have much of a choice did I? Got plucked from class, shoved into a flying carriage handed this..."

He threw a severely bloodied machete on the floor:

"...And told a nest had gone feral and needed eliminating."

"A nest?" Dumbledore asked intrigued. "You don't mean..."

"Yeah I do, Alb- Dumbledore. They threw me into a nest of rabid vampires, led by a sociopathic sexual predator named Boris."

—~—

Y/N looked at the machete that was thrust into his hands before he was suddenly shoved out of the carriage. He smashed through a skylight before crashing hard into the ground floor.

He slowly raised himself up to his feet, holding his ribs in pain.

"That sucked" he said as he looked up at the hole in the skylight ceiling before feeling a pain in his side. Busted ribs. Terrific.

Episkey

Nothing happened.

Brackium emendo

Nothing.

He pointed his wand towards the hole in the skylight two stories above him.

Vermillious

Again nothing. He sheathed his wand and walked over to pick up the machete.

"Anti-magic enhancements. Fucking sensational" he mumbled to himself. He briefly examined the machete in his hand, it was razor sharp, but he noticed a number of runes or sigils running along the steel blade.

"Enochian?" He muttered to himself, recognising some from his alchemical studies. His attention was drawn as Y/N heard a growl and turned to see a number of snarling faces look at him. Some were upstairs, some closer. He noticed the fangs on all of them.

Fuck. The Unspeakables had thrown him into a vampire nest. He picked the machete up as he noticed a long haired male releasing a number of cages.

"Go get him" the man called to the vampires stumbling out towards Y/N. The first vampire charged Y/N, he ducked its swing and swung his machete, taking its head and splattering the wall with blood.

He had thought at best the machete would rupture their necks, taking a few grisly hacks and slashes to get the job done. This blade was surgical. Y/N looked down at the blood coated weapon and smiled to himself.

"The Enochian sigils..."

He stepped forward as the vampires approached, much more confident at the tools at his disposal now.

He sliced downwards through a vamp's neck, taking the head and half of the shoulder before doubling back, heading upstairs and being chased by four females.

He dodged a male's swing and threw him down the stairs into the approaching women. A female vampire with short blonde hair approached him quickly from a room upstairs with her hands out, reaching for him to no doubt sink her teeth in.

She was met with swift decapitation. Y/N turned back to the four females and one now angry male were getting to their feet, bottlenecked on the narrow staircase, and Y/N seized his opportunity.

Slick

Thwip

Shwip

Swing after swing sent blood splattering everywhere.

Y/N now stalked through the house, listening for any noise, and watching for any signs the vamps were trying to attack.

He took out three more bloodsuckers before making it back to the landing above the stairs. Two more vamps charged him, he went low, slashing their stomachs before turning back round to decapitate them.

Another came and another. Y/N just hacked and slashed his way through before jumping on the staircase staring at their pack leader. The leader wanted to monologue about how he was Boris Almighty and could do anything, how he had support from Knights of-

Y/N was too far gone with bloodlust to take anything in and just stared at Boris, raising the machete behind his head, ready to swing.

The leader charged but Y/N was too quick, slicing his head clean off as it rolled across the room.

—~—

"And then I rested. Sat down with my foot on his head as those two idiots turned up, but they said nothing until Jacob got there and they led us to the carriage and brought us back. They were silent the whole way back. It was awkward as fuck" Y/N chuckled.

"311 said in his patroni he had called in a favour for Knockturn" Jacob added.

"So it's true... you are the Punisher?" Ron squealed excitedly.

Most in the room deadpanned Ron except Madam Pomfrey. She grew a look of shock briefly before a look of calm returned to her face, Y/N noticing the Headmaster discretely placing his wand back in his sleeve.

"Why you though Y/N?" Jacob asks. "Why would they send you and not a team of aurors or hit wizards?"

"Lav, Harry, Ron, Poppy, uhh-I mean Madam Pomfrey, can you give us the room a minute please?" Y/N asked.

The three teens nodded and turn to leave but Poppy was having none of it.

"Absolutely not! You need to be cleaned up and inspected for-"

"Please Poppy. We need to speak alone for a minute" The Headmaster said in a polite tone with an underscore of 'I'm not asking.'

"Hermione should go as well" Jacob stated.

"No, she stays" Y/N snapped, glaring at his legal guardian.

Dumbledore nodded his head and Poppy turned with a huff, leaving but closing the infirmary's main door behind her.

"Well I'm still trying to work through it but it seems like they were taking orders from above. Taking orders from the top"

"The top as in?" Jacob asked.

"Their alpha, damn near I could tell. Or maybe the Knights of Merlin? Beast whispering doesn't extend to vampires and the legilimency was pretty messed up from the charms or shields they were working, but..." Y/N trailed off.

"But...?" Jacob asked impatiently. Y/N sighed.

"I think it was a recruitment drive. Four of them that I had to gank.... Young females, early 20s. Looked like the missing muggle posters the Unspeakables showed me on the way in."

"Ok why is their Alpha, or whoever, recruiting? Vampires making a move like that seems pretty rash" Hermione asked.

"It's not just vamps though, is it Jacob? You've been tracking all kinds of dark creature movement since Sirius escaped."

Jacob looked at his youngest brother dumbfounded, trailing off mid reply:

"How did you...?"

Y/N looked at his brother frustratedly:

"C'mon brother, give me some credit. It's got to be related to Voldemort doesn't it Dumbledore? He's starting to make his moves to come back. It's the only reason why 311 would send me in and not Ministry forces. Because he doesn't want the rest of the Ministry to know yet?" Y/N asked looking at the Headmaster. Dumbledore was stunned at Y/N's deductive capabilities.

"I believe so Y/N, yes. Jacob contact the other deep cover members. Setup a meeting this Saturday at location 3. 7:00pm. Y/N, you cannot be pulled from Hogwarts for this but I will inform you of anything you need to know."

Y/N glared at the Headmaster for a few moments before snapping:

"Yep, just a fucking mushroom over here, aren't I?"

Hermione looked at her boyfriend with confusion and asked: "A mushroom?"

"Yeah kept in the dark and fed bullshit. Jacob's done it for years." Y/N said harshly staring between his guardian and his Headmaster. He was tired, he was covered in vampire blood and Merlin knows what else, and he was hurting, his broken ribs not repaired yet. He was not in the mood for any of this chain of command bullshit.

"Now wait a bloody minute-" Jacob snapped before being promptly cut off by the Headmaster:

"Another time, Jacob. Y/N has had a long day. I empathise with his frustrations, I truly do."

Jacob nodded, went to tap his brother on the shoulder but paused because of all the blood and instead muttered "good job" and left.

"I'll send Poppy in now. I'll explain to your friends and her that the cover story is you have been offered an apprenticeship at the Department of Mysteries and this was them offering it to you. We'll just say they have a sense of flair for the occasion. Rest up, Y/N. Look after him Ms.Granger" the Headmaster finished with a smile. It was returned by Hermione who answered only:

"Always"

Madam Pomfrey reentered the hospital wing and spent a good ten minutes cleaning Y/N with spell after spell. Finally it seemed like she was done.

"There, now that's better, isn't it L/N?"

"Minty fresh Poppy. Thanks" Y/N answered, giving the matron a cheeky smile.

She chuckled and gave him a glare before smirking:

"I'll allow it this once- but not a word to anyone."

Y/N laughed and mocked locked his lips but was instantly hugged by Hermione once the last drops of blood were removed. His response was a sharp groan.

"Oh love, I'm so sorry" she said concerned.

"It's alright babe, I think I broke a couple of ribs when they threw me out the flying carriage. Lucky the skylight broke my fall."

"I'll need you to stay here tonight, Y/N" the matron said as she reentered the cubicle.

"No can do Poppy. Hard to keep the cover story if I'm in hospital."

"But if you have a concussion-"

"I can keep an eye on him Madam Pomfrey. I'll sneak into his dorm and spend the night. That way if he shows any signs of concussion I'll bring him straight down." Hermione blurted out, only realising too late what she had said. She lit up like a tomato as Pomfrey chuckled:

"I'm not authorising that...but I'm trusting your maturity Ms Granger. I'll leave it at that."

—~—

Ten minutes later Y/N's ribs were healed and a pain killing potion had been administered before the two got ready to return to the Great Hall.

Before leaving though, Y/N picked up the cleaned, Enochian sigil infused, machete and placed it in his Moke pouch.

A charmed weapon that useful was not going to be passed up.

As the two left the infirmary hand in hand to finish off dinner, Hermione asked worriedly:

"Are you ok, baby? That must have been horrible for you"

"Yeah I'm alright babe, exhausted but alright. Not the first hunt I've been on."

"I know but mentally how are you. Having to kill like that...again..."

"I'm ok thanks babe. If it was just normal Vamps trying to live their lives it would be different. But these were bad, bad people. The things they did to their victims before turning them."

Y/N shivered. He'd seen the chains and bloody mattresses as he stalked through the den.

"What, like draining them?" Hermione asked innocently. Y/N sighed.

"More like... like rape love, repeatedly."

"I thought Vampires were infertile?" Hermione gasped.

"They are sterile. Not impotent. I don't want to talk about it if it's ok. I just want to be with you and say they got what they deserved" Y/N said sadly.

"Of course love. Sorry"

Y/N turned to kiss her head before walking into Professor Snape. Snape looked at his godson and instantly pulled him into a tight hug.

Hermione smiled at the scene as Y/N hugged the Potions Master back. Snape let go and quickly composed himself.

"I'm relieved to see you are ok, Y/N. We will talk during your next Alchemy lesson" Snape said in a relieved tone. He nodded at the couple before leaving.

"Sev was really worried about you, baby. I could tell." Hermione said, grinning at the look of pride that grew on Y/N's face.

—~—

After dinner the pair returned to the common room and sat in front of the fire hugging. Hermione was leaning on Y/N's chest while he stroked her hair. Any question was met with "the Department of Mysteries have insisted on secrecy."

At about 9:00pm Y/N was feeling tired. He entered his girlfriend's mind:

Ready for bed?

Yes but how?

Watch this.

"Nev, Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean. Can I speak to you all about something important in our dorm?" Y/N called out loudly. The boys agreed and followed him.

As they entered their dorm Y/N called out to the others:

"Alright boys, sit on your beds."

They did and looked at Y/N puzzled. He waved his hand, uttering only:

Somnum

They all dropped unconscious instantly. Y/N returned to the common room alone and smiled at Hermione who was talking to Lavender.

Alright you two close your eyes, put your heads down and cover up your ears.

Y/N said directly to the two with a grin.

Lavender looked puzzled but as she trusted Y/N so much she did as she was asked. He cast the same enchanted sleep spell and the students who were in the common room all fell asleep instantly.

Y/N gently tapped the two girls on the shoulder. They looked around stunned.

"I'll wake them up when you are in my dorm 'Mione. Lav, I may have a concussion so 'Mione is gonna sleep with me to keep an eye on me." Y/N said with a sight smirk.

"No problem. I'll cover if anyone asks. But that is the worst excuse I've ever heard!" She chuckled.

"Shut up" Hermione giggled as she hugged Lavender and headed up to the dorm. Y/N cast the countercharm, waking the remaining students in the Common Room and said loudly:

"Alright good night Lav. Tell Hermione when you get there I'll see her in the morning."

Lavender smiled and waved good night but called out as he left:

"Have fun"

Y/N turned and gave her a look she simply smirked and chuckled to. He headed up and Hermione was looking at the other five boys snoring their heads off. She asked her boyfriend: "How long are they out for?"

"About 12 hours. I'll wake them when you've gone in the morning" Y/N chuckled.

He stripped fully before putting on his boxers to sleep in.

"Loved that view babe, but what am I gonna do?" Hermione asked.

Y/N transfigured her clothes into a nighty and they climbed into bed, closing the bed curtains around them. Y/N quickly cast a silencing charm around the bed.

"You're confident" Hermione smirked at her boyfriend.

"Just cautious" he chuckled before he kissed her. Their kissing quickly became more passionate as he licked her lip asking for permission. She opened her mouth happily allowing him in.

They had a passionate make out session for about ten minutes before tiredness started to overwhelm them. Hermione giggled and spoke up:

"You've had a long day. We better stop because unless that's your wand poking me we won't be able to stop soon."

"Uh- sorry about that" Y/N looked down in embarrassment.

"Don't be. I love that I have that effect on you."

"Of course you do. I love you."

"I love you too. Good night."

They fell asleep cuddling into each other's arms as Hermione couldn't help but feel excited by her boyfriend's physical reaction to her. It was hard not to think about when it was poking into her thigh.