Disclaimer: Really? If I owned Harry Potter do you honestly think Hermione and Ron would be together? Thank you. : )

Random plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone since hopped into my mind a week ago. : )

DM1301

TITLE

Quietly, as to not wake the sleeping boy in the bed, she placed the letter on the bedside table. He would find it soon enough. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she lightly kissed his scar. "Take this second chance, and make something of it Harry. For me," she whispered. And then she left to go face him.

&&&&&

Sunlight forced Harry's eyes open at what he deemed must be an unreasonable hour. He groaned, and reached to the bedside table for his glasses. His hand hit something and knocked it to the floor. "Dammit," Harry muttered. He retrieved his glasses and put them on, then sat up and picked up what he knocked off the bedside table off the floor. It was a letter. 'Harry' was written on the front of it in Hermione's hand. "Now what the bloody hell could this be?" Harry pondered out loud. He opened it.

Dear Harry,

I know you'll be upset I'm gone, I know you'll be very angry. I know your eyes will turn a dark green and you'll lose all trace of a smile. I'm sorry, but I needed to leave you this last request... this last goodbye.

Tell my parents that this is my choice. I've tried to explain over and over to them that fighting beside you is where I belong, that it's my life. It's always been my choice, as much as this is now.

Please don't cry for me Harry. I'm doing this for the good of everyone. Especially you. I'm not afraid. Just do me one favor Harry: never forget me. I love you, by the way. With everything in me. Goodbye.

Love Always,

Hermione

PS- Sometimes goodbye is a second chance.

Harry dropped the letter. Suddenly, his scar burned worse than it ever had before. It caused him to fall forward off the bed and curl into a ball on the floor. He did his best to hold in his screams, but some still escaped.

&&&&&

"You actually came, Mudblood? I'm surprised."

"Shut up Voldemort. Aren't you more interested in killing me?" Hermione glared at the snake- like creature before her. He stood and walked towards her.

"Actually, I have a different place in mind for your death Mudblood." With that, he grabbed her and apparated to a different location. They arrived at the same place where, less than two decades ago, Voldemort had killed two new parents and was defeated by their infant son. "I thought... that this would strike a particular chord in Potter. Don't you think?" He grinned maliciously. "Crucio!"

Hermione had never felt such pain in her life. But she refused to let Voldemort have the satisfaction of her pain and suffering. The pain stopped, and she fell to the ground while Voldemort laughed. Hermione thought back to how she got here to begin with.

Harry told her about the prophecy long ago. Ever since then, she had been trying to find a way for him to get out of it. She was wondering... if it were possible for Lily's spell to work again. That night, she had a dream.

Lily was there, as was James. "Hello." They said to Hermoine with a smile. "It's good to finally meet you, Harry has told us a lot about you." Lily says.

Hermione is baffled. "Why... why are you here?" Their smiles fade, and they glance at each other. Lily steps forward and takes Hermione's hands in her own.

"Hermione... James and I have watched you and Harry for quite sometime now. We know that you love him, very much." Hermione blushed. "We also know that you're trying to find a way to help him survive in the fight against Voldemort. We aren't asking you to do anything, mind you. But if you... were to sacrifice yourself... in his place... Voldemort would be forever beaten. Or there's always letting Harry battle Voldemort." Hermione made a face. "Yes, we figured you wouldn't like that." Lily laughed. "But be careful Hermoine. Be careful..."

The dream faded as Hermione woke up. She made a choice.

Hermione lifted her eyes in time to see Voldemort aim his wand at her heart. "Goodbye, filthy Mudblood. Advada Kedavera!"

&&&&&

Harry's scar stopped hurting as suddenly as it had begun. But he felt the urge to go somewhere. For reasons he couldn't understand, he felt the urge to go to his parent's old house. And so he went.

When he arrived, he saw Voldemort, dead. Fully and completely dead. 'What? How could this be?!' thought Harry. A white light blinded him. It faded, and he saw Hermione. "Hermione!" She smiled.

"Hi Harry."

"Wh-Where have you been? I've been worried sick! And... and Voldemort... he... he's dead! Tell me what's going on Hermione!" He made towards her. He reached for her, but his hand went straight through her. "... Hermione?"

Hermione's smile left. "I'm sorry Harry. So sorry. But... this was the only way to save you. He died... but he killed me too. But now you can have a second chance Harry."

"Second... second chance?" He recognized the phrase from her letter. "At what?"

She smiled radiantly. "Life." She looked up. "I have to go now Harry. Your parents are waiting for me. They're absolutely lovely you know. And they told me to tell you that they love you. And Harry?"

"Yes?"

"I love you too. And I always will." Hermione blew a kiss to him. The wind picked up, and took Hermione with it. A light rain started.

"I love you too Hermione. More than you'll ever know." Harry fell to his knees and cried.