"Father, stop! You don't have to do this!" His voice rang clear and crisp through my ear. The only voice that did. The other voices didn't matter. They weren't important.

Everything was a blur of smoke and heat. I coughed, spitting out black char onto the wood beneath me. I couldn't feel the pain yet; I was still in shock. But I knew it would come.

I knew enough about burning people alive to know the pain would come.

I almost wished it would come now. Then, it would be over. I wouldn't have to watch the masked faces as they stared up at me, jeering; their faces a little blurry through the waves of heat. I wanted to cry out, not from physical pain. It was the pain of knowing that at least thirty people stood watching me burn alive, and none of them did anything to stop it. Well none, except one.

My beloved, the boy I'd planned to marry, have a family with, stood out as though under a spotlight. He wasn't directly in front of me, making him difficult to spot, but I could spot him even among the masked people. I could find him anywhere, and the flames made no difference.

"Hermione!" he screamed, his voice tearing through the air as he struggled around two men blocking his path. He jumped, desperately trying to reach me, his blond hair flying everywhere with his struggles. For some reason, all I wanted in that moment was to reach out and smooth his hair. Or hug him; make him lose the horrible expression on his face. As the heat became overwhelming, all I could think was that I wanted to be with him. Suddenly, a vision crashed into my mind.

We were in a field, facing each other, our hands mapping out the other's features. I touched his forehead, he touched my lips. We did not speak, did not kiss or make any move to do anything but stand there. And all other feeling was replaced by the aching, deep in my heart, at the thought of never being with him again. I could never lie next to him and rub my thumb across his cheek. I could never tousle his hair at his impetuousness. I could never kiss him, soft and sweet. I could never feel his hands around me, protecting me from everything that was wrong and horrible. I wanted him to surround me; to take me in his arms and never let go. If I was to die, I wanted to die in his arms.

Through the haze I could see his father pull gruffly on his shoulder, shouting something at him. I could see his expression turn from one of fear to one of anger. Before the men restraining him could react, he punched his father straight in the face. Then, as the men stood still, he tackled them, tumbling all three to the ground.

Then an icy feeling crept into me, starting with my toes and dancing up my legs. I knew that the pain was only moments away. I searched for him, turning my head this way and that, my eyes darting to lock onto his for just one moment before it all ended. Before it all ended in fire.

The pain started. It was intense and overwhelming; constant and too powerful to bear. It pushed me under, until all I could see was pain and fire. I wanted it all to end, just so I wouldn't have to deal with this anymore. Please, end.

Then I went numb. Though I could still feel the pain, it was less intense. I could feel it crawling along my skin, tearing at my flesh. I knew I was close to the end. It would all end soon.

"Hermione!" I heard the shout as if through twenty feet of water. His voice was low and muted as he called my name again. "Hermione! Please don't be dead. Wake up!"

But I couldn't wake up. It was over. I couldn't go back. If I went back, the pain would only increase. I couldn't take it.

"Hermione, you're safe now. I got you down. The Order is here; all the muggle-borns are saved! Hermione, you can be free now! It's all over! Hermione! Wake up, Hermione! I need you!"

I felt as though someone had splashed me with ice cold water. He needed me. I couldn't leave yet if he needed me. What was I thinking, being so selfish? I could take the pain if he needed me.

"I'm…here…" I managed finally, breaking through the wall my body's defenses had put around me. I felt the pain overwhelm me again, renewed. Vaguely I realized I was lying on the cobbled street, and over our heads jets of red and green shot through the air. The Order really was here. We would be saved. We're free.

"Hermione," he whispered, kissing my cheek. I felt him take my hand, and a whole new wave of pain washed over me. But I could take this to. He needed me.

"We're safe?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. His face finally comes into focus as I watch him nod. I want to smile as I see strands of his blonde hair falling over his face. He was always letting those go loose. Even now I can remember playing with them by the lake last year. It'd been the last day of our final year. We'd been free then too.

"It'll all be okay. Look, Kingsley's seen us! He'll come save you. Just hold on a few more minutes." I could feel the desperation in his voice.

"I… don't need to." I say, meeting his eyes. "I just need you."

He shook his head frantically. "I can't save you Hermione. I don't know any spells."

"I don't…need the spells." I feel tears in my eyes. "Kiss me."

Something flickers in his eyes; he realizes what I'm saying. "No! Hermione, you can't give up! They're here to save us! We can go home, be together! Hermione, you have to stay. You have to stay."

"I can't. You don't need me anymore. You can live without me. It's my time anyway."

"Hermione I need you!"

"No, you don't. I see it now. You'll be fine without me. Ask… Harry to help you. You can be an auror, just like you dreamed, right?"

I felt a teardrop fall onto my nose. I knew it was his. "Hermione, I don't want to do anything without you."

"You need to. I am not what you need. You saw today. We are not meant to be together. Your father is just one example. There is too much hate in this world."

"Hermione, please."

I used the last of my strength to lift my free hand to his cheek. My whole body burned at the touch. I wiped the tear forming in his eye. I pictured that place, far away, in the field. Someday, it will be true.

"We'll be with each other again." I could feel the pain behind his words as he realized the truth. "We'll be together, if not here. I promise. I won't fail you again."

"I love you Draco."