Hermione was sitting on the floor of the great hall, her back was rest against the cold wall. She was gazing absentmindedly at the line of dead bodies lying in the middle of the hall. Tears tracks lined her face but she was no longer crying. All her tears had dried up. She couldn't see Harry anywhere; he probably wanted to find a place to be alone. Ron was close by her; head in his hands, tears dripping from the end of his long nose. It seemed like years ago they had left Bill and Fleur's house, the cool sea air blowing across their faces.

Hermione was starting to feel anxious. The last time she had seen Harry was when they entered the great hall. Had he given himself up to Voldemort? It seemed like the kind of thing Harry would do; give himself up to save others. She had seen the look on his face when he had spotted all the bodies in the Great Hall. But Harry wasn't stupid enough to do that. He knew they wouldn't give in to Voldemort, whether or not Voldemort stopped fighting.

Ginny walked into the Hall, supporting someone on her shoulder who was sobbing into her shoulder. Ginny looked dead on her feet; her face was covered with scratches and bruises; her hair was messy and singed at one end. She had a dead look on her eyes and her shoulders slumped. She sat the girl down in a corner of the room and then came over to Hermione.

They didn't speak; they just sat there looking at the damage that had been done. Ginny pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees. She had a nasty cut on her leg.

"Let me fix that" Hermione said as she pulled out her wand and muttered an incantation under her breath. The cut stopped bleeding and began to shrink up until it was just an ugly pink scar.

"Thanks" Ginny muttered as Hermione put her wand away. Ginny then closed her eyes as a particularly savaged body was carried into the hall.

"Fenrir Greyback" Ron growled as he slumped down next to Hermione. She turned and buried her face in Ron's shoulder and she breathed in his scent. He smelled of blood, salt and… Ron.

. He rested his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her.

"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked sharply. Hermione felt Ron shrug under her.

"He's not gone to give himself up has he?"

"No, I doubt it," Ron replied. His voice was horse. "Poor guy probably just want some alone time" They sat in silence for a few minuets. Then a high, cold voice echoed around the hall.

"Harry Potter is dead" Hermione sat bolt up right. Her insides shrivelled.

"He was killed as he ran away trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is dead" Hermione was now standing up. A tight suffocating feeling was spreading from the pit of her stomach. It couldn't be true. No, she wouldn't believe it till she saw the body. Her mind reeled as she thought about a body. She was faintly aware of Ron and Ginny standing next to her and the gasps around the hall.

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and The Boy who lived is dead" She, Ron and Ginny gathered around the entrance of Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall, Neville and several other people were already there peering through the mist at the small line of advancing black. They pushed their way to the front. Hermione's insides were all tight with worry. She was panicking.

"There must be no more war. Anyone who resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle, now kneel before me, and your life will be spared." More people were pouring out of the castle. Hermione was pressed against Ron and Neville. Ginny was behind them. Hermione felt like someone was squeezing her and sucking all the air from her lungs. She felt tight and tense.

"Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together." It was quiet. Nobody dared speak. Everybody was tense. Hermione watched the line advancing. In the middle there was a huge figure, double the height of the Death Eaters around him. Hagrid was sobbing and there was something limp in he arms. Voldemort stood in front. He held up his arm and uttered a command to his Death Eaters. They stopped and spread out in front of them. The mist cleared.

The tightness Hermione felt all through her body suddenly loosened. Her heart lurched and she swayed dangerously. Lying in Hagrid's arms was a body. Harry looked peaceful. He could have been sleeping. Hermione felt like she had been punched in the stomach. No more Harry, Harry was dead. The air was pressing down on her, pushing her head into her body. She felt like she was drowning. Hermione heard Ron choke next to her. His expression was one of utter disbelief. Ginny was trying to push past them. She slumped against Ron and moaned when she saw what they could. Neville was moaning under his breath.

"It's all my fault. I saw him. I could have stopped him. I should have stopped him."

There were a few beats of silence and then-

"NO!" A terrible scream pierced the air. Hermione had never dreamed Professor McGonagall could make such a horrible sound. Bellatrix Lestrange was laughing at McGonagall's despair. The door behind them opened and more people pour to join the crowd.

"No!" Ron cried next to Hermione.

"No!" Hermione moaned loudly. How could Harry do this?

"Harry! HARRY!" Ginny screamed. She tried to run forward but Ron held her back.

Several Death Eaters laughed as they listened to the their cries.

Then the crowd erupted, screaming and yelling.

"SILENCE!" cried Voldemort. He pointed his wand at the crowd. There was a bang and a flash of orange light.

Hermione felt her throat seize up. She couldn't utter a single word. She could not escape this grief and feeling of hopelessness that had spread through her since she had seen the body.

"It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!" Hagrid lurched and then lowered Harry to the ground. Big, fat tears were dripping from his face onto his robes. Harry looked strangely vulnerable at Voldemort feet. Hermione felt strangely comforted. At least Harry would not suffer anymore. He would be with people he loved, his mum and dad, Sirius, Lupin. He was with everybody who had died at the hands of Voldemort; Dumbledore, Tonks, Mad-Eye, Fred, Hedwig.

Harry Potter was dead.