A/N: This chapter was updated 7/8/07. No important details have changed, just minor things that will hopefully make for a smoother read.
To say Hermione's summer after sixth year was normal would be a complete lie. A normal summer would consist of travelling back home to see her parents, rereading Hogwarts: A History, and visiting Ron and Harry either at the Burrow or Grimmauld Place. This is not what happened. Hermione had spent the majority of her summer on a search to locate and destroy the final horcruxes that kept Voldemort alive. The search had been both dangerous and difficult, taking them all over England.
Hermione groaned as she rolled over in her bed, falling in a heap on the floor.
"Oh good, Hermione, you're awake," Mrs. Weasley said. Despite the effects of the war, she tried to keep a cheerful appearance around the kids. "Harry and Ron are already downstairs eating breakfast."
Hermione looked around at the gloomy walls of the bedroom she had lived in for the past three summers. She sighed as she remembered all that had changed since she first arrived before beginning to switch out of her nightdress.
As she walked down the stairs to find Harry and Ron, the dreary halls of Grimmauld Place reminded Hermione of their mission for the summer and the upcoming battle. The dark magic that had been used in the house for centuries radiated off the walls.
"Morning, Mione," Ron called, "has Mum told you yet?"
Hermione shook her head tiredly. She had been up later than the boys, trying to find ways to locate the two final horcruxes. One of them was still a complete mystery to the Golden Trio.
"We get to spend the last day before school cleaning out this nasty excuse for a home," Ron obviously wasn't happy about his mother's choice of activities.
"I thought we weren't going back to school," Hermione said.
"Must have forgotten to tell you that too," Ron added. He seemed quite annoyed. "Mum's making us go back."
"It isn't a bad idea, Ron," Harry countered, "So far, all of Voldemort's horcruxes have been in places of importance to him. I'd say Hogwarts was pretty important. Plus, maybe we can find something about the founders in the Restricted Section. We still don't even know what the final horcrux is!"
Ron still didn't seem pleased about returning to school, but resumed eating. Hermione on the other hand couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. Her eyes lit up. While she had been ready and willing to follow Harry until Voldemort was destroyed, she was quite disappointed to have to turn down the position of Head Girl. She supposed it was possible now that she would be able to reclaim the title.
"Mrs. Weasley, do you have some parchment lying around?"
Both Ron and Harry seemed to know what she was thinking and began chuckling.
"What's so funny?"
"Mione, of course McGonagall will still give you the Head Girl position. How couldn't she," Harry pointed out.
"And why are you writing to her," Ron questioned, "She comes by at least once a day. She already knows we're coming back. She knew before us actually."
Mrs. Weasley set the parchment back where she had found it.
Hermione was a little embarrassed over how transparent she was. She realized that the boys only able to guess, however, because they knew her so well.
"Boys, why don't you start cleaning now? The drawing room is particularly dusty. Hermione will join you when she finishes."
The boys didn't seem particularly happy about having to start cleaning, but eventually stood up and cleared their plates from the table.
"Hermione." Mrs. Weasley enveloped Hermione in a hug as soon as the boys left the room, "my little girl."
Hermione wanted to point out that Ginny was in fact her daughter, but figured there was a reason the older woman had referred to her in such a way.
"I must say, it took some convincing, but Harry finally agreed. This war is hard on all of you even though none of you show it. You three have been deprived of so many of the things normal teenagers get to experience. Ron has experienced many of his dreams already. He made the quidditch team, he's a Prefect, and he's done more for the wizarding community than any of his brothers could dream of doing. I wanted to make sure you get to experience some of your dreams too."
Hermione still wasn't quite sure what Mrs. Weasley did for her, but suspected the answer would come soon as she noticed the tears falling down Mrs. Weasley's face.
"We can pretend all we want, but we don't have much time left before the final battle between the Order and the Dark Lord. It scares all of us to know that the three of you will be amongst the front lines. It scares us all to know that there's a chance some of us won't make it," Mrs. Weasley paused as a deep sob escaped her throat.
"I wanted you to experience some of your dreams now because there's a chance you won't be able to later. That's why I'm sending you back to school. You've worked so hard to become Head Girl. Even if you only stay at school for a few weeks, you should know what it feels like."
Hermione could feel the hot tears rolling down her cheeks by the end of Mrs. Weasley's confession. She didn't have much time to think about the meaningful gesture, however.
"Hermione, quick follow me." Ron burst into the room.
"Ron, can't it wait," she asked.
"No, it's important. Come on!" Ron left the room, expecting Hermione to follow him.
Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and gave Mrs. Weasley a short hug before following Ron to the drawing room. She knew it was true. She might not get to see all her dreams come true. She might never have a true boyfriend, or a husband. She might never have kids. She might never become a Professor at Hogwarts. She was happy that she would be able to be Head Girl though.
"You won't believe what we found." Ron's voice dripped with excitement.
The pair entered the room and Hermione noticed Harry holding a small wooden jewellery box.
"Harry! Show her what's inside," Ron said.
Harry, who seemed to be in a state of shock, gave the box to Hermione. The dark mahogany box was lined with beautiful purple velvet, but what caught Hermione's attention was the piece of jewellery that sat inside. A beautiful silver locket, encrusted with tiny emeralds, lay delicately on the bottom. A snake slithered across the locket's surface in the shape of an S.
Hermione gasped.
"It's been here all along," she whispered, awestruck.
"Do you have the incantation to destroy this one?"
Hermione ran up to the room that she shared with Ginny and grabbed the sheet. She quickly returned to the room and handed the slip of parchment to Harry.
"Make sure you say it very clearly," she reminded, "Have you checked for curses that might be on it already?"
Harry nodded. Hermione gestured for him to continue.
"Defaeco is vas ex malum." A light around the necklace began to form. "Quod restituo is ut exemplar decor"
The light magnified greatly before finally subsiding. Hermione performed a series of spells before declaring that the necklace was now as safe as any normal piece of jewellery.
"Can you believe it?" Harry asked after the shock had finally passed. "We're almost done."
Hermione smiled, wishing those words were true. The diary and ring had been destroyed prior to Dumbledore's death and they had spent the first half of the summer searching for Hufflepuff's cup. Before returning to Grimmauld Place, they had finally found an ornate jewelled hair piece that belonged to Rowena and removed the fourth of Voldemort's horcruxes.
Now, the discovery of Slytherin's locket left them with only one horcrux before they could defeat Voldemort. But although they only had one horcrux left to find, there was no guarantee that their search was anywhere near over. They had been lucky to find three horcruxes in a matter of three months.
"This one is yours Hermione," Harry brought her out of her reverie as he gently began clipping the necklace around her neck.
"No, give it to Ginny," Hermione insisted, "besides, I already have something."
It was true. Hermione never took Rowena's blue jewel encrusted hair comb out from her hair.
"No, I want everything to stay between the three of us," Harry explained, "Ginny will understand."
"I swear," Ron muttered under his breath, "Godric's artefact better be something good. I'm the only one without something!"
"Poor Ron," laughed Harry and Hermione.
The rest of the day passed quickly. The trio did not mention their finding to the rest of the Weasleys or other Order members that passed in and out of the house. They had decided it was best to keep the information to themselves for the others' protection.
The group found out the next day that Mrs. Weasley had talked to Harry and Professor McGonagall prior to talking to Ron and Hermione. When they woke up the next morning, their trunks were fully packed with everything they would need for their seventh year. Ginny, who had stayed with the Lovegoods for the better part of the summer, returned on September the first to travel to King's Station with her family as did Luna.
Ginny immediately ran to Harry when she saw him. After Hermione's conversation with Mrs. Weasley the previous day, this simple act threatened to bring a fresh wave of tears to Hermione's eyes. She unconsciously moved closer to Ron, but the tall redhead was busy greeting Luna.
If there was one thing Hermione regretted about her years at Hogwarts, it was the friendships she had established. While she couldn't imagine life without Harry and Ron, she couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she had made friends with more students. Many people had assumed that she would one day end up married to one of her two friends, but as they got older, the possibility of that became more and more slim. And because of her lack of male friends in particular, Hermione had no clue where her life would take her.
Luckily, Neville joined the group on the train, evening the group out and giving Hermione a companion to talk to when Harry or Ron's attention was captured by their leading ladies.
"Welcome one and all to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," McGonagall said after the Sorting ceremony had ended. "I'd like to mention a few reminders. The Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. For those students who care, a full list of punishable acts is available outside Mr. Filch's office. Finally, in light of recent events, we will not be having Hogsmeade weekends this year. Students who wish to make purchases should either contact a parent or a staff member."
There were groans throughout the hall, but they all disappeared as soon as the food came out.
"Blimey, mate," Ron exclaimed as he looked around the Great Hall. "Where is everyone?"
There was a significantly smaller number of students in the Great Hall. Slytherin's numbers were still high, but there were hardly any Hufflepuffs.
"Ron, isn't it obvious," Hermione questioned. "Voldemort is back and Dumbledore is dead."
"I just didn't realize that so many people wouldn't come back."
"People don't realize that, for the most part, it's safer here than it is at home. They think they can protect their family best."
"That's ridiculous!"
"The school is a target though," Harry chimed in. "Whether I'm here or not. Everyone knows Hogwarts is a target."
Harry couldn't have been more right. Unbeknownst to the majority of the wizarding population, Lord Voldemort was planning a battle. One that he hoped would end the war in his favour. All he had to do was wait for the opportune moment to strike.
"How we are supposed to find information on the Founders from these books," Ron asked frustrated, "none of them were written when the Founders were alive."
Between the three, Ron was the most frustrated with their frequent trips to the Hogwarts' library.
"Ron," Hermione started, "books can be very resourceful. If you read them more often, maybe you'd appreciate the amount of knowledge you can gain from them."
Sensing a fight, Harry stepped in, "Hermione, I don't think Ron is saying books aren't useful."
Ron gave a look that suggested otherwise causing Harry to kick him in the shin.
"I think he's means that we aren't going to find a book that lists items that were precious to each of the Founders," Harry reasoned, And we have to consider the possibility that it could be an heirloom of the Gryffindor family. It might not even have belonged to Gryffindor ever."
"Still, we found information about Ravenclaw's prized possession from a book," Hermione pointed out as she fingered the hair comb, "maybe something will come up."
The boys looked doubtful, but continued their search. The library became their second common room as their seventh year passed by. Hermione insisted that they spend every spare moment trying to find more information about the sixth horcrux. Unfortunately, their search wasn't getting very far. In the month and a half they had been in school, they had learned little more about the Founders than one could learn from reading Hogwarts: A History.
"Maybe it's the sword," Ron suggested after several minutes of silence, "You know, the one Harry pulled out of the Sorting Hat."
Hermione and Harry looked at Ron in annoyance.
"We understand that you want the sword Ron," Harry explained, "but I'm not testing it to see if it's a horcrux again. Seven times is enough."
Hermione just shook her head.
"First through third years, grab yer wands and follow me. Make sure ye get everyone out of this tower," Hagrid boomed as he rushed into the Gryffindor common room. It had been three weeks since the day in the library when Ron had suggested testing Godric's sword another time.
"Hagrid, what's going on?"
"We're under attack, Hermione," the giant whispered, "Fourth year and up, report to the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall wishes to see ye all."
Harry, Ron and Hermione immediately left the common room and raced down to the first floor of the castle.
"Is this it?" Ron asked as he jumped over the trick step.
"Let's hope not, we haven't destroyed the last horcrux," Hermione reminded.
"Bloody hell, that's right. Oh, this is not good," Ron surmised.
"Harry, I had an idea."
"When don't you?"
Hermione marvelled at Ron's ability to criticize her intelligence even in grave situations.
"Well, what if his snake is the last horcrux? Think about it, it's always with him; that alone makes it well protected. Haven't you even said he seems to care about it greatly? It makes sense too; he's a parselmouth so why wouldn't a snake be his last horcrux?"
"She's brilliant."
"Let's hope," Harry stated. "This might be our last chance."
They finally arrived at the Great Hall and made their way through the crowd of students that had already arrived. The trio realized that no matter how insignificant the battle, they would be on the front lines. They found Ginny on their way there.
The look on McGonagall's face told them; however, that this would not be another insignificant battle.
"The rest of the Order has already been contacted, but we don't know when they'll be able to get here. The Ministry has put up anti-apparition wards in Hogsmeade as well so it could take a while."
"They do have someone working for the Ministry," Ron exclaimed.
"No, I contacted them as well. Although it doesn't help our side get here, it does stop more Death Eaters from arriving."
"What about Aurors? Can they portkey here?"
"Yes, some Aurors are already on the grounds fighting the Death Eaters," she explained. "Wait one minute; I have to address the other students."
They all seemed confused and scared so it seemed only right that McGonagall explained to them the reason they were summoned.
"Hogwarts is under siege." Cries could be heard throughout the hall. "I have called upon you older students to ask for your help. While we have the Ministry helping us, I am afraid we are still outnumbered. The teachers will join the fight and I hope some of you students will as well."
Many of the sixth and seventh years stood proudly; ready to defend their school and classmates.
"To those of you who do not wish to fight on the battlefield, I ask that you proceed to the kitchens. I have no doubt that a few of you can lead the way. The younger students are waiting there. Should things go terribly wrong, it will be up to you and a few select teachers to defend them. They need protection."
With that, the students began organizing into two groups. It surprised Hermione to see how they divided. Many students who she believed would fight joined the group heading to the kitchens. She was proud of their decision. Had she not been so deep in the war, she too might have gone to help console the younger students.
"Get into groups of five to seven people. No more. No less. Work as a team, you will accomplish more this way. As soon as you're ready, head out to the front lawn. I'm not sure how long the Aurors can hold them alone," McGonagall called out.
Harry, Ron and Hermione teamed up with Ginny, Neville and Luna. The group had formed before McGonagall had even advised them to. They hung behind as the other students began piling out of the Great Hall.
"Good luck," McGonagall wished. "Hopefully you won't need it."
"He's here then," Neville asked.
McGonagall simply nodded before leaving the Great Hall to take her place among the others representing the esteemed institution.
"Are you ready?" Ginny asked.
Harry shook his head and reached out to her. Over the summer they had grown apart, but it was obvious to Hermione and Ron that no one could comfort Harry better than Ginny.
"What if it doesn't work," Harry let out nervously. Hermione could see the fear in his eyes.
"It will work Harry, it has to," Ron asserted. Neville and Luna nodded their heads in agreement. Harry looked to Hermione.
"If it doesn't work, then let's hope there's a next time." She gave a soft smile.
"I don't want to lose any of you."
Hermione felt the hot tears falling down her face. She immediately grabbed Harry's hand. Ginny had already attached herself to his chest. Neville grabbed a shoulder, while Luna came up to hug Ginny from behind. Ron somehow managed to attach himself to everyone. They stood silently like that for several minutes, seemingly oblivious to the battle around them. Finally, Hermione spoke.
"When we get to Voldemort, take out the snake." Her voice was very shaky. "We think it might be the key to defeating Voldemort."
The group nodded.
"If something happens, where should we go?" Neville asked.
"The kitchens," Ron said.
"No, we don't want to give away their position," Ginny reminded. "If something happens I think we should either go to McGonagall's office, one of the tunnels out of the school, or the Room of Requirement. Go to whichever is the closest."
Hermione voiced her agreement.
Eventually they shifted from their position.
"Let's go," Harry said.
Most of the battle was a blur to Hermione. She remembered stunning and hexing many people, but that didn't explain how she ended back inside missing two-thirds of their group.
Bellatrix had caught up with Neville and showed him what his parents went through nearly seventeen years ago before hitting him with the killing curse. Luna had also met her untimely end.
"My, my. If it isn't the famous Harry Potter," Voldemort hissed as the group of four came face to face with the infamous Dark Lord in the middle of a dimly lit corridor.
"Riddle," Harry spat.
"I am Lord Voldemort," he roared, annoyed at the use of his birth name.
"And who did he bring with him? It's his two best friends. And is this the famous Ginerva Weasley I've heard all about?"
Ginny looked disgusted.
"Sectumsempra," Ginny shouted as she pointed her wand at Nagini.
At the same time, Harry yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"
Voldemort seemed very displeased at the loss of his familiar.
"You shall pay for this, girl! This should have happened years ago," Voldemort pointed his wand at Ginny and shouted, "Malicio Sangrato!"
Ginny immediately fell to the ground. Ron rushed to her and began whimpering.
"No! Ginny!"
"Ron, Hermione go," Harry yelled.
"But Harry," Hermione protested.
"No, go," he instructed again, "Go to somewhere safe. I'll find you when this is over."
"But Harry," she cried again.
"Go now!"
Hermione tried to beg, but Ron began pulling her away. They were on the fourth floor and most of the fighting was on the lower floors. They decided to head for the Room of Requirement.
"Ron, we have to help Harry!"
"Hermione, if we stay, the same thing will happen to us." Hermione knew he was talking about what happened to Ginny.
"Ron! We can't just run away!"
"Harry wants us to be safe. That's how we can help."
"Go yourself then! I'm not leaving Harry alone and I'm not leaving Ginny. She wasn't hit with the Killing curse, there's still a chance to save her.
Ron angrily stomped off in the direction of the moving staircases. Hermione couldn't believe his stubbornness. She couldn't believe that he walked off on his own in the middle of a battle.
"Ron!"
Hermione was torn between going to help Harry and Ginny and going after Ron. She knew in the back of her mind that going back to Harry and Ginny was like a death wish, but couldn't bear the thought of leaving one of her best friends to face the enemy alone.
"Ronald Weasley," Hermione yelled as she chased after him, "If you think I can carry your sister to safety by myself, you are sorely mistaken."
As she rounded the corner she had seen Ron head towards seconds before, her heart dropped. Mere meters down the corridor, Ron struggled to fight off a handful of Death Eaters. Because of her yelling, she lacked the element of surprise.
"Stupefy!" Many of the Death Eaters had their shields up by the time Hermione cast the stunner. Those who didn't weren't in the line of fire.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione shot another spell as she ducked to avoid a Cruciatus Curse sent by one of the masked enemies. Her spell hit one dead on.
"Expelliarmus," Ron shouted, rendering another wandless. The small attack now seemed fairer with only three Death Eaters to fight.
"Rictusempra!" Hermione shouted not a second too late. It hit one of Voldemort's men as he tried to perform the Killing Curse on Ron. Instead, he had to deal with the tickling sensation that occurred all over his body.
"Crucio!"
Ron screamed as Hermione fell to the ground in pain. The two remaining Death Eaters began laughing as they watched Hermione twitch in pain. The pain was worse than anything she had experienced in her life. It was more agonizing than any curse she endured while looking for Voldemort's horcruxes and more heartbreaking than being attacked by ten Dementors. The screams filled her ears and even though they were just her own, she imagined hearing the shrieks of all the others who had experienced this pain and let herself cry for them too.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Hermione could barely make out Ron's voice through her screams. She could not tell if Ron had hit his mark, but hoped with all she had that there was only one Death Eater left. She thought of Neville and what had happened to his parents as a result of the curse she was currently under.
"No," she screamed. The Death Eater laughed again.
"Stupefy," Ron shouted. This time Hermione knew Ron had been successful. She continued shaking on the ground for several seconds before being able to sit up.
"I'm sorry I left you," Ron admitted, "but really Hermione, we can't go back to Harry."
"Ron! How can you just leave your sister to die like that?"
Ron let out an angry huff and let his shoulders fall in defeat. Hermione attempted a smile, but the memory of the pain still lingered in her mind, forbidding her to do so.
"Let's hope they still have a chance."
The duo cautiously retraced their steps only to find a nearly deserted hallway. Harry and Voldemort were gone. Luckily, Ginny lay untouched.
"What now?"
Hermione wasn't sure. She knew it was her duty to help her friends, but had not planned out how they would do so. She wished Harry was there to come up with a plan for them.
"We have to take her with us."
"And leave Harry?"
"Don't mock me Ron! It wouldn't be safe to go after Harry now. We have no idea where he is!"
And so the two made their way up to the seventh floor corridor, carefully carrying Ginny with them. They hoped their journey would be easy, but unfortunately the Death Eaters were not so kind.
They ran into a group as they made their way up the moving staircases. Although they were several levels below Hermione and Ron, that didn't stop a battle from ensuing.
"Siptnario," one of the Death Eaters shouted causing the stairs they were standing on to crumble to pieces. Hermione leapt to the next flat right behind Ron.
"Petrificus Totalus," Hermione screamed. It didn't work.
"Expelliarmus!" Ron's attack didn't work either.
"What are we supposed to do?" Hermione asked. They stood on guard on the landing that lead to the sixth floor. "We can't keep climbing."
They continued shouting curses and spells at their attackers as they tried to come up with a plan to help them get to the Room of Requirement.
"I know!" Ron seemed excited. "Put a shielding charm up around you. Do you think you can hold Ginny?"
Hermione did as she was told.
"The levitation spell will just let me move you vertically, but if I do that, the landing to the seventh floor isn't too far away."
"What about you?"
"You'll get me once you're up there."
The two friends shot a few last stunners at the Death Eaters before they tried their plan.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Hermione began soaring through the air with her shield around her and stopped several inches above the landing. She encountered some difficulty as she attempted to anchor herself to the wall while still holding on to Ginny. Eventually, with a little guidance from Ron, Hermione was able to grab a candlestick holder. She used that to hoist her and Ginny to the landing.
"Good," Ron yelled.
"Put your shield up Ron!"
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione began levitating Ron towards her. The Death Eaters seemed angered that two students had made it to safety. The rate of their spells increased.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Obliviate!"
"Sectumsempra!"
Luckily, the shielding charm was able to ward off all these spells. Ron finally slowed down a few inches above the seventh floor landing.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The shielding charm around Ron flickered before dying off completely and Ron's body went limp. Had Hermione not been levitating him, he would have fallen.
"No," Hermione screamed.
Hermione pulled Ron's body onto the landing and cast a weight-changing spell on him to make him easier to drag along. After a second of thought, she cast the spell on Ginny as well. She ran through the halls, past Gryffindor Tower, to the Room of Requirement.
Hermione passed the tapestry three times wishing for a room to keep her safe until the battle was over, but she couldn't stop other thoughts from slipping in.
"I need to fix this. I wish I could go back and save Ron. Why did this have to happen? I wish Riddle had never become Voldemort. It can't end like this!"
A door appeared and Hermione rushed towards it. She could already hear voices approaching. She walked inside, but was stopped as an invisible barrier blocked Ron's body from entering the room.
The voices were getting closer.
"Bloody hell," Hermione panicked. She tried as hard as she could to get Ron in the room. The voices were very close. "I'm so sorry Ron."
Hermione kissed Ron's cheek before gently laying him down on the cold stone floor and closing the door. She cast sealing and locking charms on it for safe measures and listened as the voices finally reached the doors and began throwing spells her way.
"Please, please just go away," Hermione murmured as she sat rocking back and forth, Ginny in her arms, "leave us alone."
To Hermione, it seemed like their pursuit to get to her lasted forever, but finally it stopped.
Hermione looked around the room she created. It was empty. The walls were bare and the room was void of any furniture. The only things that existed in the room were Hermione and Ginny.
And then suddenly, the door opened.
A/N: Don't forget to read and review! The more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to write the next chapter!