A/N: Hey guys, this is my first story. Honestly, this little piece came about in my creative writing class. We were given the assignment of writing a stable character into an unstable one. And I was thinking, what better character than Hermione? My other thought was that I finally had an excuse to write a Harry Potter fanfiction XD Well, enough of my rambling, please enjoy this fic and don't forget to comment and review... or Hermione will come get you :D

The defeated cries of the fallen echoed throughout the murky night. Lights illuminated the darkness in a colorful display of "fireworks". How ironic, Hermione snorted. The spectacle of spells flared all around in a chaotic dance. The brilliant display of lights juxtaposed with the grim scene that lied before the girl's eyes. Corpses and flayed body parts decorated the ground in a grotesque and morbid wonderland of death. How far the mighty have fallen, she shook her head and averted her eyes from the dead.

Exhaling, the girl steadied herself and stalked towards the eye of this chaotic storm. Voldemort. The name sent shivers down her spine as she made her way through the tangled mass of foliage. He was the cause of all this trouble, all these wanton deaths. The Wizarding World was at war with itself all because of a man's (could the girl really call him that?) desperate need for power. She would rid the world of this despicable "man" who claimed he was purging the world of "filth." ...Filth such as the likes of herself. Hermione had vowed to herself that she would aid Harry in his noble quest no matter what. Forget the blasted consequences… After all, it's "for the greater good"...

With the sound of dead leaves crackling beneath her feet as her only companion, Hermione continued with her journey and traversed through the maze-like terrain. The witch quickly casted a lumos and her surroundings were suddenly illuminated in a ghastly light. Without warning, the brunette heard a rustle of clothes to her left.

"Damn! She's over there! Look, she made a fire! She's gonna torch us all!"

Furrowing her brow, the girl concluded that someone from Voldemort's side, a Death Eater, had set ablaze part of the misted forest. Hermione gritted her teeth and pressed on towards her destination.

"Look! She's getting away! Get her!"

"Get the shackles and tranquilizer!"

Hermione scanned her surroundings - there was no one around in this part of the forest. Nothing but the remnants of a previous battle that had occurred only a few hours ago, the girl deduced. The corpses were still fresh.

After a few minutes of trekking through the shadows, a grisly sight greeted Hermione. Bodies, no, corpses of the fallen were stacked in a pile that nearly towered over the girl. The brunette grimaced and once again, looked around for signs of life. This is war, the girl thought.

"Oh god!" a voice exclaimed, only to gag seconds later, "L-Look what she's done!"

"...We've got to stop her… Now!"

Hermione brandished her wand and shot a few spells in the direction of the voices. Hearing the satisfying thud of bodies hitting the ground, she quickly pivoted around to protect herself from any other preemptive strikes. When none came, she relaxed and slowly lowered her wand. Stepping closer to the pile of desecrated bodies, she examined the corpses. A shiver ran through her body as the feeling of familiarity ran through her. The faces of the dead were marred beyond recognition, yet… she felt a kinship with them. she continued to study the morbid display when her eyes suddenly latched onto a tuft of bloodied, ginger hair. the brunette's eyes widened, NO! It can't be! It can't! There was only a few people she'd ever known to have that flaming, red hair. She abruptly scurried back, tripping over a dismembered hand in the process. The girl let out a choked whimper as her tears blurred the world around her.

"Go! Look! She's down! Now's our chance!"

"Wait, you have to be care-!"

Hermione's eyes flashed with a mad glint. The girl sprung to her feet and slashed her wand to the front as a hooded figure quickly approached her. "Sectumsempra!" the girl cried out and a warm liquid splashed down her front. The brunette's face slowly contorted into a twisted smile. A rustle of dead leaves came from behind her. Hermione whirled out and casted the same spell. Blood spattered violently from the multiple lacerations and the figure promptly collapsed onto the forest floor. Panting, Hermione cocked her head to the side, listening for any hidden enemies. Satisfied that she heard no disturbances in the now silent night the girl allowed her body to relax.

With renewed vigor and an immense amount of adrenaline pumping through the brunette's veins, Hermione boldly took a step towards her fated destination - Voldemort. Nothing will get in her- The brunette's mouth gaped open as she realized that her body was petrified.

A wicked cackle penetrated the palpable silence that loomed in the air. The girl's heart dropped in despair. No! Not yet, not when I'm this close! Months of preparation had suddenly been thrown out the window, spelled away, in mere seconds.

"Hermione Granger, the Brightest Witch of Her Age…" A disembodied voice pierced the darkness,"...It's time for your end… Though, your life hadn't been for naught. After all, you have helped me greatly."

"W-What?" Hermione spat out.

Voldemort emerged from the edge of the clearing and circled around the pile of rotting corpses. A malevolent grin adorned his snake-like face. Hermione would've shuddered if she could. The tyrant took a few more steps, and soon enough, he was inches away from the girl. He raised a bony, claw-like hand and caressed her cheek. The brunette desperately tried cringing away. The man pulled his hand away. SMACK. Hermione whimpered from the blinding white pain.

"...Filth…" the man spat with disgust, "Though, I suppose even filth like you have your… uses… After all, you helped me eliminate my biggest threat… Yes, the Potter boy… the Boy Who Lived… is now dead."

Tears streamed down the girl's face, no! He's lying! He's got to be!

As if reading her mind, Voldemort continued, "Yes, it was you who killed them all, Mudblood. Did you ever stop to think, or even look, who was following you throughout your quest to find me? No!" The dark clad man waved his hand and the girl suddenly regained control of her limbs. Weakened by the man's admission, Hermione collapsed onto the cold, forest floor and wailed in anguish. Voldemort flashed another heinous grin and pressed on, "I suppose you deserve a painless death… after everything you've done for me," he bowed his head in mocked gratefulness, "I give you my utmost thanks… Hermione Granger."

Voldemort brandished his wand and stabbed it towards the catatonic girl. The monster gleefully cried out, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" A burst of green light illuminated the darkness and Hermione was no more…

"I've got her! She's sedated now, Sir!" A woman cried out, quickly withdrawing a needle from the girl's pale skin.

"Good job, Bellatrix." A man with a pale countenance and dark, messy hair sighed wearily. He glanced down at his tranquilized patient. Dr. Tom Marvolo Riddle was the head of the Psychiatric Ward for the Mentally Ill. This asylum for the insane was barely funded and as a result, the required amount of medicine that his patients needed were… not met. This undersupply of medicine caused his patients to hallucinate and go on rampages. Deadly rampages in this girl's case… Dr. Riddle looked over the girl who was now sleeping like a baby. The man almost laughed at the irony of the situation, moments ago, this girl had been on a killing spree. Nearly half of his patients and about a quarter of his staff were killed in her crazed frenzy.

"What should we do with her?" inquired his assistant.

"I don't know, Bellatrix, I just don't know…" The doctor looked grimly at the carnage the girl had caused. She was soaked in blood and her hair was matted with sweat. A bloodied knife laid beside her outstretched hand… Her wand, she had garbled out in her madness… Dr. Riddle sighed, "Take her back to her cell and get her cleaned up… We cannot afford to have something like this to happen again…"

"I agree, sir…"