This one is ok, but not AMAZING. I had a better picture of it in my head, but I started typing and then it just was completely butchered...

~justaclassicgirl

Demons

So much pain was buried deep in his soul.

The pain of his parents, of Sirius, of everyone dying.

The pain inflicted upon him by his horrid aunt and uncle, who had raised a greedy little pig of a son.

The pain of watching his mentor and teacher fall, dead, off the Astronomy Tower, killed by a professor who hated Harry from the start.

The pain of watching the love of his life cry over anther boy.

Too much. He'd seen too much.

But why did she have to see just as much of her own pain too?

Why should she, the only bright point in his life, have to suffer as he did?

It just wasn't fair to her.

Malfoy Manor wasn't fair.

All those Cruciatus curses placed on her weren't fair.

Her erasing herself from her parents' memory for HIM wasn't fair.

Even her seeing Ron with Lavender back in 6th year wasn't fair.

She deserved more than this endless torment.

And he knew it would be worse for her if she intended to stay with him. He was bound to die. Most everyone knew it. They may not have said it aloud, for who would dare? But they were right. And he had to tell her. He couldn't hide the truth from her any longer.

"Hermione, can we talk?"

She smiled that dazzling smile of hers, wiping ash and rubble off her face.

"Of course, Harry."

"Well...Hermione, I want you to know this isn't easy."

Her smile shattered, and with it his heart.

"Wh-what's not easy?"

"Hermione, I'm going to die. I have to die. He's going to kill me. This is going to be the last time we see each other."

Her gorgeous brown eyes began to pool with tears.

"D-don't say that."

"But it's true," he whispered.

"No...NO!" she sobbed, truly crying at this point. "You're not going to die. You'll kill him, Harry. You'll save us all."

"Hermione, this is to keep you safe. He mustn't know I care for you, or he'll come after you. We...we have to be done."

"No, Harry, please. PLEASE!" she wailed. "I'll come with you. Really, I will! We'll defeat him together. Please don't break up with me!"

"There are too many things about me that will endanger you, Hermione. I can't risk it. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

"I won't let you go!" she screamed, tears leaving tracks through the ash on her cheeks.

"I have to," he said mournfully. "There are too many things I can't let you be exposed to. Too many demons are inside me, Hermione. Please, love. Please, just let me go."

She sniffled and turned away. "What...What will I do...without you?"

"Hermione, look at me."

She didn't budge.

He came closer, so close she could feel the heat emanating from his body. But he didn't wrap his arms around her, he didn't rock her back and forth telling her it would be alright, and he didn't kiss her oh so tenderly like he had all those nights for about a year now.

"Hermione, look at me, love. LOOK AT ME."

She turned slowly and gazed into the seas of emerald and jade that were Harry's eyes.

And just for one flickering moment, she could see it.

She could see it all.

All the pain, all the sorrow, all of the suffering he'd seen and went through. But not just that; she could see his feelings. His doubts and thoughts and confusion, and finally his darkness. There wasn't much of it there, but there was enough to make her step back with a gasp.

There was enough darkness in his eyes to frighten her out of her mind.

He smiled sadly. "I told you."

She shook her head quickly.

"No, no, it wasn't like that..."

Her voice trailed off, having no way to respond to him.

Just then, a loud scream came from the courtyard. She recognized the familiar look in his eyes: Too many people were dying. For him. He had to stop it.

"Hermione, no matter what happens, I want you to know two things," he said, urgency in his voice. "You must never forget them, even when I die."

'Not if. When.' she noticed he'd said, new tears blurring her vision. But she wiped them away and nodded.

"First, I was never good enough for you. I am the last horcrux, Hermione. There's too much of HIM in me for you. I would rather die than have you live with a man with a piece of the evilest man alive inside them."

So THAT'S what the darkness in his eyes was. It wasn't him who was evil, who was ever so dark. It was a piece of Voldemort's soul. That was why he kept saying he had to die. He was a horcrux. He was the LAST horcrux. Voldemort would live as long as Harry did, but if Harry didn't live, neither would Voldemort.

"And lastly, this is the most important thing."

Hermione almost choked on her own tears. "Yes?"

His entire face softened. "Never forget it."

"I won't," she gasped.

"I love you."

Hermione burst into tears. "I love you too, Harry! SO much!"

And then he was kissing her, his lips pressed against hers. And she responded, keeping the kiss long but soft and sweet. It was the best kiss they'd ever had.

And then he pulled away, and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

He turned and began to walk away.

Hermione let out a strangled sob. "HARRY!"

He stiffened, and turned around.

She stood there, and mouthed it to him.

I love you.

He sent her one last smile, and then turned back around to meet his fate.

Hermione fell to the ground, sobbing, "Come back! Please come back!"

An hour later, maybe two, she heard people around her saying, "Hagrid's brought Harry back from the Forbidden Forest!"

Hermione rushed out into the clearing, where the Death Eaters were all lined up. Voldemort was there, looking triumphant. And so was Hagrid. He looked as though he'd been crying. He held a limp body in his hands.

Harry.

"NO!" she shrieked. "HARRY!" "COME BACK TO ME! P-PLEASE!"

And then,

his body

twitched.