General Disclaimer:

All characters and settings within belong to JK Rowling, and the song lyrics belong to Adam Lambert.

AN:

This is a Dramione fanfiction, and is not cannon.

Everywhere that I go, I see another memory

And the places we used to know, they're always there to haunt me

The castle was in pitch black darkness when she arrived. As always, it had been her, the ever punctual, know-it-all Gryffindor, who'd been late when it really mattered. First then and now here.

This was the old school, and after taking time away, she could finally see her past truly. No more cracks in the walls or caving arches. Hogwarts was fixed. Her heart only wished that so was she.

All students who were attending further education at the newly formed Founders College had been required to attend that morning. The castle looked deathly still as she approached, from the depths of the night Hermione had returned, her muggle flight causing most of her delays. At least there'd be no one around to see her now.

Walking down one of the old hallways, which now lead to the dorms for the founders college she saw a portrait that made her stop. It was of the student faculty team which had been there during her last year before the war; and of course there was her in her Head-Girl splendour, and of course there he was, her Mr Malfoy, arrogant as ever, stood beside her, his eyes showing just how much he was in love with her. Just looking at the portrait reminded her of the beautiful tones of his voice; later people would swear that night there had been someone calling her name.

Seeing him there, immortal in paint and magic sent her back to that fateful night. The end of everything. The tears began to fall, all over again, every wound that she'd fought to close, each memory she'd fought to hide, all breached the weak dam she'd built in her mind. She tasted the tears that she'd hidden in the overflowing city.

Not being able to stand it anymore she let go of her trunk and ran out into the school quad. Out there the rain was falling, but there's not a drop that hits her. Feeling so much raw emotion she screams at the sky, but no sound leaves her lips. After the love that he had showed her, had felt for her, had given her, how could she feel anything anymore? How could she even pretend to feel anything other than numb? There was never going be anyone who could measure up to him, how would she ever move on.

To her it was like she was running around in a world filled with invisible walls that she couldn't break down or walk around. She just wandered through life numb. Her eyes wide shut.

Everywhere she went she could see things that reminded her of him... there would always be something that showed her yet another memory of him. All of those places in Hogwarts and Hogsmeade that they'd met in secret were there to haunt her. It would be hell this year, seeing him, but knowing she would never be in his arms again.

Hermione walked around feeling so lost and lonely, no matter whether she was with friends, or whether she was out on a date, there was nothing that could fill the hole that he had left behind. No matter how much she screamed 'Let me out' she was trapped.

Standing out in the rain, tears pouring down her cheeks, silent screams leaving her lips, she remembered that last thing. The way his eyes had told her there was nothing else, how the urgency in their last kiss told her to be safe for him, told her he was going to do right by her, and how he wouldn't listen to her arguments anymore.

"My sweet Hermione," his hand still held her face, "I want to hold this moment forever, forget the future… but my darling, I couldn't bear the thought of what he might do to you… my love, remember that you will always be the only one I'll ever love, truly, madly, deeply… my girl who waited…"

The tears were already falling down her cheeks. "Don't cry for me my love; I'll suffer this life with Parkinson, knowing that you are safe. That you are protected. That he can't harm you anymore."

That day he left her side for good, he left her a shell of what she once was. How could she ever settle for the marriage Molly had been planning since Hermione had met her son, when there was a man out there who could make her feel so much more alive?

To an outsider the scene in the courtyard would have been a strange one. For no one expected the curse to be ever used again. There was a flash of green light, and the body of a young woman lay upon the damp earth of the school quad. She couldn't live like that anymore; the rain washed away the last that was left of Hermione Granger.