Bellatrix, laughing, approached the wandless and terrified Hermione standing near the same fireplace that had been the site of some wonderful memories just a year before in the Gryffindor common room.
"You think a little disgusting mudblood can defeat me? A death eater?"
"I won't tell you anything."
"CRUCIO" The vial woman screamed
Hermione's screams were even louder. He followed the direction of the terror that had just stopped as Bellatrix lifted the curse.
"Don't you dare call her a mudblood you disgusting little twit."
She laughed and turned to face her verbal attacker.
"Twit? Is that a muggle thing? You're a Weasley alright."
He walked over to the trembling Hermione and helped her up. This curse didn't last nearly as long as the torture she had experienced in Malfoy Manor. Hermione quickly recovered.
"You'll be sorry you ever hurt her."
"Oh yes, boy? And what do you think you're going to do about it?"
Ron pulled both his and Hermione's wand out before she could mutter another spell.
"CRUCIO!" He shouted. Bellatrix fell to the ground.
"CRUCIO! CRUCIO! CRUCIO!" Bellatrix withered away with the pain of the double wands.
Ron could feel Hermione on his shoulder as she cringed at the sound of the curse.
"Please, Ron." He lifted the curse. Bellatrix breathed heavily.
"Is…Is that all you've got…boy?" Bellatrix managed to get the words out.
"RON! Please, Ron. I can't stand to watch. Don't do it again" He wondered how she couldn't be wanting this same fate for Bellatrix after what she had endured.
"What do you expect me to do! After what she did to you!"
"Ron." The ginger slowly lowered his wand and handed Hermione's back, placing a hand on her shoulder as a lone tear fell to her cheek.
Bellatrix laid on the floor of the room secretly breathing a sigh of relief that the girl had talked him out of it.
"What should we do to her, then? Surely you don't want her to run free." The boy said
The brunette thought for a second and raised her wand. The woman shuddered slightly.
"What do..you think you're doing, mudblood." Ron cringed "You think someone like you could hurt me?"
"You're not really in a well position to be chancing your luck" The girl said quickly
Hermione thought fast about the decision she was making. What the woman had done to her and her friends. She had killed Sirius Black, tortured her to no end, killed Dobby, caused her and her friends a world of pain, and spat filthy, vial names at her because she supposed she was better than her. Her decision was looking more and more certain.
"Hermione…"
Then, without a second thought, she let those cursed words leave her lips. Not the ones that had pained her, nor the one that had victimized her, But a curse she had read about in a book. The one that had nearly killed Ginny just moments before.
"Avada Kedavra" She whispered, hesitating between words. A green stream of light left her wand and attached itself to Bellatrix' chest. The woman lay lifeless on the floor of the Griffindor common.
Hermione turned to Ron, him staring at her with integrity, and did not smile but cry. She laid her head on his shoulder and hugged him, rethinking the devil curse she had just placed upon her torturer. Would she be able to live knowing that she had murdered even someone of Bellatrix' level?
"Hermione, it's ok. She can't hurt you anymore. Shall we go find Harry?"
They walked out of the room and she turned to look at the portrait that had just closed behind them.
Ron gently placed an arm around Hermione's waist as they walked, and she leaned her head against his shoulder in response. A tear being soaked up by Ron's warm jacket.
She was safe now, for the moment. That horrid woman would never be back in their lives again. And yet, she felt guilt.
"HERMIONE! RON!" She looked up with a start and saw Harry running toward them. His eyes glistening with fresh tears.
"You had me worried sick! Are you all right, Hermione?" He noticed she didn't look well. She felt a lump in her throat as she swallowed her tears.
She cleared her throat "Y..yea. I'm fine."
Harry glanced at Ron, his arm still holding his love. Harry hugged them both and asked about Bellatrix. He had wanted to kill her for torturing his best friend, and nearly killing his love.
"She's dead." Said Ron.
"Hermione, she… I walked in on Bellatrix using the Cruciatus curse on her again…" Harry's knuckles turned white with anger. He looked at Hermione who was staring at the ground.
"So I took revenge on her and used her own curse to attack her.. and then Hermione, well, she finished her off"
Hermione silently wept. She didn't want them to see her so vulnerable.
"Hermione, are you…?" Ron put a finger under the girls chin and lifted it to look at him, standing in front of her and next to Harry now.
She let the first tears fall as Ron wiped them from her cheek. She shoved him off and continued.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to see me like this…"
"What's wrong?"
"I'm a coward. That's what's wrong. A Gryffindor crying because she avenged her friends? Its unheard of. We're supposed to be brave. Fearless. And here I am, in tears." She let a few more slip down her cheeks.
"You, you think you aren't brave? After what I have just witnessed?"
"I'm a mudblood…" Before she could continue, Harry intervened.
"Stop. Now. You just killed the woman who made you, who made us all terrified. You have avenged us all, Hermione. I don't think of you any different than anyone at this school."
"Thanks, Harry." She muttered
Ron looked at Harry and then back at Hermione.
"You should feel no guilt for doing what you've just done. After what she's done to us."
She looked up at them and let out a small smile. Ron hugged her tight.
"Come on. We should be getting to the celebration now." Harry said as he led the way.
They walked into the room full of the witches and wizards that had just battled that horrible fight. The room turned silent, and all of a sudden an explosion of clapping and cheering.
They couldn't believe it was finally over.
Ron looked over at Hermione who was staring into the crowd and a smirk came across her face. She looked up at him and smiled bigger. He embraced her with all of the emotion that had built up toward her in all their years at Hogwarts.
It was finally over.
So, wicked cheesy I know but i've been thinking about this one for a WHILE! I've twisted the plot a bit:D... Hope you all like it! Please reviewwww!