Why must it end like this?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters… (I think.)

I stared at the Daily prophet. How could it be happening so fast? Dumbledore dead. All but one Horcrux destroyed. And now the final battle was about to begin.

A curse. A curse stopped me speaking of it. Stopped me thinking of it. I knew what the last Horcrux was.

That night. Only a few months ago. I had figured it out. Being my usual busybody self, I was in the library. Voldemort leaves a part of himself in an object or being. The snake developed a special link to him… A few ideas formed into my mind. A Horcrux has a mark. The crack on the ring…like a bolt of lightening…OH NO! I could have stopped him. I could have run to the dormitory and blurted it straight out before letting him do anything. That night…

"HARRY!" I'd bellowed coming through the portrait hole. I was caught off-guard by him in my hurry. He lunged at me and pulled me into a tight embrace. I started as his mouth clamped over mine. "Mmpf!" was all I could manage. He released me. A look of clear bewilderment on his face. "I-I'm sorry! I don' know what happened!" As shocking as the experience had been, I cleared from my mind. "Harry! The last Horcrux…" I was finding it hard to breath. "It's-" I gasped. "Yo-y-" (A/N: That's pronounced like yu.)

"What?" he asked confused. "Can't you say it?" I shook my head vigorously. He HAD to understand. I attempted to raise my arm, but found that I couldn't do anything to communicate the true nature of the last Horcrux to Harry. And as the days progressed I found that I couldn't do so with anyone else either.

Now. The last battle is drawing closer and Harry still doesn't know what the last Horcrux is. We have tried everything to lift the curse but to no results.My world, Everyone's world, has been turned upside-down. I find myself drowning in my own thoughts, desperate to make sense of them. Ron… Can I tell him? I haven't been cursed so as to prevent me from doing so… Yet I can't… I love you Ron. No matter how many times I play the words over in my head I still can't say them. Not again. Scars from the last time I had bared my soul to him still linger. The sorrow and pity etched into his features haunt my dreams. I wouldn't survive if he rejected me again. I love you too. Four words I will never hear from him.

Tomorrow we will be at the top of a forgotten mountain. Waiting for battle to commence. Harry versus Voldemort, without the last Horcrux. The D.A. versus the Death eaters, without a hope. Unless Harry rids the earth of the last Horcrux we are all doomed. Now I realise that it's down to me. Whatever the cost.

At my desk I roll out a piece of parchment and dip my quill into the ink. As I write:

Harry,

I feel the curse come into effect. The searing pain can't stop me now. Mustn't stop me now. "I DON'T CARE IF IT KILLS ME!" I roar at the empty room.

The last Horcrux is

My hand is shaking so violently I channel every last once of energy into my fingers. One more word… A new source of power comes within my grasp. All the people I love spring into my mind. My parents… Harry… The students… The Weaslys'… RON… the letter finished, I collapse. "You did your worst Voldemort." I say to the floor.

The end is near…

"Ron!" I seize his arm as he pauses. He turns his attention to me. "If i don't live to see you again then...I love you." Beautiful. The first kiss… "Give this to Harry." He takes the parchment from my hand.

"What is it?"

"It's what I couldn't tell any of you since Harry kissed me." Ron's face falls into a look of horror. "He kissed you?" I nodded. He looks at the letter in disgust. "I'll not be a messenger for you and your lover boy." The last kiss...He throwsmy letter on the ground. Tears stream down my face as Ginny enters through the portrait hole. She takes one looks at me and asks; "Tea?"

We sit down and she pours me a cup of steaming tea. I eye it sorrowfully, and then take it all down in four large gulps. Ginny giggles evilly. I had noticed her slipping the dust into my drink but it doesn't matter now. I can feel the energy pouring out of my body. " Little Miss Granger! You didn't know!" Ginny was obviously referring to the poison.

"You never knew that I Forced Harry to kiss you! AND that while he did so I cursed you so you would never be able to tell anyone!"

"No." I say in nothing more than a whisper. Everything is turning hazy...

"And you never knew about this!" she pushes her sleeve up and reveals the dark mark on her skin. My last words… " I knew…" Ron. "But why does it have to end like this?"

A mere 15 year old girl leaves the room that she commited her first murder in. Not noticing the letter that Harry will laterfind, and will bring the downfall of the dark lord. Hermione Grangers last testament.

Harry,

The last Horcrux is you.

Act wisely.Tell Ron I give him all my love.

Hermione.

A/N: The end. Please review! Even if you have nothing to say!