Prologue

Fighting alongside Harry was how she always known it would end. She'd never thought she may have a chance of living; back to back with Harry while Ron was protecting his sister, Hermione and Harry fought off as many Death Eaters as they could. They had already taken out every Horcrux except Nagini and Harry himself.

"We can't keep this up." Ron yelled from over with Ginny.

"We have to Ronald, or we all die!" Hermione yelled back. Her eyes wandered around for the next target, then her blood froze in her veins. Antonin Dolohov stood watching Harry; a spell forming on his lips. Without thought of her own life or well being, she pushed Harry down and took the brunt of the spell. In a flash of purple flame, Hermione was thrown back into the stone wall of the castle.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled, and she tried to open her eyes. Her insides burned; every part of her body felt like it was lit with Fiendfyre. She could hear screaming around her but she wasn't sure if it was her own or someone else.

She didn't have time to think as Voldemort's voice flooded into her mind, her hands moved cradling her head as she clenched her eyes even tighter against the new pain. He was calling Harry out; giving them time to bury their dead. Hermione couldn't move, let alone try and talk Harry out of whatever plan he was thinking of doing.

She felt her body being cradled and she tried to see who it was.

"Shh it's alright kitten, just breath." The voice said.

"Sirius?" she asked in shock as she opened her eyes, though it took everything just to focus on his scruffy features.

"In the flesh."

"How?"

"You kitten… you summoned me." He stated before he laid her on a thick blanket so she could be tended to.

Hermione could hear the Weasley's crying. She could hear Molly begging for someone to come back to her, that she didn't want to lose a child but Hermione couldn't figure out who it was. She wanted to sit up and go to them, tried to even. Her mind was too foggy to contemplate that Sirius Black was alive, or that Harry was slowly walking down the stairs to face off with Voldemort alone. She felt hands on her pushing her back down.

"Lay down now, you where injured." Remus said. Hermione looked at him confused she could of swore that she saw him and Tonks both go down. But then again she didn't know much of anything accept her body was weak, and on fire from within.

"My boy! He was so young!" Molly was yelling.

"Who?" Hermione asked to no one in particular, since she wasn't sure who was still around her if anyone.

"It was Ron love, he took the killing curse to protect Ginny. " Sirius said gently putting a hand in hers to try and comfort the witch.

Her breath caught in her throat and she felt a pain go through her. A broken heart for her best friend lost. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as she fought from crying.

"Kitten, cry, it's alright." Sirius soothed and pulled her as gently as he could to hold her close.

She was given a pain potion and told there was no lasting damage that could be seen. Her mind raced uncontrollably. She couldn't figure that out since she felt like her body was going to melt her insides.

Struggling to her feet, Hermione made her way to the Weasley's and leaned into Ginny, holding her tightly as the girl sobbed into her shoulder. Hermione held onto her and tried to keep her eyes off Ron's dead body. At least he looked peaceful, like he was sleeping almost. Thankfully he had died clean; no torture or Cruciatus. Something in it about small victories in a war. Her eyes drifted over to the body next to Ron and her heart stopped; Percy, there but alive. He had been badly injured and Madam Pomfrey had informed his family that he may not make it. Yet another blow for the Weasley's. Hermione took a deep breath as her eyes landed on Bill Weasley crying over a blonde-headed form. It took a moment for realization to sink in; it was Fleur.

"She was killed by Greyback." Fred mumbled in her ear as he pulled her from Ginny's grasp and into a hug. "George and I tried to get to her but we were blocked by four death eaters. She was lucky Greyback's claws took her quickly. He was chased off before he could do any worse," he said and held Hermione close. His tears stopped coming but she knew he was devastated. Three of his family members were dead or dying; now he just wanted vengeance, and Hermione could not blame him.

"You alright?" George asked her.

"No, but we have a war to win." Hermione said with all the determination she could. Moving through gritted teeth she began to make her way to the front of the school when she heard an ear shattering scream come from Ginny who had wandered to stand near the front doors.

Everyone picked up the pace only to freeze when Hagrid stood there with a dead Harry in his arms.

"No, no, no, no…" Hermione began to hyperventilate before she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders; to her right stood Sirius looking ready to kill since that was his godson; her left, Remus, his eyes a shimmering shade of gold as Moony took over his mind for a moment since Harry was pack.

"Harry Potter is DEAD!" Voldemort shouted with glee. "Now kneel to me, and I will let you be free! Granted under my reign, but free nonetheless."

Neville, strong Gryffindor that he turned out to be, did not back down. Holding the sorting hat he hobbled forward on a bad leg. "Never! I will never kneel to you, you are nothing but a noseless freak! You kill because you don't understand; you kill because you want power! You will lead no one!" he yelled.

Nagini slithered menacingly toward Neville's flank, fangs bared to ambush the young wizard. Hermione gasped and wanted to cry out to Neville, to warn him. As Nagini struck, Neville spun to the side, the sword of Godric Gryffindor appearing in his hand from the Sorting Hat. Before anyone, good or dark wizard alike could react, Longbottom cast the killing blow as he deftly sliced the blade and removed Nagini's head. Voldemort screamed in pain as Nagini crumbled before him.

Harry jumped down from Hagrid's arms, his plan reaching its crescendo. Hermione watched, her breath locked in her chest, as Harry and Voldemort entered into their climactic duel which ended with Harry as the victor.

The Death Eater's that lived were rounded up and handed over to the Aurors who were of the light. It would take a lot for any semblance of normality to return to the wizarding world, but first they had to bury their dead.

A week later they buried Ron and Fleur. Percy was still fighting for his life at St. Mungo's. Hermione stayed at the Burrows, keeping herself distracted against all the painful memories as she continued another regiment of daily potions prescribed to her by Madam Pomfrey. It helped that she was able to talk to Bill often. He seemed to need it as well, his wife died after all.

Soon it was all too much, after two months she'd had enough and couldn't stand to stay there any longer. After talking to everyone they thought it was best if she traveled and saw the world a bit before she came back. She was the brains of the Golden Trio, and honestly she wasn't sure if she wanted to ever be that again.

Bill helped her plan a course. It would lead Hermione to cross paths with he and Charlie at some point. Sirius demanded he pay for all her travel's since she brought him back from death; an accomplishment she would ponder over as she traveled. Remus promised to send her books and she told him she would find him the best international chocolate she could.

Harry took it the hardest it seemed but he understood. He was planning on a bit of travel as well, not as extravagant but some. Sirius was going with him so at least there was that. They wanted someone with Hermione but she needed to be alone; years of being part of the Trio gave her a strong need for calm and focus, solitude and introspection.

Deep inside her a thing lingered, tethered to her soul and festering unchecked and unknown...

A/N: Review! What did Antonin do? How is Sirius black? How is Remus not dead?

Beta'd by Zaz