Thanks for all the great reviews. Here is the beginning of the end for this fanfic. Only like one or two more chapters and probably an epilogue. I hope that you guys enjoy.

Chapter 11: Light over Dark

Snape threw curse after curse at the Death Eaters as they came in numbers like he'd never seen before. All of them walking through the open front gates of the school. He looked to his left to see Minerva and Albus standing back to back with their wands raised and both throwing spells, hexes, jinxes and curses at the Death Eaters as fast as their wands would allow them. Suddenly there was a loud boom and a whole section of the ancient stone school exploded. Snape watched as people fled while others immediately drew out their wands to fight.

Not even a second after the wall of the school seemed to explode darkness as black as night came over the scene. The torches that were seat around the schools gates burst to life and illuminated the ghastly scene as several flashes of green light were thrown from Death Eaters and Snape watched in horror as several students were hit and feel to the ground dead. Rage like Snape had never felt before in his life raised in him when he noticed that one of the Death Eaters who had thrown the Killing Curse at an unsuspecting child was Lucius. He turned and roared with rage the Killing Curse and watched as Lucius feel to the ground, dead. From his right he heard a shriek and turned to see a tall dark figure that seemed to be floating above the mess. Behind the figure was another, this one was struggling against invisible bonds. It only took a moment for Snape to notice that it was Hermione and the tall thin figure in front of her was Lord Voldemort himself.

The Dark Lord landed only a few feet from Snape and he turned to look back at Hermione who was crying and trying to scream but the words wouldn't come out. The Snake took out his wand and stroked her chin with it.

"Such carnage. I agree it is a petty Miss Granger but I assure you little Mudblood that I have bigger plans for you and your beloved husband." He turned and several of the Death Eaters went to his side. Snape noticed that he was wearing his Death Eater robes and immediately flicked his wand to divest himself of them. He didn't care that the Dark Lord would see this as a sign of disrespect. He could have no respect for a man such as the Dark Lord.

The scene seemed to quite as the Dark Lord stood before everyone. There was no movement it seemed other than a few people moving to stand behind McGonagall and Dumbledore. Snape seemed to be standing in the middle between the two groups. The students and teachers from Hogwarts watched him as did the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord and Hermione who upon seeing him alive and well stopped crying and struggling. The snake like man's eyes landed on Snape who was looking back a forth between the two groups.

"Hard decision isn't it Severus." The cold cruel voice of the Dark Lord wafted to him over the few feet that separated them. "To choose between the one you love and the ones who can save her. No I take that back no one can save her. It's a hard decision nevertheless. Oh, choices, choices, and the many choices you have. Fight with the ones who are destined to die or the ones that are destined to live." The Dark Lord advanced on Severus, Hermione following behind as if tied to him. "I must say you have found yourself in quite the predicament haven't you." Voldemort was right in front of Snape now his snake like eyes boring down into his dark ones. "So what will it be Severus. Live or die." This seemed to amuse several of the Death Eaters who snickered but fell silent as the Dark Lord looked over his shoulder.

Snape felt the rage build inside him. More rage than he'd felt when he killed Lucius and he spat at the Dark Lord's feet which hovered about three feet above the ground.

"I will not stand and fight with a man who is going to kill me anyway. I'd be stupid to believe anything you say." He backed away from where the Dark Lord floated and into the line beside Albus and Harry Potter. The Dark Lord threw his head back and laughed rather evilly before raising his wand and flicking it. The Death Eaters started to attack instantly and the Hogwarts group soon started flinging spells at them as well. The Dark Lord instantly tried to separate Harry from the rest of the group but Snape quickly pulled the boy out of the line of fire and behind a large chunk of the wall that had fallen from the school.

"I'm going to help you get close to the Dark Lord." Snape told him as he rose up and flicked his wand sending several of the Death Eaters flying backwards into the outer wall of Hagrid's hut. "I'll draw him into a fight and you try and snick up behind him. But be careful because he'll have Death Eaters covering his back and I don't want Hermione to get hit with a stray spell. Do you understand me?" Harry nodded. "Good, now stay close and wait for my signal." He started to turn and walk out into the open but Harry grabbed the arm of his white button up shirt and pulled him back.

"What's your signal?" Snape thought for a moment before answering.

"When I Splinch him that should weaken him then you come in and put the Circle of Power on his chest. Remember to put it over his heart." He turned again but Harry grabbed at his arm again. "What is it now Potter?" He snapped getting slightly annoyed at the young boy who kept grabbing at his arm.

"Thank you and I'm sorry for being such a pain in your arse all the time. I'm glad that Hermione found some like you." Snape looked at the boy as if he could not believe the words that he had just spoken. In all truth he couldn't believe the words that the boy had just said. "I also want to apologize for the things my father did to you. He was so mean to you and I hope that you can forgive him because…" But Snape held up his hand to stop him.

"Those are not your things to apologize for Potter. Your father and I were different people in school and in life and I probably would have done the same things to him had the situation been reversed." Harry looked at him for a moment before reaching out and wrapping his arms around the one man he'd never in his life suspected he'd want to hug.

"Thank you sir." He whispered before letting go of Snape who had actually wrapped one arm around him in a sure of manly hug.

"I think it would be alright if you called me Severus…Harry." The older man watched as the younger one smiled and nodded.

"Thank you…Severus." Then together they started out into the fighting. Snape heading one way and Harry heading in the other to walked around the Dark Lord.

He watched as Harry drew a Death Eater that Snape had never seen before into a fight while he looked left and right for the Dark Lord. He spotted him floating among the crowd flinging spells at will and staring at Dumbledore. He ran up the hill toward the floating man and shot a spell at him. It missed but it drew the Dark Lord's attention away from Dumbledore and to him. The expression on the Dark Lord's face was one that Snape had seen many times and often in the past few months aimed at him. He was angry.

Looking over his shoulder Snape noticed that Harry had flung a Killing Curse at the Death Eater he'd been fighting. He stopped for a moment and stared down at the dead body. Obviously this was the first time the boy had been forced to kill someone. No sooner had he turned around than the Dark Lord flung the Killing Curse at him and he dunked out of the way to miss it. Hermione once again tired to scream but no words came out. He rolled back to his feet and flung a Stunning Spell at the man floating above them, he dodged it perfectly.

He saw Harry standing behind the Dark Lord and while someone yelled at the Dark Lord he turned in a moment of weakness and Snape took the opportunity and threw the spell at him. He watched as Harry moved forward as the Dark Lord seemed to stager a little and fell to the ground. Harry reached down and pulled the front of the Dark Lord's robes down over his heart and shoved the Circle of Power onto his skin. As soon as it made contact with his skin light burst from the golden pendant and the light shot up into the darkness driving it back.

There was a hush over the scene before suddenly the Dark Lord whom had gotten to his feet gave a high scream. Looking up Snape notice a hole in the darkness and a light coming down to met the one emitting from pendant. Everyone seemed to hold their breath and watch as the Dark Lord stumbled toward Harry with his wand drawn and muttered something but nothing happened. Then just as it had been in the Chamber of Secrets light began to shine through the body of the Dark Lord and he burst into flames giving another scream.

Then the darkness was gone, replaced by the bright and shinning sunlight. Snape looked around and noticed that all of the Death Eaters, save for himself, had fallen to the ground clinching their left arms. He felt as if his arm was tingling and looking down pulling back his shirtsleeve. The Dark Mark was slowly fading as he watched but unlike the others it didn't seem to have affected him as much.

Looking around his eyes were sifting through the confused and scared crowd of people for Hermione. His eyes immediately were drawn to the crumbled pile of robes that was lying on the ground. He thought for a moment that it might have been someone else but the bushy brown hair and the line on the left ring finger where a ring used be whipped all doubt about who the body was from his mind.

He raced forward and dropped to his knees beside her. Turning her over slowly he noticed that her eyes were closed and that she wasn't breathing. He placed his hand over her heart where a steady beat used to be but this time there was no beat, there was no sign of life what so ever inside of her. His hand moved up to her face and stroked her cheek.

"NO!!" He screamed causing several people to turn and look at him. Tears leaked from his eyes and he held the lifeless of his love. Harry and Ron whom had been somewhere else fighting and now looked as battle worn as the rest of them came running over closely followed by McGonagall and Dumbledore. Madam Pomfrey came forward and reached down to check for a pulse but Snape pulled Hermione closer to him and wouldn't let anyone near her.

"She's dead." He whispered through his tears and saw Harry and Ron drop down beside him.

"Are you sure Severus?" Harry asked looking at his Potions Master. Ron gave Harry a funny look but he ignored him. He'd have to explain about his and Severus' talk behind the portion of the wall later. Right now the most important thing was Hermione and making sure that she was okay. Snape nodded his head and lifted Hermione a little higher.

"Hermione, please, wake up. I need you. Don't leave me, you promised. You promised me damn it. You said you wouldn't leave. You said you wouldn't do me like she did. Don't you dare lie to me." He said shaking her softly but watching as her head just bobbled around lifelessly. He cradled her head in his hand and pressed his forehead against hers. He pressed kisses to her cheeks, eyelids, and forehead, anywhere he could reach. He held her in his arms as he cried, his tears dropping onto her skin and sliding down.

He felt Harry place his hand on his shoulder and give it a squeeze. He turned to look at Harry who wrapped one arms around Snape and reaching over with his hand and taking Hermione's hand.

TBC????

What's going to happen? What's happening to Hermione? Is she going to live or is she going to die? What do you think of the drastic way that Harry and Snape's relationship has changed? Let me KNOW!!