I'm sad that I got so few reviews for the last chapter! But I'm dedicating this chapter to my three favorite reviewers, Glow91, Vladcougar, and LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL. Thanks to you this chapter has been written much faster than normal. I hope to get more feedback in the future. Enjoy and Happy Reading!

Chapter 11

On the Brink

Severus quickly leaned down so he was just an inch away from Hermione's face. Her eyes were glazed over and drooping heavily. He waited until all of his fellow Death Eaters apparated away to show any real emotion. All of this hurt could not be in vain after all.

"Hermione, can you hear me?" Severus said right into the young woman's face. She didn't respond, but instead she blinked once and her eyes closed and didn't open again.

"You must stay awake, Hermione!" Severus said with sheer terror in his voice. He began to gently shake her shoulder to try to rouse her with no success. He then scooped her carefully off the ground to avoid further injury and cuddled her close to his chest. Blood was everywhere and he could hear how shallow her breaths were becoming. She wouldn't last much longer in this state.

Severus knew apparition could be dangerous to her fragile body but it was the only way out of this hell-hole. He gave a nod towards Draco as a signal for him to go ahead and apparate. With two smalls 'pops' both men were gone.

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As they landed outside the gates of Hogwarts, Severus looked down at the person in his arms. She didn't seem to be further injured by the apparition, but she was still in life-threatening danger. He would have to make fast, accurate decisions to save her life.

Severus then turned to Draco and saw the terror in the boy's eyes. He knew Draco was blaming himself for what had happened tonight. But it was just as much his fault as it was Draco's. But they didn't have time to wallow in their self-pity if they were going to save Hermione.

"Draco, we must hurry. She doesn't have much time," Severus said as he began running towards the castle with Hermione in his arms. Good thing it was so late, the students would be petrified to see their Potion's Master in such a distraught state.

As they rushed down the stony hallways towards the dungeons, a small groan was heard from Hermione in his arms.

Severus slowed down and looked into her now conscious eyes and clutched her even closer to his chest.

"Hermione, just hold on a little while longer. Don't give up yet. I love you and I can't live without you," Severus said down to her. Love shown back in her eyes but just as quickly as she gained consciousness she lost it once more. But this time her body went completely limp in his arms and her breathing ceased all together.

Severus noticed this and sprinted the last few steps, screamed out his password, and entered his rooms followed closely by Draco.

But there was one person the Potion's Master had forgotten would be there. The one person that was always in his rooms after a revel to gain valuable information from his spy was there, Albus Dumbledore.

Severus rushed right past him and laid Hermione on his bed. She was still not breathing and Severus could feel her life quickly slipping through his hands. He then whipped out his wand and screamed:

"Anhelo!"

Hermione still wasn't breathing. So Severus yelled the charm again and again. He then raised his two fingers to the side of her neck to check her pulse and felt nothing. The love of his life was not breathing and had no heartbeat. She was legally dead.

"No! Hermione, not now! Please! I will not let you go!" Severus yelled down to Hermione.

As the emotion of grief flooded over him and tears streamed down his face he decided to scream the charm once more, even though he knew there was almost no chance that it would work.

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Albus Dumbledore had been patiently awaiting his spy to get back from the revel that he was informed would happen tonight, just like any other night there was a revel. As he sat comfortably on Severus's couch he heard a commotion outside the door. He stood up to find out what the noise was about but there was no need. In rushed Severus with a severely bleeding and mangled body in his arms followed by Draco Malfoy. This was a sight he most certainly was not expecting to come across. As Severus swept into his bedroom, Albus followed to offer his medical aide to the poor person.

What he saw when he entered the room was a site he never wished to see. His prized Gryffindor, Hermione Granger, was the practically dead body that Severus was carrying in. Draco stood immediately to the left of Dumbledore and had tears streaming down his face. His fists were clenched at his sides and he just observed the sight before him and prayed that she would survive.

At that moment, Dumbledore saw Severus use the charm that would force the girl to breathe once more. He knew her situation was dire, but that particular charm was used only as a last ditch effort to save a life. It typically was not very successful because the patient was usually too far gone already. Hermione was no different. As the Potion's Master began to scream the charm over and over Albus noticed unusual tears streaming down Severus's face. He just kept screaming it in desperation, an emotion that Albus had never seen in Severus before.

Albus slowly approached the Potion's Master from behind and placed his hand on his shoulder for support. Albus willed all of his power to help Hermione come to life once more as Severus raised his wand one last time to scream the charm that had failed to work thus far.

"Anhelo!"

And then there was silence followed by a few tense moments. All three men stood staring at the body of Hermione, the woman that had meant so much too each and every one of them. She was still not breathing. All hope was lost. A small sob escaped Draco as he began to realize he had lost his best friend to a cause that he had dragged her into.

Severus dropped to his knees next to the bed of his beloved. He grasped her now cold hand in his and held it tightly to his cheek. His tears ran over their hands and continued a path down the rest of his face.

"Why, Hermione, why? Why did you leave me here? I love you! Come back to me!" He sobbed loudly before gently kissing her small palm. He reached up with his other hand to caress her blood covered cheek and to place a final kiss on her cold, blue lips. He had lost the love of his life so soon after he had just found her. Oh, how life was cruel.

Just as the group had broken down into uncontrollable sobs, a loud gasping for air was heard from the bed. All three men turned at once to see where the sound had come from.

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Ha! A cruel cliffhanger as punishment for not reviewing! Hehehe

So please, it will only take a minute of your time but mean the world to me! REVIEW PLEASE!!!

What should happen to Hermione? Should she live or die? YOU DECIDE!