One Enchanting Night

By Hazelmist

Summary: Susan and Ron narrowly escape death but the alternative, stuck in the hands of a group of Death Eaters, isn't much better. Harry and Hermione after a nightmare that could be a prediction, finally arrive at the Serpent's Pit in search of their friends but it appears that someone is expecting them…

Chapter 14: This is the End

The two seventeen-year olds cautiously entered the chamber. It was pitch black, there was no light. The darkness was so thick it was suffocating. It didn't help when the door slammed shut behind them, almost taking Hermione with it.

"Close one," Hermione's voice shook as they plunged into the blackness. She scooted closer to Harry, clinging to his arm, and nearly cutting off the circulation in his hand.

"We'll be okay," Harry assured her, though Hermione knew that he was just saying this in a lame attempt to lift her spirits.

Even when their eyes adjusted to the room, it wasn't much better. Harry couldn't even see Hermione beside him, though he could feel her hand, holding his tightly. He let go, causing Hermione to panic. But then she felt his arm go around her shoulders and suddenly everything was better.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"No problem," Harry said in her ear.

Harry and Hermione tried walking, but they seemed to be going no where. They were stumbling in the darkness, unable to see a blasted thing.

"This is pointless. If only we had some light, perhaps a torch or a lantern," Harry grumbled. Hermione suddenly started laughing. Harry looked at her, alarmed at her sudden outburst.

"You're a wizard Harry!" Hermione exclaimed between bouts of laughter.

"Oh yeah," Harry was glad it was dark, and Hermione couldn't see him turning red with embarrassment. Fumbling in his pocket, he managed to locate his wand and pull it out.

"Lumos!" Harry said.

Light burst into the room, momentarily blinding both Harry and Hermione. They stumbled back struggling to see, in the bright light that had suddenly come from no where. Their poor eyes couldn't handle the change in light.

"Ah at last, I've been waiting for you." The cruel voice caused the two teenagers to look up and try to focus.

Harry's jaw dropped, and Hermione gasped beside him. Clinging to each other they peered up at the man who had made their life living hell. He was standing on a platform above them with three Death Eaters on either side of him. His black robes billowed around him, while his burning red eyes preyed upon the innocent pair, a cruel smile twisting across his deformed face. He snapped his fingers and suddenly ropes were tied around them. Hermione and Harry were so surprised that they didn't stand a chance.

"Welcome... to my lair."

Voldemort threw back his head and laughed. The horrible sound echoed through the hollow chamber causing Hermione to cringe. The Dark Lord smiled and with a sweeping motion, he was off the platform and standing before them. He glided toward them, coming closer and closer, never breaking his burning stare.

Hermione forced herself to look at the vile creature that wasn't quite human. He was tall with fiery red eyes that seemed to be doorways to hell itself. His skin was pale white, his nose was not much more then two mere slits, making his face almost like that of a snake. The body seemed lifeless, but those eyes were alive and filled with overpowering evil and darkness. There was no doubt in her mind that it was him alone that had caused so much pain and death in the world. It had to be the devil himself.

"Harry Potter, we meet again at last." The Dark Lord hissed. Harry narrowed his eyes, to dark emerald slits, but said nothing.

"And look, you've brought your mudblood girl friend with you." He turned to Hermione, walking closer to her.

Hermione shrunk away from him as he reached a skeleton like hand toward her. Voldemort laughed loudly, as he touched her cheek. Hermione gave a small shriek, it burned like fire. She bit down hard on her lip, to keep herself silent.

"Get your slimy hand off of her!" Harry exclaimed.

His emerald green eyes were filled with a fire, a determination that Hermione had never seen.

"Oh? And what are you going to do about it?" Voldemort began to stroke her cheek, letting his hand wander down the course of her neck.

Harry struggled wildly against the bonds that held him. He fought, trying to break the ropes but it was useless. It would take more then physical force to break them.

"You're defenseless, just like this mudblood here." He placed a finger beneath her chin, forcing Hermione to look up at him. Her lip was bleeding, a thin trickle of red blood starting to drip down her porcelain face. But the pain was numbing now.

"It will be all over soon," he told her in a mockingly gentle tone. "Death will be painless, I promise. But first I'm going to have a little fun. So let the game begin!" He chuckled softly and let go of her.

Harry and Hermione watched as he walked back to the center of the room. The lights suddenly went out. But not for very long. Flames suddenly sprung up from the stone floor. They raced around the room, inclosing Harry, Hermione and Voldemort in an inner circle. The Death Eaters suddenly came hurrying back, walking right through the flames and into the circle. Two of them brought large bundles of cloth in their arms and laid them at his feet. A third one brought a large chest, with a thick padlock on it. It was glowing bright orange, telling Hermione that there were some powerful locking charms on it. She wondered what it contained. But then suddenly realized that that was the last thing she wanted to know.

The Death Eater knelt at Voldemort's feet dropping the chest. Voldemort waved the death eater aside and tapped the chest with his wand. He muttered an incantation that Hermione couldn't catch and the lock suddenly clicked. Voldemort didn't open it but instead turned to Harry and Hermione smiling cruelly.

"Are you ready?" He sneered.

Harry and Hermione were puzzled, and didn't know what to say. They didn't know what they were ready for, so they remained silent.

Voldemort didn't open the chest right away. First he went to the two bundles on either side of him. He pointed his wand at the first one, and suddenly Ron Weasley climbed out of the wrappings and painfully got to his feet.

"Ron!" Harry shouted.

Ron took one look at Harry and Hermione and dashed forward. But he didn't make it even halfway before Voldemort stopped him in his tracks. Ron grimaced in pain as Voldemort yanked him back by his collar. Ropes were wrapped around Ron just as they had tied Harry and Hermione.

"Don't worry the fun has only begun." The cruel man laughed and went to the second bundle.

Harry and Hermione were able to guess who was in this one. Just like they assumed, Susan Bones clambered out of the bundle and clumsily got to her feet. She didn't have the chance to break away or do anything of that sort because Voldemort got the ropes on her immediately. He must have had second thoughts after what happened with Ron.

"Look!" Voldemort turned to his Death Eaters who were now staring hungrily at the teenagers as if they were fresh meat.

"Do you know who these four children are?" He asked them.

"Harry Potter and his muggle loving friends!" One snarled spitting in their direction. The others followed suit and poor Susan was covered in saliva, because she was the only one close enough.

"Ah, yes, they are... but do you know what else I have here?" Voldemort asked them.

They turned to him, with curious eyes, waiting for him to speak.

"This is the Order of the Phoenix!" He grinned and suddenly the Death Eaters were laughing. Menacingly they threw back their heads and laughed, filling the chamber with an awful disheartening sound, that couldn't be called laughter.

Hermione nervously turned to look at Harry. They knew that they were part of the Order! What were they going to do now? But Hermione already knew the answer, without having to look at Harry, they were going to die.

"I'm going to get us out of here." He murmured to her. His eyes were so willing, so truthful, so courageous, so determined, that Hermione found herself believing it.

It never hurt to have hope.

It was also foolish.

Hermione fearfully glanced around the room. The Death Eaters were having a grand old time, disgusting her with their laughter. Voldemort was dragging out their deaths, making it more painful for them. Why couldn't they get it over with!

"Hermione you have to trust me," Harry whispered.

Tears filled her eyes.

"I do Harry, I trust you with everything. But some things are out of control." she replied softly, wishing that she could believe his words.

She did trust him, but she had her doubts. This was no fairy tale. Good did not always triumph over evil. The bad guys sometimes won. But Harry would try, she had to give him credit. He was a Gryffindor, and she was too. She couldn't give up now!

Hermione took a deep breath and took inventory of their situation. There had to be a way out of this. They had no wands, no Umbridge, no centaurs, no glass spheres, no Luna or Neville, no Aurors, no Dumbledore and this time Voldemort was better prepared than he had been the previous time. What was left? Hermione looked across the room where Ron and Susan were tied up. Ron was hopelessly trying to fight the bonds, reminding her of all the times she and Harry had had to hold him back from fighting Malfoy. It almost made her smile. Susan was terrified, but her eyes flashed angrily and she also struggled fruitlessly against the ropes that held her.

Hermione knew better. Their attempts were futile, it would only waste their energy. This wasn't some Slytherin holding them in a headlock or even an immobilizing spell, their ropes were laced with Dark magic.

There was nothing they could do, they were trapped.

"Please Hermione," Harry begged.

His eyes shone with the one thing that Voldemort did not have, love. It was the one thing that Hermione had forgotten to include in her inventory and supply check. Perhaps they wouldn't live to see the end, but they would still get out of this hellish place, and even if they did bring the Dark Lord down and died in the process, they still would've won if they saved the rest. Love alone might be strong enough to save them.

"I believe in you." She whispered.

Harry's face transformed, the fire in his eyes burning bright enough to light the entire room.

"Thank you." He said.

Hermione wanted to touch him so badly, but the ropes held tight. She knew that her eyes were enough to communicate without words and actions, what she was feeling. Harry's eyes mirrored her own. Painfully she fought against her own desires, channeling her energy to the task at hand. Think, Hermione, think, there has to be something we can do.

Unfortunately for the young couple and their companions, things were about to get difficult for them. Because Voldemort was about to reveal what lay within the chest.

"I think you are all curious to find out what is in this chest." Voldemort grinned and knelt down next to the chest.

Ron stopped fighting, Susan looked at the Dark Lord for the first time, and Hermione and Harry exchanged a worried but loving glance. All eyes were soon on Voldemort and the wooden Chest with the rusted lock. He was enjoying the attention thoroughly, dragging out the process. Slowly he lifted the lid and threw back the cover. He put both of his hands into the chest reaching in to get something. Gingerly he picked up the object as if it were a delicate child or a fragile glass that might break or shatter at any moment. The teenager's curiosity grew as he pulled out a thin silk bundle with utmost care, almost dropping his wand in the process.

He got to his feet, carelessly handing his wand to a Death Eater. Harry's eyes strayed to the wand, making a quick mental note and then returned his eyes to the silk bundle. Voldemort began to carefully unravel the silk.

Anticipation mounted in the room, as even the Death Eaters inched closer to get a look at the object. The silence was unbearable, and the short milliseconds turned into hours. After what seemed like an eternity, Voldemort finally spread out his hands, revealing what lay in his palms.

It was a ... dagger?

But not just any dagger.

Voldemort was staring at this dagger as if it were the Sorcerer's Stone, the Elixir of Life. Harry couldn't see it all that well but from what he could see it was small, silver, with a sharp jagged edge. The handle was covered by jewels, but was masked once more by Voldemorts hand. It didn't look any different from the muggle daggers he had seen once in a book, several years ago.

Hermione on the other hand drew in a sharp breath. With her observant brown eyes, she had caught a quick glimpse of the jewels and the making of the handle. She recognized the dagger, she had read about it somewhere. The only thing was, Hermione couldn't remember where or what was so important about it. Whatever it was though, she knew that it was dark magic and it didn't take a genius to figure out that this was certainly very special to the Dark Lord. Hermione gulped, and glanced at the puzzled Harry beside her.

"Master?" A confused Death Eater asked.

The question was ignored, as Voldemort was engrossed in the dagger, turning it over in his hands. Harry could now see that the dagger handle was shimmering, though there wasn't much light, and there were several emeralds molded into the fine silver. For a moment, Harry was reminded of the sword he had pulled out of the hat in his second year. The sword of Godric Gryffindor.

"Master, what is it?" The same Death Eater asked.

Voldemort snapped out of his trance, and whirled on the Death Eater.

"This is the greatest work of magic that has ever been made and you fools don't recognize it!" He raised the dagger threateningly, causing them to recoil in fear.

Voldemort slowly lowered the dagger and laughed.

"I should have known. But I never thought I would ever have to explain what this was to my own followers. This dagger that I hold in my hands is no ordinary dagger, it is the work of the greatest wizard of all time, the fruits of his life, the power of darkness and evil." Voldemort paused dramatically.

Hermione suddenly gasped as she finally recognized the dagger for what it was. For it was-

"The Dagger of Salyzer Slytherin."

Eyes widened in shock and there were a few gasps. Susan was trembling with fear and Hermione was trying hard to remember every word that she had read about the dagger. Harry was watching Voldemort's wand out of the corner of his eye, with great interest. Ron had gone back to fighting the bonds.

"Yes, this is the end." Voldemort grinned exposing his teeth.

His crooked grin grew as his red eyes burned more brightly. He only had eyes for the dagger now. Harry had a sudden thought that this could be worked to their advantage. But now Voldemort was about to do something else, that would lay another barrier in their path.

Lifting the dagger up above his head with both hands, he slowly closed his eyes. The room grew quiet, and Hermione found the silence closing in around them. Suddenly there seemed to be no air, but as she gasped, there was no sound. She felt as if she was moving beneath the water. All eyes and light was on the Dark Lord and the Dagger. Even the fire was immobile listening and obeying his every word. He was speaking a spell of some sort, perhaps an incantation. It was in a language of clicks, hisses and harsh grinding noises, nothing that sounded quite human to her. But then again, Voldemort had not been human in a long time, ever since he deserted his true body, that of half-blooded Tom Riddle.

Hermione didn't need words to understand what was happening. She felt herself sinking lower and lower, as the spell consumed more and more power from around them. It was taking a part of her, a part of Harry, a part of Susan and Ron. It was weaving it all into the power of the dagger so that none of them could stop it. The dagger grew brighter and brighter, becoming a blinding silver ball of light.

Hermione was so tired, so fatigued that her eyelids were beginning to droop. She was suddenly dizzy, unable to stand despite the ropes that were holding her upright. The dagger was holding her eyes, but Hermione could no longer concentrate. She broke eye contact with it, and suddenly the bonds became loose and the ropes dropped to the floor. Hermione stood there, wavering on the spot and then collapsed.

Harry felt his own bonds loosening, his own body wearing out. He needed to sleep. Finally he tore his eyes from the dagger, and his body seemed to shut down. He fought to keep his eyes open and saw something that would change everything.

Hermione Granger, the one person he had ever loved, had fallen to the ground. Her eyes were closed, but she was not sleeping because a look of distress lined her porcelain face. She was in pain, still struggling to breathe, still fighting for her life even on the verge of a never ending slumber. His heart was pierced, and for a moment he felt double the pain, hers and his own. One thought registered in his mind.

Voldemort had done this to her.

Anger and determination pulsed through his veins. Suddenly his whole body woke up. His eyes snapped open, the feeling came back into his arms and legs and he was able to breathe again.

It was time to end this, once and for all.

"Voldemort!"

The man was too engrossed in the spell to notice the teenager's awakening. The spell was nearly complete. Now that Harry's hearing was back he could hear the air around him whistling like a full speed cyclone, filtering into the dagger's power. Flashes of light, images of the past and present, and voices surrounded him filling the artificial wind. With a sickening jolt, Harry realized that it wasn't just the air but pieces of his friends that was feeding the dagger its power. Their souls, their knowledge, their memories and their hearts were being poured into the workings of the dagger so that nothing could stop it.

Harry's hands bent into fists, as he was reminded of the fact that Hermione was on the ground, struggling to breathe, powerless to the dagger's spell. It wasn't only Hermione but his friends, Ron and Susan, that were also suffering at this man's hands. There had to be something that he could do to stop it. Once the spell was finished, Harry knew that he would lose his friends and the love of his life, forever.

"STOP!"

His plea alone, would not be enough to stop the nearly completed spell. Harry thought fast and reached into his pocket. He was disappointed to find that his wand wasn't there. Voldemort had taken it when they had first entered the room.

But there was still time, the Aurors could come, or Professor Dumbledore. And the wand, Voldemort's wand! Harry's spirits fell upon seeing that in the whirling cyclone the Death Eaters and the wand had completely disappeared from view.

There was still time.

Harry knelt down on the floor beside his beloved, tracing the lines of her face. He lowered his head longing to feel the gentle caress of her warm breath on his cheek. The response was weak, labored, and ragged. Her pale face was tainted with a bluish hue that had nothing to do with the lighting. His hand desperately grasped her wrist, the pulse was faint and slow, and rapidly fading.

"No." Harry whispered, as despair crept into his voice. "No, I can't let you die like this!"

They didn't have time. Harry leapt to his feet, his mind whirling. Ron, Susan, his Hermione, they were all… dying. He wasn't about to sit back and let this happen, wandless or not, Harry was going to prevent it from happening or die trying.

Harry had a sudden thought. It was stupid, and most definitely a suicide attempt, but perhaps it would work. He was more than willing to try it.

Calling upon all the courage and strength he possessed Harry ran against the powerful wind that was picking up more and more speed with each passing second. Racing toward the blinding light Harry felt himself hit a solid wall, and then watched in awe as it shattered, like a sheet of glass before him. He kept going, throwing himself at the man that had wrecked his life and the life of so many others.

They went crashing to the ground. There was a moment of shock where the whole room was suddenly still. Harry knew that he was looking at perhaps the very last moment of his life. Hermione's face was the only image he saw in his mind. Her smile, her soft brown eyes, and the wild curls that she couldn't tame, these were the things he wanted to remember.

Time suddenly speeded up and Harry found himself back in the battle, face to face with the one evil that had destroyed the magical world. This was it, the end, once and for all.

The two of them scrambled to their feet. Voldemort's red eyes were blazing brightly and the dagger was raised in his left hand. He was ready to strike. After Harry had ruined the spell and broken the concentration, Lord Voldemort was not happy and he was ready at last to kill this interfering boy.

"This is it boy, no mother or friends to save you now." Voldemort sneered.

Voldemort was wrong though. Harry would always have the protection of the love of his friends, father and mother who had laid down her life for him. He would always have the aura of love around him, something that the Lord of Evil would never have and did not quite know how to conquer. Harry knew this as Hermione's face flashed in his mind, he was loved and no one would be able to take that away from him. It was his secret weapon, and because of the voice in his heart, Harry found the courage to fight.

"No Death Eaters here to back you up." Harry sneered. No tremor of fear penetrated his loud voice.

Voldemort merely chuckled, but he was unaware that Harry was right. The Death Eaters were helplessly banging on the transparent wall of rock that had reformed, enclosing Harry and Voldemort within.

"I will kill you now Harry once and for all, because I have something that you do not." He waved the dagger threateningly.

"A little muggle toy, I'm disappointed in you, I thought you could do better Tom." Harry smirked but it was wiped clean off his face as the man suddenly lunged at him. Harry moved sharply to the right and lost his balance. He fell to the ground.

"This is no toy Potter, this is the very last thing you will see before your life ends." It was Voldemort's turn to smirk at Harry helplessly sitting on the ground before him. He brought the blade down in one swift movement but Harry was quicker. With startling speed, he slid out from beneath him. The metal blade shrieked as it hit the marble floor where his heart had just been.

Harry was now on his feet and thinking. The dagger must be heavy if the Dark Lord couldn't change its course in time after he moved. Harry worked this to his advantage and came up with a rough idea of what he had to do.

There wasn't much space and Harry did not want to go through the wall again, though he had a strong suspicion that he wouldn't be able to unless he or Voldemort made some progress in the fight. Harry stayed close to the wall keeping his eyes on Voldemort who stood in the center of the circle turning with him. Soon it fell into a pattern. Voldemort would lunge, Harry would dodge, and the wall would vibrate as the dagger hit the wall instead of Harry's flesh. Sweat began forming on Harry's forehead as the time dragged on. It seemed like hours had passed, but it had only been minutes.

Suddenly Voldemort feinted to the left and Harry thinking it was an attack moved to the right. He brought the blade sweeping back and nicked the skin on Harry's shoulder. Harry cried out in pain before he could stop himself. Despite the fact that the cut was so small, it hurt as if the Cruciatus Curse was being performed on him all over again.

"I told you it would be a painful death." Voldemort laughed as Harry's face contorted in pain.

The pain seared through his body like sharp knives, but the cut wasn't big enough to kill him or even allow him to black out and escape the terrible pain. Harry cursed aloud, trying to get his mind clear once more.

Voldemort took advantage of this setback and brought the blade back once more. This time it just barely missed Harry's neck by pure luck.

Voldemort wasn't finished though. He brought the blade back a few more times and Harry weakly dodged the attacks. But his movements were sluggish and eventually it had to come back to haunt him. Harry felt rather then saw it come back once more and slice his chest. The blade flashed downward as Harry let out another scream as the pain flooded through him again. What had he done to deserve this? When would it stop?

"Now Potter it is time for you to die. Don't worry I'll be merciful, it will be quick, maybe, and you'll be able to see your dead parents who died the same way you did. Now won't that be nice?" Voldemort was speaking but Harry was concentrating on making the pain go away.

"And your friends, they too will die. I will give them mercy by giving them a chance to join me for they could be useful allies but I will have to kill them if they refuse." The cruel voice went on speaking echoing in Harry's head.

Harry's mind suddenly woke up when he heard those words. "Friends...die...Voldemort" Visions flashed through his mind. Susan and Ron were dying bravely not giving in, Hogwarts was raging out of control and Dumbledore and Ginny were dead, but the worst, the very worst of all the visions was the last one; Hermione was on the ground breathing a last word "Harry." She whispered. And then she stopped...

"NO!" Harry screamed.

His eyes flashed and he shoved the Dark Lord away from him with all his might. The pain was reduced to a dull roar and Harry was now once again alive and furious. His friends were not going to die and Hermione was most certainly NOT going to die.

The Lord was not about to be defeated. He came rushing back with the blade pointed toward Harry's unprotected heart. Harry's quidditch reflexes kicked into gear and his hand shot up. He grabbed the blade just before it was driven into his heart.

Now their faces were inches apart, and Harry was looking directly into those red eyes that served as doorways to hell. Only a few mere inches were between the blade and his chest. Breathing heavily Harry focused all of his mind and body on pushing the blade away from his chest. Harry was determined to move it away from him. Using all the strength he could muster Harry starting working on the dagger.

Bit by bit, inch by inch it was slowly pushed away from him and toward his attacker. Time dragged on and sweat poured from his forehead but he knew that he had to keep going. His life and everyone else's depended on this. He couldn't give up now, they were counting on him, she was counting on him.

At last though the blade was nearly at the attackers chest. Both of them were still holding onto the handle staring at the blade that was steadily retreating from the defendent. There was an instant where Voldemorts smirk was fully wiped off his face and Harry was reminded of his resurrection during the 4th year. Once again he was waiting for that sign, that right moment where he could gain control of the blade. It was then that Harry was made aware of another's presence in the walled room.

Harry could almost feel her near by, he could almost see her standing behind her. He felt his arms go around his shoulders and her soft familiar voice that he had only heard a few times in his dreams whisper

"NOW!"

Harry yanked the blade with all his might and it slipped free from Voldemort's hands. Coming back it narrowly missed Harry's chest but he gained control of the heavy dagger just in time. Now the fight was in his hands, now was his chance.

He wielded the blade as if he had been doing it all his life. He looked up and caught sight of Voldemort's fearful face. Already he was retreating toward the back wall fumbling for his wand. It was his chance, his moment.

Harry went charging toward Voldemort with the blade poised. He raced forward separating the space between them and waited for the sickening crunch as the blade connected with the body. But none came.

The blade went smashing into the wall and the vibrations raced up Harry's arms renewing the pain of his old wounds. The dagger went flying out of his hands. The walls shattered and Harry tumbled forward onto the ground and was still.

Ron opened his eyes, and looked up into a pair of blue grey ones.

"We're alive?" He croaked, glancing around the chamber.

"I think so."

The light had faded, but in the shadows he could saw Susan's pale face. Behind her there was smoke, and flashes of red, blue, orange, and green. Ron realized with a sickening lurch that the lights were curses and that a battle was coming to a close around them.

"The Death Eaters." He whispered sitting up beside her. "I take it the Aurors finally showed up." He observed recognizing a woman with shocking pink hair.

"They were late as usual, they probably needed formal permission from the Ministry to attack." Susan grumbled.

Ron bristled with anger, knowing full well what Susan was talking about. Susan's head wearily dropped onto his shoulder as if the effort of waking him up and speaking had exhausted her. Instantly the muscles relaxed beneath her soft hair as he became fully aware of his own fatigue. The dagger and the funny spinning light, whatever it was the Dark Lord had done, had made them both extremely tired. He rested his chin lightly on top of her hair, one arm lazily going around her.

Too weak to stand, and useless without their wands, they huddled on the edge of the chamber. Together they watched as the multicolored lights flickered and disappeared and the smoke thickened, and the brief battle came to an end.

Their strength slowly returned. The transformation was complete when a helpful Auror retrieved their wands for them from the body of a lifeless Death Eater. As soon as his hand closed around the wand, Ron felt as if a hole inside of him had been filled. But something still wasn't right.

"We've got to find Harry and Hermione." He told her, and they split up to go in search of them. The room was thick with bodies, both of Death Eaters and Aurors alike. Some were alive, others were injured, and still more would never open their eyes again. Ron hadn't gone more than 200 feet, when Susan suddenly came rushing back to him.

Her eyes were wide with fright, and she was as pale as the ghost of Professor Binns. When she spotted Ron, she stumbled towards him, tripping over a dead Death Eater and emitting a loud shriek. Ron caught her in his arms, pulling her shuddering body safely to his chest.

"It's alright." He said softly as she started to cry.

"No it's not." She sobbed.

"He was only a Death Eater, he deserved to die. Think of all the other innocent lives he's taken. And the Aurors fought bravely, they'll be honored-"

"I don't care about them!" Susan snarled, a little more harshly than she intended. Ron looked at her in shock, and Susan broke down and tried to tell him something.

"Oh Ron, I was looking for Harry and Hermione and I overheard one of the Aurors talking… they said, they said that…"

"What?" Ron asked alarmed, his own pounding heart drowning out her next words.

"…wouldn't w-w-aaakkkeee uuuppppp….deeeeaadddd…." Susan broke off in a wail, and promptly stuffed her face into Ron's chest. She clung to him shaking and crying as Ron frantically searched the room.

It was then that he saw the tearful group of Aurors and Healers that were huddled around a body, lying apart from the others, face down on the ground. His fingers curled around Susan's shoulders, and he trembled violently. But he couldn't feel a thing, his body had gone numb.

Neither one of them had any idea how long they stood there, or what occurred during this length of time. At some point, Susan stood up straight, and looked up at him.

"We have to tell…" She couldn't finish her sentence, it was swallowed up by a silent sob. Ron nodded in agreement, only half aware of himself pointing something out in the sea of wizards and witches, and moving with Susan toward the motionless figure.

"Enervate."

Hermione felt herself coming back. She became vaguely aware of her surroundings as the feeling came back into her body. Everything had gone numb she remembered, and black. But now she felt the hard floor beneath her and the shiver of the strange cold that ran through her blood.

"Wake up Hermione." Hermione heard the sounds of distant far away voices calling to her.

"Ron, she's not waking up." She could barely understand what they were saying.

"WAKE UP!"

"No, she can't be-"

"She's not!"

"I'm going to get a Healer."

"Come on Hermione wake up!" Something was shaking her, jarring her abruptly from the fog that she was in.

"Hermione?" The voice was so familiar and it was filled with worry and fear as well as urgency.

"Harry?" Her dry lips formed the name weakly. Someone touched her arm, obediently her eyes fluttered open.

"Harry?" But it was not Harry who was hovering over her.

She looked up into a familiar freckled face and a pair of concerned brown eyes. It was Ron Weasley. Her heart sank momentarily as she was filled with disappointment. Relief flooded Ron's face and a little of the color filled in behind his freckles.

"She's awake!" He exclaimed, waving someone over.

There was the sound of hurried footsteps and someone knelt down on her other side. A face came into her vision, a girl with blonde hair. Susan Bones.

"You're alright!" Susan said with a relieved sigh, as she took Hermione's hand between her own. Ron held onto her other one, and Hermione looked from one to the other, wondering what was missing. When her eyes met Susan's again, the girl struggled to smile, but the muscles in her face refused to move.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, fearing the worse.

"Nothing's wrong," Susan said quickly. "We're really happy you're awake." Ron nodded in agreement.

They didn't look happy, Hermione silently observed. In fact they looked as if they were going to their own funeral. Susan's eyes were mysteriously watery, and even in the dim light Hermione noticed that they were red rimmed as well. Ron looked even worse. His face was an ashen color, and his eyes were distant. Hermione's eyes traveled past them, looking for the warm emerald eyes, and the comforting embrace. But she couldn't find him.

"Where's Harry?" She asked them.

Susan made a noise that sounded like a cross between a moan and a hiccup. It was then that Hermione realized why Susan's eyes were so watery. Susan looked away from Hermione unable to meet the other girl's gaze as her eyes filled once more with fresh tears. Hermione shifted her eyes to Ron. He squeezed her hand. His face had darkened and his eyes seemed to drift away from her but Hermione caught the look of grief, shock and horror in them before he looked away.

"Where's Harry?" She repeated, her voice quivering.

Neither of them would look at her. They exchanged a sad look and then once more looked to the ground. Her heart was speeding up as she struggled to breathe. It was as if her throat was closing.

No, this can't be happening to me. Please, please don't let it be true.

"He's not, no he can't be..." Hermione trailed off unable to bring herself to form the painful words. She looked desperately to her two friends hoping that they would smile and awaken her from this terrible nightmare.

Please, just tell me he's going to be alright.

The silence was so powerful, so suffocating. Everything around her was falling apart. There was a sharp pain in her chest as her heart was breaking. Hermione cried out and sat up, determined to find him and bring him back.

The room spun but her mind was clear and focused on one person. Hermione searched through the devastated room filled with the bodies of Death Eaters and Aurors alike. Her eyes slowly came back to the body of one.

Hermione's breath caught and her focus blurred as she struggled to get to her feet. Susan and Ron held her back and she cried and screamed trying to run to him.

"I'm sorry Hermione." A tearful Susan pulled out her wand and pointed it at Hermione.

Everything suddenly subsided and Hermione was falling back into the darkness. But nothing, nothing would be able to shake the horrible vision from her mind...

Harry Potter was lying face down on the ground. Her hero, her love had been defeated, sacrificing his life for them all...

And Hermione went tumbling into the black tunnel.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. Only a couple of chapters left.