Chapter 14: Gone

The next month passed by smoothly with Hermione finally settling for the fact that she was not the heir of Ravenclaw. Oddly she seemed to be more depressed about the fact that she would get to live than she had when she thought was the heir. Ever since the night that she discovered the characteristics of the heir she had been very down. Harry figured that after she talked to Dumbledore and was convinced that she was safe; she would be happy again. He turned out to be very wrong. She had been ok for about a week and then she fell to the deepest depression that he had ever seen anyone be in. Dumbledore assured them that she just had some things on her mind and that she would tell them what was bothering her when she was ready.

Ron and Ginny were extremely worried about her as well. They all noticed that she wasn't performing to her usual standards in classes and had failed to complete a lot of assignments. They were all completely lost as to why she would fall into a depression about not being the person destined to die. None of them had any idea of what to do for her to make her feel better. That was made even more difficult because it seemed that Hermione was doing her best to avoid seeing any of them. Halloween was the next Saturday and they were hoping the Hogsmeade trip would cheer her up a little bit or at least enough to talk to them. The three of them had planned out the day to a "T" to make the day perfect for Hermione.

The morning of the trip the three of them waited for Hermione to come down in the common room so they could go to breakfast together. When she finally came down the steps they all smiled at her to make her feel comfortable. She returned the smile but Harry could tell that it was genuine. Ginny and Ron began to leave the common room but Harry hung back to talk to Hermione for a second.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to. I don't know what is bothering you lately but if you aren't ready to face it and just want more time to think about it, I understand and I'm sure that Ron and Ginny will too."

"No, Harry, you guys planned this out for me, I'm going. I know that I haven't been myself lately but I owe you all this much. I am ready to talk to you guys about it but later, ok? It is going to be really hard for me." Harry was really worried by the look on her face. She looked like that world was going to end anytime now.

"We will help you with it as much as we can. We are all here for you, Hermione."

"Unfortunately there is nothing that anybody can do to help me out with this one. Let's just head down to breakfast before Ginny thinks that I am trying to steal her boyfriend away." She gave him a smile. This time for the first time in over a month, it looked real.

They ate breakfast in silence before making their way to the front doors to leave for Hogsmeade. They were on the edge of the village when their lives would change forever. Hermione stopped walking and pulled them off the path where they couldn't be seen by anyone. Ron, Ginny and Harry exchanged a worried look before Hermione began to speak in a very shaky voice.

"A week after you told me about your missing link I discovered something." She began while looking at Harry. "All three known heirs are half-blood. Obviously their ancestor was a pure blood but Ravenclaw wasn't as you discovered Harry. She was a half-blood and if the pattern continued with the other heirs, Ravenclaw's wouldn't be a half-blood but instead be a muggle born. Each heir lost a little bit of magical blood in them as their ancestor. When I told this to Dumbledore he suspected that I was correct, so we traced my family line. It traced back to Rowena Ravenclaw; I am the last heir. I would have told you all sooner but it was just too hard to see you and know that my time was gone and that I would have to say good-bye. I left you all notes on my bed to make sure I said everything that needed to be said." She had tears running down her face and was not alone in that aspect. All four of them were now crying. This was the last time that they would all be together.

"Hermione, I am so sorry but you don't have to do this. I can win this war without this hidden power. Please don't leave," Harry begged.

"No you can't. This is how fate laid things out. I have to die so everyone else can live. Don't blame yourself for this, Harry. One of us finally gets to save your life." She smiled at him through her tears. "I love all of you. Death eaters are going to be capturing me soon and you must let them. I worked this plan out with Snape and Dumbledore. Good-bye."

Just as she finished saying good-bye; she took off running away from them so that they couldn't stop her. She knew that if they tried, she would let them but she had to do this. Not ten seconds after she left them; Harry heard the pops of apparition and the screams of everyone announcing the arrival of death eaters. They could hear people screaming that they had captured Hermione Granger and that they all escaped unscathed. Harry, Ron and Ginny turned and left to go back to the castle. They went straight to the common room and then to Harry and Ron's dormitory. Once inside, all three of them broke down crying. They sat on Harry's bed hugging each other and letting the tears come until there were no more to cry. Suddenly Ginny got up.

"I'm going to go get the letters." She said simply with no emotion in her voice. Ron and Harry just nodded their heads and watched her leave. This just didn't seem real to Harry. Any second now Hermione would come through the door laughing. She just couldn't really be dead. He was tired of losing everyone that was close to him. People continuously sacrificed their lives just in the hope that he could defeat Voldemort. What if he couldn't?

"Remember when we first met her? She was so annoying on the train that day. I never would have guessed that she would have become one of my best friends," said Ron. He had a half smile on his face that made him look crazy.

"Or how pretty she looked at the Yule Ball. You didn't even recognize her." Harry laughed at the memory.

"I finally worked up the nerve to tell her how I felt about her this year too. When I was hanging out with her because we were fighting, I told her. Just as soon as I finally work up the nerve, she is taken from me. It isn't fair." Ron couldn't take it anymore and lost it again. Hr broke down on Harry's shoulder while Harry was lost. He had no idea that they had finally began to date. To be quite honest he wished he didn't know because now it hurt him even more. Because Harry was destined to have a savior, Ron lost the girl that he loved. Ron said it best, life just isn't fair. Just then Ginny walked into the room with the letters. Ron calmed down enough to take his. Harry took his and began to read it immediately.

Harry,

I'm sorry I couldn't say good-bye in person the way I should have but it was just too hard. I told you in our first year that there were things more important than brains, like friendship. My friendship with you is one of the reasons I can say good-bye and be happy with my life. You were always there for me and nothing does me a greater honor in death than to know that it is saving your life. Know that I loved like the brother that I never had. Don't mope over me for too long because there is a job that needs to be finished. I am sorry for being the latest person to sacrifice my life for you. You are just too loved I guess. Speaking of which take care of Ginny and help Ron to move on with his life.

With all the love in my heart,

Hermione

That was it. He would never have any more contact with her for the rest of his life. That's when it finally seemed to sink in what had happened today. He made up his mind at that moment that he would pay Hermione that respect that she deserved by ridding the world of Voldemort. No more mourning her death until he was unable to this to anybody else. He didn't need anymore power to destroy Voldemort. He stole his best friend from him and he would have to pay the price for it. He would learn everything he could from Dumbledore and then he would kill the Dark Lord before the end of the year. He had to do it as the last wish Hermione asked of him.

"Let's just all go to bed. We can't do anything else for her. Please, I just want to sleep. I can't think about his anymore today."

"How am I supposed to sleep Harry? I have nothing to live for anymore. I don't want to live, let alone sleep!" Ron screamed at him.

"Ron, I know this hard for you but you can't do this to yourself. You know she wouldn't want you to. Here I will walk you to your bed," said Ginny soothingly. She pulled Ron to his feet and helped him trudge across the room and lay down in his bed. She pulled the curtains closed around his bed and then walked back to Harry.

"Ready for bed?"

"Gin, as much as I want you to stay, you can't."

"Yes, I can and I will. You need me right now and I need you just as much. Just tonight. Dumbledore wouldn't care."

"Alright, you win."

They climbed into bed together and Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny protectively. She fell asleep almost instantly but that wasn't the case for Harry. He thought about the last five years and everything that Hermione had done for him. He was still in shock that he would never talk to her again. He closed his eyes and said one more thing before falling asleep.

"Goodnight Hermione. I love you, good-bye."

A/N: Ok so now those of you who actually read this story are probably quite angry with me. Honestly though it was the only thing way that made sense. I didn't do this as a punishment for not reviewing very much. I had this planned out the whole way and I have everything that is going to happen planned out as well. All I ask is that you continue to read it. Please review even if you are pissed at me right now.