Author's note

warning contains themes of bereavement

Chapter 20: Say Goodbye

Why had he ever thought that this was ever going to be anything other than hopeless. He hated Voldemort more than should be possible, Draco hoped that Voldemort was burning in the deepest fires of hell for what he had done to them. Voldemort had never had any intentions of allowing Hermione to survive, he had made sure that one way or another Draco would have killed her and that Draco would be destroyed by this.

Not only had he never intended that Hermione survive but that Draco would either die with her or because of her and then in turn Draco's parents would be destroyed by the loss of their son.

They had given in to temptation and touched each other, the lust the curse had caused had coursed through their veins and led to the most passionate love making Draco had ever experienced but then he reflected they couldn't stop. Draco had been screaming inside to stop. He knew he had almost literally fucked her to death. If it hadn't been for his house elf he would have.

He also knew he would never see her again, even she could not find a cure for this but he ached to hold her, ached to feel her lips on his. He couldn't be without her now not after she had given him such hope.

"Fuck you Voldemort" he screamed as he threw the nearest object across the room. He could no longer hold it in, the anger and frustration snapped his self control. He kicked over the table, picked up a chair which he threw at the wall it shattered into match sticks, he tore down the drapes. He continued this destruction until the room was in shreds, ruined like his life and then he sank panting to his knees and wept.

"I should have been braver" he thought to himself "I should have been braver much sooner, before the war, before the curse, before all this had ever happened. I should have told her how I felt at the very start when I saw how beautiful she was, when I was only 15. I should have made better choices."

Rose giggled as she and Scorpius apparated into her childhood home. They had been at the ministry ball but they decided to sneak away early. The glamours young couple wanted some time alone. Rose, dressed in emerald satin wearing her mother's Romanov jewels sashayed up the stairs, her face still masked from the ball. Scorpius in his black dress robes and black mask, his blond hair shining in the dimmed light of the hallway, beamed at his girlfriend as she beckoned, Scorpius to follow her. She giggling at her attempts to be seductive. Scorpius raced up the stairs behind her but as he reached her he suddenly stopped his face fell at the sight behind her.

Rose turned "Dad?" She was about to say but her words never formed on her lips.

"You?" Her father roared at Scorpius as he roughly pushed Rose aside through the open bedroom door. Rose stumbled and fell into the room as she saw her father march unsteadily towards her boyfriend.

"It wasn't enough was it ?" Ron Weasley snarled at the alarmed young man. "You had everything Malfoy, everything all of it, the looks, the brains, the money and it still wasn't enough you had to have her too."

Scorpius realised suddenly that Mr Weasley had confused him with his father but it was too late. Ron launched himself at the younger man who lost his footing tumbling backwards down the stairs.

By the time Rose had got back to her feet all was very still. Her father stood frozen near the top of the stairs and Scorpius...

"Scorpius" she screamed moving as fast as she could to the foot of the stairs. He didn't move.

"Scorpius" she screamed again her volume increasing with her rising hysteria. She began to shake him violently but as she did his head lolled to the side laying at a strangely acute angle "No, no, no" she howled desperately "no you can't, I won't let you, come back" she sobbed. Great heart renting sobs left her throat. "Scorpius wake up come back to me" Rose howled.

"Do something Rose" she began berating herself, she began to try every healing spell she knew, but nothing was effective Scorpius eyes still stared their grey blue depths now dull and glassy but Rose refused to give in desperately she pounded on his chest trying in vain to make his heart beat again but he remained unresponsive.

"Mum" Rose said hopeful she focused and cast her petronius, how she managed this, when she reflected in later years, she would never know but moments later her mother appeared. Rose never noticed her mother's dishevelled appearance. She would never know where her mother had been her distress was too great.

"Bring him back" Rose pleaded desperately with her mother "please mum bring him back" the younger witch sobbed her heart breaking.

Hermione moved towards the still form of the blond boy, so eerily like his father, she did not need any confirmation he was dead his neck was clearly broken but for Rose's sake she check for a pulse. There was none it was too late.

"Rose" she said gently to her daughter "sweetheart" she continued "come and say goodbye".

Hermione took her daughter's hand and drew her towards the beautiful blond boy. She lifted her daughter's hand and placed Scorpius hand in it. "Say goodbye darling" she said again. Hermione could not bare to look he was a beautiful young man and Rose had adored him. Hermione looked away as Rose tenderly pressed her lips to his. "Wait for me" she told him.

Hermione swallowed hard. Her thoughts in disarray she could not remain unmoved by this. Even had it not been for Rose's anguish she would have still cried. She cried for her daughter's lost love, she cried because he was a wonderful young man and she cried because this was Draco's only son and she feared that this loss would destroy the man she now knew she loved.

Throughout all this Ron had stood frozen his drink fogged braining unable to process what was going on. It was only when Hermione appeared in her red gown that some comprehension began to form and he took in the prone form at the foot of the stairs.

Only now did Ron realise that Hermione had been wearing red and that this was not Malfoy but his son. As realisation finally dawned he slid down the wall. He knew there was no way back from this neither women would ever forgive him and if not Malfoy then the Malfoy matriarch would ensure that he rotted in Azkaban for the rest of his natural life. He contemplated the thought that it might be better to end it quickly. Turning his wand on himself he was about to do it but he felt his wand leave his hand.

She glared at him like an avenging angel. "You will not deprive Rose or his loved ones of justice" she told him spitting venom "you will not deprive them of their vengeance."

As she bore down on him, multiple 'cracks' of apparition could be heard, Aurors and healers appeared but as Hermione knew it was all far too late.

Before they could take him away Hermione gently closed Scorpius eyes and brushed the soft platinum locks from his face. He had begun to turn ashen the pink flush of life leaving his body but she couldn't help but think how angelic he looked. "Poor beautiful boy" she said quietly to herself "this is my fault" She thought the guilt chilling her soul, 'If I had not left Ron. None of this would have happened."

Hermione knew that Narcissa would be inconsolable and Draco would be destroyed but she could not bring herself to see them. She had of course sent her condolences but nothing assuaged her guilt. She had made excuses about Rose needing her but in reality she was too guilt ridden. She didn't think she could look at either of them without seeing the still form of the innocence young man who had been caught in the crossfire of Ron Weasley's burning jealousy.

Ron was now in Azkaban awaiting trial, it was unlikely that he would ever see the light of day again. As she was already divorced from him she was no longer Ron's 'next of kin' that was now their children but neither child wished to acknowledge their father.

Ron had attempted to apologise, sending Harry with the message but Hermione had already had enough of Ron's easy words and Rose did not care to listen to anyone about anything. She had withdrawn into her own mind and Hermione could only hope that she would return to her when she had done some of her grieving. It wasn't until four days after Scorpius' death that Rose finally spoke.

Blaise had arrived that morning. He was also the Malfoy family lawyer. He came to read part of Scorpius' will to Rose. It was unusual for one so young to have a will Hermione thought but then he was the heir to a vast fortune so perhaps not.

Hermione zoned out of much of Blaise's preamble but then he got to the heart of the matter. Quite literally as it turned out.

To Rose Granger Weasley I do bequeath the blue sapphire the Heart of Venus and ask that she wear it to remind her that; she should not forget me but she needs to live her life.

'May be you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light-don't forget me Rose', he had added a codicil in his own hand 'but remember to live, love and enjoy laughter.'

Rose had looked at her mother then "How will I go on without him?" She had asked.

"You will" Hermione had told her "because you honour his memory and he has asked it of you."

Hermione watched as her daughter took the pendant holding the Heart of Venus and passed it over her head, straightened her back and said to a spirit she hoped could hear: "I will because you ask it of me."

Hermione knew Rose was young and she prayed that time would heal her enough that she could move on with her life.

That same day Hermione received a plea for help from an unexpected quarter. Narcissa Malfoy begged her to come to the manor. Hermione knew she could not avoid them forever and they were grieving so reluctantly she agree to return with the little house elf that Narcissa had sent.

Author's note

yes I know I've killed a main character- you all hate me now. Trust me it will be alright in the end.