A/N - I am so sorry that I abandoned this fic for almost five years. I let real life get in the way, but I finally have the time and energy to commit to finally finish this. I hope you the wait is worth it!

Chapter 25

Hermione regained consciousness seconds later, her heart racing as she took in the noise around her. She could hear screaming from both sides of the battlefield. Slowly, and acutely aware that her whole body was trembling, she pulled herself up to a seated position. She saw Voldemort lying on the floor. He appeared shocked and clearly weakened. She watched in awe and horror as this powerful, dark wizard struggled to stand up, rejecting offers of help from his Death Eaters.

Had it worked? Is he mortal?

She looked down at her necklace, which was burning through her clothes. It was cracked and blackened. Suddenly, there was flash of light and a loud crack and she felt her self thrown back into the crowd. She gasped and looked up, expecting to see Voldemort on his feet, but it was Dumbledore who had aimed his wand at Harry and cast him aside, unintentionally catching her with him, before returning to his duel with Voldemort.

Harry, she remembered suddenly. She turned and saw him lying on the ground behind her… not moving.

"Harry, Harry!" cried a familiar voice, and she realised it was Remus who had rushed towards him, followed closely by Tonks, Ron and Ginny. She felt her breath catch in her throat as Remus turned her friend on to his back, and she saw his face, deathly pale and still.

"Rennervate" said Remus, his voice quivering, and Harry's eyes flew open. Cries of relief echoed through the crowd as Remus and Ginny pulled Harry to a seated position.

Harry did not seem to notice them. Instead, he looked around frantically, finally finding Ron and saying hoarsely, "Hermione?"

Ron too looked around, and Hermione realised she was still covered by the invisibility cloak. Still trembling, she pulled her self to her feet and allowed the cloak to fall to the ground.

"Hermione!" cried Ron, and he ran towards her, hugging her while she leaned on him, too weak to stand on her own.

"It worked," she said, in barely a whisper, as she stepped forward with help from Ron and allowed herself to collapse onto the ground next to Harry.

"You're okay," he said, smiling weakly.

"So are you," she said smiling in return. "We did it."

"What worked? What did you do?" Ginny asked.

Hermione looked up and saw Remus, Tonks and Ginny looking at the three of them in confusion.

"Are you okay, Harry?" asked Remus urgently. "You – you were hit with the killing curse. You shouldn't be alive."

Harry shook his head.

"It didn't hit me. It hit Hermione. She was standing in front of me, wearing the cloak."

"But why – "

"It is a long story," said Hermione, as she turned to watch the battle. Voldemort was clearly weakened – he could do nothing but defend himself as Dumbledore cast spell after spell. It occurred to her that Dumbledore did not known he could kill Voldemort, now that the horcruxes were destroyed. He was aiming to weaken, but not kill.

"But where were you? Why did you come back now?" asked Ginny, frowning.

"I can explain, Ginny," said Ron, as he placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder, subtly steered her away from Harry and Hermione. Tonks and Remus followed. Ron gave Hermione a brief, meaningful look, and she understood that he was distracting them.

"Harry," whispered Hermione hurriedly, "we need to tell Dumbledore. He needs to know that Voldemort can be – "

"Hermione."

Hermione and Harry started at the sound of the familiar voice. It was Tom.

"Tom!" said Hermione as she struggled to stand up. Tom stepped forward and offered her his hand. She accepted it, and as he helped her up, she was amazed to see that he had regained his strength.

"I don't understand," she said, looking at his still pale face. "You were unconscious. We left you –"

"I wasn't. I was awake, though barely. I regained my strength, just minutes ago," he said, and Hermione suddenly realised that he was furious. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the necklace that still hung around her neck.

"I assume the necklace was destroyed? With the killing curse?"

Hermione paled, realising that Tom must have overheard the conversation with the Founders. She wondered how much he had understood. She saw Harry stand up behind her from the corner of her eye, but Tom ignored him completely.

"Yes, it was," she said slowly.

His features hardened as he turned to watch the battle that still raged on. He looked terrifying, and Hermione suppressed a shiver as she reminded herself that he was not Voldemort. She let go of him, finally finding the strength to stand up alone.

"That's him, isn't it?" he asked. "The one you call Voldemort? The one who assumed my identity?"

"Yes."

He turned back to Hermione, his eyes piercing hers.

"Were you hurt?" he asked.

"What?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"The killing curse. Were you hurt?" he asked again.

"No, not really," she said slowly, confused by his question. "I – I just feel very weak. It was powerful magic that destroyed the necklace."

"Is he a killer?" he asked. "This Voldemort?"

"He is a dark wizard, worse than Grindelwald," she explained. "He and his followers have killed thousands, including Harry's parents."

"Are you afraid of him?" he asked.

Hermione nodded.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.

She felt herself blushing as she looked at him uncertainly; unsure of what he was thinking, what he was feeling.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I thought it was you, that you would become him. I thought that you opened the Chamber of Secrets. You have to understand, I – I didn't know, I couldn't have known…"

There was a pause in which Tom looked at back at Voldemort, his expression one of pure loathing. Suddenly, Hermione realised that Tom was holding a wand that did not belong to him.

"W-Where did you get that wand?" she asked.

"I found it by a dead body," he said. "I took it, seeing as how Voldemort stole mine."

Hermione looked at him, worried.

"Tom, what are you going –" she started, but he cut her off.

"I am going to get my wand back," he replied, taking a step forward.

"No!" she cried, grabbing his arm. "You mustn't, Tom. He'll kill you!"

"Why do you care?" he said coldly, raising an eyebrow. "You're afraid of me, aren't you?"

Hermione eyes widened in shock.

"I – I was," she said hesitantly, "but I am not anymore. Tom, please –" she looked at him imploringly, and, against her better judgement, she confessed, "I care about you, Tom. I have for along time."

She heard Harry inhale sharply, and Ron, who she had not noticed approach them, swore. She ignored them. In that moment she had eyes only for Tom. He looked back at her, his expression softening slightly. They stood in silence, staring at each other intensely, Hermione's heart racing.

And then, suddenly, he cupped her face with his hands and he was kissing her. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to forget everything that was happening around them, consumed by Tom's urgency. She forgot about Harry, she forgot about the battle; all that mattered in that moment was that Tom was not Voldemort and that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Too soon, he pulled away from her, his hands still cupping her face.

"You are unlike any other witch I have ever meet, Hermione," he said softly, before turning around and running towards the battle.

"No!" she cried, but before she could run after him, Harry caught hold of her robes and pulled her back.

"Hermione, no! You can't –" he said.

"He'll be killed," she cried, as she struggled to free herself. "Harry, please, you mustn't do this! He's innocent! You can't –"

"It's his fight, Hermione. Not ours," Ron said harshly. "Let him prove himself."

Hermione stopped struggling against Harry and turned furiously towards Ron.

"Prove himself? Haven't you been listening? He hasn't done anything wrong. He doesn't need to prove anything!"

"Says who?" snapped Ron, now glaring at Hermione. "You care for him, don't you? Of course you would be so quick to believe that he isn't an evil git! I can't believe you. All this time, we thought you were trying to find out about the necklace, you were just snogging him, weren't you?"

Hermione was speechless.

"Ron, that's enough," said Harry.

Before Ron could say anything else, Hermione was distracted by the sudden hush that had fallen over the crowd.

She followed the gaze of the crowd and felt her stomach drop when he realised that Tom was standing in the battlefield, behind Voldemort, with his wand raised. Dumbledore noticed him first, looking at him uncertainly. Voldemort, following Dumbledore's gaze, spun around, his eyes widening in astonishment.

"You!" he hissed.

"Me," said Tom calmly. Hermione starred him, both horrified for him, and awed at his bravery. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."