Disclaimer: I think I already mentioned Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, right?

A/N: Amazing reviews for the last chapter, thank you! I was so afraid I would mess up the Final Battle completely. (Bonus: just edited the typos.)

Chapter 36: A Small Price to Pay

As the blinding white light receded, everyone in the ruins of the room craned their necks to see what had happened to the two youngest Order members that had fought with them, only to discover them clutching tightly to the other. Severus was the first to open his eyes.

"Merlin, I thought I was going to lose you." he confided to her in hushed tones.

"What happened?" asked Hermione, feeling light-headed. When she looked around and saw all eyes in the room on them, she added, "Why is everybody staring at us?"

"Not us." he chuckled. "You. Where do I start? You defeated Voldemort and his crazy second in command one after the other, as well as maybe a dozen other Death-Eaters single-handed. Whether with your wand, claws or fangs. I think they are a bit scared of you actually. And just now, you almost flew away with what looked like white wings sprouting out of you."

Hermione frowned, she didn't want to be under the spotlights. She had witnessed first hand how much Harry had hated it and how much it had hurt him, as he was claimed a saviour one day and a psychotic attention-seeker the next.

"I want to leave, Severus." she told her friend urgently. The Order of the Phoenix may keep her false identity secret, but she was sure St Mungos and the press would be here any minute now.

Severus nodded and stood, offering his hand to help her up. She gave him a weak smile, bemused by his gentlemanly manners in the midst of a battle-field stained by puddles of blood, severed members and dead bodies. As she took a few steps however, her legs gave way, and her dizziness turned to oblivion as the last thing she remembered seeing was Severus' arms breaking her fall.

0°0°0°0

"Why didn't anyone bring her to me before?" a stern woman's voice demanded.

"Sorry, Ma'am" replied a sheepish voice "She didn't look all that bad compared to others, she was just sitting on the ground when the Dark L..." he stopped abruptly, "When the battle was over."

"It took some time just getting to her, Poppy, with all the bodies in the way." supplied a deep silky voice.

"Is it true that she defeated him then? I could hardly believe my ears when I got word... She's so small and such a sweet girl."

"Yes, she did, Madam."

"THEN YOU SHOULD BLOODY WELL HAVE BROUGHT HER HERE IMMEDIATELY!" shouted the first voice angrily as she heard someone scatter away hastily.

Hermione stirred, peering through half-opened eyes to ask whoever it was to stop making a racket. He was feeling drained and wanted nothing more but to sleep.

"You're awake, dear." it was the same voice but much kinder and quieter than it had been before.

"Not that I had much choice." she muttered, sitting up against the headboard and taking in her surroundings. She couldn't see much with all the privacy curtains drawn around her bed, but from the overwhelming whiteness and smell of the place, she was evidently in a hospital. At least there were familiar and friendly faces here. "Severus? Madam Pomfrey? So I'm at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, dear. Severus and a wizard in a nightgown brought you here. You've been out of it for an hour and I just finished patching you up. Although you should be resting more, you have completely exhausted your magical and physical reserves, and you have a wound that will require a lot of care."

"Oh. I didn't realize I'd been hit." she said and winced just as soon as she said it, feeling a painful stab from the side of her head.

"That's the adrenaline. It helped you ignore the pain for a while, but now, you're going to need all the pain-relief potions you can get." she said as she pushed one of the blue vials in her hands. Hermione gulped it down feeling the pain ebb away slightly. She touched the side of her head delicately but met only bandages, her hair having been tied up in a knot. "I was told a burning curse was fired at you during the battle, but the damage was too important for a balm or reconstructive magic. I'm very sorry."

Severus had not said one word since she had regained consciousness. In fact, he hadn't even looked at her once, his gaze locked firmly on the ground.

"What do you mean?" she asked. She didn't understand why the woman and her friend looked so grave, surely she wasn't dying from a mere burn.

"You lost your left ear, dear. They wouldn't have been able to do anything at St Mungos either so I kept you here instead. Severus was very insistent about it."

Hermione laughed, startling the nurse. An ear? That's all I lost for getting rid of Voldemort and his minions? One ear? To save everyone I love? I would have given my bloody head if necessary! However, that was certainly not the reaction the matron was expecting from a young girl. Disfigurement was not all that common in the wizarding world. Maybe Severus would be disgusted by her now.

"Severus?" she called softly, afraid of startling him from his brooding mood. She reached his hand with her own for reassurances. "Is it that bad-looking?"

The young man finally searched her eyes. His dark gaze was full of sadness and self-loathing. He hesitantly lifted a hand to her left cheek, being careful not to touch any of the bandages.

"You'll always be beautiful to me." he smiled sadly. "But... it's my fault you were hurt. I should have gotten that burn, not you... It's all my fault...!" Severus seemed to close in on himself, his hands curling in his hair while his head buried in his chest

"Severus. Severus, stop it! I'm not blaming you. I don't even care, in fact. It's a very small price to pay."

Severus relaxed just a little. Did he really think I would blame him? Hermione kept a tight hold of his hand, mustering her courage to ask what was plaguing her mind, what she had desperately fought not to think about since the Final Battle had begun.

"What about the others? Did we... lose anyone?" she asked cautiously while praying fiercely to Merlin it was not the case. However, she knew deep down it would be foolish to hope for. That was the tragedy of war.

Hermione saw the medi-witch shake her head anxiously at Severus.

"No, she needs rest. There will be time enough for that later."

"I have the right to know! I was the one to plan the attack and summon the Order. If you don't tell me now, I'll jut go find someone who's willing to and I'll bet I'll find plenty." the young witch claimed assuredly but she knew she was too weak to get up, let alone wander off in search of information.

Madam Pomfrey huffed in annoyance and left to take care of her other patients, muttering something sounding like: "As bad as Severus...Have it your way...". Her friend looked hesitant so she gave his hand a light squeeze, urging him on.

"I don't know all of it, just what I heard from the people who've come through the infirmary." he said sullenly, not meeting her eyes once more. "One of the twins didn't make it, killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. I heard his family asking after you to thank you for making her pay. His twin is in shock though, nobody can get a word out of him. That tall witch, Dorcas Meadows, died too. Someone said the Death-Eaters all threw themselves at her when she apparated. She didn't stand a chance. Rosier told me there had been a high price on her head since her escape from an ambush. The Bones lost one of their members but I don't know who. And I know there are a few others who died in the Manor but I don't know their names, and some are gravely injured and may not make it. I heard the auror Mad-Eye may loose his leg..."

Severus stopped as he felt Hermione's tears falling on his hand. She had been crying silently for the lost lives.

"It's not your fault. You know many more would have been lost if it wasn't for you. It is a victory, even though it feels a bit bitter right now." Severs tried to sooth her, wiping her tears away and engulfing her in his arms, where she sobbed desperately for a while.

"Is Albus all right? He looked really tired after..." she mumbled into his shoulder.

"Just as exhausted as you. You should rest, you know." he told her, kissing her forehead tenderly.

Hermione didn't want to, she didn't think she had the right to, when others were mourning, but as soon as she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep nightmare-filled slumber.

°0°0°0°

"What do you think Albus? It's been one whole month now... Maybe we should send her to St Mungos, maybe Vol...Voldemort cursed her with an unknown dark spell before he died." said a feminine voice. Madam Pomfrey, supplied her brain. Strange, I didn't see Voldemort duel anyone else than Albus and I. Maybe a stray spell? I wonder who they are speaking of. Dying of curiosity, Hermione opened her eyes. Her eyelids felt heavy and the light hurt her eyes, but she could make out the school nurse and Albus at the foot of her bed.

"No, that's no it, Poppy. But trust me, keep her here."

Craning her neck, she glimpsed the rest of the ward through the drawn privacy screens, seeing all beds were currently empty, and the room eerily quiet. A notable change from the after-battle bustle. Her befuddled mind started clearing up. Wait! One month!? As she tried getting up too fast, she groaned from her stiff muscles and fell back in bed, drawing attention to herself.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" said the matron's stern voice.

Hermione pouted. Hadn't she been in bed enough if it had been one month?

"My dear girl, you got us quite distressed, you know. How are you feeling?" Her godfather asked, a twinkle in his clear blue eyes, but worry lines etching his face. The young woman had to think for it for a bit, tilting her head.

"Tired. Drained really. But besides that, I'm okay, I guess." she smiled, happy to be in one piece after facing a dark lord, but her grin failed rapidly. "What happened to me? Have I really been asleep for a month?"

"Poppy, would you mind giving us some privacy?" the old wizard asked kindly and the nurse only mildly protested having to leave her charge. "Hermione," he said fondly, turning back to her after making sure nobody was eavesdropping "I think that when your task was completed... as soon as it was completed in fact, the Founders stripped you of the powers they had lent you, affecting your already low magical reserves and ultimately placing you in a coma as you forces continued to dwindle."

"Well, that was kind of ungrateful. Not that wanted to keep their 'gifts', but why didn't they wait?" she asked, surprised and a bit miffed.

"My best guess is that they didn't want to replace a threat with a potential other threat they had created themselves. With all your powers, allies, and knowledge... I guess some would be tempted to become the new Dark Lord... or Dark Lady in your case. So, the Four Founders found a foolproof safeguard to have your powers removed as soon as you realized your quest was accomplished."

Hermione nodded, it did make sense and she could hardly get mad at people who had died several centuries ago.

"How did you find out? Are you sure my gifts are gone? Maybe Madam Pomfrey is right after all?"

The old man looked a little abashed for a moment and shuffled on his feet, looking at a point just above her shoulder. The young woman cleared her throat loudly to catch his eye.

"Albus? What aren't you telling me?"

"Hum, well, you see... Poppy found nothing wrong during her medical examinations, except for your fever and apparent nightmares, so I..hum... Young Severus said it would be okay because you had told him I was already a meddlesome wizard with no respect for personal boundaries."

Now, it was Hermione's turn to look embarrassed.

"There was little chance it would work anyway, but if it did, it would prove my theory true." Albus explained.

"You used Legilimens on me!" she replied, the solution dawning on her. "Oh, I guess it doesn't matter now. I'm fairly sure the future will not be what it was any more, if that makes any sense. I hope you did not see anything too unsettling, Albus."

The old wizard grimaced slightly but said nothing. Hermione shrugged, the old wizard had only himself to blame if her memories gave him nightmares.

"So what happens now?" she wondered, now that she didn't have the fate of the wizarding world resting on her shoulders, she felt oddly useless.

"Ah. I have good news for you." he announced but his expression was anything but happy. "I think the way home for you has been discovered."