Disclaimer: I am not, nor could I ever wish to be, the magnificent JKR. The characters and concepts of this work herein are entirely the property of JKR and her publishers. I don't own rights, claim rights, or anything of the sort. You cannot sue me O.O Thank you. Enjoy.
"Defenders of Hogwarts, I ask that you lend me your ear…" Voldemort's voice created an invisible cloud over everyone inside of the school. McGonagall seemed to have popped up from out of nowhere and put her arm around Harry. Hermione let go of his hand and sort of moved away from him. "In this hour I will allow you to tend to your dead and injured, as proper and kind a soul I might be. And, with this I grant you the opportunity…to present Harry Potter to me in sacrifice for your safety. Within the hour I want Harry Potter at my feet in the Dark Forest, alone he shall come. If he does this, then no more shall die." Hermione's heart sunk at the sound of the words. An hour they would have, which meant she would be a widow within the hour.
Hermione would be a widowed pregnant teenager in the hour. She was just a child, and a life that it would usually take people twenty and thirty years, forty and fifty years, sometimes their entire lives to realize, it was going to happen to her within the hour. By the end of the year she expected herself to be greyed and feeble, the birth of her child only weakening her.
"I think I know where he is." Harry announced, everyone watching him.
"Well of course you do, Potter. He's just said it!" George did not mean it menacingly, although had someone not known George they wouldn't have known how he said things sarcastically frequently. Harry cracked a grin at him, winking as he turned he body away from a motherly McGonagall. He waited for things to die down around them before he pulled Hermione and Neville to the side. "Voldemort is with Snape in the Astonomy tower, I've just seen it." He pointed to his eyes, and be default, his scar to indicate the connection. Hermione and Neville did not need to speak in order to understand what Harry was asking of them.
They were filing out, unnoticed, to go to the Astronomy tower. Hermione peaked over her shoulder one last time to see Ron and Luna holding hands. She wanted to congratulate them on their blossoming romance, which had gone from a secret to even themselves, to an obvious relationship in a matter of hours. Hermione blew a kiss to them even if they did not know. Then she returned forward facing to sprint right behind Harry.
The steps always killed her, causing her to lose her footing twice. Harry kept saying that clearly the extra weight was taking her balance away which visibly confused Neville, even though he never voiced the concern. Hermione would peak around the area for any sign of a clock; she was trying to keep track of time, aware that they would be cutting the limit close at this pace. It had been twenty minutes by the time they reached the tower. Neville and Hermione covered their mouths, recognizing that they were panting heavily. Harry put one hand over his wand, which turned out to be one they had stolen from Malfoy Manor. It looked as if it could even be Draco's. The other arm was behind him trying to protect Hermione and Neville.
They stood back to listen to the conversation being shared. Harry would, Hermione trusted, act as necessary.
"Severus, how good to see you. I had lost you sometime during the course of battle."
"Yes, my Lord. I was trying to find Potter to bring him to you. I hope I do not displease."
"Remind me, Severus, of who killed Albus Dumbledore."
"I did, my Lord."
"And what wand was it that he bore, Severus?"
"The Elder Wand, my Lord."
"As you know, Severus, I have not been able to find a wand which has helped me successfully kill Harry Potter. Tales be told that the Elder Wand is the most powerful wand there is."
"So it has been said."
"If you killed Dumbeldore, which many have openly spoke of that night. Bellatrix included. If this is true, then the Elder Wand is owned by you, Severus."
"This is correct, my Lord." His voice had changed in tone, almost a slight sound of fear in his body. Suddenly a small hiss echoed against the walls. Hermione could only see the shadows against and opposing wall. She reached her hand away from her mouth and pulled at the purse strings of her bag. Inside was the Invisibility Cloak. She started to yank it over them, fearful that Voldemort would come out and find them. Nothing good was happening in this conversation, and one of them would leave eventually.
"So this means I must now take the Elder Wand from you, Severus. Nagini?" Hermione then covered her mouth to mask the scene she was hearing from around the corner. Neville proceeded to put his arms around his shoulders and bury his face into her back to hide his squeals. Harry, however, simply pushed his hands into his pocket and waited. A hiss sounded off and the shadow that Hermione could see jolted forward. Hermione tried to distract herself.
For no apparent reason, Hermione started thinking about how the Elder Wand would work with Voldemort. The reason Snape was being murdered was because he had the Elder Wand, and Voldemort wanted it. Hermione realized that she knew more about the Elder Wand than she had originally though. Ron once told her some stories about it after they knew about the Deathly Hallows. She never thought much about it because she had ruled their usefulness out at the time. She nearly smacked herself for forgetting.
Whomever disarmed the Elder Wand from its owner became the new owner. Hermione glanced down at her wand, the one she had gotten so long ago when she was just a tiny girl starting her life at Hogwarts. It had been redesigned since then to fit her personality. She recalled now that the wand had belonged to Draco. Draco had been holding that wand, that very wand, when he allowed her to disarm him at Malfoy Manor. A tiny gasp left her lips and Harry flung his arm at her leg. The pain was brief.
Hermione was the owner of the Elder Wand.
Draco had to have known the way in which the Elder Wand worked. He grew up in a pureblood family. He had a vast knowledge about things that she could have never known about being a Muggle-born witch. Hermione concluded that Draco allowed her to disarm him not only to gain her protection but to rid himself of the responsibility. Her body felt heavy.
Voldemort and Nagini came around the corner, a bloodied Elder Wand in Voldemort's hands. He wisped on by without realizing their presence. Neville shivered slightly, but he had a firm grip over Hermione's biceps to prevent him from exposing them. As soon as Nagini's body was completely absent Harry darted from behind the cloak. At a snail's pace, Neville and Hermione came out of hiding as well. They took their time reaching the corner to see the dying teacher that they had never particularly liked, but always admired for being so intelligent and coy, even if never admitting so aloud.
"Haa-Haa-Harry." Snape was trying so very hard to get enough air in his lungs to speak. His neck was mutilated and being alive seemed impossible at the sight. Even his chest was damaged. Harry leaned in, for reasons Hermione was sure he didn't even understand, and held Snape's head up. She could hardly believe how selfless he managed to be. He might occasionally be cocky, but he had a warm heart, ready to give affection to anyone.
"Snape, we – we can fix this. We can help. Hermione. She-she has dittany. And tonics." Harry wasn't stating so much as pleading for it to be true. Even Hermione knew the dittany would do nothing more than make him presentable at the time of death. He could be presented openly for people to mourn. How many, though, would show up to mourn was questionable. She didn't budge.
"HERMIONE!" Harry screamed with urgency. He turned to look at her but Hermione could only shake her head. A tear escaped her eye and strolled down her cheek effortlessly. She almost could feel the dirt being wiped away.
"Harry, nothing can be done for him. The damage is – too extensive." She had to pick the best words so as not to provoke Harry's emotions. He turned back to Snape, holding him the way you would hold a child. He stroked Snape's long black hair, hushing him even though he was silent. There was no solution and it made Harry feel guilty. Another life was lost, and she could see him blaming himself.
"Look at me, Harry." Snape had accepted the death before him. Hermione and Neville stood idly by as Harry helped Snape turn his head so that they may look each other in the eyes. Harry was beginning to cry, she saw his body near convulsing. She hugged herself and leaned against Neville.
"You have your mother's eyes, Harry. Lilly's eyes." Hermione could see the life draining from his eyes with each passing word he uttered. As soon as he finished his sentence his eyes turned dull and empty. She was positive all color dissipated. She had watched him die in real time, not like the cinema films she watched back with her parents. It was real. It was horrible. Instantly Harry began sobbing. He pulled his wand out, muttering that Snape "will not be forgotten. He will not go unforgiven." Hermione saw memories coming out onto Harry's wand. She had to hurry to get a vial for him so that he may later watch them.
Hermione left Harry to mourn alone, pulling Neville back around the corner. Having come to terms with Harry's inevitable death, she would have to find someone else to help get rid of the horcruxs. She would need him to help in Harry's place to save the world, and she knew he was just as good a candidate as anyone, he only needed the proper information.
"Neville, I'm pregnant." She gushed as if she were ill. She put he hands on her hips, one of them clasping the beaded bag tightly.
"I don't mean to be rude, but what's that have to do with what's going on right now?" He was always so blunt and clueless. It was refreshing to Hermione.
"It is important because the mission we are on requires three people and I can't put myself in danger. So Ron and I will need someone to help take on the horcruxs. With the horcruxs gone we can rid of Voldemort once and for all." She made sure he listened closely, and he did because his eyes darted from Hermione to Harry's shadow, then back to Hermione. He stepped closer, his eyes glued to her stomach, then he pulled his eyes to her face reluctantly.
"Why can't Harry do it?" The gulp afterwards was loud and unmistakable.
"Harry is a horcrux too." Hermione had to divulge the information in order for Neville to recognize the importance. While Harry was going to meet his death, Hermione will have set Ron and Neville up to kill Nagini. Hermione would be saving Draco and his family. And then she could return, hopefully to find Voldemort's dead body in the center of his helpless followers. She did not care who killed him, as long as he was gone. As long as he paid for what he did to the world. What he would have done to her.
Fun fact: My outline originally had this in two parts, but the way it was written felt choppy. I ended up putting it together as this chapter. Think I made the right decision?
Thanks to everyone for sticking with me throughout this entire piece! I know how hard it must be to follow a long fanfiction as this one. I know I sometimes fall behind on the longer pieces I follow! I appreciate everyone who has read it, subscribed to it, subscribed to me, and left reviews! Even if you didn't do any of those things and just read it. It doesn't matter! You all took the time of day and interest in my work and it makes me feel great.
The best part of my day is when I get emails to my phone saying someone has subscribed or left a review. I just about cry every time. You are probably sick of hearing it but writing is my passion. I'm writing my own novel and I just, gah, it makes my heart melt. I already feel like a successful author because of you guys. I can't thank you enough. I appreciate everything!