AN: while the battle of Hogwarts is now ending the story is not. I hope you all continue to enjoy! Please keep reviewing!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters
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Hermione glanced around the hallway looking for Draco, but he had vanished again. Harry inhaled deeply as he leaned against a wall shaking. She knew what the blank look in his eyes meant, he saw something. She rushed to his side. "Harry, what was it? What did you see?" He was breathing heavily. "The snake. That's the last one. We kill the snake and it's done." Ron glanced over at Harry. "Where is it Harry? Where is the snake?" He closed his eyes and focused really intently. "I know where it is."
The trio jogged down the staircases, rocks and marble from the castle littered the floor. Massive crowds of students still running in a panic, trying to escape from the war going on around them. Giants swung their hammers and giant spiders invaded the courtyard. Hermione rounded a corner after Harry. "No!" she shouts. A man lifts his head from the student in front of him, crimson dripping from the corners of his mouth. Hermione recognized the Gryffindor student as Lavender Brown. She had been infatuated with Ron last year. "Stupify!" Hermione shouted as she waved her wand, knocking the man back. Lavender was sadly already gone, Hermione couldn't save her. A small tear fell from her brown eyes. She never cared for the girl but she still didn't deserve to die, especially not this way.
Harry pulled on Hermione's hand pulling her to the left. She ran, following behind him to the docks. They tiptoed to the side, voices coming from inside. "Severus." Voldemort's raspy voice echoed. They sat, listening to Voldemort and Snape speak. "The Elder wand belongs to the wizard who killed it's last owner. While you live, this wand can not be mine." Hermione jumped as a thud hit the wall, red staining the glass. Once Voldemort had left, they entered the boat house. Hermione stood to the back as Harry went to try and aid the fallen professor.
"Give me something." Harry turned around with his hand outstretched. "Quickly." Hermione dug through her extended bag, finding a vial. She handed it off to Harry, taking a few steps back. Hermione choked back tears, a piercing sound soon coming through the air. She covered her ears and fell to her knees. Voldemort's raspy voice filled the air. "You have allowed your friends to die for you than face me yourself. Join me in the forbidden forest." The voice soon lifted.
"Where is everybody?" Hermione asked as they arrived back at the castle. The large doors opening, the Great Hall had been turned into the hospital wing. Hermione stopped. Every red-head in the Weasley family was crowded around a cot. George turned to hug his brother Ron, tears staining his cheeks. Fred lay before them. Hermione wiped her cheeks. Tonk and Lupin also would lay lifeless. She thought about Teddy, he was only a baby now both of his parents lost. A young Colin Creavey. She had remembered him from her second year, always running around with his camera. Lifeless friends and family would cover the Great Hall floor. Hermione stood with Ron as Harry disappeared. "I'm so sorry Ron." His eyes had a mixture of sadness and anger behind them.
Hermione and Ron sat on the steps. "Harry, we thought you went to the forest." Harry jogged down the steps, past the fallen books and rubble. Past his two best friends who fought with him since day one. "I'm going there now." Hermione and Ron stood. "You can't give yourself to him. Harry stopped and looked at them. "I think you two have known for awhile. Kill the snake, and then it's just him." Hermione ran to embrace her long time friend, tears running down her cheeks. She watched as he went down to stairs to his death.
Hermione sat back down on the stairs as Ron went back into the Great Hall with his family, still mourning the loss of Fred. "I'm sorry." She heard a voice behind her, a voice she knew. A voice she missed. She turned her back to see a tall blonde-haired boy in a black suit. Draco. "Don't." she spoke through clenched teeth. "Students, family, friends, Draco. All dead and you had a hand in it." She marched towards him. "I haven't killed anyone." Draco stated, and he was right. He had failed in killing Dumbledore. "Shove it! You helped them murder hundreds Draco!"
"What do you think would have happened if I hadn't? He would have killed me and my family." He stopped, his normally soft gray eyes were dark storm gray. Draco took a deep breath. "He would have done it all anyway. With or without our involvement." She stared at him, shaking her head. "You stood there and watched." She pulled the sleeve of her jacket up, holding her forearm out revealing her scars. "You stood there. And. Watched! You watched me lay on the floor of your living room, and scream. Cry. Beg for my life." Her eyes welled with tears, her voice cracking. "I was tortured right in front of you and you did nothing."
Draco looked down at his feet, the image of that night would forever be tattooed in his mind. "And I will never forgive myself for that. But if I had stepped in you would have never gotten out. She would have killed me, and then the three of you. All I ever wanted to do was protect you Hermione." A shiver ran up her spine as he spoke her actual name. "I distanced myself last year because I knew loving you would only put you in more danger. My aunt knew. Why do you think it was you who was chosen and not Ron? Or Harry? She was testing me. I couldn't step in." She listened as Draco explained his actions, tears falling from his eyes. "I'm so sorry. Truly I am. I will show you somehow."
She watched as Draco walked into the rubble, and off into the shadows. The sun finally began to rise on what seemed like a day that lasted a lifetime. The students walked out to the courtyard that was littered with rocks and pieces of stone. Neville dusted off the sorting hat. The crowd of Death Eaters headed by Voldemort walked the bridge to the castle. "Who is that Hagrid is carrying?" Ginny stood with her father. "Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort cheered. "No!" Ginny yelled as she lunged forward, only to be stopped by her father. "Stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth I am your leader." Voldemort walked closer as he spoke.
Hermione's eyes began to fill with tears again, for a second her life with Voldemort still alive flashed through her mind. It was a very short life, and something she was terrified of her breath was heavy. "Harry Potter is dead!" he cheered again. Laughter rising from the army behind him. "Come forward and join us." Draco stood off in the back. "Or die." Voldemort continued to speak. Draco's mother and father looked at him. "Draco." his father spoke. He knew what his father was wanting of him, to join them. His feet suddenly felt like they weighed a ton. His mother waved her arm in a summoning fashion. Lucius was getting nervous. "Oh Draco."
Hermione and several other students turned to watch as for another moment in time Draco had a self battle going. Draco managed to move his feet as he swallowed hard, walking through the crowd of students and over to join his family. Hermione could feel her heart sink to her feet, after all he had just said to her hours ago. He once again didn't choose her. Voldemort embraced him as he crossed the invisible line. "Ah, well done Draco." Draco felt as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest at his touch. He could feel the glares from all of the students left behind him, but only one set of eyes did he really care about. He walked towards his mother as she hugged him.
Neville limped forward. "I'd like to say something." Voldemort scowled. "Well, I'm sure we would all be fascinated by what you have to say." Hermione watched, she had never seen Neville be this bold. "Yeah we lost Harry tonight." he turned to the students. "But he is still with us." he said, placing a hand on his chest. "In here. So is Fred. Tonks. And Remus. They didn't die in vain." He turned back to stare at Voldemort. "But you will. Because you're wrong!" he yelled. Swiftly he pulled the sword of Gryffindor out of the sorting hat. "It's not over!" Hermione watched as Harry rolled out of the gamekeepers giant arms, very much alive. He ran around the courtyard as Voldemort cast fire from his wand.
Black mists appeared in the sky as some Death Eaters made a run for it. Draco's mother pulled him to follow her and his father. He planted his feet. "No mother. I love you, but I can not follow you." Voldemort pushed the Death Eaters closer as students retreated to the castle. Draco moved forward, quickly moving into a sprint to catch up. Hermione watched as he moved closer. "Malfoy?"
"Potter!" Draco yelled. Harry turned to see him coming towards him, holding his wand out. "Catch!" Without hesitation, Draco tossed his wand to Harry. Hermione watched as Draco gave up his own line of magic to help Harry. Her eyes briefly met Draco's before the doors closed and she ran to hide. Draco apparated in the castle. Hermione hid, waiting and watching. She picked a rock up off the floor and threw it at the snake that now had a new target. Nagini slithered towards the witch who stood on the stairs. Hermione tossed another rock at the creature.
Hermione retreated as the snake followed her, Ron crept up behind the snake. As he went to strike, she turned nipping him on the hand. Following him down the stairs, hissing and lunging as she moved. Hermione and Ron sprinted down the stairs, Nagini following behind them. She had them cornered. Ron waved his wand, but the spell had no effect on her. Hermione closed her eyes as she lay on a pile of rubble. This was it, she thought. This is where I die. She heard a faint screaming, Neville. He swiftly sliced, the snake turning to dust and smoke. Hermione knew, now it was over. Harry could finally end it and save the wizarding world.
Harry walked through the castle, voices rose in the Great Hall as students could rest knowing it was finally over. Hermione and Ron entered the Hall, both smiling at their friend. The trio walked out to the bridge of the castle, Draco stood in the middle of it. "Had a change of heart did you?" Harry looked at the blonde-haired boy in front of him. "No. Just finally made the right choice." Draco stared at Hermione, the sun beaming down on her. She stood back, the sun beams making his blonde hair seem almost white. "This doesn't change anything. I still don't trust you." Draco didn't care if he trusted him or not. He only cared about Hermione. "I assume you want this back." Harry twirled the wand in his fingers. Draco nodded.
Harry tossed the wand back at him. Draco caught it and put it in the pocket of his jacket. His eyes darted back to Hermione. "See you around." She watched as he apparated, vanishing from in front of her. It made her think. Would she see him again