Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.  "This is Your Time" belongs to Michael Smith.

It was a test we could all hope to pass
But none of us would want to take
Faced with the choice to deny them and live
For her there was one choice to make

Hermione stood there, proud and tall.  Though she was in chains and captive, she would not give in to them – to *him*.  She did not bother to bow when Voldermort came in, even though all the death-eaters around her were groveling on the floor.  Instead, she spit in his face as he crept near her.

"Oh, I see we have another firebird on our hands…" Voldermort seemed very amused at this.  "Figures that the two women that Harry Potter would love are both firebirds…" His evil laugh bounced off the damp chamber walls.  "However, my dear, I'm afraid your love for him won't save him this time.   No… instead he's flying here to save you even as we speak…  Poor Harry, whatever shall he do when he finds you dead?"

"You can't scare me Voldermort.  Do you really think you can kill Harry Potter?  How many times have you tried and failed?  What makes you think this time will be any different?"  Hermione mocked him, disgust written all over her face.

"How dare you insult the Dark Lord like that, you insolent bitch!"  screamed Wormtail.  "Crucio!"

Hermione fell to the ground screaming.  The pain was everywhere, it was inside her, and it surrounded her…

"STOP!" Voldermort's voice boomed, clearly displeased with his servant.  "Finite Incredium."  Suddenly the pain was gone, but it's aftereffects still lingered on inside Hermione.  "Now, my dear, I have an offer for you.  Join the Death Eaters."  A gasp came from the ranks behind him.  "Now, I know it's not something I advocate – you being a mudblood and all – but you ARE the smartest witch I've seen since Lily Potter."  He sighed, then continued, "And, I'm ashamed to admit, but she was a mudblood too.  Something about you mudblood witches…"  He shook his head.  "However, I offered her the chance, and she refused.  You know how that conflict resolved itself.  What is your choice?"  His voice was hard as steel during the last part.  Obviously, no sympathy would be granted her if she refused.

This was her time
This was her dance
She lived every moment
Left nothing to chance
She swam in the sea
Drank of the deep
Embraced the mystery
Of all she could be
This was her time

Hermione struggled to her feet.  "What do you think my answer is, Voldermort?" She spat at him, furious.  "Do you really think I'm weaker than Lily Potter?  Well, my answer is the same as hers and any self-respecting witch or wizard."  Here she glared at Wormtail.  "My answer is no."

"Very well then."  Voldermort didn't seem surprised by her answer.  "However, you must suffer a little before you die.  You understand, I'm sure."  He grinned wickedly at her, then whispered, "Crucio!"

Hermione gasped as the spell hit her again.  However, this time she managed to stay standing upright, and glared at Voldermort.  "Is that the best you can do?" she mocked him.  She heard him hit her with the spell again, and she fell to her knees.  "You will never get away with this, you know… Harry won't let you."  She could feel her breath catching in her throat, "I won't let you…"  She paused, gathering her strength. 

Suddenly, she looked up.  She could feel Harry's presence in the room.  He had made it there while she was still alive.  However, she had to keep Voldermort occupied so he wouldn't notice that Harry had arrived.

She started talking again.  "Do you know why you're going to lose, Voldermort?"  She had to keep this sarcastic to keep his attention on her.  She put all of her energy, all of her anger into her words.  "You're going to lose, Voldie, because you are afraid you are going to lose.  Deep down you're afraid that people aren't scared of you anymore.  That's why you need to kill Harry.  If he stays around, then no one will fear you.  After all, a baby survived your death curse.  And that – that is why we will win.  All because of the simple fact that there are people who are not afraid of you.  People like Harry, like Professor Dumbledore, like Sirius Black and like myself.  Yes, a mudblood isn't afraid of you.  See how pathetic you have become over the years, dear Voldie?  People like me are always going to be around to make sure that everyone else isn't scared of you anymore."  She couldn't go on any longer.  She was struggling to even breath.

"Avada Kedavra!"  A familiar voice rang out.  Harry had apparently used her speech as a pep talk for himself.  Voldermort fell to the ground, dead. 

Suddenly the room was full of Aurors, ready to take any and all Death Eaters into custody.  All Hermione cared about was Harry, the Harry who was running towards her.  He gathered her into his arms.

"Hey.  It's going to be okay.  Everything's going to be okay now.  I promise."  Harry's voice whispered in her ear.

"Harry… he said I was a lot like your mother…" She whispered back.  Words were hard for her, and her breath was ragged.  "He said… that I was a firebird, and that you love me.  Is it true?"  Her eyes beseeched him to tell her the truth.

"Of course, Herm, I've always loved you."

She smiled at him, then a cough racked her body.  "Tell Ron that he's got to study more for the NEWTs.  Ask Ginny to take care of Crookshanks for me.  Tell my mom and dad that I'm sorry…"

"No, Herm, you can't… you aren't going to die.  Not here, not now…"  Harry pleaded with her, his eyes filling with tears.

"And always remember, Harry Potter, that I love you."  With that her eyes shut for the last time, and she took her final breath.

"Herm?  Herm?  Hermione?  HERMIONE!"  Harry was left shaking the body of the girl he loved.

Though you are mourning, and grieving your loss
Death died a long time ago
Swallowed in life, so her life carries on
Still, it's so hard to let go

"The end of another year."  Said Professor Dumbledore.  "Many of you have noticed that once again our hall is not decorated with the winning House's colors for the Leaving Feast, but black.  The last time this happened was three years ago, when Cedric Diggory died at the hands of Lord Voldermort."  He paused, then looked down at the Gryffindor table.  "Tonight, we honor one of the greatest students Hogwarts has ever seen, Miss Hermione Granger."

Harry could see many people weeping around him.  Hermione had been a popular Head Girl, well liked by many students for her gentle and understanding help on problems that ranged from homesickness, to love life problems, to homework issues.  However, all he could think about was the empty chair in between Ron and himself.  One that should have been filled by her.

Dumbledore continued, "Hermione was a person who not only exemplified many qualities of Gryffindor, but of Hogwarts as a whole.  She was brave, as most Gryffindors are.  Goodness knows how many scrapes she was in over her seven years here at Hogwarts."  Here he smiled down at Harry and Ron.  "However, she was also clever, much like Ravenclaw, as hard working as Hugglepuff, and ambitious like Slytherin.  She was made Head Girl for various reasons, which I'm sure many of you have discovered.  Her presence among us will surely be missed.  She has left an imprint on each of us, even those who might consider themselves her enemies.  An ancient song, some say a prophecy, seems to sum it up better than I can.   Miss Weasley, if you will?"

Ginny slowly stood up.  However, instead of going to the front of the room, she walked to the empty chair between Ron and Harry.  There she stood, as she began to sing:


This was her time
This was her dance
She lived every moment
Left nothing to chance
She swam in the sea
Drank of the deep
Embraced the mystery
Of all she could be
What if tomorrow
What if today
Faced with the question
Oh, what would you say?

Ginny closes softly, to a hushed room.  Suddenly, Harry stood up, and – much to the surprise of everyone present - began to sing.  The lyrics he sang held an eerie resemblance to the song that Ginny had just finished.


This is your time
This is your dance
Live every moment
Leave nothing to chance
Swim in the sea
Drink of the deep
Embrace the mystery
Of all you can be

After he finished, he just stood there for a second, head bowed.  There was not a single eye in the room that was dry as they looked at the "Boy Who Lived," who had lost one of his two closest friends.  Yet here he stood, still among them, living each day much like the rest of them – with sorrows and happiness, quarrels and celebrations.  Ron stood up and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, and Harry looked up at him.  Years later, every single person in the room that day could still describe the picture that stood before them – the empty chair between the two suffering friends looking into each other's eyes haunted many of them to their graves.

After staring at Ron for what seemed like forever, Harry broke the look they were sharing and looked down at Hermione's seat.  He cleared his throat and began to speak.  "I found that scribbled in one of Hermione's books.  Apparently, she saw this coming long before it actually happened.  As I read it, it appeared to be a challenge to me, and to everyone else in the world.  I was shocked when I heard Ginny singing something so close to what Hermione had scribbled in that book."

Harry looked up to a room full of somber people.  "I believe that Hermione is challenging us – challenging us to figure out who we are, challenging us to become someone we are proud of, challenging us to stand up for everything we believe in.  I accept that challenge, and throw it out to each of you."  After those words, he walked out of the Great Hall, head held high, and tears rolling down his face silently.

A/N:  Thanks, as always, to my beta-reader, teethshaver.

         As always, PLEASE REVIEW!  (and go check out my other fics!)