Disclaimer: All characters, places, things, spells, etc. you recognize here are Trademarks of Harry Potter. They belong to the talented Ms. Joanne Kathryn Rowling, Raincoast Books, Bloomsbury, Scholastic Inc. and Warner Bros. I have borrowed several names from books for my characters being Calvin O'Keefe from The Wrinkle in Time Series, by Madeleine L'Engle and Ella from Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Also, I have again borrowed the name Carlton from the fabulous Vanessa Carlton. Amethyst, Emerald, Victoria, Jonathan, Calvin and Lila are products of my imagination. I own the majority of the plot.

A/N: NOTE: This chapter was beta-ed by a friend of mine who does not go on fanfiction.net. Thanks a bunch Car! To my regular betas who made this story 100 times better, watch for an email from me!

The Real Me

Last time..

"Kill me then, because I will never join you, you worthless, pitiful creature!" Hermione shouted at him. "So be it." Voldemort said, and pointed is wand at her. Hermione prepared herself for death. "Good-bye everyone, I love you." She thought sadly, "But I must be strong, I will not give him the satisfaction of my fear."

Voldemort was about to cast the deadliest of the Unforgiveables, when the sound of people hitting the floor made everyone turn their heads. Hermione was shocked when she recognized the people. Before she had time to comprehend it, the door that she had entered through flew open and what looked like a hundred Death Eaters entered. "Uh oh", Hermione thought.

Chapter 22 Hermione's Real Me

"Oh my Merlin!" Hermione thought, shocked beyond belief. Her eyes quickly scanned the crowd. There had to be seventy or eighty people there. At the head of the group was Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and her father. The rest of the people had gotten up of the floor and were standing firm, facing the Death Eaters.

Hermione's eyes turned to her right, the huge group of Death Eaters. She shuddered, there was a hundred of them, standing firm and looking horribly evil. Hermione failed to notice Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy standing on opposite sides of them room. Voldemort too finished looking at the scene, and rose from his throne. He faced Dumbledore, his back to the death Eaters. He paused for a second, his eyes observing the group with a face Hermione could not place.

Then he spoke, his eyes on Dumbledore and -Hermione was shocked when she noticed- Harry Potter. "Ah, my goddaughter and I were just speaking about you, the brave Gryffindors." Voldemort drawled lazily, and the last part was spoke very sarcastically.

Dumbledore answered him back, before a bunch of what looked like VERY angry people to Hermione could cut in. "Ah, Tom Riddle. It has been a long time, not long enough though. Let's make this quick, shall we. No tricks, no playing games. You know why I am here." Dumbledore answered, and Hermione could feel the power emanating from him. Hermione was still frozen in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do.

"But my dear Headmaster, you know that I love to play games, and cannot resist and good trick." Voldemort sneered back at him, "And my guest and I are not quite done with what we were doing before you so rudely interrupted. We still have the little matter of her execution to be dealt with."

"Her execution? You are trying to kill her?" Dumbledore asked as if daring him to answer yes. But, Hermione beat him to it. "Yes, he was. We were discussing if I would join him, and I told him no, so he decided to kill me. Nothing big or anything." Hermione said, giggling. Then she started to laugh uncontrollably. Her whole body shook, and then it was just too much for the poor girl. Hermione collapsed to the floor, and everything went black.

******

2 Extremely Long Days Later

"Mmmmhhh.", Hermione mumbled into something. Opening one eye, she realized it was a fluffy white pillow. Feeling disoriented, she closed her eyes until she was able to get her mind back together. She remembered, the kidnapping, going to Voldemort, he trying to kill her, the arrival of the Light Side, the Death Eaters, the talk of Dumbledore and Voldemort, then her fainting. "How come I always seem to faint?" Hermione asked into her pillow.

"Maybe you too often bite off more than you chew. A muggle expression I've become rather found of." A voice answered Hermione back, scaring her to bits. She relaxed when she recognized the voice, it was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. Hermione slowly rolled over, her head now on her pillow instead of staring into it. She realized she was in the Hospital Wing, a place all too familiar for her liking. There was a big group of people surrounding her bed, sitting on chairs. She looked at each person slowly and surveyed them.

Albus Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling merrily was sitting near her, smiling. Her mother, her face stained with tears, and bags under her eyes, looked relieved. Her father was sitting beside her, his face covered with emotions that Hermione was too tired to analyze, but she noted curiously that he looked very worried. Also in the group were Sirius, Emmie, Calvin, Victoria and Jonathan, who all looked sick with worry. Lila, a blonde woman that Hermione recognized as Nacrissa Malfoy and Draco were there too, looking the same as the formers. There were an assortment of Professors as well as people Hermione did not recognize were crowded about the hospital wing. Hermione noticed her old professor, Remus Lupin among them, and smiled inwardly.

Hermione's eyes finally drifted to her left side. Sitting there, both looking at her with worry, dread, shock, happiness, sadness, and anger, were Ron and Harry. Hermione's heart flipped. She squeezed her eyes shut again and asked in a voice barely above a whisper, but heard by all, since the room was absolutely silent, "What in the world happened? What's going on, were is Voldemort what happened with the fight?" Hermione's mind was bursting with questions, all desperately wanting to be answered. She slowly opened one eye, then the next, both peering questioningly at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sighed a heavy sigh and looked back at her with tired eyes. As he spoke, everyone who had been there relived it with him.

******

2 Extremely Long Days Earlier

Everyone watched as Hermione slumped to the cold floor in the faint, but no one moved. All was focused on Dumbledore and Voldemort. "Yes, as Miss Carlton-Snape was saying, I have to kill her, so if you'll excuse me for one moment." Voldemort drawled to them and then turned his wand on Hermione. In a second, Dumbledore was in front of Voldemort, blocking is way to Hermione, with his own wand raised. "You do not seriously think that we'd sit here and watch you kill her, do you?" Dumbledore asked his former student, voice ice cold.

The rest of what happened was utter chaos and confusion. One of the Death Eaters fired a curse, and all hell broke out. Curses went this way and that, stunning some and killing others. The Death Eaters showed no mercy. Dead and injured lay across the floor that was covered with blood. In the center of the room, there were three people standing, looking determined and defiant. Lord Voldemort, also known as Tom Marvalo Riddle, descendant of Salzar Slytherin, Albus Dumbledore, descendant of Godric Gryffindor and Harry Potter, descendant of both Godric Gryffindor and Salzar Slytherin stood there. All other curses and fighting stopped, and everyone turned to the trio. They had their wands raised, and before anyone knew what had happened, the three were all flat on the floor, looking dead.

People rushed to and fro, confusion returning. The day after, when Dumbledore and Harry regained consciousness, they learned what had happened. The three descendants of the Founders of Hogwarts had fired the improved, modified killing curse at the same time. Dumbledore and Harry had combined their powers and had managed to defeat Voldemort, once and for all. The managed to kill him, the unkillable man. Using a special blend of Dragon blood, Avada Kedavra and powerful light magic, Dumbledore had invented this new curse and it killed Voldemort.

He was dead. The news reached the Wizarding World like a bonfire, and the whole world celebrated. The Ministry and Aurors caught most of the Death Eaters that were still alive. Peter Pettigrew was found, alive, and the Minister of Magic, Fudge, immediately declared Sirius innocent, apologizing for his horrible misjudgment. Many were dead though. Among them were Lucius Malfoy, Seniors Crabbe and Goyle, and countless others. People from the Light side had also perished. Professor Flitwick and Sprout were dead, as well as many Aurors. They died for a good cause though.

The only upset had been Hermione Granger. The heroic orphan muggle born who Voldemort had kidnapped and attempted to kill (or in some stories, killed). The moment Voldemort collapsed, Harry Potter ran over to his best friend. She was lying on her back on the floor, and she was clutching an amethyst ring with one hand, and 3 necklaces that lay around her neck with the other. Her pulse was very faint, and she was at once taken back to Hogwarts. For the next two days, dreadfully worried family members, friends and teachers sat around here, sometimes crying, sometimes talking, others in complete silence. The medi-witch, Madame Pomprey was not sure if she would live. There had been a huge amount of stress placed on her, and she could not take it anymore. She was fighting an inner emotional battle now.

At this diagnosis, many felt ashamed. All who were close to her felt they had added to the stress, and felt dreadful. Harry and Draco would have not left her side, if they were not threatened with magic, Azkaban and expulsion. During his long waiting period by her side, Harry clutched Hermione's shirt as if his life depended on it. She had to be changed into a hospital gown by Amethyst, as her clothes were filthy. Harry did not notice the dirt. He just sat there, alternating his gaze between Hermione and the shirt in his hands. It was a pretty shirt, but very faded. It was amethyst, and kind of sparkly, though few sparkles remained. Harry felt as if he had seen the shirt before somewhere, but not on Hermione. But, on someone he knew. Harry thought about it for the whole of two extremely long days, and it finally came to him. Harry hurriedly told Ron, and just as they were finished speaking in a whisper about the mystery shirt, Hermione woke with a start.

Two Extremely Long Days Later (Again)

After Dumbledore's story (A/N: Just to let you know, his story excluded the last paragraph, that was just for your benefit), the little colour in Hermione's cheeks faded away. She couldn't believe it, Voldemort was dead? Hermione was cheering inside. She couldn't believe the managed to kill him. "I'm sure a lot of people are dying to talk to you, but, I'm afraid I must let Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley go first. Very sorry, now everyone else, please give them some privacy, I need to talk to you in my office." Dumbledore announced, and everyone else very slowly followed him out, upset they didn't get to go first.

"Hi", Hermione whispered. "Hey", Harry and Ron told her quietly back. Harry held up something in his hand. "Umm, I saved your shirt for you." He told her. Harry silently prayed for her to tell him it wasn't hers, but she didn't. Hermione glanced at the amethyst shirt, recognizing it as her own, she had worn it to see Peter and Kaliena, and smiled faintly at Harry. "Thanks."

Harry and Ron exchanged a look, and Ron spoke. "About the shirt, where did you get it?" Hermione looked at them for a second, confused, but answered the question. "Actually I found it with my stuff." "Oh", Harry said, "When did you find it?" Hermione again gave them a look then answered, "Umm, Saturday morning." "I see, did you wear it on Saturday? You were wearing it when we saw you and, well you know." Harry said and broke off at the end, not wanting to say kidnapped. Inside he was so angry at Voldemort and everyone else for taking his Hermione. And now, he was beginning to become mad at Hermione. She wasn't and hadn't been telling them something very crucial. "Yah.." Hermione said, downright confused.

"Look, while you were wherever you were, on Dumbledore's errand or what not, on Saturday at breakfast another person was wearing that same shirt. And, Hedwig tried to give that person a letter addressed to you, Hermione Granger. Hedwig has never failed to deliver a letter before. Why do you think Hedwig tried to give your letter to the girl in your shirt?" Harry asked, his words chilling Hermione to the bone.

Hermione realized her mistake. She had worn the same shirt when she was Hermione and when she was Ella. Tons of people had seen both Ella and Hermione in the same shirt. How could I have been so stupid? Hermione decided she had to tell them the truth. She couldn't lie her way out of this one.

"Because I wasn't on an errand for Dumbledore. I was the girl in the amethyst shirt, and still am." Hermione told their shocked faces, and silently wished to look like Ella did. When she opened her eyes, her hair was black, she was taller, and to Harry and Ron, she looked very different, but inside, she was still the same. Hermione tried to get over the shock that she had changed her appearance by simply wishing that she would.

Harry and Ron started at Hermione, shocked out of their wits. "W-w-w- hat?" Harry and Ron asked in unison, sounding so dumb Hermione almost laughed in this very tense situation. Instead, she stuck out her hand and said, "Hi, I'm Ella Carlton-Snape. I was known as Hermione Granger for more than 15 years, because I was put up for adoption shortly after my birth. I was in danger to an extent that I will probably never now. I have been under an appearance spell for almost all my life, these are my true features. I am still the same person, in my own opinion. It is very nice to meet you again." Hermione held out her hand, waiting for them to shake it. Ron seemed, surprisingly to grasp the information before Harry, and grabbed Hermione's outstretched hand.

"Hello, umm er, what should we call you?" Ron asked uncertainly, still not quite sure if this was a joke or not. He would have never have believed her if Harry had not mentioned that shirt thing to him. But Ron had to admit, it made sense. And from her little ranting speech, he could tell she was still the same Hermione. He watched as the amethyst-eyed girl in front of him smiled and told him, "Hmm, I'll think about that. I really have know idea." Hermione could not believe there was no comment about being Snape's daughter. Little did she know how much her two best friends and Severus had bonded while she was unconscious. Well maybe bonded wasn't the word for it, but they didn't hate his guts. And they both loved Amethyst.

"You, not knowing anything? Wow, this world really has changed, Voldemort gone, and you don't know an answer to a question. I'm scared." Ron mocked her playfully. Hermione smiled and hit him lightly. Now that those two had made up, their gazes went to the silent Harry. His face was one of deep concentration for a second, then it broke out into a broad grin. "What he said." Harry told them with a smile. The trio laughed and all differences were settled between them. Well, almost all, but that difference would not be settled for a very long time. It was never mentioned by anyone for a very long time.

Hermione begged her way out of the hospital wing, and the reunited trio made their way up to Dumbledore's office, laughing and talking, again the best of friends. They caught up, each telling the others what had happened to them during their period apart. Harry and Ron also told her what had happened while she was out cold. They (Harry and Ron) conveniently forgot all about Draco Malfoy. Hermione too tried to forget him, and the more-than-friends feelings she felt for both him and Harry. She did a wonderful job of it, now and for a long time afterwards.

The trio reached the office and Hermione made up and caught up with all present. She was crushed with what seemed like a thousand hugs. Soon, everyone accept for Amethyst and Severus left. Hermione asked them a question which she had been meaning to get down to for ages. "Umm, is it okay if I call you guys Mom and Dad. I mean, I know that we have barely had a parent-child relationship thing for what a weekish, but-" Amethyst interrupted Hermione's ranting. "That would be lovely darling." Her mother told her, beaming. Her dad nodded in agreement. She knew them both so well now, and her opinion had changed so much of her father. They spoke a little about things, mostly about how worried they were and that sort of stuff, when Hermione yawned. At once, her mom and dad began to gush that she should go to sleep.

Hermione was way to tired to argue, so she followed the back to the portrait of Ella Gryffindor. She allowed them to lead to her room, and Hermione plopped down on the bed, soon dead to the world. Across Hogwarts, many other students were doing the same thing. Classes were cancelled for another week, to celebrate, and to allow those who were involved in the battle to rest.

******

The brilliantly bright sun poured into Hermione's room in the guest quarters. It was early Thursday morning and Hermione woke up feeling completely refreshed, as if nothing could go wrong. Hermione jumped out of bed and took a quick, cold shower to wake herself up even more. Hermione was in such a great mood. Pulling on low rise black jeans, and a dark blue halter top, she glanced at herself in the mirror and realized that she still had Ella's physical features. "No, these are my physical features, I'm Ella, remember?" Hermione spoke softly to the mirror. She stayed how she was, muttered a drying and straightening spell for her long, dark hair and proceeded to the Great Hall. On her way there she met Victoria, John and Lila. The four caught up and were soon chatting like old friends (or in John's case, occasionally grunting replies).

The quartet reached the Great Hall without trouble. They filled Hermione in on an announcement that Dumbledore had made the previous night. He had told them all about the battle, and all about who she really was. Apparently, everyone was majorly shocked. He asked everyone to pester her with questions, though. Hermione noticed that they began to make their way over to the Slytherin table. "Nooo", she moaned in alarm, "Come sit with me! Pretty please?" Hermione led them over to the Gryffindor table, still embarrassed at having to sit at the Slytherin table before, and she unceremoniously plopped herself down on a seat in between Ron and Harry. The others sat across from them. It was still early, so not many people were there.

"Hi guys, good morning!!!" Hermione said with unnatural cheerfulness. Normally, as the boys knew well, she was not a fan of the morning. "Hello, what's got you so happy" Harry asked, and Ron nodded in agreement as he continued to shovel food in his mouth. "Nothing really, just life in particular." Hermione giggled and gave them a huge smile. Hermione began to eat very hungrily, she hadn't realized how long it had been since she had had a decent meal.

Harry and Ron had grown close to Vickie, John and Lila, even if Lila was a Malfoy. They began talking like old friends, and Hermione just sat and listened, occasionally nodding in agreement. Then she stood up. "I'm going to go outside for a bit, okay?" They nodded, and asked if she wanted company, but Hermione shook her head no.

The girl who had seen so much in such little time, who had lost and gained a lot very quickly, the girl who thought she was at absolute peace with herself, opened the doors to the only place she now called home, and leisurely walked outside. Heading in the direction of the big lake on the grounds, she took her time, stopping to smell a few flowers once in a while. She would have never ever done that before, but it seemed natural now.

Hermione sighed as she sat by the large lake. She thought about all she had been through. What was only a week or so seemed like an eternity. But it was worth it. Hermione knew who she was now. She was Ella, E, Hermione, but those were just names. She was her own person now. She had people who loved her and cared about her. Life was as perfect as she wanted it to be. Hermione was totally happy. Voldemort was gone. Hermione finally felt at peace with herself. When she had decided to enter the Talent Competition, she would have never thought that what had happened would have happened. But, she was glad it did.

"I finally am The Real Me." She thought with a smile. Hermione closed her eyes and lay back on the grass of her home, Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She quietly began to sing a song,

"Sun's up

A little after twelve

Make breakfast for myself

Leave the work for someone else

People say

They say that it's just a phase

They tell me to act my age,

Well I am

On this perfect day,

Nothing's standing in my way

On this perfect day,

When nothing can go wrong

It's the perfect day,

Tomorrow's gonna come too soon

I could stay, forever as I am

On this perfect day

Sun's down

A little after ten

I pick up all my friends

In my Mercedes-Benz

Wake up

Don't tell me it's just a dream

'Cause when I've had enough

You'll hear me say,

Now don't you try to rain on my

Perfect day,

Nothing's standing in my way

On this perfect day,

Nothing can go wrong

It's the perfect day,

Tomorrow's gonna come too soon

I could stay, forever as I am

On this perfect day

La la la

La la la,

Oh, oh

I'm in the race

But I've already won

(La la la)

And getting there can

Be half the fun

(La la la)

So don't stop me

Till I'm good and done,

Don't you try to rain on my

Perfect day

It's the perfect day

It's the perfect day

Nothing's gonna bring me down

I could stay, forever as I am

On this perfect day

Nothing's standing in my way,

On this perfect day,

Nothing can go wrong

I'm in the race

But I've already won

And getting there can

Be half the fun,

So don't stop me

Till I'm good and done,

Don't you try to rain on my

Perfect, day

On this perfect day

On this perfect day."

Hermione sighed once again and feel asleep in the sun on her Perfect Day. Her last conscious thought was, "I found The Real Me, and my life is as perfect as I would ever want it to be."

*********************

A woman in her mid-thirties sighed sadly as she opened her eyes. Though she was miles and miles away from Hog warts, she had heard Hermione's thoughts. This woman was very magical, having powers that most could only dream of. A tear rolled down her cheek as she went over what Hermione was thinking. "Oh, how that girl could not be more wrong." She muttered to herself with a sigh, "Hermione has no idea what she is up for. Life is not perfect, dear Hermione. I thought you knew that. Poor child, thinking false things. For one, Voldemort is not gone." The lady sighed again and leaned back in her chair, knowing what would happen soon enough, and her and Hermione's parts in it.

*******************

End of Chapter 22

End of the Real Me

Not the End of Hermione's Troubles.

A/N: See following chapter for IMPORTANT Notes from me about the sequel and this story, and huge THANK YOUS!! -Eliza