Chapter 39-Surprises & Sacrifice

A/N This is NOT the last chapter. And, I was going to do this long before all of you reviewed 38, so, sorry if it displeases you.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot. But, I suppose that I could go to JK Rowling's house and steal all of her writings, sign them off as my own. Or I could change my name to Joanne K. Rowling. Hmmm, *author starts to laugh maniacally, then realizes that she is just stalling.* Sorry about that.

No One's POV, or Everyone's POV

~Come now, Draco, you have to eat,~ Little Dragon snapped. Everyone was very snappy after Hermione's death. Draco refused to believe that Hermione would not come back and so stayed by (or on) her bed in the Hospital Wing day and night. He didn't eat much and, to put it simply, was a wreck. Little Dragon finally gave up and sauntered off into the rain outside, to look at the stars (A/N Harry can control the weather, and he is sad, so it is constantly raining.). No one heard the question that was voiced to the stars up in the cloudy night sky.

Draco looked at the pale, cold body of Hermione. She was angelic, and looked as if in sleep, but Draco knew better. There was no rise and fall of breath in her chest, and she didn't wake up to anything. Tears fell from Draco's frozen steel eyes, winding their way down his cheeks on familiar paths that had been made a week ago. He brushed a hair away from her face that had been moved by the slight draft when the door had been opened.

Harry placed his hand on Draco's shoulder and Draco just knew who it was. Harry, Ms Granger, and Ron visited at least three times a day, and Ron was at McGonagall's office getting something, Draco didn't know what. Students came as well, not so often though, and all of the Slytherins had a grudging respect for her, because she had restored their lives at the price of her own, even if they were on the other side. He heard Harry's ragged breathing and he knew that he was crying too. They cried in silence and after a while Harry left Draco so that each could wallow in their misery alone.

Little Dragon just sat there, looking up at the few stars visible through the rain, waiting for an answer to her query. An hour and thirteen minutes later her answer came. The small dog thanked the stars and left.

Harry and Ron entered the Hospital Wing again. Draco was there, which wasn't surprising, and so was Ms Granger. A wet Little Dragon was lying on the bed. ~Finally, took you guys all long enough. There is something that I wanted to show you, but well, I don't know how this will happen, or even if it will work. The STARS were unsure about it, which is not a good sign, but, still...~ Little Dragon trailed off into her thoughts, but Draco quickly pulled her out of them. (A/N Hermione's mother was Ravenclaw's heir until Hermione was born, so now she is again because Hermione is dead, which means she can hear Little Dragon.)

"WHAT ARE YOU GETTING AT?!" Draco yelled at her. His temper was short since Hermione's death. Little Dragon sighed, and then said, ~Well, there is a way we MIGHT be able to bring Hermione back, I have been consulting the stars about this for a long while, and it is risky. We will need all of us to die and go into death and bring her back, but you see, we need a human sacrifice to open the gates of Death for us. It can't be just anyone either, it has to be the...well; it must be the current heir of Ravenclaw.~

There was silence in the room. ~The stars are unsure of if this will work because, to go into death willingly, may cause you to never come back, and also, Hermione will not be able to bring her mother back. Although, if you do manage to get Hermione out of death, then there is no guarantee that you three will come back also. I most definitely will come back because of my...er...connections. It all depends on if you want to do it, if you love her enough to risk the possibility of all of us dying and never bringing Hermione back.~

"I'll do it," Draco was first to accept.

"Yeah," Harry said.

"Life without Hermione isn't fun," Ron said.

"Anything for my only baby," Ms Granger said.

~Okay then, that is settled. Ms Granger, go to Professor Snape and ask for poison. We will have to wait to go into death for eleven and three quarters hours before we have to go into death after you, because the gates of death allow dead people in only after they have been in limbo for twelve hours. So, I suggest you all get some sleep, except for you, you go get the poison, and I'll call you in eleven and a half hours.~

Draco curled up on the bed next to Hermione and drifted off into a light uneasy sleep. His mind was filled with thoughts like 'What if it doesn't work, what if everything goes wrong, what if?'

~Draco, wake up, it's time to go~ Little Dragon's husky voice came through his mind. Draco nodded and slowly opened his eyes. He kissed Hermione's forehead and prepared to die (*author snickers*, anyone seen The Princess Bride, "My name is Enigo Montoya (sp?), you killed my father, prepare to die..." anyway). Harry and Ron were standing nearby with wry smiles on their faces.

"It's weird isn't it, Hermione gives her life to save us, then we give our lives to save her and she has to bring us back to life after," Harry said with a crooked grin that looked more like a frown. Little Dragon instructed them on what to do and they entered death. They met in limbo and found Ms Granger by the gates of death. When they opened for her they slipped in too.

Little Dragon put her nose to the ground and picked up Hermione's scent. She followed it to the library (duh!). They entered and found her at table in the back. Draco ran to her, Ron, Harry and her mother following. "Hermione!" She looked up at her name, and then jumped up to greet them. They ran and Draco and she met halfway. Draco picked her up by her waist and swung her around, finally setting her on her feet and smothering her with kisses.

"Oh, Draco, I never thought I'd see you again, well, not until you died...hey, wait a minute, you are dead! Draco, all of you, I gave my life so that all of you could live and now you are DEAD!" She screeched, fuming.

Harry snorted, "We came to bring you back."

"But that would mean that one of...which of you is staying?" Hermione demanded. Apparently she knew that someone actually had to stay dead if they were to bring her back. Her mother shakily raised her hand. Hermione turned to her and looked ready to kill (heehee, sorry about all of the lame death jokes). "Why, I am content, I would love to live and everything, but I didn't want anyone to die for me, but I suppose that what is done is done." She sighed, then squirmed out of Draco's arms and embraced her mother. "I'm gonna miss you mom," she said, tears pouring down her face.

"Yes, I'll miss you too, but I'll see you when you die OF OLD AGE, if you die any other way I'm sending you back to life," Her mother threatened. Hermione couldn't suppress a smile. "I suppose I could see you in your dreams, like Ginny did that one time," she said thoughtfully. She kissed her only daughter on the top of her head and pushed her to the gates, where she received one last hug and a kiss on the cheek. Hermione's mother gave her one last piece of advice before shoving her out of the gates, "Anyway, go, live, love, and never regret, I love you."

"I love you too, bye," And Hermione exited death, walked across limbo and through the gates of life.

Hermione's POV

Hermione entered her body and felt really cold. She wrapped the blankets around herself tighter and crawled over to where her friends still lay on the floor, dead. Looked like she would have to work some magic. She put her hands on Harry and Ron's chests, then sang the notes that she had grown so used to and they re-entered life. Then she moved and did the same for Draco. She knew she shouldn't be using so much magic so soon, but her own healing powers were already working on her and she had most of her magic back, but bringing people to life took a lot out of someone and she collapsed onto Draco's chest after.

~~~~~~~Seventh Year, December 20, At The Winter Ball, Hermione's POV~~~~~~~

A slow dance came on and Hermione rested her head on Draco's chest. Draco's arms held her protectively about the waist and she melted into the song. The song ended too quickly for either of their likings. Draco was acting distant tonight and Hermione wondered why. They were now standing on the middle of the dance floor and they waited for the next song to come on, but it didn't.

Professor McGonagall stood up from the staff table and asked for everyone's attention. "Everyone, could you please give all of your attention to Mr. Malfoy, he has an announcement to make," Hermione saw her catch Draco's eye. McGonagall smiled and Draco gulped nervously.

Draco turned to her and she searched his eyes for any sign of what he was about to announce, but she didn't find anything. He went down on one knee in front of her and her breath caught. He pulled from one of his pockets a small box covered in black velvet, which he opened, revealing a ring with a teardrop shaped diamond in the center, framed by two smaller gems, an emerald on the right and a ruby on the left. Storm colored eyes met hers and she didn't notice the tears running down her face. "Hermione, will you marry me?" All she could do was nod as he slipped the ring onto her finger, not noticing the cheers and whistles in the background.

A/N Wahahahahahahaha, it's so SWEET *Starts sobbing hysterically* but I wanted to marry him. Harumph. THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER, I WILL INCLUDE THEIR WEDDING.