A/N: I'm sorry it has taken more than two months to update, but here is the last chapter of my story. I will be writing other fan fictions, of course, but I'm not sure when that will be. Thanks for everyone that has reviewed and waited this long for the chapter! I really appreciate the feedback, and please review this chapter too!
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I will count to three, Draco…one…" he began, his wand pointed at Hermione's chest.
"Two…"
In the time it took to get to three, Draco stood up quickly and moved to Hermione. His back faced the wand, and he embraced her, trying to pull her out of the way.
"Three. Avada Kedavra!"
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Hermione had impulsively covered her face with her hands, as if that would help protect her from the killing curse. Just as she closed her eyes, prepared to see a flash of green light and be gone, she felt Draco's hand grip her arm tightly, and felt him trying to pull her down to the side. She saw him outstretch his hand and touch her book, still holding onto her, just as green light filled the room, and then dissolved into a swirl of color just as quickly.
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Hermione opened her eyes, sprawling on the floor. Blurry faces stood above her, and inaudible sounds filled her ears. She was holding onto something...someone and it suddenly dawned on her that it was Draco she was holding onto. The Headmaster's face was slowly coming into focus. "You need to let go, Hermione, please, let go," For some reason, it clicked in the back of her mind that those were the same words she had heard him say to Harry when he came back from the third task. He had been telling Harry to let go of Cedric Diggory because Cedric was---. No. It can't be the same reason. It just can't. No.
"Hermione, let go of Draco, let go," Harry said, pulling Draco away. Meanwhile, Ron was pulling Hermione to her feet. It was than that Hermione managed to get the entire room to focus, and she looked down at the ground. Gasping, she immediately tried to fall back to the ground, to grab Draco's hand again. He didn't look fine, he was pale...his body was limp...he looked as if he were...no. He wasn't, he couldn't be. Ron held her up, not letting her go back.
"Ron! Ron, he's okay, he's okay, he's not..." she said, tearing her eyes away from the floor onto Ron's face who looked pale, not daring to look Hermione in the eyes.
"Shh…Hermione, come on we need to get you to the hospital wing..." Ron began, but the rest of what he was saying did not register in Hermione's mind. Although she didn't want to think about it, her mind was already thinking of what had happened. Draco had been blocking her...he must have gotten hit with the curse...they must have touched the book and come back here. But he wasn't dead. Harry had survived the curse, Draco could too. Maybe it didn't even hit him; maybe he was just knocked out. She looked back to the ground at Draco, but Dumbledore had stepped between her and his body. No. He wasn't a body, he was a person.
"Hermione, you need to go to the hospital wing, this may be hard for you, but please...try to be strong," Dumbledore said softly to her.
"Will he be okay?" Hermione asked finally, slowly melting into Ron's arms as she waited for an answer.
"There's...nothing we can do for him anymore, Hermione. I know what he must have done...he wanted you to be safe," Dumbledore said slowly, looking frailer then usual.
"No! He's fine! He'll be fine! He wanted me to get back, he wanted me to be okay," Hermione said, tears spilling freely down her face. "He's gone because of me!" she shouted, falling to the ground on her knees, taking Ron with her and burying her face into his shoulder.
"This is all just a dream," she said through her tears, but Ron shook his head. The shock must have been too much for her, or maybe she simply didn't want to deal with anything, because she suddenly fell limp in his arms. She had fainted.
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It was nearing the end of June; three months after Hermione had arrived back at Hogwarts, escaping Lucius' grasp. He had never bothered her again after the death of his son; the death he caused. Now, as a cool, summer breeze rustles her hair, Hermione kneels, dressed in black, over the grave of the one person she has ever loved.
Only a few months had gone by, school had ended, and Hermione had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry alone. She had Harry and Ron, but when she got off the stage in her cap and gown, she had always pictured running into Draco's arms, hearing him congratulate her. As tears fell freely over her veil covered face, Hermione kept thinking of what could have been. She still wore his ring on her finger, still clung desperately to his memory, like a morning of pale spring still clinging to winter. She knew very well that he would want her to move on, to be happy, but she couldn't do it. Leaving Hogwarts, where the memories of Draco were strongest, made everything both easier and harder. She had a wizard photo of them in a frame, next to her bed, but it wasn't the same. What could have been would never be. Everything was dark and cold now…nothingness. But she wasn't alone. She had never been alone, and she will never be alone. In her heart, Draco still lived, and would always be there when she needed him the most. And she had someone else.
"Hermione?" a quiet voice came up behind her. She didn't have to look up. The voice had been familiar to her for too long.
"Yes, Ron?" she responded, her head still bowed as she wiped the tears from her face.
"We should go now," he said still more quietly. Ron hated seeing her alone, looking so helpless and confused. It came to as a great shock when Hermione turned her head and looked up, smiling.
"I'm glad you're with me, Ron," She said, the smile looking genuine and sincere. Ron couldn't help but give her a small smile back as he held out his hand to her.
"I'll always be here for you, Hermione. Always," he said as she took her hand and stood up. They began walking out of the graveyard, Ron's arm draped comfortingly around Hermione's shoulder.
The End