A/N: Sorry it took so long! I've been really busy this week, more than usual…

Anyway, this is THE last chapter of this series. However, there WILL be an EPILOUGE to it, so don't panic. There will also be a SEQUEL, eventually!

So enjoy this chapter! I love you all, thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter! ::Furry black doggie jumps up and barks happily at the fanfic readers staring avidly at the computer screen, wondering the outcome::

Chapter 20: The Final Sign

Severus's Dark Mark seared his skin for the first time in 16 years; he leaped out of bed, more surprised than anything. It lasted for only a second, but he was already out of bed and wide-awake. Why is it burning? I became immune to it years ago. Still puzzled, he suddenly realized this must be a sign of some sort; he should be taking this seriously. Then he thought of the dream, and images of Hermione screaming in pain and Voldemort laughing, and him bound, helplessly watching him torture her. He dressed quickly and grabbed his wand, and then crept through the castle to the Gryffindor Tower.

Surprised at his own daring, he ordered the Fat Lady to let him through, even thought it was 11:30 at night. She was half-asleep, so she didn't make a fuss. As he stepped through the porthole, he collided with Harry Potter.

"Potter!" he grunted, he was too worried about Hermione to get mad at Harry.

"Professor? Did you feel it?" Harry glanced at Severus's left arm.

"Feel what?"

"I had this prickly feeling in my mind that Voldemort is up to something, and I've been seeing some stuff he's been doing in my dreams."

"You're supposed to be shielding your mind!" Snape hissed.

"Well who refused to keep teaching Occlumency?" Harry snapped accusingly.

"All right, fine. Where is Hermione?"

"I think she is still in bed, do you want me to bring her down?"

"Fine, Potter. Just don't be heard!" he hissed, as Harry, he now realized, was fully dressed, climbed the right staircase to the girls dormitory. He paced anxiously in the common room. Harry came down a short while later, with a surprisingly awake and pale Hermione Granger.

"Hermione, I had a dream."

"And so did I," she whispered. "Was it with the Dark Lord?"

"Yes, the same one perhaps?"

"Yes."

"What?" Harry asked. "Never mind. This all points to one thing; Voldemort is going to try something."

"Are you sure? When?"

"Tonight," Snape and Harry said together, and then looked at each other.

"I'm going to get Ron up, I'll be right back," and Harry darted stealthily up the stairs and out of sight.

"Why Weasley?" Severus asked tiredly, looking at Hermione.

"Safety in numbers," she whispered. Snape wasn't sure what she meant by that.

"Hermione." Severus wrapped her arms around Hermione and stroked her hair. Hermione laid her cheek against his chest, feeling safer than she had ever felt in a long time.

"Oh, how romantic." Hermione and Severus spun around, but before they could react, they were shoved towards the fireplace, now glowing with green fire. Then someone behind them hissed, 'Godric's Hollow!' and they entered the floo transport and vanished.

Masked Death Eaters immediately greeted Hermione by yanking her from the fireplace and pulling her out a door and onto the front yard of a house. She was sick to her stomach, was this Godric's Hollow? Then a quaint sign confirmed her fears. She felt her pocket inside her robes and breathed a sigh of relief; they did not know she had her wand. Then she stopped, and looked. Then she covered her mouth and took a deep breath, for otherwise she felt she would have vomited on the spot. This was the same scene that had haunted her for the past month. The entire group of Death Eaters stood staring at her, and in the front and center stood Lord Voldemort himself. Severus's hand gently pushed her behind and he stood poised, ready to fight, his wand retrieved from the folds of his robes. Many Death Eaters gave murmurs of discomfort behind their masks; they thought they had the element of surprise, so they expected Snape to not be carrying his wand with him.

"Severus. I see that your loyalty does not lie with me, and has not for many years. Did you think I was blind?" As he continued talking, Severus stiffened; this was exactly like the dream, for his words were exactly the same. But he had to keep it from following its course, but how? He was all alone, no one to help him. He could not take on the entire Death Eater group and the Dark Lord. Where is hero Potter when you need him? This almost made him laugh despite the situation. Hermione heard the Death Eaters laughing after Voldemort's last words echoed in her mind. She was going to faint, this was exactly like the dream. She knew he would try to torture Severus, but if she didn't shove him away, he would suffer. Her heart was torn to pieces, and then she felt Severus grab her arm and yank her away as a disarming spell shot past her.

And before she knew what she was doing, she shoved Severus out of the way as the Cruciatus Curse hit her, and she screamed. Severus scrambled up. No way was he going to be helpless this time, when it was for real.

"Petrificus Totalus!" he yelled, pointing his wand at the Death Eater who was sneaking up behind him to no doubt bind him. The fellow Death eaters paid no heed to their unfortunate partner. Hermione screamed again, and Severus suddenly realized he was powerless to stop the curse; Voldemort could still torture her even if he knocked her over. This time, he was rooted to the ground not because of ropes helplessly binding him, but his will to live to save Hermione. If he moved, he would probably most definitely be killed. He heard his pleading words almost identical to those of his dream past his lips.

"Stop! You don't want her. Let her go. I'm the one who betrayed you; she doesn't have anything to do with this. Let her go.

"Oh, no. That would be too easy Severus. Too easy," Voldemort replied, actually chuckling. Hermione screamed again.

"Voldemort!" someone yelled. Severus turned to see Harry, Mr. Hero Boy, with sidekick Ron Weasley at his side. But Severus looked further and saw Dumbledore and almost the entire Order of the Phoenix standing behind him. Voldemort finally let the curse go, Hermione shuddered in pain before struggling to her hands and knees. She stared through pain-ridden eyes at the feet of Harry, and then her rapid recovering vision glanced at all the other pairs of legs, and their owners. How she managed to stand, she did not know, but no one stopped her. Voldemort had his eyes on who he was really looking for: her best friend Harry.

"Ah, if it isn't Harry Potter. So glad you could join us, although I already knew you were coming," Voldemort purred silkily. "I see you brought some friends with you," he began, but then clenched his teeth when he saw Dumbledore. "You have been a nuisance long enough, Potter! You ruined the prophecy," he spat.

"I don't need a goddamn prophecy to know how this will turn out. Either I kill you or you kill me, it's that simple." Hermione gasped. Was that the way it had to be? He, Harry, her best friend, would have to become a murderer. Harry continued talking, as if he thought it would stall Voldemort from trying to kill him. "I suppose you expected me to show up with just Ron, or even better, alone, thinking that the boy-who-lived was just going to be foolish and stupid, and hand himself over to you? I don't think so." Harry stepped forward and took Hermione's shaking hand, and snatched a glance at Severus, who took the hint and pulled Hermione back into the comforting crowd of Order members.

Harry stood alone, wand ready. The Death Eaters shifted restlessly behind their master, who stood, wand pointed down. He and Harry both knew that their wands could not fight against the other, remembering two years ago when Voldemort had risen again in the graveyard and they had dueled. Harry was sweating, but he stood firm. His eyes darted to Dumbledore, who then nodded.

"Petrificus Totalus!" the entire Order shouted as one, catching Death Eater and master alike by surprise. Voldemort only escaped Harry's hex by yanking a Death Eater in front of him. The Voldemort shoved the frozen Death Eater out of the way and pointed his wand at Hermione.

"Avada Kevadra!" and the flash of green light shone in Hermione's eyes, but suddenly she was falling to the ground, and she heard Harry's yell of fury and pain, and saw Severus fall to the ground, ducking, and then the world went completely black.

%%%

"Hermione. Hermione?" Severus stared anxiously at Hermione's still form. She was lying in her bed at Grimmauld Place, eyes closed. Severus had not left her bed since they had carried her back four days before. He refused to leave her side, same as Harry. Harry sat on the other side of the bed, staring at Hermione's face. So peaceful.

"Severus, she won't wake up," Harry said quietly.

"Goddamn you, Potter! She will wake up!" Severus said angrily.

"Severus, I think its time you started calling me Harry," Harry said, looking closely at Severus's face, which showed first surprise then sadness. Harry was seeing an entire different side of his teacher, and it had all been because of what Hermione had done.

"Shit, I can't forgive you, or your father, okay?" he muttered, his tone almost hopeless.

"What's to forgive? We all make mistakes," Harry replied, now unafraid of his Potions Professor.

"Not everyone, just you," Severus grumbled. Harry couldn't help but smile.

"Just because of this whole thing doesn't mean we're going to be all chummy and friendly, all right?" Severus warned.

"I understand, Severus. I just don't think we should keep this up," Harry answered.

"Don't expect me to grovel at your feet," Severus grumbled.

"I don't expect anything from you Severus, just respect."

"Okay…Harry." And Harry put out his hand, which Severus took after a slight hesitation.

"Okay. Here I am waking up from a goddamn coma and no one cares!" Severus turned to see Hermione sitting up in bed, arms crossed, looking accusingly at them both.

"Mione, you're awake," Harry said, but he let Severus go first. Severus immediately embraced Hermione, placing a hand on the back of her head before gently guiding her to his lips. Severus made it brief, and then Hermione got a hug from Harry too.

"Hermione, you must be starving," Severus said gently. Harry was starting to wonder about this new Severus Snape. If only so much hadn't ruined this man when he was young, he would have had an extremely happy life. But that life only came to him this year. Hermione had changed him. She was the sign he needed to turn himself and his life around.

"My stomach can wait. I need to know what happened after I passed out." Harry and Severus shifted uncomfortably.

"Hermione, I really don't want to talk about it," Harry replied, his voice hoarse.

"Please." Harry and Severus looked at each other, then, Severus began talking.

"Well, Voldemort tried to kill you."

"Tried?" She looked at Harry, who was now openly crying, tears coursing shamelessly down his cheeks.

"Someone also tried to kill me, but I managed to duck and then I hexed them," Severus added. Hermione looked from Harry to Severus.

"Wait. Where's Ron?" She looked at Severus, but his face was expressionless, but his eyes showed deep sympathy. She looked frantically at Harry, and saw his eyes, and they spoke a thousand words.

"No." Harry and Severus could say nothing. "No!" Hermione then jumped out of the bed and ran from the room, and Severus and Harry followed her. She ran through the Grimmauld Place. She looked in every room. Finally, she ran down the staircase, absolutely hysterical.

"NO! RON!" she screamed. Arthur and Molly Weasley looked at her from the living room. Molly had been crying, her eyes blood-shot from tears and no sleep. Arthur looked like he aged fifty years, his face ashen and his lips tight, and when he spoke, he sounded dead.

"Hermione, Ron is in here."

"Ron!" Hermione rushed to the couch, and there lay Ron. Hermione put a hand over her mouth, for fear she'd scream again. Her argumentive best friend, Ron, was lying there staring back at her unseeing, his eyes glazed over. His face was white, his mouth slightly open. Hermione reached out and pushed his flaming red hair out of his face. She took his hand, which was stone cold. She wanted to cry, but her eyes were dry and scratchy, unable to open up. She turned to find Severus and Harry standing with Molly and Arthur.

"He saved me, didn't he? He pushed me to the ground, he sacrificed himself." Their silence confirmed it. "Ron, why did you have to do that? Why? You had a whole life ahead of you, why'd you waste it on me, the bossy know-it-all?" Finally the tears came, soaking Ron's shirt as she held his hand. Then she stood up, and the others in the room saw a completely different side of Hermione. Hate burned in her eyes so strongly, it hurt to look her in the eye. "I will avenge your death, Ron, if it's the last thing I do." She turned to Harry. "Harry, I hope you kill that goddamn fucking son of a bitch. If you don't, I'll kill him myself." Then she took the coffee table and tipped it over, and it crashed into the fireplace. They cringed as she began tearing up the room, tearing down the pictures, smashing the china closet, and throwing the dishes across the room. Then she began ripping out the pages out of some of the books sitting in the ledge. Severus ran forward and grabbed her, pinning her against his body. She kicked and struggled, screaming.

"I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM! THAT BASTARD! LET ME GO! HE KILLED RON, THE FUCKING PRAT! LET ME GO!"

"Hermione, calm down!" Severus shouted, and then shut her up by kissing her. Several minutes passed, and in that time Molly and Arthur had put the room back together and repaired. Severus finally released her from his kiss, and she began crying on his shoulder.

The Hogwarts Express gave its final call for departure, and Harry and Hermione went into a compartment in the very back of the train, wanting to be left alone. Their friends respected that and left them in peace. They had said goodbye to everyone. Severus had promised that he would see her at Grimmauld Place very soon, and if he had to, he'd come get her himself. Harry was going to go directly to Grimmauld Place, for now that they knew where he'd been staying for the summer. He was not safe. As soon as they arrived at Platform 9 ¾, five Order members, most likely Arthur, Molly, Tonks, Lupin, and Moody would escort them.

"Harry?" Hermione looked at Harry. For the last days of school, he said little, even to her. She thought he looked like he had lost part of himself, when Ron died. A piece of himself had been taken away, and she felt that way too. There was no Ron to give her a chocolate frog, no Ron to talk incessantly about Quidditch, no Ron to argue with for hours, no Ron to comfort them, to make them laugh. Ron was gone as if he had never existed.

"Hermione, the prophecy said that either I kill Voldemort or he kills me." Hermione didn't even blink when Harry said his name.

"Harry, I didn't believe you earlier, but now I do." She stood and sat down next to him, taking his hand.

"Hermione, I am a marked man. I am damned to die or be a murderer. So many have died because of me, I don't want to lose you too." A tear dropped gently onto Hermione's hand.

"You won't, Harry, I promise. I'll be right there with you when you kill the bastard." Harry choked, laughing silently in spite of everything.

"I'll miss him, Hermione." He put an arm around her and she hugged him back.

"I will too, Harry." Hermione pulled away to stare at the land flashing by, wondering over and over again why she had argued with Ron all those years. She would give anything to have Ron come in to the compartment, smiling from ear to ear, to say he was just joking and that he wasn't dead, and stuff a chocolate frog in her mouth before she could sock him. But then she realized that Ron had sacrificed himself for a reason. He wanted her to live, to stand by Harry's side, and to remain in Severus's life, and to do everything possible to help the Order rid the world of Voldemort, to fulfill her dreams. She smiled as memories passed through her mind. Ron was not really gone. She stroked the key pendant hanging around her neck, a feeling of peace washing over her like a tonic as she watched the scenery fade from her vision.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've been so busy this particular week, and it took me two days to write. Don't get mad at me, please. This is how it turns out. All the Ron fans, don't murder me in my sleep, and I will get out an epilogue and a sequel, so I'll be back! ::furry black doggie bows her head and trots away to ponder the meaning of life, wondering if she has done the right thing, writing this fanfic::