(A/N: I'm not even going to try to explain why this chapter is so overdue, because I'm sure you all aren't interested in my excuse (and I'd rather not type it all out) so all I can do is apologize and assure you that I had logical reasons. I do realize I left you all with a pretty nasty cliffhanger but this is like the climax of the story...I had to. The response was WoNDERFUL for last chapter. I appreciate all of the many reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You all are the best, my goal has been to reach at least 200 so...every single review counts! Since I have to leave soon, I'm just going to list my thanks this chapter: I'm so sorry please understand, but I loved them all! Thanks! Hugs, Haystack)

Usual Disclaimer

Taela- Thanks for reviewing, it's so nice to meet new reviewers!!

dracoisahottie13

FallingWithGhosts- That goes for you too, it was nice to hear from you!

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SOBs 4 Sirius 223

Courtney Anne

SamboTheGreat

SlytherinRoyalty

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: PREPERATIONS

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Crouch sighed impatiently 'were there any left?' he wondered 'No' he reminded himself 'the original six, that's who you want! Then why am I standing here letting this charade continue? I want to get onto the killings!!!' That was it, his mind made up, he drifted out of his thoughts, returning to the scene before his eyes...but things had changed in a few innocent moments.

There was silence, unlike before when the room had been filled with Ron, Neville, and Ginny's cries out to Harry and to Hermione. And now...the girl lay still. Hope surged throughout his veins and his heart thumped inside his chest with anticipation and excitement.

"You!" He shouted at a nearby Death Eater "Go see what's wrong with her!"

"Yes sir" the Death Eater grumbled, making his way over to Hermione, everyone present holding their breath.

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Hermione's was numb. She saw nothing; heard nothing, and felt nothing...everything was black. The pain inside her had reached it's maximum and now she wished for nothing more than a soundless sleeping drought. She wanted it gone...this feeling in her chest...she wanted to forget--let someone else choose--all she wanted was sleep.

In the back of her mind she was vaguely aware of someone approaching her. She squeezed her eyes shut at the thought and curled into a tighter ball, arms drawn tightly around herself, as if that could somehow protect her; her breath she held in--why she wasn't sure.

"Is she dead?" Crouch asked eagerly, Draco, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Neville's panic rising with each word he uttered.

'She can't be dead...she can't be' Ron thought quickly, mind racing

'No...I don't believe it' Neville muttered to himself

'Don't worry, it must be some kind of joke' Ron assured himself

'Are you kidding yourself, you saw her fall, you saw her face!' Draco thought bitterly

'If she is dead...oh god, the last thing she heard was us yelling at her' Ginny cringed, tears swelling again with guilt

'Hermione's the clever one...she can't be dead.' Neville mused

'She's your best girl friend...she wouldn't leave you' Ginny lied to herself

'We've been through so much...she wouldn't just die like that' Ron agreed with himself.

'No...I only said a few words to her. I'm the one who's supposed to die...NOT HER!!' Harry screamed at himself

'She loves you...she wouldn't leave like that! The two of you were supposed to marry; you'd have a few kids and grow old together. And then she'd die peacefully in her sleep. She can't die like this! She loves you...she loves you...she'll come back' Draco concluded desperately

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"She's not breathing" The Death Eater reported, announcing it loud enough that the five teenagers could hear.

Crouch laughed "To hard to decide huh? Well that's something for the Daily Prophet: Know-it-all, perfect Gryffindor Granger dies of heartache! Hahahaha..."

But the five hadn't heard this last comment; instead Ginny started crying again, Neville and Ron stood there shocked, eyes bulging wide, Harry suddenly was having trouble breathing and Draco...Draco outwardly appeared unaffected by the news but inside...inside his body had collapsed, his lungs stopped working, blood stopped flowing, and his heart shattered into a million pieces.

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Wormtail scurried over to where Hermione's body lay. Bending over, her turned her over and felt for a pulse in her wrist—the nub of his pinkie finger brushing against her arm—making Hermione's stomach flip.

"S-She's alive..." Wormtail said, appearing very disturbed by the news. Looking at one another, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Draco, and Harry sighed equal sighs of relief.

Crouch's face fell; disappointment evident, and he huffed impatiently. "Well then...get on with it, all of you! I can't believe we've wasted so much time!"

"Yes, yes your right" Wormtail spoke up shrilly "Everyone round them up!"

The five snapped their heads to face the rat-like human; confused expressions plastering their faces. But soon—as the Death Eaters slowly approached them...making a circle around them, wands raised—realization replaced it. Placing their backs against each other, the wizards and witch formed their own kind of defense, devised in D.A.

Hermione was grabbed roughly off of the ground and thrown into the middle of the circle—forcing her to stand on her feet. The friends immediately swallowed her into their group, protecting her but not missing the opportunity to give her a quick hug or kiss.

"All right there 'Mione?" Harry asked, staring into the eyes of Wormtail the whole time—he was the death eater he wanted the most.

"Y-Yes I-I think I'm fine." She replied shakily, grabbing onto his arm for support as she reached into her robe pocket for her wand.

"I can't even count how many times I've thought you were dead tonight" Ron whispered teasingly, but with a voice that somehow implied that he was indeed not kidding around.

"I'm sorry" She whispered back, at loss for any other words

"I'm just glad your okay"

"I-I'm so sorry...to all of you," she said louder than before

"It's fine, don't worry about it," the group murmured together, all busy picking their first Death Eater to attack

"No it's not...look around you, we're outnumbered, what are the chances we'll all live?"

"I'd rather die beside you all than any other way" Neville said with a tone that impressed Harry

There was a chorus of "Me too" all around, and then it was silent.

"Ready boys?" Crouch asked too eagerly

Desperately, Draco pulled Hermione towards him, realizing how quickly this was happening. He planted a fiery passionate kiss on her lips, wrapping his arms around her petite waist and loosing his hand in her hair...and finally he felt complete. Breaking away quickly he whispered, "I love you" in her ear and turned around, wand raised, prepared for anther war.

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