So This Is How It Ends
by inxanity
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Pairings: Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley/Tom Riddle
Characters: Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Tom Riddle/Voldemort, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley
Summary: Some call them the blessed, they were gifted with extraordinary grace. They were born to be set apart, yet some may call them the cursed. They were born to save us, to die young so we could continue to live. See their final year through their eyes and discover to what fate they were born.
Rating: R
Prolouge
Hermione sat in the window seat, watching the rain outside. She looked down at the knife that she held in her hand, and then to her left arm. It had finally stopped bleeding. She knew that she should stop, of course she did, she just fucking knew everything didn't she? She drew the knife across the underside of her arm again, the blood flowed out in a steady stream and she watched it, fascinated with the satin appearing on her skin, a colour nothing but blood could produce. She felt the relief that the numbness brought, yet she hated it. She hated that she was such a coward, that she couldn't take her own life yet she could stand up and watch the people she loved die for her. She closed the knife and slipped it into her pocket, "Not tonight," she whispered and stood up. She swayed a bit, unsteady from blood loss and looked around the room. She envied the other four girls in the room, she envied that they were able to sleep, not knowing what was coming, thinking that they were safe. Hermione walked over to her bed and lay down even though she knew that sleep would not come, this was the closest thing. She closed her eyes and her mind wandered. Her mind took her back to the beginning.
Chapter One - And So It Begins - Hermione
"Come on Harry! We're going to be late!" Hermione yelled over the noise of Platform ¾. She grabbed his hand and proceeded to pull him through the crowds of people. Harry shouted a quick goodbye to Lupin, turned around and started to weave his way through the people, now pulling Hermione along. It always seemed to start this way, the school year, she, Harry, and Ron always waiting until the last minute to get onto the train and nearly missing it each time. It suited them, not doing things the easy way, she thought; choosing to have to jump onto an already moving train instead of boarding it safely like the rest of the student body at Hogwarts. This year, their last year, was just the same. Hermione had graciously accepted the shiny new Head Girl badge, which was now stared safely away in her messenger, bag already on the train, she had of course expected no less, but still burst into tears when Dumbledore had handed her the sacred pin. Upon inquiring who the Head Boy was, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he had provided her with a vague, "You shall see soon enough I expect."
After a safe, albeit dramatic, entrance onto the train, the two continued to run down the train corridor, looking into the windows trying to spot a patch of red here or there. Once they had reached the end of the train without finding their long time friend, they stopped to catch their breath.
"I win!" Harry shouted, skidding to a halt before the last compartment.
"You wish!" Hermione laughed, and tackled Harry to the ground. She then turned around and started to run back to the compartment where they had stored their luggage a good half hour ago. "First one back to the room-thing wins!"
"Not fair! Hermione you get back here right now and help a dying man up." Harry wheezed from where he still lay on the floor.
"Ewwww. I don't wanna tough a corpse!" Hermione crinkled her nose and continued to run towards the front of the train.
"Alright, that does it." Harry said, pushing himself up and running after her. He being the taller one with longer legs, he quickly gained on her. "That's right, you better run Hermione," he said in a mock threatening voice. Hermione shrieked and tried to speed up, but stopped abruptly when she spotted their compartment. Harry, not noticing where they were, saw her stop but it didn't register until a moment later when he had skid straight into a group of 4th year girls. They all giggled and helped him up, cooing, "Oh Harry, are you okay?" A muttered "Yeah, thanks," on Harry's part and one of his shy smiles, and he was soon on his way back to the compartment. He slid the door open and then leaned against the frame, cocking an eyebrow as he saw Hermione sitting in the corner, reading a gigantic tome; the one evidence that she had just partaken in physical activity was the faint glow of her cheeks.
"Could you come in? You're letting in the draft from the corridor." She said as she looked up and smiled sweetly at Harry.
"You know, it's not nice to play with the poor less than genius' brain." Harry said, collapsing onto the other bench then reaching over to slide the door shut.
"Oh really? Oh well, I have to partake in some form of amusement from time to time." She replied, shrugging.
"Well put Hermione. Harry I do believe that you've been insulted." Came a drawl from the doorway. Both looked up to see Anthony Goldstein of Ravenclaw standing there.
"Hey Anthony. What brings you here?" Hermione questioned as Harry glared.
"Well, since you didn't show up to the Head's meeting, I was sent to find you. Well, not you specifically but it goes without saying that everyone knew you were going to get Head girl all along. Congratulations."
"The same to you I expect." Hermione said, beaming with pride.
"Of course. Now Harry, I'm going to have to take her from you for a while, but she'll be back within the hour."
"Bye Harry! Keep a lookout for Ron while I'm gone!" Hermione called as Anthony whisked her out of the compartment.
"Yeah right. Ron can find us, I'm going to sleep." And sleep he did.
Hermione returned to find a very adorable sleeping Harry sprawled out on the compartment's bench. Deciding that he deserved his sleep. She suppressed the urge to scare him awake and slid into the corner not occupied by the boy's lanky form. She picked up her book, but for one of the few times in her life she found that she could not study. This was her last time on the Hogwarts Express as a student. The last time she would enter Hogwarts for another school year. As the tears began to fall, she realized that this might be the last year that she, Harry, and Ron were together. It would be the logical thing for Voldemort to do, to strike this year.
"Hermione? Hermione! What's wrong?" Harry had woken up.
"It's nothing. . . I was just thinking about the future, that's all." Hermione said, wiping the tears from her eyes and smiling at Harry. Harry enfolded her in a hug and they sat like that for a while, thinking, until the trolley witch came around. Harry bought at least two of everything and gave half to Hermione. She protested, saying that she couldn't possibly eat it all even though it took very little time to persuade her to eat it. "A last time for everything," Harry said, "here's to our last year at Hogwarts." They both raised their bottles of Butterbeer and chugged the rest. Hermione sputtered, not having the same drinking abilities as Harry. He laughed and she hit him.
Hard.
". . . and finally the village of Hogsmeade is, as always, prohibited to anyone under 3rd year." Dumbledore finished his speech and everyone clapped, then the food appeared on the tables and the hall exploded with conversation. Harry loaded his plate with food as Hermione looked on in wonder.
"What? There's food there, if you want some, get your own and don't stare at mine," Harry said. The doors suddenly burst open and Professor Vector, the arithmancy teacher strode quickly up to the teacher's table and whispered something in Dumbledore's ear. He nodded and stood up. Everyone quieted down.
"Could I please see Harry Potter and Hermione Granger after supper? That is all." Everyone in the hall began to murmur and crane their necks in order to see how the two were reacting to this abrupt announcement.
"What was that?" Harry whispered in Hermione's ear.
"I have no clue, I guess we'll see after dinner."
"Do you think it has anything to do with Ron?" Harry said. Hermione dropped her fork and knife and turned to look at Harry in horror.
"Oh my god, Harry do you really think – " she broke off and they both turned to look at the teachers table where Dumbledore and McGonagall were conversing in low tones looking very solemn.
The plates were cleared and the students filling out. Hermione and Harry stayed in their seats, waiting for the hall to empty before approaching the headmaster.
"Professor, is it-" Harry began.
"Harry, please, lets go to my office where we can't be disrupted." The two nodded, and followed the older man along the familiar path to the gargoyle statue, which sprang to the side on the words "cockroach clusters". Harry made face at the thought of the very unappetizing candies and Hermione managed a weak smile. Once inside and seated, Dumbledore regarded the two teenagers over the top of his glasses.
"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there has been an attack." Hermione gasped and grabbed Harry's hand. "The Weasley's are mostly okay, all of them are alive but I regret to inform you that Ron will not be able to return to school this year."
"But professor, you said they were all alive." Harry said, his face pale.
"Yes Harry, but Ron sustained outstanding injuries. I'm afraid he was blinded." Hermione burst into tears and Harry sat there in shock. There was no way this could be happening. Why did this have to happen to the Weasley's? It was all his fault; Voldemort was only doing this to hurt him by hurting the people he cared about. It was times like these that he considered severing all ties and living alone as a hermit. Then Voldemort wouldn't have to hurt anyone else, he could just come looking for him and the two could duke it out. The ultimate battle between good and evil, etc, so on and so forth. He was so sick of this. He should have been there for Ron, hell he should be there now, but he couldn't be.
"Molly has insisted that Ginny continue her education here. She arrived during the feast and instead of causing commotion and disrupting supper more than necessary, we sent her up to her dorm. You will be able to speak to her tomorrow. Now I think it's best for you both to go to bed." The two stood up and made to leave, but Hermione turned around.
"Professor, what will happen to Ron?"
"Once Ron becomes accustomed to his lack of sight he will finish his schooling at Hogwarts. Until then, the Weasley's are safe in hiding." Harry and Hermione nodded and left the office. Once they stepped off the moving stairs, they made to go their separate ways: Hermione to Head tower and Harry to Gryffindor tower.
"Night then." Harry said and turned away but Hermione caught his arm.
"Harry? Could you . . . do you think you could sleep in my room tonight? I mean I could conjure up a bed and everything for you, cause I wouldn't make you sleep on the floor and of course you couldn't sleep in the same bed as me cause that'd be kind of weird. Not that I think you're weird but-"
"Hermione calm down, you're rambling. It's ok."
"Thank you so much Harry. I just can't sleep alone tonight."
