A/N: Hey guys. Well… getting close to the end…

DISCLAIMER: You all know.

Chapter Fifthteen: Life Will Go On

Hermione coughed loudly gripping her ribs as the smoke entered her lungs making it extremely difficult to breathe. Her knees gave way in exhaustion and she met the floor with a heavy thud. The world started to spin as the smoke messed with her senses making it difficult to focus on a single spot in the smoke and flame filled room.

Hermione placed her hands on the warm wooden floor to try and steady herself just as a loud cackling, cold laugh filled the room. Hermione's senses instantly relined themselves as she looked up in bewilderment. Standing, high above her, reaching the roof, lighting it up in flames stood a tall flame figure, with cold blue eyes.

"Oh my Merlin," whispered Hermione sliding backwards across the floor to the nearest wall, her brown eyes never leaving the blue ones.

"Bet you never expected this," cackled the flame figure – Clarissa, "But you seemed to forget – darling, I'm the daughter of Voldemort, but I also am mixed with the genes from hell… flame doesn't kill me."

Hermione swallowed a lump in her throat but panic surged through her body at the sound of her name.

"HERMIONE!"

"Ohh, we have a new guest."

Hermione suddenly found the strength to stand and formed a bolt in her hand and threw it at Clarissa two-meter long right leg, as the flame creature stepped towards the door.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" screamed Hermione glaring up at Clarissa's face, noticing her head brushed the ceiling.

Clarissa glared at Hermione and shot two balls of flame at her. Hermione slammed against the wall behind her, as they connected with her chest. Hermione slid to the ground, clutching her chest and breathing hard.

Then it occurred to her – Clarissa was too powerful for her. Harry was right; she wasn't strong enough to defeat Clarissa. Merlin was wrong to give her this gift.

!Z!

"How is she?" asked Blaise urgently as Amy exited from the intensive care ward, removing her gloves.

Amy smiled at Blaise, "It's okay. She just needs sleep, water and food. The babies are perfectly healthy. We will need to keep her here over night for observation."

Blaise sighed with relief and hugged his cousin tightly, "You're the best! So can I go see her?"

Amy nodded and Blaise ran into the ward. Amy sighed and straightened her robe before walking over to her worried husband, who was clutching his chest with a slight wince.

"Honey, are you okay?" asked Amy kneeling down in front of him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Y-yeah, just a slight chest pain. H-how is Ginny?" replied Gavin before breathing in and out deeply to try and reduce the pain.

"She's fine. But you aren't. It's Hermione isn't it? She is injured."

Gavin nodded, "The battle isn't over. You need to get Dumbledore to send people in to help her. I get the feeling Clarissa is more powerful then people are believing."

"Okay, I'll get right to it. But first I am going to get Miranda to get something to reduce that pain."

Gavin nodded and watched, wincing as his wife ran off to Miranda's office, her robes billowing out behind her.

!Z!

"HERMIONE!" bellowed Draco trying to make his way through the thick cloud of smoke.

Above him he could hear thumps, then he saw it. He didn't know what it was, but a walking figure of flame with piercing cold blue eyes. It stepped towards him and all Draco could do was stare.

"Holy… what on earth are you?" asked Draco looking up at it.

A smile formed on its face, and a laugh escaped from it, "Wouldn't you just like to know... now how about you come with me and let Ellawise watch you die."

Draco stepped back, drawing out his wand, "What have you done to Hermione?"

"She is merely injured. Now come with me!"

"NO! WHERE IS HERMIONE?"

Clarissa raised an arm of flame and Draco watched in horror as flame on her hand morph into a blue hot ball. Clarissa moved her arm backwards, then suddenly all around Draco formed a ball of white electricity and as the flame hit the outside, the ball crackled and rebounded it back at Clarissa, hitting her in the stomach. Draco caught site of Hermione as Clarissa stumbled backwards screaming in pain.

"Your okay," cried Draco in relief.

Hermione merely smiled back at him wearily, clutching a bloody hand to her chest. Perhaps she wasn't a hundred percent okay.

"There comes a time when I have to get nasty," snarled Hermione at Clarissa, "And that is now."

"Oh, what are you going to do?" scoffed Clarissa, "Throw one of your shoes at me?"

Hermione smirked and closed her eyes, raising her arms in the air.

Draco watched in amazement as the dirt and air whipped around him and circled around Hermione like a tornado, full of lightening and rumbles of thunder.

"What are you doing?" screamed Clarissa throwing flames at the cloud, only to have them absorbed into the whirl of dirt, mist, air, lightening and fire.

"I call upon the ancient gods, Merlin, Augustus, Claudius, Roma and goddesses, Vesta, Venus, the Seven Sisters, with your powers and the force of nature to banish this evil now and forever, to never return upon the face of earth for all eternity!" shouted Hermione a look of pure determination across her normally soft features.

Clarissa laughed, "Gods? Goddesses? What possible injury can they cause against the force of the great Clarissa Riddle!"

Draco looked worriedly at Hermione as he watched the colour start to drain from her face, but was shocked as the tornado whipping around Hermione gathered force and speed. Slowly Hermione's hands moved to face Clarissa and as this happened the winds shot straight at Clarissa in a never ending whirl of forceful wind.

Clarissa twisted and screamed as the power of Hermione ate away at her. Around Draco the protection globe broke down as Hermione's full concentration focused on Clarissa and nothing else. Draco stepped away and could do nothing but watch in amazement.

Hermione stepped forwards and strengthened her blow on Clarissa. Clarissa gave one more almighty scream and exploded into the force of the wind, and then she was gone, never to be seen again.

Hermione lowered her arms and fell to the ground. Draco rushed to her side and picked her up in his arms and left the burning shack with a crack.

!Z!

Amy ran up the corridor at top speed as the words echoed around the room in an urgent tone, "DOCTOR AMY TO EMERGANCY WARD THREE! DOCTOR AMY TO EMERGANCY WARD THREE!"

Terrible thoughts kept crossing her mind of Gavin lying dying on the emergency table, blood dripping out from him.

Amy reached into her pockets and pulled out her gloves and began pulling them on as she caught site a extremely pale Draco sitting in a chair, his head in his hands.

"Draco!" cried Amy rushing over to him, "What's going on?"

Draco stood up, "Hermione… she's bleeding from the chest… its really bad… you have to help her."

"Calm down. Roxie! See to it Draco is given a calming potion and get Travis to mop these floors!" ordered Amy before running into the ward.

Hermione was lying still on the bed, blood seeping through her shirt. Amy walked over and grimaced at the amount of blood.

"Miranda, what's going on?" asked Amy looking at the other Head Doctor.

"Well, a deep gash to the chest, some burnt skin. She's lost a fair amount of blood but with a replenishing potion that should be fine. And she just needs to be healed and there shouldn't be a scar. Other then that, she needs plenty of rest," diagnosed Miranda unbuttoning Hermione's shirt, "Gavin is resting."

Amy nodded and walked to a cabinet and pulled out a vial full of red liquid. She found a needle and filled it with the potion. After finding a cleaning swab patch, she wiped Hermione's skin clean on her arm and injected the potion as Miranda worked on healing the bloody, deep gash.

"It went right to her rib cage bone. There may actually be a scar," said Miranda.

Amy sighed as she pulled the needle out and placed it on a tray, "Then she will always live with a reminder of the battle for good and evil. Clarissa marked her physically… and mentally no doubt."

Miranda sighed and finished the healing.

"Right. I'll get someone to clean her up and dress her in a clean hospital robe," sighed Amy looking at her sister in laws pale face, "Then I will have them move her to ward 21."

Miranda nodded and left, while Amy sent a message to a nurse to come fix Hermione up. She then left the ward to see Draco, Narcissa, Dumbledore, Lorraine, Harry, Ron, Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley, Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred, George and Tonks all waiting patiently for any news.

"Amy!" cried Mrs Weasley rushing over to her, the others following, "How is she?"

"She is still unconscious, but breathing and her heart is beating. She will be left with a scar about twenty centimeters long and a centimeter wide, but there is nothing we can do about that yet… possibly later we can remove it. When she wakes she will be very weak. I am having a nurse to clean her and have her moved to ward 21," explained Amy calmly, "She is lucky to be alive. Had she lost any more blood, we may not have been able to save her, but Miranda, a Head Doctor worked quickly before I arrived and managed to save her."

Everyone sighed in relief. Amy nodded to them all and left in search of her husband.

"She did it," smiled Draco watching a nurse enter the ward, "She defeated Clarissa."

"Merlin chose the right person to give them his gift," smiled Narcissa, "I dare say Cornelius should mark this a national holiday, just like they made the day Harry defeated Voldemort a holiday."

Dumbledore smiled, "I dare say, Hermione will want life to go on. Don't you agree Draco?"

Draco nodded, "Yeah. Life must go on."

!Z!

Hermione blinked a few times to clear her vision and was surprised to see a white ceiling above her, instead of the cold eyes of Clarissa who had been plaguing the darkness of her dreams. She turned her head to realize she was at St Mungo's. Slowly she pulled herself up into a sitting position but laid back down when her head spun in circles.

She closed her eyes, but reopened them with a scream when Clarissa's cold laugh filled her head.

"No!" screamed Hermione, her eyes wide in fear.

Her heart slowed down in pace and her breathing evened out.

The room door opened slowly and Hermione looked at it apprehensively. She let a sigh of relief when Harry walked in.

"Oh, your awake. Do you want me to get Draco?" asked Harry gesturing to the door.

"No… don't," replied Hermione softly.

Harry nodded and walked over to the bed and sat in a chair beside her, "Last time I saw you in hospital you were in a coma."

Hermione smiled, "How long ago was that now?"

"Three weeks ago."

"How long have I been out for now?"

"A day. Draco hasn't gone home at all. Gavin is with him."

"Ginny!" cried Hermione suddenly, "Is she okay? Are the babies alive?"

Harry placed a hand on Hermione's arm and hushed her, "She is fine, so are the babies. How are you feeling?"

"F-fine… I guess. Harry… after you defeated Voldemort, did you have nightmares about him and whenever you closed your eyes he was all you could see?"

Harry nodded, "It lasted a few weeks. But now I'm fine. I sometimes dream about him, but very rarely. Why do you ask?"

"Well… when I closed my eyes all I could hear was her laughing… and I can remember having continuous nightmares about her killing everyone I love."

Harry nodded, "Everything will calm down soon Hermione. You went through a huge ordeal."

Hermione sighed and placed her hand on her ribcage, only to feel a slight bump. She moved her hand up it to feel it ended right above where her heart was.

"Hermione?" asked Harry noticing her frown, "What is it?"

"C-can you turn away for a moment?" asked Hermione urgently.

Harry nodded and turned facing the wall. Hermione slowly sat up and lifted her nightgown to reveal a long thin scar running from above where her heart was too below her left breast. With her heart pounding Hermione lowered her nightgown and told Harry he could turn around.

"S-she scared me," spoke Hermione softly.

"Amy told us they might be able to remove it."

"Not all of it. Not a scar that big, some of it maybe. But that's all. Maybe after a few days it will fade to how it will look."

"Hopefully. I have to go to now… Lynette's funeral."

"Oh… Harry I'm so sorry… I wish I change what happened to Lynette."

"But you can! You brought Ron back! The Gods let you! Maybe they will let you bring Lynette back!" cried Harry standing up and gripping Hermione's hands tightly.

Hermione shook her head, "Harry… I can't decide whether she lives or not… its up to them. I can't just make her start walking and talking again."

Harry had tears falling down his cheeks and Hermione reached out to him and hugged him.

"I'm so sorry Harry… please forgive me… I wish I could change what happened…"

"It's not your fault… I'd better go."

Hermione nodded and Harry left with a small wave.

!Z!

Months passed and Harry was right, the dreams and nightmares did come to an end. As for the scar, it faded to barely being visible, but Hermione knew it was there, though she saw it as a reminder of her setting life right.

Hermione hummed as she removed her scarf from being in the winter wind. December was turning out to being a blissful month. Hermione walked into the kitchen, only to be welcomed by a table with candles lit and two plates full of Hermione's favourite foods.

"Oh… wow," whispered Hermione.

Two arms slipped around her waist and Hermione looked up smiling.

"Draco this is so romantic," whispered Hermione.

Draco smiled and moved around her and knelt to the ground, pulling a small box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a silver ring with a large diamond cut in a square shape.

"Hermione Ella Granger will you marry me?" asked Draco looking up at her.

"Oh… Merlin… yes! Of course I will!" cried Hermione as Draco slipped the ring on her finger.

He stood up and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly then leaning down and kissing her softly.

"I love you so much," murmured Draco.

"I love you too," replied Hermione smiling up at him.

A/N: One more chapter to go! Then the trilogy, my first ever completed trilogy, is over! But never fear… I will be writing another story… yes I know I said no more Harry Potter stories… but hey, what can I say? Well I want your vote! Should I write a OLIVER/HERMIONE/BLAISE story, or a GINNY/HARRY one, or a HERMIONE/HARRY one… vote and let me know!

Also, by bestfriend Amy has put up her first Draco/Hermione story. Her pen name is princess-amelia and the story is called Only One. Read it! It rocks!

Thanks for reviewingtaralynetteC, xoKaSsIeox, xputteckx, GoldenGirl313, Blueslusher48, VBspikergirl9, SLytHeRiNcHiCk 101, NicksterPotter and RoleModelGirlie.

Bye for now!

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