A.N. Sorry it took me so long to update guys, school bombarded me. Anyways here's your next update. Warning guys it's the last chapter and I cried when I finished writing it. Also a great big thanx to kaskarace and JJ for helping mew with this one last scene.

Disclaimer: None of it is mine, how many times must I say this?

'Remus'

I was finding it hard to concentrate on fighting. I was finding it hard to concentrate on anything. There was just this hole inside me that nothing could fill. The potion had had bad effects on me and when I saw Hermione almost struggling to walk, I knew something was wrong. I thought she was coming to me for comfort, to be held, so I could protect her. I had never felt so hurt when I saw the shards of glass littering the floor. To make it worse, I was angry.

I looked four paces to my left and she was still there, she was still fighting. Even with the werewolf coursing through her veins she was staggering and falling from time to time.

For a moment she had just lain there after she transformed, but then with a growl she lunged forward. I couldn't believe it when she threw herself into the mess of Death Eaters. My companions and I just stared for a moment, dumbfounded by her actions, until we realized that she was weak. Then we desperately began throwing spells past the hairy beast to try to deflect some of the damage. Trying to save Hermione.

I realized that had she not changed, we would have been overrun and Harry would have no chance. Hermione had given herself, not only for Harry, but also for me and everyone else involved in this lethal adventure. I didn't know whether to applaud her efforts or cry at the loss we were all about to experience.

As if on cue, I watched Ginny run past me and go inside. The heavy thudding of feet as she bounded up the stairs to help Harry, as Draco, Neville, and Luna joined Ron, Sirius, and I in helping Hermione. What had once been a flood of deadly black cloaks was now only a handful of frightened Death Eaters, thanks to Hermione.

The Death Eaters were quickly dispatched, by either a well placed spell or Hermione's sharp teeth and claws.

Even though I had gone through this transformation numerous times, I couldn't contain my horror as the 'werewolf' collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily, blood seeping from various wounds. With a morbid fascination, I watched as her limbs shortened and the hair covering most of her body receded. Out of habit, and after waking up naked once too often, I stripped my cloak off and covered Hermione before she completely transformed back. I reached down and stroked her hair back, murmuring to her.

"Merlin, Hermione, why'd you do this?" I asked quietly. I tried to keep my voice steady, but still, I knew she heard the quiver in it.

When I touched her fully human skin she was freezing, but covered in sweat. Her limbs were shaking uncontrollably as she offered me a shaky smile.

"It just sort of happened that way," she whispered. I could see the tears reflecting the moonlight in her eyes.

I tried to say something. I opened my mouth a good five times, but I couldn't find anything to say that would express the pain in my heart. I brought her hands to my lips and kissed it as the tears began to spill over my cheeks.

"Hermione," I whispered with all the pain in my heart focused into that one word.

She simply smiled at me and stroked my cheek rubbing her fingers against the slight stubble that had developed in the past few hours, as I held her trembling hand in mine.

I pulled her into my lap holding her suddenly very fragile body in my arms as the others watched on. I gently rocked her body, not knowing what else to do. I found myself crying as I held her to me tightly. What had she done and why had she done it. True, Death Eaters were hard to beat, but we could've done it without her sacrificing herself this way. My earlier anger at her taking the potion was nothing compared to the grief that threatened to seal my throat, and burn my eyes until I would never see again. I gently stroked the mane of curly hair and held my beloved Hermione close to my heart.

I stared up into the half moon shining above us. Even though I was human, I know I screamed in a voice that sounded like a howl, but there was nothing else that could express the loss of Hermione and the raw pain burning through my heart as she grew weaker and weaker in my arms.

I looked down into her pained face as she began to struggle to breathe, her fingers digging into my shirt and twisting it in her hands.

"No," I cried. "No, Hermione, don't leave me."

She looked up at me and I saw the fear shining in her eyes.

"It was for the best," she choked out. "Harry has a chance now."

"But what about you?" I asked, gently kissing her forehead. "What about you?"

Most of the time I felt ashamed of being what I was. No one was proud of being a werewolf, but at this moment, if I could have ripped whatever it was that made me one out, I would have done it. I would have offered my own life to save her. But that was not to be and I hated myself even more for it.

I should have never left to go get Celine. Stupid Remus, I berated myself, she had started to make the potion when I left. If I had been there she wouldn't have had enough time to make it. I hated myself. Hermione's breathing hitched. NO!

I heard Sirius cast a curing spell, but to no avail, her breathing became just that more erratic. She released my shirt and grabbed my hand, her grip was concrete.

"Hermione," I cried again, more quietly. Merlin, she was dying in my very arms.

My heart was pounding, my mind frantically searching for any spell that could prevent her death, but I didn't know what she was dying from. The horrid realization that I, Remus, wizard, her lover, couldn't help her twisted in my gut like cold silver. The only spells I could come up with would ease her pain until she passed. I gently whispered the words and felt her relax just a bit.

"Thank you," she whispered, as she leaned her head against my chest. However, her coughing, and the bit of blood she brought up with it, terrified me. There had to be some way to fix this.

"I wish I could do more," I said, getting my hankie and wiping the blood away.

"Not this time," she whispered before coughing again. "I guess this is why they always tell you not to test potions on yourself."

I laughed at her inanity. "Yes, this would be the reason."

I saw Sirius and Ron both kneel a few feet behind us. Ron whispered something to Hermione, but I didn't catch what it was. Hermione was dying.

With a sob I gripped her hand tighter. My fingers chording through the silk curls I knew I would never feel again. My pain only increased when I thought of everything I would never hold again. Hermione was dying.

Once more I lifted my head and screamed. Sirius put his hand on my shoulder.

"Steady, Remus," he counseled me.

I looked back down as she ran her fingers along my lips as hers turned blue. I kissed her fingers gently and did my best to smile.

"I love you, Remus. I'm sorry. Forgive me, please."

I looked deep into her eyes and remembered the radiant smile and her warm eyes that had at first captured my affections and then…

I felt Hermione inhale sharply and as it slowly exited her still body. I pulled her close to my chest, tears pouring down my cheeks and screamed all the pain in my heart. It was as if the heat from my body was drawn to her; leaving me shaking and shuddering in the cold as the feeling in my arms disappeared. My throat closed as I stared into the dark brown depths staring lifelessly at the half moon. Clumsily my shaking limbs reached forward to close her eyes as I fought to keep the contents of my stomach down, and with great care I closed the lids. I felt Sirius come up behind me and gently ask me if I was alright, over the static filling my ears it was difficult to understand. I began to gasp for breath, it felt as if someone wrapped a leash around my throat and was slowly tightening it notch by notch.

"NO!"

"She's gone," Ron said monotonously.

'Remus'

I don't know how much time had passed before I heard the pad of Harry and Ginny returning to us. We had won.

I glared angrily at anyone who approached me, it wasn't fair. Everyone was supposed to be happy in the end.

No one dared come near me as I held her body. The sun had begun to rise as the staff of Hogwarts came running to us. They were only five hours late.

I looked up at Dumbledore, my eyes shinning with tears. Pity swelled from his entire being, washing over me like the stench of puss. "Remus, what happened?"

With a sob, I held her body closer as the sun peaked over Hogsmeade.

We had won.

The End