Chapter 1

Lavender and Parvarti were talking at the Gryffindor table at breakfast over eggs and toast.
"Oh My God did you hear about Snape? Apparently he almost died last night!"
"NO WAY! How did he get in a state like that?" Lavender eagerly asked Parvarti. "Well I heard he was out trying to kill Professor Lupin." Hermione stirred as she remembered the dark figure on the grounds the night before.
"Where was he?" Hermione knew that this was a bad omen, she should have gone down to help to poor man, and now Snape was near death.
"Oh it was very hush-hush, but I heard that Hagrid found this huge pool of blood on the grounds by the east tower." Hermione's stomach turned as she realised what had happened.
"Oh, I have to go see Dumbledore." Hermione ran from the Great Hall to the statue of the gargoyle in record speed.
"Oh god, whats the password? Umm…Lemon Drops? Acid Pops? Liquorice Squares? Jelly Beans?" The gargoyle sprung forward to reveal a spiral of steps, which Hermione proceeded to run up. She barged through the door to find Professor Dumbledore pacing around his rooms, looking very anxious indeed.
"Why, Miss Granger, what brings you to my office?" Dumbledore sincerely asked, as he offered Hermione a seat.
"I see something is bothering you, care for a lemon drop? They are rather tasty." Dumbledore handed Hermione a box full to the brim with small, yellow candies.
"No sir, I need to talk to you about Professor Snape. I, I saw something last night, and I think it was him sir." Hermione's hands were shaking as she told him about the encounter the night before.
" …and I feel really bad because I heard he almost died last night. Is there anything I can do to help, in any way?" Her deep chocolate brown eyes were pleading, she needed some way to not feel guilty.
"I am dreadfully sorry Miss Granger, but those rumours were not as true as they seem. Severus Snape did not nearly pass away last night, he did pass away. All he would have needed was a simple charm, but it was too late to do anything. I, I need some time to think. Good day Miss Granger" With those words Dumbledore ushered her out of his office and the door slowly closed behind her. His words rung in her ears all day "Severus Snape did not nearly pass away last night, he did pass away." Worst of all was having to go to potions last lesson. She had not told Harry or Ron about Snape, and almost cried at the fact that she could have saved his life. 'You could have saved him Hermione, but no…you had to go to sleep.' Hermiones thoughts were ravaging her mind, but to no avail, the time came when she had to face t he dungeons.

Hermione met up with Harry and Ron in the common room, and slowly they went down to the dungeons.
"Hey 'mione, are you ok? Its just you look a little, well you know, depressed." Ron tried to be subtle, but to no avail.
"Oh Ron, I'm ok, its just I'm not feeling too good, Don't worry about it." She walked a little faster, hoping that that deep, obsidian eyes would greet her, not a strangers empty ones.
"COOL!" Ron shouted with glee as he saw that Snape was not coming to classes, and that all Potions lessons were cancelled until further notice.
"No potions, well maybe the greasy git found out that everyone hates him and decided to leave. Or maybe he was turned into a cauldron by you-know-who." Harry was ecstatic at the news of no potions. Hermione however, was edgier than ever.
"Harry its rude to call him that. He taught us so much, we wouldn't have been able to do half the stuff we have done without him." She stormed off and nobody bothered to follow her.
"Jeez whats her problem?" Ron looked confused; Hermione never acted this way before. It was scaring him, what could make Hermione depressed and edgy all in one?
"Maybe you know it's that time of the month, if you get what I'm saying. Or maybe she just got some bad news, maybe she got a exceeds expectations on one of her O.W.L.'s." Harry was scared too, nothing made Hermione this edgy, he'd never seen her this moody and depressed.
"Don't worry Hermiones too smart to do anything stupid. Shes got her whole life planned ahead of her. I don't think failing 7th year is on that agenda. Ron and Harry laughed and ran off to the quidditch pitch, eager to practise before the big game.
Hermione slowly moved off from the corner that she was leaning on, they thought that she was ridiculous, they were laughing at her. They didn't even bother to check if she was alright. Nobody seemed to care about her these days. It had been months since her parents had written; her penpal had deserted her, and now her 2 best friends thought she was laughable. She was all alone, nobody loved her, but that was about to change. They would realise how much they needed her, but by then it would be too late. She smiled meekly as she ran off the Astronomy Tower. Everybody would realise how much she meant to them, but it would take a lot to make them see it.

The wind blew in Hermiones face as she stood atop the Astronomy Tower, tears streaming down her face. Attached to her arm were 3 letters, one to Harry and Ron, one to Ginny and one to her parents. She looked around her one last time and put her foot out in front of her. She fell as if she was in slow motion and hit the ground with a deafening 'THUD'.