Here's the deal. I was bored one day (yesterday to be correct), so I read this story. When I got to the end, I knew that if I had been a reader reading this, I would have flamed the author so bad. Why should I have put you through this?

So, this is why I have decided to come up with an alternate ending. Yes, ALTERNATE ENDING! If you liked the other one a lot, don't read this. But, if you did not (especially meaning you bluejolteon), this is for you. So here it is. And, just to let you know right now, some of this might not totally agree with whatever J.K. Rowling writes, but I figured you'd rather have people live than me be correct.

Oh, by the way, this will be in Hermione's point of view. (THIS MEANS SHE WON'T DIE!)

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I never knew how long it lasted. I wasn't told. Even when I woke up, I could hardly remember what had happened on the dreadful night long ago.

The last thing I could remember was Ron's face looking at me as if he had forgiven me. That was it.

When I opened my eyes, the brightness of the room caused me to shut them immediately. I had been in complete darkness for who knows how long.

"Hermione, are you awake?" someone called out. The voice sounded muffled in my ears, but I could easily recognize it as Harry's.

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes again, hoping they would quickly adjust to the light. Harry was sitting next to the bed where I was laying.

When he realized I was truly awake, his eyes bulged. "Hermione, you're awake!"

I cleared my dry throat, hoping to get some words out. After I swallowed a lot, I could feel that I could talk. "Harry, what day is it?" I croaked, surprised at the sound of my voice.

Harry avoided eye contact for as long as he could. "Well, the big thing happened on October 31st and early November 1st. Today…today is January 2nd," Harry said motioning to the window.

White blankets of snow covered the entire grounds. "I've-I've been like this for two months? Oh god," I said, placing my hand on my forehead.

I began to sit up as Harry helped me. "So what happe- oh my god," I said as I felt my heart stop beating.

"What? What is it?" Harry asked, looking really worried.

I began to pant as if I were out of breath. "Is he- Ron- is he alive?" I said, hoping that Harry would be straightforward with me. I just needed to know about him.

Harry chewed on his lip. "Um…"

I closed my eyes. "Harry, I need you to just tell me the truth," I forced upon.

Harry looked to the bed next to me. Ron was on his side, eyes shut. "He hasn't woken yet. Madame Pomfrey said it could go both ways. His parents were told he probably wouldn't make it the day after it happened. I'm surprised he has," Harry said, almost drifting away.

"Why?" I questioned confused.

"Hermione, Ron was hit by the death curse."

My breathing stopped. "How is he alive though? You die immediately after you are hit by that," I replied, confused to my wits.

Harry shrugged. "No one knows. Dumbledore went over, expecting him to be dead. I really don't remember. I had heard Voldemort cast the curse, so I began to scream hysterically. Professor McGonagall was trying to clam me down. I remember Dumbledore coming over to McGonagall. His face looked utterly puzzled. He whispered something into her ear, causing her to jump backwards in shock. Dumbledore turned to me and said that both you and Ron were alive for now. I collapsed after that, or that's what I've been told."

I nodded. "I think I'm going to go back to sleep Harry. Thanks for telling me everything," I said as I laid down, acting like I was tired, which I wasn't in the least.

Harry nodded. "Okay, I'll be back later," he said before he got and walked out.

I laid against the pillow. I was drained. I wasn't tired, but the past couple things I heard just drained me.

I turned over. But when I did, I was almost face to face with him. I shuddered and quickly turned over as my heart began to hurt immensely.

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I sat on the bench outside the hospital wing after Potions class and before dinner. How could I eat? How could I live?

I had been released a week ago. The other three who were captured had been released only a few days before I woke up. Alyssa Monroe hadn't made it since her body had so much stress on it due to Voldemort controlling her for over three months. I had a hard time with one night. Ron was the only one left. No one really enjoyed talking about what happened that night. I got a few questions about how it felt, but most people ignored me, or worse, stared at me as if I was going to rip their heads off any minute. The only ones I could talk to were Harry, Jay, Justin, and Genevieve.

I stood up from the bench and gather my books. Deciding that I would skip eating again, I walked into the building. Madame Pomfrey luckily realized what I was going through, and she let me stay through things like meals.

I sat in my usual spot next to his bed. Sometimes I spoke to him, but usually I just sat there and held his hand. Today, though, something felt off.

I felt awful. Then it hit me- all this was my fault. Ron's life hung in balance because I let myself fall in love with him. It was because of me.

I pulled my legs up on the chair, wrapped my arms around them and buried my head in my knees as I began to sob.

I realized I hadn't cried since the night before this happened, which made me cry even harder.

As I continued to weep, I heard a noise. Small, yet distinct. I ignored it. I pulled my head out of my tear-soaked knees and looked up as tears trickled off my eyelashes and down my cheeks.

This was the boy I was in love with, and yet, it was my fault he was like this. MY FAULT!

I began to cry again, so my head returned to my knees.

"Why are you crying?" a voice said.

I looked over my shoulder towards the entrance. No one was there. "Wrong way," the voice said again.

I turned my head quickly. I was met by a pair of large blue eyes. Ron looked at me smiling weakly.

My mouth opened widely. I smiled. "Ron…you're alive," I said breathlessly.

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I never knew what euphoria felt like until I actually experienced it. The school was abuzz. Ron was alive.

Ron had woken up two weeks ago, but he'd only been out of the hospital wing for two days. Suddenly, with Ron's making it through, the school returned to normal even though I doubted that it ever would after what had happened.

Today we were going up to see Dumbledore, for he had requested that Harry, Ron, and I speak with him as soon as Ron and I were feeling better.

We arrived in his office and were told to sit down. "I believe you three know why I asked you to join me here today."

We all nodded. Dumbledore turned to Ron, who was clutching my hand. "Well, Mr. Weasley, you have survived the Avada Kedarva curse. Congratulations," Dumbledore said.

Ron cocked his eyebrow. "Um, thanks?" he said, almost asking.

Dumbledore smiled. "Would you like to know why?" Ron nodded immediately, as did Harry.

"When I took over as headmaster of this school, I had hoped it would be a place where children who wished to learn magic could call home. And it was, for a while at least. Until Thomas Marvolo Riddle came to this school. He was a bright student. But after he left, things at this school would never be the same."

"Then, on that one night, everything changed. Harry lived, and I knew someday he would be here. When he would be here, Voldemort would try his hardest to come in and finish the job he had started that night. So, I looked through many many books, and found it. In an ancient book from the early 1300s, I found a counteracting spell to the death curse. It would protect the school from any death curses until the first one was performed here. That was one you Ron. Now, the shield is gone. But that is how you lived," Dumbledore said.

Ron stared for a moment. I looked over at Harry, who was smiling deviously, as if he was one up on Voldemort.

"As for you, Ms. Granger, you will be fine after this. Nothing will be a sort of aftereffect on you. I must say, you three were extremely brave. Facing off with him while he controlled one of your best friends is an extremely hard thing. And I hold respect for you for doing that."

Ron, Harry and I were all smiles.

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As we were walking back to the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry was going nuts. "Ha! He thought he was going to get me with that one! But I wasn't going to fall for it! I've got nerves of steel!" Harry yelled happily.

I looked at Ron, who simply rolled his eyes. Harry kept walking, well, actually jumping, and shrieking down the hall as Ron and I stood there watching.

I turned to him. He smiled at me. I wrapped my arms around him. His arms wrapped around me. "You had no idea how scared I was," I mumbled, basking in the warmth from his embrace.

"Watching you being possessed wasn't exactly enjoyable either," Ron answered.

I looked at him and laughed, rolling my eyes.

After we separated, Ron took my hand as we began to walk again. "Hermione, there's something I want to talk to you about," he said.

"What is it?" I replied, looking at him.

"With the exception of the past two months, this year has probably the best year I've had," Ron muttered, looking forward.

I looked at him strangely. "Why?"

He stopped and turned to me. "Because of you," he answered.

I was taken aback by that. "What?"

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but…I think I'm in love with you. Head over heels in love," he murmured looking down at his feet.

I smiled and picked his chin up. His cheeks were bright red in embarrassment. "Why are you embarrassed about that?" I questioned quietly.

"I've never said that to anyone except my mom," he said smiling. "And when I do, it's usually answered by Fred and George coming up with some wisecrack."

I giggled to myself. "I have different answer to it this time."

He looked baffled. I cleared his thoughts by pressing my lips against his. My arms wrapped around his neck as his wrapped around my waist.

After a few minutes, we broke for air. "Was that better than a wisecrack from Fred and George?"

Ron nodded. "Oh yeah."

"Oh, by the way, for what you just told me, I have something to say to it," I said, referring to when he told that he loved me.

"What?"

"I love you too," I said as a grin spread on my face. Sooner than I thought, we had assumed the position that we had been in before.

That day, I realized two things. 1.) - you can never count out anyone to fall in love with. Four years ago, I had wanted to separate my self as far as I could from Ronald Weasley. Now, I needed to be near him. It was magnetic. 2.) – no matter what the odds, no matter what is happening, you can make it through. If the only boy you've ever loved is hit by a death curse, don't think of him as dead until he is. With your friends close by, you can handle it.

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I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really like this ending better. Don't you? If you do, you've got to tell me!