"My Last Breath"

by S'Eleene Paris PG

Pairing: Harry Potter/Hermione Granger

spoilers: books 1-6

synopsis:

In response to the challenge on

Portkey and inspired by the song "My Last

Breath" by Evanescence, a near death experience

Puts certain things into perspective. This is

A one shot fluff…I'm good at that…so why change

Now?

Disclaimer:

J.K. Rowling owns all lefts, rights,

and eye lashes belonging to the Harry Potter

series. I don't , but it is fun to mess around

with the characters isn't it? I also don't own

the song "My Last Breath" or Evanescence. If

I did, I hardly doubt I would be writing on the

Net.

Part One

Thunder crashed and the lightning slashed the green tinted ebony sky in two.

Rain pounded on the backs of four individuals as the wind whipped it across

the country side. It was three against one and the three were having

the same amount to trouble conquering as the one.

A black haired boy, no man, with green almond shaped eyes dodged

yet another curse gracefully as one could. Harry sent his own spell

toward his enemy after he heard his friend moan as the spell meant for him

grazed his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. Harry's head whipped

around to check on his best friend and immediately Hermione was at

Ron's side checking on his wounds. Ronald Weasley waved his

hand at his friend to tell him he was going to be okay.

When Harry's attention went back to the task at hand, he barley had enough

time to dodge the next spell heading toward them. "Stand still boy and

accept your fate!" Voldermort declared as the spell missed him and he grew

irritated.

"I don't think so, Riddle. I think its your fate rather to die at my hands

instead." Harry sent a non-verbal spell in the Dark Lord's direction.

"There are some things after all that are much worse than death."

"Such as finding out you was the cause of your friends' death." the evil

wizard smiled and a shiver went down Harry's spine. As a flash of lighting

struck near by, the wizard lifted his wand and flicked the Killing curse at the

where Hermione was taking care of Ron's wounds. From where Harry

stood he was certain she took the brunt of the hit.

"Hermione!" Harry's color drained as he literally had to stop himself from

running over there to check on her condition. "Ron's over there, he'll take

care of her for now. Right now you have to get rid of this guy once and

for all."

"Don't worry, Harry. She'll be with your mudblood mother soon." Voldermort

taunted.

"No!" Harry raged as he pointed his want at the wizard. The laughter from

Voldermort's face drained. Determination filled Harry's eyes as he quoted the

Dark wizard, but instead of the green light emitting from his wand the light

Whizzed from behind. Looking behind him at Ron and almost wanted to

laugh, the spell the evil wizard had cast had ricocheted off something after

killing Hermione. The dark Lord had been finally defeated by his own curse.

The spell had hit the target and with out another word, the man who was

once Tom Riddle fell limply on to the ground, dead. Since he only had

1/7 of his soul left after putting the rest of it in several miscellaneous items

and hid them around the world. It was only after Harry, Ron, and Hermione

had found them and destroyed them that they were able to take the man

down.

With out missing a beat, Harry raced over to were Hermione lay with her

Hair in the mud due to the rain. "Hermione." Harry breathed as tears

Formed in the corner of his eye. Harry gathered the witch's lifeless

Body in his arms. "No! This can't be! It's not fair!"

As Harry rocked back and forth with the body of his friend, the tears he

Was trying to hold back fell down his cheeks and on to the lips of his

Best female friend. "Harry. She's gone." Ron offered, trying to console

Him. "Do you think she would want you to be like this?"

"Go away and let me be!" Harry screamed hysterically as he

continued to rock back and forth with her body.

"Harry, we have to take her body back to the castle so they can

inform her parents of what happened." Ron tried to think logically,

which would have normally fell into Hermione's responsibility, but

considering her recent death Ron felt to urge to try to fill the void

she had left for the both of them.

"You're right." Harry said, distantly as he stood up and carried her

body back to the apperation point. The duo misted off and reappeared

just outside the castle's grounds. Harry said nothing as he carried

Hermione's body up the castle steps and through the heavy wooden

Doors.

"Here, Harry. Let me help you carry her." Ron offered as he stepped

up the staircase before of the Great hall.

"No." Harry stated plainly as they made their way down the corridors

and arrived at the hospital wing. Ron opened the doors silently and

allowed Harry and the body to make their way through first.

At the sound of the doors swinging open, Madame Pomfrey looked up

from where she was administering a calming draft to a fifth year. Obviously,

the girl was stressing out from her O.W.L. examinations. The duo noticed

the limp body in Harry's arms and Madame Pomfrey rushed over to meet

them by the bed where Harry had laid her. "What happened?"

"She was killed by Voldermort." Harry was blunt, but Madame Pomfrey

had a different opinion. She waved her wand over the former Hogwarts

student as various currently enrolled students gasped at the use of the

dark lord's name. As the head of the medical wing waved her wand,

various physical statistics could be read in a blue mist.

With out another word, the nurse ran to her office, grabbing various

potions and administrating them. "What's going on?" Harry asked

the question that was plaguing both Harry and Ron. "What are you

doing to her?"

As the witch continued to administer the treatments for the young

woman's condition, she commented her personal thoughts

as to why the girl was in her current state. "I don't know why, but

for some reason this girl survived. I take it that he-who-must-not-

be-named used the killing curse on her. By this reason she should

be very well dead, but I am registering brain activity, a very slow

heartbeat, and some breathing. I am going to try to stabilize her then

send her to Saint Mungo's. The will have the better facilities to deal

with her condition there. Hopefully with some time they will be able

to revive her.

"But Madame Pomfrey, why isn't she dead?" Ron asked as he claimed

the empty chair next to the bed.

The witch looked up briefly and gave them her honest medical opinion.

"I don't know, but the only other person who was able to survive the

Killing curse is sitting right there." She pointed at Harry with a gesture

Of her head. "Now, if you will excuse me there is a lot to be done

Before I can send her to Saint Mungo's. While I am doing this, why

don't you go and inform Professor McGonagall of her condition."

With that, the duo were ushered out of the door by a very put out

medically trained witch.