I know, I know. Y'all hate me. I'm sorry. Or not! ;)

DISCLAIMER: Nope, still not me.

Chapter 3

Outside Hermione's haze, about 3 seconds had passed. They were all looking at her funny, when she started screaming, but then they realized what was happening, and they had no time to react. Hermione did the only thing that came to her mind. She stopped screaming, and yelled out the first and best spell that came to mind, pointing her wand at the three brothers.

Ron was yelling, screaming 'NO' over and over again, and running all he could towards his brothers, as the wall fell down. He was frantic as he stumbled over the rubble on the floor; he couldn't see anything through the dust. He coughed but kept running forward- he couldn't lose his brothers, not now, not ever!
The dust cleared, and Ron was prepared to scream out his pain and horror, when he saw something that had him stop dead. Tears were streaming down his face; whether from pain, shock, relief or surprise, he wasn't really sure. But there, encased in a light blue bubble, stood his three brothers, shock evident in their wide eyes.
Hermione was still staring at where the wall had just fallen down. She had stopped screaming, but she was still pointing her wand at the three Weasleys.
"Protego Maxima, Protego Maxima, Protego Maxima" she muttered, over and over again, adding protection to the bubble. She couldn't stop, she just knew she had to save the Weasleys, save the Weasleys…
"Hermione." A gentle voice whispered in her ear, as she was enveloped in a hug. Her shaking hand was still pointing her wand in the direction of the wall.
"'Mione, they're okay. You saved them, they're okay. 'Mione, you did brilliant, thank you." He kept muttering in her ear as he wrapped his arms gently around her, telling her they were okay, and that she could drop the shield now.
"Okay?" she said in a small voice, and suddenly she was crying. She slumped into Harry, holding on for dear life, rambling about not letting Ron lose his brothers, the Twins, especially the Twins, and Harry had no idea what to make of her mutterings. He sat down against the wall, and held his sobbing best friend in his arms.
Ron had been trying to get through the protective bubble that had prevented him from getting to his brothers, and when it suddenly fell, he wasn't ashamed to say that he ran to his older brothers, not ashamed to say he had been crying, and definitely not ashamed to say that he had hugged them so tight, they could hardly breathe. They had hugged him back, but they had all been staring at the bushy-haired, soot-covered, sobbing girl currently being hugged by their adopted little brother.
When Ron was finally convinced his brothers were still alive, he ran to his female best friend, taking her from Harry, and thanking her over and over again for saving his brothers, while he rocked her back and forth. The three brothers in question came over and hugged her as well, thanking her.
"I have no idea how I can ever thank you enough." George whispered as he held her. He wasn't afraid for himself, but he had almost lost two of his brothers, one who happened to be his twin. It terrified him.
He kissed her temple, and rocked her quietly back and forth, hoping to calm her down.

Hermione didn't know who it was, or how he did it, but the last of the brothers who hugged her, and had kissed her temple had calmed her down. He smelled pleasant, of newly cut grass, parchment, and something she couldn't quite place.
"Thank you," She whispered back at him, when he released her. She stood, embarrassed that she had lost it like that, but none of them seemed to look at her like it was something she should beuncomfortable about.

Suddenly, it was as if all the sound going on in the castle interrupted them, and they hurried into the battle again. But then they heard Voldemort speak. Hermione glanced worried at Harry, but he only grimaced, looking pained.
"We have to kill the snake." He whispered, before he closed his eyes. Hermione looked at Ron uncertainly, but he only shook his head slightly, indicating to wait. A few minutes later, Harry resurfaced from his mind.
"The Shrieking Shack. He's in the Shrieking Shack." He told them, and they were off. They had on the Invisibility Cloak, but didn't bother hiding their feet. With all that was going on, they were hardly going to be discovered. Harry ached to be out there, fighting, but he had to satisfy himself with sending out spells at unsuspecting Death Eaters that were duelling his friends.
Hermione wasn't quite sure what happened. One minute, Harry was there, biting his hands as if to not say anything, and the next, he had crawled out to a dying Snape. Snape made Harry take something, before he fell into eternal sleep. Hermione cried silently as the infamous Potions Master died before them. She could see that Harry was shocked, but they were all shaken out of it, when Voldemort's voice rang out.

They were in the Great Hall. Harry sat silently beside a weeping Mrs Weasley, as she stared at Tonks and Remus. He was in shock. They weren't supposed to die. All around him, friends and strangers alike, lied dead or severely wounded. Nobody cared for the Death Eaters, but the sorrow could be heard all around. Hermione and Ron sat beside an injured Charlie Weasley, though he was as cheerful as ever, hurrying one of Harry's healers from the DA, to heal him up so he could go out fighting again.
"Come on, it's not bad, it's just a little wound – I've had worse, trust me! Let me up, please!" His loud words cheered all the other injured up. Mrs Weasley had already been sent on her way by her son; he didn't want her to fuss when he was fine.
Without any of them noticing, Harry slipped away.

Hermione only discovered it later, when he looked around after him, asking what they were going to do with the snake. She had no idea what Snape had given him, but she knew Harry was most likely somewhere figuring it out.
She didn't have much time, however, to think of it. She had no idea how long Harry had been gone, but suddenly, they heard cheers. It was the kind of cheers that send shivers down Hermione's spine, the kind of cheers that could only mean one thing. Harry had gone to Voldemort.
"NO! Harry, where are you? HARRY!" No one seemed to understand what she was on about. They hadn't figured it out yet. But then Voldemort's voice rang out.
"Harry Potter is dead-" but Hermione couldn't hear anymore, she was blocking out his voice. She couldn't believe it. Harry couldn't be dead. Suddenly, every person who was able to left the Great Hall. Hundreds of people hurried out of the castle, out onto the grounds, where they could see the horde of Death Eaters, led by the half-giant that was Hagrid. They were all laughing, except for the big man, who was looking like he couldn't cry anymore.
Hermione's mind was blank. She had come to care for Harry and Ron so much the last month or so. They were truly the best friends she had ever had. But now, she only had one. Harry was dead, and she hadn't even had the chance to say she loved him like she would love a brother. She hurriedly walked to Ron; she knew it would be so much harder on him; he had slept in the same room as Harry for 6 years, they had shared everything, they had been through things some couldn't even imagine. They had been brothers since they met – it was clear.
"Ron," she whispered. She brought him into a hug. He stood looking grey in the face. Ashen.
"No, no." he whispered. He was shaking his head. Hermione had no idea how it was like to almost lose three brothers, and actually lose one, all in one day.
"Ron, I need to tell you something. I love you, you're like a brother I never had." She had to let him know. She had just lost one of her two brothers. Brothers in everything but blood. He looked at her, his eyes still distant and unbelieving. Hermione wished she could help him; he looked like he could never go on from this.
"Ditto, 'Mione" was all he could get out. But it was good enough for her. She hugged him, and let herself cry.
Tears were still streaming down her face, when Hagrid came into proper view. Harry lay, entirely still. Hermione had never seen anything so nightmare-ish. He was Harry Potter; he was the boy who survived anything. He was so strong, so kind-hearted. He was a hero and a saviour. He was a fighter. But most of all, he was a friend. A friend of everyone who would let him close enough. He was the best friend you could ask for, when you gained his trust. He would protect you until the end, no matter if you were a stranger, a friend or even not human.
"NO!" The heart-wrenching sound was even more horrid, because Hermione couldn't believe it came from one of her favourite teachers, who also happened to be one of the strictest she knew. The Scottish woman was crying, her hands shaking, and all Hermione wanted to do, was go comfort her. But she had no idea how, and Ron needed her right now. She wasn't even aware that she and Ron were shouting themselves.

She couldn't hear anything that was being said, she couldn't even remember when Neville moved, and suddenly had the Sword of Gryffindor. She had no idea how she ended up in a duel with a Death Eater, and if you asked her for her version of Neville's beheading of Nagini, she wouldn't know what to say. Everything was in a blur, and suddenly, she was shouting out spells, casting them silently, or ducking others. Her aim was more accurate than it had ever been, and she was able to focus, even if her mind was in a haze.
And suddenly, all duelling stopped. And Harry was there. Alive. Hermione wanted to scream and yell, sing and dance, she was so happy. She had no idea how he did it, but there he was, taunting Voldemort, like – wait. Taunting Voldemort? Harry!

"-You never learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?" Hermione was silently praying for Harry to stop. It was never a good idea to anger dangerous psychos with wands. Definitely never a good idea.
"It all comes down to one thing; does the wand in your hand know that its last master was overpowered? Because if it does, then I'm the Elder wand's true master" Hermione wasn't breathing. Her heart was beating like never before, and she had no idea what to do. She wanted to draw her wand and curse Voldemort, she wanted to curse Harry, but she was rooted to the spot. She heard the spells, being cast, she saw the wand ricochet, and she saw Tom Riddle fall. And then it was chaos. Harry had just defeated Voldemort. Harry had just defeated Voldemort, after he had sacrificed himself for all of them.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" She screamed, her anger resonating throughout the room. Everything went quiet as Hermione stalked toward him. Her eyes were flashing in anger, and steam seemed to be coming out of her eyes; that was how angry she was. She saw Harry gulp, and almost smirked.
"HOW DARE YOU DO SUCH A STUPID THING? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW BLOODY WORRIED I WAS? DO YOU HAVE A CLUE AS TO HOW I FELT WHEN I HEARD YOU WERE DEAD! DAMMIT HARRY POTTER, FACE ME WHEN I'M LECTURING YOU!" She was ranting and she knew it, but she couldn't help it; she had been so worried. She stalked up to him, slapped him across his face, and then, to everybody's shock, she sank into his arms and cried loudly. Laughter broke out in the room, and suddenly everybody was around Harry, smiling, hugging, crying and clapping. Ginny broke through the masses and kissed him. When they broke apart, Harry did some sort of flourish with his wand, and suddenly, he was on his knees. He looked into Ginny's eyes held up the ring; it flashed and sparkled in the rising sunlight. Ginny's eyes were wide, but she was grinning as tears slid down her face. He didn't even have to say anything, for she nodded and whispered out a yes. He slipped the ring onto her finger, and then they were embracing again.
Catcalls could be heard all around; Mrs Weasley was sobbing against her husband in happiness, the Weasley brothers were all laughing and clapping. Ron had his arm around a pretty blonde girl; Hermione recognized her to be Lisa Turpin, a girl from her house, though a year below. They stood close together, and occasionally, he would lean down and press a kiss to her temple. Hermione smiled at them and celebrated the end of the war with everybody else, laughing and hugging and yelling just like they did.

Of course I wasn't going to kill off Fred, or any of Ron's other brothers! The Twins are two of my favourite Harry Potter characters. I bawled my eyes out when Freddie died. DH is one of favourite Harry Potter books, but I was so angry at JKR for killing off so many good people. :(

Love,

MissH-95