Thirty-one. Hermione

I stood there, staring out of the astronomy tower window down towards the Hogwarts grounds. I watched as Hagrid's hut continued to issue outs it smoke but there were no more welcoming lights in the windows. Hogwarts was always my home, where I felt safe. Now, I felt like a stranger in a different world; quite the way I did when I first found out about magic. I couldn't stand feeling weak, I knew people were going to die that night; and there'd be nothing I could do.

It felt weird how just days ago that school was home to hundreds of young witches and wizards; that very tower holding lessons. Now the school was about to hold the biggest war the wizarding world was ever going to see.

A bright green light was shot into the sky some way away; in the forbidden forest. They were coming. In a couple of minutes they would emerge through the trees.

Stood there I expected to feel nervous, anxious or maybe even excited. Instead I was sad, like it truly was the end. A cold hand clasped around mine and I looked up to my side to see Draco's silver eyes looking down at me. He smiled, shortly, before also turning his gaze towards the dark mark which remained hovering in the night sky.

"Who do you think it was?" Draco asked. I didn't know. It could have been anyone. The plan was for some people to go off heading towards them first; if they were defeated we would be there waiting. Anyone on our side could have been the first victim that was killed for the mark to be shot off. All I knew was, only a few meters away, the war had begun.

"God knows," was my answer.

Somewhere below, in the castle, my best friends for 7 years were getting ready. Harry was about to face the man who had haunted his dreams for his schooling life. He would either save the world, or condemn it to evil. I say the world, not wizarding world, because everyone was going to be effected; wizards and muggles alike.

I could feel those eyes burning into me again but I couldn't bear to turn and look at them. Instead I squeezed his hand in what I hoped was a comforting way and asked, "You ok?"

Twenty-seven. Draco
Is this the end?
I wanted, needed her to look at me. I needed to see her face one last time. One last time? I hoped it would not be. I tried to think the best was coming but I couldn't help but fear the worst.

"You ok?" She asked, feeling my eyes upon her as she always did. Was I ok? I wasn't sure. I had gone to Hermione in an attempt to flee from the deatheaters but now there I was, getting ready to run towards them. A couple of months ago I would never have even thought about doing such a thing, but that's what love does to you. I was sure I was going to die for Hermione and even more, I was going to do the thing I vowed never to do, I was going to kill.

"Are you ok?" I asked as I sat on the window ledge in front of her, blocking the dark mark from her view.

She sighed and finally brought her eyes to mine. I could see the determination in them and knew she was ready. "Let's do this."

I smiled at her lifting myself up and grabbing her hand in doing so.

Walking through the castle at such a time felt so unreal, like what we were about to do wasn't really that big at all. And as though tomorrow I could be back in my common room with the only worries being my up and coming newts. I knew it wasn't going to happen. I'd been wishing for months for everything to have been on big dream but I had no such luck.

The only sound heard was the billowing of out cloaks and our footsteps echoing of the floor tiles. At the top of the staircase Hermione stopped suddenly and turned to face me.

Thirty-two Hermione

I couldn't go into this war without telling him one last time how I felt about him; I would not die knowing that my last words to him weren't "I love you."

"What's wrong?" He whispered behind me. I spun around quickly and pulled him in towards me crashing my lips down on to his. That electricity ran through my body for the last time, my knees went weak for the last time and as I pulled away I looked into his beautiful eyes…for the last time?

We started descending the stairs slowly. Other people started appearing, through doors or invisibility cloaks, ready to fight. "I love you Draco," I spoke quickly knowing I had to say all this now. "I have never met anyone like you. You are special, unique…good." I turned to look at him, stumbling over my words. "And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."

"Hermione…" He begun, but was interrupted.

"Word has just come that the deatheaters will be coming through the forest any minute now." Harry shouted above the murmuring which stopped suddenly. He spoke with such power he was barely recognisable. He wasn't the small scared boy he was back in first year when he was about to face Voldermort for the first time. But rather a strong man that was willing and ready to risk his life. "We have all lived through something terrible which has been a result of these monsters. They have plagued not only the wizarding world but the muggle world also; for too many years. This is our opportunity to stop all this as our last generation couldn't, we have to do the job, and do it properly." Every face was turned towards Harry, no one looked worried, all willing to lose there lives for the future of others. "Be brave and courageous, use brains and smarts, keep your loyalties with you. We fight on the grounds of the greatest school this world will ever know of and I don't know about all you, but I for sure will be proud knowing I have protected it, to fuel the next generation."

Claps and shouted of approval shot up into the air before the giant front doors were opened and the cool night's breeze blew in upon everyone.

Draco took my hand in his as everyone began their walk to the outside, to their fate. "I love you too Hermione," Draco said and he smiled, pausing for a while before asking, "How do you feel?" He looked around indicating that he meant about the war. I knew he was worried.

It suddenly dawn on me that I was scared, my heart beat ferociously against my chest and noticing my held breath I let it out. "Worried," I answered finally. "Draco, I'm not quite sure I'm ready for death," a tear fell down my cheek and he wiped it away. I asked, "how about you?"

He smiled down at me that brilliant smile. Right then I would have died for that smirk of his, just to let me know everything was going to be fine. "To die shall be an awfully big adventure," he answered adding "in the words of the great Peter Pan." I laughed nervously.

"Well, to our next adventure," I said as I tip-toed to reach and kiss him, feeling that electricity really…for the last time?

Twenty-eight. Draco
For the last time?
I could only tell her I loved her. I had so much I wanted to say, but not the words to do it. And before I knew it, the war begun.

"For Albus Dumbledore!" Harry shouted, pointing the way. It echoed around us as everyone repeated it and I looked into Hermione's perfect golden brown eyes, into her beautiful face and we smiled at each other…for the last time?

"For Albus Dumbledore!"