CHAPTER 6 – The End?

Hermione couldn't believe what had just happened, she felt like she was going to be sick, this really couldn't be happening. The pain of her heart breaking was excruciating. She believed him; she believed everything he'd said to her. He made her feel like she was something, like he actually cared for her, but it was all a lie. A fucking lie. Malfoy used her. She should have realized. Hermione felt ridiculous. Bawling her eyes out, she curled up on 'their' classroom floor. It was theirs. It was theirs. She felt dirty. Hermione lifted herself off the floor slowly, pulling out her wand, she need to destroy him, destroy every memory they'd ever had, and their every lie.

Pointing her wand at the classroom, Hermione roared 'BOMBARDA!'

Shattered glass and tiles, wooden desks, shredded paper flew in every direction, Hermione in the middle of the destruction. She needed to feel something real, the shards of glass and tile sliced through Hermione's delicate skin easily as it flew around her. None of the cuts on her body could match the giant whole left in her heart; Draco had driven in the knife, twisted, and removed it, her heart leaving her body in the process.

Hogwarts shook with the force of the spell. Dust fell from the ceilings, and between the thick stones of the ancient castle.

Draco shuddered as her felt his surroundings shake. He knew exactly what had happened, and it was breaking him inside. He knew hogwarts was magically reinforced but couldn't help but feel a slight bit apprehensive about Hermione bring the whole place down to rubble. All there memories were now destroyed, and Draco could help but feel relieved. Hermione could leave hogwarts with a clean slate now, or more of a destroyed one. Frowning, he continued on his way towards the great hall. Teachers ran past him as he walked slowly, he knew what they'd find. Nothing, it'd all gone, but Hermione, angry and broken. His love for her never wavered, he loved her, he always would, but he had to be the hero for once in his life, and this was the only way he knew how, to hurt her was the only way to save her. Weasley pushed him out of the way as he made his first steps down the main stairs. Potter followed, closely the female Weasley, who glared at Draco as he passed. His face was empty. She knew.

Tiles, paper, stone, just rubble lay in the destroyed classroom. Blood splatter, and hair covered Hermione's face as she sat against the thick wooden door of the room, her tattered school uniform hanging loosely off her body. Dumbledore stared down at the young witch, while McGonagall surrounded her friends, who were pushing to see her. Dumbledore knelt next to her, taking her wand slowly out of her hand before passing it to Ginny to hold for her friend.

'Miss Granger?'

Dumbledore's clear blue eyes stared into her brown ones, he was tired, Hermione could tell. She felt guilty; he had more on his plate then her.

'Don't feel guilty; you shall soon have your whole life changed. A short spell will clear your anger up nicely'

'Professor'

Hermione was hurt; you could hear it as her voice quivered. And Dumbledore knew as he silenced her, that it wasn't her physical wounds causing her pain.

'Miss Weasley, will you please take Miss Granger to the hospital wing immediately? Tell Madam Pomfrey that healing will not do anything, this is to be left to natural healing'.

Ginny nodded, and softly helped her battered friend to her feet, Hermione shook as Ginny led her down the hall towards the main stairs, a crowd had gathered at the foot of the stairs as Professor Snape blockaded it off to the other students. Ginny scanned the crowd and saw a wide-eyed Draco following Hermione as Ginny led her through the crowd of stunned students. Hermione pushed Ginny's hand away as she laid eyes on Draco, Ginny almost tensed to stop Hermione from going after him, instead she stood tall and pushed on through the crowd. Blood still fresh from her deep wounds, pain still burning through her body, she still stood tall to prove a point to him. She would still be the one to walk away, no matter how much he hurt her. Pushing open the hospital wing doors, they flew away from her body was emphasis. She was making a point, but Ginny saw she was struggling to stay upright. She strode to Madam Pomfrey as Ginny closed the doors, and collapsed into her arms.

Ginny ran to Hermione's side, and helped Madam Pomfrey take her to a spare bed. Madam Pomfrey made a move to take her wand out, but Ginny relayed Dumbledore's message before she could do any magic.

'Dear, are you sure?' She asked, turning to Hermione,

Nodding softly, Pomfrey put Hermione to bed before retiring to her office for some paperwork. Ginny sat next to Hermione, watching her best friends eyes tear up. Holding her hands softly, careful not to put pressure on her cuts, Ginny comforted her friend until night fell from the tall windows behind them.

Harry and Ron came to visit Hermione as she lay in bed the next morning; she had heard both McGonagall and Dumbledore had made it clear the boys were not to enter the hospital wing, despite trying repeatedly, and failing.

'You could have gotten past those spells 'Mione' Joked Ron when they told her.

Hermione grinned softly, so many thoughts were running through her mind, her whole heart was aching, she was laying in the same bed she had been located too on the night with Draco. Her body ached along with it, all she wanted to do was cry, to break down, to pass out for days on end, but her body wouldn't let her, it wanted her to suffer just like that ingrate wanted her too. The boys joked and laughed all day, trying to make Hermione smile. Finally it started working when Ginny joined Mid-Afternoon, and ended up cursing Ron five minutes after she arrived. As Harry disappeared that night on Dumbledore's latest mission, Ron stayed with Hermione in the hospital wing, all night. His hand clasped hers as they laughed, Hermione squeezing his hand tightly as her body shuddered in pain.

''Mione?'

'Its ok Ron, I'm ok' she smiled at him,

She hardly believed that herself, but Ron was a good distraction for her. He was kind and caring when he knew she was in pain, he made her laugh. He was one of her best friends, and no matter how insensitive he was she cared for him.

'But you're in pain' He muttered softly,

'The pain passes, you just made me laugh too hard'

'Sorry, I won't do it again' he said softly,

Hermione laughed at him,

'It's not a bad thing!'

Ron placed his chin down on her bed like a big dopey dog, resting his head. He sighed contently, as Hermione stroked his ginger hair absentmindedly, shifting her weight off a particularly deep cut on her back.

The night wore on, and Ron fell asleep on the chair beside her, snoring softly. Hermione watched as he shifted slightly in position, looking so peaceful. It made Hermione feel calm and dulled the ache the Draco had caused. The night was quiet until next thing the pair heard loud voices outside the hospital wing doors. A blast from a renegade wand lit up the under of the doors, as another shook them on their hinges. Ron jumped to his feet suddenly as Hermione sat up slowly; Ron placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her down.

'Something has happened' He whispered,

'Ron?'

Ron looked over at Hermione who was staring out the closest window, looking up he spotted it too. The Dark Mark glowed a brilliant green in the night sky.

…

The mood was sullen, everyone in black, the only thing that wasn't, was Dumbledore's glorious marble coffin which sat at the head of the congregation. Hermione's eyes were burning from the thick tears the laced her eyelashes, and splashed down her cheeks. Draco had fled the castle the night Dumbledore died. Followed Snape, his killer, like the heartless, evil person he was.

Hermione thought of the last time she saw Dumbledore.

She'd run into the courtyard, Ron beside her, arm grasping her waist to hold her up. Harry was kneeling next to Dumbledore's broken body. His eyes empty of the sparkle she's remembered. Harry was crying, clutching the chain of an ugly pendant. Her heart jumped. Draco. She cursed herself at the immediate reaction of this type of situation. Harry whispered something from beside Dumbledore's side. 'It was Snape!'

He'd been yelling that through the halls of the school, chasing the old man's murderer. Hermione and Ron had pushed the hospital wing doors open, both running after Harry. Hermione lagged behind, but close enough to see the one thing she was anticipating. Draco's blonde hair blew back as he ran along side Snape.

Hermione closed her eyes to Dumbledore's body, but the vision was burnt into her eyes. Her mind was racing. Snape standing beside Draco, both watching as Dumbledore stood in front of them, wandless, but not afraid. Draco's wand raised, with his eyes tiny slits. She knew she should have never trusted him.

Hermione's eyes closed slowly, her heart breaking even more as she remembered that night. She placed her head on Ron's shoulder. His familiar smell, what she knew as care and love engulfed her. She cried her heart out as Harry walked from the procession. Dumbledore was gone. They knew what they had to do now.

The years passed, and Hermione's feelings grew for Ron, as his for her. They married young, and began to grow their family. They watched Harry and Ginny fall for each other, becoming the couple they were always meant to be. Hermione's heart slowly healing as the time passed, but Draco always stayed at the back of her mind. His final attempt to change during the last battle was the last she ever saw of the blonde haired man, who she thought loved her. She always wondered what would have happened. No matter how much she loved Ron, Draco was her first love. She could never forget that. She couldn't ever tell Ron that either. She hated imagining what he'd do, whether it would be to leave her, and take the kids or forgive her, she'd never know. Maybe she didn't want to know. It was for the best.

…

Hermione's train of thought was a mess as she got her children ready for school. The smoke of the old familiar Hogwarts Express bought back some of Hermione's most vivid memories. The feel of everything, the stonewalls of the ancient castle, gorgeous feasts, colorful friends, amazing adventures, and her greatest experience of all. Looking down at her daughter, Rose, she wished with all her heart that she never had to experience that, any of that. Danger, panic, pain, hurt, livid nightmares and the immense heartache. Rose had only just begun the experience of Hogwarts and loved every minute of it, Hermione was grateful that it was a completely different experience for the time being.

As the smoke clearer, Hermione looked towards the men in her life, Ronald and Harry were chatting away before something caught his eye, a flash of blonde and black made Hermione's heart jump, she had never thought that she'd ever see him again. Harry nodded in Malfoy's direction as He and His wife led their son to the train. Malfoy's eyes followed Hermione as she kissed her excited children before they ran off to join friends. Looking back at Malfoy, Hermione caught the eye of his supermodel wife. Blonde, obnoxious, Malfoy's type no doubt, Brain dead. His son both a mix of Draco's chiseled features and his mother's air of arrogance. His son ran off to the train as Harry's young Albus followed his siblings after a talk with his father.

As the train started to pull out of the station, Harry jogged along side his son's compartment. Stopping before the platform did, Harry stood waving goodbye until the train couldn't be seen anymore. Hermione watched Harry return to them after they had all finished waving goodbye. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Draco began to walk back to the station entrance. Draco stopping as Hermione held up the rear of the group.

'Mrs. Weasley'

'Mr. Malfoy'

'Ladies first…' Draco said as his wife strode past Hermione with an 'hmpf! And out of the wall,

'Such ignorance…' Hermione spat,

'Nor does Ron know, no doubt' Draco added,

Hermione looked at Draco, dropping her head,

'You ended up with someone who wouldn't get you killed, and for that I am thankful'

'Did you love me?' Hermione asked softly,

Draco looked into his beloveds honey brown eyes,

'Always' Draco whispered, as he walked through the wall.