Chapter 9 : The Beginning of the End

(Author's POV)

Harry woke to screaming. He wasn't running but as he opened his eyes he saw the castle move as if he were. He could feel pressure on his arm and turned his head to see Ron supporting him and running to the Hospital Wing. Then Harry saw Hermione. She was fighting off a Death Eater. She took him down and started running ahead of Ron, probably leading him to the Hospital Wing. Oh no, the final battle has begun.

Harry was panicking. He brought this upon everyone. It was his fault. He led them here, to Hogwarts. He had to do something. He had to save them. He had to save Hermione. He had only gone through all this to save her and protect her and now it was all for naught. He stirred, trying to walk on his own but Ron stopped him, "Calm down, Harry. Let us take care of you." Harry was too weak to protest. They made it to the Hospital Wing and Harry was placed on a bed and Madam Pomfrey immediately started pouring potions in his throat. Hermione looked at him with tears in her eyes. Ron had left to make sure no Death Eaters invaded the Hospital Wing as well. Hermione was being instructed by the nurse and helping with the other patients.

Things began to die down and Ron and Dean busted through yelling how the Death Eaters were retreating. Hermione looked to them with a flicker of hope that vanished just as fast as it appeared, "They'll be back. Voldemort only wants Harry. They can't find him so they've left. We have to help Harry before they return." At her words the nurse shoved more potions down his throat. He coughed at the vile taste and then it stopped and he blacked out knowing that she had given him some sleeping drought.

Hermione sat by Harry's side while he slept. He had a wide gash on his stomach and two bruised rips. He looked so peaceful. He had been asleep for two weeks now and should be waking up at any moment so she wouldn't leave. His ribs were healed and he could get the stitches from his gash removed upon waking. Hermione had finally stopped crying after the first week but never stopped worrying and never left his side. After the invasion, classes had been suspended and some students were even taken out of school by their families. Most of them were first or second years but some third years and fourth years. Fifth years and over had insisted they were safer at school then out in the open so very few of them had left. Hermione's parents wanted to bring her home but she all but sent them a howler refusing to leave Harry behind.

Hermione didn't know how long she was asleep or that she had even fallen asleep but when she woke up she lifted her eyes to be met with highly amused and loving emerald orbs. She casted her eyes upon the man before her in disbelief and finally realized that Harry had woken up. She shrieked and threw herself into his arms while most likely strangling him. "Hermione….need…oxygen…ugh!" Hermione immediately pulled back in worry and cooed him with question of his well being until the nurse heard the commotion and entered the room from her office.

The nurse shoved two more potions into Harry's mouth – both of which he nearly choked out – and removed his stitches. He had to stay another night though. Hermione said she would stay overnight and the next morning they'd go see everyone at breakfast. They both now held each other's hand and sat in a comfortable silence reveling in the fact that they were together again. "I thought I lost you…" Hermione began with tears in her eyes. Harry pulled her into a tight embrace causing her to sit beside him on the cot.

"I will never leave you. Remember I promised I'd come back? And I promise to take care of you." Harry whispered over her sobs and she smiled. She missed him terribly and now she was finally back in his arms. She had almost lost hope and when she saw Harry crouched and slumped in pain she felt a knife in her heart. Then watching him sleep not knowing when – and as much as she tried to avoid thinking, if – he would wake up just about squeezed the life out of her heart. Now she was in his arms and listening to his comforting voice promising to take care of her.

Hermione looked up at Harry with a watery smile, "I love you Harry." Harry smiled down at her, "I love you, don't ever forget that." She felt the double-meaning in his words but didn't dwell on it. She had to live in the here and now and worry about the future when the future came. Harry leaned down and captured Hermione's lips with his. She reciprocated fiercely and soon their tongues met in a passionate dance trying to steel the lead from the other. They were interrupted by a loud couch and girly giggle. The couple broke apart to see Ron and Ginny. Ginny was smiling at them as if to say 'awwww' and Ron was looking at them with awkward nervousness as if to say 'please don't make out in front of me'. Both of which made the pair blush and straighten up in the bed. Hermione sat fully on the bed, leaning into Harry's shoulder while he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Glad to see you've recovered, Harry." Ginny said suggestively and winked at Hermione making the poor girl blush. Harry grinned and nodded. He asked how the school was doing. Some good news came and some bad news came. The good news was that nobody was severely hurt in the invasion and that they Order was on alert and preparing as they speak. The bad news was that most students were pulled out of school for protection but being out of Hogwarts actually putting them in more danger. Draco Malfoy had attacked with the Death Eaters and has been put into Azkaban. Harry pitied Draco. Mostly because it was more of his father's fault then his in how his life turned out.

The worse news was when Harry learned of the state Hermione was in while he was gone. Ginny had dragged Hermione away, leaving Ron with Harry. Ron told him how Hermione wouldn't do anything and drag her self around only if she absolutely had to. She stopped answering or asking question in class and spent every extra minute either sleeping in bed or trapped in the library. She refused that anything was wrong but they had heard her screams and sobs at night and Ginny usually had to sleep with her to calm her down. Harry felt horrible. He vowed now never to leave her side. He'd stay with her, protect her, and love her until death separated them.

Then Ron explained that he found Harry's letter and Hermione slowly started to come to peace. She didn't recover – they thought she never would – but she was getting a little bit better than before. Harry knew Hermione could be strong. He wrote the letter to give her some closure if anything were to happen to him and to tell her to find happiness in any way possible without him if she had to. He was glad that it made things take a turn for the better even if that type of better was only a cut above the worse.

"Glad to have you back mate. Now we can fight this git together." Harry's head snapped up to Ron who was still leaning against the cot next to him. Harry didn't want anyone else in that kind on danger. Especially Hermione. He didn't want anything to happen to her. "I don't want Hermione to fight though. I can't lose her." Ron nodded but had a look of contradiction. "I know, mate, but do you honestly think that she's going to see it your way. She'll fight if she wants to and if you spoke to her I'm sure she'd say the same thing." Harry shook his head.

"But I can't take that kind of risk." He looked to his redheaded friend and shook his head again trying to keep tears away. "But she took that risk for you," Harry looked befuddles at his friend before he continued, "You left to fight and she let you even though it killed her inside. That's basically what you want not to do for her. You can't make her go through that without willing to do the same; it's not fair to her." What run said made sense but how could Harry let the love of his life put herself in danger's path when he swore to protect her? He didn't want to but he didn't want to be controlling either. What should he do?

"I guess you're right. When did you get all sensitive and smart?" He smiled humorously making Ron chuckle. "I spent way to much time with Ginny." Harry laughed and saw that the girls had come back. The four spent the rest of the day basically talking until Ron and Ginny were kicked out by Madam Pomfrey. Hermione had spent the last two weeks by his side and refused to let that streak stop now. Hermione transfigured her chair into a more comfortable seat and scooted it closer to Harry's bed. They eventually fell asleep practically in each other's arms.

Hermione jolted awake in her chair and stood up ready to fight whatever made that noise. She looked around with her wand in hand and did a survey of her surroundings until her eyes landed on Harry's now empty bed, "Harry!?" She looked around again. It was dark and she couldn't see much. "Lumos." Light fabricated from her wand and the beam swept the entire Hospital Wing for Harry. She didn't find him. Then she heard a scream. "HARRY!?" Hermione ran out of the room into chaos. It was like the invasion was repeating itself. She ran out and took down every Death Eater that dare face her.

She had taken down ten Death Eaters and save countless students before she landing outside into a clearing by the lake. She saw a flash of green light then another and ran faster than she had ever run in her entire life only to see what she had exactly expected and not wanted to see. There was Harry and Voldemort face to face with green light emanating from their wands, connected in the middle. Harry looked weak and worn while Voldemort looked conceited and victorious. Hermione screamed in horror trying to stay calm, "You can do it Harry, you're better than he is!" Harry looked at her for one second and smiled but Hermione wished with every bone in her body that he didn't because it caused him to loose focus and he broke the contact. Hermione watched his body fly a little ways and lay there lifeless. "NO!! HARRY!!" Hermione ran over to his side and saw how pale his face was. It still had a ghost of the smile on his lips but his eyes were wide with horror and defeat. Hermione watched as her tears fell from her eyes to his face.

She heard a low, cruel cackled from behind her and whipped around face to face with Harry's killer. She glared at him, "You foul, ugly, heartless snake. You're dead!!" She screamed but before she could even raise her wand the green light flashed across her face.

Hermione jolted up out of her chair and nearly fell over. She recovered slowly, still shaking and stood at Harry's side. She scanned him over until she heard his even breathing and concluded that he was alive but sleeping. Hermione felt the tears gush over from her fear for the love of her life. She didn't know what she would do if she'd lost him in any way shape or form. The only thing that could make that nightmare worse was if Voldemort let her live. If he made her live. If Harry died, she'd die too. She just couldn't live without him, she wouldn't. Hermione wiped the tears away and sat on the edge of the cot looking down at Harry sleeping peacefully.

He had a slight worried expression and Hermione wondered if he were having a nightmare as well. She had been having nightmares since he left but he had been having nightmares forever. Hermione didn't know how he dealt with it all. She never asked. She felt it was inappropriate to do so with him in his situation. She couldn't believe that someone with such a bad upbringing and the amount of negativity he's been subjected to could produce such a wonderful, selfless, and caring man that she loved more than life itself. She was the first to notice how similar his childhood was to Voldemort's. They both lost their parent in infantry. They both had horrible guardians that didn't care for them in the slightest. They both grew up in ignorance of their magic and were prejudged because of who they were although the judgment was based on different scenarios. The only difference is that Tom Riddle tuned them all out and rejected even the smallest gesture of kindness that was granted to him. He turned away from the world and vowed to make that world feel the pain it made him feel. However, Harry prevailed through it all. He became the better person in every negative gestured granted to him and absorbed every kind one. He loved and lost and loved again even in depression.