As we launched through the bathroom door, we were ready for anything. In the hall outside it was chaos, people running everywhere; students, teachers, most of them taking stances at the windows and firing downward. I guessed the enemy had not made it inside yet. That was one good thing at least.
"How are we ever gonna find Harry in this bedlam?" yelled Ron, over the loud smash of another window breaking.
"Let's head back towards the Room of Requirement! That's where he'll look for us!" I shouted back, and we took off running.
It was slow going owing to the crowded hallways and the fact that our arms were weighed down with the fangs. On the fourth floor we ran into Fred and George perched strategically in two broken window frames sending hex after hex down into the oncoming hoard.
"Reducto!" yelled Fred as he aimed his wand at someone on the ground. Second later he made a whooping sound and chuckled as a jet of green light sailed through the window and took the arm off a statue behind him.
"Whoo! Didn't like that did you, you slag!" he jeered out the window.
"FRED WEASLEY!" Molly Weasley's disapproving screech could be heard even over the deafening booms. She was standing at the end of the hall glaring with her hands on her hips exactly the same way she would in the Burrow, completely oblivious to the war raging around her. I hadn't realized until that moment how much I missed her.
"IF I EVER HEAR THAT WORD COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH AGAIN!" she continued, advancing down the hall on Fred.
"Mum!" shouted Fred in exasperation as continued to send and doge spells through the window, "It's Bellatrix Lestrange down there! If there's anyone who deserves it, it's HER."
Mrs. Weasley didn't respond, out of the corner of my eye I think I saw her give a reluctant grin but I wasn't paying attention. The moment Bellatrix's name was said rage filled me, it felt as though my vision had gone red and I was not even in control of my own body. I stepped to the window and surveyed the scene for the first time. There were Death Eater's scatted across the ground in various stages of battle, and there she was at the head of the pack, looking almost as gleeful as Fred had been. Since Fred had not returned her fire in a few seconds she must have thought she had done him in, because she had turned her attention to someone in a window a floor down, where she was sending Killing Curses and cackling with delight.
"Iscendio!" I yelled and her billowy robes went up in flames, several of her companions rushed to send jets of water her direction, but I could already hear her shrieks and I smiled ruefully.
"HERMIONE GRANGER!" shouted Fred in pride and glee, "Gimme one up top!" He raised his hand high above his head and I grinned as I jumped to slap it enthusiastically.
"Oi!" shouted Ron, and before I knew what was happening he had grabbed my arm and spun my around crushing me to his chest, just as I felt the rush of the spell graze the back of my head singing my hair. I looked up at him so we were nose to nose.
"Watch yourself there tiger!" he said with a slight smirk.
"Nice one." Said Fred, he was now crouched by the window sill again to avoid the spells from the apparently righted Bellatrix but he was giving us a sloppy grin and he winked over exaggeratedly at Ron.
We gave him what I'm sure were rather sheepish smiles back, before charging up the corridor again hand in hand. We skidded around the last corner and just as I had hoped we found Harry charging down the hall towards us. He was very angry at first shouting he'd been looking everywhere for us, but then when we explained where we had been he was instantly as excited as we were. He quickly explained that he knew where the diadem was, it was in the Room of Requirement in the place where he had hidden his old Potion's book. We sprinted into the room to find Tonks, Ginny, and Mrs. Longbottom of all people! As soon as we explained what we were doing and that we needed to them to leave the room so it would change Tonks, and Neville's Gram took off immediately to go fight. Harry told Ginny to wait outside, because her mother had given her specific instructions not to fight, but I knew as I saw her sprinting out the door she was NOT coming back, and so did Harry. Harry and I were in full planning mode again. The last Horcrux was so close! But suddenly Ron said urgently we'd forgotten the house elves. Harry immediately said we should ask them to fight. I was outraged! How could he even think that after Dobby! I opened my mouth to protest but Ron got there first he said of course not, we should tell them to run, we shouldn't ask them to die for us!
My heart faltered in my chest. I felt tears in my eyes, it was the same feeling I had when I had heard Bellatrix's name a few moments earlier but also completely different. Once again I felt like my body was moving beyond my control, but surging with a kind of raw power and emotion I had never felt before. I dropped the fangs in my arms and in one motion I threw my arms around Ron's neck and crushed my mouth on his. For a split second he was still then he threw his arms around me and kissed me back so vigorously my head began to spin. I parted my lips, deepening our kiss taking our passion to a level it had never been. I wound my fingers in his hair and pulled him tighter to me, it didn't matter what was going on around me. The world didn't exsist in that moment, the only thing that mattered was my Ron, and the sound of his heart pounding out a rapid beat with mine.
"Oi! There's a war going on here!"
Harry's voice finally broke through, and ever so reluctantly I took my lips from Ron's and turn my face to him. I also realized at that moment that Ron had lifted me off the ground in his enthusiasm, he set me back down and we both mumbled apologies to Harry like guilty school children. I couldn't tell if he was more annoyed or amused. It seemed like he was riding the line so we let it go and quickly got back to the mission at hand.
As we exited the room in became painfully obvious the fighting had grown ten times worse just in the past few minutes. Ginny was now also at a window shooting spells, Aberforth ran by and Tonks desperately asked about Lupin before tearing off in the direction Aberforth instructed. Ginny looked at us her face full of terror, and Harry assured her it would be alright. My heart ached for them because I could see how much more he wanted to say, how desperately they held each others eyes. But Harry was dragging Ron and I back towards the door, he paced fiercely and then suddenly the door appeared again and we bolted inside. The room was overwhelming, piles upon piles of mismatched objects, hundreds of years worth of things Hogwarts students had wanted to hide. Harry suggested we split up to find it, so we all took off running once he had described the diadem and where it was. I ran and ran, it boggled my mind how huge the place was. After about ten minutes I stopped running, I slumped with my hands on my knees, there was a stitch in my side and I was working on getting my breath even. Suddenly I heard Ron call Harry's name, he sounded far away but I perked up. Maybe he had found the diadem! I walked to the end of the row I was in and looked both ways to see if I could find the source of his voice. Suddenly I heard it, the shattering of glass and the unmistakable sound of a duel in progress. I sprinted flat out in the direction of the sound, terrified of what I might find. As I skidded around the last corner I reflexively sent a Stunning Spell at the large boy advancing on Harry. It was Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, leave it to them to ruin everything! My spell missed it's mark and Crabbe aimed a killing curse at me. He had to dive to avoid Harry's next spell and in doing so he knocked Malfoy's wand out of his hand into a large pile of junk. One wand down, both Crabbe and Goyle pointed their wands at Harry but Malfoy screamed not to kill him, in the moment of confusion Harry disarmed Goyle. Two wands down. Crabbe began to duel Ron and in a moment of impulse I charged Goyle hitting him with a Stunning Spell. Harry had his back to me looking for the diadem, for a moment I thought we had the upper hand but then I heard it. I screamed Harry's name as I looked up and saw Ron and Crabbe running towards us, trying to outrun a wall of flames. From one look I knew exactly what it was it was Fiendfyre, a cursed fire that would grow until it consumed all. We ran, ran with all our might but it surrounded us. We were going to burn! Suddenly Harry threw a broom at Ron, he pulled me on behind him and I buried my face in his back and locked my arms around him like a vice grip. All I could think was, get to the door Ron, get to the door. Suddenly we heard him, and I opened my eyes long enough to see him. Draco was standing on a pile of knick knacks, holding Goyle who was unconscious. Harry dived for them, I knew he would never be able to hold them both on his broom. In another second Ron was diving too, shouting if we died for them he'd never forgive Harry. Our broom drooped dangerous close to the flames, and it was all I could do to hold on to the unconscious Goyle and keep my grip on Ron so as not to fall. We streaked for the door the fire nipping our heels searing at us. The door shone in front of us Ron urged the broom forward and we shot out into the corridor smacking the wall and landing hard on the floor. Harry and Draco shot out after us and for a moment we all just lay there gasping for breath.
When we sat up shakily I noticed the Horcrux on Harry's arm, that's when I remembered, Fiendfyre could destroy Horcrux's! As we all looked at the remains of the final Horcrux I was the first to finally say it. Only the snake left, I couldn't believe we had actually completed this insane mission. Our revelry was broken only seconds later, as the battle rounded the corner. Percy and Fred were taking on two Death Eaters, we ran to join them. At four to two took them down easily. Percy even made a joke of some kind, I don't remember it now all I remember is Fred laughing, and then… the explosion. I flew across the room feeling the rubble rain down around me, my ears were ringing as I sat up. Then I heard it, the long drawn out wail that made my blood run cold. I looked up and there were Percy and Ron, kneeling over the third red headed boy. I knew he was dead, before I even moved a step closer. But the battle was still raging around us. I screamed as huge spiders the size of cars began to climb through the wall. We kept trying to pull Percy free but he wouldn't leave Fred's body. Harry gave me and Ron a push and we began to run, but it was just instinct. My legs were carrying me but my mind was numb, all I could think was, Fred…. Fred can't be dead, he just can't. Suddenly a Death Eater rounded the corner and Ron charged him, he didn't even raise his wand, he smashed his fist into the tall man's long nose. The man slumped against the wall but Ron just kept punching him over and over his face becoming more and more of a bloody pulp.
"Ron!" I screamed as I ran and began to tug on his arm, but it was no use, just then Hargrid came thumping around the corner, "Hagrid help me!" I begged.
Hagrid dashed to Ron and plucked him off the man with one hand. I noticed a tapestry that I knew held a secret passage and I wrenched it open and Hagrid tossed Ron in.
"Wotch 'im Hermione! I gotta keep goin'!" he shouted and he took off again.
I jerked the curtain back in place and turned just in time Ron was on his feet again. I put my hands on his chest and dug my feet in pushing him back as he struggled against me.
"I'm gonna kill him, with my bare hands!" he shouted trying to wrench my hands off him.
"Ron stop! Please stop!" I begged, I put my hands on the side of his face, he continued to struggle clawing at me trying to wrenching his face from my grip. "Look at me!" I said firmly but he ignored it. "Ron! Look at me!" I said again jerking his face so he was forced to. He stopped struggling and met my eyes. "Stop…" I said again gently, and I cupped his cheek in my hand. He collapsed, he buried his head in my should and was wracked with sobs, I held him as tight as I could and let the tears flow freely too. After a moment we heard Harry and a moment later we heard Percy shouting and charging down the corridor. It started all over, I peeked my head out to call to Harry and Ron tried to skirt around me eager to rejoin the battle. It took both Harry and I to control him and convince him we needed to stick to our mission we had to find the snake and kill it! I was so desperate, so completely worn down that I asked Harry to do the one thing that I had been begging him to fight for so long, I asked him to reach into Voldemort's mind and find out where he was. Harry slumped against the wall his eyes were unfocused and we knew he was having a vision, to my immense relief Ron stood still with me watching him carefully, a few moments later he was back. He said Voldemort was in the shrieking shack, an argument ensued over who should go, each of us thought we'd have the best chance on our own. The argument was cut short when the Death Eaters found us and we had to run for our lives, so we ended up going together. The journey from that secret stairway to the Whomping Willow, was like something from my darkest nightmares, to this day I don't remember many details. But a few things stick out, sharp and clear like splinters in my mind, the dementor attack, how Luna, Dean, and Seamus saved us just in time. The spiders carrying Hagrid into the forest, and the giants, Hagrids baby brother Grawp locked in a horrific fight to the death with a savage giant twice his size.
When we were finally in the tunnel it felt strangely safe. I knew we were headed for the most dangerous of all places at this exact moment, but in the dark quiet tunnel I felt secure, only when the tunnel began to slope upward did I feel the fear creeping back into my heart. I warned Harry to put the cloak back on, and we did. Even though I knew we were hidden not only by the cloak but my the trap door that separated us from the room above, the moment I heard Voldemort's high cold voice I felt a thrill of fear like I had never experienced before. I clutched Ron's hand so tight that it hurt. He was speaking with Snape, he was asking him why the Elder Wand would not work for him. We had gleaned earlier that the elder wand had belonged to Dumbledore, and Voldemort had broken into his tomb to steal it. From the moment the conversation began I knew where it was headed, I knew the end result. Wands recognized masters, the only way to make a wand recognize you was to defeat it's owner. Voldemort had not defeated Dumbledore, therefore the wand did not recognize him, it recognized another….. just as this thought came through my mind I heard Voldemort utter a horrible hissing cry and I heard the snake hiss angrily and then Snape began to scream. I clamped my hands over my mouth to keep from crying out and stared horrified at the trap door. Voldemort left the house, and to our utter dismay he took the snake with him. I knew we had to get back to the others, so I was bewildered and terrified when Harry lifted the door! He walked across the room to Snape. I couldn't help it, I knew what a horrible person this man was, but I couldn't help but pity him. Lying on the floor, drowning in a pool of his own blood as it gushed from his neck. He placed his wand to his temple and pulled out a silver strand which he raised with a shaking hand to Harry. I conjured up a bottle, I had no clue what this memory was, but I wasn't about to deny a dying man his last wish. Snape looked meaningfully into Harry's eyes and then, he was gone. At that moment Voldemort's voice ran out cold and clear, he said he was calling a one hour truce for us to collect our dead and wounded, if Harry came to him in that time he would end the fighting. He then specifically assaulted Harry, asking him how many more he would let die. Ron and I both knew that was the final straw, we begged him to see reason, to go back to the castle and he agreed but on the way back we were silent, Ron and I knew he had made up his mind. All we could do was hope for a miracle.
Going back to the castle didn't help matters. We entered the great hall to be assaulted by the rows of bodies. The Weasley's were gathered around Fred's. I didn't hesitate, I moved to Ginny and just held her. I knew Fred was her favorite brother, and with the call Voldemort had just made to Harry I couldn't imagine what she must have been feeling. She fell into my arms, just as I had fallen into hers 6th year, and she cried. After a few moments I steered her closer to her family, as I did I noticed two more bodies, Lupin and Tonks. I felt as though another brick had been dropped in my heart, my knees were shaking. We were all standing around Fred now, Mrs. Weasley was lying across him sobbing as Mr. Weasley stroked her hair. Ron and Percy were standing with arms throw over each others shoulders crying softly. George was sitting at Fred's head staring down at him, not moving, barely breathing. Ginny knelt behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest, she squeezed him tight and buried her face in his shoulder. He leaned his head against hers slowly. I felt out of place, an intruder but I wasn't sure where to go. I looked up and realized Harry was gone, I felt as though I should have been surprised, but I wasn't. I began to slowly back away from the family, but as I did, much to my surprise Mr. Weasley caught my hand in his, and pulled me back.
"Don't go Hermione," he said gently, "You are a part of this family, and family stays together." He put his arm around my shoulder and to my continued astonishment, he squeezed me in a one armed hug and pressed his cheek to the top of my head just as my father had done so many times before. I felt tears in my eyes as I hugged him back. We all stood in silence, and I let the tears flow, as I mourned the death of my beloved brother, with my family.
I don't know how long we stood there in silence before Ginny met my eye, she stood up after kissing George's cheek and reached for my hand we walked slowly to the front of the room. She sat on the steps with her hands wrapped around her knees.
"He went to Voldemort."
It wasn't a question, her voice was hollow, she sounded almost as though a dementor had sucked out her soul. It killed me to see her this way. I searched desperately for anything, to keep her talking. I was honestly afraid of her going catatonic on me. My eyes unwillingly found the bodies of Lupin and Tonks again.
"How did they…"I began, but stopped unable to finish the thought.
"Bellatrix," said Ginny in the same dead pan voice, and she continued, "She was torturing a boy, couldn't have been more than fourteen, Tonks ran out to help him and when Bellatrix attacked, Lupin tried to distract her. As soon as she killed him Tonks charged her, she tortured her for a good twenty minutes straight, would have kept going to but the giants got in the way and then Voldemort ordered the cease fire. We ran to her, but her heart had already stopped. Too much stress Dad said."
I looked at Ginny, too repulsed to speak. I didn't know what to do, she stared off into space, as if there was nothing left in the world that could hold her interest, and I started at her, too mesmerized by the horror of it all.
"Ginny." George's voice was above us and we both looked up, I was surprised to see how… alive he looked, pain was etched in every feature of his face, but his eyes were blazing with a fire. "Ginny they're organizing a party to go find the wounded and help them back to the castle. Come help?"
Ginny didn't move or even really acknowledge him. He knelt in front of her and put and put a hand on her cheek, "It's what they want Gin, Harry and Fred want you to keep fighting. They want us to keep fighting. You can't cash out on me yet 'lil bird. Come on get up."
Something registered in Ginny's eyes at the sound of the nickname that Fred and George had given her as a baby, her eyes met George's and silent but intense things past between them. She took his hand and he pulled her up.
"Hermione," said George and I jumped at the sound of my name, "They are setting up a triage and emergency medical aid station across the hall they could use your spell knowledge, and organizational skills."
"Right." I said immediately, glad to have some purpose again.
Twenty minutes later I was standing in what used to be a classroom and was now a stiflingly hot, overcrowded, make shift emergency treatment center. Sweat poured now my face and I was in a disheveled mess as I looked around the room into all the scared faces, it had been forty minutes since Voldemort's announcement, no one had seen Harry but I knew we had precious time to heal all these people.
"Listen up!" I shouted over the crowd and everyone fell quiet. "ok , if you have broken bones of any kind go to the front left corner and see Mrs. Weasley she will patch you up! Regular burns and cuts, go to the front right corner and see Luna and Dean! Any damage whether mental or physical having to do with curses please come to the back of the room to see me and Professor McGonagall! And people please common courtesy! If you see someone with injuries worse than yours let them ahead of you! We have to work together if we're going to survive!"
With that I walked to the back of the room, I was just lifting Ginny's infamous bat bogey hex from the face of a poor girl who'd been caught in the line of fire when Ron, Percy and George carried in a boy with a badly broken leg.
"You're going to be fine now. Go get some water and try to rest a bit." I told the girl squeezing her arm. I looked up and suddenly Ron was beside me. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me firmly but sweetly.
"You're the most amazing woman on the planet." He breathed against my lips, "I love you."
With that he let me go and went with his brothers to collect more wounded, I watched him go unaware until I started feeling light headed, that I was holding my breath. Then my fleeting happy moment was ripped apart by a booming high cold voice speaking the words I will never forget as long as I live.
"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We will bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.
The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child will be slaughtered, as well as every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."
I walked slowly out of the room with MacGonagall at my side. Ron and Ginny were standing in the Entrance Hall, the doors were thrown wide and we all stared out into the darkness.
"It's a trick, Voldemort is trying to draw us out." Said MacGonagall, but her voice was wavering.
"Trick or not, they're coming." Said Ginny, her voice hard.
"Hermione…. I have to apologize." Said Ron abruptly, looking at me with all the intensity in the world.
"For what?" I said softly.
"I love you. I want to spend forever with you, have a family grow old, but I won't do it in a world with him, I can't. So if he isn't bluffing, if it's true, I'm sorry but, I have to make my stand tonight, and I'll die fighting for what's right."
"And I'll be right beside you." I said with conviction slipping my hand into his.
"Me too." Said Ginny, and I felt her take my other hand.
They came into the light slowly, fanning out in a defensive pattern. Voldemort brought up the front of the pack and behind him walked Hagrid. Nothing, not the torture, nor the dead faces of all those I loved could have prepared me for the heart wrenching pain that ripped through me at the sight of Harry's limp body in Hagrid's arms. Voldemort tried to convince us he ran but we would have none of it, suddenly someone pushed through the crowd, it was Neville. He ran right at Voldemort with more bravery than I thought possible, but of course he was no match, Voldemort had him writhing on the ground in seconds while Bellatrix laughed in delight. I was filled with revulsion. Voldemort asked Neville to join him and as another tribute to the unshakably courageous person Neville Longbottom is, he said he would rather die. To my horror Voldemort placed him in a full body bind and summoned the Sorting Hat, he placed in on Neville head, and with a last word about making an example of what would happen to those who defied him he set it on fire. Bile rose in my throat as Neville's screams filled the air. Suddenly the world exploded into chaos again, Grawp came charging from the forest with the entire herd of centaurs leading them stampeding towards his brother. The Death Eaters scattered, but I stood transfixed. I watched it happen as if in low motion, Neville launched off the ground sword in hand and in one graceful motion he severed the head of the enormous snake.
"HE KILLED THE SNAKE RON!" I shouted at the top of my lungs grabbing his arm. Now all that needed to happen was one of us had to get a shot at Voldemort, just one shot. We were all pushed and shoved back into the building in a crushing mob, somehow I caught hold of Ginny and we were pushed against a wall in the Great Hall. Then I saw her, standing on the table looking like some sick queen. I shot a spell at Bellatrix and it caught her hair ruffling it, she spun around.
"Why hellooo pretty Mudblood! Come back for round two? Crucio!" she screeched.
Ginny and I dived behind a scrap of wood and found Luna there, we all began to send spells flying at Bellatrix but even three to one we were too evenly matched. Then a Killing Curse missed Ginny by inches.
"NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!" screamed Mrs. Weasley, and I felt a pang in my heart wishing Fred could there to berate his Mum for her language. They began to duel it was fierce and terrible, but at the last second Bellatrix was distracted and Mrs. Weasley landed her death blow. I watched as the wicked lights left the eyes of my mortal enemy forever.
Just then a shield charm erupted in the middle of the room. I looked up to see two men inside that shield, Voldemort and…my heart skipped a beat, Harry. I looked into Ginny's face and her eyes were glowing radiantly, Harry shouted he didn't wanted help. I was hard to catch every word through the shield so we just sat there Ginny, Luna, and I clinging to each other. We heard them shouting as they circled each other, I heard something about the Elder Wand, something about Snape, Harry told Voldemort Snape wasn't his man. Suddenly the two men took their stance, I saw Harry's jet of red light and Voldemort's green one. Then in a moment I could barely believe was real, Voldemort's wand flipped, it turned and the green light hit him squarely in the chest, he fell slowly almost gracefully spread eagle, and then hit the floor with a resounding crash, never to move again.
There was a moment of shock and then the Great Hall erupted, we were all running for Harry. Ron and I reached him first and I wrapped him in my arms unable to believe it was true, I sobbed into his shirt dimly aware of all the arms now crushing us, but simply being thankful for every single beat of my best friend's heart. We had done it.
NOTE: Thanks so much to everyone who loves this story, and I just wanna let you know. THIS IS NOT THE END. This is Ron and Hermione's love story, which did not end with the books, from here on out it's solely my ideas, and TEASER, the next Chapter is gonna be Juuuuicy! :) and I promise I'll update soon!