From The Journal Of Hermione Granger

by marionettedoll95

In the midst of the war, Hermione found time to start a journal. It contains the true events of the war said in her point of view. The journal starts after Ron's departure until the Final Battle and contains what really happened nineteen years later.

6. Chapter 6

A/N: Well, this is the last chapter. Took me ages to write it. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 6

From The Journal Of Hermione Granger: Entry 6

I can't believe it. It's over. It's all over. We've won. Voldemort's dead. We've won. It's so strange. It's as if the feeling of elation will never die down. Harry and I are in his dormitory. It's three in the morning but you can still hear cheering and fireworks outside. Harry's asleep right now and Ron is probably with Luna. It's hard to believe they got together.

It's so strange. It seems that especially during the war that everyone decided to bear out their feelings. Ron and Luna got together sometime during the fight. Ginny and Dean got together at some point before Voldemort was vanquished. Even Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater got back together in the midst of everything.

Although many people were lost in the process, we've saved so many people as well. We lost many brave people. Remus, Tonks, Moody and so many more fought bravely and lost their lives. I understand the pain of losing someone. I've still got to locate my parents somewhere in Australia. Harry told me he'd help.

But as for the tale of how it ended, I've still go to tell you.

Once we kept the tent and everything, Harry had covered us under his Cloak and we Apparated to Hogsmeade. Everything happened in haste. There was a Caterwauling Charm set up so no one could Apparate in and out of Hogsmeade after the curfew.

Death Eaters dashed out of Three Broomsticks, wands at the ready. They knew we were there. Then one of them suggested sending Dementors out. Harry visibly paled and his hand grew cold. If they sent out Dementors, we'd have to cast Patronuses, meaning we'd be revealing ourselves.

"Harry, we've got to Disapparate now!" I said, squeezing his hand.

But it was too late. The cold feeling floated over us and we were stuck. Harry had tried to shield me under the Cloak from the hooded figure. As it got closer, the temperature dropped and I felt the familiar feeling of dread come over me. So Harry cast the spell.

He yelled out, "Expecto Patronum!" and a silver stag burst forth from his wand.

"I've spotted him! I saw his Patronus! I saw the stag!" One of the Death Eaters yelled.

Acting fast, I pulled my wand out and yelled, "Stupefy!" and the Death Eater that alarmed the others froze and fell to the ground.

Then a rough voice said, "Potter, in here, quick!" Harry squeezed my hand to pulled my in the direction of the voice. We went through a narrow passage until we came to an open door. We hurtled ourselves in.

"Upstairs, keep the Cloak on, keep quiet," ordered the tall man rather gruffly.

We stood there, quite silent and just taking our surroundings in. It was dusty and looked very familiar. Then Harry muttered something into my ear, "Hog's Head Inn," I wasn't the only one who had realized that it was the barman of the inn who had just saved our lives.

Then I remembered. It had been the place where we had established the DA. I recalled the fond memories of helping Harry start with his speech on how to talk to the people who had gathered there to join us against Umbridge. I remembered how Harry was so nervous talking because of Cho Chang and I remembered how it hurt to see him act in a way I never could make him. With a pang of sadness and jealousy, my hand fell limp in Harry's and dropped out of his grasp.

He didn't seem to notice. (Or care.) After he pulled Ron and I in the direction of a doorway behind the counter to a flight of rickety stairs.

Then something interesting caught my ear. "Break curfew again and we won't be so lenient!" said a Death Eater and they marched back to High Street.

I breathed out a sigh of relief and ducked out from under the Cloak, sitting on wooden stool.

Harry and Ron remained standing and closed the curtains shut before coming out as well. Then the barman entered the room, he said, "You bloody fools," he looked at each of us angrily. "What were you thinking, coming here?"

"Thank you," said Harry. "We can't thank you enough. You saved our lives,"

The barman merely grunted. Then Harry approached him, looking up into his face, past the long, stringy, wire-gray hair and beard. I realized he wore spectacles and behind the rather dirty lenses were piercing, brilliant blue eyes.

"It's your eye I've been seeing in the mirror," said Harry rather quietly.

There was an uneasy silence but Harry and the barman remained looking at each other.

"You sent Dobby."

The barman nodded and looked around, almost as if he was searching for Dobby. (Which, of course, he really was doing.)

"Thought he'd be with you. Where've you left him?" He asked us. I felt my stomach twist in guilt and my chest throb with sadness.

"He's dead," said Harry frankly, "Bellatrix Lestrange killed him."

The barman said nothing and his face remained emotionless. After a few moments of silence, he spoke, "I'm sorry to hear it. I liked that elf."

The he turned away from us and began lighting lamps with a prod of his wand.

"You're Aberforth," said Harry.

The barman said nothing to deny it or confirm it but instead bent to light a fire.

Harry walked across the room to the small broken mirror. "How did you get this?"

It was then when Aberforth finally spoke. "Bought it from Dung 'bout a year ago," said he. "Albus told me what it was. Been trying to keep an eye out for you,"

Ron gasped and I looked at him in confusion. "The silver doe!" exclaimed Ron excitedly. "Was that you too?"

Before I could speak and contradict, Aberforth said, "What are you talking about?"

"Someone sent a doe Patronus to us!"

"Brains like that, you could be a Death Eater, son. Haven't I just proved my Patronus is a goat?"

"Oh," said Ron, looking dumbfounded. "Yeah… well, I'm hungry!" He immediately defended himself as his stomach rumbled loudly.

Harry and I just shook our heads.

"I got food," said Aberforth and he left the room to get some. After, he returned with a loaf of bread and some cheese as well as with a jug made of pewter filled with mead. We all approached the table he set it on and ate ravenously, Ron eating most half of everything while Harry and I just split whatever Ron left us.

Harry and Ron had gotten sleepy after their dinner and were slumping in their chairs. Deciding to use the Cloak of Invisibility as something to help him get more comfortable in the wobbly-legged chair, I grabbed it from the floor where Harry had dropped it in haste and put it around his shoulders.

Harry smiled at me thankfully and I just smiled weakly as I sat closer to him and leaned on his shoulder while his arm went around mine.

"Brilliant leman you got there, Potter. Hold onto her," said Aberforth while we blushed a bit.

"Right then, we need to think of the best way to get you out of here. Can't be done by night, you heard what happens if anyone moves outdoors during darkness: Caterwauling Charm's set off, they'll be onto you like bowtruckles on doxy eggs. I don't reckon I'll be able to pass of a stag as a goat a second time. Wait for daybreak when curfew lifts, then you can put your Cloak back on and set out on foot. Get right out of Hogsmeade, up into the mountains, and you'll be able to Disapparate there. Might see Hagrid. He's been hiding in a cave up there with Grawp ever since they tried to arrest him."

Harry, Ron and I looked at each other before Harry said firmly, "We're not leaving. We need to get into Hogwarts." Ron and I nodded in agreement.

"Don't be stupid boy," said Aberforth.

"We've got to,"

"What you've got to do," replied he, leaning forward at us, "is to get as far from here as you can,"

Harry and I sat up immediately. "You don't understand," said Harry and I at the same time. I blushed a bit as Ron smirked at us and Harry continued talking. "There isn't much time. We've got to get into the castle. Dumbledore—I mean, your brother—wanted us—"

"My brother Albus wanted a lot of things," said Aberforth rather solemnly, "and people had a habit of getting hurt while he was carrying out his grand plans. You get away from this school, Potter, and out of country if you can. Forget my brother and his clever schemes. He's gone where none of this can hurt him, and you don't owe him anything."

"You don't understand," said Harry again, rather pleadingly this time.

"Oh, don't I?" said Aberforth quietly. Harry and I looked uncertain while Ron had a frown on his freckled face. "You don't think I understood my own brother? Think you knew Albus better than I did?"

"I didn't mean that," Harry said rather sluggishly. He was tired from our journey and the food and wine had made him sleepy. "It's… he left me a job."

"Did he now? Nice job, I hope? Pleasant? Easy? Sort of thing you'd expect an unqualified wizard kid to be able to do without overstretching themselves?"

Ron gave a grim laugh while I became even more tired. I squeezed Harry's arm in encouragement.

"I-it's not easy, no," said Harry, sitting up straighter. "But I've got to—"

"'Got to'? Why 'got to'? He's dead, isn't he?" said Aberforth roughly and getting angrier by the second. "Let it go, boy, before you follow him! Save yourself!"

"I can't." Harry insisted.

"Why not?"

"I—" Harry stopped himself, I assume, feeling rather overwhelmed. He decided another route. "But you're fighting too, you're in the Order of the Phoenix—"

"I was," Aberforth broke in sharply. "The Order of the Phoenix is finished. You-Know-Who's won, it's over, and anyone who's pretending different's kidding themselves. It'll never be safe for you here, Potter, he wants you too badly. So go abroad, go into hiding, save yourself. Best take your girlfriend and the redhead with you. They'll be in danger long as they live now everyone knows they've been working with you."

"I can't leave," said Harry, getting his energy back. "I've got a job—"

"Give it to someone else!"

"I can't. It's got to be me, Dumbledore explained it all—"

"Oh, did he now? And did he tell you everything, was he honest with you?"

Harry opened his mouth to say "yes", that Dumbledore was honest with him, with us but he didn't. He just closed his mouth again.

"I knew my brother, Potter. He learned secrecy at our mother's knee. Secrets and lies, that's how we grew up, and Albus . . . he was a natural."

His gaze flew to the painting of the young girl above the fireplace. Harry and I followed it and looked properly at her. It was then that we realized that that was the only picture in the room. There was none of his brother or anyone else for that matter.

"Mr. Dumbledore?" I asked timidly. The man was going through an emotional state and I was rather frightened by his previous outburst. "Is that your sister? Ariana?"

"Yes," said he tersely. "Been reading Rita Skeeter, have you, missy?"

I blushed in shame while Harry came to my defense.

"Elphias Doge mentioned her to us," said Harry, furrowing his brow at Aberforth's accusation. (Even though the accusation was true.)

"That old berk," he muttered before taking another swig of his mead. "Thought the sun shone out of my brother's every orifice, he did. Well, so did plenty of people, you three included, by the looks of it,"

Harry and I kept quiet. Then we turned to him to find him looking at us with a strange expression, as if he was x-raying us.

"Professor Dumbledore cared about Harry, very much," said I in a low, quiet voice.

"Did he now?" said Aberforth, quirking up an eyebrow. "Funny thing, how many of the people my brother cared about very much ended up in a worse state than if he'd left 'em well alone."

"What do you mean?" I asked, leaning to get a better look at his expression.

"Never you mind," said Aberforth, looking away from me.

"But that's a really serious thing to say!" I exclaimed. "Are you—are you talking about your sister?"

He glared at me, so Harry pushed me behind him and fought back Aberforth's glare. He finally gave up and burst into speech.

He explained what really happened to Ariana. Three Muggle boys attacked her because she was seen doing magic. They got carried away and she was never as right as she used to be. She stayed permanent state, too afraid to do magic. But she couldn't get rid of it and it started to drive her insane. She lost control of it and was often a threat to the people around her. She was weak and couldn't be helped. So their father went after the boys and attacked them. But he never said why he'd done it because Ariana would've been carted off to St. Mungo's permanently and he'd never see her again. So he was locked up with an excuse that he had despised Muggles and had a wrong sense of justice. Aberforth said he was his mother's favorite and how Dumbledore (Albus) was horrible and how he never liked Ariana.

He saw her as a bother and was always locked up in his room, "reading his books and counting his prizes". Then one day, while Aberforth wasn't there, Ariana couldn't control her magic and killed their mother. Dumbledore had a trip around the world with Doge. But Doge went on his own and Dumbledore became head of the family. Aberforth got angry at this point and said how he'd have done it, he would've taken care of Ariana and dropped out of school if he had to.

He explained how Dumbledore met Grindelwand, how Dumbledore had an "equal" to talk to and how the whole "greater good" issue started. He said there was an argument between he and Grindelwand. When Dumbledore had tried to interfere, Ariana came out and tried to stop them. Then in the midst of everything, Ariana was killed.

At that point, Aberforth stopped talking. I was crying into Harry's neck and Ron was pale. Harry had wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.

"I'm so… I'm so sorry," I whispered, turning away from Harry's neck to look at the old man.

"Gone," said Aberforth croakily. "Gone forever." Then he composed himself. He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat.

"'Course, Grindelwand scarpered. He had a bit of a track record already, back in his own country, and he didn't want Ariana set to his account too. And Albus was free, wasn't he? Free of the burden of his sister, free to become the greatest wizard of the—"

"He was never free," interrupted Harry.

"I beg your pardon?" Aberforth asked, clearly confused.

"Never," said Harry with a solemn expression on his face. "The night your brother died, he drank a potion that drove him out of his mind. He started screaming, pleading with someone who wasn't there. 'Don't hurt them, please . . . hurt me instead.' "

I had pulled out if his embrace when he had begun talking and stared at him. Ron stared as well. Harry had never divulged into what happened that night with us. He kept quiet about it because, I presume, he never liked to talk about what happened.

Harry continued after a brief silence. "He thought he was back there with you and Grindelwand, I know he did. He thought he was watching Grindelwand hurting you and Ariana . . . It was torture to him, if you'd seen him then, you wouldn't say he was free."

Aberforth was silent with contemplation. Harry had pulled me back into his embrace and I just snuggled comfortably in his arms. Then Aberforth spoke, "How can you be sure, Potter, that my brother wasn't more interested in the greater good than in you? How can you be sure you aren't dispensable, like my little sister?"

I broke out of Harry's embrace yet again and glared at Aberforth. Harry kept silent, looking paler than ever. "I don't believe it. Dumbledore loved Harry," I said indignantly.

"Why didn't he tell him to hide, then? Why didn't he say to him, 'Take care of yourself, here's how to survive'?"

Before I could speak, Harry replied, "Because sometimes you've got to think about more than your own safety! Sometimes you've got to think about the greater good! This is war!"

"You're seventeen, boy!"

"I'm of age, and I'm going to keep fighting even if you've given up!"

"Who says I've given up?"

"'The Order of the Phoenix is finished,'" quoted Harry. "'You-Know-Who's won, it's over, and anyone who's pretending different's kidding themselves.'"

"I don't like to say it, but it's the truth!"

"No, it isn't," said Harry. "Your brother knew how to finish You-Know-Who and he passed the knowledge on to me. I'm going to keep going until I succeed—or I die. Don't think I don't know how this might end. I've known it for years."

I was staring between the two of them, half-expecting Aberforth to argue and half-expecting him to give up on us. Then Harry spoke again, "We need to get into Hogwarts. If you can't help us, we'll wait till daybreak, leave you in peace and try to find a way in ourselves. If you can help us—well, now would be a great time to mention it."

Aberforth remained silent then all of a sudden, he stood up. He cleared his throat loudly and walked until he was right in front of the portrait of Ariana. "You know what to do," said he to Ariana.

Then the young girl smiled, turned and walked away, along the tunnel behind her. When her retreating figure had finally disappeared, Ron spoke, "Er—what—?"

"There's only one way in now," said Aberforth. "You must know they've got all the old secret passages covered at both ends, Dementors all around the boundary walls, regular patrols inside the school from what my sources tell me. The place has never been so heavily guarded. How do you expect to do anything once you get inside it, with Snape in charge and the Carrows as his deputies . . . well, that's your lookout, isn't it? You say you're prepared to die."

I was a bit confused. "But what . . . ?" I was staring at Ariana's empty frame when a tiny white dot appeared. She started getting bigger and bigger but somebody was with her now, somebody taller than her, who was limping beside her. I had never seen his hair so long and his face so bloodied up. Then the portrait swung back, revealing a real tunnel behind it.

And standing there with his eyes wide with shock and his face bruised, battered and cut, was Neville Longbottom and with a yelp of surprise and delight, he jumped down from the mantelpiece and yelled, "I knew you'd come! I knew it, Harry!"

"Neville—what the—how?" Harry stuttered as the taller boy hugged him. He looked over at Ron and I (we backed away when the portrait swung open) and gave us each a hug as well. He was hugging me tightly when Harry cleared his throat annoyed at the length of the hug.

A bit pink in the cheeks, Neville turned to face him. "I knew you'd come! Kept telling Seamus it was a matter of time!"

"Neville," said Harry as I made my way over to his side and felt Harry's arm go around my waist. "What's happened to you?"

"What? This?" He motioned to his scars with a simple shake from his head. "This is nothing. Seamus is worse. You'll see. Shall we get going then? Oh," he turned to Aberforth, remembering something, "Ab, there might be a couple more people on the way,"

"Couple more? What d'you mean, a couple more, Longbottom? There's a curfew and a Caterwauling Charm on the whole village!" demanded Aberforth.

"I know that's why they'll be Apparating directly into the bar," said Neville, dismissively. "Just send them down the passage when they get here, will you? Thanks a lot."

Neville held out his hand to help me up onto the mantelpiece but before I could take it, Harry grabbed my hand and pushed me up the mantelpiece, frowning heavily. When I entered, Harry scrambled up hurriedly while Neville just shot a confused look at Ron, who was smirking.

Harry bent down to talk to Aberforth. "I don't know how to thank you. You've save our lives twice."

"Look after 'em, then," said Aberforth, grumpily. "I might not be able to save them a third time."

We walked through the tunnel in a short silence. Neville was leading the way, Ron was behind him and Harry and I brought up the rear. We explained where we'd been but kept most details to ourselves. Neville told what was happening in school. How they were being sent to detention everyday and how they learned the Dark Arts instead of Defense. Finally, we reached the end of the tunnel. Harry was still holding onto my hand, but I had noticed it had gotten colder as Neville was explaining.

I squeezed it reassuringly and Harry gave me a grateful smile. We turned a corner and ahead of us was another passage. Another short flight of steps and we were led to a door just like the one hidden behind Ariana's portrait.

Neville pushed it open and Harry, Ron, and I followed. Then Neville shouted out, "Look who it is! Didn't I tell you?"

As we emerged from behind Neville, several shouts and screams echoed throughout the room: "HARRY!" "It's Potter, it's POTTER!" "Ron!" "Hermione!" (I noticed it was Parvati and Lavender who had screamed this.)

It wasn't long before we were being drowned by hugs, claps on the back, hands ruffling our hair and people shaking our hands by so many people. It was as if we had won the war already. I felt a tiny peck land on my cheek but before I could turn to see whom it was, the person was gone.

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Neville yelled, rather peeved. The crowd backed away and we could properly see our surroundings. It looked the messy interior of an old ship, with hammocks strung everywhere. I saw only the three houses of Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Slytherin was clearly not welcome. There were bookcases and brooms everywhere but in the corner of the room, there was a large, wooden wireless.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, looking up at everything.

"Room of Requirement, of course!" Neville said, admiring the room as if he had built it himself. "Surpassed itself, hasn't it? The Carrows were chasing me, and I knew I had just one chance for a hideout: I managed to get through the door and this is what I found! Well, it wasn't exactly like this when I arrived, it a load smaller, there was only one hammock and just Gryffindor hangings. But it's expanded as more and more of the D.A. have arrived."

Harry and I looked at each other in amazement then I noticed something on the corner of his mouth: a lipstick stain. (Where did you even find time to put make-up on during a war?) I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

Harry looked confused. "What?" said he, looking slightly anxious at my angry gaze.

"You've got a bit of a smudge on the left corner of your lips," I said, controlling my voice so it didn't sound too heated.

He reached it and rubbed on it then looked on his hand to see what it was. When he saw it, his eyes flew back to me. "I didn't even notice, I swear!"

With a frown, I turned away from him. Perhaps he hadn't noticed but a part of the lipstick had touched his lips. That didn't make me too ecstatic, but I knew I was overreacting.

Then Harry gave me a sad look before asking Neville, "Can the Carrows get in?"

"No," a voice said. We turned to look at the speaker and barely recognized him since his face was bruised and bloated. It was Seamus Finnigan. "It's a proper hideout, as long as one of us stays in here, they can't get at us, the door won't open. It's all down to Neville. He really gets this room. You've got to ask exactly what you need—like, 'I don't want any Carrow supporters to be able to get in'—and it'll do it for you! You've just got to make sure you close the loopholes! Neville's the man!"

"It's quite straightforward, really," said Neville. "I'd been in here about a day and a half, and getting really hungry, and wishing I could get something to eat, and that's when the passage to the Hog's Head opened up. He's been providing us with food, because for some reason, that's the one thing the room doesn't really do."

"Yeah, well, food's one of the five exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration," said Ron, side glancing at me.

My mouth dropped but then curved into a proud smile directed at Ron. Harry frowned and grit his teeth, seething.

"So we've been hiding out here for nearly two weeks," continued Seamus, "and it just makes more hammocks every time we need them, and it even sprouted a pretty good bathroom once girls started turning up—"

"—and thought they'd like to wash, yes," supplied Lavender Brown, casting an annoyed look at Seamus.

"Tell us what you've been up to, though," Ernie Macmillan said suddenly. "There've been so many rumors, we've been trying to keep up with you on Potterwatch. You didn't break into Gringotts?"

"They did!" Neville said before we could reply. "And the dragon's true too!"

People began to applaud us and Ron took a bow. I rolled my eyes but smiled at his little antic anyway. It was then that I noticed Harry was staring at the ground, scowling heavily as if the carpeted floor had done anything to him. I reached out to touch his arm when Seamus asked, "What were you after?"

Before we could reply, Harry's hand flew to his scar and turned away from the curious and happy faces of the others. He was making tiny grunts and was swaying a little. I took hold of one of his arms, while Ron took the other.

"Harry?" I asked as we held him up. "Are you all right?" I pushed his bangs away from his forehead and noticed his scar was pulsing and his entire forehead was covered in sweat. I reached my hand out to touch his scar but Harry's lightning speed reflexes kept my arm away.

"No," said Harry. He looked into my eyes, trying to tell me something. Then I realized. Voldemort knew about the loss of another Horcrux. Time was running out fast.

"We need to get going," He said. Everyone looked as if they understood.

"What are we going to do then, Harry?" asked Seamus. "What's the plan?"

Harry shot Ron and I a confused look. "Plan?" He asked then he winced unnoticeably. His scar was pulsing again but he brushed it out of sight as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, there's something we—Ron, Hermione and I—need to do, and then we'll get out of here."

Everyone looked solemn and a bit confused. Some even looked infuriated.

"What d'you mean, 'get out of here'?" Neville asked clearly confused.

"We haven't come back to stay," said Harry, rubbing his hand over his scar. "There's something important we need to do—"

"What is it?" Neville interrupted.

"I—I can't tell you."

People around us started muttering and Neville frowned. "Why can't you tell us? It's something to do with fighting You-Know-Who, right?"

"Well, yeah—"

"Then we'll help you,"

I glared at him for interrupting again.

"You don't understand," said Harry, closing his eyes. I pulled his hand off his scar and started to massage it myself. He seemed to feel better at that. "We—we can't tell you. We've got to do it—alone."

"Why?"

"Neville!" I yelled furiously.

"Because . . ." Harry trailed off, rubbing his scar. Ron and I pushed him down onto a chair and I continued to rub his scar, earning curious glances from other people. He sighed then said, "Dumbledore left the three of us a job, and we weren't supposed to tell—I mean, he wanted us to do it, just the three of us."

"We're his army," Neville insisted. "Dumbledore's Army. We were all in it together, we've been keeping it going while you three have been off on your own—"

"It hasn't exactly been a picnic, mate," said Ron, glaring at him.

"I never said it had, but I don't see why you can't trust us. Everyone in this room's been fighting them down. Everyone in here's proven they're loyal to Dumbledore—loyal to you."

"Look—" Harry was interrupted when the passage door opened and Luna and Dean came in.

"We got your message, Neville! Hello you three, I thought you must be here!" Dean said, quite happily.

"Hi, everyone!" Luna said with an air of serenity. "Oh, it's great to be back!"

"Luna," said Harry, frowning a bit, "what are you doing here? How did you—?"

"I sent for her," said Neville, showing his fake Galleon I had made during our fifth year. "I promised her and Ginny that if you turned up I'd let them know. We all thought that if you came back, it would mean revolution. That we were going to overthrow Snape and the Carrows."

"Of course that's what it means," said Luna, brightly. "Isn't it, Harry? We're going to fight them out of Hogwarts?"

"Listen," said Harry, getting quite frustrated. " I'm sorry, but that's not what we came back for. There's something we've got to do, and then—"

"You're going to leave us in this mess?" Michael Corner demanded.

"NO!" Ron and I yelled angrily. "What we're doing will benefit everyone in the end, it's all about trying to get rid of You-Know-Who—"

"Then let us help!" Neville yelled, finally losing his patience as well. "We want to be a part of it!"

Then the passage opened again and Ginny, Fred, George and Lee Jordan entered. Harry stared at Ginny with a glint in his eyes and I backed away from him, hurt flashing over my features. All that was going through my head was how Harry had never really loved me. He only said that because Ginny would be in danger if he accepted her offer. He was stringing me along…

Then I shook my head as tears flowed down my cheeks. Harry wasn't that type of person. If he loved Ginny more than he loved me, I wasn't going to stop him just because of my feelings.

Then I looked up. Ron flashed me a reassuring smile. I looked at Harry who was ogling at something. Then I followed his gaze. Cho Chang was smiling at him radiantly. I let out a shaky breath.

Brilliant, I thought, sarcastically. Just what I need, two of Harry's ex-girlfriends.

"I got the message," Cho said, smiling and holding up her Galleon as she sat beside Michael Corner.

"So what's the plan, Harry?" George asked.

"There isn't one," said Harry, rubbing his scar and looking around for me. But I was squished behind some other people.

"Just going to make it up as we go along, are we? My favorite kind," said Fred, grinning at his brother.

"You've got to stop this!" Harry yelled at Neville then started to tiptoe on his feet to search above the people's heads. Was he really looking for me? "What did you call them back for? This is insane—"

"We're fighting, aren't we?" Dean asked, holding up his fake Galleon. "The message said Harry was back, and we're going to fight! I'll have to get a wand, though—"

"You haven't got a wand—?" Seamus started.

Then Ron turned to Harry. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it and then pulled me from my hiding place.

"Where were you?" Harry asked, worried.

"You don't have to worry. I'm fine," I replied, looking away from his eyes.

"But still. You shouldn't go around—"

"I've got my wand, haven't I?"

Harry sighed, sounding defeated. "Did—did I do something wrong? Am I neglecting you too much?"

I looked up at his anguished voice and noticed there were slight tears in his eyes. "No, Harry. God, no. I—I'm sorry. I'm being silly."

He took my hand and laced it with his then pulled me to him. "It's okay. I'm sorry too about, you know, the lipstick thing and Ginny. And Cho." He added, stroking my hair and I settled my head in the crook of his shoulder.

"Right, well, back to the matter at hand," said Ron. "Why can't they help?"

"What?" Harry and I asked, incredulously.

"They can help." He dropped his voice so only the three of us would hear. "We don't know where it is. We've got to find it fast. We don't have to tell them it's a Horcrux."

I pulled back from Harry to look at him. "Look, as much as I hate to admit it (and I'm not siding with anyone, either), but I think Ron's right. We don't even know what we're looking for, we need them." Harry still looked unconvinced. "You don't have to do everything alone, Harry. Ron and I have been with you all this time, it's time to let other people in as well."

He sighed. "All right." I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Okay," said Harry loud enough for the entire room to hear him. "There's something we need to find. Something—something that'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who. It's here at Hogwarts, but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone come across something with her eagle on it, for instance?"

He looked at the group of Ravenclaws hopefully. Luna finally spoke, seated at the arm of an empty chair. I swore I had seen Ginny seated on it. Then I felt something tug my arm from behind. I turned and came face to face with Ginny.

"Hello Hermione," said she, quietly. Harry was talking to the crowd but his hand was still attached to mine. Softly and slowly, I eased it out of his grasp then followed Ginny behind the crowd.

"Ginny, is something wrong?"

"You're the reason, aren't you?"

I cast her a confused look. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Her eyes widened. "You mean Harry didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Then she explained.

Harry and she were left alone in silence. Harry was nervously clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Harry?" She asked, concerned.

He was staring out the window, looking over as Ron approached me. He frowned heavily and started chewing on his bottom lip.

"Harry, are you alright?" Ginny asked.

Harry snapped out of his reverie and looked at Ginny with a pained expression before looking at his feet.

"Ginny, I'm sorry, but I can't get back together with you."

"Is it because of You-Know-Who?"

"No," said Harry, looking at Ginny now. "I'm afraid there's bigger reason."

"So. We're never going to get back together?"

"I'm really sorry, Ginny."

"It's fine." But she started tearing up anyway.

Harry came over and kissed her forehead. "I really am sorry."

After one last glance out the window, he left the room in a rush.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny." I said with sincerity.

"It wasn't your fault. It was bound to happen. I mean, you've been his best friend for so long, he must have thought about you as girlfriend material at some point in his life." She smiled weakly at me.

"Thank you, Ginny. You have no idea how much it means to us that you can accept our relationship."

She just shrugged and we surfaced from the crowd. We missed most of the conversation but we heard Cho say, "If you'd like to see what the diadem's supposed to look like, I could take you up to our common room and show you, Harry? Ravenclaw's wearing it in her statue."

For a moment, Harry closed his eyes then shot them open. He looked around then found me and approached me quickly, followed by Ron.

"There you are! I thought you'd run off again," said Harry, grabbing my hand and pulling me close. Then he spotted Ginny, who was slightly behind me, and his eyes widened. "Ginny—"

"It's fine, Harry," said Ginny, giving him a dismissive wave of her hand then walked away to sit down and start talking to Dean Thomas.

"He's on the move," said Harry quietly between the two of us. He glanced at Cho nervously then at me, assuring me nothing was going to happen if he went with her. "Listen, I know it's not much of a lead, but I'm going to go and look at that statue, at least find out what it looks like. Wait for me here (especially you, Hermione,) and keep, you know—the other one—safe."

He turned to face the Ravenclaws and Cho got to her feet. I suddenly snapped, "No, Luna will take Harry, won't you, Luna?"

"Oooh, yes, I'd like to," said Luna rather brightly while Cho sat back down, looking thoroughly disappointed and Ron smirked at me.

Harry grinned at me then pecked my lips. "I won't be long." He turned around to leave then all of a sudden, he turned back around and kissed me harder than before, earning gasps from some people and catcalls and wolf whistles from Fred and George.

"I love you," He whispered, blushing and tugging on the collar of his shirt.

I smiled. "I love you too."

Then he left with Luna as Neville showed them the way out.

Everyone was tense then conversations broke out, wondering what Harry would be up to.

I sat down on an armchair and Ginny came to sit on the arm. My hands were cold and I was sweating. Ron was talking to Seamus Finnigan.

I opened my mouth to say something. I didn't know what, but maybe something encouraging… something about Harry making it. But I was at a loss, so I closed my mouth.

Ginny patted my shoulder comfortingly. "He'll be alright. He's Harry Potter, isn't he?"

I nodded, but tears welled up in my eyes and dripped down my cheeks. "I'm so s-scared, Gin. Is he going to be all right? Everyone's after him! What if he gets caught? W-what will happen to him then?"

Ginny pulled me into a hug. "It's going to be fine, Hermione. If you have faith in Harry and vice versa, everything will turn out fine."

I nodded then I suddenly remembered. If Harry—I mean—when Harry found the next Horcrux, what were we going to do about the cup? How we're we going to destroy it? Then it hit me.

I pulled out of Ginny's embrace. "I have to go for a while, Gin. Stay here, alright?"

She flashed me a puzzled look but nodded anyway. I ran over to Ron. "Ron, we've got to go. And bring the cup with you,"

"What? Where're we going?"

I smiled and said, "The Chamber of Secrets."

~*~*~

I sighed as Ron swore yet again. We were in the bathroom of Moaning Myrtle and Ron was desperately trying to copy Harry's Parseltongue sounds. So far all he managed to do was gargle up some phlegm then choke on it. He made another gargling sound and choked before erupting in a fit of coughs.

"Ron," I interrupted just as he was about to say something in his gargle language. "Perhaps we should try a different approach."

Ron shrugged helplessly. "Sorry, Hermione, but this isn't working. We'll have to destroy the cup some other way, I reckon."

I stared at the sink with its snake engravings. I traced it with my fingers, feeling the cold, rough pattern underneath my thin fingers. Then my mouth opened and I whispered something that sounded a lot like hissing and the gargling Ron was doing before.

"Hermione, what're you—?" Ron was interrupted when the sink sank down and revealed the entrance to the Chamber.

"What did you—?" But before I let him finish, I gripped the cup, grabbed Ron's arm and jumped into the darkness with a scream.

When I opened my eyes, Ron and I were lying in a pile of dirt, which turned out to be rotten snakeskin. Jumping out of it and dusting ourselves, we searched the area for anything to destroy the Horcrux. Then I stumbled upon the perfect thing by stepping on it. It cracked underneath my feet and I jumped, rather shocked. I had stepped on some Basilisk bones. Slightly disgusted, I picked up one of its broken, jagged-edged teeth.

"Ron!" I shouted.

Ron came running towards me, breathing hard. "Hermione—what's wrong?"

"Nothing. D'you have the cup?"

Ron nodded and handed it to me. "Well, here goes nothing," I said, placing the cup on the ground. I knelt in front of it and pulled my arm back then thrust it into the cup. The cup shook and trembled. Then it broke into pieces. Ron released a breath of relief and I let out a shaky breath.

"Well, that was easier than I had thought," I said, standing on my quivering knees.

Ron helped me up and then led me to the entrance. The ceiling suddenly trembled and rocks started to fall from the top.

"What's happening?" Ron asked, quickening his pace.

I jogged after him and gave him a solemn look. "You-Know-Who has penetrated Hogwarts."

~*~*~

"Where the hell have you been?" Harry demanded, angrily. We had finally found each other and Harry was fuming. He was standing on one end of the hallway, Ron and I on the other.

"Chamber of Secrets," shouted Ron in reply.

"Chamber—what?"

I ran over to Harry and threw my arms around his neck, kissing him. Ron cleared his throat when he reached us and we pulled apart. And, in a rush, Ron and I explained what had happened.

"Y-you spoke Parseltongue?" Harry asked, still a bit breathless from our kiss.

I smiled. "Mmm-hmm. I'm not exactly sure what had happened, but it helped a lot."

Harry was about to speak when an explosion sounded from above us and dust flew down and a scream was let out from a distance.

"I know what the diadem looks like, and I know where it is," said Harry, talking fast. "He hid it exactly where I hid my old Potions book, where everyone's been hiding stuff for centuries. He thought he was the only one to find it. Come on."

Harry grabbed my hand and led Ron and I to where it was. Then the walls shook again. We ran to the concealed entrance and down the staircase to the Room of Requirement. There were only three people inside: Ginny, Tonks and an old witch wearing a hat that looked like it was eaten by moths, whom I realized as Neville's grandmother.

"Ah, Potter," The old lady greeted crisply as if she was waiting for us. "You can tell us what's going on."

"Is everyone okay?" Ginny and Tonks asked in unison.

"'S far as we know," said Harry, pulling me close to him. I think he needed something to hold for a while. "Are there people still in the passage to the Hog's Head?"

"I was the last to come, though," said Neville's grandmother. "I sealed it, I think it unwise to leave it open now Aberforth has left his pub. Have you seen my grandson?"

"He's fighting,"

"Naturally," said the old lady proudly. "Excuse me, I must go and assist him."

She sped out of the room with such an astounding speed for an elderly lady. Harry turned to Tonks.

"I thought you were supposed to be with Teddy at your mother's?"

Tonks gave us an anguished look. "I couldn't stand not knowing. She'll look after him—have you seen Remus?"

"He was planning to lead a group of fighters into the grounds—"

Without caring, Tonks sped off. We turned to Ginny.

"Ginny," said Harry. "I'm sorry, but we need you to leave too. Just for a bit. Then I guess you can come back in,"

Ginny smiled brightly. "Thank God. I think I'll find Dean. I reckon he needs some help." Then she ran after Tonks in search for Dean.

"She moves on fast," Ron muttered.

"Wait!" Harry said suddenly. "We've forgotten someone!"

"Who?" I asked, confused.

"What're you babbling about, mate?" Ron asked.

"I'm talking," said Harry, "about the house elves. They're all down in the kitchens, aren't they? And we don't need any more elves to end up like Dobby—"

I had stopped him right there and kissed him full on the mouth. Harry responded in kind, carrying me off the ground at some point.

"Is this the moment?" Ron asked rather weakly.

We ignored him and gripped each other more firmly, swaying a bit. Harry's tongue was currently plunging in and out of my mouth, driving me insane.

"OI! There's a war going on here!" Ron bellowed, obviously mad.

We broke apart, grinning, but we kept our arms around each other. "I know, mate," said Harry rather cheekily, "so it's now or never, isn't it?"

Ron rolled his eyes.

The minutes we spent in the Room of Requirement were wasted (well, not all of it) since the castle was in a far worse state than expected. We quickly left the room and Harry began walking back and forth the stretch of the wall. Then the door appeared after his third run. We quickly entered then the sound behind us disappeared, everything was silent.

"And he never realized anyone could get in?" Ron asked, his voice echoing throughout the room.

"He thought he was the only one," said Harry, taking my hand and leading us through different aisles. "Too bad for him I've had to hide stuff in my time . . . this way," he added, leading us down a pathway, "I think it's down here . . ."

We walked up and down different aisles but found nothing.

"Accio Diadem!" I cried desperately, but nothing came towards us. Harry snaked his arm around my waist and squeezed me gently.

"Let's split up," Harry suggested. "Look for a stone bust of an old man wearing a wig and a tiara! It's standing on a cupboard and it's definitely somewhere near here . . ."

Ron went one way while Harry and I went together. "Don't stop for a quick snog, you two." Ron warned as we blushed profusely.

"We're going to split up!" Harry defended, his ears turning a bright red. With a quick kiss and a squeeze, he separated from me and went a different path.

I continued walking down the aisle, bending down and tiptoeing to see for anything that matched what Harry had said. The room was huge; I had no idea what was going on with the other two. Then I heard voices.

"Harry?" I heard Ron call. "Are you talking to someone?" He sounded a few aisles away from me.

"Harry?" I called out worriedly.

He didn't reply. Then after a while, I heard Harry call, "Finite!" He was a few aisles to my left. I quickly ran towards the sound of his voice, then Ron called out, "Harry? What's going on?"

"STOP!"

I recognized that voice. It was Malfoy. What was he doing there?

I found Harry. Malfoy and his idiot cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, were holding him up although it seemed Crabbe was restraining. Then I watched as he pulled out his arm from Malfoy's grasp and aimed his wand at Harry. I hurriedly pulled my own out and aimed. Then I silently screamed, Stupefy! And it passed by Harry's head by mere inches and flew towards Crabbe's head, only to be pulled back by Malfoy.

"It's that Mudblood!" Malfoy pulled aimed his wand at me. "Avada Kedavra!"

I quickly dived as it missed me by a foot or so. Harry had jumped on Crabbe and punched a heavy into his nose, earning a heavy nosebleed but not knocking him unconscious. He managed to grab Malfoy's wand away from him, Stunned Goyle and reached me. He helped me up.

"Are you all ri—?"

"HARRY!" I interrupted. Crabbe had set some things to flame with his wand.

"Like it hot, scum?" He sneered as Ron barreled against him.

"Behind me, Hermione!" Harry yelled, standing in front of me with his arms spread out.

"Aguamenti!" He yelled, pointing his wand at the billowing flames. But there was no control over the rampaging fire. Harry's spell only extinguished a bit of it.

"RUN!" Malfoy yelled. He grabbed the frozen Goyle and pulled Crabbe along with him.

The fire Crabbe has sent towards us wasn't normal fire. It was strange and probably cast by some curse. Even I had no idea on what it was and that's probably saying something. Soon, the fire began to mutate into strange beasts: serpents, chimaeras, and dragons began to fly at us. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle disappeared from view. We were trapped in a circle as the fiery beasts lashed out at us. I let out a scream as I felt a chimaera's tail wrap around my ankle.

"Aguamenti!" Harry yelled and the water released it from my ankle but there was a burn left. "Are you all right?" He yelled over the fire.

"I'm fine, but what can we do?" I replied, screaming over the noise of the fire.

"Here!" He grabbed two brooms from the nearest pile of junk. He climbed onto one and Ron followed.

"Climb on, Hermione!" Harry yelled.

I eyed the broom fearfully and chewed my bottom lip. "Er—I'm sure with enough wands, we could put the fire out."

"Now's not the time to be stupid, Hermione!" Ron bellowed, shielding his eyes from the bright flames.

"I'll keep you safe, I won't let you fall off, I promise." Harry said, taking my hand.

"But—"

"HURRY UP, HERMIONE!" Ron yelled.

Harry pulled me to him and pushed me in front of him on the broom. "Hold on, you hear?" He yelled.

"Harry, I don't really think this a good—" I interjected my own sentence with a high-pitched scream as Harry kicked off the ground. Harry was laughing, which earned him a pinch on the arm.

We flew over the flames. Harry seemed to be searching for something. Or someone.

"Harry, let's get out, let's get out!" Ron yelled, starting to cough from the smoke emitted by the fires below us.

There was a tiny scream coming from below Harry and I.

"It's—too—dangerous—!" Ron bellowed, but Harry looked into my eyes for consent. After giving him a curt nod, he zoomed down, yelling at me, "Close your eyes!" I shut them tight and Harry speeded towards the firestorm raging below us.

I felt the heat of the fire surround us. "Grab onto Goyle!" Harry ordered. I reached my arm out and blindly groped for Goyle's huge hand. I had finally felt it and pulled on it. But his sweaty hand slipped out of my own—

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY! YOU TOO, HERMIONE!" Ron roared at us and dived towards us as well. I felt someone climb onto the broom behind me and Malfoy's arms circled around my waist.

"The door, get to the door, the door!" Malfoy screamed.

Harry ignored him and flew to the part of the room where the flames hadn't devoured yet. The beasts of the strange, curse fire flung things at us: cups and shields, a sparkling necklace, and an old, discolored tiara.

"What are you doing, what are you doing, the door's that way!" Malfoy screamed and unconsciously squeezed my waist. I stabbed my elbow into his ribs.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed.

Harry made a hairpin swerve and dipped down to the bright fires as the diadem slowly fell in the path of a serpent's open jaw. Pushing as hard as he could, he caught the diadem around his wrist.

"There's the door!" I yelled, pointing at the small, rectangular patch of brown on the wall. Harry pushed the broom as hard as he could and we flew out of the flaming room and breathed in the clean air.

Malfoy jumped off the broom and fell flat on his face on the cold ground. Exhausted, Harry, Ron and I just fell on the floor, too tired to land properly. Harry rolled over and sat up. I crawled over to him and pressed my face against his neck, inhaling his musky scent. Goyle lay beside Ron, who was kicking the large boy away from him.

"C-Crabbe," Malfoy choked on his own words. "C-Crabbe . . ."

"He's dead," said Ron, disgusted at Malfoy.

The Headless Hunt passed by us, the ghosts were screaming and there were bangs and hexes being thrown around. Then a round of screams erupted and Ron turned pale.

"Where's Ginny?" He asked, sharply. "She was here. She was supposed to be going back into the Room of Requirement."

"She went to look for Dean, didn't she?" I replied as Harry stood up then helped me up.

"Yeah, mate. She's probably fighting alongside with him, I'm positive," said Harry with genuine sincerity.

Ron colored a bit then mumbled, "Right, right. What about Luna? D'you think she'll be alright?"

Harry and I shared a confused yet amused face before replying, "She's probably in the fight."

Ron scowled at us. "Don't talk at the same time. It's disturbing," growled Ron while we smiled at each other.

I looked down at the diadem hanging on Harry's wrist. "Harry, the diadem."

"What? Oh yeah—"

He pulled it off of his wrist and held it in front of us. It was blackened with soot and I was sure that if you looked closer, you could see tiny words etched on it: Wit Beyond Measure Is Man's Greatest Treasure.

Then a bloodlike substance, dark and reddish, began to trail down Harry's wrist and flow towards his sleeve. But before I could speak, the diadem began to shake violently in Harry's hands and a tiny scream was emitted from the tiara, as it broke apart.

"It must have been Fiendfyre!" I said, feeling foolish as I closed my eyes.

"Sorry?" Harry asked.

I opened my eyes and looked at him. "Fiendfyre—cursed fire—it's one of the substances that destroy Horcruxes, but I would never, ever have dared to use it, it's so dangerous—how did Crabbe know how to—?"

"Must've learned it from the Carrows," concluded Harry, looking grim.

"Shame he wasn't concentrating when they mentioned how to stop it, really," said Ron, wiping his blackened face on his arm sleeve. It was then that I noticed that all of our hairs were singed, but Ron's was the worst. "If he hadn't tried to kill us all, I'd be quite sorry he was dead."

"But don't you realize?" I asked, whispering so Malfoy wouldn't hear. Harry and Ron inched closer to me so they could hear. "This means, if we can just get the snake—"

I was interrupted by dozens of yells and shouts and the noises of dueling filled the entire corridor. I caught Harry look around and his face grew weary. He looked at me and by his expression, I knew his message: Death Eaters have penetrated Hogwarts. People were fighting and some may have even lost their lives. Then Fred and Percy backed into view while dueling. They were fighting hooded, masked men.

We immediately ran forward to help, pulling out our wands. The man dueling against a hooded man, then he backed away fast. His hood slipped off and revealed a high forehead and streaked hair.

"Hello, Minister!" Percy bellowed, blocking a Stun and shot a jinx straight towards Thicknesse, who had dropped his wand and was clawing the front of his robes probably because of discomfort. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking, Perce!" Fred yelled as the Death Eater he was fighting fell down under the weight of three Stunning spells. He turned to look at Percy, a grin on his face.

"You actually are joking, Perce . . . I don't think I've heard you joke since you were—"

The air exploded. We had all been grouped together, Harry, Ron, Fred, Percy, the two Death Eaters and I. I felt myself being flung through the air. Then arms embraced me and shielded me from any injury as we collided with the floor. Then pain seeped in. We were half-buried under the wreckage of the corridor. I dared to open my eyes and found Harry on top of me; his hands were positioned at either side of my head and his face was twisted into a wry grin yet there was a bit of agony mixed with it.

"You okay?" He asked. Something warm dripped onto my cheek.

I looked at Harry's face more properly. It was dirty with dust, his glasses were askew on his face and there was a deep cut on his left cheek. "Oh, Harry . . ." I lifted my arm and wiped his bleeding cheek with the sleeve of my jumper.

He smiled at me then groaned. He leaned back to sit up and there was the sound of the clattering of wood and bricks. "Better," said Harry.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I cried, pushing him so I could see his back. There were only a few rips but they revealed bleeding cuts. I lifted his shirt up to see his pale back. Separate parts of it were purple with bruises and there were a few splinters. I quickly brushed off the splinters, trying to ignore his moans of pain. I quickly healed the cuts then a cry erupted from behind us. It was a cry of sorrow and pain. Staggering, Harry and I stood up. We caught sight of a group of redheaded people near the area where the wall had been blasted apart. Harry took my hand and, climbing of stone and wood, we approached them.

"No—no—no!" Someone was crying. "No! Fred! No!" I think it was Percy.

Then we saw. Percy was shaking Fred's listless, unmoving body and Ron was kneeling beside them. It was when Harry and I were right beside them I had started crying. Harry enveloped into an intimate hug, pulling me close to him so I wouldn't have to see the body. Fred's eyes were staring, but I doubt they saw anything. What scared me was the slight grin his face still had, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.

Then a body flew past the hole that was blown into the side of the castle, curses were thrown everywhere in the darkness, which hit the wall behind our heads.

"Get down!" Harry shouted and he jumped onto my back, shielding me from any oncoming curses. Percy had remained across Fred's body as if he was shielding it from harm. When the curses decreased, Harry got off of me but we remained close to the ground.

"Percy, come on, we've got to move!" Harry yelled. "Percy!" More curses were thrown towards us. Ron ran over to him and seized his shoulders and pulled, but Percy refused to come with us.

"Percy, you can't do anything for him! We're going to—"

I screamed in fear. Harry turned away from me and shielded me. There was a gigantic spider, about the size of a small car. One of Aragog's descendants had joined the fight and I hardly thought he was on our side. Harry immediately started throwing spells at it and soon, Ron joined in and the monster was thrown backwards, its legs making disgusting, jerking movements then it disappeared into the darkness.

"It brought friends!" Harry yelled as more giant spiders crawled in through the gaping hall in the castle wall. Harry acted fast and fired Stunning Spells at the leading spider so it hit its followers, which, in turn, led them to be thrown out of the building by force. Then dozens and dozens of curses were thrown towards us. Their proximity was so close, you could feel it breeze by us.

"Let's move, NOW!" Harry yelled. He nudged me towards Ron, who understood Harry and took my hand, leading me ahead of Harry and Percy. Harry had taken hold of Fred's body and Percy helped as they hid it in a niche where a suit of armor once stood. After making sure the body was well hidden, he grabbed my hand from Ron's and led me down the hall. Then as we turned the corner, Percy bellowed, "ROOKWOOD!" and took off after the hooded, masked man.

"Harry, in here!" I screamed.

I pushed Ron behind a tapestry and started wrestling him. He was pushing against me, trying to run after Rookwood. It took all of my strength to hold him back. Then, I assume, Harry had thought we were doing something because he yelled, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

I hated to do it, but I ignored Harry. "Listen to me—LISTEN, RON!"

"I wanna—I wanna kill Death Eaters—"

I pinned him against the wall and slapped him smartly across the face. "Ron, we're the only ones who can end it! Please—Ron—we need the snake, we've got to kill the snake!"

Ron stopped struggling so I got off of him. "We will fight! We'll have to, to reach the snake! But let's not lose sight now of what we're supposed to be d-doing! We're the only ones who can end it!"

I had only realized I was crying when Ron cupped my cheek and whispered, "Hermione . . ." He pulled me closer and slid his eyes closed but I pulled away from him and turned away from him. Harry was staring at us with a strange expression. I stretched my arm out and grasped his hand to pull him towards me. But instead, he tugged on my arm and kissed me hard on the mouth, immediately thrusting his tongue into my mouth.

When we pulled back, he managed to gasp out, "You know I love you, right?"

I felt tears prick the back of eyes. "Of course I know. I love you too, just as much."

Ron was watching us. I cleared my throat awkwardly and blushed pink. "Anyway, you need to find out where Voldemort is, because he'll have the snake with him, won't he?" I turned to Harry, my arms still around his neck. "Do it, Harry—look inside him!"

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. We waited patiently for a few minutes. Harry's face has started sweating and his eyebrows contorted together in a frown. Then, gasping for air, Harry opened his eyes.

"He's in the Shrieking Shack," said Harry, talking loudly over the screams and cries from the battle. "The snake's with him, it's got some sort of magical protection around it. He's just sent Lucius Malfoy to find Snape."

"Voldemort's sitting in the Shrieking Shack?" I asked, furious. "He's not—he's not even fighting?"

"He doesn't think he needs to fight. He thinks I'm going to go to him."

"But why?"

"He knows I'm after Horcruxes—he's keeping Nagini close beside him—obviously I'm going to have to go to him to get near the thing—"

"Right," said Ron, finally speaking. "So you can't go, that's what he wants, what he's expecting. You stay here and I'll go and get it—"

"You two stay here," Harry cut in. "I'll go under the Cloak and I'll be back as soon as I—"

"No," said I, interrupting Harry, "it makes much more sense if I take the Cloak and—"

"Don't even think about it," Harry said, glaring at me but with a hint of concern in his eyes.

My eyes flashed dangerously and I stared up at him indignantly. "Harry, I'm just as capable—"

Then the tapestry that was covering us ripped and two Death Eaters stood before us. "POTTER!"

I pointed my wand at the stairs beneath us and said, "Glisseo!" The stairs immediately turned into a chute and we slid down it. We shot through the concealing tapestry at the bottom and spun onto the floor, hitting the opposite wall.

"Duro!" I cried, pointing my wand at the tapestry and it turned into stone. There were two loud and sickening noises as the Death Eaters chasing after us smashed against it.

"Get back!" Ron yelled as we flattened ourselves against a door and a herd of desks ran past us followed by Professor McGonagall, whose hair was down and cheek was gashed. Then after she screamed, "CHARGE!" I turned to Harry.

"Harry, you get the Cloak on," said I hurriedly. "Never mind us—"

But Harry ignored me and threw the Cloak over all three of us. We walked through duels, people not noticing our visible feet. Then Peeves flew down, dropping Snargaluff pods over the Death Eaters heads.

"Argh!"

Harry and I turned to see the one who had yelled. A fistful over tubers had hit the Cloak right over Ron's head. So it looked like there was a clump of tubers floating in midair as Ron quickly shook them off.

"Someone's invisible here!" A Death Eater shouted, pointing over at us.

Dean quickly made a distraction by Stunning a Death Eater. Dolohov tried to fight back but Parvati shot a Body-Bind Curse at him.

"LET'S GO!" Harry yelled. He grabbed my hand and led us, with our heads down, towards the top of the marble staircase into the entrance hall, passing by Malfoy, who was pleading, "I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm Draco, I'm on your side!"

Harry nonverbally Stunned the Death Eater while Ron punched Draco on the mouth, causing it to bleed.

"And that's the second time we've saved your life tonight, you two-faced bastard!" Ron snarled.

There were plenty of duels going on. Then we sped down the staircase as two bodies fell from the balcony overhead. As they fell, a gray blur, which I recognized as a four-legged animal, went to one of the fallen bodies. Then I realized who it was.

"NO!" I shrieked and with a loud blast from my wand, Fenrir Greyback was thrown backwards from the nearly unmoving body of Lavender Brown. Then just as Greyback was shakily getting up with the help of the marble banisters he crashed into, a crystal ball crashed into his head, knocking him out once more.

"I have more!" Professor Trelawney shrieked, pulling another out of her bag. "More for any who want them! Here—"

With a heave, she raised the ball and shot it through the window, smashing it into pieces. And at the same time, gigantic spiders burst through the entrance hall.

"How do we get out?" Ron yelled over the screams and noises. But Harry and I couldn't reply. We had been pushed aside as Hagrid came running down the staircase with his pink umbrella.

"Don't hurt 'em, don't hurt 'em!" he yelled, blocking of spells and hexes.

"HAGRID, NO!" Harry bellowed. He ran out from under the Cloak before I could say anything and ducked from the curses lighting up the dark hall. "HAGRID, COME BACK!"

But it was too late. Before he was even halfway to him, Hagrid had vanished among the spiders, which were retreating because of the intensity of the spells being fired at them. Hagrid seemed to be buried underneath them.

"HAGRID!"

"Harry! Harry, come back! Please! There's nothing you can do!" I yelled. Tears were running down my face out of fear from Harry being hit or maybe even—no, I couldn't allow myself to think that. "HARRY!"

"HAGRID!"

Then Harry suddenly stood up straight and tired to run after Hagrid but his path was being blocked by a humongous foot. Harry looked up at the giant, who stood before him, twenty feet high. With one fast move, the giant smashed his fist through an upper window and glass rained down on Harry. I had cast the shielding charm just in time before the glass hit Harry. Ron and I ran towards him. Harry quickly shielded me covered me to shield from more falling glass. When it decreased, I raised my wand and pointed at the giant and—

"DON'T!" Ron yelled, pushing my arm down. "Stun him and he'll crush half the castle—"

"HAGGER?"

Grawp came running around the corner of the castle and he was indeed an undersized giant. The gargantuan monster tried to crush people through an upper window and let out a roar at the sight of another giant. Grawp launched himself on the other giant, both of them attacking each other like savage lions.

"RUN!" Harry roared. He seized my hand and ran down the steps to the grounds. We hadn't stopped running until we were halfway to the forest then the air around us froze. Our breathing grew quiet and Harry was frozen in front of us.

"Come on, Harry!" I said, encouragingly. "Patronuses, Harry, come on!"

Harry raised his wand but made no movement to say the spell.

"HARRY, COME ON!" I screamed. A hundred dementors were gliding towards us. Ron managed to release his terrier but it faded.

Then I raised my wand. I thought of something happy despite the tears dripping down my face. Harry, Ron and I will live… Voldemort will be defeated… Harry will start a family and live the rest of his life with happiness… All of these thought made me slightly happier and my otter burst from my wand. Then, as I was imagining Harry in his dream home, I realized it wasn't me he was greeting when he arrived home. It was Ginny. And on that sad thought, my otter vanished as quickly as my happiness did.

Then a silver hare, a boar and a fox soared past us and the dementors flew back. Three people had come to our aid, their wands outstretched, still casting their Patronus: Luna, Ernie and Seamus.

"That's right," said Luna in a dreamy voice. "That's right, Harry . . . come on, think of something happy . . ."

"Something happy?" His voice was cracking.

"We're all still here," she whispered, "we're still fighting. Hermione is with you; she'll never leave you. She loves you, Harry," I felt a tear drip down my face and a hand brushed it away. Harry was standing in front of me, his own tear tracks glistening from the light illuminating from the tips of our wands. Harry kissed my cheek, kissing my tears away. Then he kissed me on the mouth, softly and shyly. When we let go, Harry grasped my hand and mouthed to me, "I love you". I smiled slightly and mouthed it back to him.

Faintly, I could still hear Luna. "Come on, Ron. We're here. I'm here. I'll always be by your side." Then with a burst of light, our Patronuses were cast and the dementors backed away.

"Can't thank you enough," said Ron, taking Luna's pale hand, "you just saved—"

A roar interrupted Ron as another giant came staggering from the darkness of the forest, swinging a club probably as tall as Hagrid.

"RUN!" Harry yelled. He pulled me in a different direction. When we looked back, Ron was behind us, holding hands with Luna but Ernie and Seamus had gone the other way.

"Let's get out of range!" Ron yelled as the giant swung his club. Green and red lights elucidated the sky.

"The Whomping Willow," said Harry, "go!"

We sprinted as hard as we could towards the Whomping Willow, ducking from its swinging branches. Harry and I squinted through the darkness to find the single knot that could paralyze the entire tree.

"How—how're we going to get in?" Ron wheezed. "I can—see the place—if we just had—Crookshanks again—"

"Crookshanks?" Harry and I panted. I clutched my chest and said, "Are you a wizard, or what?"

"Oh—right—yeah—" Ron said, much to Luna's amusement as she laughed brightly. This made all of us smile a bit more.

Then Ron levitated a twig and pressed it against the knot of the tree, making it stand still.

"Perfect!" Luna squealed then kissed Ron's cheek.

"Wait." Harry said, looking at the three of us. He seemed to be thinking about it. His face looked worried and indecisive.

"Harry, we're coming, just get in there!" said Ron, pushing the two of us forward.

We squeezed in the small hole. Crawling, Harry led the way, followed by me then Luna and Ron brought up the rear. At last, the tunnel sloped upward and a sliver of light flowed through a tiny crack. I pulled on Harry's ankle.

"The Cloak!" I whispered, fiercely. "Put the Cloak on!" I quickly pushed it to him and he grabbed onto it, smiling me his thanks. He turned his wand light off as we crawled further and then we heard voices then a flash of green light.

Harry stopped all of a sudden and peeped through a hold between a crate and the wall. Then Snape spoke and I felt my stomach swoop with uneasiness: Snape was dangerously close to where we were hiding.

" . . . my Lord, their resistance is crumbling—"

"—and it is doing so without your help," said Voldemort. His voice sent shivers down my spine. It sounded worse than I had thought. "Skilled wizard though you are, Severus, I do not think you will make much a difference now. We are almost there . . . almost."

"Let me find the boy. Let me find Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please."

Snape walked past the gap and Harry backed away a bit. Then we heard the sound of creaking. Voldemort had stood up and I had seen him. His red eyes narrowed to the size of mere slits.

"I have a problem, Severus," said Voldemort quietly.

"My Lord?" Snape asked.

Voldemort raised the Elder Wand for Snape to see. "Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?"

"My—my Lord?" asked Snape blankly. "I do not understand. You—you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand."

"No," argued Voldemort. "I have performed my usual magic. I am extraordinary, but this wand . . . no. It has not revealed the wonders it has promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago."

"No difference," said Voldemort after a short pause of silence.

"I have thought long and hard, Severus . . . Do you know why I have called you back from the battle?"

"No, my Lord," admitted Snape, "but I beg you will let me return. Let me find Potter."

"You sound like Lucius. Neither of you understands Potter as I do. He does not need finding. Potter will come to me. I know his weakness, you see, his one great flaw. He will hate watching the others struck down around him, knowing that it is for him that is happens. He will want to stop it at any cost. And yet, the great Boy-Who-Lived has another weakness. That Mudblood, Hermione Granger, is his new fancy. She is important to him; her safety will be one of his weaknesses as well. He will do anything to keep her safe. He will come." Voldemort said.

"But my Lord, he might be killed accidentally by one other than yourself—"

"My instructions to my Death Eaters have been perfectly clear. Capture Potter. Kill his friends—the more, the better—but do not kill him. But it is of you that I wished to speak, Severus, not Harry Potter. You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable."

"My Lord knows I seek only to serve him. But—let me go and find the boy, my Lord. Let me bring the boy, my Lord. Let me bring him to you. I know I can—"

"I have told you, no!" Voldemort hissed. I shivered. The way he had said my name still sent chills down my spine. "My concern at the moment, Severus, is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!"

"My Lord, there can be no question, surely—"

"—but there is a question, Severus. There is."

Voldemort paused for a while. Then he spoke, "Why did both the wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter?"

"I—I cannot answer that, my Lord."

"Can't you?"

Suddenly, Harry fell forwards, breathing quietly yet harshly. I tried to reach out to him, but Luna held me back, giving me a look that told me if I pulled him back, we might get noticed. Sighing and eyeing Harry, I pulled my arm back.

"My wand of yew did everything of which I asked it, Severus, except to kill Harry Potter. Twice it failed. Ollivander told me under torture of the twin cores, told me to take another's wand. I did so, but Lucius's wand shattered upon meeting Potter's."

"I—I have no explanation, my Lord."

"I sought a third wand Severus. The Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick. I took it from its previous master. I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore."

Snape was pale now, as if he were wearing a death mask.

"My Lord—let me go to the boy—"

"All this long night, when I am on the brink of victory, I have sat here," said Voldemort, disguising the annoyance in his voice, "wondering, wondering, why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be, refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner… and I think I have the answer."

Snape did not reply. He did not utter a word.

"Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."

"My Lord—"

I was clutching onto Harry's ankle, squeezing it from fear.

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine."

"My Lord!" Snape protested, pulling his own wand.

"It cannot be any other way. I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last."

Then Voldemort swiped the air with his wand. At first nothing happened, but then what Voldemort did was clear. The cage rolled towards Snape and the snake embraced him, his head and shoulders. The Voldemort hissed something in Parseltongue.

Then Snape screamed. The little color in his face drained away and his once beady black eyes widened as the snake's fangs punctured his neck. Then his knees gave away and he fell onto the wooden floor with a deep thump.

"I regret it," said Voldemort in a cold manner. Then he turned away and pointed the wand at the cage holding the huge snake. Voldemort left the room without a single glance backwards and the serpent floated along behind it, moving out of the protective sphere.

Then Harry let out a loud gasp in front of me and fell onto the floor. "Harry!" I breathed with relief.

Harry looked at me and gave me a weak smile. He pushed the crate to the side and walked over to Snape, pulling the Invisibility Cloak off of him. I followed silently, taking Harry's hand. Then Snape opened his mouth as if wanting to speak when nothing came out. Harry bent over him and Snape seized the front of his robes and, with a strangled gasp, he said, "Take… it… Take… it…"

Then something more than blood was coming out of Snape. A silvery blue liquid was pouring out from his eyes, ears and mouth. Thinking quickly, I pulled out my wand and nonverbally conjured a flask. I thrust it into Harry's hands and he lifted the silvery liquid into the flagon with his wand. When it was full to the brim and Snape looked as if no more blood was left inside of his dying body, his grip on Harry's shirt relaxed.

"Look… at… me…" Snape whispered. Then the hand that was holding onto the front of Harry's blue shirt landed on the floor with a light thud and our Potions master expired.

Suddenly, Voldemort's voice echoed throughout Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Harry had jumped to his feet and taken my hand, pulling me close in case Voldemort came marching in.

"You have fought," said Voldemort, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value true bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then the battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Ron shook his head frantically. "Don't listen to him."

I squeezed his hand and stood on my toes, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "It'll be alright. Let's—let's get back to the castle, if he's gone to the forest we'll need to think of a new plan—"

I glanced at Snape's body one last time before picking up the Cloak of Invisibility. I took Harry's cold hand and led him out of the hole. We walked back to the castle. The lawn seemed to be littered with small bundles. The castle was unusually silent; it actually gave off an eerie tension in the air.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, getting scared. Harry only seemed to get more nervous, so I squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him. Ron and Luna led us to the Great Hall. Then as we reached the doorway, Harry froze and took everything in. The House tables were gone and the room was full of people. Survivors stood in groups, mourning those who were lost. Madame Pomfrey was treating the injured people on the raised platform. Those who had given their lives away were lying in the row in the middle of the Great Hall. I spotted the Weasley family all gathered around Fred's body. George was kneeling by his head, crying over his twin. Mrs. Weasley had flung herself on Fred's body, clutching him to her and sobbing while Mr. Weasley quietly comforted her by stroking her hair and squeezing her shoulders and his tear tracks shining in the light.

Without another word, Ron and Luna left us and approached the Weasley family. Ron joined Bill, Fleur and Percy while Luna hugged Ginny. Then as Luna let go of Ginny and let Dean hug her himself, Harry and I saw among the pale, motionless bodies were Lupin and Tonks. I let out a gasp and turned to Harry, whose face was ridden with guilt.

I blocked them from his view and forced him to look into my eyes. "Don't look like that, Harry! They knew the risks! They knew their lives were at stake!"

Harry nodded, still keeping that guilty look in his face. When his eyes darted back to the row of bodies, I pulled his face to mine and kissed him. Harry responded, clutching me to him as if I would suddenly disappear. When we pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine and rubbed our noses together.

"I love you," said Harry, "Hermione."

I smiled slightly and intertwined my hands behind his neck. "I love you, too."

"Go to the Weasleys," ordered Harry.

I shook my head. "No, I'm staying with you."

"Hermione," He pouted at me. "Please? For me?"

"But Harry—"

"Hermione, please,"

"But—why?"

"I just need to think about some things."

I looked into his bright green eyes. I sighed and said, "Fine."

"I'll be back."

"Promise?"

He crossed his heart and grinned at me. "Promise." He gave me one last kiss then left the Great Hall.

I walked over to Ron and his family. They seemed to be talking seriously about things. Luna was standing by herself, shooing away apparently invisible things flying by her ear.

"Hello Luna," I greeted, sitting on the floor beside him.

"Hello Hermione," replied Luna, continuing to wave around her ears.

"Er—what exactly are you doing?"

"Oh, well, there seem to be an infestation of Wrackspurts. If only I had daddy's repellent. He made it himself, you see."

I nodded. "I see,"

"He's fine, you know."

I looked at Luna expectantly. "Pardon?"

"You're worrying about Harry, aren't you? He's fine,"

"I know he is. I'm just—"

"Scared? Nervous?"

"More of afraid actually."

Luna giggled quietly. "It's going to be fine, Hermione. Although, Ronald's family doesn't seem to think so."

"What do you mean?"

"You see, Percy brought up the subject about Harry and said it would be better if he had never gotten involved in their family. Fred would've still been alive and managing the joke shop—"

"Harry gave them the money to start it!"

"—Ginny didn't need to go into the Chamber of Secrets—"

"Harry saved her life!"

"—Percy's point was that Harry was always running away. He's just a coward apparently."

"Harry is brave! He's trying, you and I both know that!"

"I know that, Hermione."

"Percy's just—just a bit angry about what happened to Fred."

"You should talk it out with him then."

I sniffed, only noticing then I had been crying. I felt so foolish. "It's fine. I'm sorry."

Then I stood up and dusted my pants.

"Where are you going?" Luna asked.

"I—I just need to be alone for a while."

"I'll see you later then. Oh, don't forget to watch out for Wrackspurts."

I smiled and nodded. I left the Great Hall. I was running down the corridors when I literally ran into someone. I looked up to see I had come face-to-face with Harry. He cupped my cheeks and stroked them with his thumbs then he abruptly stopped.

"Have you been crying?" He asked, peering closer to my face.

I quickly pulled myself out of his grasp. "I wasn't. Well, not really. It was just over a little matter,"

He pulled me back into his arms. "If you say so," said Harry.

I bit my lip nervously. "You know that none of this is your fault, right?"

Harry sucked in a breath. "Hermione—"

"It isn't!"

I could feel the smile appear on his face. "It isn't then."

We remained that way, just holding each other until Harry said, "I've got to go for a while. You know, out of the school and such."

I furrowed by brow. "Why?"

"I've got some unfinished business,"

"It's not Voldemort, is it?"

"Nope."

I pulled back and looked properly in his face. "Harry,"

"It's not!"

I still looked unconvinced. Then Harry held out his pinky finger, "How about we pinky swear on it?"

I looked at it then I looked at his handsome face. Biting my lower lip, I hooked my pinky with his and said, "Pinky swear you won't turn yourself in to Voldemort?"

He grinned and squeezed my finger. "Pinky swear."

He bent down and kissed me as if it would be his last. He would pull me flush against his body and kissed me senseless. When we'd pull back, he'd kiss my neck then kiss me again on the mouth. When I moaned as he smoothly slid his hands up and down my denim-covered thighs, he instantly pulled back. And then I noticed Harry had backed me up to the wall and was settled cozily in between my legs, which were straddling his hips. Harry's jumper was taken off and lay on the floor in a crumpled heap while the top buttons of his polo were unbuttoned. My own jumper had been pulled off while my blouse was open completely. The zipper and button of my jeans had been undone as well.

"Er—we should stop." Harry said, awkwardly. He pulled me off the wall but kept me around him. My legs were still wrapped around his waist and his arms were around me. He carried me as if I were weightless.

"When we get through this, I'll finish, I promise." Harry said, carefully setting me down on the floor while blushing.

I blushed as well and buttoned my pants again, while Harry pulled his jumper back on. He reached me and helped me button my blouse back up. When he finished, he picked my jumper and helped me put it back on.

"I really have to go now, Hermione," said Harry, surprisingly sprouting tears in the corner of his eyes.

"I know. I'll see you,"

He kissed me one last time then said, "See you," And then he sped out of the castle.

~*~*~

I can't remember precisely what had happened, but I know that everything happened in a rush. One minute I was helping Madame Pomfrey heal some injured people, the next minute Voldemort's voice was echoing throughout the grounds.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We 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 will 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 froze, my blood ringing in my ears. Ginny, who was helping me treat a little girl, said, "Don't believe him, Hermione. Harry would never do that. He'd never abandon us."

I nodded numbly then sped out of the Great Hall, pushing past people eager to leave the room to see if it was true. I reached the outside first to find Harry lying limp and dead in Hagrid's arms. I was the first to scream. "NO!"

My tears spilled over and my eyes traced over Harry's body. Not a single muscle moved. I knew the truth but I refused to accept it. Harry was dead.

Then Bellatrix Lestrange laughed at me. "Not what you expected was it, Mudblood? He ran away! Gave himself up to the Dark Lord like a coward would!"

Ron and Ginny were yelling. I had even heard Luna scream out in fright.

"Harry! HARRY!" I yelled out, sobbing uncontrollably. Ron and Neville were pulling me back from going to him. If there was anything I wanted to do, that was to at least hold Harry's body in my arms.

Then a slight skirmish broke out. Survivors were yelling and fighting back, saying Voldemort had used trickery. Then Voldemort yelled, "SILENCE!" There was a loud bang and a flash of vivid light, and we were all forced to be silent.

I continued to sob into Neville's shoulder. He had embraced me and was stroking my hair.

"It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!" I broke from Neville and tried to run to Harry's unmoving body on the ground, but Neville held me back.

"You see?" yelled Voldemort. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" Ron yelled out. The charm over us broke and people began screaming again until a loud bang forced us to be silent yet again.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," said Voldemort, "killed while trying to save himself—"

Then Neville had released me and charged at Voldemort. But then, with another bang and flash of light, Neville was pushed backwards. Voldemort had Disarmed him and was now laughing.

"And who is this?" Voldemort hissed. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Bellatrix laughed gleefully. "It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes," said Voldemort. "I remember. But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" He asked as Neville stood up, unarmed and unprotected.

"So what if I am?"

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," said Neville. "Dumbledore's Army!"

Student survivors cheered and I was among them. Even Voldemort's Silencing Charms couldn't hold it down.

"Very well," said Voldemort, calmly. "If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it,"

Voldemort waved his wand and, after a few seconds, the Sorting Hat broke through a window and landed in Voldemort's hand.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

He placed the ragged hat over his head and said, "Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," And with a flick of his wand, the Sorting Hat burst into flames, still resting upon Neville's head. Screams erupted and Neville stood still, rooted to the spot and still under the Body-Bind Curse.

And then plenty of things happened at the same moment. Screams erupted everywhere. Grawp had appeared out of nowhere and people were running around, screaming and dueling with one another. I was pushing through the crowd, searching for Harry's body. Then I reached the spot where Harry was and found no one there. That could only mean one thing: Harry was—

Neville broke free from his Body-Bind Curse and quickly killed Nagini with Godric Gryffindor's sword and at the same time, something had pulled on my hand and I was being pulled backwards until I was let go of. I followed whoever was leading me, noticing the path he left behind. It had to be Harry.

I was led into the Great Hall, dodging hexes, spells, charms and jinxes on my way there. Then I found myself in a duel with Bellatrix Lestrange. Ginny and Luna were with me too.

"Protego!" I yelled, blocking a hex headed Ginny's way. "Expulso! Stupefy! Expelliarmus!"

Bellatrix blocked all of our spells with a wave of her wand. Then she smirked at me evilly and yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"

I quickly darted to the side, my arm barely missing it. "Glacius!" I retaliated. "Fernunculus! Incendio! Lacarnum Inflamarae!"

The last spell I cast seemed to work and the ball of fire hit Bellatrix on the shoulder. She yelled out in agony then tried to cast the Imperius curse on Luna. "Protego Horribilis!" I cried out just in time. Then thinking quickly, I said, "Protego Totalum!"

"Reducto!" Ginny screamed from beside me. "Sorry I don't know any of those fancy spells you said earlier, Hermione!" She quickly ducked out of a Killing Curse headed her way.

"It's all right, Ginny—!" I felt something slash my arm. Bellatrix had used Sectumsepra on my left arm. I glared at her and yelled, "Sectumsepra! Tantallegra! Densaugeo! Deprimo! Diffindo! Expellimellius! Flipendo! Flagrate! Impedimenta!"

I started yelling out every single spell I knew, slowly conquering over her. Luna and Ginny followed both using spells they used in the D.A. meetings. Then everything went wrong. Mrs. Weasley had apparently caught the little stunt Ginny was pulling when she ducked away from the Killing Curse in time. Mrs. Weasley had burst in, wanting to protect all of her children. Then in a rush, Bellatrix was killed. And now, it seemed as though Mrs. Weasley was about to be killed by Voldemort.

I quickly pointed my wand to Mrs. Weasley and shouted, "Protego Horribilis!" and at the same time, someone else had yelled out, "Protego!" The Shield Charm expanded in the middle of the Great Hall.

Then Harry appeared from under his Invisibility Cloak. "HARRY!" I cried.

Cheers and screams erupted from the hall but were stifled at once out of fear. It was only Harry and Voldemort in the middle of the Great Hall. Then they looked at each other and slowly circled one another.

"I don't want anyone else to help," said Harry loudly. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

I quickly made my way closer to him but Ron held me back, giving me a look that told me to leave Harry alone on this one.

Then Voldemort let out a low hiss. "Potter doesn't mean that. That isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody," yelled Harry. "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good…"

"One of us?" jeered Voldemort. "You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?"

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" asked Harry as they circled each other. "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

"Accidents!" screeched Voldemort. "Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and sniveled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight. You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people—"

"But you did not!"

"—I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Hermione, Ron, and everyone in this hall are protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

"You dare—"

"Yes, I dare. I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?"

Voldemort was silent for a moment. Then he spoke, "Is it love again? Dumbledore's favorite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like an old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter—and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?"

I tried to break free from Ron's grip on my arm, but it was no use. Then Voldemort looked at me and his lips turned into a smirk. "But of course, how could I forget your Mudblood girlfriend, Hermione Granger? Surely, she would gladly take the curse for you, eh, Potter?"

He looked at me once more and motioned me to step forward. I remained still on my spot.

"I see, so even your new sweetheart will not come up and face me."

I frowned and steadied my wand, stepping forward until I was right beside Harry. Harry looked at me with wide eyes and whispered, "Hermione,"

"So she will take your place then, Potter?"

"No." Harry replied, stepping in front of me to act as a shield.

"If it is not love that will save you this time," said Voldemort, "you must believe that you have magic that I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?"

"I believe both," said Harry. Voldemort looked surprised then burst out into insane, maniacal laughter.

"You think you know more magic than I do? Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?"

"Oh, he dreamed of it, but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done."

"You mean he was weak!" said Voldemort. Harry was right beside me again and he reached for my hand, which caught mine halfway. "Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!"

"No," said Harry. "He was cleverer than you, a better wizard, a better man."

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!"

"You thought you did—"

"But you were wrong," said I. Harry looked at me and smiled, squeezing my hand then mouthing three short words to me.

"Dumbledore is dead!" shrieked Voldemort. "His body decays in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!"

"Yes, Dumbledore's dead," said Harry, calmly as pulled me along as he and Voldemort circled each other, "but you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant."

"What childish dream is this?"

"Severus Snape wasn't yours. Snape was Dumbledore's, Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

Voldemort was silent. I was wondering what Harry was talking about. Then it hit me. The silver doe Ron had been talking about was from Snape!

"Snape's Patronus was a doe," said Harry, "the same as my mother's, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time they were children. You should have realized, he asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

"He desired her, that was all," said Voldemort, glancing at mine and Harry's joined hands, "but when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him—"

"Of course he told you that, but he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

"It matters not!" Voldemort roared. Then he let out a cackle of insane laughter. "It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path! I crushed them as I crushed your mother, Snape's supposed great love! Oh, but it all makes sense, Potter, and in ways that you do not understand! Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy—I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, it did. You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done… Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle…"

"What is this?"

I didn't quite understand what Harry was trying to do. He had figured out the puzzle of the Deathly Hallows and the Elder Wand, but I didn't see how his order related to it.

"It's your one last chance, it's all you got left… I've seen what you'll be otherwise… Be a man… try… Try for some remorse…"

"You dare—?"

"Yes, I dare, because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle."

Harry breathed in and out heavily. He looked me in the eyes, silently trying to tell me something, but I couldn't figure it out. I held my wand tightly and Harry held onto Draco's tightly as well.

"That wand still isn't working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

"He killed—"

"Are you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand! I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against its last master's wishes! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours! Didn't you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard… The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who had never laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance…"

There was a tense silence. I thought about what Harry was saying. If Snape wasn't the true master because he never defeated Dumbledore, then… who was it? The wand chooses the wizard. What did Harry mean by "the Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died"? I thought hard about it, putting the puzzle together piece by piece. And I realized it. But no, it couldn't be… could it? The odds of that happening should have been really little, but the probability, as I calculated it in my mind, turned out to be quite high. Of all the people the Elder Wand had to choose from, he chose the foul—

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Everyone was silent for a moment then Voldemort said, "But what does it matter? Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: We duel on skill alone… and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy…"

"But you're too late," said Harry and I. He flashed me a grin and I blushed a bit. Harry continued speaking, "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago when I was trying to save Hermione. I took this wand from him." He moved the hawthorn wand in his hand a bit.

Harry spoke again, except it was in a small whisper, "So it all comes down to this, doesn't it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I was the true master of the Elder Wand."

Voldemort looked a bit confused. "'Was', Potter?"

"After I overpowered Draco, we went into hiding for a while. And while I was there, I had entered a duel with someone."

I gasped. I was dueling Harry in Shell Cottage. I had defeated him, but it was only for practice—

"Whether it was practice or not, a duel is a duel. This person conquered me with a spell too fast for me to block it. The true master of the Elder Wand is Hermione Granger."

Voldemort looked shocked. He pointed his wand at me. "So, it seems it is your turn in the spotlight, Mudblood. How about I kill your boyfriend first then I kill you?"

"You won't hurt anyone, Voldemort." I said as Harry and I did our stances.

"Brave words for a Muggle-born. It all comes down to this, doesn't it? After I get rid of Potter, the prophecy will be fulfilled and I'll get rid of you."

Then a red-gold glow burst from the top of the Great Hall. The sun had risen on us. Then Voldemort acted fast. His wand was pointed at Harry but at the last minute, he turned it to me and yelled the Killing Curse.

At the same time, Harry and I yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

There was a bang like one coming from a cannon and golden flames erupted between us. Harry's and mine spell met with Voldemort's in the middle. The Elder Wand flew from his hand and traveled through the air towards Harry and I. Harry caught it in midair and gave it to me just as Voldemort fell backwards, his arms played out. Then Tom Riddle lay on the ground, feeble and shrunken, killed by his own Killing Curse, which had rebounded on him from Harry's and mine.

Then screams of victory erupted and the survivors began dueling the remaining Death Eaters out of Hogwarts. Harry and I had gotten separated in the crowd. Then McGonagall placed the House tables back in Hall and everyone sat jumbled together. I felt someone take my hand and turned to see Harry, grinning quite foolishly at me. He pulled to him with one quick tug on my hand and kissed me fervently. He sprayed my face with tender kisses and finally landed on my lips, snogging me right in the middle of the Great Hall.

"Oi, you two knock it off!" Ron called gleefully. Harry and I reluctantly pulled apart to smile at our best friend. We sat down on one of the tables. I leaned my head comfortably against Harry's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. Luna sat beside Harry followed by Ron.

"I'd want some peace and quiet, if it were me," said Luna.

"I'd love some," said Harry, grinning.

"I'll distract them all," she said. "You, Hermione and Ron use your Cloak."

Then before we could say anything Luna cried out, "Oooh, look a Blibbering Humdinger!"

Laughing quietly, Harry enveloped the three of us under the Cloak and we quietly left the Great Hall. Harry led us to Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle had let us in, too tired to ask for a password. When we entered the room, the sound of applauding erupted. The portraits were all clapping for us. I found Dumbledore's painting directly behind the headmaster's chair. Harry held his hands up and the applause ceases respectfully.

"The thing that was hidden in the Snitch," said Harry, "I dropped it in the forest. I don't know exactly where, but I'm not going to go look for it again. Do you agree?"

"My dear boy, I do," said Dumbledore. "A wise and courageous decision, but no less than I would've expected of you. Does anyone else know where it fell?"

"No one," said Harry and Dumbledore nodded contently. I cast him a curious glance so Harry grinned and said, "Resurrection Stone."

"Oh," said I.

"But I'm going to keep Ignotus's present, though."

"But of course, Harry, it is yours forever, until you pass it on!" Dumbledore cried cheerfully.

"And then there's this," said Harry, pulling me forward by the hand. I held up the Elder Wand and Dumbledore beamed at me.

"This is a twist I hadn't expected, Ms. Granger," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

"You and me both, Professor." I said, smiling. "What do I do with it?"

"It depends on what you want to do with it,"

"I don't want it,"

"What?" Ron asked skeptically. "Are you mental?"

"I know it's powerful, but I was happier with my own. So I've decided to give it to Harry, that is, if he wants it." I added shyly while blushing.

Harry smiled at me then kissed me sweetly. "Thanks, Hermione. But I really liked my old wand better." He rummaged through the pouch that hung around his neck and pulled out the two halves of his old wand, still connected by the finest thread of phoenix feather. He looked into my eyes and asked, "D'you think you could—?"

"Of course," said I. He grinned and laid it on the headmaster's desk. I touched it with the very tip of the Elder Wand and said, "Reparo."

The wand resealed and red sparks flew out of its end. Harry grinned at me, knowing it was fixed and held it in his hands.

"Thanks, Hermione," said Harry, hugging me.

When we let go, I turned to Dumbledore and said, "I'm putting the Elder Wand back where it came from. It can stay there. If I die a natural death like Ignotus, its power will be broken, won't it? The previous master will have never been defeated."

"That'll be the end of it," finished Harry, pulling me close to him.

Dumbledore nodded at us.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked with a trace of longing in his voice.

"I think Hermione's right," said Harry. "That wand's more trouble than it's worth."

Then we turned away from the portraits and Harry whispered to me, "We should talk, shouldn't we?"

"It's alright. There's always later," replied I, taking Harry's hand and leading him out of the headmaster's office. Ron was following us. "Besides, I'm sure you've had enough trouble for a lifetime."

And I was right.

Signed,
Hermione Jane Granger-Potter

~*~*~

A/N: Yes, that last bit is meant to be bold. Bold is Harry's handwriting. Quite the pervert for looking in his girlfriend's journal. Anyway, thanks for reading! I guess this is the last chapter unless people request for an epilogue *hem hem*. Review on your way out of here! ^_^