It's getting closer to end...lol. I don't own anything but Happy Holidays!

It started with...

Chapter 22

Silence...

Harry was sitting in the corner of the common room, telling everything that had happened the night before with Slughorn, Dumbledore, Voldemort and a lot of memories. "So are you saying that You-Know-Who has separated his soul so that he wouldn't die?" Ron asked afterwards.

"Yep." Harry replied.

"So a Horcruxe is actually an object with a human beings soul trapped inside?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded. "And you said that so far he's made seven..."

"Must like the number." Ron said chuckling slightly. Harry smiled at his friend's effort.

"So far there's been the diary...the snake...something that belonged to each of the houses...that makes six...and the seventh..." Hermione bit her bottom lip. She snapped her fingers and jumped up and stared at Harry. "Is you! You're the seventh Horcruxe! That's why you share that weird connection!"

"Blimey she's good." Ron commentated staring at Harry's shocked face.

"Wow...that actually explains a lot...about our wands...especially during the Triwizard Tournament when our wands touched..." Harry said slowly in awe. Hermione nodded encouragingly.

"But seven is a large number...his soul must be in torment...imagine it..." Hermione said quietly. She bit her lip again. "So there's the diary that you've destroyed so that limits down to six...did Dumbledore give you any tips?"

"He said we'd discuss it more when it's my next lesson..." Harry said. He gazed towards the window. Instead of a glowing sun it was murky grey. Its pregnant skies were rolling in. The calm before the storm...He felt a chill roll down his spine as the odd thought swam in his mind.

Hermione followed Harry's gaze. She then looked back at Ron. "We better head of to Herbology before it rains."

--

All throughout the class, Harry's mind drifted to what Dumbledore had told him and what Hermione had said. So Voldemort was in torment? Harry smiled bitterly. He fears death but brings death to people?

Hermione looked at him. She couldn't concentrate either; her thoughts went back to two things, her recent nightmares and Draco.

She used the pincers to take a leaf from a plant. She replayed her last moment with Draco in her mind. She wanted to forgive him but she would lose Harry. Could she love anyone else like Draco? The thought wasn't worth it.

She knew the answer and she also knew that if she didn't act soon he'd leave her. Hermione stared at the pincers in her hand then at the plant. She tossed them down and shot out of the large greenhouse.

She didn't care it was raining, she had to find him. She didn't notice that there was a small wet muddy patch coming up the stony steps leading into the Castle. She tripped and fell banging her chin on the step. She pulled herself up but slipped again.

"Ow..." She said staring at the two red marks on her knees, she had a small graze on one knee but the other was going to take a bruise. She blinked once then twice. The tears came down hard

"Hermione!" She lifted her head up. Her hair wet from the rain. There he was also dripping wet. He walked towards her but she scrambled up and ran towards the lake. Tears fell down her face. "Hermione!" She carried on running and when she reached the lake, she acted on impulse. She jumped in.

When she saw him standing there, it felt like a thump to the chest. She couldn't do this. She couldn't be hurt again. She felt herself grow duller as she sank further in the water. She didn't want to be in pain. You love him...so be with him...Her mind sang to her. She shook her head. She was so confused. You don't have to tell Harry...just be happy...for your sake...She felt the seaweed brush up against her leg. She felt her oxygen leave her body, she closed her eyes. Maybe death wasn't so bad. Maybe...maybe it doesn't hurt. Swim! Swim! Swim! The alert signals were going round her head. You'll never see Draco again...you'll never see him!

A life without Draco? It wasn't worth it. She opened her eyes and tried to kick her legs in the water. But her energy had left her. She saw something blurry come into the water. Maybe it was her angel...her world was going black. "I love you Draco." She said closing her eyes.

Seconds later she felt someone blowing air into her lungs. Something was coming up. Next thing she knew she was coughing madly, gasping for air. She looked at her side and saw Draco kneeling beside her. He was frowning. "No one noticed." He said. Hermione nodded and pushed herself up. "You're so bloody stupid." He said angrily.

"What?" She demanded, she rolled to her side and helped herself get up. "We wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't been completely honest with me!"

"And face losing you?"

"I would've forgiven you!"

"Not with Potter playing Bodyguard with you."

"I said I would've forgiven you! And Harry is just making sure I'm ok!" Hermione exclaimed. She grabbed his arm. "Why?"

The question that stopped him. Why? For many reasons. "My father, Snape...my house pick which ever you like."

"Did you ever love me?"

"Don't you dare ask me that question! You know I do. You know damn well!" He replied angrily. Hermione smiled nervously.

"I still love you." She said, slowly she felt a chill roll up her spine. She hadn't realised how cold she was feeling even if it was late May slowly entering June. She looked up slowly at him. He walked over towards her and pulled her towards him.

"Do you know how long I've wanted you to say that?" He said breathlessly before kissing her. She could taste the lake water on his lips and firewhiskey in his breath. To him she tasted like something he had to have over and over again. One taste could never satisfy him. His hands wrapped round her brown locks while hers went into his blonde hair. He took his cloak off him wrapping it round her to keep her warm.

How he wished he had more time with her. That time stood still for the pair of them. Why was fate so cruel with them? With him? If she knew how further his betrayal was...would she still feel the same for him? Would she just hate him? As they stripped themselves of their wet clothes he felt ill, he was betraying everything that was so dear to him so that they could live. All of this in the exchange for a life...

He traced her arm up to her collarbone. She stayed fast asleep snuggling into his body. He traced ever so gently her face, her nose, her eyes, her lips, her cheeks, her ears...she didn't even stir. She was so mentally exhausted from everything from the recent past few weeks that she welcomed sleep.

"Draco?" Hermione said groggily. She knew it was past noon. She looked up from the silk sheets and saw Draco standing with his boxers on to the fireplace. It glowed dimly. In his hand was a small glass of a red liquid. "What's wrong?" Draco turned and smiled at her, even when she looked sleepy she still managed to look irresistible to him.

"Nothing my love. Go back to sleep." He said smiling softly at her. Hermione propped herself on her elbow.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Nearly five. Don't worry. You haven't been missed...well too much." She grinned at him. "Potter and Weasley are under the impression that after certain events it finally got up to you...right now...Potter is with future Mrs Potter and Weasley is stalking some poor student."

"Then we have time before dinner?" Hermione said sitting up, her head resting on her knees. Draco caught her meaning but shook his head. "Then tonight?"

"Won't you be heavily guarded by Potter?"

"Harry is having his lesson with Dumbledore. Ron sleeps through anything." Draco bit his bottom lip. He was playing with fire. The job had to be done tonight. They were waiting for him. Snape had even told him. Tonight. But if he played his cards right then maybe everything might be ok. He walked over to the bed and kissed her gently.

"I love you." He whispered. She caressed his face softly.

"I know."

--

Harry rushed inside the common room; it had just gone past nine. Hermione hadn't even left. Harry had told them that Dumbledore wanted him ready for their final lesson. "Here. Take this." He gave the rest of the Felicis good luck potion to Ginny. He kissed her swiftly. Ron placed a hand on his sister's shoulder. "You still have those coins we used last term for our D.A lessons? Is anything should happen use them and call the others." Hermione nodded.

"What's going on?" Ron asked. "You sound like you're going off to battle." Harry quickly hugged his friend.

"I don't know where I'm going but it's after a Horcruxe. A necklace." Harry said. They flinched at the mention of the cursed Dark Art.

"Be careful." Ginny said kissing him quickly. Harry nodded and stared at Hermione.

"Tell Neville to be on his guards. Get a message round." She nodded. Harry pulled Ron aside. "Watch for Draco on the Map, he's up to something."

"I will do." Ron promised. They gave Harry a small wave as he hurried out of the common room. Ron turned towards Hermione. "Hermione...fancy a game of wizard's chess?"

--

Draco paced his room. Every single Slytherin was waiting. At his command. He looked at his clock. It was approaching ten. Hermione should have come but he assumed it would've been too risky. He looked back at the clock. Tonight his destiny would be decided. The signal had been sent, Hogwarts had dropped its defences, for reasons Draco didn't understand.

He wished his cabinet to appear. He took a deep breath. He took off his tie and placed it inside. With shaky hands he shut the door. He murmured the spell and waited. He heard a small noise come inside. He opened it carefully. There on the small seat was a ring. It wasn't any old ring. It was a crest ring. One with the Malfoy coat of arms on.

The signal had been alerted. There came a clap of thunder making Draco jump. He turned and stared out of his window. It had been raining for a couple of hours but now it was looking heavier and wilder. The wind howled at his window like a banshee. The thunder hadn't been a surprise. It had been coming for a while now.

---

Hermione shivered when she heard the thunder clap around the Castle. She had just lost Wizard's Chess to Ron who was now snoring quietly in a crimson chair by the fire. Ginny was reading a book and Neville was going over that day's Herbology. "The calm before the storm." She whispered. The fire flickered. She got up and walked to the window. The knot in her stomach had grown...it was her way of her body telling her that something was about to happen.

--

Draco saw the cabinet shudder, this time much bigger and louder. It seemed to expand but Draco couldn't tell. He moved back a few steps. They were coming. No one could stop it now. The ring seemed to cut into Draco but he realised he had clenched his fists into tight balls.

--

"Sir! You have to drink it!" Harry pleaded. He hated seeing the man who he cared about suffer. Since the moment his headmaster's lips touched the potion in the skull made basin he had begun to tremble and shake. Harry believed it was the potions effects and tried to sooth the old man. He had forced him to drink it even though he didn't want to but he had given his word.

"Not me! Not me! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" Dumbledore said in hysterics, waving his hands away at the cold air. Harry filled up the goblet once more with the potion there was one mouthful left. He forced it down the old man's throat once again. Dumbledore began to sob. "No! NO! Don't make me drink it!"

"Sir I have to. You made me promise!" Harry replied. Dumbledore stared at him like a mad man, like someone possessed. He whacked Harry aside with his wand.

"NO!" Harry stared at him shocked. Harry quickly scrambled to his feet and snatched the goblet that had dangerously rolled close to the edge of the large rock. He poured in the last of the murky potion with all the force he could muster he poured the last of it down the man's throat.

Dumbledore's body shook violently then stood still. Harry felt scared. He didn't know what the potion did but suddenly the man flopped to the ground, Harry rushed to his side but Dumbledore went rigid at his touch. "Sir? Sir please! Please! Wake up!" Dumbledore lifted his head, his face flushed red, his eyes were rolled back. Harry tried to reach out for his headmaster; he flinched at how hot he was. "Water...water!" He pulled out his wand and ran to the basin, he casted Aguamenti again and again but it didn't work. Each time he scooped up water each time it reached the surface it'd vanish.

He glanced towards Dumbledore. He looked weak and in poor health glancing inwards to the basin he noticed the object and reason for this midnight stroll to this place, snatching it quickly he placed it in his pocket. He glanced quickly towards Dumbledore again, gulping quickly he hurried to the side of the large rock. Carefully he scooped the cold water from the lake into the goblet and dashed to Dumbledore's side. He poured the cool liquid inside his throat.

Dumbledore shuddered and looked up at Harry; his eyes were still rolled back. He snatched his arm tightly. His voice sounded like a harsh noise instead of his calm and gentle one. "So at last...it begins."

Spooky right?Don't worry Hermione didn't try to commit suicide, she was just really unhappy and so and so forth. So next chappie you all know what's going to happen...I just added a few things and removed a few things that felt right after reading the sixth book for the thousandth time this month T-T'

I did that Telethon thing we got going on at school it's a charity for heriditary diseases...I gave about 35 euros...my therapist said it'd help me get over my Holiday Blues...I know who is depressed and sad around Chistmas??0-o

Here are the poll results: The question was

Who should I kill off?

A- Ron

B- Neville

C- Luna

D- You tell me who you want to evicte from the fanfic.

A- 5

B- 3

C-0

D-10 It was a toss up between Pansy/Lucius/ Snape.

NOW PLEASE REVIEW!!!HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!