A/N: Hello everyone, I've not been able to get to all the reviews yet, but I will. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews too. Thanks too for all the alerts and faves still being added. Since everyone is asking, we wont see where Hermione went after touching the figurine until the next chapter. Sorry guys, but this one was too long to add it in.

Special thanks to Kristine Thorne, my very rockin beta, who has done a great job on this story. Thank you so much.

Special thanks as well to Panda Heart, for all the work you did on this chapter too. I wasn't pleased with it and you helped it flow a lot better when I couldn't.

Disclaimer cause I figure better safe than sorry: I do not owe anything pertaining to the Harry potter Franchise. I do this only for fun, for free, and to make people get annoyed at my cliffhangers. lol.

Chapter 31

1998 - The year of the final battle

When Severus was able to, he pulled another vial. He was sucked in and saw the memory of her talking to Dumbledore. He was telling her that he figured out how to send her home and she was begging to stay.

Showing Dumbledore why she would have nothing to go home to. He didn't see the memories she showed since this was the memory of her doing so. But he saw her reaction and Dumbledore's to what the old man had seen in the pensieve.

Severus watched, aching at seeing her heart breaking at the thought of leaving them. Of leaving him. She had fought to stay, and even after showing Albus her memories, saw that it had not done any good.

Severus felt his eyes stinging watching her cry over it all. Watching her cry when she was told she had to go, even though she knew she couldn't stay.

Severus' lips tightened when she said that she would let it all happen again if she had to. She just wanted twenty years with him. She loved him so much that she was willing to go through all of this again just to be with him.

He knew she wouldn't have been able to sit back and watch everyone die without trying to save them. She was too kind and generous to do something like that. She would have stepped in and broken the time line herself. Or simply gotten herself killed trying to save her loved ones.

He knew Albus had been right. It would have driven her mad to see it all happen again and be unable to help them. Save them.

I won't have Severus and that alone will kill me.

Her words echoed in his mind. He knew she loved him, but he didn't realize just how much she did.

It's not enough time. Sir please, don't make me leave.

Those words made a small tear slip down his cheek. He had thought for years that it wasn't fair. That he hadn't had enough time with her before he lost her. Hearing her say the same thing just made him miss her more.

Hearing her argue, hearing her tell Dumbledore that she wouldn't leave, made him smile. Her face was set in a look of pure defiance and Severus was proud of her. He knew how much she cared about and respected the old man. To do this, to go against him, knowing how powerful the ancient wizard was simply amazed him further.

Severus knew it was pointless to argue; saw that Hermione, in some ways, knew it too. She couldn't stay. Albus was right, she knew too much and would never be able to just let any of her friends die.

Hearing Albus ask her to write the letter to Severus to insure that he killed Dumbledore later angered Severus. Especially seeing the look in his lover's eyes when she was asked to it.

He already knew of the letter. Had read it several times. But to see the look of shock in her eyes, then the hope that formed, only have it crushed when Dumbledore told her that she couldn't warn Severus of what was coming, was too much. Severus was very angry to see the crushed look in her eyes. The anguish at knowing it was useless. That she was going to lose him anyway.

He saw the hatred starting to form as she looked at the man she had loved as a father and respected for so many years. He couldn't blame her. Albus had asked something that was just too much.

He ached as he saw her tears as she wrote the letter to him. He had seen the tear stains, but to witness it first hand, knowing he couldn't do anything to help or comfort her, tore him to pieces.

When the memory was over, he watched the one of Albus speaking to Minerva in the mirror. His earlier anger at Albus fading as he realized the old man hadn't been as callous over Severus dying as he had seemed before.

Albus had spent the years since Hermione had left, until just before he died, trying to find a way to save him. Trying to find a way for Hermione to not be alone.

Severus knew the old man had always loved Hermione like a daughter. He had seen the fondness in the ancient wizard's eyes as he watched her grow up over the years. But he saw now just how much Albus had cared for Hermione by planning ahead and making sure Minerva had a way to save him.

Severus felt humbled by what Albus did for both him and Hermione. It made his guilt at striking the man down, even though he hadn't had a choice, grow. Even though Albus had asked him to do it. Albus meant a lot to Severus. He had been a friend and a father figure, in a way, to Severus for many years.

"Albus, you old fool, you really were something special." He muttered as he watched the rest of the memory.

When that memory ended, Severus took a moment to get his emotions in check before moving on to the final one. When he could, he took the last vial and poured it into the stone bowl. Taking a deep breath to fortify himself before letting the memory suck him in.

Severus saw many parts of the memory flying by quickly. Skipping about to show what Hermione thought was pertinent information. This was the battle that he was missing while he sat in the tiny classroom.

Hermione was running through the halls of Hogwarts with her friends, then Harry was running off and leaving her with Ron. Ron used Parseltongue to get into the chamber of secrets.

Severus was in awe at seeing this even as his respect for Ron climbed a little at the redhead whom he always had thought was an idiot.

Hermione ripped a fang from the Basilisk skull and carried it back out after figuring out it would help destroy the Horcruxes. She used the fang to stab Hufflepuff's cup and destroy the piece of the Dark Lord's soul inside of it.

She always was brilliant and this shows how smart she truly is, he thought as he watched more.

The memory shifted. Suddenly they were in a room while searching for another long lost Horcrux, while discussing the elves. Ron was saying that they should tell them to leave so they would not die like Dobby had.

Suddenly, upon hearing Ron's words, Hermione dropped the Basilisk's fang and flung her arms around the redhead's neck, kissing him with full force on the mouth.

Severus growled in anger at the sight, his fists clenched as he watched more.

Ron dropped his own fang and responded with so much enthusiasm, that he lifted Hermione off her feet.

Severus thought he was going to be sick because of what he was watching, but couldn't seem to look away either.

"Oi! There is a war going on here!" Harry shouted at the couple wrapped around each other.

Severus sighed in relief when the kissing couple broke apart. His anger grew more when he saw the couple still staring at each other.

Ron turned his head to look at Harry. "I know mate, so it's now or never, isn't it?"

The memory flew by again. They were in a labyrinth of hidden things in the Room of Requirement. Hermione ran around a corner and shot a stunning spell at Crabbe. However, it missed when Draco moved him out of the way.

Crabbe yelled. "It's the Mudblood." Before shooting the killing curse at her.

Severus felt his air back up into his lungs once again when the jet of green went flying her way.

Hermione dove out of the way and it missed her. Just barely.

She shot a second stunning spell at Draco but again it missed when the blond boy jumped out of the way.

Severus was growling again, wondering why she didn't just send the killing curse back along with the Slytherins, but knew too well that she wouldn't. It was part of why he loved her. She wouldn't kill anyone unless there was no other choice.

She suddenly screamed out for Harry when Crabbe set the room on fire. It wasn't a normal fire either; it was an enchanted one. The fire circled Hermione and both her friends, coiling like a snake.

Severus was starting to sweat in fear again at the thought of her burning alive.

Severus tried to help, but again was reminded that it was only a memory. He tried to assure himself that with it only being a memory that she was safe and would get out alive. The thought only helped calm him a little, the fear for her mounted still with the sight before him.

Ron pulled Hermione onto a broomstick that Harry threw at him. Even with her fear of flying she didn't object. They quickly flew into the air away from the snake-like flames.

Severus sighed in relief before cursing as they moved to save the morons that had set the room ablaze to begin with.

After the escape, her hair and clothes singed, she explained to them all why the fire in the room had destroyed the Horcrux. Her mouth spitting out a textbook explanation as if she were sitting in a classroom.

Severus rolled his eyes at the scene before him. Do they not understand that they are still in danger? Obviously not seeing as how they are stopping to have a chat about the damn piece of soul. He thought.

He once again thought that when he got his hands on her, he was going to strangle her. But his thought was cut short by the slight trembling of her hands.

It made him realize that she was terrified by what had just happened and was coping with it by using something she could explain. Knowledge was how she was dealing with what all had just happened.

He sighed as the memory shifted once again. He couldn't be upset with her ways of coping. Knowing the small bit of normalcy in her life with answering a question was settling her to be able to handle what else was to come.

They now came upon Fred and Percy dueling with Death Eaters. Suddenly there was an explosion that sent them all to the floor.

It scared Severus to see how close she had come to dying once again. He wasn't sure he could handle seeing many more close calls like that, but Severus knew he needed to see what happened.

They saw that the Death Eaters were dead, but they couldn't find Fred anywhere. They took a moment to cry over the person they knew had to be dead. Percy included. There was no way for Fred to have survived the explosion seeing how close he had been to it. They did not understand why they had not found a body, but they didn't have time to go over the reasons just yet.

The two redheaded brothers cried together for only a moment before they were once again thrown back into battle. Harry and Ron both grabbed Hermione and pulled her down to keep from getting hit with flying curses.

Severus cursed once again at how close one came to hitting her and taking her away from him.

Hermione screamed as giant spiders, Aragog's descendants, joined the fight. Harry shoved Hermione to run once again and get away and then the memory shifted.

Hermione tried to stop Ron from running after his brother to fight more Death Eaters in revenge for Fred dying.

"Listen Ron!" She yelled at him, still holding him back. "We will fight. We will. We just have to reach the snake first! Lets not lose sight of what we're supposed to be doing. We're the only one's that can end it!" She said, tears running down her cheeks.

Severus' pride and love for her rising at her calm but determined words.

Hermione turned to Harry, while still holding Ron. "You need to find out where Voldemort is, because he'll have the snake with him. Do it Harry. Look inside him!"

Harry gasped. "He's in the Shrieking Shack. He just sent Lucius Malfoy to find Snape."

Severus heard them talking but his eyes were on her, knowing what was going to happen.

Harry told them to stay there, that he'd go under his cloak to the shack.

"No." Hermione said, her chin lifting showing her stubbornness and determination. "It makes sense if I take the cloak and…"

"Don't even think about it." Ron snarled at her.

Severus agreed with the redhead at the foolishness of such a statement.

But the argument, the one he saw building in Hermione's eyes, was cut short by more Death Eaters. The spells she spat out made Severus smirk.

My witch is brilliant. He couldn't help but think as she made the stairs turn into a slide so they could escape once more.

The memory shifted. They were running again, all three under the cloak. They were in the forest, when they suddenly stopped. Dementors were headed straight for them. Hermione quickly urged Harry to think of something happy for his Patronus to work. She screamed for Harry to hurry.

Then, the memory shifted again, leaving Severus unable to see the outcome of the dementor's attack on them.

The three were running again under the cloak. They skirted the Whomping Willow's branches and then they were in the hidden passage leading to the shack.

They quickly made their way through the low ceiling tunnel and they were all trying to peer into the cracks of the hatch.They stopped when they heard voices from inside the shack.

Severus heard himself speaking to Voldemort and couldn't repress a shudder at his own memories of the event.

The Dark Lord spoke. "Skilled wizard though you are Severus. I do not think you will make much difference now."

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

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

"My Lord?" Snape said in the memory.

"Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?" Voldemort said.

Severus knew he was speaking of the Elder wand. Raising it for himself in the memory to see.

The conversation went on and Severus watched Hermione as she swallowed in fear at what all she was hearing. Hearing Severus trying to convince his Lord to let him go find Potter, hearing Voldemort explain his curiosities on why the wand wouldn't work for him.

Voledmort spoke in Parseltongue. suddenly Nagini wrapped around Snape with Voldemort's order to kill him.

Severus screamed when Nagini sank her fangs into his neck, ripping it open as he fought to break free from the enchanted creature. The loud crash was from Snape's knees giving away and him falling to the floor.

He heard more sounds and knew Voldemort was leaving the shack. He looked to Hermione whose eyes were wide with fear and knowledge at what was up there. She knew that her old professor had been attacked.

Here the memory changed some from what he knew had happened.

The three young adults climbed out of the hatch and approached the dying man. Snape snatched Harry's robes while the boy was trying to stop the flow of blood.

"Take…it...take….it." Snape told the boy while clinging to him. A silvery blue leaked from Severus along with the blood. A flask conjured and thrust at him by Hermione and filled with silvery blue that was neither gas nor liquid as she tried to find spells to save her professor.

Snape's grip had slackened. "Look…at…me…" he whispered to Harry. Staring for several moments into the boy's green eyes. Then, Snape slumped to the floor.

Severus knew the memory was different from what he knew had happened this time. He hadn't looked at Harry with his final words, but at Hermione. He had tried to tell her that he loved her one last time before he died.

But the words hadn't been able to form fully.

Then Hermione, with her friends pulling her along, had slipped back into the tunnel, thinking Death Eaters were trying to get to them, but it had been Minerva. She had saved him with the Phoenix tears that Dumbledore had set aside for her and the unneeded Bezoar thanks to Hermione's memories.

Now he was here, alive and viewing these memories all because Hermione had loved him dearly.

He was brought back to the memories of the war before him.

Hermione was running again back to the castle. They all three entered the Great Hall to mourn over the deaths from the battle so far, before Harry took off running again.

Hermione followed him to the headmaster's office as Ron joined his family over losing Fred. Body or not, they knew he was dead.

They ran up the steps and inside the circular office. Harry poured the memories into the stone pensieve. Hermione moved to watch the memories as well.

He saw flashes of his life. He only saw them because she had.

The memories flew by that Snape had bestowed upon Potter.

Severus saw Hermione seeing the things from his past. Oddly it didn't bother him. It made him wonder if the man she knew before her trip into the past would have minded.

Probably. He figured.

He had seen enough to know what a horrible man he had been in her past. Her memories showing him how cruel and awful he had been. But he wasn't that man now. Part of him was, would always be him. However, he wasn't as twisted and bitter as her memories showed him to be.

He saw the memory of himself being hoisted in the air. The memory where Hermione had saved him; but she wasn't in this version of the memory. She hadn't come back at this point to change it.

It wasn't her that stepped up and saved him, but Lily. He watched, shocked at seeing Lily jump to his defense. Then, he saw himself shout at Lily, calling her a Mudblood.

It hadn't happened that way. Hermione had saved him before Lily had a chance to jump in. It made him wonder if she realized and remembered all she had changed. Maybe she hadn't. So much had happened already during this battle. It was possible that she hadn't knowingly changed anything.

But Severus knew too that he had already changed some too at that point in his life with Hermione as his friend. He wouldn't have called her a Mudblood, even if he had known her blood status.

She had already started to make him a better man by the time this happened. He had already started to fall in love with her at that point; he just hadn't known it yet.

The memory they all watched changed to Snape on his knees begging Dumbledore to save Lily.

But again it hadn't happened that way. He was already helping Dumbledore when he learned of the Lily being in danger.

Severus hadn't told Voldemort of the prophecy in the way it had been told like in this memory. Peter had told the Dark lord of the prophecy. The little worm had overheard it as well and gone running to his Lord as soon as he could.

Severus had still tried to convince Voldemort to spare Lily. When it hadn't worked, he had gone to Dumbledore. Not just about saving Lily either, but James too. Hermione loved them both too much for him to let them die. Dumbledore had assured him he would do what he could to save the family. Only it hadn't worked either.

Severus hadn't known that Black wasn't the one to betray the Potters. He only learned of that later, after Hermione saved Black from getting the dementor's kiss during her third year.

The memory Hermione was watching changed again. Showing Snape talking to Dumbledore about the ring he destroyed, ending with him getting cursed.

It was different once again. It had been different due to Hermione coming back and changing things. It had taken her letter to him to make him agree to killing Dumbledore and her memory on this was completely different too.

Suddenly Hermione's memory shifted.

Hermione was standing at a window of the castle watching as Hagrid carried something closer to them. She heard the words shouted to them. "Harry Potter is dead."

Her hand flexed and her nails dug into the stone wall beside her, her head shaking in disbelief. When she saw her friend's body through the glass and recognized him, she collapsed into a mess of tears.

Severus wanted to go to her, to comfort her, to hold her. But he knew again that it was just a memory and he couldn't touch her. Her agony over losing her friend sliced into him.

Only a few moments passed before she stood on her own, and forced the tears away. She started to walk, doubt written on her face that Harry was truly dead.

Her courage astounded him once again.

Her steps became faster, until she was running.

The memory pulling him along was the only thing keeping him from losing her. Damn witch is still faster than me. He thought.

McGonagall screamed. "No!"

Hermione was with her other friends, Ron and Ginny. Hermione screamed as she saw Harry's body up close.

"No! Harry!" She screamed, along with her other friends, finally seeing and believing that he was dead. But she didn't collapse this time in tears, though she was shaking from head to toe at the sight of her dear friend that Hagrid lay gently on the ground before them all. Handling him softly, as one would with a new born baby.

"Silence!" Cried Voldemort.

Severus heard more, but his eyes were locked again on the woman he loved.

She was still shaking, but her eyes rose to look at Voldemort. Pure hatred formed in her eyes as she stared the Dark Lord. Her fierce loyalty and her determination not to give up, no matter what showed in the small lift of her chin.

Severus felt himself swallow nervously at the look that was forming in her eyes. It was the same look she'd had when she faced Wormtail in his seventh year. The look of being ready to kill anyone who stood in her way was prominent on her face.

He knew now that she was indeed capable of it. Knew that she had been during his seventh year too after living through this battle. This moment is what made her capable of doing it. Seeing her friend lying there dead had pushed her to the point of being able to take a life.

The part of Hermione that she had been during her student years had just disappeared. She was no longer the Hermione of the past, the hope filled little girl he had watched over for so many years. No longer just sweet and innocent.

She was now the person he knew during his seventh year threatening Wormtail.

She was ready to not only kill, but to die if need be. But only if she took down the monster still speaking, along with his minions.

He had only seen a brief glimpse of this person before, but it had shocked him back then. Now, he found he slightly feared this person he saw standing before him. She hadn't fully been this person any more when she came to him so many years ago.

She had been a combination of both Hermione's he had seen in this memory. A person that is sweet and kind, but also capable of many horrible things if pushed too far. A person that he knew he would love no matter what.

However, the Hermione that he was looking at in the memory was a person he hoped to never see again after this battle.

Her eyes became flat, emotionless. No love, no hate, no fear. Nothing. Her hands flexing on her wand like she was itching to take her first life were steady.

A movement caught his eye, making him look at the full memory again.

Neville Longbottom advanced forward.

He looked back at Hermione.

The wheels were turning in her mind as she watched the scenes unfold before her. She was thinking of a way to still win this war. She was waiting for the perfect moment to make her move too.

He heard the voice of Neville and Voldemort talking, but his eyes were locked again on Hermione.

Her face showed that she was forming and dismissing several plans.

Finally a small smirk, one that looked so much like her late potions professor's, formed on her face, even though her eyes stayed flat and emotionless. Her plan was ready in her mind.

Before her trip back to his time, he had never seen a smirk on her face. He had seen it several times during his seventh year. But, he had never seen a smirk so like his own ever cross her lovely face at all in all her years as a student.

She had somehow become part of how Severus was during this battle. A fighter, a person willing to do anything he had to do for not only survival, but also for them to win this war.

It was a look he found slightly unnerving as well. It made him wonder briefly if this was the look all his students had feared from him. If it was, he fully understood it now. He would hate to ever face Hermione with her looking at him as she was now looking at Voldemort.

Her eyes flickered back to Harry's still form and the emotionless look faltered a moment before her eyes went flat again as she waited for her moment to strike. The knowledge of what was coming making the killer in her come out and her friends beside her didn't even seem to notice this silent transformation in her.

Severus swallowed nervously as he kept watching.

The crowd cheered when Neville shouted, "Dumbledore's Army." But she stayed silent as her eyes were locked on Voldemort and his pet snake. Her lip curling a bit like Snape's used to as the Dark Lord spoke again.

Neville, now wearing the sorting hat that Voldemort had forced upon his head, burst into flames. Screams filled the air and suddenly several things happened at once.

Hundreds of people came swarming the up to the castle. A giant yelling for Hagrid, and tons of centaurs filled the courtyard shooting bows at the surprised Death Eaters. Neville pulled the sword of Godric Gryffindor from the sorting hat and chopped off Nagini's head. Destroying the Horcrux hidden inside the snake as well.

Suddenly, Hermione looked towards Harry's still form but he was gone and she gasped.

Severus had seen Harry slip the invisibility cloak over himself during the distraction, but she hadn't really seen it, not enough to register what happened.

The memory shifted and Hermione was now battling Death Eaters. The flat look in her eyes still as she sent killing curse after killing curse towards the masked men. Some were missed due to their shields while others fell down to ground, dead, after being hit.

She used a few moves that he had seen her use before in the Room of Requirement.

She sent a curse and ducked before getting hit herself. Hitting the ground and tucking into a roll that brought her right back to her feet as she kept on sending out killing curses.

She was beautiful to watch, her grace and skill had always amazed him. It still did as he watched her pivoting and moving with each foe she fought.

Her fists flew out to strike a Death Eater when one got too close to her. Her wand moving with incredible speed as she sent curse after curse out to Death Eaters in her path.

Severus winced several times when she was almost hit with killing curses.

Her body was hit and battered by non-lethal curses that slipped through her walls of defense, but she still carried on. Fighting for everything she was worth, even while bleeding from hexes that sliced into her silky skin. Not flinching or even noticing as more hexes slipped by and cut into her flesh.

Severus gasped when he saw a hex sent towards her from a Death Eater she didn't see.

The glowing curse struck her chest, above her breast and below her shoulder. She hit the ground, her legs buckling from the searing pain coursing through her, as her blood leaked from the wound that she now held her hand over. Agony and rage in her eyes as she looked towards the man now laughing at her pain.

"Your blood looks awful dark and dirty, Mudblood. It's showing just how foul your kind really are." The masked man taunted.

A snarl on her lips, Hermione stood with a grunt of pain, still holding her bleeding wound. Licking her dry lips she as she pointed her wand at her self, and with a muttered spell, it was hastily bandaged.

Severus had wondered where that star shaped mark came from. He knew it was from a spell only a Death Eater would use. Seeing it happened made him itch to kill the masked man himself. The bastard had almost taken her away from him. If that curse had hit anything vital, it would have killed her.

"My blood's no dirtier than yours. In fact, I'll bet mine's cleaner." Hermione growled before they started to duel.

The Death Eater was enraged to hear her claim to have cleaner blood than him. Spell after spell was cast. Both ducked, and dodged each others spells, before shooting new hexes.

Hermione wished she had a second wand to help her. Her opponent was very skilled and she couldn't get anything through his shields. Still, she kept her eyes peeled for an opening as she fired spell after spell.

Hearing him crow with spiteful laughter at her while taunting her with viciously foul names. Calling her a dirty Mudblood whore over and over again while shooting hexes at her. A few were the killing curse, but she was able to block or dodge all the spells thrown at her accordingly.

Severus inhaled sharply, before exhaling a loud growl at how close she came to getting hit by the flying jets of light. If he lost her now...he didn't think he'd survive it or if he'd even want to try.

Finally having had enough, Hermione dug down deep and started to fire again. A growl of pure rage pouring from her lips as curse after curse was fired. The jets of light flying out of her wand so fast that finally, one got through his shield.

The man dropped his wand and clutched his stomach with a shout of pain. Hermione was able to send out a final curse with his wand gone that killed the vile cockroach of a man.

She took a moment to rub at her bandaged chest as she stood over him. Not a drop of remorse in her eyes. Just a hint of satisfaction at knowing that he would never be able to inflict any kind of hate or misery on the world again.

Hearing the sounds of battle finally penetrating her mind again, she pushed the pain in her chest away and moved on to fight some more.

She was on a mission and wouldn't be detained from it. Her mission was to destroy every Death Eater in her way. Then, she was going after the monster that killed her best friend. Even if she died doing so. She didn't care.

Severus wanted so much to help her, but at this point he was trapped in the memory and in the room McGonagall had hidden him in. He was stuck with nothing but these memories showing him the battle that he knew was still probably raging outside the room he was in.

Everything moved into the Great Hall. Ron and Neville brought down Fenrir Greyback, while Lucius and Narcissa ran through the crowd looking for their son, not even trying to fight.

Severus shook his head upon seeing the blond couple that had worked so hard to help the Dark Lord, not even care about the war now that the actual fighting had begun.

Glancing back at Hermione, he again felt the air freeze in his lungs as he saw her battling Bellatrix. He knew how skilled Bellatrix was in a duel. So far, it seemed, Hermione was holding her own.

Hermione's lip curled in anger and her eyes reflected her hatred for the woman that had tortured her. Ginny and Molly Weasley joined in the duel and Hermione wasn't happy to have their help. She wanted to battle the evil woman alone.

Severus on the other hand was happy that she had help. Bellatrix was too strong to fight alone.

The battle went on for several minutes with Bella cackling madly the whole time. Suddenly, two killing curse shot through the air and almost hit Hermione and Ginny both.

Severus felt his heart clench seeing how close to dying she had come once again.

Suddenly Molly roared. "NOT MY DAUGHTERS, YOU BITCH!"

Severus raised an eyebrow at Molly including Hermione in that statement. He knew the older woman cared about her, but he hadn't known Molly looked at Hermione like a daughter.

Molly threw off her cloak as she ran after Bella. "Out of my way!" The matron Weasley shouted to students. Molly saw Hermione was ready to start battling the crazy witch again.

"No!" Molly screamed. "Get back! Get back! She's mine!"

Hermione bit her lip as the need to kill the witch raced through her as well. She wanted revenge for what the crazy woman had done to her back at Malfoy Manor.

But with a nod, Hermione backed away. Taking her anger out by killing a few more Death Eaters instead before watching silently, ready to step up and fight again if Molly needed her.

Severus watched while keeping an eye peeled in case Hermione missed a Death Eater headed her way as she watched Molly and Bellatrix. Knowing he couldn't do anything to help if there was, but still watching her back anyway.

Bellatrix was taunting Molly as they fired curses at each other. "What will happen to your children when I've killed you?"

"You will never touch our children again!" Molly screamed at her as more curses flew between the two women.

Severus saw a Death Eater charge at Hermione's side as she watched Molly, and his heart missed a beat at seeing him raise his wand at Hermione. He feared he was going to watch her die. Even knowing that she lived to pass these memories on didn't help.

Hermione saw the movement out of the corner of her eye and spun.

It was so quick that Severus had to admire her skill.

She flicked her wand with a growl and killed the Death Eater. Hermione didn't even seem to care that she had taken a life as she went back to watching Molly and Bella.

Molly sent a killing curse that hit Bella in the chest, directly over heart. When the crazy witch fell, Hermione's face showed her disappointment that she hadn't been able to kill the woman herself, before she moved on to join the fighting once more.

Severus had never seen Hermione so cold or callous about life or death before. But he knew that it was the war and battles she had been through this day that caused the callous look. He knew she wasn't truly as heartless as she seemed in this memory.

She killed one last Death Eater when she heard Harry's shouted spell to shield Molly from Voldemort's curse as he tried to kill the person that had killed his favorite Death Eater, Bellatrix.

Hermione didn't shout in relief that Harry was alive like the rest of them did. Her eyes took in Harry's form standing there as he stared at Voldemort. Her flat eyes flickered, and then slowly change to back only to hatred.

Well, this is better than the cold emotionless state they had been before.Severus decided as he watched her expression changing still.

The hatred receded slowly as well in the deep brown depths. Seeing that Harry did still live made the killer in her fade and then vanish completely.

She still looked ready to fight, but he doubted she would kill anyone as coldly or ruthlessly as she had before. His Hermione that he loved was back in control and the one that somewhat scared him was gone.

Her eyes shimmered in relief finally. A small tear escaped, before realization at all that she had done filled her as she quickly glanced down at her wand in her hand. A look of horror filling her eyes at everything she had done earlier. The lives she had so carelessly taken.

He again wanted to go to her, but knew he couldn't.

She quickly recovered, forcing it away to be dealt with later, and was ready to fight alongside her friends once again. Though her eyes stayed clear this time as she stared at Harry again.

Hermione moved to join Harry, but his words stopped her. "I don't want anyone to help me. It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

Her jaw clenched, but she understood. She stayed back, but she was still poised to help just in case. She watched her friend, watched the small battle of words between Harry and Voldemort as they circled one another again and again.

Hermione didn't even blink when Harry revealed the truth behind Severus killing Dumbledore. She already knew this. She had seen the memories. She knew of his spying for Dumbledore as well.

Which is why she had been able to love me all those years ago, Severus realized. That was why she had been able to love him even with all the horrible things he had done. She had known he was a good man deep down. It's why she wrote that in his book she had given him so long ago. She had known he was a good man inside and out.

The crowd around them gasped as Harry revealed all the truths about Severus. But Hermione merely watched, assessing the situation to find a way to help.

"Severus Snape was never yours." Harry said. "He was Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. You never saw Snape cast a Partonus, did you Riddle? Snape's Patronus was a doe, the same as my mother's because he loved her for nearly all his life. Since they were children."

Severus gasped. That's why Hermione is convinced I loved Lily more. His Patronus had been a white doe, because he had loved Lily from childhood through his seventh year. But it wasn't a white doe any longer, because it wasn't Lily he had loved all his life. It was Hermione.

Voldemort laughed madly as he yelled about how it mattered not how much Severus had loved Lily. That he understood why Dumbledore had intended to for Snape to be the master of the Elder Wand.

"I killed Severus Snape three hours ago." Voldemort shouted.

Severus saw Hermione flinch at the words as pain entered her eyes and he raised an eyebrow at her. Had she cared something about me already? A man who had been so cruel to her? How is that even possible?

Or is it that she felt remorse for not being able to save me? That is possible and more likely. He decided. She was too caring not to feel bad for not being able to save him after she had learned of all he had done for them during the war.

Harry had shouted that it was Voldemort's last chance to seek remorse for what he had done. Instead Voldemort continued to argue, convinced that he would win the battle; even with the defeat of all his Death Eaters.

Harry shouted that Snape never owned the wand. He never defeated Dumbledore. Dumbledore had allowed Snape to kill him. They hadn't battled.

The banter kept going back in forth until Harry shouted. "The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Voldemort told him that it didn't matter, that he'd attend to Draco later and Harry went on. "But you're too late." Harry told him. "I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago and took his wand from him."

Suddenly both shouted curses at the same time.

"Avada Kedarva!" Voldemort shouted.

"Explliarmus!" Harry shouted

The bang was like a cannon blast, and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead center of the circle they been treading, marked the point where the spells collided.

Voldemort's green jet met Harry's spell. Suddenly, the Elder Wand was flying high; spinning across the enchanted ceiling like Nagini's head had done earlier. Then Harry, with the unerring skill of a Seeker, caught it as Voldemort fell back and crashed onto the stone floor.

Tom Riddle's body lay feeble and shrunken. His white hands were empty, while his snakelike face was vacant and unknowing. Voldemort was dead. Killed by his rebounding killing curse.

It was silent for several seconds, then as the cheers rang out, Hermione ran to Harry. Both her and Ron reaching him before the rest of the crowd, and threw their arms around the boy. The crowd's cheering drowned out the shouts to the messy haired boy.

When others tried to hug Harry, Hermione and Ron backed away and embrace each other.

Severus noticed a growl escaping him when he saw Ron kiss her again, but he was surprised at what he saw next.

Hermione pulled away, an uncertain frown upon her face as she touched her lips. She didn't seem happy about the kiss at all. In fact, she looked a bit confused over her reaction to the kiss. Ron didn't notice since he was busy hugging different ones around them. But Hermione stood, hand on her lips as she seemed puzzled at not enjoying the redhead kissing her.

Severus knew in that moment that she was still his. In the face of the battle and all the deaths, she didn't want Ron anymore. She didn't want anyone at that moment.

He knew this from the previous memories he had witnessed. He knew Ron had started to date the brainless Lavender Brown and Hermione had focused on other things.

She focused on her studies as she slowly healed from the horrors of the war as best as she could. She focused on learning Wand less magic and silent spells. She focused on learning Occlumency. She didn't focus on any kind of romance at all until she came back to him even though it hadn't been intended.

Hermione's memory of the final battle faded and he found himself back in the same classroom Minerva had shoved him in. He didn't know what happened after the battle when Voldemort died. Either Hermione hadn't shared it, or Minerva hadn't given him the vial that contained that memory.

Severus didn't know how long he had before Hermione came back from his seventh year, but he knew that she would survive this war and would go back to his past. Hermione from his past would come back to his present eventually.

He would wait however long it took. He had already waited this long for her, so a bit longer was nothing in comparison to the twenty years it had been already.

Then, knowing that her memories had left so much out, he would give her a choice. He would let her know the things she didn't know about him and his deeds. Then, allow her to choose if she still wanted him.

If she did want him, he would love her for eternity. He would love and cherish her and they would have a great life together. But if she didn't want him…he would still love her. But he would understand and let her go.

She had done so much for him. She had saved him by passing on her memories to Minerva. She had saved him from becoming a miserable and bitter man by showing him love and friendship.

He would let her go if she no longer wanted him. He knew it would be hard, but he owed her that much.

A/N: Do not give me that look, and stop growling at me. You know it was bound to happen, him thinking that at least once. Do you really think Hermione's gonna walk away? Excellent, everyone is smiling again. =)

Now moving on. I did change a few things from the books but...I like how it came out. I'm sorry if anyone was offended or didn't like my depiction of the battle or how Hermione was acting in it in it. More is coming soon, and we'll be back in the present/future from here on out. Take care and leave me your thoughts.