The Last Minutes - A Standard by BananaCarrot5

T/W: Major Character Death

"Five more minutes! I'm coming in five minutes!" Hermione Granger screeched to the voices outside her door.

"You said five minutes, ten minutes ago, Hermione," Ginny said from outside the door.

Hermione kicked the door from the inside and there was a small shuffle outside the door. "FIVE MORE MINUTES!" Hermione screamed.

She barely heard Ginny's muted "okay" before she dropped herself on her bed and allowed herself to cry. How had she failed so badly? She had one job, one simple, straightforward job. She had to protect her friend and keep him safe. Sure, he hadn't asked her to, but he never had objected any of the other times she had ended up saving his life. Of course, he does the one thing that she could never get out of him: his "saving people" thing.

Harry had been given an ultimatum: either surrender himself or die with everyone else in the castle.

Hermione remembered the events as they had unfolded, struggling to not fall into sobs. It had taken them five minutes to run from the boathouse to the Great Hall. Five minutes to see some of their friends lying dead. That was when Harry had hugged her, trying not to cry.

She didn't know when it happened, but soon Harry had let her go and disappeared.

"Hermione?" Ginny's small voice came from the other side of the door.

Hermione looked at the door and screamed "FIVE MORE MINUTES!"

She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to see her dead friend. She didn't want it to be true. If she never went down, then he would still be alive in her head. He would still be waiting to give her a warm hug, or a goofy joke, or wear his heart-melting smile.

He would still be there for Hermione.

Hermione dropped to the floor next to the bed, looking at the bed on the other side of the room that Harry had been in not too long ago. It was time to say goodbye to Harry.

"Ginny?" Hermione called out, "I'm coming in five. I'll come down in five. I just… I need a minute… again… please."

"Okay, Hermione. But you remember that you can sit next to me. You shouldn't have to fight this alone." Ginny sighed before retreating from the door.

Five minutes. Five more minutes. Who was she kidding? She'd been holed up in that room for two hours already. The service was supposed to start half an hour ago. If she went out now, what would everyone's reaction be? Poor old Hermione, the girl who needed Harry to feel like she had a purpose in life.

Harry.

She let her mind wander. She let her mind fill to the brim with memories of the boy, and for a few precious seconds, Hermione had a smile on her face. These were hers. Nothing could take away her memories of him. He would still be here, in her head.

And that was enough to get her off the floor. With a heavy sigh, she quickly cleaned her face before opening the door and walking out.

It was intoxicating. Loud. Unnatural. It was as if Hermione was being pulled into the abyss and the only thing moving her were her thoughts and mind. She was hugged by Ron, Ginny, Padma, Mrs. Weasley, Neville, Parvati; the list went on and on. Finally, she was ushered to a seat near the front of the crowd.

She tried not to look. She tried–she tried to focus on their friends who were giving funny stories about him. About his quirk of falling out of fireplaces. Helping anyone who needed it. Teaching them Defence three years prior.

She knew what was going to happen. She wished she had prepared beforehand, but that point was moot. When Shack had called her up to say a few words, Hermione finally had to confront her own reality. She stood up and started walking towards the front when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the coffin. With her best friend lying in it. She froze. All thoughts escaped her mind, and she let out a strangled cry before turning and running. Running as far away as she could.

"Five minutes. She'll be back in five minutes," Ginny supplied, before running out after her.

Hermione was standing on the edge of the lake. Water lapped the dirt about a foot away from her feet. On the outside, she looked tired and calm. Almost trapped in a mood. Inside, she was screaming.

Her thoughts and mind were half swimming with embarrassment, the other half desperately trying to erase the sight of Harry's dead body from her mind. But then, another thought flashed through her head.

Defenders of Hogwarts! Assemble! It is time for you to be judged!" The booming voice of Voldemort came, as daybreak broke. As people came outside, the air was quiet. Finally, Voldemort spoke again.

"Defenders of Hogwarts. Your golden hero is dead. Dead by my hand. So. Here are your options: join me or die."

Hermione was near the back and had pushed her way to the front, hoping to not see what she was about to see. And in Hagrid's arms, her worst fear came to life. Her Harry, her best friend, had let himself be killed by Voldemort. To protect everyone else. To end the war. To stop the suffering. Of course, Voldemort wasn't actually going to keep his promise, because why would he?

That was when Neville had stepped forward, and in two clean swipes, beheaded Voldemort's snake before slicing the man in half at the waist. In his hands was Gryffindor's sword.

"That was for killing my friend."

"Hermione?"

Hermione was ripped from her thoughts hearing Ginny's voice.

Ginny gave a nervous laugh. "I kind of have to get you back, I told them I would be coming in five minutes with you, and honestly, it might have been longer."

Hermione shook her head. "I can't, Gin. I can't."

Ginny walked over to Hermione and wrapped the older girl in a hug. "He cared about everyone, Hermione. We both know he wouldn't do it unless he ensured our safety, even against Voldemort."

"He never told me, Gin. He never told me that he was going to let himself die. He never even said goodbye," Hermione said, her voice breaking.

Ginny sighed. "Harry had his ways, I imagine. But I do have something for you. He wrote it when you guys were holed up in Shell Cottage for a few days, and Bill gave it to me because Harry gave it to him–here, Hermione. It's for you."

Hermione found her hands filled with a small envelope with her name on the front in Harry's scribbly handwriting. She looked up and Ginny wore a sad smile.

"Gin?" Hermione asked softly. "Tell them I'll be coming in five minutes." She raised the letter to Ginny who nodded.

"Don't let the darkness consume you, Hermione. Harry did everything he could to keep us safe. He wouldn't want us to live as if we messed up. If you ever need to talk…" Ginny let her sentence end as Hermione nodded and started opening her letter. Ginny walked away, hoping that for Harry's sake, Hermione would bounce back and be happier.

Maybe an extra five minutes would help.

The Houses Competition, Round 2

House: Ravenclaw

Class: Charms

Category: Standard

Prompt: (Dialogue): "I'm coming in five minutes!"; (Emotion): Sadness

Word Count: 1,228