A/N:

Hello everyone.

My apologies for the long wait for this chapter. I had some pretty devastating personal news happen and have been dealing with the repercussions of that. It spiked my depression so I was doing more reading of literally everything and anything instead of writing. Thankfully the writing bug came back to me this week and I was able to get this out.

It's not exactly what I wanted, I had planned on a longer chapter, but this seemed like a good place to stop for now.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me. To every single commenter and every single kudos and follow, you make this worth it.

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Gripping her wand firmly, Hermione raced through the dungeon hallways and up the stairs. She spared a moment to thank Draco and Luna for freeing her as she ran by. All the while she was fortifying her occlumency shields. She had let her emotions run wild as she summoned her wand and broke the multitude of wards that Severus had put on his office to keep her locked away. But now, as the sounds of screaming, spells, and growls grew louder from above, she tucked her feelings deep inside her mind, to be dealt with later. Her heart thundered in her chest and already she could feel the slick of sweat down the back of her neck. Adrenaline and anxiety were fighting for dominance.

The rational part of her was reminding her that she was dealing with a duo of the most frustratingly stubborn and protective men you could find, but her protective tendencies screamed in protest as she burst onto the battlefield. Her golden brown eyes scanned the wreckage for Severus and Harry. Her hand unconsciously rose to her chest, where, beneath her armor, hung a chain with her ring. She contemplated squeezing it now to help her find him but knew, that if he did happen to have it with him, it could distract him while he was fighting. Hermione moved further into the battlefield as the state of the Hogwarts grounds finally came into blinding focus.

A sharp inhale punctuated the air at the exact moment her thoughts caught up to her body. The air was thick with magic. Some of it was warm and familiar, while the rest left a slimy residue surrounding her senses. Already there were patches of bloody mess and bodies that she dared not look at for too long. Hermione leaped over felled pillars and acromantula carcasses as she got her bearings. It was obvious that they were outnumbered but the forces of the light were proving to be better trained. She dodged spells and sent off countercurses like it was second nature. Her training would not go to waste.

Fast as a bullet she shot off powerful shield charms as she passed her fellow Order members and classmates. It seemed no one had noticed her appearance in the fight just yet, and she used it to her advantage. Hermione, for all her training, refrained from serving any killing blows. The necessity of it was ever present in her mind but she had not come to terms with the taint it may leave on her soul. Leaping out of the way of a bright red spell, she found herself behind a crumbling pillar. She took a shaky breath before surveying the area around her. The adrenaline pumping through her veins brought everything from the dust in the air to the crumbling courtyard ruins into startling contrast. Though it was night, the moon was high in the sky, bright, round, and watching. It would have been a beautiful night if Hermione didn't have to convince herself to 'suck it up' and use deadly force. Her life and the lives of others depended on it. Her indecision was not helped by the sight that lay before her.

A gasp left her lips when she spotted Lavender Brown's body lying broken and bloody a few meters away. Hermione fought the urge to go to her fellow Gryffindor's side, knowing that it was too late. She only hoped someone would retrieve her remains before a magical creature made a meal of her. With gritted teeth, she forced herself to take a long look at her classmate's body, her lifeless eyes, and the exposed muscle in her neck and shoulder. The enemy was ready to kill; if she didn't meet them on their playing field, she would end up like Lavender.

Feeling queasy, she distracted herself from the grief by going to the aid of Colin Creevey who was cornered but holding his own against another low-level Death Eater. He was boxed in against a wall of an exposed courtyard walkway. Lightfooted, Hermione crept along the wall and shot off a blasting spell at the Death Eater's feet, distracting him enough for her to grab Colin by the shoulder and drag him out of the corner and onto a more even playing field.

The Death Eater recovered quickly, spinning on his heel and attacking again. She fought side by side with the now tall and gangly 6th year. He had come into his own in training. Although not a physically formidable man, Colin was an expert at charms and had the eyes of a hawk. Hermione's thoughts went back to the young first year with a camera the size of his head. They all truly were too young for all this.

A moment of inattention caused Colin to jump in front of Hermione, taking a spell to the chest, resulting in deep gouges that bloomed across his uniform, blood the color of roses. She held up the thin boy with one arm and fought with the other. With a scream Hermione fired a spell at the assailant, throwing them backward. A resounding crack split the air as the Death Eater's head slammed into a stone wall. Her guilt over Colin's bleeding form was a distraction from the very real realization that she may have killed that man.

"Don't worry, Colin, I've got you," Hermione cried frantically as she laid him on the ground. A quick scan of the immediate vicinity let her know there was time yet to help her friend. Quickly she used Vulnera Sanentur to seal his wounds, leaving him alive but pale. She sent off a patronus to Draco to send a retrieval team for Colin. A moment of sentimentality overrode her survival skill as Hermione brushed the boy's hair off his forehead, ignoring how her fingers trembled."Hold on for me, Colin. Please."

"Hermione, I'll be ok," Colin croaked out, gripping her hand fiercely. His voice had dropped even further since the last time that she had spoken to him. At that moment it hit her that she didn't remember the last time she had exchanged words with him or his younger brother. Hermione regretted not spending more time getting to know her fellow Gryffindors. She squeezed his hand and glanced around, looking for any sign of a retrieval team.

The fight was still raging around her. The ground rocked with the stomping gaits of giants and trolls. A layer of smoke in the air reminded her of the various fires that had sprung up between duelists. A sharp inhale brought the taste of ash to her tongue. She could hear her blood pounding in her ears to match the pounding in her chest. Hermione couldn't stay idle for much longer. At the first sign of the familiar gear of the Retrieval Team, Hermione refocused on her surroundings, just in time.

The familiar cackle that broke the air startled Hermione. She turned and spotted the hulking Death Eater, Dolohov. Fear had gripped her heart at the sight of his intimidating figure, but her vengeance took over upon seeing him send a Sectumsempra at another student's back. All useless emotion left her and all that remained was the dark determination of a soldier. At that moment she knew she could kill him. With the reassurance that Colin would be taken care of, she took off leaping over rubble, wand at the ready.

"Protego!" She cried. Following the shield spell with an offensive spell, like she was trained, she managed to hit Dolohov with a Stupefy. She summoned his wand to her hand with another flick of her wrist. He growled as he regained his bearings, stumbling as he found his footing. Memories assaulted her from the Department of Mysteries; the fear, the pain, and the shock of being nearly sliced in half. The grip on her wand tightened. Focus Hermione!

"Potter's Mudblood whore! Letting people die for you like your boyfriend, I see."Dolohov stood to his full height in an obvious attempt to intimidate her but Hermione felt nothing. She could do it. Visions of Severus and his torture at this monster's hands came to mind. A phantom ache rent through the never-fading scar that bisected her torso. Hermione had not known true hate until she met Antonin Dolohov. She could end his life right now but the Gryffindor in her gave him a moment of reprieve.

"This is your only chance for mercy. Leave now." Hermione replied, surprised at her level of control.

"Or what? Have you got it in you to kill me, mudblood?! Think you can cast a killing curse?!" He laughed heartily, throwing his head back with the force of it. "I nearly cut you in half at the ministry and your first thought was to send a silencing spell? I'm not afraid of you. Though I think I would like a taste before your body goes cold."

Dolohov's lascivious eyes trailed the length of her armor-clad body. Hermione forced herself not to reactm, already dreading what seemed inevitable. With her voice infused with confidence, she taunted him, "Is this it then? Going to try and kill me without a wand?"

"I don't need a wand to do what I have planned." Dolohov's lips curled in disgust as he leaped across the short distance between them, arms outstretched with a horrid grin on his face.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

The grin froze on his face and his body hit the ground like a plank of wood. Hermione stepped forward and used her booted foot to push the Death Eater onto his back. Dolohov's eyes moved slightly and she could finally see the fear in them. It was jarring to see the vulnerability, the weakness in the face that had tormented her since the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. The monster in her head was now defenseless.

"You underestimate the use of simple spells Dolohov. This way, I can look you in the eye when I end your life." Hermione touched his cheek with the tip of her trembling wand, pushing hard until she couldn't see where it ended and his skin began. This man had scarred her. Left her disfigured and self-conscious. This man had tried to kill her and the man she loved. He had tried to kill her friends. What good was mercy in the face of evil like him? All too easily Hermione grabbed hold of her fury and stood, pointing her wand at his forehead. "Reducto!'

Antonin Dolohov was reduced to the consistency of cottage cheese that had been forced into a balloon that had exploded. Blood speckled her armor, her senses became muted, and the fury left her. Her stomach lurched making her fall to her knees and expel what little was in her stomach. A cold sweat bloomed across her skin as nausea took over. The tears that streaked the blood on her face were a mix of pain from the task of vomiting and the shock from having killed a man. What have I done? That wasn't self-defense! That was murder!

The guilt came like a tidal wave. Her throat and eyes burned with the sudden need to weep and beg for forgiveness. Blood was literally on her hands. Could she add more? Could she deal death blows for the greater good? Her chest tightened and her breath caught as she began to panic. Fear, anger, and guilt coalesce into an all-consuming physical reaction. Hermione slammed her fists into the ground, in an attempt to shock herself back into control. A whine escaped her lips as she forced her cries inward.

Come on, Hermione! He deserved that. There's no point in letting it stop you. This is war! They need you! Get up! GET UP!

The callousness of her inner voice wasn't surprising considering her demeanor over the past couple of months. It was logical. Something she had to grasp onto to pull her back to the surface and toward her goal. But behind a door in her mind was the innocent girl she used to be, banging against it and sobbing. A part of her wanted to reach out and open that door. A part of her wanted to maintain what little purity she had left. Before her eyes flashed Colin, Lavender, Draco, Harry, and Severus. Just a sample of the people she was fighting for, giving up her innocence for. Hermione clutched at her chest, and left the girl behind the door of her mind, silencing her. The death of her innocence.

"Hermione!"

Her head snapped up at the sound of Ron's voice. A flash and a shield spell was cast around her blocking two spells that had been aimed at her kneeling form. Before she could take in what had happened, she was flanked by Ginny and Ron. Both gingers were dirty and streaked with blood. But they looked vicious and powerful as they defended her against three Death Eaters that had attempted to attack her when she was down. Relief suffused her. Bolstered by the beauty of the siblings working together to dispatch the three novice Death Eaters, she tried to get to her feet. A firm hand on her shoulder helped her up. Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione in a quick embrace. A glance at Ron was returned with a quirk of his lip and a nod of relief.

A small mercy came when neither sibling addressed the blood and human remains scattered around her. Though, from the looks of them, they hadn't been spared the task of killing their enemies. No one would be leaving this war not soaked in blood. It was not a comforting thought although it tempered her guilt enough to not let it consume her.

"Hermione, why aren't you with Harry?" Ginny asked hurriedly as Ron kept watch. The worry was evident on her face as the younger girl searched their surroundings for their friends.

"They locked me in Severus's office. I've only just gotten out," She explained as she snapped Dolohov's wand and dropped it next to what remained of him. A grimace flashed across her face as she took in the viscera that was left over. Her heart was pounding and the sick feeling from early was being overridden by the need to continue on her mission.

"I owe them a hex when this is over!" Ginny looked over Hermione's shoulder and then quickly pointed, "There!"

At the sight of the two men, she felt relief flood her. She allowed herself a moment of awe as she watched the men she loved cutting across the battlefield with deadly grace. They fought seamlessly together. Harry took the defensive position as Severus ruthlessly attacked anyone in their way. The easy display of comradery and skill was reassuring. It was now obvious to her that they had been planning on leaving her behind and had trained together in secret. Wonderfully stubborn bastards.

Hermione shared a look with Ginny and Ron and knew they would be moving forward with her. As a group of three, they were formidable. They moved in a triangular formation with the older girl leading the way. Ginny moved her wand so fast that Hermione could barely see it. Ron was maintaining a shield between the three of them while yelling out directions for the girls to attack or defend. As they cut down enemies and aided friends, Hermione kept her eye on Harry and Severus. Never losing sight of their dark hair and the smooth flow of their dueling styles. If she wasn't so angry at them she would have been proud of how they had come together at the most important moment. Now all she had to do was make it to their side and make sure they both stayed alive.


As Harry made his way across the battlefield he employed a singular focus; to finish the reign of terror of Tom Riddle without dying and by doing so, saving Hermione's soul from devastation. The determination to protect her was the reason that he was walking with only Severus by his side. He glanced at the tall, dark man while his mind pulled him back to a few weeks before.

"Have a seat, P-Harry." the older man instructed, waving at one of his armchairs. Severus had called Harry to his sitting room. He had thought there would be others involved or at the very least Hermione, so to find himself alone with the Potions Master was a surprise. He chose to ignore the fumbling of his given name. It was still off to hear the professor interact with him so casually. "Tea?"

"Yes, that would be nice," Harry said, wringing his hands. Snape had asked him to meet that night once he returned from another escorting mission. Harry hadn't exchanged many words with the Professor since the night the bond Snape had with Hermione was broken. However, they did exchange pleasant nods of acknowledgment and respect during training. But a one-on-one conversation between them, like this, was rare. "So, what can I help you with, sir?"

Harry knew it had something to do with Hermione. She was really the only positive thing they had in common. He had contemplated approaching the ex-spy himself concerning their stubborn witch and her determination to get herself killed. Now the time had come.

Severus smirked as he sipped his cup of tea. Setting it down, he steepled his hands in front of his chin and looked deep into the roaring fire. As he sat there, stoic and intimidating, Harry was reminded that this was a man who had lived and experienced more personal horror than even Harry himself had experienced. This professor, ex-spy, and brilliant potions master had put himself in danger over the years to protect all of them regardless of their ire for each other. Severus Snape was a good man. It was why his mother had been friends with him. It was why Hermione loved him. It was still painful to admit to himself, but as the final battle drew closer their priorities were in stark relief. In the end, they all wanted the same thing.

Another moment passed in silence as Harry waited for an answer. A sigh was followed by his response, "Hermione cannot be involved in the final battle when it comes to Hogwarts."

The Boy Who Lived wasn't surprised by the statement as he had been thinking along the same lines for a while but hadn't entertained the idea. Hermione was formidable, downright terrifying now that she had ample training. Even Harry knew that he could be bested by her in a duel if she were determined. Taking another thoughtful sip of his tea, Harry replied, "You know there's no way of convincing her to stay behind. Not after all this training. You've seen her out there."

"She doesn't need to be willing to be kept off the battlefield." The response was said in Snape's usual sharp tone. The look in the dark eyes of his professor made a chill run down his spine. At times like these, Harry could truly understand how Hermione and Snape got along so well. For all the good they had done, they both still had dark sides that they didn't hesitate to use. "I have a plan."

It had taken a couple of hours to come up with three different contingency plans on how to get Hermione locked somewhere once the fighting began. Harry would have felt guilty if he didn't truly believe that she would be a distraction for both of them if she were in danger. They would be able to focus on the task at hand, together, and hopefully keep everyone's soul intact.

It had been Snape's plan for them to train as a duo and hone their skills. Even with only a little over a week of late-night training, Harry was grateful for it. The way they were moving together among friends and enemies felt easy and natural. Harry trusted Snape and Snape trusted Harry. A baffling idea but nonetheless true. Harry's reticence to use deadly force was mitigated by Severus's unyielding ruthlessness. It came naturally for them to take defensive and offensive positions respectively.

Harry felt horror and fear grip him as the true battle had started. The screams that pierced the air seemed to pierce his heart. The shielding spells that Snape had drilled into his head were flying from his wand with trained precision. That did not stop Harry from stumbling when Severus used Sectumsempra on a duo of Death Eaters that had a female auror pinned to the ground. The blood and gore made his stomach lurch but Severus gripped his shoulder and urged him on once he confirmed that the auror was back on her feet.

The ease at which Snape and the auror brushed off the violent kill and continued their trek across the battlefield was a boon to Harry who could feel his inexperience taking hold. The young Gryffindor focused on the confident gait of the Potions Master. As long as I have Snape with me, we will be alright. I have to believe that.

There was a lull in the battle as they moved around rubble and the carcasses of dead beasts. The fight was moving further from the main courtyard as the soldiers of the light kept a marginal upper hand. The training had truly been a brilliant idea regardless of its contentious beginnings. With the thought of training, Harry remembered Hermione.

Harry knew that locking Hermione in Snape's office had only bought them time. Even with how confident the older man was in his warding skills, Harry had a feeling Hermione was unstoppable. She had proven 100-fold that she was willing to do anything for either of them and her fury at being prevented from protecting them would fuel her.

"She'll kill us both if we all survive this," Harry mused during a moment of calm after they had delivered Lucius to the castle doors.

Severus glanced at him with a raised brow and chuckled, "If we are all alive to witness her wrath I would consider it a victory, Harry."

"We haven't found a trace of Nagini. Tom is probably keeping her close to him. I saw Dumbledore earlier and he said he would be the first to engage with Tom once he joined the fight. If he's too focused on dueling Dumbledore then we can have a chance at the snake," Harry explained as they once more trekked into the rubble and chaos of the battlefield.

"We can only hope that Albus is still strong enough to put up a decent fight," Snape said grimly as he followed the teenage hero.

Once more Harry took the defensive position as Snape took the offensive as they headed further and deeper into the fray. It seemed like they had been fighting forever but truthfully it couldn't have been more than an hour at most. Everything was moving so fast and yet crawling at a snail's pace. A quick maneuver by the Potions Master saved Remus from a wayward spell to the back. There was no time to commiserate over the small victory as Harry caught a glimpse of the snake.

"There!" Harry called out as he ran toward the beast. Snape was close on his heels, tossing him a basilisk fang that he caught deftly. The weight of the tooth was heavy in his palm as he gripped it tightly. They dodged spells and kept within arm's reach of each other, then the two wizards jumped over the remains of what looked like one of the school carriages.

Nagini appeared as if from thin air beside the wreckage, lashing out at Harry who dodged at the last moment. His heart leaped at the close call. Nearly falling to his knees, he stumbled back and turned to look for the snake, bracing himself to dodge again. He held his wand and the fang at the ready. From his periphery, he saw Snape dodge something and nearly topple over the body of a Death Eater.

"Hermione!" Came Snape's voice as he looked in the opposite direction.

Harry's heart leapt at the name but he had no time to dwell on it. Nagini reared back and lunged at him again. He tripped backward, feeling the gust of wind as the evil snake flew by him. Getting up on one knee, Harry tried to defend himself, sending spells after Nagini. She either moved too fast and dodged or when she was hit, her hide proved to be impervious to his spells. A moment of quick thinking inspired Harry to use his magic to throw a rather large boulder at the beast which thankfully worked long enough for Harry to find his bearings. He gritted his teeth, tasting blood in his mouth from whatever new wound he had acquired. A few meters away he could see Dumbledore blasting a horde of Death Eaters off their feet in an impressive display of wandless magic.

"Here! Tom! Face me!" Thundered the wrathful voice of Dumbledore as he stepped forward and faced off with Voldemort. Harry could barely keep up with what was going on around him as he dodged each new strike and whip of Nagini's tail. Another close call and Harry was crouched behind what had once been a courtyard wall. He swept his eyes around him, in search of Severus.

Harry's eyes widened as he saw the curly hair of his best friend, flanked by Ron and Ginny as they fought off a team of trolls a distance to his left. The moment of distraction on his part resulted in an opening for Nagini to strike again.


Of course, it's trolls. Of all the magical creatures it had to be these stinking trolls! Hermione thought to herself as she threw her weight into Ginny, narrowly dodging the large club of one of three enemy trolls. The uneven ground beneath them was harsh on their already battered bodies. Coughing away the dust and debris, Hermione struggled to her feet and grasped the redhead's arm yanking her up. On the way up Ginny threw a spell over the older girl's shoulder, the natural heat of the spell warming her skin through the armor. There was no time to share any gratitude as the girls turned to help Ron against the three leather-faced creatures.

Hermione may have only recently entered the battlefield but Ginny and Ron had been fighting since the beginning. Bruised and bloodied didn't begin to describe their state. They were beginning to tire and she could see it in their movements. The trolls were proving to be harder to defeat than she initially thought. Their hides repelled most spells that weren't some type of blunt force. After what she had done to Dolohov, Hermione wasn't sure she had it in her to send a blasting curse at a troll and watch it explode into viscera.

Ginny expertly dodged another downward swing of a club, separating the two girls. In her haste to move away, Hermione tripped again. To her horror, she felt the heavy hand of a troll wrap around her calf and drag her backward. Shit! I hate these bastards.

Once she was dangling by her ankle she used her core muscles to pull her away from the troll's gaping maw. Its hot acrid breath surrounded her as she pointed her wand into the beast's mouth. "Inflamare!"

The troll bellowed in pain and she was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, the wind knocked out of her. She backed away on hands and knees, feeling the sharp stones and twigs digging into her palms. The troll tore at its throat as smoke billowed out of its mouth. Not wanting to see the life leave the beast, Hermione jumped back to her feet. To her left she saw Ginny facing two of the trolls while, to the right, Ron was having trouble getting to his feet.

Thinking quickly, Hermione sent a shielding spell at Ron and then ran to Ginny's aid. One troll was reaching out to grab Ginny while the other came up behind her. Panic spiked inside of Hermione. Recklessly she ran up onto the back of the troll behind her friend, stopping at his shoulder and doing her best to keep her balance. The troll faltered and reached up for the pest on his shoulders. Once more, moving on instinct and panic, Hermione shoved her wand into the troll's eye, wincing at the feel of her wand pressing through the soft organ. When the troll opened its mouth in a scream, she ripped her wand back out and sent a spell down its throat. "Inflamare!"

Moving with the troll, as it stumbled, Hermione was able to jump off and roll into a landing. The troll landed next to her like a felled tree, dust and ash flying into the air and blinding her for a moment. Her eyes watered as she tried to blink away the stinging debris to spot Ginny. When the cloud settled her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Ron barrelling towards his sister and the remaining troll.

"Not my sister!" Ron yelled before he lashed out with a spell aimed at the troll that had Ginny in the air by her ankles.

The troll bellowed as the spell sliced through him in jagged, bloody, tears across his torso. The visual was jarring but ultimately effective. His victim was released from his grasp and fell to the hard ground. Ginny had the wherewithal to roll out of the beast's way as it fell to its knees then the earth with a loud 'whomp'. Ron paused for a moment, with horror and then relief when his sister stood back up on the other side of the troll. Ginny rounded the dead creature and hugged her brother hard before releasing him. The two turned and shared a look with Hermione as she made her way to them. Unable to stop herself, she threw her arms around the two siblings, holding them firmly although briefly. The moment of sentimental warmth did more to steady her than any training ever could.

"Hermione!" Her name rang out suddenly across the battle-torn grounds. Severus. Hermione whipped around, looking for the dark man and his familiar form. Her frantic search was halted as Dumbledore challenged Voldemort to a duel. The magic rolled off the powerful leaders in bright waves that seemed to travel from the tips of her fingers to the top of her head. The unadulterated power soaked into her like a drug that was pulling her focus. She did not notice another troll coming to aid its fallen brethren.

"Hermione!" Severus's voice came again through the din of the battlefield. She shook her head and willfully ignored the powerful wizards. Her eyes found Severus just as he turned his back and threw himself in front of Harry. She heard herself scream as Nagini's jaws closed on his shoulder. Time seemed to stop as she took in the horrifying details of the moment. A grimace adorned his face and the surprised yell was deep and visceral. Nagini reared back just as a large mass barrelled into her and she hit the ground hard. She did not see what had become of Severus, her focus pulled to Ron who had tackled her and was now being held upside down by the newcomer. Looking up, horrified at the scene, her mind brought forth the first time she had ever faced a troll.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

She used the spell to levitate one of the fallen clubs and smashed it hard onto the troll's skull, hitting it twice for good measure. The crack of its skull rents the air. This was followed by an earsplitting roar as the troll dropped Ron to the stone below. It swayed on its lumbering feet then tumbled right onto Ron.

"Ron!" The girls screamed in unison.


Harry was a hairsbreadth too slow but thankfully Snape was faster. In a move that threw Harry to his knees, Snape stepped in the way of Nagini and took her full force into his shoulder with a wild shout. Reacting instinctively, Harry lashed out with a spell that slammed into the side of the great serpent. The snake released its prey and rolled end over end into a pile of rubble. Before he could berate himself for not lashing out with the basilisk fang that he had in his other hand Snape snarled at him.

"You better have the extra antivenin and dittany I gave you, Potter. I refuse to bleed out because of that oversized worm." His voice was as sardonic as usual and the wave of panic that had overtaken Harry was relieved. Quickly, he knelt and pulled the potions out of his pack. Ignoring the obscene amount of blood and the exposed muscle, he began administering aid. His hands shook as he worked quickly, hyperaware that Nagini could appear at any moment and many other enemies roamed the grounds.

Harry felt oddly embarrassed to be pouring a potion into his professor's mouth. But he fought back the untimely thoughts as he poured the dittany onto Snape's torn shoulder. It hissed and sizzled, much like the man himself, but knitted together with no issue. The worry that Nagini had killed Severus was finally abated. He gripped the man's other shoulder and sighed in relief, though he was still concerned at how pale the man was.

"Are you sure two doses of antivenom is enough?" Harry asked while he surveyed their surroundings, on guard. He could feel the magic in the air like a layer of ozone. If they weren't fighting for their lives he might have asked the professor why he could feel it all so acutely. But even he knew this was not the time for idle chitchat.

"I've been microdosing Nagini's venom for years now, Harry. That immunity along with the antivenin should be-" Snape was cut off as the grotesque cackle of Voldemort cut through the air. His grip was rough as he used Harry for leverage to get back on his feet, though he didn't lean for long. Snape's eyes widened at the sight of Dumbledore and Voldemort locked in a duel less than 100 meters away.

Harry had seen Dumbledore duel before but this was on another level than the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. They exchanged spell after spell, volleying like a high-speed tennis match. The flashes of light from their spells only grew brighter as Harry stepped forward. Doubt seeped into his mind. If this is what a duel with Tom looks like, how am I, a teenager, supposed to fight him?


"Where did it go, Harry?" Severus gripped Harry's shoulder, jolting him out of his thoughts. "Harry! Focus. Where did Nagini go?"

"I don't know. I was a bit preoccupied with making sure you didn't bleed out," The boy snapped at him before pushing him away. As determined as the young Gryffindor was to storm away in the direction of the grand duel between the light and dark, the state of the ground and rubble made his gait less sure-footed.

"Potter! Harry? Where the hell are you going?" Severus followed closely after him, intercepting him with his much longer strides. "I just saw Hermione. We should regroup while Dumbledore has Tom occupied."

"This is it, Snape! While Dumbledore has his full attention, I'll kill Tom. Nothing in the prophecy said I had to be facing the guy when one of us dies!" Harry hissed at him as he tried to get around the taller figure of the professor.

Severus rolled his eyes, "That well may be, but do you think you can send a Killing Curse at the Dark Lord's back? Will your Gryffindor tendencies allow you to do something so cowardly?"

"Don't get all righteous with me, Snape. You're a Death Eater. Becoming one was the most cowardly thing you could have ever done. What exactly is wrong with the coward's way out in this situation? This is war. I cannot die and I will not die. You know why. If that means killing a man in cold blood with his back turned then so be it." Harry sized him up, holding his ground despite having to look up at him. He saw a flash of that ruthlessness, that glow in Harry's eyes that was feeding off of his spite and hatred. Can we succeed without Harry dying and killing the horcrux inside of him? And by extension, Hermione?

"I will do it," Severus said, moving past Harry and leading the way toward the dueling wizards. He knew that the boy's time to face Tom was not now. Whether it was instinct or protectiveness he did not dwell on it. Screw prophecies. He did not wait for the boy's protests and simply took cover between debris and detritus as they traversed the field. He felt the harsh grip of the boy's hand on his arm.

"No! I have to be the one to do it. You've already done enough for us." Harry was desperate. Severus could see it in his eyes.

"I've killed people before, Potter. I've wished for that man's death," Severus spat, "For longer than you've been alive. Spare me your heroics. I doubt in the heat of the moment you'll actually hit him. Your target practice was always abysmal once you got emotional."

"This is what I was born to do!" Harry argued.

"No! Damn the prophecy! You're right, there are no specifics on how he has to die. But I will not let your soul be torn in half for taking a life in cold blood. What do you think that piece of Tom inside you would do if your soul wasn't whole and pure?" Severus raged. "When this is over we will still need to find a way to eradicate that piece of him without killing you or Hermione. Do you want the horcrux to have an even stronger foothold inside of you with your tainted soul?"

Severus looked Harry in the eye and for once didn't think of Lily. He saw Harry in his first year, nervous and so very confused. Harry in his second year, speaks to a snake and shoots fear into Severus's heart. Harry in his third year, was so close to a werewolf it made Severus sick to his stomach. Fourth year, too young and forced to fight. Fifth year, when he stood up against Umbridge, enduring torture like it was his duty. Sixth year when Harry had attempted to follow him after the faux murder of the Headmaster, not caring for his safety and consumed with vengeance. He had been dealt the worst hand by fate and maintained a kindness that Severus was hardpressed to find in himself. He chose to appeal to their greatest mutual interest.

"If Hermione is to have a chance at survival then you have to live, at all costs. Even at the cost of my soul. Do you understand me? As much as you believe it is your fate to kill him yourself, I willfully chose my path to lay my life on the line for you and everyone else. Let me do this."

Solemnly, Harry nodded. A silent moment of understanding passed between them, communication that no words could ever convey. Then Harry's eyes locked on something behind Severus, going wide with horror. Severus turned and the sight that greeted him was that of Dumbledore being struck down by Nagini at full force.

The Dark Lord cackled in triumph. It was now or never, they had lost their distraction. Severus sprinted at full speed then jumped into the fray, sweeping his wand in a grand movement before a spell hit him head-on. He flew back and hit the ground hard, bouncing and skidding across the grounds like a marionette.

"Snape!" Harry reached his side in seconds. He felt Harry's hands on his shoulders as he found his bearings. Severus could taste blood in his mouth, and his newly healed shoulder ached monstrously. He fought to catch his breath. While the battle was still going on around them, many were watching the Dark Lord. The dark wizard took a step toward them with a grotesque smirk on his serpentine face. Instinctively, Severus dragged Harry to kneel behind him, putting himself between the boy and their enemy. A deep, shaky breath told him that being thrown so hard into the ground had left much of his body broken. But Severus did not show that he was in pain. Behind him, he could hear Harry panting. I have to get him out of here.

"Ah ah ah, Severus. Don't get any ideas. I'll get to you two later. It's time I say goodbye to an old friend." The Dark Lord chuckled to himself as he stepped over the twitching body of Albus. Nagini slithered smoothly up the evil wizard's body until she was draped over his arms and shoulders, her face stained with blood. Severus tried not to flinch as he took in the bleeding form of Dumbledore. "The great Albus Dumbledore. You have no idea how long I have waited for this day."

Severus watched in horror as the Dark Lord used his grimy pale foot to turn Dumbledore's cheek towards the kneeling duo. The crystalline blue of the headmaster's eyes met the dark wizard's eyes despite his body convulsing as the poison flowed through the blood left in his veins. To his surprise, there was still a sparkle in the headmaster's eye twinkling at him. Severus felt Harry grip the clothes on his back as he fought a sob at the sight of the headmaster.

"How the mighty have truly fallen?" Voldemort crouched down, caressing the pale face of his opponent. "You could have been great. We all know the stories about you and dear Gellert. He would spit on what filth you have drowned yourself in."

His laughter was hysterical with glee as he stood to his full height. Voldemort pointed his wand at his neck and his amplified voice washed over the battlegrounds, "See here! The great Albus Dumbledore with all his titles and acclaims dies at my feet. But before he goes, I want to send him away with a mutual friend."

Severus struggled to his feet, keeping Harry behind him. Voldemort rounded on them with his wand raised. A smile on his face that didn't match the sharpness of his gaze. Severus stood his ground. He had faced this tyrant for years without fail, he would not start now.

"Dear, dear, Severus. I truly cherished that sharp mind and your penchant for the dark and elegant. The epitome of a true spy, you are. You were meant to stand at my side in my new world order." Voldemort stretched his hands out gesturing to the space around them with an almost wistful gaze, ignoring the battle that continued to ravage the grounds. Then his eyes hardened once more, meeting Severus's and piercing them with his intensity. "Do you think they will let you live if they win this war? You who have stood by as your brothers and sisters have killed, tortured, and raped in my name. You who condemned your best friend, the woman you loved, to her death. You would be nothing without me. But to them, you are already nothing but the scum beneath their boots."

"Traitor!" Someone in the surroundings yelled out.

"Kill him!" Others joined in despite those further away continuing to duel.

Severus blocked out the words of his former comrades. His mind was running through every scenario of how this would progress. He had no hope to survive but if he could just buy enough time for one of the others to take Harry away, then it would be enough. He could already see Tonks and Remus moving around the periphery and rubble.

Unbidden his mind turned to Hermione. He had only caught a glimpse of her on the battlefield but she had looked formidable, furious, and as beautiful as ever. He wished that he had not broken the bond, if only for a moment to send her a silent goodbye. Severus would give anything to feel her fiery magic surround him and weave through his very being, one last time. But he didn't regret ending their bond as he took in the broken state of his body. Blood, bruises, and shattered bones were screaming at him for daring to stand on his own feet. Severus was thankful that Hermione would not know the pain he was in when he died. But he refused to die on his knees like a dog. He had let this demon dictate his life for too long. Death is not something to fear. He told himself. For Hermione, for Harry, for Albus, for Lily. I will not bow.

With a deep breath, he rose to his full height, embodying every element and characteristic that had earned him each insulting moniker and nickname. With an almost bored tone, he addressed his former master, "You pitiful creature. Will you never grow bored of your own voice? I have dreamt of this day since the moment your return became inevitable. The moment when I could tell you to your face how much I pity you. With all that you have had and all that was handed to you, there was no relief to your greed and thirst for approval. You can't bear to exist without an audience to worship you. Until your dying day, you will never be satisfied and eventually every single one of your followers will see how pathetically needy you are.

You may not die at my hands Tom, but remember this, fear of you is not the same thing as worshiping at your feet. If I can turn then so can all of them, and they will. Evil's only holding place is where its infection can spread and corrode. When there is nothing left it will turn on itself. You will fall, Tom Riddle."

Severus could tell from the throbbing vein at the Dark Lord's temple that he was furious to have been spoken to so casually and insultingly. It brought Severus a moment of glee. Only a moment. Tom had been too focused on him to see that Harry was already being secreted away. Severus's job was done.

"You will not be there to see it." The Dark Lord intoned, raising his wand like a whip. The bright green spell shot off like a cannon straight for him. Severus closed his eyes.


It took Ginny, Hermione, and two aurors, who were fighting nearby, to get Ron out from under the unconscious troll. She registered that there was an odd lull in the fighting and deduced that it probably had something to do with Tom's and Dumbledore's clash. But her current concern was Ron. Then she could worry about Severus and Harry.

Hermione barely held back her tears at the groans of pain that came from her best friend as they got him onto a levitating stretcher. If she hadn't acted so hastily then he could have gotten out of the way. Another layer of guilt was added to her mind as she handed over the healing potions she had to keep Ron stable until he could make it back to the Great Hall. A retrieval team was already on the way.

Hermione could feel exhaustion creeping in at the edge of her mind but she forcefully shoved it away. Rest would only give her time to ruminate over her guilt. From Colin Creevey's injury to the violent death of Dolohov, she could almost feel her soul aching. And now she had nearly gotten Ron killed. Had her desire to kill the troll caused her to put Ron's life in danger? Is that who she is now? She hadn't been able to look at Ginny since the moment the troll had fallen. Hermione was brooding deeply when she was roused back to the present. It surprised her when she felt the familiar slim hand of the ginger girl slip into her own and squeeze it reassuringly.

Before Hermione could apologize to the younger girl, Ginny gasped. Looking up she saw Ginny looking at something far past them. Whipping around Hermione was met with the horrifying reality of Tom crouching near a bloody and beaten Dumbledore. Seeing Harry and Severus on the ground, not far from the evil wizard, she moved on autopilot. Her every cell screamed in desperation to get to them. Scrambling over rubble and tripping over refuse as she closed the distance. Her other senses were dulled as she pushed all her focus into moving. She vaguely registered the voice of Tom as he extolled his success at killing Albus Dumbledore.

"See here! The great Albus Dumbledore with all his titles and acclaims dies at my feet. But before he goes, I want to send him away with a mutual friend."

Blind panic followed by a protective rage pushed Hermione forward. Tom was now turned to address Severus and Harry who had thankfully made it back to their feet. More Death Eaters were watching the spectacle, yelling barbs and cheering on their leader. Other Order members and soldiers were making their way toward the center point of the battle. Someone needed to get Harry and Severus out of there. When she turned her attention back to Severus she saw the subtle change in his demeanor as he stepped forward and addressed the dark wizard.

Nonononononononono! Hold on! I'm so close! Don't you dare get killed, Severus Snape!

The panic in her mind deafened all her other senses. With speed she didn't know the origin of, she crossed the land between her and the two men, willing her magic to reach out and manifest. The words they shared meant nothing to her as she dodged around enemy soldiers and her friends. She burst onto the scene the moment her rising magic seemed to breach the air around her suffusing it with heat and fire. Voldemort had whipped his wand around and aimed a bright green spell right at Severus.

Hermione did not hesitate to throw herself in the way of the spell.


A/N

So what do you think?

This was my first time writing fighting/battle scenes so it was a challenge.

I hope I didn't disappoint anyone and none of you are angry at the cliffy.

Love youuuu