CHAPTER FIVE
THE HEROINE
Hermione Granger was in shock. Just a few moments ago her best friend died in her arms. WHY?! She screamed in her mind as she rocked back and forth hugging herself tightly. What was so important that he'd create a paradox and destroy his timeline? DESTROY HIMSELF! She broke into a new fit of tears and wiped her eyes angrily as she remembered the last few moments she'd spent with her best friend.
Harry did something she didn't expect. His eyes became fully unfocused and he looked directly ahead of him. He smiled lovingly at the floor and then spoke in a whisper. "I came back for you, Hermione. Now we have eternity to love ... each ... other ..." He whispered with more emotion than Hermione had ever heard from him and she trembled when he didn't take another breath.
"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."
Her eyes went wide with shock. "Harry loved me?" She whispered with astonishment. "W-why did he see me before he died?" She stood shakily as even more tears erupted from her eyes. She looked around the library and remembered why she'd come down in the first place but with the events that just happened, there's no way she could sit in this library and read.
Hermione walked slowly down the halls and just smiled quietly when someone congratulated her on her speech and her position as first of her class. She nearly stumbled up the stairs she was so lost in thought, analyzing the situation. She stopped and let out a gasp.
"I died?" She whispered to herself. "W-would Harry really do something like that to-to be with me?" She was certain that was the case. She started up the stairs again. I don't believe it! Why hasn't he said anything to me? Why did he take Ginny to the Valentine's Day Ball when I dropped all those hints?
Before she knew where she was, a familiar voice piped up.
"Password." The fat lady said in her usual way.
"Kneazle." Hermione said softly and the portrait swung open to reveal the entrance to Gryffindor tower. She was nervous, scared, terrified was more the feeling. She looked up and saw the three of them still on the couch and to her relief Harry was sitting next to Ron laughing.
"D-Don't tell th-the past m-m-me."
Hermione gasped when Harry's dying voice echoed in her mind. H-how can I not tell him? I tell him almost everything ... almost ... She thought desperately.
"Are you going to go in or should I stay open all night?" The fat lady asked irritably from the side. Hermione started.
"S-Sorry." She apologized quickly and climbed through the hole and into the common room. I-I'll just have to try and act like n-nothing happened.
"Harry, why are you still up?" She asked in what she hoped was a concerned way.
Harry seemed to shake off a daydream and looked up at her. "Hi, Hermione, did you find what you ..."
I can't handle this right now ... She felt more tears threatening to break free when she looked into his beautiful emerald eyes.
"Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost." Harry asked with concern.
Damn you! Why'd you have to go and do that for me? WHY?! She thought desperately and looked away quickly. "Of course I've seen a ghost, Hogwarts is crawling with them." She said quietly hoping it would sound offhanded. I need to get away from him ...
"You know what I mean, Hermione." Harry said with concern. He stood and put an arm around her shoulders.
"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."
She flinched when he started to direct her to a corner. NO! She screamed to herself and pulled away.
"What?" Harry said with confusion.
"Please, Harry, I-I really don't feel too well." Hermione admitted. "Y-you should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow ..." She trailed off then looked to Ron and then back to Harry. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow morning." With that she turned to the girl's dormitory and hurried away.
After she hit the stairs she ran to her room and threw herself into bed as the grief of losing the man she'd fallen in love with died in her arms. She cried in relief to see that he was alive and well downstairs. There were so many conflicting emotions she didn't know what to do. She hadn't read about situations like this in a book, she didn't like that her emotions were not as controllable as her knowledge.
Whatever Harry James Potter went through, or will go through, she knew she had to make sure that he wouldn't do it again. I'm not going to let you turn back time and destroy yourself in front of me again, Harry! She thought angrily. Great, the first stage of loss ...
Hermione sat up after what seemed to be hours. "It looks like Lavender and Parvati are still down at the party." She sighed quietly and got out of bed. "Sometimes I wish I could just talk to him but I can't this time ... I could talk to them, but this is too important." She walked to the bathroom with her pajamas and got ready for bed.
After washing her face, brushing her teeth, and twisting her hair into a loose ponytail, she made her way back to her four-poster and slumped into her pillows. She reached under them for her wand and a small, red, velvet covered book. There was a standard pen clipped to the cover and she opened her diary to a new page.
Dear Diary,
It's been a while since I've needed to talk. It's been so peaceful over the past year since Harry got back
from St. Mungo's that last time that I haven't worried about him much. Oh, I don't think I can write
what's happened but I can say that I really fear for his safety tomorrow. I don't know what possessed him to do
that for me but the bloody git isn't going to do it again if I can help it. I can't tell him what's wrong
this time, just like I couldn't tell him that I love him. I know I've never said why I do, well, I guess I
could, it couldn't hurt now that I know what I know.
She paused for a moment to wipe the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. Ok, calm down. She consoled herself. I'm going to have to request Occlumency training. She made a mental note and added it to her already long list of training requests.
Where was I, Oh yes. Remember after fifth year when Harry lost his godfather, Sirius? He was so devastated and angry. I remember telling him that I'd see him very soon after his blasted relatives picked him up. Oh how I wish I could have hexed them all right then and there! The look in Harry's eyes betrayed the smile he gave us, I could tell even then that he wasn't going to let himself get over this. He's put so much on his shoulders and takes the blame for too much that's out of his control. I wish he would just let me help. Mum and Dad picked me up a little while later, I never thought I'd dread going home. Those muggles don't let him do anything! I was so surprised that his Aunt Rang me a few weeks later! "You're his friend, Hermione, is it?" She asked. I told her I was and she almost begged me to come over to visit! I was beside myself.
"Did you see what Seamus was doing?" Parvati giggled irritatingly.
Hermione put out her wand and feigned sleep.
"Shh." Lavender said quietly. Her roommate tiptoed over to Hermione's bed and looked in on the sleeping girl. "I can't believe she's actually up here asleep!" She shook her head and pulled the covers up over her friend and closed the curtains around the bed quietly.
"I can't believe how she treated poor, Harry." Parvati whispered back. Hermione could hear the two pulling on their pajamas as they gossiped.
"The poor guy was heartbroken." Lavender whispered back. "If I had someone as handsome as him ..." She let that thought trail off and the two girls giggled irritatingly again.
Oh, Harry ... Hermione thought quietly. I'm sorry ... She lay awake until she could hear the quiet breathing of her roommates after their incessant gossiping had died down.
"Don't they ever shut up?" Hermione hissed under her breath. "LUMOS!" She whispered and pulled her blankets over her head so she wouldn't wake the others. "Where was I?" She whispered then quickly read over her passage and continued her writing.
You should have seen how bad he'd gotten. I can't believe how depressed he was! When I got there he didn't even look at me. I couldn't help but lose hope that I'd ever see him the next day, let alone standing by me at my wedding. He wouldn't respond to me for the first few days but he started coming around. I was surprised that the Dursleys even let me visit as often or as long as I did but somewhere in there I realized that I did love him and it wasn't some stupid schoolgirl crush. When he told me about the prophecy I nearly lost it! I mean to murder or be murdered?! What in the bloody hell?! I'm not going to let him face Voldemort alone, not if I can help it! I want to see him alive and by my side. I love him.
She lifted the covers and put out her wand. I know what I've got to do. She thought confidently to herself. Hermione rolled over and set her alarm clock for four hours earlier than what she needed to be ready.
"Harry, you're not going to sacrifice yourself this time." She whispered softly and fell asleep.
A few hours later, the annoying sound of her alarm clock rang out next to her and Hermione rolled over and tried to turn it off before her roommates woke up.
"What the bloody hell are you getting up so early for?!" Lavender moaned from her bed.
"Will you turn that damn thing off?!" Parvati groaned from under her pillow.
"Sorry." Hermione said apologetically as she finally got the alarm clock to shut off.
Without further word, she got out of bed, took a quick shower and got dressed for her busy day. She packed her things away and sped quietly out of the room and made her way to the common room.
"Nobody's here, looks like even the hard core party-goers either need food or sleep." Hermione smiled grimly to herself. She reached into her robes and pulled out a small pouch.
"Alastor Moody's Office." She said quietly and tossed a pinch of the floo powder into the fireplace. When the flames went green she stuck her head in with closed eyes. When she opened them she found a wand pointed at a spot between her eyes and the Auror that was pulled out of retirement at the wielding end.
"M-Moody! It's ok, it's Hermione!" She said quickly while trying to keep the tip of the wand from poking her in the nose.
"What the bloody hell are you doing flooing me so early in the morning?" Alastor growled at the young woman.
"I have some important information for you, Remus, and Dumbledore." She said quickly. "I need you to meet me in his office as soon as you can, it's very urgent."
Moody looked at the scared girl and nodded curtly. "Alright, I'll get Lupin and we'll be there in ten minutes. REMUS! IT'S GO TIME!" Moody looked at Hermione one last time. "Get yourself up to his office."
Hermione nodded and pulled her head from the flames.
"Who were you talking to?" Ron said sleepily behind her.
Hermione jumped and hit her head on the mantle of the fireplace. "RON! Don't EVER sneak up on people like that!" She spat at him while she rubbed her head.
"Whoa, take it easy, Hermione!" Ron said putting his hands in the air. "I was just walking back from the toilet. I was just curious is all."
Hermione looked at her best friend and sighed. "Sorry, Ron. You scared me is all."
"So who were you talking to?" He repeated.
"What? Oh, just telling Viktor the good news about graduation." She lied hurriedly. "He was excited, but I don't think his new girlfriend was happy to see another woman's head in his fireplace ..." She looked to the floor in an attempt to make it look like she was hiding a blush.
"Oookay." Ron said slowly. "I thought you didn't fancy him." Ron said skeptically.
"Ron, we are still friends!" Hermione said defensively. "How many times do I have to tell you that we still talk?"
"Ok, ok!" Ron said with a slight grin and patting his hands in the air. "I'm going to head back to bed. I guess you'll be in the library if we don't see you when we get up?"
Hermione nodded quietly. "Ron? Um ... How-how's Harry?" She asked tentatively.
"Well, I haven't told him anything, but after last night he's convinced himself that you don't like him for some reason." Ron admitted. "Don't worry!" He said quickly when she gave him a warning glance. "I didn't tell him that you fancy him or anything. I just reassured him that you wouldn't blatantly push him away without an explanation."
Hermione grimaced. I'm sorry, Harry ... She thought to herself. If you don't tell me, I'll tell you. She wished Ron a good night and made her way to the headmaster's office.
"Rainbow Sherbet." She said at the gargoyle statue and watched as it nimbly hopped aside. She stepped on the moving stairs and rode it to the top of the tower where Dumbledore's office awaited. She knocked at the door and heard her headmaster invite her in.
"Ah, Ms. Granger, please come in and have a seat." He smiled at her softly. "Moody here tells me that you contacted him a few minutes ago?"
Hermione nodded and gulped nervously. "I did." She said quietly. "I-I received a visitor last night and ..." She fought back the tears. "And he gave me a warning to pass on."
"Who was this visitor?" Dumbledore asked softly.
"H-Harry." She choked. "H-He used a time turner to warn me about Voldemort a-and the paradox k ..." She buried her face in her hands and fought desperately to stop the tears.
"It's ok." Remus said quietly and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You can tell us what happened."
Hermione took a few moments and after clearing her throat she whispered. "The paradox killed him. I watched him die in my arms." She choked out another sob but fought back the tears.
"What in the bloody blue blazes would he do that for?!" Moody growled angrily. "The blasted fool ..."
Remus put a calming hand on Moody's shoulder. "Alastor, calm down, it's obvious why." He whispered quietly and motioned to Hermione. She could hear them talking but let them continue.
"Blast it!" Moody growled again.
"Well, it seems that Harry has given us the upper hand in this conflict yet again." Albus said quietly. "Something's going to happen with Voldemort tomorrow, we're going to have to be ready."
"He said a few other things." Hermione said quietly then she repeated what she could remember, which was nearly the entire encounter. "I think that Bellatrix and Dolohov are the ones who are going to do something to Ron and me. He said we'd get the worst of it ..."
"Very well." Dumbledore nodded and placed his chin on his long, steepled fingers in quiet thought. "Moody, get everyone ready in the hearing room, we'll portkey everyone there four hours early. That doesn't give us much time, but it should give us more time to prepare."
"Sure thing, Albus." Moody walked over to Hermione and placed a gnarled hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Hermione, we'll beat Voldemort at his own game." With that he turned to the fireplace, whispered the destination and with a toss of floo powder he was gone. Remus smiled comfortingly to Hermione and joined his comrade on the trip to the Order's headquarters.
"Please let Harry and Ron know about the change in plans and I'll see you here in one hour." Dumbledore said tenderly.
Hermione nodded absently and left the office. Without making a sound, she made her way to the common room, and up the stairs to Harry and Ron's room. She opened the door slowly and stepped in. She looked over at Harry asleep in his bed and marveled at the innocence and worry free expression on his face. He rolled to his side and she stifled a giggle at the state of his raven hair. You look so sweet when you sleep. She thought dreamily then she remembered what'd happened over the past few hours and fought back another outbreak of tears.
She bent over Ron's bed and gently shook him awake.
"WASSAT!?" Ron jumped to a sitting position and looked around blurrily.
"SHH!" Hermione hissed.
"Hermione?" Ron asked quietly with a yawn. "What's going on?"
"We're leaving earlier than planned." She whispered. "You need to be ready in an hour. C-could you tell Harry?" She asked with a trembling voice.
"S-sure, Hermione." Ron said with concern. "Are you ok? You've been acting really strange since last night."
Hermione smiled lightly. "I'm fine, Ron." She lied. "I'm going to hit the library before we go. Be at Dumbledore's office in an hour."
She left the room quietly and covered her mouth to stifle the sobs that were forming in her throat again. I really need to learn Occlumency. She thought quietly.
After a quick breakfast and a scan through a few books, Hermione made her way to Dumbledore's office and sat in a chair, patiently waiting for Harry and Ron to arrive. Harry and Ron were soon ushered into their headmaster's office to take the portkey to the Ministry of Magic.
Hermione looked up at her two best friends and offered them a soft smile. When she met Harry's eyes, she glanced away and stood to get ready for the trip. After a second she glanced at him again and felt her heart drop at the defeated look on his face.
After each had grasped the discarded television aerial, Hermione and her friends were whisked through a familiar swirl of wind and color and found themselves standing in the very room that Harry had told her about. Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the rest of the Order were waiting patiently for their arrival.
"Wotcha, Harry?" Tonks said quietly with a smile. She crossed the room and gave him a quick hug.
"Alright, Tonks?" Harry asked with a slight smile after returning the hug.
Moody grunted his greeting and Remus extended his hand in greeting.
"How're you feeling, Harry?" Remus asked quietly.
"Ok, I guess." Harry said with a shrug and took the offered hand.
"You sure? You don't sound too good."
Harry nodded slightly. "It's nothing that can't be worked through."
Hermione glanced away when he looked at her and busied herself with a greeting hug from Tonks.
After they all greeted one another, they were soon on their way to the special section of the magical complex that was used specifically for the training of the wizarding world's enforcement service.
Hermione noticed that Harry kept glancing at her. She couldn't handle looking into his eyes after seeing him die in her arms and she'd glance away from him whenever he'd caught her looking. I wish I could tell him about what happened. She thought. Then I could get on with telling him how I feel ...
She looked over at Harry when she heard him sigh and she sighed herself.
Hermione was brought from his thoughts when they entered the Ministry proper. Moody had reached into his robes and pulled out a small mirror. He looked at Hermione with a gruff smile before putting it back into his robes.
Good! She thought with a smile. We were able to get here well before Voldemort! She couldn't help but glance at the man she was in love with.
"What was that?" Harry asked curiously.
"That's one of the tools that you'll be learning to use." Moody explained. "It's a portable Foe-Glass. I think you've already seen one."
Harry nodded. "After the Tri-Wizard Tournament when Crouch Jr. was masquerading as you."
"That's right." Moody smiled.
"Were you expecting trouble?" Harry asked quickly.
Hermione stiffened and looked pleadingly at Moody and Remus.
Remus and Moody glanced at one another then to Harry. "Not really, we are in the Ministry and we've changed our plans and mode of travel several times. Since we've left well before we intended originally, we figure there wasn't enough time for anyone to inform our enemies." Moody explained matter-of-factly.
"Ah, I guess it goes with the 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' that you so often speak of." Harry said with a wry smile.
Hermione stifled a giggle and relaxed when she realized they wouldn't tell him.
"You're learning, kid." Moody laughed gruffly. "In any case, we have to cross through the main lobby to the portal that will take us to the training grounds." He informed the three friends. "Once we get there ..."
Their new mentor was interrupted by an explosion at the front of the building. He whipped out the Foe-Glass and when he looked into it, his face paled.
"Blast it! This is too soon!" He shouted. "How'd they find out?!"
Harry looked over Moody's shoulder paled instantly.
"What is it?" Hermione asked concernedly. NO! NO! NO! She wailed in her mind.
"Voldemort." Harry said simply as he pressed his palm into his scar and fell to his knees. Before Hermione knew what was going on, Moody had grabbed her arm with one hand and Ron's with the other.
"Come on!" He said gruffly and literally pulled her with all his might.
"But Harry needs me!" She said desperately trying to get to her best friend.
"Remember what he said!" Moody hissed under his breath. "We have to be careful here and we can't follow him!"
She didn't have time to argue as Remus and Tonks both took one of Harry's arms and dragged him back to the lifts.
The commotion in the main lobby escalated as Aurors apparated on the scene, dropping what they were doing from their various tasks. Because Hermione had shared the techniques she developed for the D.A. and their magical galleons it only took one of a dozen coins to be activated and a sizable force could be called into action. The new program proved to be very successful today.
Moody was dragging her and Ron behind the receptionist's counter when inspiration hit Hermione.
"Moody! If they can't see us, they can't ..."
"Smart girl!" Moody said quickly and cast the disillusionment spell on the three of them. It felt like an egg had been cracked on her head and as the cold moistness of the feeling spread down her body, she noticed she was reflecting the terrain around her.
She looked to the lifts and without making a sound snuck towards them. Don't follow him?! RIGHT! She thought incredulously. She had made it to the lifts and stood next to Harry, Lupin and Tonks as Lupin hit the emergency call button. After a scant, few, agonizing seconds later, the car appeared before them. Hermione snuck into the car and hid against the wall.
"Get in, Harry!" She heard Lupin order. A second later, Harry was being pushed into the car right before an explosion and Lupin and Tonks were hit by what could only be called a meteor shower. Lupin's limp body slammed into Harry and knocked him to the ground, pinning him. Tonks landed face-first on the floor beside them and Harry was struggling under Lupin's body.
She cried out silently at the look on Harry's face when he saw the last of his father's friends. Lupin's eyes were closed and there was blood dripping from the back of his head. Harry seemed to struggle as he rolled the unmoving werewolf from off of him and scrambled for the controls to the car. He fumbled with the many buttons and in a fit of desperate frustration slammed one randomly. The car doors closed and he sunk to the floor as it made its way to the floor he had chosen.
Harry looked sadly at the limp body of Remus Lupin and reached down and felt the artery at the side of his neck. "He's still alive." Harry sighed in relief as he turned and checked on Tonks. She was breathing but still unconscious. Harry pulled his wand and performed the necessary healing charms to stop the blood loss from his friend as the car came to a sudden stop at his chosen destination. Hermione followed her determined friend when he stepped into the Department of Mysteries after sending the car to a new floor that was away from the fighting.
He looked around quickly and without another word chose a door. The bell to the car of the second lift chimed in a new arrival. Without looking back, Harry ripped open a door and ran through it in a desperate attempt to escape whoever was emerging from the opening doors of the elevator. Hermione followed as quickly as she could without making another sound and nearly fell when she heard someone shout behind them.
"YOU CAN'T HIDE, POTTER!" She heard Voldemort scream with fury from a mere two rooms behind him.
She didn't remember this room from their last visit to the department and from the look on Harry's face, he hadn't either. They were standing in front of an unfamiliar archway. Instead of a dark alcove, a doorway, or even a door, there was a white, billowing mist that was cascading from the top in a seemingly endless waterfall of clouds. Harry approached it tentatively and the mist slowly formed into a crystal clear scene. Hermione saw Harry stiffen and when she looked into the arch she nearly gasped. Godric's Hollow?! She looked at Harry sadly. Not there, Harry! She pleaded silently.
There were footsteps rounding the bend behind them and to her horror Harry stepped into the walled, overgrown garden of what used to be his parents' house in Godric's Hollow. She didn't have much time and followed after him just before Voldemort had stepped into the room and cursed.
"DISILLUSION!" Harry said as he tapped his wand on his head and within moments he vanished. Hermione moved towards the badly rusted gate that was hanging from it's top hinge and she settled down next to a dilapidated rose bush. A few seconds later the tall, black-robed presence of Voldemort made itself known.
"I know you're here, Potter!" He spat in his peculiar, high-pitched voice. "It's interesting that you fled to the very same place that I destroyed your family." He chuckled softly to himself. "Today, you join your dearly departed parents, Harry. Today we're going to end this once and for all."
Voldemort scanned the garden slowly and seemed to look right past his prey. Hermione sighed in silent relief when Voldemort scanned over her and he turned to look past a group of bushes on the other side of the garden.
"CRUCIO!" Harry shouted with what Hermione could only describe as primal rage. Voldemort contorted into a satisfying heap on the ground. Every appendage on the Dark Lord's body bent and twisted in ways that were completely foreign to a Human's normal form and function. The howls of pain and agony seemed to spur Harry into a frenzy of repeated castings of the cruciatus curse.
Hermione was stunned at the vicious attack but held her ground. They'd have to do some talking afterwards, but she knew that all the anger and depression Harry had built up was being released.
"Each one, Voldemort, each and every one is for the hurt and pain you've placed upon my friends, family, and me!" Harry said through gritted teeth. "Today is the day that I finally get to live my life without this damn prophecy molding me into fate's puppet!"
Harry sneered in derision when Voldemort looked at him with fear in his pleading eyes. "Mercy, Harry, grant me mercy, I beg of you! You're better than I am!" He cried with an outstretched hand to The-Boy-Who-Lived.
Harry! Don't, it's a trick! Hermione pleaded silently to her friend.
Harry glared incredulously at the creature panting for breath on the ground. "MERCY?! YOU ASK ME FOR MERCY?" Harry cursed him again. "YOU?! YOU WHO KILL WITHOUT IT! YOU WHO TOOK MY PARENTS, MY LIFE, MY FRIENDS?!"
"H-Harry, please." Voldemort panted desperately. "I-It wasn't me! It was the powers of the dark arts! They consume you with thoughts ..." He paused as he gasped for breath. "The ways of the dark arts overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop their evil ..."
The dark arts don't work that way! She thought desperately. Don't fall for it! She rose to her feet when she saw that Harry was contemplating just that.
Harry looked with disgust at the thing panting on the ground. "SHUT UP!" Harry howled as he grabbed the sides of his head.
Hermione looked in shock at the sight. What's he doing?
She didn't even see what Voldemort was doing she was so engrossed in what was happening to Harry. He seemed to come to and summoned Voldemort's wand to him. The core-mate to his wand flew through the air to him before the sickening figure could wrap his disgusting fingers around it again. In one deft move Harry caught, snapped the wand in two and then set the pieces aflame in a magical incineration.
He glared at the now kneeling Dark Lord. "If I show you mercy, Riddle, it'll be the day that I die!" Harry seethed with hatred and lifted his wand one final time.
Voldemort moved so fast it was a blur, he wrapped his arms around Harry and pinned the young man's own to his sides. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Harry's waist. Voldemort then began to constrict the last Potter like a boa constrictor and smiled evilly.
HARRY! Hermione shouted desperately in her mind. What do I do?! She looked around frantically for something to use as a weapon.
"You know ssssomething?" He hissed in Harry's ear as if he were indeed reptilian and not a man at all. "Thissss issss the ssssame way that your dear old da went." He laughed with a hiss. The pressure that Voldemort was exerting on Harry began to show its effect. Harry was struggling in Voldemort's death grip and howled in bestial pain.
Hermione's eyes started to fill with tears as she removed the disillusionment charm from her and brought her wand to bear on the Dark Lord.
"Oh, I'm going to enjoy thissss." Voldemort whispered dangerously close to Harry's ear.
Harry's legs gave out and his face was turning a dangerous shade of white. He screamed in such mortal agony that Hermione's heart broke just as her courage had started to build within her.
"Ahh, now issss the time." The one who was once Tom Riddle cried in terrifying ecstacy. "After thissss, I can't wait to ssssee what your young friend Hermione will be like in my armssssssss."
She looked up in shock before she could cast the spell. He's going to go after me when he's finished?! She couldn't believe it. She looked at Harry and started walking towards the two. I have to get into range!
Harry's head snapped up. "Y-you'll not ... touch ... her!" Harry wheezed desperately.
Voldemort laughed his high-pitched inhuman laugh as Harry went limp in his arms. "Oh, and You'll sssstop me?" He hissed in mirth.
"Yes, He will! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Hermione shouted from behind the entwined pair. Voldemort's look of surprise was frozen in place as his arms and legs snapped to his sides and he fell to his side, inadvertently releasing The-Boy-Who-Lived.
Harry looked at his friend as she helped him to his feet. "Hermione? H-How did you know I was here?" She looked at Harry and realized that he was dying ... again.
"I'll tell you after you finish this, Harry." She said shakily. "You're not looking too well."
Harry smiled gently at her and tilted to one side in her arms. He straightened himself as best he could and lifted his wand above his head. "This is goodbye, Riddle, enjoy your time in hell. AVADA KEDAVRA!" He shouted with all his strength and the familiar green light and rush of wind issued forth from his wand.
There was a look of abject terror in Voldemort's eyes just before the killing curse struck him in the chest then there was no further sign of life left. Harry leveled his wand and incinerated the Dark Lord as he had with the tyrant's wand.
"H-Hermione, I-I don't feel so good." Harry said with a slur. "I think I'm loosing t-too m-much blood." His knees buckled and Hermione tried to hold him up with everything she could.
"Harry, hold on!" She cried as she hoisted him up. "I need you to help me apparate you to St. Mungo's!"
Harry looked up at her and smiled weakly. "I-I'll try but it's h-hard."
Hermione looked into his face and saw him staring at her. His eyes were beginning to dull but she could see something there, a glimmer. She found it difficult to look away from his emerald eyes and she took in his entire face as she felt him take a deep breath.
"I love you, Hermione." He said tenderly before the whip crack sound that accompanied apparition filled the air.
Hermione was standing in the waiting room of St. Mungo's with a limp Harry in her arms. She looked down at his unconscious form and whispered. "I love you too, Harry."
Mediwizards and nurses began to swarm around them. "What happened?" A nurse asked hurriedly as she conjured a stretcher for Harry.
"Fight with Voldemort." Hermione said quickly as the surrounding medical personnel flinched at the name. "He's not doing so well, Voldemort crushed him like an anaconda or something."
"We've got it from here!" A mediwizard said quickly. "Another from the Ministry!" He shouted. "Operating Room! STAT!"
Hermione collapsed on the floor where she stood. "Please make it, Harry." She whispered to herself as tears began to streak down her cheeks.