Hate Me

Azusena

Rating: PG13
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 4
Published: 22/06/2006
Last Updated: 19/09/2006
Status: completed

Excerpt from Chapter One: He tore off his clothes and threw them in the fire, trying to get every trace of the other woman off of him, and then jumped into the shower, hissing as the water burned his skin. He gritted his teeth and forcefully scrubbed his whole body. He felt so dirty for doing this to her - she didn’t deserve this.

Chapters

1. Please Just Hate Me

2. untitled

3. The Final Battle

4. The Tower

5. You Hurt Me So Much

6. Defeat

1. Please Just Hate Me

Hate Me

A/N: I really hope you guys like this, it's one of my favorites! Thanks so much to my beta Trutonks for all her help!!!

He continued kissing her, even though it made him sick. He touched her, pretending not to notice the heart broken witch that had just walked in on them. He turned back to the whore in front of him and pushed her farther up against the wall, wrapping her legs around his waist.

“Damn I should do this more often,” he murmured, just loud enough for Hermione to hear. She ran, as he knew she would, then he pushed the girl off of him. He didn't know her name or anything about her. He didn't want to know.

The woman tried to kiss him again, but he pushed her away again, shoving a couple galleons into her hands.

“Get the hell away from me,” he said, watching her quickly stuff the coins into her too tight blouse as she left.

He immediately shut the door to the head boy's room and turned on the shower as hot as it would go. He didn't care if it burned, he felt he deserved it for hurting her; at least she would be safe.

He tore off his clothes and threw them in the fire, trying to get every trace of the other woman off of him, and then jumped into the shower, hissing as the water burned his skin. He gritted his teeth and forcefully scrubbed his whole body. He felt so dirty for doing this to her - she didn't deserve this.

He almost wished that they had never met, then she wouldn't be the same person and neither would he. She wouldn't have fallen in love with him and he with her, they would have never even have been friends, best friends. `It would have been better that way,' he thought, but he couldn't change the past, and a part of him didn't want to.

He thought of the saying, `Better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all,' and let out a harsh laugh. He had never disagreed with it more than right now. It was alright for him, he knew the truth and he knew she'd be safe, but Hermione probably wished she had never met him, never kissed him, never made love to him all those nights ago. He couldn't blame her, what he had done was awful, but he didn't regret it, not yet anyway, but then again, he still had something left to do.

He buried his face in his hands and all he could picture was her crying, her crying for him. He hoped that she would eventually forget him and get on with her life.

He turned off the steaming shower and grabbed a fluffy maroon towel from the rack. He dried himself off the best he could and then left the towel on the floor of the bathroom. He then went back into his room, shivering as the air hit his aching skin. He grabbed a pair of black pants and a grey t-shirt and put them on quickly and went down the head boy and head girl's personal common room.

He walked out of the room quickly, hoping to avoid everyone as he headed through the portrait. No such luck, however, because as soon as he walked out he saw Ron right in front of him. He pulled his arm back and soon all Harry felt was intense pain. He didn't even try to block the next punch. He deserved it with all the pain he put Hermione through.

The next punch landed on his right eye, smashing his glasses. Harry screamed in pain as the glass shards imbedded themselves around his eye. He looked up to see Hermione's pain filled face staring down at him, and then all went black.

He woke up the next day and learned from Madam Pomfrey that she had to put him to sleep to remove the pieces of glass from his eye. He grimaced and touched his right eye making sure it was still whole. Satisfied, he sat up, and then them memory of last night came back crashing back on him, and his shoulders visibly sagged.

“Can I leave?” he asked politely. Madam Pomfrey nodded and he left. He met Hermione in the hall and quickly took in the relieved expression on her face.

He sighed and wiped all his emotions off his face. When he looked up at her, she saw eyes not unlike those of Draco Malfoy, cold and calculating as if she weren't even fit to wipe his boots.

“What do you want?” he asked harshly, “I would think you seeing me with that whore would give you a clue.”

She gasped and her eyes filled with tears.

He longed to tell her the truth, but he couldn't. “What? You thought I loved you or cared about you?” he asked. “What a joke, I just figured you'd be fun to play with for a while.”

A sob ripped from her throat, but she made no move to cover her face. “This isn't you Harry what's wrong? Who are you?”

“Oh, it is me,” Harry replied, struggling to keep his face blank, “I just got tired of dealing with such a bossy know-it-all. Get away from me and go back to that hole you came out of.”

She ran again just like before. Harry knew she would figure out what he did, but not for a while, not until she had gotten over what he had said to her. Not until she had gotten over her heartache and he would be gone by then, long gone. It was for the best…

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2. untitled

A/N: Yeah I know it's really short and I'm sorry, but after I read all those reviews I just had to write more. I'm sorry if this is a little less angsty and stuff I just kind of started writing and this is what happened. There will be at least one more chapter that I will hopefully put out next week. (If not sooner) Sorry about all the errors that I'm sure are there I just really wanted to get this chapter out to guys so I didn't send it to my beta. Tell me what you think!

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Harry packed up his bag throwing in everything he was going to need, which wasn't much. He looked around the room going through a mental check list to make sure he had everything he needed. He hesitated when he saw the picture of him and Hermione sitting on the table by his bed.

It had been taken a couple months ago by Colin Creevey. There had just been a huge snow ball fight. After it was over Hermione had jumped onto Harry's back and shoved a huge snow ball in his face. Colin had gotten it right before that so it showed Harry's joy and surprise when she had jumped on his back then his look of shock as he got the snowball smashed in his face.

He grabbed it off the table and sat down heavily on his bed watching it over and over again.

Harry jumped as the door to his room slammed open. A red faced Hermione stood in the middle of the doorway glaring at him. He jumped up and took a step back too shocked to do anything else.

Hermione didn't give him time to react she strode up to him quickly and slapped him hard on the face. Harry's hand went up automatically to cover the spot that had already started to turn red.

“Harry James Potter,” she yelled causing the hair on his arms to stand on end. “You selfish bastard. As if I wouldn't figure it out! You thought you'd break my heart and turn Ron against you and we wouldn't come. I KNOW you Harry, sometimes better than you know yourself. There is absolutely no way you're leaving without me! I love you and I know you love me! I know you'd never do anything like that to hurt me unless you thought it would save me. Damn it Harry… do you think I'm stupid? Maybe if I didn't know you so well I would have bought it, but I've known you for seven years. I know what you're thinking before you do!”

Harry watched her pace around the room. Her voice thick with emotion as she yelled out all she was thinking.

Suddenly she turned around tears flowing down her beautiful face and walked back up to him. Harry flinched getting ready for another slap, but was shocked as she threw herself against his chest sobbing into his shirt.

Harry knew he wouldn't be able to convince her anymore. She'd figured it all out and she was right she did know what he was thinking before he did. Harry had been stunned when she told him a few months ago that he loved her and that she loved him too. Of course he had accepted it quite quickly when he realised that she was indeed right as always, he did love her.

He pulled her to him and buried his face in her brown bushy hair. When Hermione had stopped crying he led her over to the bed where the both sat down, emotionally spent.

“I'm sorry,” he said quietly finally breaking the silence. “I'm so sorry, Hermione.”

Tears started to run down Hermione's face again as she thought about Harry kissing that other woman. She was beautiful. Seeing her with Harry made all Hermione's insecurities seem so much more real.

She stood up and Harry grabbed her arm. “Please Hermione. Do you think you'll ever be able to forgive me?”

Hermione looked down at him and she remembered him yelling at her outside the hospital wing. She looked away quickly. “I… I don't know Harry, but I'm coming with you. You can't stop me.”

She looked up when she heard a harsh sob. Harry had let go of her arm and was turned away from her his head in his arms.

“I still love you Harry.” She whispered then walked away out the door of the Head Boy's Room and down the stairs.

Leaving Harry in the room wondering if he had just ruined the only love he'd ever had.

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3. The Final Battle

A/N: Alright, so here's that next chapter. Sorry about the mistakes but I did my best because I wanted to get this out to you guys sooner. I hope you like it and please review.

The Final Battle

Harry dodged curse after curse fighting his way to Voldemort. It had been nearly six months since the dreaded incident in the room of requirement and Harry thought about it nearly every minute of every day.

Hermione hardly spoke to him when it wasn't necessary. Ron and him had long since talked things over and become friends again, but Ron still spent the majority of his time with Hermione.

On a few occasions he had let it slip that Hermione still cried almost every night and that she still wasn't ready to forgive him yet.

As for Harry, he regretted ever doing something like that to her. He had left soon after their talk only to be stopped the next day by Hermione and Ron though Hermione didn't talk to him Ron seemed to know all she wanted to say and made sure Harry understood all of it. Needless to say, Harry soon was forced to go back to Hogwarts.

He knew Hermione was watching him constantly and when she couldn't she had Ron follow him around to make sure he didn't try to leave without them.

Harry was forced to break this train of thought as he neared Voldemort, dodging the many spells fired at him as he ran passed. He heard a scream and thought not for the first time that night that it could be one of his friends. He forced himself to keep going, knowing that he could not help whoever it was now.

He had to end this once and for all. Kill or be killed.

Harry could now see Voldemort. The cold almost inhuman eyes burned into him as he got closer and closer to his final destination. He swore as he got nearer seeing the many bodies that lay at Voldemort's feet and was filled with rage and sadness when he saw people he knew, a fourth year student that had been in the DA stared up at him with lifeless eyes. Terry Boot and Cho Chang were also among those who had died at Voldemort's merciless hand.

Harry gripped his wand tightly and his knuckles turned white as he stood in front of Voldemort. Neither moved for a moment then they both moved at the same time. Harry yelled a spell then rolled to dodge one that Voldemort sent at him. He stepped up quickly and the battle wore on. It seemed for a while that they were equally matched, but it soon became apparent that Harry was much more powerful than Tom Riddle. As cliché as it sounds Harry had love on his side and the power of all the people who loved him behind him. He bore down on Voldemort shouting, “Expelliarmas!”

Voldemort's wand flew out of his hand. Harry clutched a large gash in his side as he limped up to Voldemort staring down at him with hate filled eyes.

Voldemort started to laugh, a cold barking laugh that drew the attention of many on the battle field. Both sides stopped fighting almost simultaneously to see who would be the victor. It all came down to this.

Voldemort continued to laugh as he stared up at the boy, no the man, that had finally bested him.

“You won't do it,” he finally chocked out.

Harry smiled grimly as he looked down at Voldemort, “You're wrong.” He said then uttered the two words that would end Tom Riddle's life forever. “Avada Kedavra.”

Then Harry collapsed.

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4. The Tower

A/N: So here's the next chapter as promised… thank you to all those who reviewed last chapter and I'm sorry for the mistakes in this one and the wait. I hope you guys like it. Sorry it's short again. Please read my other story too, the one I just posted it's called An Unexpected Development and as always R/R! Enjoy!

Harry woke up in the hospital wing a week later with no physical injuries to speak of, that Madam Pomfrey hadn't already taken care of.

To his utter disappointment and alarm the only one by his bed side was Ron.

“Where's Hermione?” he asked right away panic evident in his voice. He started to get up, but Ron pushed him back down with a firm hand.

“She's fine,” Ron replied. “She did dislocate her shoulder in the battle, but Madam Pomfrey had her fixed right back up in about a half an hour.”

“But where is she?” Harry asked again.

“Ummm…” Ron staled looking everywhere, but Harry's face. “Well, I think she's in the library…”

Harry was already getting up when Ron finished, throwing on his clothes haphazardly.

Ron hesitated then said, “She doesn't want to talk to you, Harry.”

Harry stopped halfway to the door and turned back around his mouth formed a frown.

“Oh, yeah.” He said sagging against a nearby bed. “Do you think she'll ever be able to forgive me, Ron?

Ron shrugged his eyes on his best friend. “You hurt her, Harry. You have to earn her trust all over again.”

Harry buried his face in his hands. “Could you… could you just leave me alone for a little while, Ron?”

Ron nodded, even though he knew his friend couldn't see him and walked quietly out of the room.

**@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@**

“Alright, I called you all here because you all know and love Harry and Hermione and want to help them have the life they both want and deserve more than anyone.” Ron said looking around the room at the people he'd called to the room of requirement.

“What do you propose we do?” asked Lavender, looking up at her boyfriend.

Ron smiled. “I think we should lock them together in the tower.”

Seamus, Dean, Fred and George all grinned.

“What's the tower?” asked Parvati from the back of the room. “Surely you don't mean the astronomy tower, Hermione might throw Harry off.”

The inhabitants of the room chuckled.

“You'll see,” said Ron trying not to grin evilly.

**@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@**

“Hey, Harry,” said Ron walking into the common room a couple days later, “McGonagall asked me to get some things for the next lesson. You wouldn't mind helping me would you.”

“No,” Harry replied from a comfy chair by the fireplace. “It's not like I'm getting anything done anyhow.” He sighed and got up from his seat, shutting his potions book and setting it down at a near by table.

Ron led him up to the seventh floor down a hallway Harry had never been down before and it looked like in Harry's opinion that no one else had either, at least not in quite some time.

The passed quite a few doors until Ron reached one that in Harry's opinion looked the same as all the rest. He didn't know how Ron could distinguish this one from the others. Ron opened the door and Harry stepped inside.

“Bang!” The door shut and locked behind him and he cursed thinking it was just an enchanted door or something.

“Ron can you hear me?” He yelled yanking at the door knob and muttering every unlocking spell he knew under his breath. When none of them worked he cursed again.

“Go up the stairs, Harry and don't even try to break through the door. We, meaning almost everyone in Gryffindor house, Lupin, McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore all put all the locking spells we knew on it and now I'm going to put a silencing spell on it so yelling won't do you any good either.”

“Damn it, Ron! Let me out of here!” Harry yelled pounding on the door, but he received no answer. Finally he sighed and headed up the stairs not knowing what awaited him at the top.

A/N: Seriously, the time it takes me to update depends on the number of reviews so please please please review!

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5. You Hurt Me So Much

A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I couldn't figure out what to write and I've been practicing golf like crazy trying to prepare for try-outs in a week! It's no excuse though, I should have tried harder, it's not like I was practicing 24 hours a day. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this and I swear I'll get the next chapter up in a more timely manor. Big thanks to my littlest sister, who helped me with this chapter. She's got a great imagination, though she refuses to admit it. If you guys like the description of the room at all let me know and I'll make sure to show the review to her. So here it is, sorry it's so short.

Last Chapter

The passed quite a few doors until Ron reached one that in Harry's opinion looked the same as all the rest. He didn't know how Ron could distinguish this one from the others. Ron opened the door and Harry stepped inside.

“Bang!” The door shut and locked behind him and he cursed thinking it was just an enchanted door or something.

“Ron can you hear me?” He yelled yanking at the door knob and muttering every unlocking spell he knew under his breath. When none of them worked he cursed again.

“Go up the stairs, Harry and don't even try to break through the door. We, meaning almost everyone in Gryffindor house, Lupin, McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore all put all the locking spells we knew on it and now I'm going to put a silencing spell on it so yelling won't do you any good either.”

“Damn it, Ron! Let me out of here!” Harry yelled pounding on the door, but he received no answer. Finally he sighed and headed up the stairs not knowing what awaited him at the top.

**@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@**

Harry headed up the old wooden stair case cursing Ron under his breath.

He walked into a beautiful room with huge bay windows and fuchsia window seats in all of them. The walls were painted a dark violet with beaded fuchsia curtains, though it was hard to tell because almost every wall was covered by a large bookcase filled with assorted books ranging from The Goblin Wars to Magical Plants and Their Uses in the Muggle World. In short it looked like Hermione's paradise.

It only enforced this idea when he heard the familiar sound of a page turning. He looked around for the source of the noise and his eyes fell on the object of his current thoughts sitting in one of the big chairs by the fire, the girl who had been ignoring him for months, the one and only Hermione Granger.

She didn't seem to realize he was there for she kept on flipping through her book as if nothing was amiss. He took this opportunity to study her. She was thin, too thin he realized with a start. He hadn't seen her at meals in quite a while and he had figured she had gone down to the kitchens, but it was just like Hermione to skip meals so she wouldn't over burden the house elves.

Her hair had lost its usual luster and was lying limp on her shoulders and she had dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn't slept in months.

She looked, Harry realized, like he felt. It was as if his world had fallen apart without Hermione by his side and he hoped that it was the same for her, that she missed him as much as he missed her.

Harry cleared his throat, making his presence known. Hermione jumped, suddenly alert. She took one look at him and grimaced as if she had known this time would come, she looked away and she sat back into the large chair. Harry approached her cautiously and when she didn't protest he sat down heavily in the chair beside her.

They sat their in complete silence mulling over all they wanted to say. When it became apparent that Hermione wasn't going to say anything Harry sighed and Hermione's eyes immediately shot to him.

“I…” he started then seemed to change his mind, “Hermione… I don't know what to say. No… I know what I want to say, but there is just so much and none of it really seems right. I've missed you… so much. You have no idea how much it hurt when you weren't there when I woke up.”

With his words Hermione became angrier and angrier, “You have No right to play the wronged one here, Harry! You didn't see me pushed up against a wall kissing another guy! You treated me worse than Malfoy ever has, like I'm an ugly, completely worthless, book worm. Harry… I can't look at you without hearing those words. You hurt me so much that I almost started believing all that stuff, you said. My grades are dropping. I can't eat. I can't sleep. Whenever I managed to fall asleep I wake up crying. I… you were the first person that befriended me for who I was. Harry I loved you so much...”

“Loved?” Harry interrupted feeling his heart break.

Hermione sighed as a tear made its way down her flushed cheek. “I don't know anymore, Harry. You hurt me more than anyone else ever has.”

“I'm so sorry, Hermione. I just didn't want you to be hurt…”

She cut him off. “You didn't want me to be hurt? You hurt me Harry! I can't… I'm not sure I'll ever be able to believe you when you say you love me…”

She broke down and sobbed burying her head in her hands. Harry stood and hesitantly put his arms around her. He squeezed in beside her and pulled her into his arms. She didn't protest, but went willingly into his arms sobbing her heart out into his chest.

Harry just rocked her back and forth, loving that he could hold her in his arms again, but hating that he was the source of her pain and things may never be alright again.

She finally calmed down and fell asleep in his arms. When this position became uncomfortable, Harry carried her over to a bed that he was sure hadn't been there before and pulled back the covers gently setting her down her down before slipping off his shirt, shoes, socks and belt and slipping in next to her. She unconsciously moved towards him pressing her back against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her frail body pulling her closer to him as he quickly fell asleep.

A/N: Please read and review!

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6. Defeat

A/N: Here is the last chapter please review. Sorry for all the errors in it!

Harry woke up slowly blinking and taking in his surroundings, His body was curved protectively around Hermione's smaller one. They hadn't moved much from the night before. Harry's body was already reacting to hers and he pulled away with a quiet groan to use the restroom.

He walked around a second before a door appeared on a wall opposite the fireplace. He walked over to it and opened it to find a huge bathroom.

The floor was made up of dark blue, teal, and aquamarine tiles of all different sizes. The dark blue bath tub was almost as big as a pool and the shower was pretty big also. There was a room off to the side where the toilet was. He used it and went out of the bathroom again to find hot breakfast waiting for him and Hermione on a table in the middle of the room.

He immediately started over to the bed intending to wake Hermione up, but hesitated. Hermione was never really a morning person and judging by what happened last night she would probably be a whole heck of a lot worse this morning. His stomach groaned. He was so hungry. He looked for a clock and one appeared on the bedside table, it was already 11:00 in the morning. He hesitantly walked over to the bed he placed a hand on her shoulder.

It definitely wouldn't be appropriate to wake her up as he used to when she had slept in his room before. He was always the first one awake and to wake her up he would always kiss the back of her neck and shoulders so she would usually wake up in a slightly happier mood than she had before they had started dating. He missed those mornings. He wasn't sure if he would ever get them back.

He sighed and reluctantly shook her shoulder slightly. Hermione didn't take long to wake up as soon as he touched her, her eyes snapped open and Harry got the impression that she hadn't really been sleeping at all.

She sat up quickly glancing at him only once before making her way over to the table. She grabbed one of the plates and started to pile food up on top of it. He sat down beside her and grabbed a plate and started to fix his own breakfast. Unthinkingly he handed her the milk when she had finished putting a small helping of eggs on her plate just like he always used to do.

People used to comment on how they seemed to read each others minds when they were studying or eating a meal. They would always know what the other needed before they even knew it themselves.

Hermione took the milk from his hand and poured it into her glass handing it back to him when she was finished.

Hermione ignored him all through breakfast and when she was finished she stood up without a word and went into the bathroom.

Harry heard the sound of the bath being filled up minutes later and decided to find something to do. As soon as Harry stood up the plates on the table disappeared leaving two toothbrushes, one pink and the other blue in their wake.

Harry shrugged and grabbed both; he walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

Hermione didn't answer so he knocked again this time a little louder, “Hermione do you want your toothbrush?”

He heard a sigh followed by, “Yeah, come in.”

Harry opened the door hesitantly sticking his head in. Hermione was sitting in the huge bathtub surrounded by bubbles reading a book. She looked at him when he came in. Harry gulped and repeated what he said before, “Do you want your toothbrush?” He held up the pink toothbrush.

“Yeah, just leave it there.” She replied pointing to the counter.

Harry stared at her before setting the tooth brush down. He had never been this close to Hermione when she was naked. Sure they'd fooled around a little bit, but they had never taken off any clothes or anything, except both their shirts once when they got a little carried away, but that was it. Hermione wanted to wait until marriage to make love and he respected her decision.

Perhaps that is why it had hurt Hermione so much to see him with his hands up another girl's shirt. She must have thought he was just doing it because he couldn't get her to have sex with him and he needed a release. She was already so insecure about her body and to see her boyfriend feeling up an anorexic slut must have about killed her.

Hermione had always thought she was plain and not worthy of being loved and he had just proved her belief. He did love her, but he had betrayed her just like everyone else he realized; he was just like everyone else.

“Oh my God, Hermione I'm so sorry!” He said finally.

Hermione stared at him for a second trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about.

Harry continued, “All this time I didn't realize how you felt. Hermione I love you. I love you so much and I know you better than anyone in the world and I unknowingly picked the thing that would hurt you more than anything else. I don't think you realize that I didn't mean to hurt you that much. I just wanted you to stay safe. If anything ever happened to you… it would kill me Hermione. I would give up my life for you and I know if I ever saw you up against a wall moaning as some other guy had his hands up his shirt that it would kill me.”

Hermione had tears running down her face, but Harry still had more to say. “I don't know if I'll ever get you to forgive me Hermione, but I won't stop, not ever. There is no me without you. I haven't been able to anything without you in my life, days just keep going by and I don't care. I just want to die; my life is pointless. I haven't done my homework in months. I've tried to act normal and do my homework and stuff, but it's pointless. I might never be able to catch up. I sleep, but I have nightmares every night. I hardly ever talk to Ron anymore except to ask him about you. All I can think about is you. I need you, Hermione.”

Harry stopped and stared at her a second before turning around and walking out the door. He walked over to the entrance to the tower and tried the door knob again. It was still locked. Harry closed his eyes and felt all the locking spells on the door, taking a deep breath he took in all the energy and magic from those spells. He pulled it back until he had almost a wall of energy the size of the door visible only to him. He took another deep breath and thrust the energy outward towards the door destroying it easily.

He set up an illusion of a door in its place so no one would go in while he wasn't there and strode quickly through the hallway toward Gryffindor Tower. It was about the middle of fourth period so no one was in the hallways.

He walked into the common room without seeing anyone and hurried up to his room. He searched through everything before finally finding what he was looking for wrapped in his invisibility cloak.

He stuffed it in his pocket and headed back down the stairs and out of the portrait back to the tower. He passed through the illusion easily though he was sure he was one of the only ones who would be able to do so.

He sat down on the couch just in time to see Hermione come out in a fluffy white bath robe. She looked toward the bed and an outfit appeared on it. Harry couldn't see what it was from his spot on the couch, but he could see Hermione wasn't exactly happy about it. She groaned and picked it up before walking back to the door again she grabbed the door knob in attempt to open it but it wouldn't budge.

She looked as if she was about to scream instead she groaned out loud. She turned around and seemed to weigh her options looking at Harry as if sizing him up.

Finally she sighed as if in defeat and stalked over to the far corner of the room.

“Will you please turn around while I get changed? I can't get back into the bathroom, the stupid door locked itself!”

Harry nodded and turned around fighting the urge to glance back real quickly.

“I'm finished,” she announced finally. Harry turned around to see her dressed on a pink and black very short slip. (Think 13 Going on 30 People!)

“The room took my clothes and I couldn't get it to give me anything more than these ridiculous slips.”

Harry eyed her up and down. It was anything but ridiculous in his opinion. She crossed her arms over her chest trying to hide what the low cut neck line had revealed.

She sat down in a chair near him and looked at him expectantly as if she knew he had something more to say.

Harry cleared his throat, “Hermione this is the only way I can think of to prove I really do love you. I got this before I decided to go off and fight Voldemort.”

Harry pulled out a scarlet jewelry box and handed it to her. Hermione opened it slowly; the box held one of the most beautiful rings Hermione had ever seen it had a white gold band with a large diamond set in the middle. On the sides were two slightly smaller rubies with tiny diamonds surrounding them. Hermione gasped.

“It was my mother's engagement ring,” Harry explained quietly. “I got it out of my parents vault when I was in Diagon Alley one day and I've kept it ever since. I was going to ask you to marry me right after graduation, but I wanted to beat Voldemort first.”

“It's beautiful, Harry,” Hermione said tears pooling in her eyes.

They sat in silence for a moment before Hermione said what she had wanted to say all day, “I know you love me, Harry. I'm just scared. I really don't want to lose you.'

Harry almost smiled; there was still hope. He stood up and pulled her into his arms where she started sobbing into his chest. He sat back down again and held her tightly in his arms much like the night before.

“You're not going to lose me, Hermione,” Harry whispered into her hair slowly rocking her back and forth in his arms. “I won't die. I can't die with you still here. I refuse to leave you alone. He won't beat me, Hermione.” For the first time Harry actually believed what he said. He would defeat Voldemort and come back to Hermione.

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Hermione dodged curses left and right trying to knock out as many death eaters as she could and save her friends. She knew just as it happened, the earth shook slightly and all the Death Eaters fell to their knees screaming out in agony. It was something that would haunt her for the rest of her life. It seemed to go on forever, the screams of pain and suffering. She saw people on the light side collapse sobbing just listening to the screams.

When it stopped there was only silence no body moved or spoke or cried out to God. Everyone was just silent. A few seconds later the silence was broken by screams of horror as all the death eater's bodies caught on fire and burnt down to ashes to be blown on the wind.

Hermione turned and ran then knowing instinctively which direction she would find him in. Twice she tripped over dead bodies and stared into their empty, lifeless eyes and once she had to stop to throw up when she saw the remains of a small boy that had been mutilated by the curses from a death eater having fun.

She could almost picture a tall dark figure in black robes standing over the helpless child and laughing as the boy cried out in pain and misery with each and every curse before the death eater grew tired of him and killed him with a flick of his wand.

She kept going until she reached the woods. She had to avoid the myriad of other bodies as she ran through the woods in the direction of a clearing she knew was just up ahead. The signs of a lengthy and gruesome battle were everywhere and in the center of all the debris was Harry.

He looked every inch like a lost child with nothing else left in the world. He was staring at the ashes that were the only thing that remained of the dark lord.

Hermione entered the clearing; accidentally stepping on a twig as she walked towards him. It made a loud crack and Hermione suddenly found herself looking into Harry's bright green eyes that had seen far too much for his age, but then again they all had. He had his wand pointed at her throat.

The wand dropped. He stared at her as if not believing she was real.

Hermione looked him over. She didn't know how he had gotten to her as fast as he did. It wasn't humanly possible as far as she was concerned and he shouldn't have even have been able to stand up with as much blood as he had lost and the amount of injuries he had. His shirt was torn open to reveal a large ugly red gash that went from his shoulder to his hip. His right arm looked to be broken and his left knee was turned at an odd angle, there were various other cuts and bruises all over his body the worst of which was a large gash on his head that was bleeding profusely, but then again she had her own share of injuries perhaps the worst were her broken left wrist and large slash across her abdomen that would definitely leave a scar.

Hermione threw her arms around Harry careful not to hold him to hard or to bump her own wounds.

Harry wrapped his arms around her too burying his head in her shoulder as he sobbed. Hermione cried too. They both cried for the loved ones they knew were lost forever, but they also cried out of joy that the war was finally over and they had won. Harry pulled back and kissed her deeply still crying.

“I love you, Hermione,” He whispered.

“I love you too, Harry.” Hermione answered him.

It was finally over.

The End!

A/N: Wow I finished two stories in one day! I'm so sorry for the wait on this one as I said in the A/N for my other story my computer has been broken and this was the first chance I've had since the beginning of August to post it. Again I'm really sorry. I hope you guys like it! I probably won't write an epilogue for this one, but if enough people want one I might just be able to do a little something.

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