Part Two

Disclaimer: JKR owns it all.

A/N: There are dark themes and actions in this last half to the series. If the warnings bother you, don't proceed.

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“Come with us,” he implored, his eyes burning into hers. He didn’t need to speak for Hermione to understand him. He wanted to protect her; he’d use his influence to shield her from harm.

She shut her eyes, oblivious to the faces around her.

“Give up, Mrs. Snape,” Percy drawled.

“Oh, is that all you’re good for, Percy? Being the Ministry’s prime bitch?” she asked sharply, snapping out of her reverie.

“You committed a heinous crime, Mrs. Snape,” Percy said haughtily. “If you think you can get out of it…” He looked pointedly at Harry. “…you’re wrong. The Ministry doesn’t pardon criminals.”

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“She’s a hero!” Harry spat. “A hero as you will never be!”

“A hero who just murdered a man in cold blood! It was the Avada Kedavra – surely you haven’t forgotten that what was Unforgivable before is ten times as worse now!”

Harry clamped his mouth shut. He stared at Hermione, begging her.

Hermione looked at Percy straight in the eye. “You have taken my life away from me,” she said quietly.

“I hardly think that a traitor to the Light…”

“Crucio!” Hermione screamed, seamlessly pulling her wand out of thin air.

She Disapparated away from the onslaught of curses thrown at her, reappearing in the same spot a minute later.

“Enjoy that, Percy?” she asked the man writhing at her feet. “I did.”

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In the commotion, Harry and another Auror named Greengrass had valiantly kept their comrades from killing Hermione upon her reappearance.

“Hermione,” Harry said through gritted teeth, frustrated. “Come with us.”

“And do what?” she asked, briefly noticing the cease of Percy’s tremors. “Go with you, Harry, and perhaps escape prison? Even if that happens, what would I do? The love of my life is gone. Don’t you understand? Severus is gone because Ministry officials, even in victory, were too cowardly to execute a Malfoy. He is gone, Harry, and I have nothing to live for.”

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“Yes you do!” Harry insisted, realizing the gravity of the situation. “You have us!”

She stared at him, understanding. “I love you. I love Ron. But the pain in my heart is too great. You cannot possibly understand! I feel as though I’ve been ripped in two. A Dementor’s Kiss could not be worse.”

She gazed down at the wand next to her. “He’s gone,” she said quietly. “I’ve achieved any purpose I could have had in this life… I fought with you.” She gestured to Harry. She was oblivious to the Aurors mesmerized by her passion. She only had eyes for her friend.

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“I fought with you,” she repeated. “I stood by you, I bled for you, I killed for you. So that we could have a chance,” her voice choked. “I accomplished my purpose in the war. If I had been set on this planet for that one purpose, it was completed when I was barely nineteen. Then I fell in love with Severus.” Her eyes warmed for a moment, and then glazed over. “He was my partner in every way, the only man I could ever have been prevailed upon to marry. The only man I’ve ever wanted to marry,” she whispered.

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“Our research has culminated in an advanced version of Wolfsbane – a cure, if you will,” she continued, gesturing helplessly. “Any further purpose I could have been put here for outside of the war has been completed. I found a cure with the man I loved. And the man I love is dead. As I will most assuredly be after I’m convicted for avenging his murder. Even you can’t protect me.” She looked at Harry. “I love you and Ron. Tell him that,” she said quietly.

“Hermione…” Harry started.

“I want to be with Severus,” she said, a tear slipping. “Avada Kedavra!” She pointed her wand at her temple and fell limply to the ground.

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A/N: This challenge was truly a challenge for me – I usually write happy-ending type stories! I participated in this challenge to prove to myself that I could write dark, angsty work. Any thoughts or comments you may have are appreciated.