Hermione Granger and the Paradigm Shift

Epilogue - Part 5

October 31, 1997

"The snake is dead," the doe Patronus proclaimed before quickly fading away. Snape had played his part. There was only one Horcrux remaining.

Voldemort had responded just as Dumbledore had predicted, descending on Hogwarts based on Snape's summons, preying on Harry's selflessness to sacrifice himself on behalf of his friends...to do the right thing. It was all so predictable.

She tapped out a message to Ron, doing her best to quell the shaking of her wand.

We're going. Make sure you're ready and don't worry about us. Just finish them.

As they made their way to the forest under the cloak Hermione willed her feet to keep moving forward, mentally repeating the mantra in her head as motivation to not turn tail and run with Harry.

Neither can live while the other survives.

She kept walking...kept moving forward...they were so close now. As they neared the clearing where Voldemort had summoned them she felt a tug on her hand. She steeled herself and turned to look at Harry.

Harry took the fabled wand out of his mokeskin pouch and placed it softly into her waiting hand. She felt a surge of something pulse through her body and reflexively gripped the wand tighter. It belonged to her now...both of them most likely. She was sure Ollivander would patiently explain how such a thing wasn't possible but she wasn't interested. They were the Neither, they were the Masters of Death, and they were going to fulfill the prophecy.

"Hermione-" he began before she abruptly cut him off. He'd promised

"Don't say it," she commanded. "Don't say goodbye. This isn't goodbye."

Harry looked like he wanted to continue but held his tongue, opting instead to settle on a muted nod of agreement.

"It's going to work, Hermione," he stated instead. "They always forget about you...take you for granted. It's going to work."

The damned tears had started forming once again but she quickly brushed them away. She'd allowed herself to cry in Harry's arms last night but now was not the time. It was time to end it. All of it.

"I love you," she whispered as he left the safety of the invisibility cloak.

"Me too," he replied softly as he continued walking forward.

She trailed behind him, stopping only when they reached the clearing. As all eyes immediately became pinned to Harry she realized that he had been right. Whether it was the remarkable magic woven into the invisibility cloak or they had simply underestimated her, they had no clue she was there.

Hermione watched and listened as they taunted and laughed at him, wholly unaware or unconcerned that Harry had purposely positioned himself upwind. They were merciless and cruel in their taunts before Voldemort ordered them to quiet. She'd expected to be terrified when she'd finally come face to face with the dark lord but the opposite had occurred. He seemed slightly pathetic...thoroughly desperate to enforce to his followers that he could not be destroyed.

She felt the wand in her hand stir to life, imploring her to act, to fulfill its destiny...to fulfill their destiny. Soon, she silently mused.