The Last Breath

Chapter 1

The battle had just broken out. The death eaters where headed for the tower and at the first sound of danger Hermione and Ron drank the liquid luck as Harry had advised. Leaving some on Ginny's bedside table, Hermione rushed down into the common room with her wand in hand. She knew what was happening and she knew who was responsible. It wasn't his fault, if he didn't do it his parents would be killed. He didn't care much for his father but he would never forgive himself if his mother died for his actions of lack thereof. "Ron we need to get out there, I'll go to the astronomy tower, you help any other students that got out and make sure that the younger years stay out of this!" Hermione said as she dashed out of the common room.
She had to find Draco, he promised her he wouldn't go straight to the tower. He would meet her somewhere and when it came down to it she knew where he would meet her. It took her a matter of minutes to get to their hidden meeting spot. He was there, white as a sheet. "Hermione, as much as I wish I didn't have to do this now, there is no better time than to do this and I just have to do it," he paused took a deep breathe. For a second she thought he was going to obliviate her of all their memories together. Instead of pulling out his wand he got down on one knee and pulled out a black velvet box. Her eyes widened and her hands flew to cover her gaping mouth. She had known from the beginning he was the one. "Hermione, from day one of meeting you I knew you where the one, we were eleven then and I had to be mean to you, last year you gave me a chance and you gave me someone I could confide in. You gave me your trust even after everything I've had to do, I love you from the bottom of my heart and I want you to know that in case one of us doesn't make it out of this war. Will you marry me Hermione Granger and do me the honour of running my family's bloodline?" He said with a smile. Hermione nodded vigorously, at a loss for words.
Using wandless, wordless magic he opened the box to reveal the most slytherin ring he could have gotten her. The silver band was shaped like two snakes wrapping themselves around each other and holding in the middle of the ring a gorgeous natural black diamond. One snake had tiny emeralds for eyes while the other had rubies. Draco slipped the ring, which was a perfect fit, onto Hermione's finger. He stood pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and smiled solemnly. "We need to get out there, stay safe love," he muttered into her ear. "We will make it out, I promise," Hermione said as he walked away.
After a moment of getting over all the excitement she ran to the astronomy tower, where she knew her boyfriend, no fiance, would be. The sight before her made her heart shatter. Draco still pale as a sheet stood before their headmaster with three death eaters behind him. His hand shaking. Dumbledore's wand lay discarded besides Draco's feet. He had disarmed him before she arrived. She slipped into an alcove when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. "Do it Draco," the women she recognized to be Bellatrix Lestrange hissed in his ear. Her heart shattered as he raised his wand higher. Just then Snape burst through the door pushing Draco to the side. "Please, Severus," Dumbledore muttered. It wasn't clear to Hermione at the time but she knew it wasn't the plea for life. He was close to death already. Snape raised his wand and drew closer to Dumbledore. "Avada kedavra," he said in his usual drawl. The headmaster fell backwards and off of the astronomy tower. The four older death eaters left. Leaving Draco, Hermione and a hidden Harry alone. Harry revealed himself for a moment to Draco and dashed down the stairs. "I'm sorry Draco," Hermione muttered leaving her hiding spot and moving closer to him. "No Hermione, I'm sorry you had to see that. I know how much you look up to Dumbledore and yet you had to watch a man he trusted kill him to save a teenager from becoming a murderer," Draco said looking down. "Neither of you had a choice, and listen to me when I say this Draco, we will survive this war and we will get married. That's a promise," Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a quick kiss. He responded briefly before the pair had to pull apart and leave the tower. Hermione went first wand in hand. As she left she let a single tear fall. She shouldn't make promises like that. They where on opposite sides of this war and no one could predict who would die.
Hermione found Harry crying over their old headmaster's body. She couldn't comfort him yet and instead ran into a duel with Luna and Ginny against the werewolf Fenrier Greyback. They three managed to stun him long enough for them to get out of there. Death eaters where fleeing out of the front gate of Hogwarts. She caught a glimpse of Draco being pulled away by Snape. Harry had ran over to fight Snape and Draco caught her eye. He flashed her a sad smile before being pulled of the grounds by a Death eater.
The golden trio sat up on the astronomy tower. Harry was the most distraught, Ron looked sick and Hermione, well she was doing a good job at hiding all her emotions. Everything was so hectic for her. Her boyfriend of nearly two years had proposed before right as the battle was starting, she had watched her headmaster be murdered by a man he had trusted, her friends brother had been mauled by a werewolf, what could be her last kiss with her fiance had happened in that very room. As her mind wandered she twisted and played with the ring Draco had given her. She smiled sadly at the memory of his proposal. They both knew how dangerous dating would be when they first started dating. They knew they should have broken up when Draco was forced to take the dark mark. They knew they should have broken up when Draco was tasked with killing Dumbledore but they didn't. Their love was too strong and Hermione wouldn't let something he couldn't chose destroy their happy relationship. Even when Draco's friend Blaise found out his support made it that bit easier.
"Hey Hermione are you ok? You seem distracted," it was Ron, worrying for her again. "Its complicated, I've hidden something from the two of you for a long time and now it's dangerous. Well even more dangerous," Harry looked perplexed but Ron took a moment to look over everything he could remember. "Ok this may seem wild but hear me out, you've been dating someone in secret, someone who proposed today by the looks of the ring on your finger and it's someone on you know who's side," Ron said after a moment of evaluation. Harry went to say something but was interrupted by Hermione, "you are absolutely right, he proposed earlier and we have been together since fifth year. I'm sorry I hid it from you but we thought it was for the best," Hermione said Harry looked completely shocked. He had never been one for picking up on details. "How did you work it out?" She asked. "I've had my suspensions all year, you would say you where going to the library to do a certain piece of homework but would either leave behind an important part of the homework or I would see you starting it later in the common room," Ron said. "Well in fifth year I was more careful, this year I was too concerned for him and our relationship to make sure my alabies added up," Hermione admitted. She let our a sigh and looked across the beautiful landscape. The sun was rising now and it looked peaceful. Fawks flew over their heads and away into the mountains. "Everything's going to change now isn't it?" Hermione said looking at her ring again. She heard two burners if agreement. "We will have to go into hiding and we will need to find the rest of the horcruxes," Harry said. He pulled out the locket he had retrived while he was with Dumbledore. "We should get some sleep, I don't know about you guys but I've had a crazy night and morning," Hermione said getting up and going to her dorm room on the opposite side of the castle. She saw some of the damage the death eaters had caused and knew that everything would change soon enough.