An unspeakable fury shone in her brown eyes and with great difficulty, she rose to her feet, not allowing herself to look back at the boy on the ground- refusing to let her eyes stray to the body of her dwindling family.

Hermione's chest was heavy and racked with guilt. Her job had been to save people. Yet, someone who had been incredibly important to her was no longer breathing. His inanimate body flashed in her mind every time her eyes closed, as if it were permanently burned into her retinas.

Momentarily, she wondered if she could face the Weasleys if she survived the fight. Hermione didn't want to witness George's broken face or hear the grief-stricken cries of Mrs Weasley. It shattered the Gryffindor's heart at the mere thought of the Weasleys in mourning for one of their own.

************

A cold breeze swept over the castle, reaching every crevice.

Involuntarily Hermione shivered, causing the grip on her wand to tighten slightly as she crept through the deserted corridors. On instinct, her body froze, and her wand rose impulsively as two figures approached her, hands clasped together.

"Remus? Tonks?" she questioned.

The sound of a new voice in the deafening silence made their arms jump up, wands held defensively. For a tense moment, Hermione stared back at the duo- her heart hammering against her chest dangerously fast, they were alive. A grin broke out on the older girl's face, her shoulders relaxing as she stepped forwards and engulfed the Gryffindor into a tight hug. Hermione barely realised how much she needed it. "You're alright." Tonks mumbled into her hair, and a rush of emotions bubbled up inside of Hermione; she found herself blinking back tears.

Now wasn't the time to be emotional, she scolded herself.

"Good to see you." commented Remus, offering a weary smile. Hermione returned it gratefully as Tonks released her, "It's good to see you too." She replied, before gesturing with her head for them to follow her into the rest of the ruined castle, not wanting to continue alone.

************

Suddenly, Remus grabbed Hermione's shoulder, making her tense up. Tonks' face was pale as the sound of footsteps grew closer. They were quickly accompanied by a low cackle, and Hermione's hair stood on end as her eyes settled on the Death Eater approaching them.

"Well, well, well." Came an unfamiliar, male voice.

Hermione's heart sank in her chest, now she desperately wished Remus and Tonks were far away from the dingy corridor and that she hadn't acted so selfishly- I should have gone on alone. "Look what we have here." He mused, a taunting undertone to his words. Hermione met the sneer on his lips with a cold, hard look. "A werewolf, blood traitor and a mudblood."

"Look who has eyes." She muttered, brandishing her wand. Remus and Tonks followed suit, flanking the younger girl on either side. "Little girl thinks she is so brave." He chuckled.

Before another word could pass his lips, Hermione had whispered her spell. Remus blinked in shock when they collided with the wall before crashing to the ground.

No sound came from anyone as Tonks and Remus shared a meaningful look behind Hermione, who's arm dropped to her side. The Death Eater struggled to sit. The quickness of the younger girl's reaction frightened Tonks slightly, but astounded her all at once, few aurors could have beaten her. Remus watched her with sad eyes, the growing feeling of pity unfurling in his chest. He wasn't wondering how she was so able, but the much sadder question- why she had to be so quick and calculated, but he unfortunately knew the answer- war.

A curse flying towards them broke Remus free of his thoughts. "Avada Kedavra!"

The world turned into a blur of blacks and greys. Hermione stared the curse head on, its green light illuminating her face, there was only relief.

Then suddenly, she was hurtling to the ground. As she landed on the flagstone floor, there was barely any oxygen left in her lungs. Gasping and disoriented, Hermione wondered what happened when the cry of Tonks crashed through her dazed state. Please not another one. Risking a glance to her left, Hermione screamed in outrage.

The body of her professor, her friend, was lying motionless beside her.

Every emotion she had pushed down while running wildly down corridors came rushing out in waves of tears and strangled sobs. It was a like a dam being broken into pieces.

Shaking, Hermione looked up to Tonks, a woman barely older than herself. The usual, cheery grin was gone, and the bright vivid hair was now void of colour. Wordlessly, she stared down at the love of her life; it looked as though he were merely sleeping. But the familiar rise and fall to his chest was gone, and his seemingly endless heartbeat now finally came to rest.

Weeping, Hermione dragged herself to his body and gripped his sweater tight into fists, "Wake up." She begged, vision blurring. "Please..." Her voice softened and cracked at the end. Tonks slowly turned around, a surge of anger flowing through her. "Get out of here 'Mione."

"What?" Gasped Hermione, still holding Remus' lifeless body. Her heart ached to offer some form of comfort, but her mind drew a blank. "Go." Tonks ordered, sparing a glance back at her husbands' body and the frail girl beside it.

The Death Eater slowly got to his feet- a sadistic smile sneaking upon his face.

"Now!" bellowed Tonks, stepping between the body of her husband and his murderer.

Unsteadily, Hermione rose to her feet with the help of the wall and stumbled away. As she turned the corner, her legs seemed to wake up and she broke out into a run. The urge to cry and scream was almost overwhelming- she had failed two people. All she hoped and prayed for now, was that Harry and Ron would make it out alive.

And not as one of the dead. She didn't think her heart could take it.