Disclaimer: looks at self. Nope I'm not an amazing rich author who created harry potter…sigh…

A/N: this is my first fan fiction. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. Please read and review. No flaming. If you don't like something you can say it nicely. Ill shut up now. Enjoy!

What Could Have Beenchapter 1

Hermione POV

It was late at night. I woke to a white glow that was illuminating the tent. The reptile stopped in front of me and spoke a single word, "follow". It slithered away but I remained were I was. I wanted to follow it out of the tent but was reluctant. We had gotten ourselves into enough traps as it was, and I didn't recognize the snake patronus. It came back a minute later and said again, "follow". Again it slithered out of the tent. This time I followed it to the tent entrance to see where the magical light was leading me. It stopped twenty feet away then disappeared. At first I was confused then I heard it, the sound of footsteps on the forest floor. I heard a twig snap and instinctively took out my wand. I was just about to cast a stunning spell when the person came into the clearing. "Harry!" I let out a gasp of relief. But when I saw who was following him my face fell. It was Ron. Ron who ran away. Ron who left us. And he was carrying the sword of Gryffindor and they were both soaking wet.

After I calmed down enough to talk to Ron I couldn't help but ask. The question had been on my mind ever sense Harry found him and brought him back. "Ron, what animal is your patronus?" the random question caught him off guard, but I could tell he was trying to hide a smile. At least we could talk without me slapping him for the first time in what seemed like weeks. "A Jack Russell terrier, why do you ask?" "No reason, just curious". I knew that Harry had the stag so I didn't need to ask him. That night I lay in bed, unable to sleep. I kept wondering who we knew that had a snake patronus that would be willing to help us but no one came to mind. Witch left the question, if Ron didn't cast it, who did?

My body ached. I was covered in my own blood. The stone floor was cold against my cheek. The only thought in my mind besides the pain was I have to get out of here. Find Harry and Ron and leave the manor. However, leaving the cold dark house seemed near impossible. With no wands and the three of us separated we would be lucky if one of us got out alive. The dark haired witch standing above me raised her wand preparing for another Cruciatus Curse. Or possibly the killing curse. Maybe I was lucky and she was board of me. At least death would put an end to the pain that seemed infantine. "That's enough Bella. I think she will answer you now. Besides you can't get a decipherable response if it comes out in screams. And to be quite honest the mudblood is giving me a headache." I forced my eyes to open only to meet stormy grey eyes. I looked at Draco questionably. He stared back with no emotion on his face but in his eyes I could see disgust, pity, and sorrow? Disgust I could understand. After all, I was nothing but a waste of space on this earth to him. But the last two? Did Draco-my-enemy-since-first-year-perfect-predjuduce-pureblood-Malfoy actually care that I was about to die?

Fire. Fire everywhere. Any where you looked all you could see were the flames destroying anything they could. I ran. I tried to find the exit to the room while searching for Ron and Harry as well. I heard a scream to my left and ran in that direction. I saw a body fall into the monstrous flames never to be seen again. All I could do was hope it wasn't Harry or Ron. Then I saw Malfoy at the top and decided it had to be Crabb or Goyal. I heard Ron calling my name and pointing to the door that would allow us to escape the fire. But one last glance at Malfoy, struggling to hold on, looking so helpless, I knew that I wouldn't be able to leave them. Then something caught my eye. It was a pile of broomsticks! I ran and grabbed three. By the time I had reached them Harry and Ron were both right behind me and I handed them each one as well. I could tell by the look in Harry's eyes that he knew what was going to happen but Ron, clueless as ever, grabbed his broomstick and flew straight out of the room on his. I sighed and rolled my eyes as I mounted my broomstick. We flew side by side to rescue our enemies. Damn Gryffindor chivalry. If we die trying to save them I swear I will come back as a ghost to haunt them! Because of Harry's seeker skills he was able to fly a little ahead and save Crabbe without a problem. I reached a hand out to Malfoy, something I never thought I would do. He starred at it for a second questioningly. "If you want to live take the damn hand!" I shouted angrily in his face. He hesitated a moment then took it and swung himself onto the broom. We zoomed out of the room just in time. As soon as the broom landed Malfoy jumped off and ran away with Crabbe without so much as a 'thank you'.

I stopped to take a breath. I had just defeated one of the death eaters and needed to regain my energy. The battle had been going on for over three hours and this was my first break. The lights went everywhere. Some green, some purple or red. Some missing the witch or wizard it was cast at, or more likely than not hitting them. I watched as bodies fell from both sides. Weather they where dead or just stunned, it didn't matter. I couldn't think about that now. Harry had been missing for a while but he hadn't turned himself in to Voldemort. At least not yet. So wherever he was it must be important because Harry was never one to run away. The most I could do at the moment was attempt to hold off the dark side till Harry was done. I had to at least try. Just as I was about to head back into the fight my wand flew out of my hand. I twirled around to find myself face to face with Lucius Malfoy. "Such a brilliant witch, such a shame to have filthy blood. So depressing that I don't think you deserve the killing curse. It's too quick, too painless. As a matter of fact," he pulled out a knife and held it to my throat "I don't think you deserve to die by magic at all." He said this lazily, as if he had all the time in the world. I didn't want another repeat of Malfoy manor, this time I would say something in my defense. "Whether you kill me or not it makes no difference," Lucius looked at me surprised, he said nothing so I continued. "Harry will still defeat Voldemort. Your precious lord will still fall and there will be nothing you can do about it. One lost life, especially a muggle born like me, will not determine the outcome of this war." At this he dug the blade far enough into my neck that a drop of blood was exposed. "Maybe not," he replied "doesn't mean that I can't kill you though." He was just about to slice my throat when he froze. I watched as the life left his eyes, and he fell over, dead. As I looked up from the dead death eater I had just enough time to see the end of a cloak round the corner. I tried to follow but I had walked back into the battlefield and was forced to fight.

I woke with a start. The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes were green ones starring back at me. His hand was on my shoulder, probably trying to wake me up. I took in my surroundings. That's right. I'm at the burrow. Not the final battle. I'm here because I had nowhere else to go because my parents are in Australia. I took a deep breath as my heart rate returned to normal.

"You alright Hermione? You look as though you've seen a ghost." There was a hint of laughter in his voice but I could tell by the way he was looking at me that he was genuinely concerned.

"Yes Harry I'm fine thanks. Just another nightmare. I guess I know how you used to feel all the time with Voldemort." We both laughed at that. A pillow came out of nowhere and hit me in the face.

"Keep it down will you? Some people are actually trying to sleep!" a moment later he was snoring again so we figured it was safe to talk.

"His aim is better asleep then awake," Harry chuckled.

"Harry be nice," I said while hitting his arm with the pillow. Of corse he couldn't take me seriously because I was laughing as well. Then I remembered something. "Harry why did you wake me up? Is something wrong?"

"Same as you I guess, nightmare. I can't remember all the details, but I remember enough to know it involved Voldemort returning. He took you prisoner and forced me to watch as you were tortured and killed. And I couldn't do anything. I was completely helpless."

I could see the fear in his eyes and hear it in his voice. I grabbed his hand comfortingly. "He is not coming back Harry. We did not go through all that trouble destroying horcruxes for nothing. You watched him die just as I did. There is no way for him to come back now. Trust me, he is gone. Besides, I suffered enough pain at Malfoy manor, and I will not let Voldemort touch me, you, or anyone else that is important to us."

"Thank you Hermione. You always know the right thing to say." He pulled me into a hug. "Oh I almost forgot, what was your dream about? School starts next week, I would expect you to be excited, not scared."

"I don't remember, but I'm alright now. Thanks Harry." We said goodnight and went to bed. But I couldn't sleep. I did remember the dream, every detail. I hadn't thought about any of that sense the battle ended. I needed to stay strong for my friends. But because of the dream I couldn't help but think of the events from last school year. School. Harry was right; it did start next week. I had completely forgotten. A lot of us seventh years would be retaking the year because we missed so much during the war. Eventually I fell asleep thinking about all the fun things we would learn. Anything to keep from remembering the war.

A/N: how was it? Good? Bad? Please review!