Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing except for the plot.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I'm truly, really sorry. I just managed to finish my D/G romance, so yeah… But hey, this is the final chapter, so no big loss here, right? =) I thank all my reviewers—you guys seriously rock! Like, REALLY. I hope this chapter, which is quite long and full of lame action, will be able to make up for the wait. The last part will be the semi-epilogue because I have no time before book five to write a sep. one. Right. On with the story, then. This chapter is horribly fragmented in some parts, because I just gathered up my notes and threw them together. Hope that's okay!

The Magic of Love

By: Katrina

Chapter Ten/Semi-Epilogue

Magic of True Love

Hermione gave a gasp. Dumbledore was Voldemort in disguise the whole time? she thought in horror, remembering how she and Harry poured out almost everything back in Dumbledore's office. She stole a glance at Harry, whose eyes were blazing with hatred as he stared stoically back into the eyes of Voldemort.

"I'd imagined that the two of you would be a bit more intelligent," said the man before them airily. He raised his hand up to his face, and seemed to mutter something. When his hand came down again, the chalk-white face with the snake-like features Hermione had seen in her nightmares appeared. "It is an imaginary world, you know," he said. "So…really, it's not hard to make myself look like someone one day and then someone else again the very next day. I have to say, though, that being Albus Dumbledore has its own advantages." He examined his fingers lazily. "So, Potter, why so quiet? Haven't you recovered yet?"

"I knew it was you all along," said Harry, his breath ragged but his words solid. "Ever since that day in the office…I knew that the normal Dumbledore would never turn Hermione and I away like that. And I saw the way you were looking at me. It was a playful look, taunting even. And my scar was throbbing too. You should try a bit harder the next time you try to surprise us like that."

"Well said, well said, my dear nemesis," said Voldemort, not a bit fazed. "So you do prove a worthy opponent after all. Too bad you'll never leave this world, but disappointments-"

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione sharply, not caring that she was interrupting Voldemort, who was just in the middle of another taunting speech. But this was serious. Reading about not being able to get out of here on the book was one thing, but she'd always figured that if Voldemort had been the mastermind, then he would've always left a way out for himself. "There is a way out." She searched her brain for something that would force out the truth. The Portkey. So what if it was a fake? Maybe she was wrong. "The Portkey you gave to Malfoy and Padma…"

"Oh, that," Voldemort dismissed it with a wave of his hand, scornfully. "That was to distract them, of course. And perhaps they can destroy each other before I'm forced to destroy this world, and them included. There isn't a way out, of course not. That is, there isn't a way out for you, but I can get out. You see, the geniuses always leave an escape route for themselves when conjuring up magic like this."

"Yeah?" Harry said. "How?"

"Since you're about to die, I don't see why you should die uninformed." Voldemort smirked. "You do remember that I have in reality two bodies. Voldemort, and the oh-beloved Tom Riddle in the diary." He drew out his wand and twirled it lazily. "If I can make a diary of myself when I was sixteen, and a damn good one at that, why can't I make a even better one now? Which is, of course, what I did. This diary of me is kept with my most faithful Death Eater, and when this world is destroyed, I have prepared a charm in which I will be resurrected from the diary. I was careful, then, to preserve my Voldemort form in the diary, and frankly, I believe I will be even more frightening when I reemerge from the diary."

Hermione thought fast. "How do you know if your Death Eater didn't just destroy the diary?" she asked.

"That Death Eater wouldn't dare," Voldemort said. "One of my most faithful, I should mention."

"Are you sure?" said Harry, catching onto what Hermione was attempting to do. "If Wormtail and Karkaroff can betray you, so can everyone else. And what is your definition of faithful?"

"Wormtail has come back to me again, and Karkaroff is worse than dead." Voldemort shrugged off the definition of faithful. "But you can't possibly expect to carry this conversation with me the whole day. Stalling for time will hardly help you. In the end, you will perish. As I've said, I hate to have you two die uninformed. Anything else you'd like me to tell you before you join your parents? Oh, I'm sorry, they're in another world. How foolish of me."

So he's going to kill Harry. He's not going to wait for the world to be destroyed. He wants to personally kill Harry? Hermione shook her head. Then what's the stupid point of the Slytherin thing? "If you will kill Harry anyway, then what's the stupid point of putting him in Slytherin?" she demanded.

"Dear me, that's obvious. If Potter were in Gryffindor, then he'll be protected by everyone in the school, except for the Slytherins. It will be too hard to attempt anything funny. If he were in Slytherin, then that's a completely different story. He will be hated, which is good for me. I can torture Potter mentally and physically, and let him destroy himself in this world. As soon as that happens, the real world will have never heard of a Harry Potter. I would never have been defeated, and everyone will be happy." He laughed harshly. "As happy as they can be being refugees or dead, I must add."

"Christina…"

"Christina is the Death Eater keeping the diary. She is quite a pretty girl, isn't she? Which is why I gave her the mission of marrying you. What better time to destroy your world then at your own wedding?"

"You sick pervert!" Hermione cried out.

"Am I? I thank you for your kind words, oh but silly me. I don't thank Mudbloods."

"You're one yourself," Harry said. "The worst of both halves."

That did it. Voldemort's so-called "humor" was completely gone. "You'll pay for that, Potter," he said.

"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" retorted Harry.

"You'll hurt more, Potter." Voldemort flexed his fingers and made a sign to the doorway, where Malfoy and Padma appeared, very furious indeed that Hermione had Stunned them. "It's time for our new Torture the Potter show to start."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Let's skip it," he said icily.

"No, no, no." Voldemort wagged his fingers at Harry. "That's not the way it works, little friend. Especially when you are the star of the show."

Oh Christ. Hermione made as if to go to Harry, but Padma quickly stepped to her side, while Malfoy grabbed her hands and tied them up nimbly. They didn't do anything else, however, but merely back her to the window and stood her there, one on each side of her. Harry was left in the middle of the room, proudly glaring Voldemort down, but next to him he looked frail and small. "Don't hurt her," he hissed.

"We won't, I promise," Voldemort said, still in that singsong voice. "She'll hurt herself, soon enough." He looked meaningfully at the window behind Hermione. What on earth does Voldemort mean? "And now, as for you." He stepped close to Harry. Harry stiffened, but did not back away. Hermione could see that he was mustering all of his courage to continue staring back into the humorless red orbs. Voldemort raised a hand and placed it on Harry's shoulder. Hermione bit her tongue, hard, when she saw Harry's eyes close in pain, his face nearly all scrunched up. Grinning widely, Voldemort put his wand and leaned the tip against Harry's scar. Hermione couldn't understand why Harry did not move at all, but he didn't. "Show time shall start right about now," announced Voldemort, and right after he softly chanted a few words.

As soon as the words left his lips, Harry fell back and hit against the wall with a sickening sound. Hermione closed her eyes, unable to watch anymore, but she could hear, with the echoes of the cold cackles, Harry's screams. It wasn't like Harry to scream. In fact, he'd never screamed in her presence; at least, Hermione could not remember of one time in which Harry had screamed in front of her. It tore at her heart, but she was too scared herself, and always afterwards she would curse herself for being such a coward.

When she finally opened her eyes again, she was surprised to find Voldemort and his two Death Eaters gone, leaving Harry and her alone. Harry was leaning against the wall, no longer screaming, but a deadened look about him. His cheeks were translucent almost, and he was muttering something. Did Voldemort make Harry mad? Hermione wondered, edging closer to the boy and placing her hands on his shoulders. She expected him to flinch, but he didn't. He didn't even to be aware that she was there. "Harry? You all right?"

He said something, but Hermione doubted very much if that was the answer, and besides, she couldn't hear. "What?" she said, and leaned her head close to his lips so that she could hear what he was mumbling about. Hermione wasn't sure what happened exactly afterwards, but it felt as if she was pulled headlong into a kind of Pensieve, which she's only encountered once before, when she had the Order of the Phoenix trainings back in the real world.

It seemed to be nearly the same thing in this world, except this was no ordinary Pensieve, as Voldemort had a share in it. Hermione felt herself slam somewhere in a playground of an elementary school, where the loud chaos of voices brought her back to her senses. I have to find Harry, she thought frantically, staggering to her feet, and looking around. Everybody around her was around six or seven, with the exception of two teachers, who were talking all the way across the playground, not watching the students at all; and the students were all gathered into one circle by an unspoken agreement, staring at someone.

Hermione suddenly had the most horrible feeling that she'd find Harry in the middle of the circle. "Harry!" she rasped out, but of course nobody could hear her. She stumbled over to the crowd, and as she was taller than everyone there, she could see clearly that a small figure was huddled inside. She didn't have to listen to the jeering voices of the crowd to know that a six or seven-year-old Harry was that little boy.

"Potter, go back to Mommy," said a six-year-old girl with huge pink bows in her golden hair. "We don't want you here." She was licking a lollipop with loud sucking sounds.

"Potter, get out!" laughed a blonde boy, who was probably the younger version of Harry's obnoxious cousin, Dudley Dursley.

The tiny figure raised his head, and Hermione's heart squeezed at the sight of tears pouring down little Harry's cheeks. She'd never seen Harry cry before, at least, he never showed it. Sometimes his eyes might be puffy or red, but he'd always say that it was an eye infection. But the sight of his large green eyes so miserable, staring into hers as if seeking help, that was more than Hermione could bear. Not caring that she was probably just some floating apparition in this place, she held out her hands to stroke Harry, but felt nothing, for the scenes suddenly shifted.

It was still at school, Hermione could tell, but everyone was a bit older. Perhaps nine or ten here. She was inside a classroom instead of out on the playground, and she could spot Harry in the corner. He was still skinny, and seemed to have barely grown much in the three-years' lapse. He was also very alone. And very much disliked as well. Harry had often mentioned that she and Ron were his first friends, but Hermione never thought it was this bad. Is this what Voldemort's trying to do? She wondered, and decided that was probably true. Trapped within himself, that was what Padma said.

"Harry Potter!" called out the lady at the front of the room, who was probably the teacher.

Nine-year-old Harry stood up nervously to his feet, and jogged to the front of the room. "Yes, Miss Lorenzo?" he said politely to the teacher, who peered at him over her spectacles.

"A plus on your paper," she said doubtfully. "Did you cheat?" She shook another paper. "Yours and Dudley's are exactly the same."

Hermione closed her eyes. She knew what was coming. "But…" said Harry. Obviously he could not accuse his cousin of anything, but Hermione knew that Harry was more likely the true writer of the paper. His lips quivered. "I didn't cheat, Miss Lorenzo."

"And so you say," she said, and right in front of him tore the paper in half.

"But…but…I stayed in the library for five days working on it…" was the broken whisper.

This was too much. There must be a way to stop this whole nonsense. There were more and more scenes, each more tormenting than the ones before. There was no physical torture, to Hermione's great relief, but the mental pain of everything seemed even worse. Every time she tried to reach for Harry, to try and help him out of this, the scenes would shift and she would find herself far, far away from Harry again. To her utmost horror, she was involved in some of the scenes too. Her screaming at Harry…her betraying Harry…

"Harry!" Hermione shouted. "Harry, it's me. I'm sorry."

But all Harry could hear were her words, her counterpart's words, perhaps, but sounding like and from Hermione Granger all the same.

"You sick pervert!" she shrieked, hoping that Voldemort would take something out on her instead of Harry. "You sick, sick pervert!" In Hermione's mind, she was running a dictionary of all the words her mother taught her to never say. "You fucking bastard! You…" And then she was silent. She found herself back in the Astronomy Tower, with Harry next to her, in the same position as before. He was still muttering, his eyes open and full of fear. He was seeing all the horrible things from the past, and perhaps those Voldemort had made out to be the future as well. "Oh Christ, Harry…" whispered Hermione, reaching for his hands. They were cold, clammy. They felt like rubber. They didn't feel alive at all. Hermione suddenly had the horrifying thought that Harry was perhaps dead. Perhaps he was really dead and this was some robot. "Harry…"

He stayed like that, and kept on muttering. Hermione bit her lips. What on earth am I supposed to do? She demanded of herself. Suddenly, Harry made a sudden movement, and stood up. Hermione stood up with him, and watched as he headed toward the window. No, he's not going to jump out, Hermione thought, but remembered again what Padma had said. Dead body. Push him off the tallest tower. And to add to the whole sick fun of it, he's making Harry do it himself. "Don't," she shouted, darting in front of him and holding out her arms. "Don't…please…"

Harry grabbed her arms brashly as if to throw her to the side. Hermione stood her ground, and forced her arms around Harry's, so that he could not move. He struggled under her arms, but Hermione held on fast, biting her lips and using as much strength as she could muster. He felt so limp. It was unlike what she was so used to hugging. There's no cure, Hermione thought, but gritted her teeth. As it happens, in my world, there is! "Harry, I don't care if the whole world turns its back on you," she whispered, "because you know what? No matter what you are, I like the soul you have inside. I love you, Harry Potter. I don't give a damn that you had some legendary scar or that you are a hell of a Quidditch player. You are just a boy…sweet, kind…and you're also the one I love."

Harry turned around to face her, his face completely blank. Hermione thought it had worked, but after the pause he continued right on. At least, he would've, had Hermione not plastered her lips against his, kissing it tightly. Harry struggled about, trying to push her off, but Hermione held on. Something was boiling inside of her. Pure hatred for Voldemort, Malfoy, and Padma for making Harry so miserable…he didn't want any of this. And anger at herself for being such an unsuspecting pawn…and also, love for Harry. She'd never loved any boy as much as she'd loved Harry. It was a feeling that she would die for him without remorse, that he meant everything to her, that he was a part of her. She closed her eyes, remembering the boy who had come to her aid in her first year, who had been close to her ever since his fifth, and whom confided everything in her. She could see his eyes, gleaming mischievously, as he gave her a dancing lipstick for Valentine's Day as a prank, and how she had unconsciously fingered it, and then held it to her heart. Hermione was not going to let that boy disappear.

As she was thinking those things, she felt something powerful surge through her blood, till she felt a sense of absolute power she'd never felt before. Hermione gripped Harry's arms tighter, willing to transfer some of the power to him, and as she did so, she felt Harry's cold body warming up, till he stopped struggling. Hermione opened her eyes. Harry's eyes were closed, his scar glowing, and an unseen source of wind blowing at his hair. The wind blew harder, and whirled around Harry so quick that Hermione lost sight of him in the blur. Hermione was sure that she was indeed transferring her power to him by just being so close to him, but she didn't feel weak, not at all. She felt strong, powerful, as if she held both Harry and her own fate in her hand. At that moment, Hermione thought she experienced true magic. Not limited by a wand, or an incantation even, but the kind to come from your heart. Perhaps the kind Lily Potter used to save her son.

Slowly, everything abated. The magic around her seemed to have done its job, and slowly disappeared. Harry opened his eyes, which were no longer soulless spheres, but the same ones Hermione had seen gazing back at her so many times. She smiled at him. "Harry?"

"I love you," he said, and collapsed, unconscious.

Hermione caught him, gathering him up in her arms, knowing that he was fine. She breathed a sigh of relief, but she could rejoice, she heard faint footsteps heading here. She didn't want to know who they belonged to. Nobody in this world is an ally. She needed to get out.

"Where the hell are they?"

"I don't know."

"Master isn't gonna be happy."

"You tell me? What's your point?"

Hermione hugged Harry tighter to herself as she squatted near the marble statue of the reindeer, breathlessly waiting for the two students, definitely not Malfoy and Padma, to pass. It had not taken her long to figure out that the whole school, due to Voldemort's clever plan, had turned against them, and were ordered to search for them as soon as he found that Harry and Hermione had disappeared.

Hermione reached up and made sure that the cloak covered them securely. After Harry had fainted, she decided that there must be a place in this world that was like a bridge between this and the real world. She didn't know why she thought that that was the case, but from the way Voldemort was saying it, it seemed that there was a way out of the world. Portkey-less. She was determined to find that portal, and meanwhile, she and Harry needed to stay alive. She Summoned the Invisibility Cloak as she tried to gather her thoughts—luckily the cloak came rather swiftly, covered Harry and herself up securely with it, and transfigured a few paintings into ropes so they could climb down from the Astronomy Tower, which wasn't the most romantic and easiest thing to do.

Upon reaching the ground, Hermione saw that the grounds were swamped with students. They looked different now. Sinister. All having identical evil goals. Wands out. Searchingly scanning the whole area. A student almost bumped into Harry and Hermione, but Hermione pulled Harry down at the last moment. It wasn't a game of hide-and-seek now, and Hermione had never been good at it. It was only when she threw a Firework Hex to the direction of the Forbidden Forest that she managed to have enough time to escape out to this statue, where Harry and Ron had spent their Yule Ball at.

And now Hermione could only wait there. It's simply impossible to get out of this place with all the students around. Someone would feel them, and sooner or later Voldemort would figure out what's been keeping the two alive. There's got to be some way out! Hermione thought frantically, wishing that Harry would wake up. She felt so desperately alone. So alone. That's the way it happens in books…the heroes win!

It was starting to get stifling hot. Hermione breathed deeply and tried to calm herself down. She shouldn't panic. Harry needed her. Then, Hermione made a sudden decision, a decision so sudden that later she never did know what came over her. All she knew was that something needed to be done rather than sitting there, hiding. Hermione peeked out slightly, making sure that the coast was relatively clear before she laid Harry down, covering him more securely with the cloak, and slowly brushed the cloak off from herself. Take care, Harry, she thought, looking at the place where Harry would be tenderly. She slowly stood up. You want to find me, Voldemort, so here I come.

As expected, it didn't take long for a student to see her. Hermione managed to fake it to look as if she was just running randomly, trying not to give away where Harry would be, and making a racket when she was far enough from the fountain. Needless to say, she was soon surrounded by those zombie-like kids. A girl whom she vaguely recognized as a Susan Bones—pardon, pseudo Susan Bones, who was apparently the leader of this particular search crew, grinned triumphantly as she shot cords out of her wand and tied Hermione's hands. "No good to hide, Granger," she said icily, pushing Hermione toward two boys whom she didn't recognize. "Take her to the Master."

Hermione assumed an expression of impassiveness as the two boys along with the rest of the group followed them to the castle. They entered through a door that definitely had never been at the normal Hogwarts, leading to a corridor which was somewhat familiar. Hermione tried to concentrate on trying to recall why the corridor seemed familiar rather than contemplating her fate. She just hoped that nobody would think to use some Truth Potion on her to figure out where Harry was, or that Voldemort wouldn't give an order to rip the school apart. Hardly likely, she realized, but quenched it. She would fight for every second.

By then, many of the pseudo Death Eaters had stopped at the corners as if on guard. She was nearing wherever the Master was. Finally, they stopped, not in front of a dungeon built specifically for Voldemort, but a…bathroom? A very depressing and misused bathroom, at that. Hermione positively stared at the boys. "This is a girl's bathroom," she said, her mind running fast. "You shouldn't come in here."

"We don't need to," said the first one, and gave her a push that sent Hermione stumbling inside, knocking against the floor. "Enjoy, Granger."

"We'll be back…to get your corpse," added the second as he roughly picked Hermione up and stood her against one of the cracked sinks, as they both left.

Fear gripped Hermione as she waited for Voldemort, not knowing what would happen. She knew that she'd been in this bathroom before, and something very horrible happened here, but her memories felt congested. She couldn't think; she was too scared and worried to keep a clear mind. Oh, I hope Harry's fine, she thought. I hope that Ron would stop being so slow and figure out a way to get us out. I hope that Dumbledore will figure out a way. I hope- There was a hissing sound, and suddenly she was plunged headlong into a tunnel that appeared out of nowhere, where the sink should've been. Down Hermione went, eyes shut tight, and muttering Harry's name all along, till she landed heavily onto a pile of bones. It was too painful to move, but still she flinched when she felt cold hands pick her up to a kneeling position. Voldemort had landed just after her, and he was looking at her with a smug look on his face that reminded Hermione of Percy Weasley, although in a very negative way.

"Hermione Granger," came that soft voice. "How nice to see that you're here, realizing that running away from me is of no avail. Too bad your lover isn't here with you to give in."

Hermione was silent. She bowed her head slightly, her neck cramping horribly. She tried to fish her wand out from her pocket, but the cords were tied so tightly about her hands that circulation was very nearly cut off.

"Tell me now…" said Voldemort, circling her slowly. "Where is Potter? Or must I subject you to the horror of the Chamber?"

The Chamber of Secrets! Hermione cursed at herself for being so slow. What had she been thinking? She felt very helpless, but she wasn't about to say anything that would help Voldemort. "I won't tell you, and you can't do anything about it."

"Can't I, now…" Hermione felt a well aimed kick from behind and fell on her face, hard, feeling a cut on her cheek, bleeding freely, the blood tasting salty in her mouth. She closed her eyes and winced slightly. She was no heroine, and certainly she could not keep up the indifferent act. "We'll see about that," said Voldemort. "Won't we, my dear? Potter's under my spell, and I can summon him easily. But since you won't help me, I'll have the satisfaction of seeing your face as he murders you."

Hermione spat. "Curse my ass!" she said in a raspy voice, turning her head so she could breathe easier. "He's no longer under your curse. He's very safe and very fine right now! Try and summon him."

The look on his face was priceless, but Hermione soon paid for her enjoyment as Voldemort, placing his foot under her, flipped her forcefully on her back. "Don't get smart-mouthed, Mudblood," he said.

Hermione felt sharp shards of cracked bones pressing into her. But, to her surprise and ecstasy, the friction of the shards against the cords seemed to have loosened them a bit. She groped, and found, a glass shard, and started brushing it against the cords, hard, while trying to appear nonchalant. "So, if I tell you where Harry is, will you send me back to the real world?"

"Welcome to the circle of Death Eaters," said Voldemort. "Where is the Potter boy, then?"

The cords loosened considerably; Hermione could feel it, as she faked a look of concentration. She squirmed slightly, reaching for her wand, as she said, "Down in the Forbidden Forest."

Voldemort smiled crookedly. He leaned down just as Hermione closed her fingers around her wand. "Thank you…" he said, breathing his rancid breath on her face. "Thank you…FOR LYING!"

He stomped down hard on Hermione's stomach just as she jerked aside. Voldemort got her foot, and crunched it hard, and might've very well sprained it. Hermione ignored the pain, as she pulled away with superhuman strength. "EXPELLIARMUS!" she shrieked, performing the Disarming Spell, temporarily free. Voldemort stumbled backwards as he released her, and seemed to be in a shock. Hermione quickly looked around, remembering what Harry had said of his adventure with Ron and Ginny down in the chamber. Fawkes had carried them out of this place, but there wasn't a phoenix in sight. Hermione groaned. She needed time and concentration to transfigure a bone into a broomstick or place Flying Charms on something in this place if she was to get out, but she didn't have either of these. Meanwhile, Voldemort, having regained his posture, was now glancing murderously at Hermione. "Mudblood, you shall pa-"

Hermione threw another curse at him, while limping to the other side. She came upon the doors Harry described that wouldn't open unless she was a Parselmouth. Never mind that she wasn't! "AVADA KEDAVRA!" she shouted, hoping her training was enough to perform this curse.

Voldemort's robes ripped by the force of the curse, but he remained alive. He cackled at Hermione's dismay, written clearly on her face. "Let me show you the real way," he said, and Hermione narrowly dodged the green light that shot toward her.

She crashed into the skull of an unknown animal on the floor, her side splitting with raw pain as she knocked against the wall. I'm not Harry, and I can't beat him! she shrieked at herself. Her wand was thrown somewhere else, and she was defenseless. The end was near. Voldemort was really grinning now. He pointed his wand at her. Hermione tried to shift, but she felt paralyzed. She could only watch as the green light sailed toward her a second time, taking comfort in the fact that Harry was safe.

BAM!

A red light collided with the Killing Curse, resulting in an explosion. Hermione coughed as dusts and smoke flew toward her, and squinting through the smoke, she saw Harry. Quit hallucinating, she commanded herself, although the view brought her relief. But as the view cleared, it was most definitely Harry James Potter, looking fatigued but standing his ground, Hermione's wand in one hand, and the other pointing his own at Voldemort.

"Harry!" Hermione choked out, suddenly regaining her strength. She got up wobbly to her feet. Harry rushed toward her and gathered her up in his arms, Hermione sobbing with relief and anxiety.

"You silly girl…what were you thinking?" he asked, and suddenly kissed her fiercely. Hermione was too tired to kiss back, but she embraced him as firmly as her strength would allow.

Hermione saw a curse shooting toward them, and pushed both Harry and herself out of the way. She grabbed her wand and scrambled to her feet, yelling all the curses and hexes she'd ever heard of at Voldemort. Harry was beside her now, and she felt stronger. Braver. She truly felt like a Gryffindor now.

"The more the merrier," Voldemort said, deflecting all the hexes. "Kind of you to finally join us. Your Mudblood girlfriend isn't doing so well."

"And you're going to pay," said Harry. Then he did the oddest thing. He closed his eyes, pointing the wand at Voldemort, and started to mutter something. Hermione didn't know what he was saying—it didn't sound like anything she's heard of—but it was most definitely the incantation for quite a powerful spell, seeing the way he was saying each syllable. Voldemort realized the same, but Hermione shot a Stunning Spell, which made him stumble back.

Oh, Harry, I do hope you know what you're doing, begged Hermione silently. Voldemort had lost his interest in her, and was watching Harry closely as well, his red eyes narrowed. From above, Hermione could sense that Death Eaters were coming to aid their master. Definitely not good. Then, to her surprise, Harry took her hand, still repeating the incantation. Hermione felt power drain out of her and plant itself in Harry. She felt again the same magic she'd felt with Harry in Astronomy Tower, but it was so much stronger now. Harry was glowing with a celestial light as he spoke the incantation for the last time, and he fixed his green eyes on Voldemort.

"Goodbye," he said.

An earthquake shook the room. Different beams of light crisscrossed each other, beating each other to get to Voldemort. Hermione didn't have time to ask Harry anything. He was dragging her as far from the lights as he could, and wrapped his arms about Hermione as several explosions followed. "What's going on?" Hermione demanded.

"The strongest Auror Charm I know of, but powered up by you," he answered.

"By me?"

Harry hugged her closer. "By your love."

Hermione smiled slightly. "Glad to be of service, then," she said. "So…is this spell gonna destroy Voldemort?"

"No, but I think it's enough to pull him from his pseudo-self into the real world. There's a chance that we may get back if such is the case."

"Oh." Harry always thought of everything. "So…how did you come here?"

"When I woke up, and you weren't there, I figured something's wrong," said Harry, peering to see how the spell was working. "Then I heard people talking, and realized that you were captured. I had to come and help you. And since I know where the Chamber is, and someone stupidly revealed that you were in the Chamber of Secrets, I merely went to the bathroom, used my Parseltongue to get in, and the rest you knew." He kissed Hermione's forehead. "Why did you have to be so stupid? Look at you, you have cuts all over!"

Hermione looked at herself. Her robes were ripped in several places, exposing raw skin, and several places were bleeding, not to mention that practically every place on her body ached. But everything was going to be fine now. She knew it would. "Oh, I'm perfectly fine, I will live," said Hermione. "Isn't the spell-"

Harry pulled himself from the embrace. He stepped out into the foggy chamber, shouting, "Don't follow!" as he did so. Hermione started to stand up, but she decided that she didn't want to hinder Harry in anyway. So she stayed, craning to look at what was happening. There seemed to be talking. The explosions and the lights had ceased. She heard angry voices. And she could tell movements…

And everything became dark.

"Hermione…"

The voice drifted from afar. It was…it was Ginny's voice, sounding very worried. Hermione lay still, trying to recall the wonderful unreal events she'd just experienced. Everything came back to her. The chamber. The betrayal. The whole made up world. And finally, the wedding in which she was pulled from. And now I'm waking up again, she thought. Whether I've dreamed everything or did everything just happen, Harry's marrying another woman, and I'll be his cheering best friend. She kept her eyes shut, not wanting to face reality.

"Oh, Hermione, you all right?" It was Ron this time.

This is ridiculous. You have to open your eyes sometime. Hermione gave a slight nod, opening her eyes very slowly. The first thing she saw…were two redheads. Ginny and Ron, side by side, looking at her with concern. "I'm okay," said Hermione. "Is…" She realized that she couldn't ask the question. "Is Harry?"

Ginny gave a slight chuckle. "You would know," she said.

"I would?" Hermione then realized that arms were wrapped around her tightly, and someone was in fact embracing her from behind. Slowly, she traced her fingers over the hands, callused, rough, but warm and comforting. Harry's hands. She sat up, untangling herself, avoiding the two Weasleys' laughing eyes as she did so. Harry was still unconscious, on the floor beside her. "Harry?"

Harry stirred, and sat up, yawning. "What happened?" he asked.

Hermione surveyed around the room. It was still St. Peter's Church. So they were back in the real world…if they'd ever left. The guests were all either sitting or standing, with a lot of Ministry and medical wizards about. In fact, five of each were bending over Harry, and one of them was waiting for Ginny and Ron to step away from Hermione. "What happened?" she asked, as she allowed the witch to fuss over her.

"You and Harry were getting married, and suddenly the Death Eaters attacked," Ginny said. "That's all."

"But…isn't it Christina?"

"Who's Christina?" Ron asked. "You don't mean the Death Eater, do you?"

"Huh?" Hermione was confused yet again. "You aren't making any sense."

"Oh, they are," said Harry, winking at Hermione. "They are."

Hermione started to say more, and she stopped herself in time. Who the hell cares who had married whom? The more important thing was, who is marrying who.

Finis.

The end is really loose. This is a semi-epilogue. It's not exactly what happened afterwards, but it'll do. There'll be some differences, but overall it's a continuation of the Magic of Love.

Epilogue

Coming Back to Me

It was summer, yet again.

Hermione sat on the bank of the Hogwarts lake, her knees drawn up to her chest, and her arms wrapped snugly about them, feeling the warm wind blow her chestnut hair. It was so peaceful, the lake glistening, the looming castle behind her, and all the most beautiful sceneries stretched out far in front of her. It was completed by the beautiful azure-colored sky, with clouds drifting lazily, and perhaps a rainbow somewhere, or was it in Hermione's mind? Yet Hermione wasn't seeing any of this. In her mind, she was seeing the last time she and Harry were together. In the church, just after their wedding. Him, clasping her hands.

"I am sorry, Hermione, but I must go. I hope you'll understand."

And she had smiled up at him, taking his hands into hers, and holding them gently, her eyes gazing back into his with full understanding.

"I won't, Harry, because I do understand. I understand perfectly. And I know that you'll come back to me, soon enough. In fact, you never would've left, because you live in my heart, Harry, and that's all that matters."

"Wait for me, then. I will come back."

Hermione breathed in the fresh air, and smiled unconsciously. It had been a year, and sometimes the seconds seemed like years, and she would often stop in the middle of her lesson, pausing, and remembering all that had happened in the make-believe world. She would suddenly feel Harry's fingers lightly grazing her cheek, and felt a stirring inside of her, yearning for Harry.

Yet other times, when she was alone, and she could thin, she knew that Harry had never truly left. He was there, part of her, so closely integrated that she was Harry. Hermione could feel Harry during the night, remember his kisses, and there was never a dream where Harry wasn't included in some way.

The war was almost over, however, and Hermione knew that Harry should be coming home any moment now. Voldemort was defeated, true enough, but the Death Eaters were springing up everywhere, trying to stall their own respective leaders as the new Dark Lord. Thank God none of them was as able in the evil trades as Voldemort, or Hermione would never hope to see Harry by her side for long. Yet Ron had come home, and he had married Padma, his Hogwarts sweetheart; Ginny had come home, and she was in the midst of courting Colin. All of Hermione's friends who had been fighting in the war were back, and most of them were hurrying to regain the lost snogging sessions during the war.

All except for Harry.

"But you'll be back, Harry," Hermione said confidently, tenderly. "I know you'll be back. One day, you'll come back to me."

She stood up then, and heaved a soft sigh. It was Lavender and Seamus' wedding today, and she was one of the bridesmaids. Can't miss that, can I? She thought with a fond grin as she thought of the Finnegan couple, and started toward the Great Hall, where the wedding would be taking place in the afternoon.

After the wedding, which had been a beautiful event, Hermione stepped outside the castle after chatting with the bride and groom for a few minutes. The sun was even brighter than it had been, and everything was festive. A lot of the old Hogwarts students had come back, many of them greeting her. Remus and Sirius made a special point to thank her again for everything she did for Harry.

But Hermione had never felt so alone. It was tearing at her heart. She needed Harry so badly. She needed him there, to touch her, to kiss her forehead, and to say that he loved her. Yes, she had the memories of Harry James Potter, but Hermione needed more. All around her, the sight of couples seemed to haunt her. She was happy for every single one of them, but she felt bitterness rising inside of her. You could be part of that too, an unrelenting voice repeated again and again inside her head, and Hermione could not reproach it, because it spoke exactly what she'd felt. I could be part of that, if the person I'm in love with isn't Harry Potter.

"Hermione?"

She turned her head, almost expecting to see Harry, but it was Ron. "Hey, Ron, why aren't you with Padma?" she asked, grinning at him.

"You've got to be kidding. She's gabbing with Lavender and Parvati like crazy." Ron's face held affection for his wife. "You all right?"

Hermione was quiet. "Yes, I suppose I am," she said softly. "You miss him as much as I do, Ron, and it isn't fair if…" Her voice trailed off. She shook her head. "You understand how I feel."

"No, I don't." Ron was grave. "I never kissed him. I never loved him the way you did. I see how you look every time…"

"Every time there's a wedding and I feel as if I want to strangle everyone?" Hermione shrugged. "Yes, that's part of how I feel."

"Well…"

"Don't worry about me, really," said Hermione earnestly. "He'll be back."

Ron's eyes seemed to have glazed over. Hermione frowned. Was he trying to cheer her up by pulling an antic? But his eyes soon lost their lost look and lit up, literally, as he headed quickly, past Hermione, and embraced a man who had just approached the two of them shyly.

Without even looking, Hermione knew that it was Harry. She felt the same sweetness creep up inside her when she felt his presence. She turned, barely able to believe it, as Harry and Ron thumped each other on the back and broke apart, words failing both of them. Harry looked thinner, but a lot more tanned. His hair was just as wild as always, and his cloak seemed worn. His glasses seemed to need a bit of mending again, but Hermione was more than glad to do that for him. But it was him. Him and his smile. Ron turned, spotted Hermione, and seemed to understand. He stepped back a few steps, and mumbling something, left, telling a few reporters and friends off to give the two of them some privacy.

"Harry…" It was a tearful whisper. Hermione's eyes stung. God, it is really him. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. "Harry…"

Harry saw her. His face softened, and it made him look not twenty-two, not fifteen, but the eleven-year-old best friend Hermione had loved. "Hermione…" He didn't seem more capable of talking than Hermione. "Hermione…I…" He did not need to say further, for Hermione had stepped up to him and circled her arms around his neck.

"You're real, aren't you?" Hermione said quietly. "You aren't here to torture me?" She bit her lips, wanting to weep and break into hysterics at the same time. "You've come back to me?"

Harry nodded. "Yes," he choked out. "I've come back. I tried to come as fast as I could, but you weren't at home. And when I knew that the wedding was at Hogwarts…it's the first time I cursed this Apparition barrier. I couldn't get here sooner…"

"No, no, you're here now, Harry," said Hermione, and she didn't care as she saw the camera flashes out of the corner of her eyes. "And you're mine." She leaned closer. "I'll never let you leave me again."

Harry pulled her close. "I won't leave, I promise," he said, and bent down to give Hermione the long awaited kiss.

Hermione felt the thrills of the kiss searing through her body, as she and Harry nearly became one in the kiss. She could hear clapping, and perhaps catcalls. Yes, wasn't it the same thing she'd heard at Christina and Harry's pseudo-wedding? But this time, it's for real, she thought, breaking the kiss just to gaze into Harry's beautiful emerald eyes. This time, I can feel the magic of love.

                                                           

A/N: NO! My H/Hr ending too! *grabs storeworth of tissues*

It's a bit fragmented, but I have to get it done.

There will be no sequel. I planned one, but the epilogue sealed it. So no sequel.

The wedding…if you think it's too abrupt, well, Harry and Hermione had been in life and death for so many years, they know each other, so it'll be a very happy marriage. Therefore, Harry and Hermione will live happily ever after…and as for kids, I'm too unoriginal to think up of any…I'll borrow my timeline from BOD—they'll have two daughters, Lily and Beth, and two sons, James and Sirius. There we go!

I really enjoyed writing this fic. I actually liked this better than my D/G, probably because this is my first present-day romance. I wouldn't have kept on writing if it weren't for you. It would've been dead. So I'm grateful to all of you. Though this fic is ultimately dedicated to my crush, I wrote A Rainy Day's Romance, a H/Hr ficlet, for you wonderful, wonderful reviewers. See? I love you!

I don't want this A/N to EVER end, but I suppose it must. Book Five will be coming up, and I'll try to stay H/Hr, even if R/Hr and H/G or H/C happen. My AU H/Hr romance shall still stands (AU, after all!). I'll also write ficlets just to show Good Shippers and Orange Crushers off!

Oh, and if any of you wants to read other H/Hr before book V, check out my favorite stories' list. The Art of Seduction is a very fluffy and romantic H/Hr that's definitely worth reading. Check it out!

See you then! I thank every single one of you, readers and reviewers alike, and I hope all will drop one last review for this chapter? Must go now. May edit A/N later.

~with much love, Katrina

Thanks to all my incredibly wonderful reviewers of chapter nine!

Blackheart Syaoran-thanks for forgiving me, and the only Ravenclaw Hermione fic I've heard of is MissMatched, which is thankfully H/Hr, but I've never actually read it through.

mel-I'm sorry that it's a update.

SimpleeDazed-yup, back together…and it's Voldemort, not Dumbledore! ;)

SunnyDay-yup…except he's Voldemort…=)

Kat-Voldemort in disguise, LoL!

VMorticia-thanks! I don't hate Draco, but I'm too lazy to drag another OC into this.

Sunny-Dumbledore's BAD, you see! ^^ Thanks for reviewing.

ear91-you're perfectly right.

hpdancer92-wow thanks!

Sam-oops.

ChristinaLupin01442-yup, you're right. Will read your story soon.

andrea-thank you.

Alexial-thanks, and sorry…the update took a while.

RaistlinofMetallica-=)

Amira Abu-Shawish-noo…lol, I'm honored.

Sarah-really? I'm really glad!

Heaven-I post at Portkey under Katie. Thanks for reviewing my story.

mysticangel_potter-sorry it took so long!

Star Mage-I'm sorry it took so long.

thefly-I'm so guilty now! Bad Katrina.

harryhermione4ever-you flatter me! Oh, and Harry doesn't know because 1. he thinks it's not important and 2. Voldemort lessens it. So yeah. And Hermione is dragged along because she loves Harry. Cheesy, I know.

Devin Jamie Pickrell-thanks for all your thoughtful and sweet reviews. I'm like so blushing when I read them.

Theeph-really? Wow, thank you soo much.

Yanlira-aiya I hope you aren't dead! Thanks for reviewing.

Sushinase-thanks, you sweetie.

Lily Rose Evans-it's ended…*surprised*

FlowerBySea-oh, I can never do it professionally, but thanks. =D

Illia-glad you think so.

Violet Princess-both. Padma became a Death Eater partly to get back at Hermione and ultimately Harry.

harrys girl-hey they even married!

Dashara-thanks.

D.L.M. Gurls-hope this is soon enough.