Author's note: Sorry... I had posted this and I realised that I didn't give a bit of an explanation so I took it down and am now re-posting it. It was really difficult to write the epilogue for this story. I had so much running through my mind while I was writing it... I won't tell you guys how many times I had this chapter written and then deleted it, until I finally decided that my original idea was best for the ending. I hope none of you hate me for the ending! But I would love to know what you all think! I have already started writing another story I just haven't posted it yet, I am working out the mechanics of the dialogue in one of the chapters, that is why I have posted the prologue to it yet. Okay. Okay. On to the chapter!

Half a year later...

"Hermione come back to bed." Bellatrix grumbles sleepily as she rolls over, towards the sound of footsteps pacing by the window.

"I will be right there Bella... just go back to sleep, my love." Hermione states softly, trying to will the nervousness out of her voice.

The raven-haired witch, noticing the waver in her young lover's voice, sits up in the bed. "What's the matter my dear? You know you can tell me anything."

The brunette stops her pacing and walks over to their bed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she reaches for Bellatrix's hands and holds them gently in hers. "It's nothing really... I'm just nervous."

"Well, that is obvious. I haven't seen you this bent out of shape since our Handfasting ceremony." Bellatrix smiles in attempts to break Hermione's sullen mood.

"It's... I just... Oh, for Merlin's sake! I'm just worried that everything is going to go to shit at any moment. That everything will come crashing down on the Dark-Lord's new empire and that somehow it will all be because of me." The younger witch cries out petulantly, hating the fact that her worries sounded ridiculous, even to her own ears.

"Hermione... You know that will not happen. The rest of the Order has been defeated, so nothing can destroy what all the Dark-Lord has accomplished. I promise you."

"But, Bella... I have this feeling that something is going to happen. I can't explain it... but I know it will happen soon." Hermione states as she stares off into the distance.

"Hermione..."

"Hermione... Miss Granger..." A muted feminine voice speaks close to the brunette's ear, causing her to move around. "Doctor, I think she is waking up!"

The young witch's eyes flutter open then close because of the harsh fluorescent lighting above her. "Where's Bella?" She mutters softly.

"What did she just ask?" A male's voice questions from the foot of the bed.

"She asked, 'Where's Bella?' I believe she is slightly confused." Hermione recognises the voice of the female as Professor McGonagall's. "Miss Granger, you have taken quite a hit on your head. You have been unconscious for seven days."

"Wha-..." Hermione exclaims while trying to sit up, but the pain from the sudden movement cuts her voice short.

"Don't try to sit up, Hermione." Minerva says softly.

"What happened?" Hermione asks weakly with tears in her eyes, heartbroken by the fact that it was all a dream.

"During the final battle, you were fighting Dolohov and a part of the second level caved-in. Some of the debris hit you in the head and knocked you unconscious. Luckily, Dolohov received the brunt of the debris and was killed automatically. I rushed you over to St. Mungo's as soon as I could break away from fighting off Yaxley and Nott." Minerva looks around the room, seemingly more on edge than she was before. "Now, Miss Granger, I think you would like to know that while you were lying in this hospital bed, you were mumbling to yourself every so often."

"I was?" Hermione tried to sound as nonchalant as possible on hearing that she was talking while she was unconscious, but inside she was worried about what she might have said while being unable to control her ramblings.

"Yes..." The Headmaster said curtly. "You said Bellatrix's name quite a lot while you slept. Were you having dreams about her tormenting you again?" Minerva asked as she stares at the younger witch with concern in her eyes.

"I must have been..." Hermione says quickly, relief courses through her body as she realises that she must have never said anything more than the raven-haired witch's name. "I really don't remember too much of it... but, that is the only reason I can think of." The brunette smiles as she sees the Headmaster nod her head in understanding.

"Well, I think I will let you rest again. I think that since you have decided to wake up, they will not keep you in here too much longer. I will talk to them and find out when you will be released." Minerva stands up from the chair she had been sitting in, "I will come back tomorrow and tell you what they have told me, but for now... I think you should rest."

"Okay, Professor." Hermione says as she watches the older witch walk out of the room and close the door. Once the door was closed and she was alone, Hermione let the tears fall down her cheeks as she thinks about how everything that she had seen and the love that she felt was nothing more than a dream. 'Maybe... just maybe, she survived and when I get out of this place, I will go find her. I will just have to find a way to get Minerva to tell if she survived... I have to know!' Hermione thinks to herself as she sets up a plan to find the dark-haired mistress of her dreams.

Minerva walks towards the doctor that had been inside the room that Hermione is in, the man sees the witch walking towards her and clears his throat. "Professor McGonagall, does she remember anything she said while she was unconscious?"

"No, she doesn't. She remembers nothing about her mutterings about the Dark-Lord or Bellatrix. I am worried that she will ask me if Bellatrix is still alive. And if I tell her yes, that she will try and look for her."

"Don't worry Minerva..." The doctor says with a smile. "There is always one sure-fire method to make sure she doesn't remember a thing."