Hermione's POV

Lucius Malfoy, with a look of pure evil and disgust, disapparated. The other Death Eaters weren't far behind.

Draco ran to Hermione's side and held her tenderly. "Are you okay? I couldn't watch him hurt you, I'd never forgive myself—"

"Draco." Hermione smiled. "It's okay. I'm fine."

He sucked a deep breath. "Good," he breathed. He brushed a stray hair away from her face, but his thumb stayed, stroking her cheek. "If I lost you, even for a second," he said softly, "and I had something to do with it, I wouldn't be able to live."

His declaration of love for her was enough to make her cry. Weep like a baby. She was ashamed, but he took her in his arms and pressed her to him. Hermione only pulled away to kiss him through her tears. His lips were soft against hers, and she smiled.

"I love you, Draco," she whispered.

"I love you, too." He sighed. "I'm never talking to my father again."

She shook her head. "You have to forgive him. It's only fair."

"Not for him," he said, his voice raising, "he doesn't deserve fairness! His soul is blackened and hard. The only thing he'll be receiving from me is hate."

"Hey," Hermione pressed her hand to his chest, "it'll be okay. I promise, everything with play out. But now we have to go save Harry. We can't just let him die."

He nodded, letting out a puff of breath. "He's defeated the Dark Lord several times before, why can't he take down his pet, Bellatrix?"

"She's your aunt," Hermione said, cocking her eyebrow. She was surprised that he was talking about his relative in such an ungrateful manner.

"I know," he said, "but that doesn't mean I like her."

She shrugged. "Okay, let's go. Harry still needs help. How else do you think he defeated Voldemort?"

Draco kissed her forehead. "He needed you, of course. Your bravery and intelligence."

She blushed, took his hand, and together, they apparated, to wherever Harry was.

It ended up to be in the Forbidden Forest, the same clearing that Voldemort had killed a part of himself. The trees were beginning to look bare due to the coming winter, and the grass crunched under their weight. They could see Harry and Bellatrix clearly.

Hermione ran to Harry's side, Draco not far behind. He looked surprised to see the latter, but didn't say anything, as Bellatrix was speaking.

"Oh, lookie here, the gang's back together again! Oh, wait," she said, knitting her eyebrows in mock concentration, "ickle Ronnie-kins isn't here? Shame."

Hermione's hand shook as she took her wand out. "You're not going to kill Harry. If you do, you'll have to go through me."

"And me," Draco said, stepping forward. "You'll have to go through me first."

"How sweet," Bellatrix sneered. "But that won't be any fun at all, will it?"

She lazily took out her wand and pointed it at the three of them. Hermione, in a panic, sent Harry and Draco a look, one that she hoped they'd understand. If not, then they would all die. This was the only way.

Draco made eye contact with her and nodded only slightly. He understood. Now it was just Harry.

Draco, to give them some time, walked right up to Bellatrix and slapped her. Besides, she'd been gaining confidence. Her head jerked to the side, causing her to lose her balance, falling to her knees.

Hermione took that short second or two to whisper her plan in Harry's ear. His eyes were wide and he said, "Are you sure?"

"Trust me, Harry," she replied, "I know. But it's the only way."

He nodded. When Draco stepped back, they were in a line, all three of them, their wands at the ready.

"What are you going to do," Bellatrix mocked, "kill me?"

"Actually, yes, Auntie Bellatrix," Draco spat. "We're going to kill you."

Without another word spoken, the two wizards and the one witch raised their wands and spoke the words they'd never thought would come to their lips:

"Avada Kedavra."

The green lights from each of their wands came at lightning speed, shoot from the tips of the wood to the heart of their enemy. Her face wore no pain, no feeling at all. Except for wide eyes. That was the last thing they saw before she fell forward, lifeless. Her body, from the force of the curse, disintegrated on the spot.

"She's dead," Hermione said, lowering her wand. "We killed her."

"Yeah," Draco said, and his face was rid of tension and worry. "We did it."

Harry didn't say anything, but walked through the Forbidden Forest, obviously heading for the school grounds. Hermione hoped he was okay.

Draco pulled her in for a kiss. "You're a genius, Herms," he said. "You're an absolute genius!"

She kissed him tenderly again, smiling. "I love you so much."

He grinned. "I always wanted to say it first."

She hugged him and kissed him, never wanting to let go. But when they did, the light of the next day had woven its way through the tops of the trees. It was time to go.

Together, hand in hand, they walked out of the forest, away from the horrors that would no longer haunt them.