A/N: I don't own anything you recognize.

This is for the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum

Are you crazy enough to do it Challenge

569. (title) Be Careful What You Wish For

If You Dare Challenge.

of Darkness

Hermione stared at the well in front of her. One wish. She got one wish, and if she played it right, everything would be alright. Everything would go back to normal. She peered inside, it was so deep she couldn't see the bottom.

This was the biggest choice she'd ever have to make and the pressure was building, a balloon in her chest making it hard to breathe. She could save one, only one. Did she dare give into her heart's desire, did she dare give into the selfishness she felt at this moment. She could save him, save the man she loved, or she could save her best friend, save the whole world.

Her fingers slid over the coin in her hand, feeling the grooves on the edges, feeling the rune carved into. Ironically, it had been the one she'd gotten wrong on her O.W.L.s. Tears started building in her eyes. She took a deep breath. She knew she could only save one, could only have one back. That's the way it worked, wasn't it?

"I'm sorry, Severus," she whispered flipping the coin in the air. It glinted silver in the moonlight before falling into the well. She waited, holding her breath, until finally she heard a small splash. Tears started flowing from her eyes as the earth shook beneath her, she fell to her knees sobbing.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" She looked up.

"Nothing Harry, let's finish this," she whispered standing. She'd only been able to save one. Harry led the charge against Voldemort, Neville swinging the sword and killing the snake, the snake who had taken the man she loved. She vowed not to resent Harry for living, she'd made her choice.

Lord Voldemort fell that night and Severus was listed among the dead. She sobbed loudly against Ron's shoulder letting him wrap his arm around her.

"I'll take care of you 'Mione," he whispered. She nodded completely numb, no one had known about Severus, no one had known about their love. Now, no one ever could. She'd saved Harry, pulled him back from the dead only to become a shell of herself.

"I'm sorry," she whispered pulling herself from Ron's arms. She ran, her legs aching. She wanted to take it back, take the wish back, she'd made a mistake. There should have been another way, maybe it would have worked out otherwise? No one stopped as she made her way to the Shrieking Shack, falling to her knees on his blood.

"I'm sorry, Severus, so sorry. Please, please forgive me," she whispered. She couldn't even grieve properly, not unless she wanted everyone to know. Something caught her eye, a small glint of white, pearly white. She paused and reached over. One of Nagini's fangs. She pulled it to her, holding it between her fingers.

"Be careful what you wish for," she whispered. "Be careful you can live with your choice," she added tears falling down her face. She wondered if her eyes would ever be dry again. She slipped back into castle, into the room they were housing the dead. She saw Fred's body, saw the Lupins, someone had them holding hands. A small gesture, it brought a smile to her face. They were united, they would never be without one another. She found Severus' body, she slid her hand into his. It was cold. She slid onto the ground next to him, laid her head against his silent chest.

"I love you, Severus, see you in a minute," she whispered pulling the fang from her pocket. She took a deep breath and plunged it into her chest. The pain was unbearable, but within minutes she gave into the darkness, falling against the body of her true love, never to be separated again.