All eyes were on Hermione, and the world around her was grey.

In the scene before her, Ginny struggled to keep Malfoy out of the room and at bay, his hair dishevelled and his eyes glassy. "Draco, don't do this. Go and sort yourself out, for her sake. Do you really want her to see you like this?" That seemed unaccountably considerate for the hot-headed red-head, Hermione thought.

"I'm not drunk and I'm not leaving her for one minute! Let me in, please." His beseeching stare was insistent and imploring and yet, Hermione wasn't sure whether the youngest Weasley was going to let him in.

He looked inside and locked eyes with the girl on the bed. She stared back. "Ginny, it's fine." Hermione spoke up quietly, beckoning Malfoy into the room. "Oh, Draco…" She reached her hand up to his face, lightly tracing his cold and almost statuesque features.

He squatted by the bed. "I won't let you go."

For someone who has made sure his emotions were in check 7 days a week, contrary to popular belief, he was vulnerable; she could see it now, loud and clear. "You're making this harder for yourself by resisting. I'm comfortable here. You can stay for however long it takes."

He held her gaze for long enough, but ultimately and stubbornly, he blamed the others. Ron and Harry who were leaning against the opposite wall and Draco, with a twisted and knobbled burl of rage on his face, looked up at them. "How are you allowing this to happen? Merlin, Weasley, I thought you would have at least given the fucking potion a go!" Ron grimaced at the nod and consequent glance towards his and Hermione's past.

"We're not bloody Healers, Malfoy." Ron muttered, abashed.

"Fucking h-"

"Draco, please! I don't want to die with all of you fighting around me!" She had no physical strength, so all she could do was use her words; something she was usually good at, but as time went by and the darkness got closer she was finding it increasingly difficult to formulate her thoughts into coherent sentences.

They all stopped, however, at the sound of her tiny voice. She felt tiny, as well. But they knew she wasn't tiny and she would never be tiny. She would always be loud; she would always be the ever-present, ever-resilient, Hermione Granger.

But there it was, their faces turned to her with The Condolence. The Condolence was the perpetual look she'd ever so aptly named the expression on every person's face that looked her way. The look of pity. They can't do anything to help her so they furrow their brows and jut out their bottom lips as if to say, "we're so sorry you're about to die, Hermione. But we'll try and understand for just a few minutes before we go about our daily errands." She didn't want it. She didn't crave it. She wanted to be treated like the woman she was. Hermione Granger was strong, and if she was to die, she was to die well.

Hermione had made the decision early that she was to die in Hogwarts. Her home was Hogwarts, in this world. She knew there was no better place so she needed to feel comfortable. She had made these plans far in advance (what else could anyone expect?) and had organised for a muggle-born Healer, Emmeline Padfield, to provide her hospice care in her private room in the castle's Hospital Wing.

"Harry, will you fetch me my books from the common room?"

"Are we not entertaining you enough?" His eyes glimmered, but his smile was sad. He paused, then nodded.

"Oh, and Ginny, could you go with him and get me a few changes of clothes? Thank you."

They left, leaving Draco and Ron glaring at each other. Grimacing, Draco turned away and muttered, "I need a walk.", before leaving abruptly. There was a flash of his black robe slipping through the closing door before it slammed shut, causing sharp winces in both parties.

"Ron, did you ever master levitation?" Hermione said, a smirk on her pallid face, and mouthing "Levi-O-sa" with an exaggerated 'O'.

He mocked offense. "Excuse me? I certainly bloody did." He smiled. "I guess you never mastered the art of not being a condescending snob!"

She gasped, hitting him on the shoulder with her paper.

There was a lull in the conversation as they gazed fondly at each other. "Don't be giving Draco a hard time, Ronald. He's softened."

He bit his lip as he pondered this, roughly running his hands through his hair. "It's Malfoy, Hermione. I'm not bitter because of… us, you know that. But, Merlin, 'Mione, you could have chosen anyone but him."

She dropped her paper with a definitive sigh. "But I chose him."

He responded with a similarly frustrated sigh. "I know. I know you did."

"Ginny, will you do something for me?" Hermione quietly nodded to the duo in the corner. "Look after them."

Ginny followed her gaze, settling on Ron and Harry. "Ugh. I'm not their mother, 'Mione."

"Well, I've had to be in the past and I need you to take my place." Ginny's grin wavered at this.

"Yeah, alright."

"And don't you dare think about hurting Harry."

The party in question came over and kissed Ginny on the head. "Are you talking about us?"

She looked back at Hermione and smirked. "I'll think about it."

A few hours later, Harry had brought her lunch, and they sat together quietly reminiscing. "I don't feel like I've achieved anything." Harry looked up for the first time, as they had been silently munching. She laughed, "I just said that to The Boy Who Lived. How ironic."

"Hermione, are you serious?"

"Of course, I am. When your days are numbered, it's routine to ponder your achievements and successes in life, no? What are mine, Harry?"

"I almost refuse to answer that." He took a deep breath and leant back in his chair. "Hermione, you have dealt with and endured blood-prejudice all your life; you founded Dumbledore's Army; you fought in the Battle, including combat with Bellatrix Lestrange; you destroyed horcuxes with me; your S.P.E.W. Bill is being proposed to the Ministry, and to add the cherry on top, you violently punched Draco Malfoy in the mouth! And, if I'm honest, that was one of the highlights of my own life."

She laughed, recalling a moment of vehemence in which she relished. "Thank you, Harry." She cupped his face, but suddenly pulled away. "Wait. What did you say about S.P.E.W.?"

"Ah, yes." He grinned. It was the sort of expression you had when you were about to reveal exciting news. And it was. "Your S.P.E.W. bill you drafted years ago, before we got caught up in everything. Well, I pulled some strings at the Ministry and it's going to be debated. They think it'll pass."

She gasped. "Oh… Harry. You shouldn't have!"

"Yes, I should've. It was just something I could do. Anything."

She threw herself into a hug, arms tight around him. "Thank you. You don't know how much it means."

He wiped at his eyes before she noticed. "Don't ever doubt your accomplishments, Hermione Granger."

It was getting late, and Hermione had successfully attempted to push Draco to the back of her thoughts, as she had spent a good day with her closest friends and felt it well spent. As much as she loved him, she hadn't lived the best years of her life with him; she hoped he had stayed away to give her time with them and it wasn't that he couldn't mentally cope with her impending departure.

He arrived just as she thought this, and a concerned look passed over her face as he entered. The room was quiet as the others had left to refresh themselves and leave Hermione for some peace.

"Draco, are you alright?"

He frowned. "I'm fine, are you alright?"

Ignoring him, she reached out for his hand. "Where have you been all day? I haven't seen you?"

He lay down next to her, letting her settle her head onto his chest. "I'm sorry. I've just been doing some errands, don't worry about it. I'm here now." She could see through his discretion, but chose to overlook it. "Have you seen this in the paper?" He pointed to an article – headed with a moving picture of an elf, an uncomfortable expression on its face as cameras flashed in his face. "Cases of revolting house elves is up by 70%. That's big."

She smirked at him; his tactfulness was starting to dwindle. He was trying to distract her with politics and she was having none of it. She lifted her head. "Draco, look at me." His gaze dropped to her, his fingers idly playing with her hair. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing, Granger."

"Well, you've called me Granger now, so I can't ignore it."

He sighed and swung his legs over the bed. Snubbing her again, he moved to the coffee maker. "You want a tea?"

Crossing her arms, she huffed, but couldn't resist. "Go on then."

Coming back with her teacup, she grabbed him. "This is the first time we've been alone, come on."

He looked positively horrified. "Hermione, drink."

"Merlin, Malfoy. I'm dying and you'll sacrifice our intimacy for a cuppa? I'm not that fragile, yet." He looked like he was holding back a tantrum, and she retreated with a sip from her mug. And yet, post-tea, he seemed to calm instantly, his hands finding their way round her waist.

"I'm sorry I'm in a mood, I know you don't want your last days to be like this." He muttered, their faces inches apart as he put his forehead to hers. Draco pressed his lips to hers. Hermione felt the anguish in his kiss.

They were abruptly interrupted by Dr. Padfield, crashing into the room with all sorts of medical equipment. "Hermione, it's time for your evening check-up. Would you like Draco to stay?" She nodded. "Good. You know the routine, the usual ultra-sound. You went for your CT this morning, yes?" She nodded again, hiding back a giggle aimed at Draco's completely baffled face. Too many technical muggle words. "And how was it?" She coasted around the room, arranging machines and clinical paraphernalia all over the place, disrupting the calm that had settled in the room just earlier.

"The same, no change in size. They've prescribed painkillers, though, so I'm feeling a little better."

"Excellent. I'm sorry, Draco, if you could just sit on the chair there, I'll be as quick as I can."

Starting to feel woozy, she closed her eyes and squeezed his hand. With Emmeline and Draco calling her name, she drifted in and out of consciousness.

Around her, the air turned black.

That wasn't supposed to happen now.

...

AN: I hope you enjoyed! The last chapter (the next chapter) will be coming soon, STAY TUNED!