Brewed Betrayal: Breaking the Spell

Chapter ten (I don't know what to call this one)

In the heart of the silent, darkened Room of Requirement, Harry felt the crushing weight of what he'd just learned. Dumbledore had always hinted at the complexities of his destiny, but this—this was beyond anything he'd prepared for. He was a Horcrux, a piece of Voldemort living inside him, and for that fragment to be destroyed, he would need to die. He'd heard Dumbledore's voice echoing in his mind, urging him towards this ultimate sacrifice. But telling Hermione... that was going to be the hardest part.

He found her alone, still recovering from the night's events, her face etched with worry as she paced back and forth. The second he entered, her eyes lit up, but her smile quickly faded as she sensed the storm in his expression.

"Harry?" she whispered, reaching out for him.

He swallowed hard. "Hermione, there's... there's something I need to tell you. It's about tonight, about Voldemort..."

Hermione's face fell, and she instinctively gripped his hand tighter. "What is it, Harry? You're scaring me."

"Dumbledore told me something," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "Something he never told anyone else. I'm..." he took a deep breath, "I'm a Horcrux, Hermione. That's why I can feel him sometimes, why we're connected. And... it means that for him to finally be defeated, I have to... die."

The color drained from Hermione's face. She shook her head slowly, as if refusing to accept his words. "No, no, Harry, that can't be right. There must be another way. We can find it together, we can—"

"Hermione." He placed a hand on her shoulder, steadying her. "I have to do this. I don't want to, believe me, but it's the only way."

Tears brimmed in her eyes, and her hands began to shake as she gripped his robes tightly. "Harry, please, there has to be another option. You can't... you can't go through with this."

Harry's heart broke seeing her so distraught, but he knew what he had to do. "I'm sorry, Hermione," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry I can't stay. I've fought all my life to protect everyone, to protect you. And this is the last thing I can do."

But Hermione wasn't giving up. With a fierce determination, she shook her head, her voice rising. "No, Harry, I can't let you throw your life away. Not like this. Not after everything we've been through."

And then, in a moment of desperation, she did something he never expected. Hermione, usually so composed and thoughtful, suddenly pulled him into a kiss. It wasn't gentle or shy—it was fierce, almost frantic, as if she were trying to pour every unspoken feeling, every memory, into that one moment. Harry froze, stunned, but the raw emotion coursing between them broke through his composure. He found himself returning the kiss, matching her intensity, as if it was the only thing grounding him.

When they finally pulled apart, he was breathless, utterly speechless, and he could feel tears prickling his eyes.

"Hermione..." he whispered, his voice cracking. He'd never realized just how much he needed her, how deeply she was intertwined with every part of him.

She placed a trembling hand on his cheek, her own tears now streaming down her face. "Please, Harry. Don't leave me. I... I love you. I've always loved you. And I can't lose you. Not like this."

Harry felt something inside him break. He'd always known their friendship was extraordinary, something beyond what he had with anyone else, but he had never dared to confront the depth of his feelings. Now, faced with this truth, he was overwhelmed. He hugged her tightly, burying his face in her shoulder as he let his own tears flow freely. "I love you too, Hermione," he admitted, his voice a choked whisper. "I'm so sorry it's come to this."

They stayed like that, clinging to each other, both of them fully aware that this might be the last time they'd ever be together. After a few moments, he gently pulled away, wiping the tears from her face as she gazed up at him, her expression filled with anguish.

"Don't do this," she pleaded one last time. "There has to be another way. There has to be."

But he shook his head, knowing he couldn't falter now. "I'll always be with you, Hermione," he promised, his voice soft yet resolute. "In every memory, every moment. You're a part of me too, and that's something even death can't take away."

As he turned and began to walk away, Hermione let out a heart-wrenching sob, unable to hold back the torrent of emotions any longer. She called his name, but he didn't turn around. His heart felt heavy, almost unbearable, but he kept moving forward, every step taking him closer to his fate.

With every step, his own tears fell, mingling with the cold silence of the castle as he walked towards what he knew would be the end. And behind him, Hermione's cries echoed through the empty halls, piercing his heart one last time.