Hermione's lips parted in a silent gasp.

Ginny reached up, as if to tuck her hair behind her ear. Her fingers fluttered to her collarbone instead. She looked out the small window to the left of Hermione's bed.

"I slit his throat. I cut my hair off when he was bleeding out." Her gaze was far away. "When it was done, I took his wand, and ran. I Apparated to Hogsmeade. I had the sword — I was ready to kill the snake, like you told me."

Hermione's heart pounded as Ginny continued.

"I was just breaking through the wards at the Hog's Head when I found Neville, doing the same." A small smile curled Ginny's lips. "He killed the Rookwoods with fire to their bed. Didn't even need a wand, though he was able to grab one of theirs before he escaped."

"He— what?" Hermione whispered.

Ginny turned to her. "You felt it, didn't you? When your magic came back?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Merlin, I've never felt it as strong. I could hardly contain it."

Ginny drifted again, her eyes glazing over. Hermione was silent.

"Neville?" she finally asked.

"Right. Well, he'd come straight to Hogwarts, like me. And when I asked him why, he said, 'I dunno, but Harry told me to kill the snake. So that's what I'm going to do.'"

A broken sound tore from Hermione's throat before she could stop it. She pressed her fingers to her lips, blinking back the pressure behind her eyes.

She'd been right. Harry had known he was a Horcrux. He'd told Neville about the snake before he walked into the forest. He'd left another in his place to help her and Ron.

Ginny looked down at her lap. "I gave him the sword, and we took the passage to the Room of Requirement. I charmed a coin I found in there — just like you used to do. That way Neville could tell me when the snake was dead."

Hermione waited until she could trust her voice again. "How did he get to her?"

"I told him how." Ginny's brow arched again. "I'd been to the dungeons where Voldemort kept her. I'd seen him cast the wards. I knew how many guards there were, and where."

Hermione's breath was short as she imagined it. How long had Ginny been preparing for this, a coy smile on her face as Voldemort handed her the keys to his destruction?

The Dark Lord's favorite pet.

"I waited until I felt the coin burn. Then I slipped into the Great Hall, and I killed him."

The words seemed to echo, catching on the walls. When Hermione could bear the silence no longer, she asked, "How?"

"The Killing Curse," said Ginny simply.

Her eyes flicked up again. There was a fire in them that reminded Hermione of another girl. One with strawberry blonde hair.

A war ravaged in Hermione's chest. She wanted to ask what Voldemort's face looked like as the Killing Curse hurtled toward him. She wanted to ask how it felt as she watched the light leave Avery's eyes. How it felt to breathe fresh air again.