I Loved The Enemy

by Alice1290

Sonona Malfoy has a problem, she loves the man she was raised to hate. Does he love her back? She comes back after years of running, can she help Harry or will she kill him to protect the one she loves.Follows HBP.

25. Unconditionally

Chapter 25 - Unconditionally

The day of the battle, December fifth, it was cold outside, and dark. It was going to snow, possibly ice. The air was cold and crisp; the wind whipped at my face and blew my hair around as I walked outside onto the back porch. I was shaky and nervous, this was it; this was the end. But what was it going to be the end of?

That is what made me shaky and nervous. I had no idea what was going to happen today at 2:35, I had no idea who would live or die, who would triumph and who would fail, who would walk away happy, and who would walk away hurt. I did not want to know, all I wanted was for the churning in my stomach to stop.

My nerves were so rattled I jumped when Draco joined me on the porch.

"I did not mean to startle you." he said. "Why are you so nervous?"

"I am worried Draco, I was wrong, everyone has something to lose, even me."

"What do you have to lose, besides Tom?" he asked in a tone that made me believe he did not think I had anything to lose at all.

"I could lose you, or Harry, or Hermione…" he stiffened, "I could lose the Order. The Order is my family. This…" I waved my arms around. "This house raised seven generations of Malfoys, it ended with me. I want it to raise another generation. I want everyone to walk away knowing everything is ok, and that our families, our homes, our lives, are safe. The Order has been my family for years, just like Hogwarts is my home. Hogwarts is everyone of ours' home. We all call Hogwarts home, even you."

"I know that, but what I do not know is how another generation can be raised in this house." He spoke the words uncertainly, he already knew that answer, and I could see it in his eyes. He was only afraid of speaking the words himself.

"You, I want to see you raise another generation. I can go somewhere else. I have other places I can live. I can easily have somewhere else to stay."

"I could never let you move out of a house you have put so much into, and know so well. This is your home; I would stay here with you, yes, but never without you."

"You say that now only because you do not have a wife or children, things change. Do not set your mind to one thing, at least not in this instance.

"Ok, I won't. Hermione and I are doing well, in case you were wondering. She is nervous about the battle too. She thinks I will be a target, because I switched sides."

"You could be, but I think most of the attention will be on Harry and me. Harry is the key person, and I am the interesting and hard to fight new comer. They will have more attention on us, less on everyone else. Unless someone has a personal vendetta, then that changes things."

"Aunt Sonoña, thank you, for everything you have done for me, for everyone. You do not hear it very often, but thank you. You rescued me. You rescued me when no one else could."

"You welcome Draco, but it was not all me. People have to want to be rescued in order for it to work. You wanted out of the darkness. That is what makes you better than your father and grandfather. You wanted out, instead of sinking further in. That makes you better, stronger. It is good. Now go tell Hermione everything will be fine. I'll see you at two when we leave." I said as he walked off.

I sighed; this was going to be either the best day of my life or my worst nightmare.

The ministry's clock said it was 2:29. I was less shaky but more nervous. Everyone that was not fighting had been cleared from the building and sent home. Students from Hogwarts that wanted to be in the final war, and had been able to get approval from their parents, all of the aurors were there, a total of fifteen, and the entire Order. We were standing around in clusters; I was standing with Draco, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Harry.

"It's almost time, good luck everyone, remember what you have learned, and do not let bad thoughts cloud your mind. Keep your mind clear and stay focused, everything will be alright." I walked a little ways away from them and whispered something to Severus and Minerva.

"Watch for yourselves, but keep your eyes on them. Keep your eyes on the younger ones. I will also, we have to make sure they stay focused and are not surrounded today." They nodded and before I could take another step a loud pop resonated through the lobby of the ministry. The Death Eaters had arrived.

I looked up at the mass of black robes. There were at least sixty of them to the forty or fifty of us. The match was close. I looked up at the sudden whooshing noise from above and saw a trail of black smoke flowing down to the floor. It disappeared and in its place stood Lord Voldemort.

My breath caught in my throat. He was pale white, red slits for eyes, and his cloak swallowed his thin frame. I took a deep, shaky breath, and raised my hand. I stepped forward. Voldemort's eyes met mine. He stepped back.

I raised my hand and pointed my finger at Alecto Carrow and said. "This ends now Tom." Voldemort started to take another step back and then stopped, he sneered. I silently cast the spell in my mind on Alecto; she dropped to the floor, frozen in place. No one would be able to undo that spell but me, which was my advantage.

The battle began as more spells were fired and the room became full of light, glass was shattered and sprayed everywhere, chaos had erupted.

The fight continued for thirty minutes. We had disarmed and captured over half of the Death Eaters. Harry was fighting Voldemort in a head to head battle; Hermione and Draco were back to back fighting off Amycus, Alecto's brother, and Yaxley. Ginny, Fred, and George, were fighting together against a small group of death eaters.

The death eaters we had captured we sent to my forest where they were unable to escape. I counted the Death Eaters remaining, there were seventeen of them and Voldemort. We had lost three, Bill had sent Fleur back to the Manor, she had gotten a severe cut on her leg, he did not want her to stay, and two of the Aurors and gone with her to watch over the captured Death Eaters.

I saw a figure come up behind me, a death eater. I thought it was time for some theatrics. I waited for him to come closer, and then changed into my animagus tiger. The death eater stopped dead as I turned around in a leap. I growled slow and deep. The man's eyes widened. He began to back away, I followed him. His fear was growing, I could feel it, and he grabbed the closest person to him, Ginny Weasley. I heard Molly's terrified scream and reacted. I lunged for the man; he pulled Ginny in front of him. I barely had time to react and readjust as I caught his arm in my jaw. I howled in pain as I drug him to the floor. He released Ginny who thanked me and continued fighting. I shook his arm that still clutched his wand. He managed to shoot a spell at me. I released his arm and jumped back.

My concentration lost, I transformed back to my human form. I was curled on the ground. I pushed myself up on my left arm. I saw Nagini slither around my feet and in front of me, between me and then man.

Nagini hissed and the whole room grew silent. I looked at Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort and Harry and both stopped and were watching. Their wands were pointed at each other, but their eyes were on me, Nagini, and the man. The man pointed his wand at me. Nagini burst apart and Garret stood in front of me. Garret spoke.

"Do not touch my wife." His voice was a low warning, I knew that voice, Garret was not afraid of this man; he was also willing to kill him if he harmed me.

"Why is she of any importance to you Nott, she is fighting for the other side, against you, remember." The man sneered.

"She is my wife, it is her choice who she fights for, but I do not fight against her, I fight for her. Anyone with a brain would not fight against her."

The man chuckled and fired a curse; Garret deflected it and killed the man. My eyes flew to Voldemort; his expression had not changed from the wonder that had been there when Garret had hissed.

"Sonoña…" Garret helped me up. "It's time Sonoña, face him. You can do it." Fawkes flew into the open window.

It happened so fast. Harry became distracted by Fawkes, Voldemort's wand found Harry's neck, Hermione screamed and Fawkes burst into flames as he descended to the ground. The pile of ashes swirled up into a small storm and the formed the shape of a man. Dumbledore appeared.

"No, it can't be you are dead." Voldemort spoke, his wand dug into Harry's neck. Dumbledore remained quiet as I stepped forward. I held my wand up pointing it at Tom.

Enough!" He turned to me, never letting his wand leave Harry's neck "No one is left Tom. Your followers are gone. Give up. You are the only one left Tom."

"My name is Lord Voldemort. Tom is dead." He hissed at me.

I walked closer to him. Garret took a step forward. Dumbledore spoke. "She is safe Garret; let her do this her way."

I raised my hand up and gently pressed it against Voldemort's face. I ran my hand across his cheek. "You never let anyone in never let anyone love you… but I did I do love you Tom." I looked up at him. "It's me, Sonoña, your Soña, you remember me. I know you do. I tried to stop this, you left the part of you so I could end this, and save you. You know that!"

My hand dropped away from his face. "Unlock the pain and become the man I loved. You don't have to do this. No one has to die. It doesn't have to end like this."

Then I noticed it, the same silver necklace that I had given him for Christmas our seventh year was laying against his pale skin. "The necklace, I gave this to you seventh year, you kept it." I paused and looked at him. "Tom if there is anything that proves you loved me this is it. The necklace is the proof." I held up the small diamond heart that was on its golden chain around my neck. "See I still wear the one you gave me. I still love you. Stop this madness."

"No. Voldemort is now, Tom is gone." He pointed his wand at me. I saw the small shake that went through his body and hand.

"Do it Tom, you know you can, kill me. Kill me and then kill everyone in here. But what good will that do you? You cannot access my home and retrieve your Death Eaters, they will die. No one else will follow you. Everyone will stand against you. It's over Tom. Voldemort's reign of terror is over."

"Not yet." He said as he muttered the killing curse, Garret jumped in front of me in a quick bound and caught the spell in the center of his chest. White light lit up the room then faded.

He dropped to the floor, his body stiff and cold. Voldemort had killed his own horocrux. Dumbledore and I stepped over and in front of Harry, Draco and Charlie came quickly and sent Garret's body back to the Manor. Voldemort was surrounded by everyone else.

"It is over my boy. Let Sonoña help you. Give in Tom. Let Voldemort go. Tom has so much more to live for." Dumbledore spoke to Tom.

I stepped forward again. Voldemort raised his wand. "Tom please," I raised my hands. "I do not need a wand for magic but I will not harm you. You know that. I love you, I will not harm you. Please put your wand down, for me."

"Why are you trying to help me?" He asked his voice was just a hiss.

"You connect yourself with Tom?" he hissed. "You did, do not try and correct it now. I am trying to help you because I love you. You have taken everything from me now, my life, and my husband. I will not allow you to take away yourself. We could have so much, and it does not have to come from war or power or the Dark Arts. It can come from love, our love for each other."

Something flashed behind his eyes, and his wand lowered. I pushed harder. "Tom please, it is just me, Sonoña. I care about you, Dumbledore cares about you. We want you to stop this, we need you to stop. You will have to destroy the whole world to acquire the power Voldemort wants. Tom you cannot take over the world. Find some sense and stop this. Just stop Tom, I love you. I've waited for years to have you again."

His eyes flashed again, his wand lowered to fall by his side. "I wanted nothing more than to forgive you for everything the morning after your friends came to the room. I just could not Tom, and I regret that. I wish I could have run away with you after graduation, but I did not have the courage. I wanted to hug you, kiss you, hold you, the night we met at Hogwarts, the night you left my mirror for me, the secret to destroying Voldemort, not destroying Tom, but helping Tom. Now fifty years after I met you I am begging you to become my Tom, the man that I fell in love with. Please Tom, do not do this. Do not go down a path I cannot follow anymore. Come back to me and go down the right path, a path where we can be together and be happy, where everyone can be happy."

I stepped forward and touched his face. "Please, just give Voldemort up, just end this now, for me." he nodded.

I closed my eyes, this was the end, he would live or he would die, but I had done my part, I had played my role and I had played him. I did not have to murder my husband at least; Voldemort had done that for me.

I looked into his eyes, as a tear rolled down my cheek. "I'm so sorry." I said. I stepped away from him, revealing Harry behind me.

My world moved in slow motion. Harry raised his wand to a defenseless Voldemort and shouted the killing curse. The green beam of light struck Voldemort in the chest. His eyes flashed to me, he nodded. He understood and I let out a sob as his body crumpled to the floor. Dumbledore caught me as I hit the floor next to Voldemort. I jerked my arm away from Dumbledore and sat beside Voldemort's body. He was cold and still, his eyes remained red and lifeless.

"Please Tom, wake back up, come back to me." I laid my head on Voldemort's chest. His face was the same, my Tom was gone. "Please no, please come back. Please Tom, please, oh I love you so much. Don't leave me." my sadness was suddenly mixed with anger. "Garret did not die for this; he died for you to come back, not for me to be hurt even more. I did not fight for you for you to leave me alone in this world. Come back to me Tom Marvolo Riddle." The anger faded, my sobs echoed in the lobby. Everyone was quiet as they stood around us. Dumbledore and Harry were the closest to me.

"Please Tom…" My tears soaked through his robes and onto his skin. I leaned up and kissed his lips. "Please, please…" my voice faded to sobs and I laid my head on his chest.

"Dumbledore look!" Draco shouted.

I could not look. Harry gasped and spoke. "How…"

"I always said love is a very powerful force Harry, some powerful enough to turn back time. Sonoña's love for Tom was a love like that." Dumbledore spoke.

looked up at Voldemort's face; the pale snake-like appearance was gone. In its place was the beautiful face of an eighteen year old man with dark hair and fair skin. I sat up. "Tom?" I whispered.

"He will not come around for awhile Sonoña. I will take him back to Hogwarts with me. Madame Pomfrey will look over him. You will see him again, when you decide to tell your story, he will be there to listen, and understand." Dumbledore spoke to me.

I smiled and stood. "Thank you Professor. Now let's see. How do I finish this." I paused, met Dumbledore's eyes, and smiled. "Ah, right. Voldemort is gone, let me be free, my lover is no more, I am finally able to live, and die." I pointed my finger at myself and nodded.

A bright golden light emitted out from my body lit up the entire lobby. It slowly faded to nothing and I was left standing.

"What happened? You look the same Sonoña?" Hermione asked stepping forward.

"My father's curse was broken I simply lifted it off my body. I will now age like I should have fifty years ago, and so will Tom. My true lover." I smiled down at his face.

"So you are our age?"Draco asked. I nodded in response. "That makes for a good story, my great-aunt is my age. And the famous Dark Lord is going to be my uncle."

I laughed as I put my arm around Harry and Draco. "Let's all go home, get changed freshened up, and have a nice dinner. Dumbledore, you are welcome to attend."

"But…"Harry started to ask.

"I will answer all questions tonight at dinner." Dumbledore said. "Dinner sounds lovely Sonoña."

We all apparated with a pop and landed by the Death Eaters in my woods. Dumbledore had taken Tom back to Hogwarts and we had taken the remained eleven Death Eaters. We gathered up the rest and took them to my dungeon. I had Snooky begin to prepare dinner and set off to make the manor shine.

Hermione began to help me set the dining room up.

"So are you going to have your grand parties and make the house the way it used to be?" she asked.

"Of course, but I'll have to have your help."

"She will be too busy planning events at the other Malfoy Manor." Draco said as he came into the room and walked straight to Hermione.

I smiled, knowing what Draco was doing. "Draco what do you mean?" Hermione asked. I was sorry to admit her smarts failed her when it came to romance.

"Hermione what I mean is, that I have had too long a life in darkness and pain. After I got to know you I learned very quickly that you and I fit together, perfectly. I do not care about the blood status anymore, that battle has been fought. The purebloods rule side lost, it does not matter anymore. What matters to me now is that I love you and I want to make you as happy as possible, for as long as you let me."

She smiled, I could not tell if she was going to burst into tears or slap him. She burst into tears at the same time she leapt into his arms.

They needed each other, the book worm and the outcast. They were meant for each other, like me and Tom were meant for each other. Draco had an undying devotion for her. It was apparent in his eyes. He would walk to the ends of the earth of back for Hermione. I would do the same for Tom. Hermione would do the same for Draco, as Tom would do the same for me. That is what made our love so powerful. When we loved, we loved with everything we had; we gave our partner everything we could, and then some. We thought nothing of ourselves only for them, and we stood by them no matter what. Draco and Hermione's love would last a lifetime. Mine and Tom's would be the same. The wizarding world would be normal again, for the time being.

We all sat around the dining room table eating a wonderful, and large, meal prepared by Snooky, and the fifty house elves Dumbledore had sent from Hogwarts to assist her.

"So how did you survive the killing curse?" Harry asked.

"It was an allusion. I had a barrier around me. I had put that barrier up before we left to retrieve the horocrux, just in case I would not be able to do it after we returned. The curse looked like it hit me but the barrier absorbed it. I pretended to fall; Severus had already taken an animal and transformed him to look like me. I found that to be amusing." He paused as we laughed. "Then I simply apparated to my office, Fawkes gave his life to me, and I took his place. No one knew, I stayed around for the funeral, and then traveled a while, trying to find horcruxs and then came here, to Sonoña, she took me in, and watched over me."

"At first I did not know it was Dumbledore. I thought Fawkes had just found his way here, but then I began to study him more. His eyes were different, blue, and not golden. He understood more too, Fawkes was extremely intelligent but this bird just understood emotion more. He understood me more. He finally left me a note one day, scrawled horribly by bird talons onto a piece of parchment. The note said, 'I am not gone, I have only changed forms.' I knew then it was Dumbledore." I smiled at him. "So I went and had a little chat with Fawkes." I annunciated his name. "I told him that I had said I would have his head if he played a trick and I intended to have my revenge. I knew Snape was innocent now, so I punished Dumbledore. He wanted so badly so reveal himself to you and give everyone more hope. But we devised a plan; Voldemort would be more surprised if no one knew. So Dumbledore's life became a secret between me and him."

Everyone understood and knew why Dumbledore and I had done what we did. We chatted happily with one another late into the evening.

"I would like to let everyone know that I will be telling everyone who will listen my story Friday in the Great Hall. I would like you all to be there. I would like you to understand everything more deeply." Everyone nodded.

The Weasley's all began to cluster together. "Harry we would love for you to come and stay with us, you are more than welcome." Molly said.

Harry looked at me. "Do not look at me for an answer Harry; I am your godmother that is all. You have no obligation to stay here with me. Go where you want to be, go with who you want to be with." I said knowing he, like Draco, Hermione, Tom, and I would follow Ginny wherever she asked him to go.

He smiled, turned, then turned back and ran to me. He hugged me tightly, but I hugged him just as tight."Thank you for everything you have done for me, everything you did for my parents, and for my friends. I will never be able to thank you enough. You are amazing Sonoña." Harry said and hugged me one more time before he followed the Weasley's to the burrow.

Hermione and Draco, Tonks and Lupin, Minerva, Dumbledore, and Moody remained.

"I do believe we have a home of our own." Lupin said to Tonks. She smiled so bright at him, it made me smile.

"Thank you Sonoña." Remus said.

"You have nothing to thank me for, old friend. You know my door is always open to you, to the three of you." I said. I smiled brightly.

Tonks blushed but grinned at me, she had talked to me already about how to break the ice to Remus that she was pregnant. Remus looks shocked for a moment and then smiled.

"Congratulations Remus, you will be a wonderful father." Albus said to him.

He smiled, thanked me and Albus, said goodbye to everyone else and then they left.

"Why don't we head back to Hogwarts?" Dumbledore said to Minerva and Moody.

"Dumbledore I would love to but I think my place is at my home. Hogwarts has done me well for many years and Sonoña here has done me well for the past couple months, but my days of fighting are over, as are my days of teaching. I shall be at my home if anyone should need me." Moody said his goodbye's and apparated with a loud pop.

"Well looks like it is just you and I Minerva. Shall we?" Dumbledore asked.

"I do believe we shall." She said, they too said goodbye and left.

Draco and Hermione looked at me. "You two are welcome to stay here until arrangements can be made to fix Malfoy Manor up for you. I will assist Hermione in decorating her new home." Hermione smiled at me. They both hugged me and then went off to their own rooms.

I left the dining room and went to my bedroom. I slept peacefully without dreams or thoughts of evil.

I looked out over the crowd of people that sat in the Great Hall. Most of the women and tears in their eyes, and some of the men did also. I took a deep breath.

"I loved the enemy and in doing so put everyone in danger. I am so sorry for that. I have fixed what I could and apologized for what I could not. The lives of those that were lost in the war will not be forgotten. I will not let them be forgotten. My life can continue on now. I should be sixty-nine, I am blessed to be eighteen, and I am also blessed to be able to carry on my life with someone who I love more than anything in the entire world."

I looked behind me. The figure stepped out from behind the shadows and walked to me. He smiled at me and I smiled back. I took his hand in mine and squeezed. "I loved you from the moment I saw you. My choices drove me away from you, but they also brought you back to me. I do not know how or who to thank for that, but I will be forever thankful to be able to spend my life with you, Tom." I smiled at him.

I held my hand toward the podium and he stepped up. I stayed by his side and whispered. "It is ok, just talk, they will understand."

He nodded stiffly. "I am Tom Marvolo Riddle and I would like to apologize for the things I have done in my past. My hatred, anger, and desire for power were too much for me and they took over my life. They destroyed the person I loved most, and I in returned destroyed people's lives. I have taken something from all of you I am sure. I am so sorry. I cannot replace a life, I cannot bring back the dead, and I do not know why I was brought back. I do know that I was given a second chance and I would like to be able to start that second chance on a clean sheet. I am not Lord Voldemort and I do not wish to be Lord Voldemort." I turned to me. "I only wish to be Sonoña's friend and lover, husband and companion. I want to be her everything."

The hall erupted in applause. I smiled and Tom and hugged him. We walked down into the crowd. Marie, Bailey, and Margret found us first. I stopped dead; I was lost for words and movement.

They all looked at me; they had aged beautifully and were still graceful, with a youthful bounce in their step. At the same time we all bolted for each other. "I am so sorry. I never should have betrayed you. I am a horrible friend." I said.

They all looked at me. Margret spoke. "It's over now; it's all in the past. You are happy and you have your Tom, we are happy for you Sonoña. You have finally found the happiness you deserved all these years. Good luck to the two of you. We will all be expecting a wedding invitation soon." We laughed and then Tom and I headed into the crowd again.

We talked to everyone until late into the night. Tom had a faint memory of what he had done as Voldemort and who the people were, but his memories as Voldemort scared him and upset him, so he relied more on his memory from his early days as Tom. He also relied on me to tell him who everyone was.

Though it was painful for him he wanted to know what he had done to everyone we talked to. He also apologized to everyone; they took his apology well and gave their best wishes to us.

We finally made it to Harry. Tom stopped walking; I pulled him to Harry and Ginny. "Sonoña I can't." he whispered, noticing the lighting shaped scar on Harry's forehead.

"Yes you can. It's just Harry Tom. I'm his godmother; I know you can do this. Please, do this, for me."

We walked up to Harry and Ginny said her sweet goodbyes and walked over to her family.

Tom was shaking and nervous, Harry looked upset and just as nervous. "Tom, this is Harry Potter, Lily and James Potter's son. He is my godson and Sirius Black's godson also. Sirius was killed in the first battle at the Ministry. Lily and James…" Tom cut me off.

"I'm sorry I killed your parents Harry. I am sorry that my mistakes led to the death of your godfather. I am so sorry for everything I have done to hurt you." Tom said, it took a lot but he looked Harry in the eye the entire time.

"The dark arts can make everyone do horrible things. Things can be forgiven though, I miss my parents and I wish they were here, but Sonoña is family to me, and so are the Weasley's, so I am not alone in this world. I at least have that. I'm glad Sonoña has someone like you Tom, I know you'll do good to her." Harry said and held out his hand.

Tom slowly extended his hand and finally shook Harry's hand. Harry smiled, Tom smiled back.

Draco and Hermione were last; they were going back to the manor with Tom and me and were staying until they were married. Draco was going to buy a ring soon, so it would not be long. Draco and I did decide that I would be married first. Then Draco and Hermione would get married and move to Draco's home.

Tom and I stayed at Hogwarts late into the evening, long after everyone had gone home.

We were walking towards our old Head's Dorm, even though I did not think Tom realized it. When we reached the portrait Tom stopped dead in his tracks. He did not move or speak.

"Hello, my dears, it is good to see you two together once again." The lady said. I noticed the man was no longer facing away from her but instead, had his hand placed on her shoulder the way it was originally. "Does he still not talk much?" the woman asked.

I laughed. "Your painting has always amazed him."

"As it should Sonoña." I turned at the sound of Dumbledore's voice, Tom turned too. "Many years ago, before you two were born, a seer who was also a painter saw the future of a man and a woman. They were destined to be together. She saw the way they should look and painted them as she saw them. She told me no force, not even death, would tear them apart. As long as one loved the other unconditionally their love would always keep them together."

He looked at me. "That is why your tears brought Tom to life. Your sorrow and your grief for the loss of your loved one was so strong that your tears were able to save Tom. You brought Tom back to life, because you loved him unconditionally. You loved him all these years, in the good and bad, you loved him as a man and as a monster. That love is more powerful than any magic you have ever learned to do Sonoña."

I smiled at Dumbledore. Tom looked at me. "Thank you for loving me unconditionally Sonoña, I am sorry for the pain I caused you. I will never hurt you again. And Albus, I am sorry I let you down."

"Everything is forgiven Tom. And to answer your question, yes, you were drawn to the portrait because you are part of its history. You are the man the woman saw and Sonoña is the woman she saw. This painting is the two of you. That is why I am giving it to you. See it as an early wedding present. I would also like to offer you the job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Tom, if you are willing to accept my offer."

I smiled and so did Tom. "Yes I would love to Professor." He said, and then corrected himself. "Albus, I would love to Albus."

Albus smiled and looked at me. "Do you still wish to spend time with your family?" I laughed at him.

"Albus, there is not a place for me at Hogwarts anymore. My time for that has come and gone. I taught here years ago, and I met students who are all grown up now, with kids that are students now. Hogwarts will always be my home, but my place is at Malfoy Manor, now Riddle Manor. I have things to prepare, like Malfoy Manor, Draco's home. Tom's place is here. This is his time to shine, mine time has passed."

"I understand Sonoña; you are welcome here any time you like." Albus said.

"Thank you. Let's go home Tom." I said. Dumbledore sent the painted to the Manor and Tom and I apparated there.

I gave him a quick tour and explained that Dumbledore would be here in the morning to help remove the Death Eaters and we went to my bedroom.

Tom picked me up and laid me down on the bed. "Soña, my love, I will never be able to repay you for what you have done for me, you know this right." He spoke to me, holding his body above mine.

"I know Tom, but you do not have too. Having you in my life is enough for me. I love you."

"I love you too Sonoña." He kissed my lips. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

My heart was finally home. I was where I belonged, in Tom's arms.