I think I managed to fix the problems with the formatting in the last chapter, hope that makes reading a little easier for everyone! Thanks for reading anyway! For those of you who have stayed with me since the beginning, I think we are reaching the end of the journey. In fact, there will probably only be one more chapter after this.
Hermione was digging through her closet in the search of an outfit for the day. She was going to Hogsmeade, and she was going with Blaise. They had spent several afternoons together since that day at the library, but today would be their first official date. Needless to say, Hermione was beyond nervous. She had woken hours ago and upon seeing the outfit she chose sitting on her trunk she cursed herself, that outfit just was not going to work. She tore through her clothes searching for the next perfect outfit and only hoped that she would be on time for their date.
Unbeknownst to Hermione, Blaise was having a similar problem. He threw this item and that onto his bed in an ever increasing pile, all while Draco sat back with an amused smile on his face. Blaise had rejected every single one of his usual date outfits with the idea that Hermione deserved to be unique and have her own everything. He eventually turned to Draco with desperate look and seemed to be nearing hysterical. With a sight Draco reached into the pile and pulled out the outfit he had been thinking about since Blaise began his insane quest.
Blaise stood in the entrance hall five minutes before he was supposed to meet Hermione. He was struggling to maintain his calm Slytherin exterior while he was mentally fidgeting and worried about what Hermione would expect to happen today. Then Draco tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to see Hermione walking down the stairs. She was dressed comfortably but she looked gorgeous. Her hair was pulled back in a loose bun with several strands hanging loose around her face. Blaise smiled and went over to greet her. Several people stared as he offered her his arm. But Blaise only had eyes for the blushing Gryffindor who reached out a small hand and placed it gently around his elbow. Without looking away they walked out the door and into the village.
They spent the day wandering from shop to shop, with Blaise offering to buy anything and everything that Hermione stopped to glance at. After two stores Hermione laughed and told him that as much as she appreciated the thought, he need not buy the entire village. He smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before nodding and they continued through the stores. As it was Hermione walked into the Three Broomsticks with a large smile and an armful of books. Soon enough the brand new couple found themselves sharing a first kiss outside the castle gates among the trees.
(0,0)
The next five months passed them by as the two couples wandered through the joys of their relationships. They still had arguments but in the end they always came back with small, hopeful smiles and were welcomed back with open arms. As the date for the final task grew nearer, Harry could be found in the library researching new spells and mastering some that he could not quite understand from previous years. His friends and teachers were impressed as his scores rose to the point where he was a star pupil. He began earning points through knowledge rather than his fame and luck. For once Harry thought that he was finally earning the attention that people were bestowing upon him on a daily basis. As his days grew longer, it was not uncommon to find Harry and Draco waking up on the floor of Harry's private rooms among a pile of books. Their relationship had progressed slightly beyond snogging but most days they were comfortable just sitting with each other reading their books and working on their homework.
One day in early June, Harry and the other champions were summoned to the Quidditch pitch where they were introduced to the third and final task. The knowledge that Hagrid was supplying creatures to run the maze was nerve wracking. A glance at Cedric assured Harry that the other boy was thinking the same thing. After all, Hagrid's definition of dangerous was staggeringly different than everyone else's. Harry quickly returned to his room, ignoring an entreaty from the others to talk. Although that was a good decision if the next day's rumors were anything to go by. Apparently Cedric and Krum were found stunned just within the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Harry spent the next week looking up the strengths and weaknesses of some animals that were in the same class as the acromantulas and dragons that Hagrid seemed to find harmless. Even creatures like Fluffy were mentioned. Not willing to take a chance Harry spent long hours before the task looking up every possible spell that they could even think about using in the maze the following week. Between his school work and the tournament Harry was stretched thin but with Draco beside him they found out as much as he could before the task came.
They day before the task was spent with the Slytherins and Gryffindors talking and enjoying the day off from classes. Harry watched as Ron sat next to Theo and Pansy complaining about how their friends had absolutely no interest in anything besides each other. Harry enjoyed watching as Ron and the Slytherins commiserated over the struggles with teachers and outrageous amounts of homework. He figured that he had a lot to be proud of. Slytherins and Gryffindors were getting along for the most part and could actually share a space without attacking each other. As curfew approached Harry kicked everyone out accepting their wishes for luck and a good night's sleep. When Draco made to leave, Harry pulled him back.
"Dray. Can you...That is...Will... Uh..." Harry turned a bright red and gave up trying to share his thoughts. He pulled Draco close and pressed their lips together.
Draco smiled and kissed Harry back before pulling away, "Harry. What is it?"
Harry wrapped his hands around Draco's neck and pulled him in closer against his lips Harry whispered, "Stay."
"Dray. Don't make me connect all of the dots for you."
Harry pressed Draco back against the door and pressed his lips roughly against Draco's. Draco groaned into the kiss before turning them around and pressing Harry into the wall. After several minutes Harry pulled away and took Draco's hand leading them back towards his bedroom.
"Harry?"
"Please. I'm ready, if you are."
"I don't want this to happen because of the tournament." But Draco followed Harry's lead as they walked through the door.
"That's not it. I love you Draco, I want to share this with you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good, because I love you too." With that said Draco pulled Harry against him and kicked the door shut behind them.
(0,0)
The final task was here. Harry woke up feeling wonderful. He blinked his eyes open to find that he was sleeping with Draco. As Harry lay there with Draco as a pillow he marveled at the muscles of the body beneath him. He was sore and really did not want to move from the warmth of Draco's side. Letting his eyes travel up Draco's body, he was surprised to see grey eyes looking down at him. Harry blushed as he looked away.
"Good morning, Harry." A soft hand turned Harry's head back to look at the wizard beneath him.
Harry placed his lips against the blonde's, "Good morning, Dray."
The blonde smiled down at Harry before returning the kiss and standing from the bed. "I have something for you. I was going to give it to you yesterday, but I was distracted."
Harry's blush returned full force and Draco picked up his wand and summoned a small box from outside the room. He came back and sat down on the bed leaning back against the headboard. Harry sat up wondering what Draco had and wondering why. Draco looked uncomfortable as he handed Harry the thin black box wrapped in a Slytherin green ribbon. Harry took the box from Draco and gave Draco a curious look. With a small smile Draco motioned for Harry to open it. Harry pulled one end of the ribbon and watched as it unravelled. The wondering look on Harry's face made Draco resolve then and there to give Harry as many presents as he possibly could. As Harry unhooked the latch and flipped the lid back he gasped at what he saw within.
"What do you think?"
"Dray, it's amazing..." Harry lifted the pendant from the box. In his hand he held what looked to be a coat of arms. The background was black and it held a golden lion outlined by a silver serpent. The chain was bright silver and long enough that Harry could hide it beneath his robes. Draco reached and picked it out of the small boy's hand. With deft fingers he hooked the clasp around Harry's neck.
"It reminded me of you when I saw it. A lion's heart hidden with a snake's cunning. I wanted to get it for you for Christmas but it took some time to make and I wanted it to be perfect."
"It is. It's just wonderful." Harry held it in the palm of his hand for a moment longer before letting it fall against his chest.
"I'm glad you like it, there are a few spells that were embedded in it. That's one of the reasons why it took so long to complete, although I have had it for a while. I just wanted to wait for the perfect moment..." Draco blushed as he said the words and Harry giggled.
"What sort of spells?" Harry asked to take Draco's mind off of his embarrasment.
"There is kind of a shield charm attached to it that will protect you from most minor jinxes. Something that will help block any poisons that you ingest. There is also a kind of portkey imbedded in it. It is connected to three places. All you have to do is say 'take me to' followed by the name and it will take you directly there."
"What are the three places?"
"Hogwarts, well actually the gates to Hogsmeade, Malfoy Manor, and-uh..." The blush and embarassment returned, "It's also connected to my magical signature so that you can find me wherever I am. Or if you needed to you could say 'find me' while touching the pendant and I will feel you and hopefully be able to apparate to you in case you need me."
"It's lovely Draco. Thank you." Harry pressed another kiss against Draco's mouth and pulled the taller boy over on top of him.
(0,0)
Harry stood next to Diggory at the starting line. The cannon fired and they were off. As Harry called on his wand to point him in the direction of the cup he dodged plants and fought off creatures leaving them behind as he moved towards the center. He stunned Krum when he turned his wand on Cedric and sent up sparks when he stepped over Fleur lying on the ground. Eventually he found himself facing the sphinx. Her riddle was surprisingly easy and Harry was allowed passage towards the cup. He reached the pathway ahead of Cedric and sealed the passage behind him with a growth spell he had discovered thanks to Draco. He began the walk towards the cup. All of the sudden he felt the walls closing in on him. Harry felt adrenaline course through his system. He ran down the aisle barely noticing the closing of the walls as they scratched through his clothes and ripped open his skin.
Ahead of him he saw the golden cup and pushed himself to run faster. He stretched his arm out in front of him and felt his fingers brush the handles of the cup. Suddenly he felt the sensation of a hook behind his bellybutton and felt himself fly through the air and into the ground. When he looked up he saw the scene of his nightmares, a graveyard in what looked like a muggle village. He stood in front of the grave stone and felt dread pool in is stomach as the pain boiled in his head. Voldemort was close.
(0,0)
Cedric cast spell after spell at the barrier that Harry had created. He needed to get to the cup, everyone was counting on him. Finally the hedge burst into flame and Cedric stepped through. The wind and leaves were whipping through the air. As his eyes were battered by flying dirt he cast a shield in front of him. His vision cleared in time to see Harry disappear with the cup. Cedric cursed his luck and waited to be pulled out of the maze. Minutes passed and Cedric stood contemplating how a boy years younger than him had managed to beat him in a challenge of brains and talent. After a while he looked up and down the rows wondering why he was still here. With a sigh he cast sparks up into the air and waited to be pulled from the maze. The air pulled around him in a tight spiral and he closed his eyes.
When the air stilled he found himself staring at the disappointed face of most of Hogwart's. He glanced around and noticed Malfoy, Zambini, Nott, Hermione, and the Weasley's standing in a group looking anxiously at the entrance of the maze.
"What happened, son? Why did you withdraw?" Amos Diggory came and stood by his son.
"What do you mean? Where's Harry?"
Everyone started talking at once.
"He's still in the maze. Everyone else was rescued." Hermione whispered from within Zambini's arms.
"No. I saw Harry grab the cup. He was portkeyed out of the maze." All of the sudden the words grew louder as the crowd processed what he had said.
"Albus." The crowd grew silent as Snape called the Headmaster's name, "He's returned."
All eyes turned to the ink black mark on the arm that Snape held out for the Headmaster's view. The headmaster's face paled and everyone turned to look at the most powerful wizard they knew.
"We need to find him." His voice was barely a whisper.
Silence filled the stadium until one voice let itself be known, "Sir, I think I can help."
(0,0)
Harry watched as Voldemort stepped from the cauldron. The pain in Harry's arm was overwhelmed by the shooting pain as his head exploded. The man draped himself in his cloak and grasped his wand in bony fingers. The Death Eaters were called and Voldemort began his resurrected life. Harry tried to listen and was shocked to see Lucius standing among the Death Eaters. In his surprise the pain from his head drew a scream from his body. Voldemort turned to him with a smirk and an evil laugh. Lucius paled at the sight of Harry but struggled to maintain his mask. Voldemort reached a single finger out and pressed it against Harry's scar, and Harry lost touch with reality. When he was released from the grave marker and placed under the cruciatus Harry was almost glad to have a different pain to focus on. Voldemort released the curse and called Harry to duel against him. Suddenly his pendant grew hot against his skin. Without thinking about what that could mean, Harry dodged behind another marker to center himself before the inevitable fight.
Next thing he knew the Death Eaters were yelling. Peeking around the headstone he saw Draco standing feet away from where Harry was hiding. Two Death Eaters had him pinned between them and he was yelling at the snake faced Voldemort in front of him.
"Where is Harry?! Where is he?! What have you done to him!"
"Draco?" Harry heard his voice ring in unison with Lucius.
The lipless mouth curled in a crudel facsimile of a smile and Harry felt Voldemort's joy pounding through his scar.
"Lucius. Has your son become important to The Boy Who Lived?"
Lucius cringed at the hope in the man's voice and responded in less than a whisper, "I believe so my Lord."
The snake man let another cackle fall from his mouth and he turned to the blonde, "Time to watch your friend die, Potter."
Harry felt his heart stop. His breath stopped in his throat. He barely heard Lucius cry out for his son, but Harry was already on his feet. Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at Draco.
"Avada Kedavra." Voldemort's voice was flat and held no emotion as he cast his first killing curse since his resurrection.
"NO!"
(0,0)
Draco faced Voldemort with a straight face. There was no way he was getting away from this. He felt the Death Eaters lean away from him in an effort to avoid the curse. Draco closed his eyes and listened to Harry's scream, he was strangely glad that the last thing he would hear was Harry's voice. The bright green cut through his eye lids. Then the hands on either side of him were pulled away and he felt himself falling. The darkness was not what he expected. The astounded gasp from the audience forced him to open his eyes. Where he saw one Harry Potter standing above him surrounded by a startling green light.
"No." Draco felt his voice drag across his raw throat.
A bare smile covered his face as he looked at Draco. His eyes were glassy and he fell to the ground. Draco reached out and caught him mid fall. He thought back to a year ago when Harry jumped in front of Buckbeak the hippogriff.
"No. No. No. No! Harry! Wake up! No. This was not what was supposed to happen. Come back to me, come back. Harry... I love you." His voice was thick as tears streamed down his face.
He heard screams and spells being cast around him but kept his eyes locked on the boy in his lap. The boy who had given his life for Draco's. He buried his face in Harry's messy hair and tried to stop his tears.
All of the sudden the body shuddered in his arms. Draco wrapped his arms tighter around his boyfriend, no one was going to take him away. Not this time. A deep voice reached him with an insane laugh. Draco found Harry's wand and held it close to him. He ran his fingers through the messy hair before gently moving the body to the ground. He stood to face the man who had killed his boyfriend. He was standing surrounded by his Death Eaters, and was staring at the two young wizards in front of him.
"Step away young Malfoy. He is no longer yours to protect, we only wish to celebrate a most glorious victory." The voice that came from beneath red eyes was almost understanding, sympathetic. Draco's resolve grew.
Draco could not help the sneer that crossed his face as he moved to stand in front of Harry's motionless form, "Victory? You call the death of a fourteen year old boy, who threw himself in front of the curse meant for another, a 'victory?'"
"It would be wise for you to stand down before his sacrifice is wasted." Voldemort's voice lost all resemblance of kindness.
"Wasted? I think not. His life was greater than yours ever will be! He has been loved by more than you see here before you. His life was proud. Harry was more important to the world than you will ever have the chance to be."
"Lucius, I am truly sorry that you will have to find another heir."
"I'm not, I never want to be the heir of a man you kisses your robes!" Draco saw his father wince and regretted the words, but his anger and pain was making him say things that would hurt Voldemort.
Voldemort laughed, "It will be a shame to see your spirit die, but you have made your choice. Avada Kedavra!"
For the second time Voldemort's voice rang clear through the air, and for the second time it was met by a second. "Expelliarmus!"
Draco held the wand steady knowing that he had to hope that his curse hit Voldemort before the Killing curse reached him. When the light connected Draco could feel Voldemort's shock. Draco pushed the red beam towards the green and held on. Then out of nowhere golden beams of light arched high above them and Draco kept his power behind his curse as several grey wisps flew to the ground around them. One a handsome man with dark brown hair and a tight expression looked beyond shocked to find himself back on earth. The next an old man who looked to be muggle took form. A beautiful woman with large eyes came next. Then came Harry. Or someone like Harry. The differences were subtle but they were there. All of the sudden Draco understood- James and Lily Potter. Draco realized that this must be people who Voldemort had killed. He barely recalled a nightmare Harry had of Voldemort murdering an old muggle man. But then, what about Harry? Voldemort looked beyond Draco and for a moment Draco gained ground against the green curse. In the next instant two arms wrapped around Draco. The blond kept his focus on the spell but wondered briefly who it was.
"Dray..."Draco froze as a familiar hand reached out and closed over his on the wand the other stayed firmly on his waist.
"Harry?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Dray. I-I love you too."
"Wha- How-"
"I don't know. Focus on the spell." Harry's words drew Voldemort's shocked gaze back to the curse he was attempting.
Pushing the questions from his mind Draco turned his focus back to the spell. He forced all of his strength out and down his arms through the tip of the wand and down the stream of light. The red light pushed against the green but it was not nearly enough. Suddenly Harry gripped Draco's hand tighter. Magic coursed through Draco's hand and down the wand, the red beam grew brighter as they fought against the green. Together the two young wizards faced the newly returned monster. Lily's voice ran sweet through Draco's ear as she encouraged Harry to push through, to try for them. The beam pulsed. She turned to Draco and told him to watch out for Harry, that she was counting on him. The beam pulsed again. James came over to the pair and told Harry he was proud of him. He told Draco to loosen up. Harry laughed and the red beam edged closer to Voldemort's wand.
All of the sudden the beam grew stronger and Voldemort's eyes glazed with anger and fear. Draco risked a glance behind him and saw Harry looking straight at him. The love he saw for him in the green eyes filled Draco with joy and the red gained on the green. The unknown man who had first exited the wand turned to the two wizards.
"Give up, you'll never defeat him. You two are worthless," his eyes singled out Draco, "especially you, what will he ever see in you." The beam faded slightly and the green pressed forward.
"NO! Draco don't listen to him! Do not give up now, I need you here with me. You need to trust me!"
Draco forced the dark haired man out of his head and focused on Harry, "I do. I'm not going anywhere."
Draco's determination flared through the beam and pressed against the green curse by now Draco felt his strength draining as he fought to stay on his feet with all of his magic flowing into the spell
"Harry, I'm tired."
"I know, I am too. Fight through it. Think of everyone you are doing this for, everyone who you love enough to protect."
"Mother." The beam pulsed.
"Mrs. Weasley."
"Blaise."
"Ron." The green light was fading quickly.
"Pansy."
"Hermione."
"Theo." The red beam pressed closer still until only a foot of the green curse was holding out against the pressure.
"Fred and George."
"Father." The beam had no where else to go as it pressed against the tip of Voldemort's wand.
Harry paused then pressed closer to Draco, "Draco Malfoy."
Draco smiled, "Harry Potter."
In a sudden burst of energy the red beam over powered the older man's wand. Voldemort himself was surrounded by light as he faced the two teenage wizards who had ended his second life minutes after it had begun. Suddenly Voldemort was fading and shrinking. The two opposing wizards stood with each other as they watched the once great wizard shrivel to bones and dust that floated away.
Harry grabbed Draco's hand and took his wand away, placing it in a pocket somewhere. Draco turned in the arms of the boy who had saved him once more. He reached a gentle hand out and stroked the side of Harry's face.
"Harry." Harry smiled, "You're okay!"
"Thanks to you..." Draco smiled back at the Gryffindor and saw his world grow fuzzy around the edges. Draco's world faded to black.
In the distance voices were heard in screaming in a mad harmony as the boys fell to the ground in each other's arms.
And so ends Voldemort. I have a plan to write an epilogue, if you have any questions you want answered during said epilogue please let me know! Any thoughts on the ending are more than appreciated as well!
