I was nearly bouncing in anticipation. The Great Hall doors were in front of us, and I hoped Potter was sticking to the plan.

"Relax," Draco chuckled from beside me.

I waved him off, "Can't! This is big, I can feel it!"

And the doors swung open, the entire Order, Draco and I included, stepping forward into the Great Hall. There were gasps.

"-seem to have a problem with security, Professor," Potter was saying.

I flicked my hair over my shoulder as I saw my father at the raised platform of the teacher's area. He had the Carrows over his shoulder, and his eyes darted to me for a second. He drew his wand.

McGonagall swept forward, stepping in front of Potter. Like the boy couldn't duel without help...

My father faltered for a bit. I knew he always respected and looked up to McGonagall. He didn't fight back as McGonagall shot spells at him. In fact, he only sent protegos to shield the spell away, causing the Carrows to drop from the spell as it rebounded to them.

And then my father fleeted.

Maybe he really was a Death Eater... the thought hurt a lot more than I thought.

"I know that many of you will want to fight." I gasped, my hands flying to my ears at the high pitched whining sound that seemed to echo throughout the hall. I saw Draco groan beside me as he did the same. "Some of you may think that to fight is wise. But this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have one hour."

The lights turned to full blast. And suddenly, Pansy stepped forward, "What are you waiting for?" her hand started to point at Harry. "Someone grab him."

"Students out of bed!" I heard echo in the corridors. "Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!" The mangy looking 'janitor' jogged into the Great Hall, and I recognized him as that disgusting Mr. Filch. His cat, Mrs. Norris, was clutched in his arms. Merlin, how old was that cat? It seemed like my father even had stories about her in school.

"They are supposed to be out of bed, you blithering idiot," McGonagall said exasperated.

"Oh," Mr. Filch said quietly. Everyone was looking at him as though he had lost his head. "Sorry, ma'am."

"As it happens, Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune. If you would, I would like you, please to lead Miss Parkinson and the rest of the Slytherin House from the hall."

"Exactly where is it I'll be leading them to, ma'am?" Filch asked.

"The dungeons would do," McGonagall said. There were a lot of cheers, which I took offense at. Merlin, we weren't that bad...

Once they were all gone and it was just students rushing to get to their dorms and back, to leave through the opened Floo network McGonagall had opened, McGonagall turned to Potter, "Potter, it's good to see you."

Potter smirked, "Good to see you too, Professor." He turned to Longbottom, "Hold the fort, Neville."

We shouted at each other, trying to get plans out. McGonagall lead Mrs. Weasley, Pomfrey, and herself to the front steps. Draco and I were with her tonight.

"This is ridiculous," I gasped between my chanting of spells to strengthen the wards. Even I knew they wouldn't last long.

"It'll buy us time," Draco told me.

I could see the worry on his face and knew mine mirrored his.

"I'm freaking out over here, Draco," I told him.

"Me too."

"I love you," I told him, giving him a long kiss as if I'd never see him again.

"I love you more," he told me.

"No, you don't," I told him. "I can't... I can't imagine how things would have been if I didn't have you..." I swallowed, saying another round of incantations. "I love you."

"I love you," he insisted. The moment the wards stopped accepting the magic we gave to stengthen them, dead silence floated across the entrance court yard. This was it. And then thousands of white lights shot from the other end, hitting the forcefield we had made.

it shattered on impact.

As the shield burned, I turned to Draco.

"This is the only time I'm going to be romantic," I told him. "I love you and if you don't make it through this, I swear to Merlin, I will join you just so I can hex you into next milenia."

He laughed, and kissed me deeply before I can threaten him more. It was a kiss of desperation. A kiss of 'we may never kiss again, so I'm making this one the best kiss you'll ever have'. I knew, when we pulled away, that I'd never forget it. Mainly because of the giants that were heading our way.

"Stay close," he told me.

"Likewise," I told him back and the end of the war began.

Review, everyone, please? And thanks to SlytherinBaby98 for the idea!

Read my disclaimer in the previous chapters... I don't feel like typing it again(: But I don't own, just the plot and Orpha

- Wynde