It seemed that in no time the giant was right on top of us. I ducked from its huge club, landing on all fours. As I rolled to the side and stared up at the giant, I shot a stinging hex.

Of course, that just brought its attention straight to me.

I gasped as I jumped out of the way of its club, once more, and shot as many spells as I could at it. Giant skin was as tough as iron though, and just me alone shooting spells wasn' t going to work. I glanced at where Draco was, dueling a masked Death Eater. Wonderful.

"Need a hand?" a voice called. I glanced over my shoulder for a quick second to see a burly vampire running my way, spells bouncing off his skin harmlessly, though he did lose his footing from the force of the spell.

"It'd help," I admitted, swinging out of the way of the two thousand pound club.

Emmett managed to distract the giant for me while I shot a spell behind his ear. The soft spot of all giants. The giant fell forward and we barely had time to move out of the way.

"Thanks," I gasped, my hand supporting myself on my knee.

"No problem," he winked. "See you around, sis. You got one hell of an explanation to give."

I rolled my eyes, "Think you can wait til after the battle?"

"Planning on it."

And then he was off again, just as I cast a shielding charm from the Death Eater closest to me trying to kill me.

"Now, let's not give up," I taunted. "You gotta play with your prey first."

And so the duel started. I stumbled on some fallen stones of the castle - that was never there before... As I spun out of the way of the Death Eater's killing curse, a quick glance around me showed how awful shape the castle was.

Part of the entrance hall was crushed, as well as a tower to the far end of my sight.

I stumbled again on another brick and gasped as a long gash went up my leg. Wonderful...

"Stupify!" the Death Eater said clearly.

I rolled off the stones and shielded myself from the impact of landing on the ground. If my wand was broken, I'd be stomping on Merlin's toes right now.

But it wasn't, so Merlin needn't worry.

"Avada Kedavra," I gasped as the Death Eater stood over me. He, or she, fell backwards, dead.

I found Draco, seeing he was dodging spells and doing his best to keep alive.

"Stupify!" I cried to the Death Eater trying to get him.

"Thanks," Draco gasped.

"You owe me!" I swore to him.

"Let's talk about this later!" he called.

I twirled out of the way as a Killing Curse came dangerously close to me. Bloody hell, my luck's going to run out soon...

After most of the giants were dealt with, and the last one subdued for a bit, the Dementors arrived.

We all stumbled back in surprise.

"Anyone know a patronus?" Fletcher called.

I gave it a go. "Expecto Patronum!" As did multiple other people.

I concentrated on the memory of Draco and I at Shell Cottage, just happy to be alive.

A doe burst from my wand. It galloped on air, rising above the heads of my fellow fighters. And the Dementers balked at the sight of it. I noticed a serpent burst forth through Draco's wand, joining my doe, and a few others - a lion from McGonagall, a weasel from Mrs. Weasley, and even a cat from Filch. Ugh, disgusting man...

What happy memories could he possibly possess? Getting Mrs. Norris? Marrying Mrs. Norris. Merlin knows what he does with that cat...

But I pushed him out of my head as my patronus started to flicker. Right, happy thoughts. I thought about Draco and I shagging for the first time, and then our talk in the water as we swam from snatchers, anything with him. Merlin, I sounded like some googley eyed priss...

And then they retreated.

Suddenly, the high pitch whining sound from the Great Hall before the battle was everywhere, and the Dark Lord's voice spoke, "You have fought valiantly." Everyone covered their ears, gasping, "But in vain." I winced at the harsh voice. "I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waist. I therefore command my forces to retreat." Retreat? More like he was losing more than he though. "In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonor. Join me in the Forbidden Forest and confront your fate. If you do not do this... I shall kill every last man, woman and child. . . who tries to conceal you from me."

And just like that, all the Death Eaters in our vacinity evaporated.

Our wands dropped. The war was over... for now. We had an hour.

"Everyone, to the Great Hall!" I heard McGonagall cry.

Draco slid his arm around my waist as I started to limp back to the Great Hall.

"I can walk myself," I muttered.

"Not when you're bleeding all over the courtyard," he insisted.

I groaned in pain as we climbed the steps, "Thank Merlin we aren't far, then."

"Yeah, I don't know how much longer I can hold you."

I smacked Draco's chest, hard. "How dare you! I am a hundred pounds! Hardly a troll!"

"Could have fooled me," Draco insisted.

I was lowered on a cot and someone was immediately examining my leg wound. My eyes fluttered around and I saw Mrs. Weasley sobbing as one of the twins was brought in. Oh...that had to be hard.

I diverted my eyes from the heartbroken family and turned to see one of the Patil twins was sitting beside Lavender Brown's body. Bloody hell...

"Any one we know?" I asked Draco. He knew what I meant. Any one that we grew up with personally.

He spotted Goyle, and Blaise, but other than that, no... no one. That is, until the doors opened and a mediwitch came with my father being levitated in front of her.

"No," I gasped as I saw his pale skin and the blood from his neck wound. Nagini...

"You can't move, Miss," the healer said from my leg, wrapping it tightly so it could dry before the hour ended.

"No!" I cried as they lowered him on the ground beside all the other dead - Tonks and Lupin, a few Death Eaters, even more... more Gryffindors...

Draco gripped my shoulders so I could move and the healer soaked the bandages in a potion to heal the wound, but the pain wasn't registering. I felt numb... my father... my father was dead? No, that wasn't right... My father wasn't dead... No, he was simply-

"I'm sorry for your loss," the healer said, before retreating.

"No, he's not- Draco, he's not," I desperately sought some rebuke, but Draco didn't offer one. He knew what I was feeling. He had lost Narcissa, his mother, and my godmother. I had lost my father, his godfather. "No!" I insisted. "They're wrong."

"Come on," Draco said quietly, helping me to my feet, and I limped over to my father's side. His black eyes were closed, and if it weren't for the fatal wound, I would have thought he was sleeping. I knelt as best I could beside my father and I stared at him, waiting for him to wake up. Waiting for... for this joke to end.

But it didn't. My father was really... he was really dead...

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

And I'm sorry... but I had to do it

- Wynde