Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the content and material of Harry Potter. This story takes place in Harry's Sixth Year, with NO horcruxes involved - BUT the main events from HBP and DH will still be in effect and will still shape this story's plotline.

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Merry Christmas!

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The final chapter - Enjoy

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Chapter Fifty-Two - It's The End of The World as We Know It

Draco could hear Ginny right on his heels as he bolted through the corridors, though how he did through the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears he did not know. Instead of the worry that he had thought would accompany him if she followed, he felt relief and calm knowing that she had his back. She was more than capable of defending herself and for a rapid series of breaths he wondered why he had worked so hard to protect her from this anyways.

That is until they approached the main hallway on the first floor and were stopped short by the damage that had already been done. The wall to the left of the Great Hall entrance had been blown apart and stacks of rumble cluttered the hallway. Shouts of hexes and curses could be heard but the creaking rumble of unstable stones muffled the screams. Another boom echoed through the castle and Draco jumped backwards with an arm outstretched to keep Ginny away as a column three yards in front of them exploded from the inside. He rotated and flung his body over hers as a piece of the ceiling dropped through the air, his first instinct being to remain lying there as her soft curves squirmed beneath him.

A second blast rocked the walls and a larger slab of stone broke off. The rough corner slammed into Draco's shoulder and his body automatically stretched to cover her more completely as Ginny whimpered with the sudden force. He waited a long moment, his lungs inhaling the dust and debris, before pulling back and gazing down at her.

Ginny was twisting her neck from side to side, her eyes blinking rapidly as she took in her surroundings. A chunk of rock was lying next to her head and small bits of gravel littered the small gash next to her copper brow.

"Hey! Hey!" Draco whispered thickly, mindful to keep his voice down in case more Death Eaters were patrolling the hallways. "Ginny!"

She jerked her head to look at him and immediately her lips pursed, her jaw setting as she decided she wanted to sit up.

"Ge' off."

Draco sat up while tucking his legs on either side of her waist and sitting back on his haunches. He leaned forward enough for his large palms to grab either side of her face, his grasp tight enough to keep her focused on him.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine! Now ge' off!" Ginny squirmed, her small fists pushing against his chest as Draco reluctantly got to his feet and offered her a hand of assistance. "Ever the gentleman," she sneered as she bounced to her feet and brushed off her robes and shirt.

Draco gritted his teeth, his lips parting as his eyes narrowed. "I don't want you here as much as you don't want to be here. But since you ran after me, I have no choice now but to get you away from all of this."

"I have just as much of a stake in this fight as you do! I'm not going anywhere but into the Great Hall to see what's going on!"

Their stubborn glares met and neither backed down as the tension grew palpable.

"Fine. Let's go."

Draco turned around, wand aimed forward, and cautiously proceeded down the main hallway. Ginny was so close on his tail that he felt her warmth at his back and he knew if he stopped short she would run into him. Smirking to himself, Draco actually did pause as a slight of a black shadow moved through the dust at the end of the hallway. Ginny's head popped around his side, turning against his shoulder as she whispered.

"Who is that? One of us? - or one of. . . you?"

He pressed his lips together at her timid referral but watched the moving figure as it slowly came closer.

"I dunno. But I don't want to find out."

Rocks tumbled to the floor as the person pushed through the rubble. Their shadow grew larger and Draco suddenly heard the most ominous sound he could think of at the moment: claws clicking against stone. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he hesitated whether to turn around and run the other way or attempt to get by the werewolf - with magic or a fight.

The decision was made for him as the beastly man took an exaggerated sniff of the air.

"I smell ripe flesh," Fenrir Greyback wolfishly growled, his mouth no doubt already watering.

Ginny froze behind him and Draco spun around. One arm locked around her shoulders, bringing her against his chest with a jarring force, as the other waved his wand to conceal their scents. He pushed her backwards so fast her feet barely touched the ground and she had barely a second to whimper a sigh. Their bodies pressed together, a slab of intact stone wall at their back, and he held up a finger for silence.

Greyback inched closer still, the pungent odor that accompanied him reaching their nostrils. Ginny fought back a reflexive gag and Draco held her tighter, willing her to remain quiet so that his quick weaving of spells could work to conceal them. She could just see over his shoulder and when she inhaled sharply he knew that the werewolf was within eyesight. He would not be able to see or smell them but if he walked close enough he would feel them and their hidden location would be blown.

Draco relaxed as much as he could in such a scenario. If they were revealed, he would be the wolf's first target. He needed to be calm in the off chance that he was ripped away from Ginny and forced to suddenly defend them.

A deafening boom vibrated the shaky walls and smatterings of debris leaked out of the jagged crevices in the ceiling. Fenrir's matted head spun around as he sniffed the air. Something must have piqued his interest because he turned around and sprinted down the hallway, his hands dropping to the ground as he ran on all fours.

Draco glanced down at Ginny, watching as her chocolate eyes followed the dimming shadow of the wolf. She remained fixated on his figure for a moment before she turned back to Draco. Their gazes met and they were both suddenly all too aware of the hot friction between their bodies. For an instant she almost pushed her hands around the coils of his back and pulled his head down to her face. The scenario rapidly played out in her head and she could tell by the glazed over look in his eyes that he was thinking of something similar.

But the ground shook with a slight tremor and their lusty moment was shattered.

"Come on," Draco gruffly stated.

"I'm right behind you," Ginny replied, her voice breathy with a hint of disappointment.

They did not have to walk the entire length of the hallway to reach the Great Hall - the gaping hole to the left of the entrance doors provided a well enough opening. Draco held his arm back to keep her behind him but she pushed against his side as she came to stand beside him.

No one took notice of the odd pair standing just beyond the fighting. They stared in momentary silence as they watched Bellatrix and a hooded Death Eater leap through the rubble and debris to find their targets, Fenrir somewhere close as his howl echoed loudly. McGonagall was closest to the dark haired witch and she repeatedly ducked behind the bottom half of a broken column as jets of magic shot towards her. The Transfiguration Professor was doing her best to distract Bellatrix from attacking the huddling children but the younger woman was quicker, cackling with laughter as her opponent's spells missed her and she took aim for a large chunk of stone. A terrified yelp sounded as the rock exploded into millions of pieces and Ginny bounced on the balls of her feet as she saw a blonde haired girl run from the destroyed location, her arms covering her head as she hurdled behind an overturned table.

Sensing her agitation, despite the anxiousness brewing in his stomach at their defenseless standing amidst so many notable Death Eaters, Draco gripped his wand tighter and scanned their immediate vicinity.

"We're going to make a run for it," he told Ginny. "You see that slab of stone over there? - by the Slytherin table?" She hastily nodded against his shoulder, her eyes darting to where he was indicating. "Run as fast as you can over there. Don't look back. I'm right behind you."

When she lunged forward, her wand pointed out in front of her, he hesitated for half a second before leaping after her. Her fiery locks were a beacon for him to follow, his steps right on her tail as he shot a quick spell at the masked Death Eater who turned at their movement. Ginny jumped over the boulder, grunting as she landed on her stomach, and rapidly rolled backwards to press herself against the stone. Draco was beside her a moment later and his shallow breaths and singed robes wordlessly confirmed that he had dealt out a small share of pain on someone.

Bellatrix's cackle pierced the chaos of screams and shouts, a trail of promising threats following as she attacked someone. Ginny scrambled to get a better look at what was going on but Draco grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her back down beside him.

"Don't!" He chastised fiercely. When she glared at him and opened her mouth to bite out a response, he quickly added "Let me look first and then we'll shoot."

Without giving her the time to reply he spun around and crouched below the line of the stone slab. Cautiously he raised his head and scanned the Hall again. Giving her a rapid nod, Ginny turned and squatted next to him, her wand aimed over the rough edge as her chocolate gaze looked for a target. Spotting Bellatrix nearby she flicked her wrist and mouthed a curse.

The nearly insane witch shook with pain as the purple stream sunk into her back but instead of howling with displeasure, she effortlessly rotated around and laughed.

"Now that wasn't very noble of you - hitting a witch when her back is turned," Bellatrix called out to the invisible person who had hit her. "Show yourself and I'll show you how a real witch fights."

Ginny shot another spell at Draco's aunt but the witch disappeared into thin air, reappearing ten yards away with her blood red lips curled into a sneer.

"You have to be quicker than that to hit me twice without me looking!" Bellatrix yelled haughtily.

"How 'bout you pick on someone your own age?" A chipper voice called out.

"Or how about two someones half your age, old woman?" A second voice added in a sing song tone.

Ginny perked up, her hand gripping the stone for balance as she half leaned over the boulder to find the source of those voices.

"Maybe you'd like to go against me, auntie?" A feminine voice shouted over the roar of the battle and Ginny knew at once that she had not imagined the previous two antagonizers.

Nearest what remained of the double doors stood Fred and George, flanked by Tonks and Lupin. Ginny's chest expanded with hope for the arrival of the Order and she nearly shouted across the room to gain her brother's attention. Glancing sideways to Draco, she was crestfallen to see that he appeared more anxious with the newest arrivals than relieved. A large part of her still hoped that he would turn to the Order for help with his task instead of accepting his inevitable failure. Steeling her expression Ginny pressed her forearms against the edge of the stone and focused her gaze on Greyback who was wandering nearby, his nose high in the air as he sniffed for any remaining persons.

Ginny shot off a spell, jolting Draco as he turned his attention from the four Order members. His lips were parting to whisper a quick 'nice aim' when someone threw themself over the boulder. A single groan emitted from the slumped body but then the messy head turned over and both of them gasped with surprise, though the sounds were muted from the screaming beyond them. Harry rolled off his back and scurried over to the shadow of the boulder, his emerald eyes narrowed and glued to Draco and Ginny as he moved.

D/G

Severus had been nonplussed when the fire turned a roaring green and spit out half a dozen Death Eaters. Bellatrix headed the group, followed closely by Fenrir Greyback, Anton Dolhov, and the Carrow twins. The gleams in their gazes was absolutely demented, the wolf blatantly bloodthirsty. They were ready to attack and nothing could stop them now.

Severus wordlessly handed the vials of Polyjuice Potion to Alecto and Amycus. Within moments the bulky twins were transformed into carbon copies of Filch and both looked absolutely delighted with themselves. Bellatrix ordered them out of his living room, demanding that he show her the door and point them in the right direction. Fleetingly Severus hoped that Harry was not in the Great Hall for dinner, his ghostly hand raising to direct them to the right once they got through the portrait.

They were gone quicker than they arrived and his let out a shaky breath, his long finger running through the oily locks atop his forehead. He did not know how much time he had before Bellatrix came hunting him, wild eyed and ready to leave after her mayhem was caused.

Half an hour at best Severus reckoned.

Straightening his stance and blanking his composure, he patted the inner pockets of his robe, double checking that a shrunken bag of miscellaneous items and his wand were both stowed safely against his chest. Dreading what he had to do next but seeing no other way around it, Severus left his chambers and the dungeons.

He could hear chaos and destruction happening in the Great Hall but he had to ignore it, despite the screams and blasts that echoed loudly. As he walked he silently mouthed an old spell, the words weaving together beautifully as his fell off his tongue. The magic highly encouraged anyone in the nearby vicinity to find safety and go about their normal business in a secluded area. He saw it work as he passed a pair of Hufflepuffs who, though roughed up and a little bloody, were walking calmly to their Common Room.

Satisfied that he had helped, if only in the most minor way possible, Severus breezed the corridors and up the stairs. The Third floor was eerily empty but he caught down the urge to glance around for stray students as he hurried down the narrowing hallway.

The door to the Astronomy Tower was left ajar and Severus vaguely wondered if he would find a pair of snogging teenagers instead of the Headmaster at the top. Pushing past the slight of glee that passed at the thought of punishing students, he slipped through the open crack and pulled the wooden door shut behind him. The metal stairs creaked beneath his lithe frame, announcing his arrival as he fluidly manuevered up the spiral staircase.

At first glance around the circular rooftop, the Astronomy Tower appeared to be vacant. After taking a quick run-around of the open air space Severus realized he was in fact alone.

He glided towards a curved railing and rested his hands on the cool metal. His almost black eyes gazed across the expanse of the Hogwarts grounds, the sounds of fighting echoing distantly though not far enough to be unheard. He pushed thoughts of what was happening several floors below him out of his mind. There was nothing he could do to stop the whirlwind that was happening. In fact, if he did, his position within Voldemort's ranks would be questioned and Harry's relative safety would be jeopardized. If he interferred with anything at all that night, the future of the Wizarding world would be in danger of crumbling completely as the Dark Lord intended.

No, if Severus wanted to be of any help to the students of Hogwarts, and his son, he had to remain in the shadows and uphold his uncaring attitude. Otherwise the tentative plans hanging in suspension would not click into place when the time came and he would not be able to aide the children when they really needed him.

Several minutes had passed, his mind unaware of the shifting time, and he nearly startled when the very faint sounds of footsteps caught his ears. Knowing at once who his intruder was Severus remained with his back to the Tower entrance and waited for them to approach him.

"Such a beautiful night," Dumbledore rhetorically stated as he stopped next to Severus.

"I would hardly consider it as such knowing what we both do," came the Potion Master's dry response.

The Headmaster chuckled lightly, his half moon spectacles perched precariously on the end of his crooked nose. "You shouldn't be so callous, Severus. Everything, and everyone, has a beginning and an end."

"You do not need to speak to me of death and finality," Severus spat back, his emotions riling with a passing thought of Lily - beautiful Lily who had died long before her time. "I am well aware of the cycles of life."

Again Dumbledore chuckled, the sound appeasing instead of cruel as most others would come off as with such a response.

"My apologies - I forget sometimes that beneath your tough exterior is a man yearning for redemption and hope."

Severus pressed his thin lips together, the words striking home a little bit closer than he had thought they would when finally spoken by his mentor.

"As we all do. You should not hold people so far away, Severus," Dumbledore said conversationally, as if he were speaking of the weather. "You have been burned by those you love in the past but that does not mean that you should continue to shut everyone out. There will come a time when you will need the kindness of human beings to survive - do not treat them so harshly that they do not extend a hand to you when you need it most."

That was easy for him to say - Albus had been loved and adored all of his life. Severus, like Harry, had felt neglected and unloved by the very people who raised him. What kindness life had to offer it did not extend much to him. And how easy it was for him to comment on the kindness of others, when he was asking so much of one man.

"You must beg my apologies - I do not mean to deter from your plight but if you would remember the vow you promised me. . ." Dumbledore trailed off, his silver eyebrows raising as the reflection of the moon caught on his glasses.

Severus turned sideways, looking at the Headmaster as if for the first time. He remembered when he was a boy of eleven and he first saw the kind, wizened wizard. Even then he had seen the accepting and knowledgeable gleam in his twinkling eyes and he had known from his first day at Hogwarts that Albus Dumbledore was a man to be respected.

And now here he was - forced to fulfill a vow that he had hoped would never come to fruition. A promise that would end the spark of life that was the Headmaster of Hogwarts and one of the greatest wizards ever known. A life that would be much more greatly missed than Severus' own.

Dumbledore could sense his hesitation, he could see the gears working in his head to try to find a way around the ultimatum.

"Please Severus," he stated tonelessly. "Please do it before Bellatrix gets here and does it for you."

He could hear the anxiousness and slight fear in those words. Severus stared at the Headmaster and silently beseeched him to find another way. They were both scared, though each for different reasons. Bellatrix arriving to find a living Dumbledore would give her the opportunity to torture him, if she survived a duel first. The odds were not in his favor, not when Severus would be forced to attack with his fellow Death Eaters to keep suspicions at bay. Albus did not stand a fair chance and his poor odds increased afterwards for Voldemort to get a hold of him and finish the job.

Severus had no other choice.

They remained that way for several minutes, neither breaking the stare as they waited for the other to say something - to do something. Then the wooden door several floors below swung open and crashed against the stone wall. A horrible cackling of demonic laughter echoed up the staircase and soon the metal steps were rattling furiously as several people ascended.

"Do it now, Severus. Do it now," Dumbledore instructed tersely.

Somehow he did not hesitate. He followed the Headmaster's directions implicitly and removed his wand. Raising his arm, his lips parted and his eyes stared dully at the man who had taught him everything worth knowing.

"Avada Kedavra."

The green light was quick, moving in a split second from the tip of his wand to Dumbledore's chest. The curse was absorbed by his body and just as he inhaled sharply, his last to be sure, he faintly smiled - relieved to have met his end.

His thin frame fell to the floor without preamble, his powder blue robes swirling around his fragile body. Albus Dumbledore lay in a lifeless heap atop the Astronomy Tower and Severus could do nothing but stare at the crumpled form - watching for signs of movement and waiting for the Headmaster to sit up and surprise him.

The footsteps sounded louder. Bellatrix was singsonging about her happenings within the castle to her steps and Severus irritatedly rolled his eyes as he restored his wand and clasped his hands behind his back. When the troupe arrived atop the landing he skeptically eyed them all and silently gestured to the body.

Bellatrix hopped across the open space.

"He's already dead?" She falsely pouted, the toe of her boot kicked at Dumbledore's legs. "I wanted to have some fun with the old man."

"Sadly -" Severus paused, his deep voice carrying as he caught all of their attentions. "It seems that young Mr. Malfoy has completed his task - alone." His beady gaze turned to the conniving witch and one brow rose. "I would think you would care to find your nephew to congratulate him."

She narrowed her kohl rimmed eyes and tapped her wand against the bulky fabric of her skirt. "Where is young Draco?" Bellatrix questioned, testing him as Fenrir, Alecto, and Dolhov inched closer with rapid anticipation.

"I would imagine he was with you downstairs but it seems you cannot even find a mere boy."

"I had Potter! He was right there -"

"But you do not have him, do you?" Severus rhetorically questioned, glorifying his role of 'mission leader' to rightfully put her in her place. Bellatrix shot him a loathing glare, full of contempt and promising revenge. "Potter is not the boy that we need to find. We find Draco and then we leave."

Severus swore Bellatrix was going to challenge his authority. She publically flaunted her hatred for him and his control of this assignment had been heavily argued against by the nearly insane witch.

"Go," he ordered more firmly. "I'll cast the Mark in the sky."

Dolhov and Alecto turned, Fenrir half way rotated as he waited for Bellatrix to join them. The Death Eaters slowly descended the spiral staircase, their steps growing quicker as they approached the bottom and gained another adrenaline boost.

Severus turned back to the limp body on the floor. It almost looked like Dumbledore was sleeping, albeit awkwardly. A momentary flash of longing and remorse swept across his face before he focused and retrieved his wand once more. Tearing his eyes away from the worst promise he had ever made, Severus raised his arm towards the sky and muttered the Dark Lord's spell.

D/G

Dust was rising off the crumbled, broken stones and the rubble was still settling, a thick haze preventing anyone from seeing clearly as screams of agony and shouts of despair rang through the battle strewn halls of Hogwarts. Bright streams of curses and hexes were the largest source of light in the Great Hall where the entire wall was now demolished, giving a view through the destructionally widened hallway to the remaining witches and wizards who were battling for their lives and the sanctity of Hogwarts.

Blood was dripping down the side of her temple, a deep crimson that matched her fiery tresses, but that did not keep the determined and fierce glint from her chocolate eyes. The unlikely wizards on either side of her were too absorbed with keeping her safe to notice the line of fluid - and it didn't matter much, seeing as how they had bigger problems than an artificial wound. She had sustained greater injuries and as long as she was walking and talking, they would overlook their combined panic at the sight of blood.

A loud crash and shaking rumble spoke of damage done elsewhere in the castle and all three eyes were fixed to what remained of the entrance as they waited for more Death Eaters to attack. It was hard to tell how many there actually were but they were certain that Bellatrix had wandered off, leaving at least two remaining masked men to fight the children and Professors.

Draco's quick breaths beside her told Ginny that the blonde, soot covered wizard was too preoccupied with their dire situation to care about his involuntary responses and one glance sideways at his dirty face revealed the same strong stare in his silver eyes that matched her expression.

"You have to leave!" Harry shouted from her right, garnering both of their focus. "We're sitting ducks right here!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Ginny yelled in response, her freckled hand grasping his wrist as she squeezed. "We'll take them down together!"

Draco's blank look betrayed the pulling of his heart at her adamant words but come hell or high water, there was no way he was leaving her side either.

"You can't always fly solo and be the hero, Potter," he remarked, earning a stiff glare from the Boy Who Lived.

"I have to be the one to finish this!" Harry insisted, his emerald orbs narrowing and his dark brows furrowing in agitation. "There's nothing you can do! You need to get out of the way so you don't get killed!" He stated, mainly staring at Ginny as she kicked her legs out from underneath her bum and scooted closer to him.

"You're not in this alone!" She protested, rosebud lips pursed tightly as Draco rolled his eyes behind her back. "We're all here to help you, Harry!"

"You can help me by getting out of here! You can help me by getting to safety, Gin!"

Lupin and Tonks took down a silver masked figure not three meters from where they hid and Fred's, or George's, laugh of triumph resounded loudly as a dull thud indicated the defeat of their opponent.

"They're coming for all of us! He's coming for everyone!" Ginny barked, her conviction staying strong despite the number of casualties she had already witnessed that unassuming March evening.

"And you're the one person that I won't let him hurt! I won't lose you too!" Harry angrily replied, frustration mounting at her stubborn ability to remain in the thick of things, his secretive but true emotions jumping back out. "Get out of here before its too late!"

Draco was still silent on the matter - if Ginny wanted to stupidly defend the only wizard that Voldemort was looking to kill then he wasn't going to risk his neck for her; not if she was willing to confess her allegiance to the ex that had struck her and not him, the wizard who had done so much to prove his worth to her. But in reality, he knew he wouldn't let her die so foolishly. He would rather have her hate him for letting Potter crumble than watch her perish right there next to the Idiot Who Was Still Alive.

"Ginny!" The seemingly unperturbed wizard finally spoke up, her name off his lips whipping her flaming head around as if she had forgotten that he was there. "Listen to Potty! We can't stay here!"

"No!" She sharply screamed. "I'm not going without Harry! We'll figure this out together!"

Suddenly the bespectacled boy in question was up on his feet, his knees bent as he nearly laid across the fallen block of stone they were hiding behind. A carbon copy of Filch was grinning manically behind an overturned table and the dissolving effects of the Polyjuice were quickly revealing the blunted face and ugly sneer of an over eager Amycus Carrow.

"Malfoy!" Harry roughly whispered as he squatted down and looked around Ginny, now fearful that the encroaching imposter would spot them and begin throwing curses. "Get her out of here!"

"What - no!" The dirt and blood covered Weasley roared, her head whipping back and forth from one wizard to the other.

"Yes!" Harry enforced. "I'm not going to worry about you while I have my back turned!" Turning again to Draco, he repeated his phrase. "Get her out of here!"

Glad that one of them had finally come to their senses and that he wouldn't have to make a rash decision, he shook his sweaty clumps of blonde hair in a nod, already jumping into a crouched but ready stance as Ginny's mouth opened and closed in wordless protest.

"C'mon," Draco prompted the witch, unsurprised when she deflected his tight grip on her arm. "We don't have much time - they'll find us soon enough. I need to get you out of here." He hoped she caught the insinuation in his voice, the slight edge of frantic desire that silently screamed for his need to leave - to get away from her without Harry realizing.

"No!" Ginny shouted, feeling very much like a six year old again who wasn't allowed to play with her older brothers.

"Malfoy's right. You have to go now!"

"No!" She protested again.

There was a scream of agony and their brief disagreement was paused as three sets of eyes hastily scanned the Hall for the source of the yelp. No one in their immediate vicinity was writhing in pain or covered in blood, even with the two Death Eaters scouring for fighters, but the sudden howl of a wolf told them that the origin of the pain was drawing closer.

"Get her out of here, Malfoy!" Harry barked, a glare in place that was highly reminiscent of the most feared Slytherins.

"Let's go, Red," Draco directed once more, his grip holding firm on her elbow as she attempted to wiggle away from his touch. He pulled her to her feet despite the protests and a silent conversation passed through the emerald and silver eyes as Ginny continued to squirm. He wordlessly begged her to go with him - to hurry up so that he could get away and complete his task before he ran out of time.

"Take care of her," Harry stated with dismissal and he raised his wand, his strategizing orbs turning over the Hall as Draco pulled Ginny with him in the opposite direction.

"I will," the blonde promised and that was all the Golden Boy needed to hear before he hopped over the stone pillar and rushed into the action. Her gaze was furious as she watched him go and her body seemed to slacken as Draco kept one eye on the fighting and one on the crude exit he was going for.

Harry's voice rang through the loud commotion, the word an angry hex thrown at unseen enemy, and it was the last understandable thing she heard before Ginny was hauled out of the Great Hall and away from the ensuing danger. Draco did not let up, yanking her down to the ground or pulling her against his chest to keep from being seen by pretty much anyone. Neither could see who else was fighting alongside Professors McGonagall and Sprout, besides Tonks, Lupin, and the twins, and neither could tell if there were more than two Death Eaters. He was beginning to panic a bit more at the notion of more attackers - did more men mean that Voldemort truly did not think him capable of killing Dumbledore? - and Draco urgently felt the need to get away from the commotion and fighting. With Ginny by his side he was a target for the Death Eaters and alone he was a shooting point for the Order members.

"Quit fighting me! Come on!" He yelled, whipping his blonde head around to glare at the redhead.

Ginny glared right back as she fought his grip on her forearm.

"Let me go! I need to go help Harry!" She protested.

"I told you - I'm taking you somewhere safe and locking you inside." Draco pulled a tad more forcefully than necessary, jerking them to a stop just behind the fallen pillar next to the enlarged entrance.

"No! Harry needs me!"

"I'm sure he'll be fine without you, love," Draco sarcastically consoled.

"Let me go! I'm going to fight!" Ginny nearly shrieked, her body moving spastically to attempt to dislodge his grip.

Tonks grunted loudly nearby and they both could hear the running footsteps of someone across the hall. Fed up with her stubbornness, Draco suddenly let go of her arm, almost thrusting it away as if it were burning him.

"Fine - go injure yourself unnecessarily," he provoked, his sharp features hardening as she stumbled slightly with the release of contact.

"You're such an ass," Ginny spat heatedly.

"Witch."

"Prat."

"Wench."

Another insulting name was falling off the tip of her tongue when a single barrage of noises stopped everything. The fighting continued but Draco and Ginny paused as their respective left and right ears turned towards the approaching sounds. It sounded as if a stampede was drawing closer - until one distinctive cackle echoed louder than the rest. Bellatrix was closing in on the Great Hall and both of them pressed against the stone wall as the storm of footsteps reverberated in the next hallway.

Ginny craned her head sideways, listening intently as she faintly heard something.

"What's she saying?" She whispered.

"I dunno," Draco responded, his stomach plummeting through his chest as he pieced it together.

"Snape killed Dumbledore! Snape killed Dumbledore!"

He audibly gulped, his grey eyes frantically darting around the Great Hall as he felt Ginny stiffen beside him. Everyone else seemed to have finally heard the approaching group because the spells stopped whizzing and the screaming died off.

"Snape killed Dumbledore!"

Whether it was true or not, Draco did not want to be around much longer. The Order was going to effectively double their defense and the Death Eaters were going to fight back now that they thought that the Headmaster was dead.

"Snape killed Dumbledore!"

The words bounced around his brain and Draco dazedly looked for Harry's messy head among the destruction. The Boy Who Lived was frozen to the spot, his emerald eyes glazed over as he stared at the empty entrance way. His wand was raised, poised to strike but he was clearly visibly shocked by Bellatrix's words.

Dumbledore dead?

At Severus' hand?

The room seemed to spin for Draco, his vision tilting sideways for a moment until he blinked and righted the dizziness. Snape had done it. He had promised that he would help him in any way possible - but this? Actually following through with his vow and completing his task for him?

His eyes caught on a red blur, a whipping of crimson locks. Ginny bolted from their position against the wall, jumping over debris and running towards a still frozen Harry. Draco watched as she cautiously reached out a hand to touch him, her wand going into a side pocket on her sleeve as she grabbed both his shoulders. The simple gesture angered him and for a split second he had tunnel vision, his eyes locked on the seemingly romantic moment. A bitter acid rose up his throat and he swallowed it down as his silver gaze narrowed and he stared at the couple.

His fingers clenched around his wand in hand and Draco fought back the urge to hurdle across the room and throttle Potter. Ginny had just picked her side - he was not going to ask her to change it. Not when she was so eager to leave his company for the Boy Wonder.

Bellatrix appeared in the enlarged doorway, her crazy eyes scanning the destruction but stopping short when she saw Draco's blonde head. Her manic smile grew wider and she seemed to visibly shake with twisted anticipation.

"Come Draco - our work is done here tonight," she stated with a string of cackles.

Fenrir, Alecto, and Dolhov were at her back, the wolf's jaws dripping with saliva as the other Death Eaters edged forward for another chance to attack. Amycus and the unhooded Yaxley appeared from the left and the small troupe remained on their guard, eying the Order members and the Professors warily, waiting for Draco to join them.

"Come Draco -" Bellatrix repeated, her raspy voice more insistent. "Let's - go."

Sparing a glance across the Hall, his eyes locked with Ginny's, her mocha gaze glaring as she stood in front of a now functioning Harry. He appeared livid, the news of what had happened finally sinking in, and his anger was directed at Draco. The only thing keeping him back was Ginny blocking his way but Draco doubted even she could hold him much longer if he remained to taunt them with his presence. The one glance was all he needed, a silent confirmation in that stare that told him she was not going to budge or jump up to tell him not to go. The pieces must have fallen in place for her - the details that he had omitted when he had told her that he had to kill someone in the castle - and she had figured out what he had hidden, what he had known would cause her wild temper to spiral out of control. Ginny had to have realized that Draco had intended to murder Dumbledore and she was furious at him for upholding his stance as a Death Eater instead of turning to the only man who could help him, the one wizard who was now dead and proof that his task would be completed one way or another. He couldn't even begin to fathom the offshootings of ideas and theories about why Snape had been the one to finish the deed, the different scenarios in her head where he asked the Potions Master one small favor just to spite Harry in the long run.

It was all too much - every possibility and plausible, outlandish prediction that Ginny would throw at him should she get a hold of him and not dismember him immediately. His head was full of mind boggling, irrational plausibilities and Draco shook his blonde locks to rid the oncoming migraine he already felt.

Turning away from Ginny and the ragged assembly of Order members, Draco took a slow step towards Bellatrix. Almost hesitantly he took another, his gaze shifting from side to side as he faced the Death Eaters. Their unsavory leers and eager stances made him rethink his decision but he was close enough for Bellatrix to leap forward and grab his arm.

"We don't have all night," she snarled and jerked his wrist. "I know it was you, nephew," Bellatrix wheezed in his ear, her curvy frame pressed against his side. "I know you were the one to end that abominable wizard's life - the Dark Lord will be proud - but you cannot hold a grudge against me for lying about your accomplishment - this will be better for our bigger picture." Draco lurched backwards at the misguided compliment, his body pulled forward once again as Bellatrix curled her blood red lips into a gruesome smile.

It was a blur as he was pulled among the smelly, utterly foul group of wizards, their uncomfortable presences shifting around him as Bellatrix led them out of the Great Hall and down the mostly destroyed main hallway. Draco had to sprint to keep from being run over by Greyback and the Carrow twins pushed in on him from either side as the front doors were blasted from their hinges. Snape was halfway down the stone steps, his left foot hovering in midair as he gazed back at them, his face emotionless.

"Finally," the Potions Master decreed exasperatedly.

Shouts of spells and curses grew louder as a beam of blue light shot through the tall doorway. Draco ducked just in time, his blonde head whipping around as Harry slid around the corner from the ruined corridor. Seeing Snape he paused, his face scrunching up in anger as he bolted forward.

Bellatrix ran down the front lawn and the other Death Eaters followed, their dark figures creating a jagged line as they scurried for the front gates. A large hand pushed his back and Draco glared over his shoulder, his irritated gaze meeting Snape's as the elder wizard pushed him again.

"Go. I'm just behind you."

His upper lip curled up but he begrudgingly obliged, pivoting on the balls of his feet just as Bellatrix's cackle echoed across the moonlit grounds and Hagrid's hut burst into flames. Shouts of anger followed the growing fire and he had a passing thought for the safety of the Gamekeeper before he took off, a spell singeing the grass where he had just stood. He did not need to make them wait any longer than they already had; Snape would be right on his tail before long anyways. Draco sped over the sloping hills, quickly edging his way down as he sought to catch up to Bellatrix.

He heard a shout in the distance but continued running, his heart pounding as he inhaled the biting night ait.

.

"Snape!" Harry yelled again, his wand lobbing spells at the billowing cloak of his father.

The Potions Master did not turn around lest he ruin the facade and give up their secret relationship.

"He trusted you!" Harry screamed.

Severus ducked his oily head and prayed that he would make it to the gates before his son caught up to him.

"Snape!" He bellowed. "I trusted you!"

Those brief three words slowed his gait enough for Harry's thundering footsteps to sound loud in his ears. Severus picked up his feet, his heavy heart sinking further, and nearly flew down the cobblestone path. He did not stop, he did not look back until he breezed through the large gates. Harry was but a small blip on the shadowed hillside as the pop of his Apparation tore through the brisk silent night.

D/G

A funeral was arranged for Dumbledore several days later. McGonagall assumed her role as Deputy Headmistress and somberly moved into the circular office behind the gargoyle statue on the Third floor. She dismissed classes for the week, advising the students to seek out a staff member if they needed to talk to someone, and told them she would make an announcement on Friday concerning the rest of the school year.

Harry was mysteriously absent fot the first twenty-four hours following the Death Eater invasion. He locked himself in Severus' private chambers and turned over every piece of furniture and every piece of paper and book, searching for something - anything that would exanerate his father from the Headmaster's death. He looked in vain until he unconsciously fell asleep at the kitchen table, a mug of warm tea in hand and a dried trickle of blood still stuck to the side of his face.

When he arrived in the Great Hall the following evening no one questioned where he had been. Everyone was grieving in their own ways and hardly anyone could blame him for needing privacy. The large room had been restored as best as the Professors could manage in such a short time but the tables had returned and only the gaping holes in the walls gave evidence of a fight in that Hall. Dinner was a near silent affair and all of the remaining students returned to their dorms without encouragement. Even Ron and Hermione kept to themselves, avoiding eye contact with Harry as they dutifully stared at their plates.

Ginny, for her part, knew she had to maintain a facade that did not match her internal emotions. Every breath she took brought a sharp, painful jab to her chest as she remembered what Draco had done - how he had run away. Even if Bellatrix had decreed that he had been the one to kill Dumbledore, she knew that it had been Snape who had completed the task. Despite the stubborn conviction and pride running through Draco's veins she knew deep down that he was incapable of cold blooded murder.

But he had run - he had turned his back on his fellow Hogwarts students, on her, and he had run. That small reminder brought a jolting of anger to her constricted heart and every remembrance of their last shared glance tightened the line of her lips and clenched her jaw.

Some part of her was grieving for Dumbledore's death. Some fraction of her heart had broken when she had realized that Bellatrix was not lying when she manically screamed for the Headmaster's death. Ginny was saddened for the passing of the elderly wizard whom she had always admired but a larger portion of her heart was shattered for Harry. She couldn't help but to feel responsible for the way things had played out.

If she had just stuck with Harry and worked through their issues - if she had only allowed him in enough for him to trust her with his parental secret, maybe Harry and Snape would have been closer. Maybe they would have been able to find a way around Dumbledore's death.

She knew it was irrational but Ginny felt like she should have done more. She could have told Harry about Draco's task; she could have warned Dumbledore that someone in the castle was marked to die. She had had every piece of the puzzle but she had been too afraid of losing Draco to do anything with them.

And now - Draco was gone anyways and Hogwarts was left broken, defenseless in the worst way a school could be - through the distrust and unease of its students.

Harry was a scattered, confused, and angered mess who was so caught up in his own ponderings that he seemingly ignored everyone else. Ginny didn't know what to do with him so she just let him brood, always closeby if he needed her but careful to slip away when his gaze became far off.

For the first two days she tended to Neville, the poor teenager left in the Hospital Wing after being side swiped by a heavy curse. Colin was there night and day to keep one or both company and Ginny was grateful for the distraction that kept her from thinking and talking about Draco. She saw Luna in the Great Hall for meals but other than that she assumed that her best friend was hiding out with Blaise somewhere deeply hidden in the castle.

Tuesday arrived with a subdued attitude blanketing the castle. The students dressed in their school attire and House robes and filed out of the Great Hall when breakfast was finished. Hundreds of witches and wizards dressed in stark black attire dotted the swatch of grass beside the lake designated for the funeral. Rows upon rows of crisp white folding chairs were lined up in front of an enormous marble platform, a large marbled coffin resting atop a table like stone. Gradually the seats filled in as the elite of the Wizarding society obtained the front sections and the lesser known or less upstanding citizens took to the back.

The clouds parted for the sun to shine across the crystalline surface of the lake. The giant squid appeared near the middle of the lake, his bulbous head above the water line as two black eyes silently watched the proceedings. Several students caught sight of movement in the tree line and Harry squinted to see the shadowed outlines of the centaur herd. Their bows were respectfully lowered but their dark gazes warned of the passing of safety in the Forbidden Forest.

Ginny slid onto the chair next to Harry and wordlessly reached over to grab his hand. She gave him a quick squeeze before withdrawing her arm and dutifully staring forward. Colin, Neville, and Luna filled in the seats to her left and she smiled to herself when she noticed Blaise's stiff stance just off to the side of their row.

The ceremony was short and simple but exactly what Dumbledore would have wanted. The eulogies given were soft spoken and brought a tear to most's eye. When Professor McGonagall approached the dais the crowd froze and everyone watched as she turned her back and raised her wand.

With a thunderous clap a slab of marble covered the coffin and entombed Dumbledore's body inside. The stones shifted to form a larger structure before the edges sealed and the magic finished.

The crowd was silent, most still shocked about the sudden death, but slowly people stood up and left their seats, either to pay their final respects at his tomb or to walk down the center aisle and leave. Harry waited until the line of people moving away from the coffin was thick enough for him to not be noticed before he too stood and blended into the shifting mass.

Ron and Hermione nearly tripped over their own feet to follow him, Ginny bolting up as she too chased after Harry. Ron led them, weaving through the crowd at a quick pace, but he remained faster as he darted around the edge of the lake. Annoyed with his subborness, Ginny took off in a sprint, easily making up the distance as Harry walked down the sandy beach. Ron followed, Hermione more slowly coming too, their footsteps a heavy thwack in the wet sand.

"Harry!" Ginny yelled, flinging herself forward to grab hold of his elbow, twisting his arm so that he furiously spun on his heels and stopped short in front of her.

"What are you - doing?" Hermione wheezed, one hand clutching her side as she leaned slightly on Ron.

"Where do you think you're going, mate?" Ron questioned, his brows furrowing together like a red catepillar on his forehead.

"I'm going to find him," Harry responded tersely, purposefully avoiding Ginny's gaze as she held a small hand against his chest.

"You can't just go searching for Voldemort and expect -" Hermione began, quickly cut off by Harry.

"I'm going to find Snape," he corrected her tightly.

Ron's brows shot up his forehead in confusion and even Hermione seemed puzzled by his words. Only Ginny frowned, her thoughts jumping to how betrayed he must feel.

"I know you wanna get him for killing Dumbledore, mate -" Ron started.

"Every single person here would like to," Hermione interjected.

"But you can't just waltz into Snape's home and force him into a duel," Ginny finished reasonably. "He could be in hiding - he should be if he knows what's good for him - and you could spend Merlin knows how long looking for him in every building in all of Britain without ever finding him."

"I'm going," Harry bluntly stated, his face blanked of any emotions.

"You can't just leave!" Hermione blurted with exasperation. "What about finals? And the rest of our classes?"

"I'm not going back to school," he replied simply. "No matter if they keep it open or close it temporarily, I'm not going back. I have a task to complete - to kill Voldemort - and I'm not going to wait any longer. If I can start with Snape and find out some information, that's what I'll do. I can't put this off any longer - the Wizarding world will collapse if I don't eliminate Voldemort soon."

"You're not doing this alone!" Hermione protested.

"You are not coming with me," Harry sharply retorted.

"Yes we are!" Ron bellowed, his freckled face flushing red.

"No - you're not."

"Harry!" Hermione shouted, one hand perching on her hip as she pointed a finger at him. "We're your best friends. We agreed to stick with you - no matter what. Ron and I are going with you."

Ginny hid her quick inhale, her jaw clenching shut as a terrible anger swelled in her chest. Once again she was going to be cast to the side and forgotten, told she was too young or too inexperienced to go with the Golden Trio. Once more she was only going to be seen as Ron's little sister.

Harry sighed heavily, his emerald gaze falling to his feet as he ran a hand over his face. The last thing he wanted was for Ron and Hermione to tag along when he needed to find his father and get some answers. They were his best friends but he wasn't ready for the outright outrage they would throw at him after learning of his secret and the hundreds of questions they would continuously ask. It would be better, and safer, for all of them if he went alone.

"We're going with you, Harry. And that's final," Hermione said, one brow cocking expertly as if challenging him to deny them this request again.

"You'll need us, mate," Ron added determinedly. "Three heads will be better than one if you plan on killing Voldemort without being captured first."

Hermione nodded eagerly, her eyes lit with swarming ideas and plans for how they would travel, where they would go, and how they would survive.

"'mione is the smartest witch of our generation - there's nothing she can't figure out. And I'll be there for moral support - to eliminate the Death Eaters and keep you laughing," Ron supplied with a lopsided grin.

Ginny looked between the three of them, her narrowed gaze watching as Harry frowned, as Hermione smirked triumphantly, and as Ron's smile grew wider with the surety of their accompaniment. She wanted to go with them - but her motives to find Draco and wring his neck were not something that she could share with them. There was not a justified reason she could give them for her joining them that they would not shoot down.

"Fine," Harry eventually ground out, his tone voicing the displeasure he felt for agreeing to let them come. "But if I tell you to run - if I tell you to Apparate and not try to find me again - you will. This is my fight and I don't want either of you to get hurt because you're both too stubborn to let me go at this alone."

"You don't have to do this by yourself," Hermione chided with a small laugh. "Any witch or wizard in Britain would volunteer to help you just as we have. This is all of our fight."

Harry bit down on his tongue, his eyes staying glued to the ground to keep from largely rolling. This was his fight - only he could end the chaos and despair covering the British Isles. He was the Chosen One and no amount of spells or curses thrown at Voldemort would kill him unless they were cast by Harry. He didn't particularly want to start out on a journey that could be the death of him alone but now he had no other choice - he was going to have to put the two people closest to him in harm's way to complete this last task left to him by Dumbledore.

Sparing a half-hearted apologetic glance at Ginny, Harry faced Ron and Hermione and shrugged his shoulders.

"What are we waiting for then?"

Ron stupidly grinned and Hermione beamed with pride. Ginny crossed her arms but didn't say anything. They were going to leave her for their own adventures but she would be damned if she wasn't going to find a way to help. One way or another she was going to find Draco and make things right between them. She was going to play her role in the war and the Golden Trio would kiss her feet when they realized what a mistake it was not taking her with them.

"Let's get this thing started," Harry stated with less motivation than he truly felt.

Ron and Hermione jumped to stand on either side of him and without a backwards glance at Ginny, the Golden Trio turned and began walking down the shoreline, their heads bent in low conversation as they planned Voldemort's defeat.

Shaking her head with disgust, Ginny shoved her hands into the pockets of her robe and tucked her flaming head against the fierce wind coming off the Black Lake. Turning back to Hogwarts, she began the slow walk back to the castle, her thoughts blurring with images of Draco and ideas for how she would become the heroine that she had always fantasized about being.

Sooner or later, the Wizarding world would realize that little Ginny Weasley was not a force to be reckoned with. And when that day came, no one was going to be able to stop her from accomplishing everything she knew she had to do. This war was just getting started - and so was she.

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The End.

for now. . . .

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A/N: Thank you for reading and sticking with me through this story. Find me on facebook for more updates and news on the upcoming sequel.