I helped to heal several people, my heart going out to everyone who had lost someone close to them. I knew the pain of that loss, and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

I finished my work and stood, scanning the room in search of Harry. He was nowhere in sight. Ginny was standing by the doorway, looking as though she were lost.

"Ginny," I said, my hand resting on her shoulder. She turned to look at me, a rather far away look in her eyes. "Have you seen Harry?"

She shook her head, my words seeming to bring her out of her trance. "I haven't," she replied. "Is he missing?"

"I haven't seen him since…" I froze as the memory hit me hard. "Since Voldemort's announcement." Ginny's eyes met mine, and for a moment I knew we shared the same desperate thought. "What time is it?" Neither of us paused to look at the clock. We ran blindly through the corridors, down stairs, all the while with one goal in mind—we had to find Harry before…I swept the thought from my mind, focusing on the path ahead.

We rounded a corner, nearly colliding with Ron.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Harry's gone," Ginny explained.

"What? Gone where?" We didn't have to answer. Ron knew the answer as he watched me take off down the last staircase, bolting across the entrance hall, and sliding to a stop just outside the castle. The grounds, lit by a bright sliver of moon, were empty. I stood, catching my breath and searching desperately for any sign of the man I loved.

"Harry!" I called, my voice the only sound piercing the night. "Harry! Harry!" I screamed his name as loud as I could, begging him to come back to me. I started to move down the steps, ready to search every inch of the forest for him. Strong arms held me back, pulling me into the warmth and light of the entrance hall. Dark shapes floated out of the forest's edge, bringing with them the deep chill of death. Dementors. A patronus in the form of an otter shot out past me, driving the creatures back into the shadow of the trees.

I screamed, fighting against the arms that held me, pulling me away from the doors—and away from Harry.

"He's gone, Draco," Blaise's voice whispered calmly in my ear. "It's too late."

"He's not gone!" I screamed, still struggling to be free. "We can still save him. Harry!" The school clock began to chime, signaling the end of Voldemort's allotted hour. "No!"

Footsteps could be heard on the stairs as those well enough to fight prepared to make their final stand. Little did they know, their hero had already gone to make it for them.

"Come on, Draco," Blaise whispered. "We have to go with them."

"Do it for Harry, mate," Ron added, his hand still resting on my shoulder. I nodded, making my way with them into the crowd.

I pushed my way to the front of the crowd, the others right behind me. The Death Eater's stood in a mob before the castle, and I caught sight of my father at Voldemort's side. I didn't look at him for long—Hermione's scream drew my attention.

Hagrid was making his way through the group of Death Eaters, a limp form in his arms. My breath caught in my throat as he laid the body carefully on the ground, letting out a sob as he did. I took in the sight of the body—black hair, glasses, scar.

"No…" My voice was barely above a whisper. I felt my body shaking violently and was amazed my knees hadn't given out yet.

"Your hero is dead!' Voldemort exclaimed triumphantly. "All hope for victory is lost. Join us, and we will spare you." Sobs echoed around me. 'No, no, no, no…' The word rang repetitively in my head. "Harry Potter was weak and foolish for believing he could defeat me. Do not make the same mistake." My jaw clenched as I looked into Voldemort's burning red eyes. My grip tightened on my wand.

Hands gripped each of my arms as Ron and Blaise tried to hold me back. I pulled out of their grasp easily as I charged forward, wand raised.

"Avada—"

"Crucio!" Voldemort's spell stopped me dead in my tracks as the pain ripped through my body. I dropped to my knees, my wand falling to the ground as I cried out in agony. The curse lifted after what seemed like an eternity. I lay there gasping for breath, my eyes shut tight against the tears threatening to spill out. Not tears from the torture of the curse, but from the pain of my heart ripping in half I opened my eyes and let the tears fall. Lying beside me was the man I loved. Still, silent…gone.

"Draco Malfoy," Voldemort called, pacing before me. "How lovely to see you again." I ignored him, pushing myself onto my hands and knees. "You didn't have the courage to be a Death Eater, to follow in your father's footsteps, so you went off and joined the Boy Who Lived. How pathetic. Look where it's gotten you! You are nothing."

Again, I ignored him as I crawled to Harry's side. I brushed the hair from his face with trembling fingers, not caring that there were hundreds of people watching, Voldemort and my father included. I pulled him into my arms, cradling him against my chest as I pressed my lips against his forehead.

"Well, well, well," Voldemort hissed. "What have we here?" He grasped my left wrist tightly, raising my hand for all to see. He looked to my father. "Tell me, Lucius. Did you know your son was married?" He released my hand, looking down at Harry. "And to the Boy Who Lived, it seems. How tragic that you now hold his lifeless body in your arms." He grinned terribly, reveling in my pain. "Crucio!"

I cried out as the pain tore through me again. My arms tightened around Harry, my fingers digging into his skin. The spell lifted, leaving me panting, my head on Harry's chest. Voldemort's laugh, followed by that of a hundred Death Eaters, echoed around me. Yet, it was a much softer sound that drew my attention, and it came from the body in my arms. Was that…yes. A heartbeat.

I buried my face in Harry's neck, doing my best to hide his face from view.

"What the hell are you playing at, you bastard?" I whispered. "You've had me scared to death."

"Sorry," he whispered back. "Don't let them know I'm alive."

"Okay."

"Can you get to your wand?"

"No."

"Use mine then." I slowly slid my hand to his waist where I knew his wand would be hidden in the waist band of his jeans. "Aim for Nagini. On three. One…two…" I grasped the wand tightly, ready to draw it. "Three!"

"Sectumsempra!" I shouted, raising the wand even with the snake wrapped around Voldemort's shoulders. And then I was on my feet and running back towards the castle with Harry at my side. His voice rang out clearly, cutting through the confusion like a knife.

"Everyone back inside! Now!"

And they obeyed him, all of them rushing back up the steps and through the doors into the entrance hall.

"Get into the Great Hall and be ready to fight!" he shouted as people started pushing their way towards the specified destination. "This ends tonight!" I gripped his hand tightly and he turned to face me.

"I thought I'd lost you," I whispered, brushing my fingertips along his cheek.

"You haven't lost me. I'm still here. I always will be."

"Never do that to me again."

He smiled. "I won't," he promised. "Come on. We've got a war to end."


Author's Note:

Had you scared for a moment there, didn't I? *smirk* Well you can all thank reviewer Poenixfire979 for this chapter, seeing as they are the ONLY ONE who reviewed with a reaction to Harry's death. Really, people. Tsk tsk. *wink* I'm just kidding. Thank you to all who have stuck with this story. It's winding down now, I'm sad to say. Final chapter up soon.

Cara Nicole Luvitz