Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. If I did I wouldn't have to put this at the top of every chapter. Also, I wouldn't have to say this: I do not own about half of his chapter. The dialogue, most of it, was taken almost strait from the book for it is the only way it would make sense. I hope you like it anyway.

Well, here we are the end of the war. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did! It was hard to write, make my own, and took forever but it was well worth it. I hope you all agree. I'll try to keep this note story so as not to keep you from the story.

Now, I'd like to say, on a very sad note, I've realized that, despite what I've said earlier, there are not two chapters after this, there is one. I've combined the ideas for both this and the next chapter into this chapter. It is so close to being over I'm almost ready to cry. Instead, I'll leave this author note off here and go take a shower, which I forwent this morning to write this chapter.

Without further ado…

Chapter 60

Ginny POV

The war raged on four hours. For the first part of it, I fought beside Professor Flitwick and some of his best students, flinging charms and curses down upon the enemy from the tallest tower. I saw with vivid clarity when the giants entered the fray, turning upon Grawp after the spiders had swept Hagrid away. I did my best to save him from where I stood but I was afraid to hurt him in the mass of spiders. I watched helplessly as he was swept into the forest by the hoard.

I began to fight even harder after that. They had taken my friend and they would pay. How many others had died? With that thought, I set a bat boogie hex down towards a Death Eater that had rounded on Lupin. He staggered back, caught off guard, and Lupin finished him off. One by one, people fell at my wand. It wasn't long though before the fight came to us.

The sound of Death Eaters running up the steps made our little group turn. I'd known they'd entered the school but the towers had been heavily guarded so we could do our job. "Get them!" yelled Professor Flitwick as they became visible on the stairs. The Death Eaters didn't know what hit them.

Several hours after the war had begun the cold voice of Voldemort rang out once more over the grounds. "You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery."

There was a pause and the boy next to me, a sixth year Ravenclaw muttered under his breath, "Says the man who's hid through the entire thing." I couldn't help but smile.

"Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you all will die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilt is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately." As he spoke, all around the grounds, Death Eaters and the creatures at his command retreated from battle, some even coming out of the castle. "You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured." I let out a sigh of relief and slumped against the wall.

"I speak now to you, Harry Potter. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

The voice faded away then as terror gripped my heart. Surely Harry would have enough sense not to fall for that trick. After all, people had died to keep him safe and giving himself up would only tarnish their memories. He'd realize that, right? Before I could work myself up, Professor Flitwick spoke. "Let's get downstairs and see how we can help," he said, leading the way down to the Great Hall.

The damage to the castle was horrendous. Here and there entire passageways were blocked by caved in ceilings or blown in walls. All around, bodies littered the floor. Along the way, we picked up the injured we found, carrying them with us. As we got to the main hall, we saw the massive damage. There were green emeralds scattered on the ground from the Slytherin hour glass, bodies lay everywhere, and blood colored the once beautiful floor. Chunks seemed to be missing from the walls and the front doors were lopsided and barely hanging on by the hinges.

Professor McGonagall came rushing out of the great hall then, having already made her way down. "Oh, thank goodness you're all alright. Bring the injured in and put them up at the front with the others. I'll need a few of you to join the groups bringing in the dead," she said, her voice breaking. Never had I see the strong woman look so broken.

"I'll go help," I said, turning away from the Great Hall. A few others followed, breaking off to search different parts. I'd yet to see Draco, but then again his group hadn't returned yet it seemed. As I walked, I searched for survivors among the dead. Not finding many, I began the long task of bringing the bodies of my friends to the great hall.

The breath was nearly knocked out of me at the site of Lavender Brown laying sprawled on the floor, broken and bleeding. Running to her, I knelt down and prayed she was alive. "Oh, Lavender, be okay, please be okay." She had slashes all over her skin, some going pretty deep. It did not take much to figure out who'd gone after her. Finrir Greyback had done quite a number on her, but she was still breathing.

Flicking my wand, I carefully levitated her body up and rushed back to the Great Hall, putting her with the others in need of medical care. Part of me wondered if I should stay and help heal but Draco still hadn't come back yet and I couldn't stop searching till I found him. Looking around the Hall, I let out a sad sigh. Everywhere I looked, loved ones were sprawled out, weeping on their dead.

"Ginny! " I heard from behind me. Turning I saw my mum rushing to me, her arms open wide and tears streaming down her face. "Oh thank goodness you're alright!" She grabbed me and pulled me to her, crushing me in a hug. "All of my children are safe now. Everyone's okay," she whispered, more to herself than me. I hugged her back in relief. None of my family had been killed. Everyone was okay.

After a moment, I pulled away. "Mum, I have to go help. I'm bringing –" I started, though I found it hard to say the words, "– the dead in."

"Okay," she said, releasing me. "But hurry back."

Nodding, I ran out of the hall, passing my large family as I went. Draco had fought from inside the castle so that's where I began my search. It was slow progress as, with each body from our side I found, I took them back to the Hall. About half an hour in, I ran into Tonks. "Tonks!" I cried, thankful she was alive. I threw my arms around her in a tight hug.

"Ginny! It's good to see your face, a live face," she said, her voice worn. "I've been collecting the dead."

I nodded in understanding. "Me too. Look, I know you led a group. Draco was in your group. What happened? Do you know where he is?" I asked pleadingly.

"He didn't return?" she questioned, worry in her eyes. I shook my head and she started telling me about her side of the battle. "We got separated about an hour in, the entire group got scattered. I haven't seen him sense. I'm sorry, Ginny." She lowered her eyes and frowned.

"I-it's okay. I'm sure he's fine," I stammered, worry filling my voice. "He's got to be fine. I'll just keep looking! Where did you get separated?"

"On the third floor," she told me, going over to a nearby body and rolling it over to see who it was. Once realizing it was only a Death Eater, she turned back to me. "Good luck finding him."

Nodding, I rushed off in the direction of the third floor. Before I could get their though, I came across yet another body, this one in Hufflepuff robes. With a sigh, I knelt down to see who it was, pushing the girls hair off her face. Hanna Abbot, I realized with dread. She'd been a good friend of mine. Levitating her body gently, I walked back down the stairs to put her body with the others, tears running down my cheeks.

As I turned to leave in search of Draco again, the cold voice of Voldemort once more ran out over the grounds. This time was different though, he was not angry, he was elated. "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

"No!" I cried, rushing towards the door, only to be caught around the waist by Charlie. "No!"

"The battle is won," he continued on. "You have lost many of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continued to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

There was silence as every remaining survivor who was able filed out of the doors and to the front steps, none wishing to believe it was true. And there, high up in the sobbing Hagrid's arms, lay Harry's limp body. "No!" McGonagall's scream pierced the air. Hers was only the first of many as Ron and Hermione began to cry.

"Harry! Harry!" I cried, not wanting to believe my eyes.

"Silence!" cried Voldemort, lifting his wand. With a bang and a flash, silence fell over us with his silencing charm. I cried to cry out, but my voice was gone. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet where he belongs!"

Silence met his words unwillingly as everyone striated against the spell uselessly. "You see?" he began. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on the sacrifice of others for himself!"

"He beat you!" Ron yelled from beside me, breaking the silencing charm. A cheer went up all around at his words as the crowd.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," Voldemort said, a malicious smile on his face, "killed while trying to save himself –"

He was cut off as Neville broke free of the crowds and went charging at him, brandishing his wand. With a bang and flash of light, Neville fell to the ground, unarmed, with a grunt of pain. I wanted to rush out and help him but Charlie grabbed my arm to stop me.

"And who is this?" Voldemort asked, looking down at Neville. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

From his left, Bellatrix gave a gleeful laugh and said, "It's Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who keeps giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, Remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember," he replied, looking down at Neville again. To everyone's surprise, Neville struggled back to his feet, standing bravely between the two sides, unarmed and unprotected. "But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" His voice was smooth as a snake slithering along the ground.

"So what if I am?" Neville yelled, his hands balled into fists.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom," Voldemort offered him.

"I'll join you when Hell freezes over!" yelled Neville. "Dumbledore's Army!" The silencing charm on the crowd broke again as we all began to cheer again.

"Very well," Voldemort said, a frown on his face. "If that is your choice, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it." With a wave of his wand, he summoned the Sorting Hat. It came flying though a broken upstairs window and strait into his hand. I watched in horror as Voldemort declared there would be no more sorting at Hogwarts and slammed the hat onto Neville's head. This time Charlie did not hold me back, but the Death Eaters had restrained the crowed effectively. I couldn't move.

"Neville here is going to demonstrated what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," he said, flicking his wand and setting the hat on fire. I could not move to help my friend, though the entire crowed strained to do just that as his screams split the early morning air.

Many things seemed to happen at once then. From the forest came the entire herd of centaurs, bows twanging with each release of an arrow. From the boundary wall came the cry of many people, reinforcements from God knew where. Even Grawp stumbled from the forest, trying to head strait to Hagrid, only to be deflected by Voldemort's two giants.

I watched in amazement as Neville broke free of his Body-Bind Curse and ripped the hat off his head. Their concentration gone, the Death Eaters could not hold back the crowd of anger fighters. I ran then, into the fray. They would not win this war! Battle on the grounds raged full force. I saw out of the corner of my eye as Neville pulled a sword from the Sorting Hat and swiped the head clean off Voldemort's snake.

"Harry!" I heard Hagrid scream over the din. "Harry! Where's Harry?"

It was then I noticed his body was not where it had been, but I was given no time to ponder as a Death Eater came at me, curses flying. A whole group of thestrals and even Buckbeak the hippogriff came flying into battle. A nearby thestral dropped a large rock on my opponent, missing me by inches. "Yeah!" I cried, turning to help Luna fight a particularly large Death Eater.

Everywhere, the enemy's ranks were beginning to scatter under the onslaught. We began to have to scatter too; the giant's stopping feet becoming deadly to everyone. The fight forgotten for a second, friend and foe alike ran into the protection of the castle, away from the huge feet. As the fight regained force, it was pushed into the Great Hall. Is I fought, I watched in amazement as the door of the kitchen burst open and out ran a hundred house elves, each brandishing a kitchen knife to two.

As the hoard of Death Eaters was cleaved by the stabbing elves, I made a dash for the Great Hall where my family had gone, dodging curses as I went. Just inside the door, I nearly collided with a Death Eater's body, jumping over it at the last second. Skidding to a halt, I threw a stunning spell at an oncoming Death Eater. Fred, George and Lee Jordan were overtaking Yaxley while Dolohov tried to run from Flitwick, only to fall at the tiny man's wand.

"Luna!" I called, seeing her a few yards away, cornered by Bellatrix. I rushed to her aid and so did Hermione, obviously thinking along the same lines as me.

"Lots of little girls," Bellatrix mocked as she dueled the three of us at once. I managed to hit her with a curse that caused a cut on her arm, and Luna punched her in the gut when she gasped at the pain. "You'll die for that!" she screamed in anger, flinging curses almost too fast for us to dodge. Oh, this was not good.

From out of nowhere though, appeared my mother. "Not my daughter you bitch!" she screamed, rushing over to us. "Out of my way, girls!" She shoved us out of the way and turned to face Bellatrix and, with a swipe of her wand, they began to duel, fighting to kill.

I stood back, knowing it was better to stay out of the way. A few students though did try and help her, but she sent them away. "No!" she cried, eyes not leaving her opponent. "Get back! Get back! She is mine!"

On the other side of the room, Voldemort was battling McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley at the same time. The crowd in the big room and drawn back, all staring in rapt attention at the two fights. I myself couldn't look away from my mother and the gleeful Bellatrix. "What will happen to your poor children when I kill you?" taunted Bellatrix.

"You'll not hurt me nor any of my family ever again!" Mum cried, sending a curse strait at her enemy's chest. I watched in amazement as the crazy witch, eyes budging, fell to the floor dead.

"Go Mum!" I cried, punching the air in excitement.

The scream of fury from Voldemort was accompanied by a loud bang that threw the three he'd been dueling across the room as he turned on my mother.

"Protegro!" I heard an all too familiar voice scream as a shield protecting my mother sprang up in the middle of the Hall. I watched in amazement as Harry ripped his invisibility cloak off, alive as ever.

All around the hall, yells of shock and cheers went up, deafening for a second before being silenced by Voldemort. "I don't want anyone else to help," said Harry, loud enough for all to hear. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

Voldemort, shock and hatred on his face, tried to insult Harry, make him seem a coward. Harry didn't fall for the ploy though and he began to talk. He talked to Voldemort, telling him and everyone around how the Horcruxes and how they were all gone, destroyed. He continued to talk, they both did. Voldemort ranted on about Dumbledore believing in the power of love.

"Dumbledore was a better wizard than you. A better man," Harry told him calmly as they circle the hall.

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!" cried Voldemort, livid. But still, he did not strike.

"You thought you did," Harry told him. "But you were wrong."

I wasn't the only one to suck in a breath at that. What did he mean? We all listened in rapt attention as Harry went on to describe how Snape had always loved Harry's mother, how he'd been Dumbledore's faithful spy. I couldn't help but feel for the potions master I'd never liked. To know such love and not be able to act on it was hard, I'd known that pain. I wondered if Draco knew about this.

Draco! It was then I realized, in the midst of everything happening, I'd forgotten to keep searching for him. Was he okay? Was he dead? Oh God, I prayed he wasn't dead. I couldn't live without him. I was ripped from my thoughts when I heard Harry say, "The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy!"

I didn't really listen to what else was said, shock rippling through my body. But that would mean Harry was the master now, since he'd won Draco's wand. It made sense now why he didn't give Draco's wand back. It all made sense.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The two shot their spell at the same moment and for a second it was like time stood still as a loud bang sounded and golden flames erupted between the two. In one smooth motion, the wand in Voldemort's hand flew up and over to Harry and Voldemort crashed to the floor dead at last.

~!~!~!~

Three hours had passed and still we worked tirelessly on trying to bring the bodies of the dead or injured to the Great Hall once again. The death toll was mounting with each new body and still I was no closer to finding Draco. Nobody else had seen him yet either. At least that gave me hope, hope that he was alive. So long as his body hadn't been found, I had hope.

After dropping yet another body off in the Hall, this one a young Ravenclaw boy that had sunk back to stay and fight. I didn't know his name, but he was found surrounded by the bodies of three dead Death Eaters. He had died a hero. After laying his body down carefully, I slipped back out the hall, smiling grimly at Neville as I passed. He'd just brought in the body of Collin Creevey a few minutes ago. That blow had stuck me hard. Collin had always been one of my best friends.

As I headed back up the stairs, continuing my search of the fifth floor, I decided to take a shortcut through a seldom used passage. Looking down the deserted corridor, it looked as if this hall had seen very little if no fighting. When I rounded the corner, I realized that wasn't true. There, lying motionless on the floor, was Draco and next to him was the body of his Lucius Malfoy.

I ran over to him, skidding to a stop and dropping to my knees next to him. "Draco!" I cried, lifting his head into my lap. I could hear his deep breathing and feel his heartbeat as I pulled his head into my lap. "Oh, Draco." I stroked his face, tracing a nasty bruise as tears ran down my face in relief.

His eyes began to flutter as I held him. "G-Ginny?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yeah, it's me," I cried, my heart bursting with joy.

He struggled to sit up, his eyes closing. After I had him leaned against the nearest wall, I myself as close to his side as I could get, he opened his eyes and stared down at the dead both of his father. "I did it," he said weakly, a smile forming on his lips. "I did it, I killed him. I'm free."

"We're free," I corrected, hugging him tightly. "We're free."

Well, there you go! Draco isn't dead, neither is Ginny or Fred or Tonks or Remus! Woot! Did you like it? Did I do okay? Tell me what you think!

Well, only one chapter left after this! Keep those reviews coming in. I'm hoping to get at least 800 by the end of this story. Please, make my day and help me get to that number! BJ and I thank you very much!

Keep your eyes open for the next chapter cause I have it done already! WOOT! If you leave enough reviews I'll post it tomorrow! If not, I maybe just wait a bit xD

And remember, a happy author writes better and faster! So review and make me happy!