Chapter 18- Hermione's farewell.

~*~ I really had to get this chapter up quickly because…well it's obvious why! This chapter was really hard to write but it had to be done. I won't say anymore. You'll see for yourself. ~*~

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Eventually Hermione managed to break free of the headmasters hold and she ran forward towards the still bodies. She reached Draco's side and looked down at his flawless porcelain like face, he looked so peaceful. Hermione felt a great wrenching of her heart.

"Dumbledore", she screamed, "quick, Draco; we need to do something" Dumbledore went over to Hermione and laid a consoling hand on her shoulder.

"There's nothing we can do now."

"NO! Don't say that. He isn't dead, he isn't, he can't be." Hermione sobbed grabbing one of Draco's cold, lifeless hands. "Draco, wake up, come back I need you. I need you so much."

"Come on, Miss Granger. We should get back to Hogwarts."

"'No," Hermione could barely speak through her tears, "I need to tell him something. You go ahead."

The headmaster turned away sadly from the grieving girl and went over to Lucius. He too was dead.

***

Dumbledore turned back to the petrified death eaters and with a quick wave of his wand sent them all to Azkaban. There would be a trial later but for now let them all suffer for the atrocities that they willingly took part in. Now he had to deal with Lucius. Crouching by his body Dumbledore saw that there were no marks on him at all except a tiny flicker of green light that shone around his right wrist. He looked carefully and then, with a jolt, realised what the green light meant. Somehow Draco had evoked an ancient magic that Dumbledore had only read about in some of his antique scrolls and parchments. Draco probably didn't even realise he had summoned the power 'then how did it happen?' Dumbledore thought to himself. He glanced over at Draco's prone figure and Hermione weeping beside him and saw that, as he had expected, both their right wrists were glowing also. Thinking back to his conversation with Draco he tried to think of anything that might be the key to the mystery. Then it came to him 'Hermione and I have done the preliminaries needed to apparate together' that was quite old magic in itself! 'Draco and Hermione must be very powerful!' Sadly Dumbledore corrected that thought 'Draco had been very powerful, Hermione was.' Dumbledore wondered how they had done the bonding needed for the apparation…

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FLASHBACK

"Yes." Draco was fully concentrating now. "Well you know how I said there was an ancient spell that could bind people to disapparate together…?"

"Yes." Hermione looked at him quizzically, "do you mean we apparate out of here now?"

"No, we can't do that. We have to make sure all the death eaters are still here when Dumbledore arrives. My plan is that I apparate to Hogwarts…" he stopped when he saw the look Hermione was giving him, "Come on Hermione, if I've been able to apparate since I was fourteen do you really think that I was going to just use my skill in the holidays? There is a place in my room that I created, but that isn't important. As I was saying, when I get to Hogwarts I'll bring Dumbledore back here so he can deal with the death eaters and then we will disapparate together to Hogwarts, then I'll…" he broke off suddenly and looked away from Hermione.

"Then you'll what?" she asked suspiciously. He grabbed her hands and looked into her eyes.

"I told you before that I have to kill my father. I'll have to go back and finish it, there is no other way."

"There is no point in me trying to stop you is there?" Hermione said resignedly.

"None at all." He smiled softly at her, "now the only thing wrong with this plan is that you'll have to stay here by yourself while I look for Dumbledore."

"There is nothing wrong with that!" Hermione exclaimed indignantly. "I'm quite capable of looking after myself. The plan is perfect, we're doing it!"

"Fine." He smiled at her, "you really are something, you know that Hermione."

"Of course I know it!" she grinned back "and you are too."

Draco felt like he was sinking into her eyes and with great effort pulled himself back together.

"Right, um, the binding so we can apparate together." He searched around on the ground.

"What are you looking for?" Hermione asked.

"A rock or stone or something we can cut ourselves with."

She fumbled with something on the front of her jeans and produced a shiny object.

"What's that?" Draco looked at it, confused.

"A safety pin." She answered as if it was normal to carry muggle objects around when you were a witch. Draco still looked confused so she sighed and explained:

"When grandmere gave me some clothes to put on they were too big so she gave me a safety pin to hold them up a little."

"But I thought it was all an illusion."

"Well it was but we still have our clothes don't we, so the death eaters must have decided to let us keep that aspect."

Draco looked her up and down cheekily. "Pity" he murmured.

Hermione gave a shriek and hit him.

"Filthy mind!" she giggled, "Anyway." She held the pin up* "will this do?"

"Yeah it should be fine, now we're going to have to draw blood from our right wrists and you must repeat everything I say while looking into my eyes."

"Got it." Hermione said holding out her wrist.

With two quick jabs Draco drew blood from their writs and quickly pressed them together so their blood mingled.

"I trust you." He began in a solemn voice.

"I trust you." She repeated.

"I believe in you."

"I believe in you."

"I trust in our combined powers."

"I trust in our combined powers."

"I believe in our combined powers."

"I believe in our combined powers."

"I promise through life and death that the trust shall remain."

"I promise through life and death that the trust shall remain."

Slowly Draco separated their wrists and Hermione took a deep and shaky breath.

"We're as one now." Draco whispered

"And shall be forever." She whispered back, snuggling against him.

They talked of inconsequential things for a couple more hours before falling asleep. Draco cradled Hermione's head and heard her whisper:

"I'm sick of being a pawn, Draco, it's time we fought back!"

"We will, Hermione, we will."

END OF FLASHBACK

***

Dumbledore realised that however they had done it, it had worked and he knew that the strength of the spell must have been too much for Draco after all they had been through. It must have killed Lucius when Draco touched him because of the love Hermione and Draco had for each other. Dumbledore knew that Lucius, whose mind and body was filled with hatred and deceit, wouldn't be able to understand something as pure as what the two young wizards had shared. A single tear slipped down Dumbledore's old face as he thought about Draco. Gone, lost forever.

***

Hermione leaned closer to Draco as Dumbledore walked away and smoothed some of his hair with her free hand.

"I know you can hear me," she whispered, "because I know you wouldn't leave without waiting for me to say good bye. You did it! You avenged your mother and Lucius is dead. You saved us all, you're a hero. Children in the wizarding world will learn about you in school and I personally will lead the choir in singing your praises." She smiled shakily and a tear fell upon his chest. "I trust you, I believe in you, I trust in our combined powers, I believe in our combined powers, I promise through life and death that the trust shall remain." She bent forward and pressed her lips against his for a soft yet lingering kiss. She sat back up "our first kiss." Her smile faltered. "I love you." She stood up, still clutching his hand and it was then it happened… his hand in hers tightened…

***

* Pin up! Get it? Oh never mind!

~*~ Ha ha so what's going on? What has happened? The next chapter will be up asap so please look out for it. Next chapter will probably be the last in this saga but if you want epilogues or a story about their further adventures let me know! There aren't too many thankyous this time because I put this chapter up quite quickly (if I do say so myself!) Thankyou to:

gaille: No need to be patient hopefully the next time you log onto Fanfic.net you can read this chapter. I'm always grateful for your lovely reviews. Thankyou Allison!

G*ness: Yeah, another review from you, you lovely, nice person! I certainly don't want one of my favourite reviewers dying now do I? I had no choice but to get chapter 18 up as speedily as possible. Thankyou so much!

Sucker For Romance: I did start writing my next chapter almost as soon as I finished reading your review. Thankyou as always for continuing to read and review my story.

Calypso in love: (*singing: Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been, lives in a dream…*) hang on why I am I singing this? That Calypso has used her bloody persuasive powers again! I'm sorry it wasn't up in 10 minutes…it was more like 15. Never mind, thankyou as always for your input

ChimaeraGurl: Come on, you love my cliffhangers really! Thankyou for being anxious. (hmm that sounds weird!)

Dragon Eyes: EEK, but if you kill me there is no way I can finish this story and then you'll get even angrier! Anyway this story is another little cliffie just to make you happy! Thankyou for being moved to homicidal tendencies!

Icy Stormz: Come on, by now you know to expect this kind of thing from me! Of course what Lucius said was bad. This is Lucius we're talking about! Thankyou for reviewing!

Rory: Thankyou very much, I'm so happy you love it! Yeah *skips around a bit* Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!

Serenity: Yes poor Draco, and poor Hermione… but there is still hope. Thankyou for your kind review it was so nice of you to say it was well developed, I'm doing my best but I think there are still way too many loose ends! I did hurry with the next chapter. (as you can see!)

Draco'sgurl: I did write the next one real soon and it was partly because of your review! Thankyou.

JudgeDP: I agree with you 100%. Can you imagine if JK did kill off Draco? OOOH I don't want to think about it! Thankyou.

Harry-potter-fanfic-writer: I love cliffies, I get such emotional responses from people! You sound like Hermione with all the 'NO's and 'DRACO's! Thankyou for reviewing my fic and saying that you would keep reading!

Emma: I was just about to upload this chapter when I refreshed my reviews and there you were! Thankyou so much for saying that it is a good story and this new chapter will be up for your viewing pleasure in a few minutes!

So I want lots and lots of reviews please as I really want to know how I went with this chapter. I'm a little anxious because I don't think I'm very good with all the emotional stuff. Please tell me what you think.

Who knows, the next chapter could be up very soon….!

Jess