Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters
A/N: Finally, I got this chapter done, do you want to know whether Harry survived or dead? If you do, please read. Hehe. Thanks!!
~Chapter Eighteen: The Duel~
Harry woke up the next morning, Cho was still in his arms with tears stains on her face. He looked down, and carefully, studied her face, she was still so beautiful, still so beautiful in her sadness. She looked like an angel, an angel with broken wings, an angel with a broken heart. A tear dropped from Harry's eyes, the salty liquid landed on her face and ran down her cheek.
She opened her eyes, slowly, without a word, she linked her hands behind Harry's neck, leaned in, and pressed her lips on top of his. His lips felt so soft against hers, a single tear fell, it rolled down her cheek, she didn't want to cry, but it seemed impossible for her not to, and for him not to. Finally, she pulled away, "Harry, win the battle, win the battle, for me, for Hogwarts, for everyone." She sobbed softly.
"I will try," was all he managed to say. He knew it was impossible, she knew it was hopeless, but neither of them wanted to face the reality, it was too cruel, too merciless. He gazed into her eyes, she stared back, there were no word need, they knew. Gently, he held her close and kissed her again. He knew, this was the last time he could ever kiss her again, one last time, so sweetly one last time. Thousands of motions ran through them: love, hatred, hurt, sorrow, lost… Everything.
Harry pulled away, breathless. They sat on the bed, held each other's hand, letting their time pass away. Harry knew his time was running out, he looked back on his life, there was nothing he regretted. He had Cho, just for a while, but he had her. He was contented.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, Wormtail came him, drugged Harry and Cho out. He let go of Harry, but tied Cho beside Ron and Hermione. Harry was prepared for what would come, by now, he wasn't afraid of death, and maybe, he never did. "Are you ready, Harry?" Voldemort laughed.
"Yes," Harry said coldly, pulling out his wand. "Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted.
"Imperio!" Voldemort screamed. The thing Harry predicted will happen, their spells hit in the air, his wand started vibrating, he felt he was lifted from the ground, and Voldemort, too, was lifted off the ground, just like last time, connected by the shimmering golden light. As it should be, the 'ghost' of Cedric, came out, followed by his mother, then father. "Harry, just do like last time!" Harry heard his father commanded.
"I can't, there's no Portkey this time!" Harry shouted back.
There was no reply, then, he turned and looked at Cedric, there was something in his eyes that told Harry what to do, no words were spoke, but Harry knew what to do. "Don't worry, she'll be fine," Was all Harry said.
"Harry, you're mind, you won't win this time, I won't let you win this time. YOU ARE MINE!!" Voldemort shrieked.
"Harry!" Harry heard his mother called.
"Mom, it's okay, I'll be with you, I wouldn't be that bad, don't worry, I'll be right there." He tired to give Lily a sour smile.
"But Harry…" Lily trailed off.
"Don't worry, mom, dad, I'll be with you." Harry broke the connection, they fell to the ground. Harry stood up, looking at Voldemort.
"Ha, give up, huh?"
"Don't kill her." He said, not hurried, not scared, not begging, but as giving a command. No reply, "Don't kill her!" He said again.
"Fine, I won't kill her." He said, seriously, "I promise."
Harry nodded, he knew, when Voldemort promises, it would be a promise, "Thank you." Then, he turned to Cho, "Cho, take care."
"Thank you." Cedric whispered, to Harry, and… to Voldemort.
At that moment, everything stopped, no one was moving; no one was making any sounds, nothing, the time froze. Then, Cho heard the words she dreaded, "Avada Kedavra!!"
Time stopped again. She couldn't feel, couldn't think, couldn't do anything, "NO! NO! NO!! Harry, HARRY!!" She heard a scream through the air, then, realized I was her own. The tears ran down her cheeks, "Harry, don't leave me, don't leave me…"
Hermione and Ron had totally freaked out. They stared at Voldemort, at Harry, and at Cho.
"Cho, thank you." She heard a whisper, she looked up, eyes blinded by her tears, she tried to wipe the tears, just that it was no use. She couldn't control them from falling. "Thank you for give him love, thank you for having him happy, thank you…" Cho saw Lily disappeared into the darkness…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cho found herself lying in the same bed in the middle of the night, to her surprise, Voldemort beside her. The first thing she said was, "Is Ron and Hermione safe?"
Voldemort gave her a playful look, "I send them back, if they didn't get lost, they should be okay."
Cho nodded, "And Harry?"
"You still can't forget about him, can you?" Voldemort asked, in a rather disappointed tone.
"I don't forget people that fast. I'm a human." Cho said coldly.
"Do you have to speak me like that?" Voldemort said, trying not let the anger sneak into his voice.
"What do you expect?" She looked up. Voldemort didn't answer, "What would you do if I killed the person you love? Will you just be okay the next minute? If you are still a human, you will not."
"Why don't you give it a try?" Voldemort managed to get a real smile.
Cho thought about Dumbledore's letter, "I'll try," She whispered. "Can I finish school, at least?"
"Why? I can teach you." Voldemort answered, getting a little suspicious
"I don't want to learn dark magic."
"You will, if you're with me."
"I don't want to learn just dark magic." She looked up, trying to give an as-innocent-as-possible look.
"I'll think about, and you need some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and walked way, but he turned back as he reached the door. "Call me Tom, by the way. Goodnight." Voldemort left the room, left Cho alone, full of misery, full of disappointment, and maybe, just maybe, a little curiosity…
A/N: Well, that's the duel. Like it? Well, maybe, since most of you love happy things, but… oh well, anyway, give me a review, okay, flame if you want to. Hehe, so, please REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
