A/N: Finally, the last chapter of my story is done. I hope you like it, though I doubt you will. Yes, I am one negative girl... what can I do, anyway?

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TIME-TRAVEL
Chapter 12: The Last Day.




Wednesday had come and the mood was tense. The air was heavy and everyone seemed to be in mourning.

Harry walked into the bathroom for a nice, relaxing bath. After drying himself, he pulled on a pair of grey dress pants and a tight-fitting black turtleneck sweater. He picked a pair of socks knit by Dobby and put them on as well as pair of trainers. He walked out of Gryffindor Tower for the first time since Monday and headed into the Great Hall. He would be facing the most evil Dark Lord of all times, he could do with a decent breakfast at least.

He dreamed of Tom last night. He had pictured him smiling, giggling while holding his hand. He remembered those kisses they shared and how everything in the world seemed right when they were together. He then remembered Tom's aura, trapped in Salazar's form, floating next to a tree, asking for him to be happy.

Harry buried his face in his arms, trying to blink back the tears.

He looked up again and slowly filled his plate with food. He wasn't hungry anymore, but he couldn't afford being weaker than he already was on such a dreadful day. He stuffed his mouth with cereals and milk and blocked any thoughts that were threatening his sanity. Or the very little sanity he had left. After he was done with breakfast, he met Dumbledore at the Headmaster's office.

"Harry" the old man motioned for him to sit down. "Have you made your decision?"

Harry nodded wearily. "I already said I would. On Monday, when I left your office. I said I would do it."

"Very well, then. You must know Severus and Draco are with Voldemort right now, getting ready to strike. The attack will take place in the school grounds in the afternoon. Minerva will guard the Entrance Hall with Moody and a few other Aurors. Once the signal is given-"

Dumbledore hadn't finished his sentence, when Minerva McGonagall rushed into the room, breathless. Horror drawn on her wrinkled face as he addressed the Headmaster, "Albus! They're here!"

Dumbledore got to his feet, a determined expression on his features. "I'll gather the school prefects and Head Boys and the rest of the staff. Minerva, take the students to the Great Hall and seal all of its entrances. After that, floo Remus Lupin, the Weasleys, and the rest of the crew. Harry?" Harry looked at him with a vacant expression. "Wait for me in the Hospital Wing. Draco will meet you there soon."

The boy opened his mouth to speak, but it fell shut again. He nodded absently and made his way into the Hospital Wing. He was genuinely surprised to find Draco already there.

* * *

His mask was lying on the bedside table. Draco was half-lying on the bed next to it.
He was eyeing the item with an unreadable look. He heard the door of the infirmary shutting and looked up to find Harry.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, just as Draco lowered his gaze to his lap.

Without looking at the green-eyed boy, he retorted with a toneless voice "what do you think?"

Harry must have grimaced, for Draco added "I'm not going to kill you, Potter."

Harry felt relieved, but tried his best to hide it. "Back to 'Potter' already?"

Draco sniggered. "Alright then, Harry." He rose from the bed to take off his cloak. Harry could appreciate his slightly muscular form, pale complexion and slimness. The blond must have noticed him staring and turned his back on the boy. A pink tinge showed in his cheeks as he asked, as indifferent as he could manage. "Anything you want to discuss?"

"Actually, yes." Harry asked matter-of-factly as he sit on the bed Draco was occupying. Draco sit by his side, as if it were the most natural thing to do, as he continued to speak. "I'd like to know what exactly am I doing here."

Sighing, Draco answered. "You're waiting, just as I am."

"But, why?"

"Because Dumbledore said so."

"But, why are you here and not Snape?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Why? Do you miss him?" Harry made a disgusted face and Draco smirked. He was, in reality, a little annoyed. "He's a much powerful wizard than I am, thus much more useful to Voldemort. He doesn't care about me, but Snape is like his protégé."

"So?"

"'So?'" Draco raised both of his brows, rather shocked. "What kind of a question is that?"

"I don't know," Harry shrugged, "I just don't know what to say. I don't know what to do and it's driving me mad."

Draco soon felt sorry for the boy next to him. Without even thinking, he extended a hand to clutch Harry's shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry. Dumbledore will be here, soon."

"But, what if he doesn't make it?"

Draco was surprised, to say the least, at Harry's question. So hopeless was he feeling? Surely, he had never seen this side of The Boy Who Lived. "I- wha-" he stuttered, not a single coherent word escaping his lips. Finally, he sighed and let himself be honest. "I don't know."

Silence echoed in the space between them. Each second was increasing the tension and fear in those emerald orbs of Harry's eyes. Draco shook his head, battling with himself, demanding answers. He ended up lying to his own. "That won't happen, anyway."

"How could you be so sure?" Harry inquired, losing all hope, little by little. He had a point. Draco couldn't, nor was he sure about anything.

But Draco thought it best to continue lying to himself, in order to soothe Harry's quivering now that fear had settled in. "He's powerful enough to handle a dozen Death Eaters, if not more, on his own.

"But, what about Voldemort?"

"He's not here."

Harry's jaw hung open in pure shock. Draco added, "he will arrive once the school has been taken."

"What do you mean?" who could blame Harry? He was too afraid, he felt the pressure on his head as he tried with all his might to think. But his brain was caught in a turmoil and all he could do was shiver involuntarily.

Draco snorted, he would laughed in other circumstances. "Not very bright today, are we?" he didn't wait for a reply "he's not as brave as he poses. The Death Eaters were sent to take over Hogwarts. Of course, he didn't expect us to be prepared... even when the attacked was put into action earlier than planned..."

"Then, when is he arriving?"

Once again, Draco's sincerity betrayed his arrogant demeanour. "I don't know."

* * *

It seemed they had been waiting for ages when Dumbledore walked into the Hospital Wing. His eyes had lost their twinkle and he looked tired, but he was wearing an assuring smile that Harry feel slightly better.

How was he to know that things weren't exactly coloured pink...

"Boys, I'm glad to tell you that most of the Death Eaters had been captured. We've suffered downs as well, but I must-"

"Who died?"

Only Harry Potter had the power to silence both the Headmaster and Draco Malfoy without using a charm. Only Harry Potter could ask such a delicate question with such resignation.

The old man almost dropped his half-moon spectacles in his shock. He gained his composure fast, though and lowered his head. His voice was toneless, hoarse, barely above a whisper. He answered. "Minerva. She died fighting, just as she wanted to." He let a few silent tears brush his aged cheeks, clearly sorry for the dreadful fate of one of his most beloved people. He carried on, "Professor Sprout" he paused again, another of his old colleagues had gone in front of his eyes. "Ernie MacMillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Dennis Creevey, Susan Bones, Lavender Brown, and..."

Dumbledore paused and turned his gaze. Harry feared the worst. "And...?"

Silence.

"Neville Longbottom."

Harry felt a painful, sharp tug at the pit of his stomach. Neville. The one who stood by his side when no one else could stand looking him in the eyes. The one who offered support without expecting anything in return. Neville was dead.

Draco pulled the boy into him, comforting him. Words failed, when actions betrayed him and he was hugging Harry. Why, he couldn't say. He couldn't even dare thinking. He was scared of the answer. His thoughts seemed to vanish when he felt something wet, but warm caress the soft skin of his neck. Harry was crying against him. His chest heaving violently with each sob.

As Draco started rocking Harry's body in a soothing manner, a cold, high-pitched voice spoke mockingly. "My, my... how touching!"

Lord Voldemort was leaning in the doorway. He was staring at the boys with pure amusement. Next to him, lying on the ground, was Dumbledore's lifeless body.

Harry noticed this, but he couldn't avert his eyes from the snake-like form before them. The older man moved, slithered, closer to the boys. A smirk, playing on his thin, greyish lips, his blood-red eyes glinting with malice. "You only came back a few days ago and already found yourself a boyfriend? Tom would be so sad... Harold..."

Draco was confused in his paralysed body. Harry, on the other hand, knew all too well what Voldemort was talking about. His fear was quickly replaced by anger. Pure hatred flowing through his veins, mingling with his blood. Before he could stop himself, he snapped loudly, "he's NOT my boyfriend and I didn't-"

He shut up abruptly. His eyes widened as he worked those last pieces of the puzzle in the back of his mind. Pain was shooting through his spine as the remembrance of his short stay with Tom danced in his head. His rage increasing each second, the desire for revenge blooming like a black rose inside his heart.

"You know." He paused. "You knew all along."

"Well, of course, I know! I'm Salazar Slytherin, I know it all."

Draco was frozen by now and his cheeks had turned purple.

"Think about it, boy." Voldemort continued, not noticing, nor caring about the blond boy right next to Harry. "why would I want to kill you in the first place?"

"Because- I'm the only one who knew the truth. I knew who you really are. Not Tom Riddle but-"

"Salazar Slytherin. Yes, yes... Five points to Gryffindor!" Voldemort laughed loudly, his high-pitched voice echoing painfully in the boys' eardrums. "Harold, Harold, Harold... you should be more careful when travelling through time."

Harry pondered on those last words.

-That's like that time in third year when I saved Sirius from the Dementors. I thought I saw my father casting the Patronus, but it was me from the other side of the lake. I didn't listen to Hermione so I got close to see if it really was my father and... I saw myself. Now, Salazar must have seen me when I was hidden in the park. But he couldn't kill me back then, for it could damage his own future. This is extremely confusing...-

But it all made sense. The anger was driving Harry insane and he had to dig his nails in his palms to stop himself from strangling Voldemort, or rather Salazar, to death. His breathing was ragged and shallow. He was feeling hot to the point of boiling. Sweat was running down his temples and his scar was aching more than ever. Nothing ever made him so angry as the injustice he witnessed in the past.

Voldemort never once, made to attack Harry. Instead, he turned to address the blond boy. "Well, I believe Mr. Malfoy had followed his father's path. Quite a good job, you can be sure you'll be rewarded. Now, Draco, dear, you can stop pretending. Get me his wand."

Not the slightest shift. Draco remained still, his hands clutching Harry's shoulders protectively.

"Draco?"

Still not a single sign of movement. Voldemort's left eye twitched as, in a fraction of a second, he raised his wand, pointing it towards Draco. "You will get me Potter's wand or perish."

Harry glanced briefly at Draco, before staring into angry blood-red eyes. He could hear a distant noise coming from upstairs. When it became closer, he realised it was a song. A beautiful, calming, warm-filled song echoing in the halls. It wasn't long before Fawkes, Dumbledore's ever-faithful fenix, entered the room.

Just as it did on his second year at Hogwarts (when he faced the form of his once lover, Tom Riddle, thinking him the enemy), Fawkes threw the Sorting Hat at his side and aimed at Voldemort. He winced in pain as the bird's beak and claws dug into his skin. He dropped his wand just as Harry and Draco came closer to him.

"Stupefy!"

Draco had cast the charm, making him fall on his knees. Not strong enough to stun him, he smirked. Fawkes was still hurting him, but that didn't seem important. Before he could regain any of his energy, nor even bring himself to a standing position, Harry stood in front of him.

Gryffindor's sword held firmly with both hands, Harry pushed the blade into the man's heart. Voldemort writhed furiously, his whole body glowed scarlet and he fell face-down to the floor. Lifeless.

Lord Voldemort, Salazar Slytherin, was gone at last.

Harry knelt next to Dumbledore's corpse. With trembling hands, he reached the silvery hair of his Headmaster and stroked it absent-mindedly. Draco knelt next to him as well. Harry looked at him and saw a few tears in the boy's grey eyes. He never thought, after everything Draco had said about their Headmaster, that he would care so much about him as to cry his death.

Harry himself was feeling miserable. Of all the people who have died, Hermione and Neville included, Dumbledore was the one he'd miss the most. Through all of their fights and experiences, Harry learned to love the man and accept him. He had been as close as family and losing someone of your family wasn't exactly easy.

He couldn't stand seeing this man in such a state. His eyes were wide open, a vacant expression in them. His body lay limp in weird angles. No, he couldn't look at him, anymore. Instead, he buried his face in the crook of Draco's neck once more and let pain take over him.

* * *

Just as he was about to leave the Hospital Wing, he heard a soft hiss and turned around. Draco did the same, seconds later, and his mouth fell open in surprise.

A grey smoke figure landed over Voldemort's dead body. It went through his open mouth and the corpse shook slightly. A white glow spread over it, blinding the boys momentarily and faded as fast as it had lightened.

Harry watched in fascination as the body took the shape of a sixteen year old Tom Riddle, who slowly opened his eyes. Draco let go of Harry as the boy ran to kneel before Tom, with a look between confusion, joy and sadness.

"Tom! Tom, can you hear me?"

The boy's dry lips curled slightly upwards and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse and weak. "'Course, I can."

Harry's astonishment made his speech difficult. His mouth opened and closed, no sound emitted. Tom blinked just as slowly as before and let out a gasp.

"It hurts." He said carefully. His smile was still intact and he addressed Harry once more. "Thank you. Now I can finally rest in peace." He surveyed Harry on the whole of his body and focused his gaze on emerald-green eyes, clouded with tears. "I never forgot you, Harry. All of this years, I knew... you would do this. I always knew and I always... loved you."

Harry fell to the ground on hands and knees, sobbing uncontrollably. He wrapped his arms around Tom whispering prayers and 'I love yous' over and over, whilst watching Tom's mouth inhale and exhale painful gulps of air.

Suddenly, but not unexpectedly, the heaving of Tom's chest died just as he stopped breathing.

Calmly, Draco made his way to the fragile boy crying unashamed. Still confused at the scene that had developed before his eyes, he helped Harry to his feet. Resigned, Harry did so and let himself be guided out of the Hospital Wing.

* * *

It was now the last day of Harry's sixth year. The time passed quite slowly since the end of the War and Harry had been carefully avoiding almost everyone. Everyone but Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley. Ron had recovered after a short stay in St. Mungo's as did Seamus Finnigan and Blaise Zabini. The story was known to every little soul inside and outside Hogwarts. The only mystery was that sixteen year old body found in the Hospital Wing.

Against his will, Harry relived the story of his time crossing, avoiding the part in which Tom and him had been involved in a relationship. Only four people, besides Harry, knew the real facts. One of them, Dumbledore, had died under the Killing Curse; the others were Draco, Ron and Hogwarts' new Headmaster, Severus Snape.

Snape, after receiving the Order of Merlin First Class (just as Harry and Draco did), had been asked by both the Ministry of Magic and the remaining staff at Hogwarts to replace Dumbledore in his Headmaster duties. At first, he declined the offer, alleging he wasn't worthy of such an honour, but after a long talk with Harry (in which they got past their differences and shared each other's secrets as a vote of trust), he decided to take the post.

The Leaving Feast was nearly over when Severus rose from his seat at the centre of the Staff Table. Everyone fell silent.

"Another year has gone" he spoke with his usual velvety voice "as many people had. I believe we should raise our goblets and make a toast to the memory of those who had fallen in the hands of Voldemort's army." The entirety of the Great Hall raised their goblets as indicated and drunk a sip of their drink, before setting the goblets back down. "I propose another toast, this one to the memory of Albus Dumbledore." He paused to wipe a tear out of the corner of his eye, before proceeding. "My mentor, the only one who trusted me, the only one who believed in my noble intentions when everyone else turned their backs. To Albus, for being the greatest Headmaster this school has seen in all of these years, since the age of the Founders. To Albus."

"To Albus." The whole room echoed before repeating the previous action. All of them were whispering or sobbing or glancing at Severus who had reoccupied his seat.

* * *

Harry met Hagrid at the end of the platform. He asked Draco and Ron to find a compartment for themselves, as he walked to meet the half-giant.

"Harry. Good ter see yeh" Hagrid didn't look too convincing, but Harry understood. He was, probably, the one who had suffered Dumbledore's death the most.

"I just wanted to say goodbye. You know, before I leave."

"Oh, well... I hope yeh have a decent summer. Yeh know... after all tha' happened... yeh're worth more than you think, Harry"

That last sentence echoed through his ears all the way to the train. Why Hagrid had made such choice of words as a farewell -when Harry would've been more than content with a simple "see yeh, next year"- was a mystery. He shook his head, dismissing further thinking and got into the train. He found Ron patrolling a compartment full of second-years. The redhead apologised with a quick "prefect duties, mate" and went on the next compartment.

Harry finally found Draco sitting alone in the last train car. He was eating a Chocolate Frog whilst staring out the window. When Harry sat in front of him, he averted his eyes slowly from the landscape and settled his gaze on Harry, as if wanting to say something. The raven-haired didn't seem to notice, for he had only one thing in his mind.

"Draco?"

The boy, rather relieved as the silence was broken, tilted his head up, indicating Harry to go on. Somehow, words failed him at the time.

"I just... I wanted to say..." Harry took a long, deep breath. "Thank you."

Letters form syllables, syllables formed words and words formed sentences in the back of Draco's mind. He had too much to say and too little time, so he pushed all those sentences and asked something simpler. "What for?" He was genuinely clueless.

Harry fidgeted uncomfortably before answering, each word coming from the centre of his heart. "For being there when... you know... you never said anything about... you know..." Harry was starting to breathe too rapidly, so he conjured every little composure he had left to finish a decent sentence. "I probably sound like an idiot with the stuttering and pet words and all" he laughed nervously "but... truth is... I'm really grateful, Draco. I-"

"Don't say it." Draco warned him. He knew exactly what Harry had to say and he didn't want to hear it. He made sure Harry understood.

"We already made a truce. We shared quite a difficult situation and got out alive. I still don't know how or even why, but we did. You don't have to say another word. I'll be here for you as long as you need me, whenever you need me and I expect the same from you."

Harry was glad to have accepted Draco's hand back in his dorm a few days before the attack. He knew he had earned himself a friend who, despite of his many failures, was loyal and forgiving.

Harry smiled. Maybe he could keep a promise.

"...I want you to be happy. Please be."

Yeah, maybe he could...

...and deep inside, he knew he would.


THE END


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A/N: Yeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss!!! It's finally over! Now I can focus on my new story *hemhem*ThePensieve*hemhem* I hope you liked this last chapter, though I know I didn't, and I'd be happy to get reviews for it. I liked the end. It's rather sappy in my personal opinion, but it could be worse, believe me.
I'd like to thank those who reviewed this story and those who didn't but enjoyed it just as much (though I'm still not sure there are many) and stay insane!!

Yes, Harry ends up with Draco. What was he going to do? He had to keep the damned promise, right?
^_~ !