Author's Note: Wow! Over eighty reviews and counting! I thank you all dearly for your generous reviews and comments. Thanks also for the criticism, but please be aware that I am juggling 10 different stories at the moment. Some things I don't quite have the time to add in, and plus I wouldn't want to make the story too boring ;). Anyway, my humble thanks to all of you, but I must admit that I might torture you to get more reviews. By that I mean waiting longer between updates. Sorry, my turn to be greedy now! My goal is to have at least 1 story reach 100+ reviews! I believe if I hold out, I might reach that with this story. :) Sorry for the cruelty, well, sort of sorry. *shrugs* Oh, by the way, the last chapter will have some Harry-Ginny mushy stuff (love) And even a kiss if I get all my reviews! ;) ~Eladriewen

A Daring Rescue

Harry watched with horror as his heart was pulled from his chest. The incantations were being spoken fluently and easily through the mouths of the Death Eaters. He was frozen to the ground not out of any spell, but by sheer shock and amazement at what was happening before him. Voldemort's heart sat beside his own, beating rhythmically, simultaneously with Harry's.

'Amazing sight, isn't it Potter?' he hissed. It seemed wrong for either of them to be able to talk at this moment. Flesh cut, blood dripping, bone exposed, and hearts before them, Harry could say not a word. He wished that he had told Sirius he loved him like a father before this. That he had meant so much to Harry. He regretted not telling Ron how grateful he was to have him as a friend, and the same with Hermione. But most of all he regretted not ever trying to catch Ginny's heart. He knew she would willingly give it to him, but he had never tried to take it. Too afraid that he might break it, maybe. Maybe too afraid to find that he didn't really love her the way he thought he did. Maybe he was afraid to create another target in this never ending war he had been born into. Maybe that was all of it, maybe that was none of it. Now Harry regretted never trying to steal a kiss, never trying something stupid to catch her eye, never talking to her alone, never telling her how he felt. More than ever he wished he could hold her close and say that he loved her, and no matter what that would never change. He cursed himself for his foolishness, and spat at the concept of only having one chance at love. Damn it all. He'd failed miserably. Even if it condemned him to a premature death, Harry would not have his flesh, blood, bone, and heart fuse with this man's. Never.

'The last part of the ritual is to be completed, Potter.' Voldemort smiled cruelly. 'Now, all you must do is accept the fusion and you and I will merge as one. You won't have to die. You can live, and become powerful! We both need this! Too long have the both of us been dragged down by the expectations of others, our true powers made to hide within us. But now those powers have a chance to come out. We are both equally powerful, but together, we are indestructible!'

Harry smiled.

'Go to hell.'

* * *

At that moment, the only door to the room burst open. Harry had been certain that it was protected by powerful spells, but those apparently had broken. He couldn't turn his head, but he recognized the voices. Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Moody, Tonks, Snape, and Dumbeldore. Someone called his name out in concern, but he was frozen to the spot. Dumbeldore was incanting something, and Voldemort fell to the ground, writhing and screaming, cursing him bitterly as he did so.

The next moment Harry found himself falling to the floor. His body struggled to move, to act, to function, to breathe! His heart was gone, there was nothing to pump blood or oxygen through him. Within a few milliseconds he went still, too tired to carry on the battle.

'DUMBELDORE!' He heard someone shout. His eyes trailed to a pale figure kneeling beside him, turning him over. He recognized it immediately as a teary eyed Sirius.

'We're too late...we're too late' Harry heard him muttering. He didn't have the strength to assure his godfather he was still there. All Harry could do was stare back at him, trying to tell him through his eyes that he hadn't left yet. 'DUMBELDORE!' he screamed once more. Snape came up behind Sirius, something glowing in his hands. He pushed the man out of his way bitterly and rested his hand over Harry's chest. He muttered something and within a moment Harry could feel the blood start to flow through him again. He could feel the air relieve his brain and limbs, and the promising warmth of life flooded through him again.

* * *

Voldemort was up now, replenished as his own heart returned to him. He stepped out before Dumbeldore and brandished his want. With a wave of it, all fighting ceased. All eyes were upon the two ancients before them.

'It seems we meet up again, Albus.'

'For the last time, Tom.'

'Don't sound so confident.'

A blast of green light flooded the area. Sirius was kneeling over his godson, trying to offer what protection his body could give. Ron was shielding Hermione in a similar fashion. Snape stood in the shadows, waiting to pounce on his old 'employer'. Fred and George were beside their little brother, eyeing the battle with excitement and fear. Moody and Tonks were in another corner, ready to come as backup or, God forbid, a replacement to Dumbeldore so that the others could leave. Even as the two wizards did battle, Tonks was quickly ushering the others out. She came last to Snape and Sirius, the latter still holding Harry in his arms.

'He isn't moving.' Sirius stated through a shaky voice. 'What's wrong?'

'Get him out.' Snape hissed bitterly. 'Can you carry him?' Sirius lifted the nineteen year old Harry in his arms, not easily, but it wasn't an impossible task. 'Get him out.' Snape repeated. He stepped before Sirius to offer as cover, then sent Tonks after him. Dumbeldore and Voldemort were still fighting. He watched with utmost hatred for the latter of the two, waiting for him to mess up, to retrieve the chance to kill the bastard.

Both were starting to fall into exhaustion. With a good strong forward thrust and a powerful curse, Voldemort knocked Dumbeldore to the ground where he stayed for more time than he should have. He then rounded on Moody, knocking the man down with a single curse. Snape faced Voldemort then, raising his wand high.

'You are a fool.' Voldemort hissed. 'Killing me won't bring your family back!'

Snape snarled, thrusting outward, but Voldemort easily caught the curse and threw it back at him, with a mere flick of his wrist. Snape spiraled into the wall, breathing heavily. 'And now I shall kill you.' Voldemort brought his wand up. 'Goodbye Severus.' But before he said the curse, before he brought his wand down to end the pathetic nuisance's life, a yellow spiral knocked Voldemort backward, hard into the opposite wall.

Harry stepped through the threshold. Pale, shaking, but looking more determined than ever.

'This was my battle, Potter.' Snape chided.

'And you were handling it marvelously, if I might say so!' Harry cocked a crooked grin and adorned a sly glimmer in his eyes, gesturing to Snape as if he were a true hero. He looked just like James, mocking Snape like that. 'Take it easy. Get them out of here and I'll let you two have your fun again.' Sneering, Snape moved to help Dumbeldore up. Then the both moved to assist Moody. Harry and Voldemort circled each other in the room. As Snape turned in the threshold, the battle between the two began.

'Expelliarmus!' Harry cried.

'Isolad!' Voldemort hissed.

The red and the yellow hit and deflected the other's attack.

'Anthera!'

'Hithramir!'

Again the attacks were parried. Then, in a brilliant move, Harry called one curse, a weak one which he knew Voldemort would instinctively parry. Then he whirled around on his heel and cast another, falling to one knee as he thrust out his wand. As Voldemort parried the first attack, he was taken off guard by the second which took him down at the kneecaps. Snape couldn't help but be impressed.

Voldemort cursed and thrust his own want out, the blinding white light caught Harry across his left cheek, but he remained unaffected.

'Sadrielas!' Harry roared. Voldemort was cast backward, his legs bent beneath him. He lie just at Snape's feet, here! Now! He could finish the bastard off. Now, right now, take the chance of being punished for using an Unforgivable, but he didn't care. Snape drew his wand and pointed it down at the man's head.

'Avada-' but he was cut short. Voldemort had raised his wand and within a fraction of a second sent Snape to his knees. He wheezed from the pain, trying desperately to lock onto Voldemort with is eyes. 'Avada-' he tried once more, but a hand grasped his shoulder.

'No, Severus.' biting his lip out of sheer anger, he lowered his wand. A whisper and Voldemort was petrified. 'He will go immediately to Azkaban and then receive the Dementor's Kiss. You will not kill him.'

'It's no less than he deserves.' Snape hissed.

'Do not be so eager to deal out death and judgment, Severus. Not even the very wise can see all ends.'

Harry stood and took the Dark Wizard's wand.

'Its over?'

Dumbeldore nodded, his hand still on Snape's shoulder. Harry smiled.

Author's Note: Their problems are over! Not the story! More to come!