All right. For starters, all characters belong to J.K. Rowling. All grammatical errors, plot holes, or other problems are mine. Secondly, this is what you get when I write a story at 11:00. Since my muse has obviously been on vacation for a while, I'm sort of testing the water again. Hopefully there will be a sequel. Lastly, reviews are greatly appreciated, though I understand if you are too busy to write "Good Job" or "Bad Job" or "My muse is smarter than yours", but if you take the time, I really, really appreciate it! Now on to the story!
Night Falls
Ginny Weasley marched, with all the others, feeling sick to her stomach. I'm only seventeen! she thought. Why should a seventeen year old have to go to battle? The small, mocking voice in her head answered: "No one forced you. If you walked away, none of them would be able to stop you." Ginny shook her head. She had to do this. If they lost here, then they lost not just a battlefield, but also everything that they had worked for since Voldermort's first fall.
But how do you reconcile looking at someone and saying a few words with full knowledge that when that beam of green light hits them their life will end? Is it made easier by knowing that your fate may be the same?
Ginny pondered this as she marched silently with the others. To her right walked Neville Longbottom, his mouth set into a grim line, and to her left, Colin Creevey, whose face showed fear mingled with determination. Colin turned to her and said "We'll be all right Ginny. We have to be."
An hour later, Ginny brushed hair out of her face, which was dripping with sweat. Since the first wave of death-eaters had hit, she and several other students had been working to keep a shield wall up, despite the constant battering it was taking. The numbers of wounded being tended behind the wall were growing at an alarming rate, and Ginny was trying not to think about the numbers of dead lining the battlefield.
She had not yet seen her brothers or her parents, which was good since that meant they weren't hurt, but bad, because she did not know if they were alive. She also worried about Harry, who, when last she had seen him, had been making fir the center of the battlefield with Ron and Hermione close behind.
At first the students had stayed back, but as the strength of the adult contingent faded, the younger wizards moved up. Unfortunately, they were fighting a losing battle. Though they had more fighters, few could manage killing spells with the cold efficiency of the death-eaters.
The girl only pointed.
Marching at them from the other direction was a small group of Slytherins, led by Draco Malfoy. Neville, a tired look in his eyes, moved towards them. "Turn around now Malfoy. You won't make it through here."
Draco only laughed. "What if I said we were coming to help you?"
"Then excuse me if I say we wouldn't believe you." Neville replied.
Draco turned to the Slytherin beside him. "Zabini, they're not as stupid as I thought. They might have a chance."
"Good." The Slytherin replied, "But Longbottom, we really are on your side, and it would be extremely helpful if we made it to the battlefield alive."
"All right then Zabini, we're glad to have you. Kindly apparate, and I'm sure you know how, to the other side of the wall." Said Neville.
"Let's go. Good luck, Gryffs!" and with a loud 'pop' they were gone.
"Do you think they're really on our side?" Ginny asked.
"Not a clue." responded Neville. "But I hope so, cause we need 'em badly."
And with that, they turned back to their work. Luckily, despite Ginny's dire forecast, after an hour and a half, the shield was still up, though occasionally wavering. It was then that a very dirty, sweaty, Draco Malfoy crossed the shield, carrying in his arms an unconscious Hufflepuff. He turned to Ginny. "I shielded her before it hit her, but she's out from the shock. Where do I put her?" Ginny gestured to where Madame Pomfrey and other healers were busily tending patients.
"On the ground?" He asked.
"No other place." Ginny replied grimly. She watched as he removed his robe and layed it on the ground under the girl. The the shield faltered, and Ginny was forced to direct her attention elsewhere.
The battle was nearing it's end. Fewer fighters remained on the field, but Harry was still out there. The death eaters had given up bombarding the shield wall, so now only two students at a time were maintaining it while the others rested or helped tend the wounded.
Ginny was mending a elderly wizards leg when she heard the terrific bang that rang throughout the battlefield. A chorus of shouts went up and the air crackled with the pops of death-eaters apparating away from the battlefield.
The shield was let down as a torrent of the remaining warriors poured in, some with minor injuries. "What happened?" Ginny shouted to the first student she saw. "Harry got Voldermort! He's gone! For a minute there, it looked like Voldermort was going to get Harry, but then something deflected his spell and Harry got him!"
Minutes later, Ginny found Harry, Ron, and Hermione. All were dirty, but since none seemed to have any mortal wounds, Ginny hugged Ron and asked what had happened.
"We were getting near the center of the battle when Voldermort himself showed up. I guess he didn't t trust his henchmen to finish me off properly. By the time we got to him the battle was already falling off a bit."
Hermione took over. "Then Ron tripped, and Harry turned around to help him up. That was when Voldermort pointed his wand at Harry and said 'Avadra Kevadra.'"
"And then, guess who casts a blocking spell and stops the curse from hitting Harry." Ron chipped in.
"Who?" Ginny asked.
"None other than Draco Malfoy himself! I guess he switched sides."
"Is he all right?"
"Who?" It was Ron's turn to ask.
"Malfoy?"
"Oh. Don't really know. Actually, I haven't seen him since Harry finished off Voldermort."
"Have you seen Mum? Or Dad?"
"Yes. Both of them actually. Plus Fred and George and Bill. I haven't seen Charlie, but then the dragon unit hasn't come in yet. I didn't see Percy either, but I don't think he even came."
"All right. I'm going to look for Mum and Dad ."
Ginny wandered out of the tent just in time to see Draco Malfoy walk in slowly and completely unnoticed. She called out. "Draco, wait!"
He turned. "What, Weasley?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For helping us."
He started to walk away again and then paused.
"You're Welcome."
The End (for now at least)