Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other character. Neither do I own the places. All I own is the plot. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.

- Chapter twenty two: Final showdown -

Ron watched his friend. He sat still, looking out the window dully. He hadn't eaten a day.

"Harry, mate, you sure you don't want something to eat? To drink?"

"No."

Ron bit his lip. "Okay...what about a game...chess, gobstones..."

"No."

He sighed. "Listen Harry. You've got to do something. This isn't healthy."

"What's the point!" Harry said loudly. "Hermione's with Malfoy, I'm alone! I've got nothing, okay? Nothing. No family, no love."

"You've got us. Friends! And Hermione's still our friend, even though she's marrying a Malfoy...a changed Malfoy at that."

But Harry just stared out the window. "Ron, you don't know how much she meant to me. It hurts so much. I'd rather die than live like this."

Ron wanted to say something, when suddenly the door flew open. Ginny came running in, her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear.

"Ron!" she panted. "They're here! Fred and George are out there! Oh God they're here!"

"Who, Ginny? Who!"

Ginny sobbed heavily. Outside loud shouts and crashes were heard. Ron jumped to his feet.

"Ginny, get Dumbledore and then hide. I don't want you out there. Hide yourself!"

Ginny ran up the stairs. Ron looked at Harry.

"Come on, we've got to help."

Harry jumped to his feet and stormed past Ron.

"Ron, stay here with Ginny. I'm going out there to do the only thing I seem to be able to do. Stay here and make sure Ginny stays safe."

"But-"

"No! Do it before I hex you!"

Harry pushed him into a chair and stormed outside. Ron ran up the stairs. Ther he found Ginny being hugged by Hermione.

"Mione!" Ron shouted. "Harry went outside!"

Hermione gasped and turned to Draco, who hugged her.

"The grown ups are all outside...Fred and George...and Harry too...how did they find us?" she asked quivering.

Everybody stared at Draco.

"Hey, no way! I did't even know the adress!" he shouted.

"Then how-" But Ron was cut off by a loud bang.

Everybody now stared at the front door, wands out. Suddenly people came inside. McGonagall and Snape were carrying Dumbledore, mrs. Weasley was crying, supported by her husband. Lupin came in last with George. Ron looked at them.

"What happened? Where's Fred?"

Mrs. Weasley cried even louder. Ginny burst into tears.

"Oh no...Ron!" she hiccuped. "Fred!"

"What happened? What? Where's Harry?" Hermione said in a trembling voice.

Lupin sat down. "Death Eaters, they found us...somehow. Every single one of them was here...Fred and George were the first out there, and Fred was killed..."

"He took a curse in the chest...it should've been me!" George interupted shakingly.

Lupin continued. "When we came out...three dead bodies were on the ground. Fred and two Death Eaters...we killed them all, but Albus got hurt. We killed them all."

He looked at Draco, who had gone pale.

"All of them" he whispered hoarsly.

Lupin nodded.

Hermione took Draco's hand. "Draco...your father..."

"My father got what he deserved."

But his hand was shaking.

"And Harry, what about Harry?" Ginny whispered.

Lupin looked at her. "Ginny...he went on...he threatened to curse us if we followed him..."

"Followed him where?"

Mrs. Weasley sobbed in the background.

"Followed him...to Voldemort. He's out there. Voldemort was waiting for Harry...calling to him."

Ginny sat down, quivering even more. Hermione held Draco close.

"He's facing Voldemort alone...alone!"

Draco kissed her forehead and she knew what he was going to do as she looked into his face. She hugged him tightly.

"Please don't." she whispered. But she knew she couldn't change his mind.

"He can't go alone. Harry will die. The Dark Lord won't fight fair. He can't be trusted. I will go too."

"No, Draco, it's too dangerous." Snape said.

But his mind was already made up. He looked around the group before he nodded his head just once.

"I must do this."

Then he ran out the door. Hermione flew to the window and could see him running down the street.

As he continued to run down the street he could smell fire and explosions. The smell of spells. He could see two figures standing at the end of the street.

"We've been like this before, haven't we Harry." A cold voice said.

"But this time I won't run away. I will win."

Draco started to run. "Harry! No!"

A bright light. A loud explosion. A burning smell.

Both figures still stood tall, surrounded by total silence. Draco watched as slowly both bodies crumpled to the ground.

Draco's heart stopped. Then it started to beat faster. As quick as he could he ran on. A tall, pale man was stretched out. Blood was coming from a headwound. The man was dead.

A soft breathing came from the other body. It was Harry. Blood came from his mouth. Draco sat next to him on his knees.

"Come on Potter, don't die on me now."

Harry coughed. "No, let me die. What's the point of me now? Voldemort is dead...I have no other purpose."

"No, that's bullshit Potter. If I didn't know better I'd say you were scared of going back to apologise. There's enough purpose for you to live. Don't just give in because a girl left you. There are enough other fish in the sea...and one is pretty close by. Come on. I'll get you home."

Draco pulled Harry up and made him lean on his shoulder. "Come on Potter, you'll be okay."

"We need help!" Draco shouted.

Immediately three pairs of feet came down the stairs. Ron and Ginny took Harry upstairs. Hermione flew into Draco's arms.

"Don't you do that again. Don't you leave me behind again."

"I could never leave you behind...never. But I couldn't leave him out there on his own. He wanted me to let him die. But I took him back here."

Hermione hid her face in his shoulder. "I didn't know that loving you could hurt others like this..."

Draco placed his arms around her. "Shh...he'll be okay. He's in good hands."

"Yes...yes he is."

Draco took her hand and took her upstairs. "You know...it's done. The war, it's over!"

Her dark eyes lit up and a smile broke through.

"And now...we could...if you want to...we can plan our wedding. You'll become mrs. Malfoy...even though the name might be stained."

"The name was stained by your father. You proved more than you had to that a Malfoy can be honest and brave. I'd be honored to be mrs. Malfoy." And she sealed her words with a kiss.

Ron came out the door and saw them. "Harry will be okay. He's just injured, he'll be alright. He's in good hands, Ginny is taking care of him."

Draco grinned. "See? I told him there was one fish pretty close by."

Voldemort was right there. So close by. Harry felt himself being drawn towards the snake-faced man.

'You'll die today, Harry.' A voice, cold as ice, said in his head.

The man stared at him. A cold smile washed over his face and a victorious shimmer gleamed in his eyes.

'You know you can't escape. You know you can't walk away. You feel it in your blood. You must stand before me today and die.'

"No!" Harry shouted. "No! I won't die. I'll bring you down, Tom Riddle. The only thing that gives you power is your name. But it's not real. You're Tom Riddle, that's your name. Your muggle name. Your true name. Voldemort is the one who strikes fear in people's heart, but not Tom Riddle." Harry shouted.

"You need a name and a mask to get what you want. But not anymore. That will all end right here! I'll be the one to survive today. You'll die and when you do, Tom. I'll bury you under your true, muggle, half-blood name."

Voldemort glared at him. "Don't you call me a half-blood. I'm the most powerful wizard!"

"But you still are a half-blood, just like me."

Silence.

"This is it. It will end here today. "We've been like this before, haven't we Harry."

"But this time I won't run away. I will win."

"No...you will not."

A strange laughter filled his ears. It occured to him that Voldemort looked strange with a smile on his face. Suddenly he looked at the tip of a wand.

"Goodbye Harry."

Harry tried to move. A cold pain cut through his chest. Everything in front of his eyes went white. He stared at the face of his adversary.

"...Tom...Tom!" he shouted.

His body went rigid.

"Tom!"

He was twitching and sweating in his bed. Ginny carefully wiped his forehead with a damp cloth and stroked his hair out of his face.

"Shh...it's okay, you're safe." She whisperd.

He relaxed again. A feeling of rest washed through his body. She bent down and kissed his forehead.

He opened his eyes and saw a girl bending over over him. He relaxed as he felt a kiss on his forehead. He lifted his hand and layed it on her shoulder, pushing her back just enough to get her face above his. He stared into Ginny's brown eyes, who looked a bit embaressed.

"Harry..."

His smile faded slightly. "Oh...hey Ginny."

"Harry, I was so scared."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm...okay, Ginny. I'm okay." He patted her back awkwardly.

She loosened the hug and, slightly hesitant, gave him a kiss on his cheek. Quickly she got to her feet and ran out the room.

Ahh...just returned from my holiday yesterday evening...i had 30 emails in my inbox!!! Wow! And it was great in Danmark. We had fantastic weather and my arms are even a bit tanned! Woohoo! That never happens usually...but anyway, you're here for the story and not my mindless rambling, hehe...

Dark Angels: I totally agree about the fact that draco is more likable...but that depends on the story. I've written one while in danmark and Draco's a coplete jerk in that one, he's the malfoy from the books...hope you liked the update :D and I hope to hear from you soon about Angel :D

anneyuan2000: thank you! :D

Jay: I'm so glad you do :D hope you'll read it through to the end!

Suzaku's Rose: [blushes] wow, I'm so happy I got the whole love-thing- problems right, because I'm never really sure abnout stuff like that, simply because I don't want anything to come across unbelievable, you know...

Exploded Toilet Bowl: Jep, brotherly sisterly ties! I agree! But, when well written, they can have more than that. Because there are some fics out there in which their relationship is told so believable and sweet. You can believe in it if it's well written.

Smrt cids: hehe, glad you like it :D You're the first one to comment about how it just kept changing everytime and I'm glad you like it that way. Because that was actually in the beginning never supposed to happen. It was supposed to be pretty straight foreward. But when I was writing it, it kind of just changed itself...

CozzaGirl16: so many happy reactions....I feel so happy! Glad you like the fic!

Riddleness: I didn't like the proposal that much myself, it came out of the blue and it was something I thought I could've written better...but if you like it, then it must be alright! p.s. THANKS!!!!!

Shadowrayne: am I really that mean? Sniff sniff...but I'm REALLY flattered by your review. REALLY flattered!

Andrea: sure thing, will do!

LiLbLueangeL1223: Well, it's still not finished yet!! There's only one more chapter left to go, though...but I'm glad you like it!

Lucerito-del-alma: luli! GIRL! Haven't seen you in AGES!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO haha! I was so happy yesterday when I opened my mailbox and found a review by YOU! I like making harry seem like a git, just for once, you know...and ginny, well, she'll snap him out of this thing for Hermione. Trust me. Too bad that, after this chapter, there's only one more left to go! Sniff...I'll talk to you soon! Luv, lot.

So, hello again! I hope everybody had a fantasic holiday, just like I had. Though I definately have to admit that I missed all of my friends TERRIBLY! And I'm sure I'll be busy catching up with them on msn for ages! But I will update soon. Only one more chapter left to go...sniff....one more chapter and I'll have to say goodbye to you all....sigh. Oh well, that's how it goes eh. Anyway, I'll update soon. Hope to hear from all of you!
- Raven55