The morning started out quietly. Ginny had slipped back into the medical camp and quickly showered and dressed. With thoughts of Draco in her mind, she went about her duties, checking on patients, stocking supplies that the courier had brought, and writing reports. She did one on each patient to send to Madame Pomfrey at the hospital.
Mid morning, as Ginny sat at her makeshift desk, really just a folding table and chair, scribbling away, she heard the first explosion. Over the past few months, they had all gotten used to the fireworks and small booms that the dueling wizards caused, but this one made the earth shake beneath her feet. Before Ginny could get to her feet it was quickly followed by two more of the same intensity.
Running out of the tent, Ginny shouted for the others to move quickly. Most were coming out of tents half dressed, pulling on shoes and cloaks as they ran.
"Quickly everyone. Fill the first aid bags, grab blankets, stretchers, anything we might need. We've got to get over there!" Ginny cried, hurrying to grab her own supplies.
As the group of medi-witches and wizards, nurses and assistants gathered in the middle of the camp, Ginny looked at all of them. "This is a big one folks. Watch your backs. The death eaters aren't going to care if we're soldiers or not. Pay attention to what's going on around you, and don't hesitate to use the auror's training to defend yourself. I don't want to lose anyone today. Ok, lets go."
They made their way over the hill and saw the devastation of the soldiers' campsite. Large chunks of earth were missing from the ground; tents shredded and wounded soldiers lying all around. Immediately Ginny and her team went to work.
As the morning went on, the division seemed to be advancing, leaving behind wounded earth and wounded men, the medical team following behind them to tend to those who needed aid. Ginny lost all track of time and her brain went on automatic as she looked at face after face full of pain, mentally running through injuries, treatments and giving orders to the nurses and assistants around her.
Sometime after the sun had made it's way across the sky and was beginning to set, Ginny and the medical team heard a weak cheer go up from over the next rise. Hurrying to the top of the hill to see what was happening, Ginny was overjoyed to see that it was their side doing the cheering. A moment later she registered the small number of men standing and the larger number lying on the ground and called for the others to come quickly.
Ginny suddenly realized she hadn't seen a single one of her brothers, Harry or Draco all day. Standing up from her kneeling position beside a wounded wizard, she told the medi-wizard approaching her to get him to the camp. Scanning the field for any red or blond hair, or a pair of green eyes with glasses, Ginny sighed in relief as she noted the twin backs of the heads of Fred and George, and a few paces off, the tall figure of Percy. As she continued to look for the others, she heard Luna Lovegood begin to scream.
"Neville! OH Neville!" Luna screamed as she fell to the ground beside Neville Longbottom's still body. "He's dead! He's dead!"
Ginny hurried over to where Neville lay, checking his pulse and breathing. Luna continued to scream and cry.
Turning to Luna, Ginny shook her violently by the shoulders. "Stop it Luna! Stop it now! He's not dead! Do you hear me? He's not dead! But he will be, if you don't snap out of it and get your ass in gear so we can get him to the hospital. He needs immediate attention. Can you get him that Luna? Can you help Neville?"
Luna's sobs were cut off almost immediately. "Yes," she said," I can do that."
"Good, "Ginny smiled at her now. "Get one of the pulley brooms, get him on a stretcher, and go full force to St. Mungo's. Madame Pomfrey will be there. Tell her, listen Luna, this is important, tell her we need help with transportation."
With Luna having something to focus on, Ginny surveyed the area around her again. Too many, she thought. Too many for us to help here, too many for us to transport. We don't have enough brooms. As Luna took off with Neville, Ginny could only hope that she could remember the message and that Poppy Pomfrey would have a solution.
Ginny noticed that there were several dragons and riders down as well as soldiers. Ginny caught a glimpse of red hair and cried, "Charlie!"
Charlie Weasley turned around and jogged to his sister. "Ginny! I'm so glad you're alright. Can you spare us a nurse or two? We've got several wounded riders here."
"Of course Charlie!" she said, calling a couple of nurses as well as a medi witch. "Please see to the riders."
"I don't know what we'll do about the dragons." Charlie said, looking worried. "About ninety percent of them are downed, and we've no way to transport so many back to the barns for treatment."
Ginny considered for a moment. "Charlie?" she asked, "Can you control the dragons? If I send a couple of medi witches or wizards over, can you keep them from getting flamed or injured so they can look at the dragon? I know we're not dragon healers, but I've read enough about magical creature healing to know it's not THAT different."
"That would be great Gin. We're going to lose several if they don't get attention soon." He grinned at his sister.
"Well, I'll be wanting something in return. "Ginny replied. "Once we've seen to the dragons, I'm going to need you to help me transport the soldiers who need to go to the hospital right away. We don't have enough brooms for so many and we've already used all our portkeys."
"The ministry isn't going to like that, Dragons flying right into the city." Charlie said.
"The ministry can go take a flying leap, for all I care, "Said Ginny. "I don't intend to let all these men die. Will you do it?"
Charlie agreed and Ginny hurried away to gather a couple of medi witches she knew had some experience with magical animals. As she discussed treatment options with Lavender Brown and helped her throw some of the larger bandages and salves they had into a bag, Bill came hurrying up to her.
"Bill! I was so worried when I couldn't find you." She cried, then noticed a large gash on his right arm." Are you hurt? Here, let me see."
As she quickly chanted a spell to stem the bleeding, and a pain spell, he said, "Its nothing. Just a scratch. Ginny? Have you seen any of the others?"
"I've seen Fred and George, they took some of the soldiers who weren't hurt to round up death eater stragglers before they could get far. And Percy. He's over at the medical camp, sending owls to the ministry and Dumbledore, to let them know we've defeated the last of the death eaters. Oh it's wonderful Bill. The war is finally over!" said Ginny.
"I wouldn't say that just yet. " Bill replied, his face grim. "We haven't gotten you-know-who yet, and Ginny, I can't find Harry or Ron or Draco!"
"What? What do you mean, you can't find them? Where did they go?" Ginny cried, beginning to panic.
"We got sight of you-know-who in the battle. Harry took off after him. Ron took off after Harry. I have no clue where Draco went. I went after them as quick as I could get away, but I've been searching for an hour now and I can't find them!" Bill said, looking worried.
"Well, we have to find them!" Ginny said. "Which way did they go?"
Bill pointed to the edge of a forest. Ginny started towards it. Bill followed her.
"Listen, we'll never find them this way." He said. "Lets split up. I'll go east, you go west. If you find them shoot a wand flare. I'll come running."
Ginny nodded and began to walk. It got darker and darker in the forest, and Ginny took out her wand, making a small flame flicker at the end of it. She noticed what seemed to be a clearing, and went towards it. At first glance, the clearing seemed to be empty, but as Ginny got closer, she noticed vague shapes, like swiftly moving shadows. As she approached, the shadows became clearer, and finally Ginny could see it was Harry, Ron and Draco. And Voldemort. Ginny rushed forward but was sent backwards into the dirt suddenly. She rose and stuck her hand out carefully. It was some sort of invisible shield. That was the reason that Bill hadn't been able to find them, and that was why she hadn't heard the fighting that was going on.
Ginny stared into the clearing. It was quite a scene. Harry was facing Voldemort, both with their wands pointed at each other. The beams of light from each wand met midway, sparks flying. It looked as though they'd been at it for hours. Ron stood a few feet from Harry, with Draco, dueling with four Death eaters. Ginny noticed the tired looks on all three of their faces. She pointed her wand at the invisible barrier and began chanting every spell she could think of to break it.
As she chanted, she continued watching the action inside the clearing. Suddenly, the beam from Harry's wand began to overtake the beam from Voldemort. Then quite suddenly, Voldemort fell to his knees, his wand falling to the ground. A second later, Harry's beam touched him. The figure of Voldemort seemed to melt away. What was left was a puddle of some black muck that steamed and fumed. Harry collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Suddenly three dementors swooped in from seemingly mid air on Harry. Ron, seeing what was happening, turned from the two Death eaters still standing, and yelled "Harry!" Ginny heard him bellow the patronus spell and a large flowing white weasel took to the air and swooped in on the dementors. After what seemed like hours, but was only seconds, two of the dementors suddenly floated away. Ron stumbled then, and lost the focus on the spell. The weasel dissipated. And there was one dementor left. But Ginny could see Ron had no more in him. She sped up her chanting. She had to get into that clearing! Draco put down the last two Death eaters and turned to Ron just as the last dementor was lifting his chin up to apply the kiss. Ginny heard Draco chant the patronus spell and saw the dragon leap from his wand. The dementor didn't even put up a fight. It just left. Draco walked slowly toward Ron. Then a figure stepped out from behind a boulder to the side of the clearing. Ginny gasped as she recognized Lucius Malfoy.
"Father." Draco sneered, facing Lucius.
"Time to end this boy, "said Lucius, and identical sneer on his face. "You've embarrassed me enough. No son of mine shall disobey and shame the Malfoy name such as this and live."
Lucius raised his wand and Ginny saw the Cruciatus curse send Draco falling to the ground. He writhed in pain when Lucius chanted the curse again, intensifying its effect. Then she saw Draco grow still.
'Dear God, don't let him be dead' she thought. Then suddenly, the barrier was gone. Ginny rushed into the clearing, and without a thought, put herself between Draco and Lucius.
"Let him go!" she cried.
"Girl, you have caused me more grief than such a tiny thing as you should be able to do. Look at what you've caused. "He said, gesturing at Draco behind her. "I've had to destroy my own son, my own blood, because of you."
And whether it was because he didn't think she was brave enough, or he didn't think she was clever enough, Lucius Malfoy's face registered surprise when Ginny raised her wand. He never even lifted his when she chanted "Adavra Kedavra."
She stared momentarily at the dead body of Lucius Malfoy on the ground and thought, 'I've killed.' Somehow it didn't feel like she thought it would. There was no horror at the life she'd taken, no guilt. But there was no triumph or satisfaction either. There was only empty numbness.
Then she turned and ran to Draco. Giving in to the need that she had berated Luna Lovegood for earlier that day, Ginny fell to her knees over the still form of Draco Malfoy and began to wail.