Disclaimer: I don't own any of the orginial Harry Potter character because I am not that creative...but I wish i was...I only own the plot and my characters.

And Stop This Pain Tonight

This looks more like a request than an order, Draco thought. What is going on? Has the world turned upside down? He walked over to Hermione's room, said "Devil's Snare" and sat on her bed. As she came out of the bathroom, the sight of Draco hunched over on her bed was frightening. Normally his strong and poised figure standing before her was all she needed to calm herself but now with him looking so confused and unsure, she was shaken to the core. The final battle was less than two weeks away and she needed the real Draco here, what happened in the last few hours to change him so drastically?

"What's wrong, Draco?" she asked.

He took out the parchment and handed it to her. After she read it and looked up at him, he told her,"He's asking not ordering me to come home. That's not like my father, somethings wrong and I have to go home. I just wanted you to know where I am and hopefully I won't be long but as I said I don't know what to expect."

"Be careful and come back soon. I love you." she whispered as he turned to leave. The fact that he didn't say it in return was not lost on Hermione and she was concerned as to why he hadn't responded. By the look of things, Draco was trying to prepare himself for just about anything as he left the castle and headed for Hogsmeade so that he could apparate to the manor.

As he walked out of the fireplace, Draco noticed right away that everything was quiet and devoid of the usual traffic. He went from room to room calling for his father or anyone to answer but the manor was completely empty. Finally, he opted to check his father's study as that was where Voldemort was staying. At first, Draco was so relieved as he saw his father sitting there that it didn't even register to him that Voldemort wasn't.

"There you are father, did you ask me to come home to discuss the plans for taking the vamp?" he needled.

"No my son, I asked you to come home so that you would be out of the way." Lucius cracked coldly.

"Out of the way for what?" Draco inquired feeling sick to his stomach as he already knew the answer.

"You are so foolish, Dragon. Did you really think that we didn't know the truth? You thought that you had him fooled when, in reality, you were the only one who didn't know the truth. The Dark Lord should be arriving at the castle now, a bit of a surprise attack if you will, and your little mudblood will die like the rest." Lucius explained to Draco dripping with disdain.

The reality of the situation was bearing down on Draco as he cut to leave the office in an attempt to get back to the fireplace but was stopped in his tracks with a simple "Crucio" from his father. He had been set up and bought it all hook, line and sinker. Who would help them now? How could he warn them while his father was torturing him senseless?

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Draco was desperately trying to think of a way out of this hell but he couldn't think straight with all the pain. Fight it, Draco willed himself, must fight it so you can save Hermione. Involuntarily, his mind wandered to the least likely of all places, he opened his eyes and the pain was far away from him. In front of him was a group of girls from various houses...where am i? What's happening to me? Am I somehow back at Hogwarts?

Draco calls out," Hello, can anyone hear me?"

His eyes turn and he see the room rotating around as if he were looking for something but he was not in control of them. Then fear grabbed a hold of him and he came to the realization that he must be under the Imperious Curse. His father must have gained complete control of him and imprisoned Draco in his own mind. But he had felt that before and this was not the same, he should be hearing commands that he can't fight and yet there was nothing but the fact that he wasn't in control of himself. I have to take back control, I have to get to Hermione and warn her. If the Dark Lord was attacking while I was at home like my father said, why is everyone so calm? Why am I around all these girls? Am I in the girl's dorm? So many questions were popping in and out of his head but no answers were to be found.

Just then he heard a Professor's voice calling for all the children to go back to their common rooms and wait for the Heads of House to give them further instructions. Without warning his legs began to move out of the door, down the stairs and into the Gryffindor common room. What am I doing here? Why am I not going to Slytherin? Draco was snapped from his thoughts by the sight of Hermione walking through the portrait hole. Merlin, she's beautiful and I forgot to tell her I loved her before I left. I must tell her now and warn the Professor about my father and Voldemort. He was trying to will his mouth to move when he overheard part of Hermione and Professor McGonogall's conversation.

"Did Mister Malfoy go to the Slytherin house?" McGonogall inquired.

"No, he's not here at school, Professor. His father owled him an hour ago to come home and so he came, told me and then left. But he was acting strange and said something about his father asking him to come home and not ordering him to. Like it was out of character for Lucius, I'm not sure what's going on but something is wrong." Hermione explained as Draco was trying to process that it wasn't his body that was standing there now.

Oh, this isn't good. I'm not me, I'm in Gryffindor, I'm a girl....he began to look around to see what faces he could find. Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Lavendar, Parvati...oh yes, Tara, I'm in Tara's head. Must contact her and warn them some way, some how. What hadn't occurred to Draco yet, was why he wasn't in his body and what was happening to him.

"Voldemort's her, Hermione, the battle has begun and you must stay with Tara. She can't be allowed to be taken by Voldemort. This is early but we can handle it, understood?" Professor McGonogall cautioned her.

"I want to fight, not hide." Tara chimed in.

"I admire your passion but we need you alive and with us. Intelligence is the better part of valor and you will get your chance but not today, alright?" Professor McGonogall warned her.

Draco sighed feeling as though they had just dodged a bullet. Hermione wasn't going to fighting but protecting Tara and that would give him so time to find a way to contact Tara. Maybe even find out what has happened and how he can help. But he had to admit to himself that his options were severely limited, without a body and all......

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"I've got a real bad feeling about this Hermione. I overheard what you said to Professor McGonogall about Draco going home and with the attack coming right now that means that he didn't know anything about it or that he chose not to warn us. If it's the first one, that means that he's in great danger but if it's the second then I'm as good as dead." Tara reasoned.

"He wouldn't betray us not after all he's already done....it just doesn't make sense. Why even tell me he was leaving at all then?" she asked more to herself than to Tara.

"Ok, well then he's in terrible danger but I may have a way to help him." she told her. Really, Draco shouted to deaf ears, I'm right here and you can't hear me....

"What do we have to do?" Hermione exalted.

"Just find a quiet place where I can try to concentrate and open my mind to him. Since he invaded my mind, I should be able to track him as I'm an empath." she explained.

"Let's go to the Astronomy Tower." Hermione suggested as she grabbed Tara arm and drug her away.

At this point, Draco became excited because if she could open the connection then maybe she would actually be able to hear him. Not to mention the fact that the girls would be able to see Voldemort's progress until he entered the school, if he made it that far. Once they reached the tower, Tara and Hermione looked down upon the school grounds and both of their hearts dropped to their stomachs as they saw Harry and Ron standing outside with Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers. How could they let Harry go outside knowing that if Voldemort killed him then all was lost anyway?

A strange thought occurred to Hermione at that point, what if Harry wasn't the key to everything? What if he was only part of the solution? She wanted so badly to talk to Draco but knew that was impossible unless Tara could summon him at least. What...summon him....think Hermione...isn't there a spell to summon lost witches or wizards....yes but she couldn't think of what is was and she seriously doubted anyone would approve of a last minute run to the library. It was then that she noticed that Tara was sitting indian style on the floor in deep concentration with her eyes closed, so Hermione sat by her side and waited to see what would happen.

After about two minutes, Tara could the faint sounds of laughter but couldn't quite see anything so she deepen her focus until it felt as though her head was breaking in half. But instead of strengthening the connection it seem to sever the connection into sight and sound. She could a dimly lit study surrounded by books and furniture with a fire blazing in the fireplace but in an almost split frame, she heard a voice from what sounded like inside her head. Thinking the voice in head was from some other source, she ignored it and tried harder to look around the vast study and that's when she it...........

Shock shot through Draco's being as he saw what she saw and he just couldn't believe it. It just wasn't possible....no I won't accept this.....but how could he do anything about it????

Tara eyes flung open and she stared horrified at Hermione not knowing what or how to say anything, opting to just throw her head in her lap to avoid Hermione's stare.

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Hermione didn't know what to make of the scene that was unfolding before her eyes. Tara wouldn't look at her or tell what she'd seen or heard but was visibly shaken from whatever it was. She was just about to try to pry it out of her when she heard the exchange of curses coming from the grounds below. Leaping up, she ran over to the window just in time to see the battle had begun and sparks of light were shooting in all directions as bodies were falling here and there all over the place. In all the commotion, Hermione couldn't find Ron or Harry but calmly told herself that they had to be alright because at that moment he refused to consider anything else. Once again her heart, mind, body and soul cried out for Draco. She seriously needed to have some sort of contact with him but Tara still was nonresponsive. So, Hermione again sat down beside and took Tara hand in a calming gesture, closed her eyes and focused all her spirit on Draco in an attempt to establish a connection.

She allowed her mind to fill with every love song she could imagine searching for just the right one to centralize her attention to. With her mind ticking through each song, she thought of one from several years back and felt a familiar wave of emotion wash over her and she played thought the song straining to hear a voice that didn't belong....

I guess this time you're really leaving
I heard your footsteps say goodbye
And as my broken heart lies bleeding
You say true love in suicide

You say you're cried a thousand rivers
And now you're swimming for the shore
You left me drowning in my tears
And you won't save me anymore

Now I'm praying to God you'll give me one more chance

Please hear me, come to me as I need you more than ever. Hermione pleaded as more of the song played and she felt a disorienting floating sensation...

I'll be there for you
These five words I swear to you
When you breathe I want to be the air for you
I'll be there for you
I'd live and I'd die for you
Steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can't say what a love can do
I'll be there for you

I know you know we're had some good times
How they have their own hiding place
I can promise you tomorrow
But I can't buy back yesterday

And baby you know my hands are dirty
But I wanted to be your valentine
I'll be the water when you get thirsty, baby
When you get drink, I'll be the wine

Hermione, can you hear me? I can feel you, please, hear me......

Draco, is it really you? I need you here, where are you?

You don't want to know the answer to that just yet. I can't be there with you physically but I swear that I will always be there for you in your heart and mind. I'll give you all my love and strength so that you can survive this, do you understand?

Are you alright? Has your father hurt you? Are you being held against your will? Do we need to come and get you?

I repeat, you don't want to know the answers to those questions just yet. Just always remember that I do love you and I will try to communicate with you through Tara but you must calm her for now and don't ask her to tell you anything about what she heard or saw earlier, ok?

I suppose, but will I see you soon?

I'm sorry love but with any luck at all, no you won't.

That's was the last thing she heard from him before the song began playing again in her mind...

And I wan't there when you were happy
I wasn't there when you were down
I didn't mean to miss your birthday, baby
I wish I'd seen you blow those candles out

I'll be there for you
These five words I swear to you
When you breathe I want to be the air for you
I'll be there for you
I'd live and I'd die for you
Steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can't say what a love can do
I'll be there for you

Everything that he said left nothing but more questions and she couldn't get any answers right now so she just tried her best to calm Tara down. She had to so that she could tell Tara that Draco would be communicating through her in the future. In the back of her mind, Hermione began to understand part of what he told her but wouldn't allow it set in just yet. Hope was all she had to keep herself going so she was holding on to it for dear life......

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Outside on the grounds of Hogwarts, Harry and Ron looked at the outer gates of Hogwarts at the mass of Deatheaters that lay before them hoping that they had prepared enough for what was before them. Dumbledore had been against any students being out there but the members of the DA except for Hermione, Draco and Tara had all decided that they had prepared for this and were going to see this to the end. Harry only passion right now was to protect Tara at all costs and if that meant killing Voldemort once and for all then that was fine by him. Ron, however, was not resolved to that fate. He only wanted to protect Katie, who was standing on the other side of Dumbledore, and was too stubborn to stay with other girls. Cheyan did ultimately come with them also. Some believed that she was trying to prove herself to Harry but Katie knew it was only because she wanted Voldemort dead before he could take Blaise from her.

All in all there was probably about 40 students and 10 teachers standing there willing to do whatever was necessary to protect the other staff and students located inside the castle doors. Professor McGonogall had relayed the information to Dumbledore of Draco's disappearance and he shared Hermione's belief that the Order had not been betrayed by the young man. Nevertheless, the small group acting as a human shield for the school needed to stall for at least another hour before the other Order could get there and provide backup. Snape was inside acting as a guard for the Slytherin house and awaiting additional orders from Voldemort and Dumbledore at the same time.

Voldemort and the group of deatheaters were slowly making their way to the castle only impeded by slightly by the protective spells put up by Dumbledore and the others. The surprise nature of the attack seemed to initially serve their purpose well but they had planned to be at the castle doors before their presence was discovered. The dragon's memories had served to show the Dark Lord all the necessary weaknesses of the Order and they had actually used the vampire angle has a deversion to the true scheme. A popping sound could be heard off to the side as an announcement to Voldemort of the arrival of his most loyal follower and end to the last probable threat to his reign. Or so he thought.......

The distance between the two groups grew smaller and smaller until there was a mere 20 yards betweent the two. Tension and nervous anticipation were in abundance as wands were drawn and pointed to various targets. Harry was placed towards the back of the group so that there was plenty of protection for him but his attention would wander every so often to the castle along with a short plea that their defenses would hold. His emerald green watched intently as a half moon shield formed before him and and a quote from the muggle history came to mind. "Don't attack til you see the whites of their eyes", Ron was standing beside him looking a deer caught in some headlights.

"It's almost time and we will win this." he assured Ron.

"We have to or the last six years will be meaningless. I don't know about you but I can't wait to see what my future holds with Katie and for the first time ever, I'm not scared at all." Ron mused.

"I know Ron, just don't do anything foolish and we'll all be fine. Don't be the hero, got it?" he asked hoping his friend would understand.

"Don't worry, this is a suicide mission. But where do you think Draco is? Do you think they found out about Hermione and him?" Ron wondered.

"I'm not sure but if I were a betting man, I say they did and we might actually be in a better spot than he is." Harry replied not really wanting to think about Draco's fate right now but wishing for Hermione's sake that he didn't walk into a trap.

"Look Harry, it's time....see you on the other side." Ron squeaked.

Time seemed to stand still as everything went into slow motion. Sparks of light flashing in all directions as Light and Dark collided in a death grip for the future of the magical world. Up in the Astronomy Tower, Tara is curled up into the fetal position trying desperately to push the imagines of Draco out of her mind and avoid Hermione's frantic gaze. Faintly in the recession of her mind, Tara heard a voice calling out to her to run....NOW......

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Draco was no finding that he could go just about anywhere he wanted by simply picturing them in his mind and thought he'd better make the most of this while he could. He had just made a quick visit to Hermione, which he wished he hadn't as it only brought more pain and regret, but now he had to visit someone who would actually be able to give him real information whether they wanted to or not. He pictured the dark cloaked figure with beady yellow eyes and slowly he saw the imagine of his father staring back at him wondering if he'd been called back to his body. Quickly, though, Draco realized the scenary was of an outdoor variety meaning that his father was joining the battle after having completed his primary task. He had always known his father was capable of many things but he never really believed he would be able to carry it out. That was my first and last mistake as far as that man was concerned, he thought to himself.

He watched as the thing's head turned from side to side, surveying the odds and considering battle plans. Oh what is that, yes of course...what he had come for, Draco smirked as he inventoried the options and was about to leave the dark cavern of this sick mind when something else occurred to him. Deep within the subconscience of Voldemort's mind, the Dragon performed his last treacherous but definitive act, he planted the seed of doubt by calming writing "Harry Potter will win" onto the Dark Lord's brain. Just a little reminder to be careful when choosing ones enemies. Then he went to his next target to plant another message. Once inside his father's head, Draco wrote "I am coming for you next" and left to inform the Order of the plans for battle and fulfill his own destiny.

As each one the Order members saw certain plans for attack pop into their heads, they tried to imagine whether it was to be trusted or not. Dumbledore, however, knew not only that it was reliable information but also who had given it to them and was torn between elation and sorrow. It confirmed that Draco's fate was as he'd feared but also half expected due to the boy's choice to defy Voldemort so close to home. Time to concentrate on the task at hand, the Headmaster decided before ordering the group to seperate and begin to enclose the other group. The students were muttering binding and trapping spells and were ordered to only do defensive magic for Dumbledore believed that if any would actually have to kill, they may not be able to mentally survive the aftermath of such a decision. He and the other teachers were preparing to stun and immobilize the others but were fully resigned to killing if necessary to protect the school and all its children.

In Harry's mind there was a confusing and unwelcomed message, instructing him not use his wand or the Avada curse to try to kill Voldemort. Those will only make him stronger, the words said. Though he too did not where exactly this came from he had a good idea and sinking feeling that he was right.

"Ok, Ron we have to go behind the girls with there protective spells and wait for Dumbledore and the others to weaken him so that I can go in and perform a spell on him using your wand. Here you take mine." Harry told him.

"And what kind of spell were you planning on? You wouldn't use on of the unforgivebles, would you? I mean, I don't think the Ministry would do anything to you but if you failed you could end up like He Who Must Not Be Named. And why do you want to use my wand?" Ron asked one after another.

"I'll explain everything later...just do what I ask, ok?" Harry said frustrated.

"Alright but I still don't under...."

Ron was cut off be the sound of bodies hitting the ground and realized that Cheyan was laying on the ground next to Katie but he couldn't tell if she was knocked out or worse....dead. Seeing such a sight just inches from his love, his future, Ron was set into motion like a crazed man and in his mind he could hear music play but it was none that he'd ever heard before. Where it was coming from, he had no idea but it seemed to take him over and he believed that it gave him the courage that had been hiding in him for years....

I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

Yes, he sees all of them in summer dresses at graduation, heading off to live their lives like normal people with no Voldemort to fear. A world where he will be with Katie and never fear anything ever again. And the first day of that life, starts now. He immediately jumped in front of Katie and shouting every curse he could think of at anything that moved. One, two, three, four fell and then a fifth fell but this one was special and the screams from Katie, Ginny and Harry could be heard above all else...

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I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby it just happens ev'ry day

Cheyan could hear the words ringing in her head like she was standing in a padded room with the vibrations bouncing off the walls and going through her to her very bones. Then there was the voice, it was calling out her very worst indecretion...

You told him didn't you and then he betrayed you, didn't he...that's why you're really here, isn't it?????

How could the voice know? Was it my conscience? I didn't mean to, it just sort of came out after I was forced to be with them all. Merlin, someone help me please.

No one can help you now but you...he will not come for you, accept it and make amends...do you understand???

But how do I do that now?

Protect the real savior, even if it means that you die....it's the only way.

The music faded and the voice was gone but now she had to get up and protect the one person who broke her heart dooming her to this fate. How ironic is that, she asked herself before sitting up to see a bolt of green heading directly for Harry and Ron.

She jumped up and threw herself in front of the bolt and fell motionless to the ground. The screams surrounding her comforted her into silence and all the pain was at last gone for good. To save her soul, she sacrificed herself for her former love and the love of her best friend. Her last and haunting thought was that she wished no one would ever really know what her true role in this battle was but as she crossed over a familiar figure made her realize that despite her latest deed, she had destroyed another love and two other lives that would never be healed. Her legacy would be of death and betrayal, no one could change the harsh reality of that.

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I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black

Hermione was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Tara stand up and start towards the door until the girl was a virtual run. Tara could hear the music so clearly now with the voice repeating over and over to run but never telling her where but she knew. She was running as fast as she could to the doors to the grounds, she had to get to Harry and save the him and the others. What she also knew she had to do was to let the darkness out and push beyond the red door to let the blood flow. As soon as she resigned herself to let it come out, the transformation was smooth and all care was gone. The only instinct that remained the smell of blood and what sweet blood it was, pure blood surging with power that must flow to her and into her.

As she reached the front doors and opened them, she saw the battle unfolding in front of her and the first sight that she saw was a handsome, very blonde man that was dripping with hate and hunger. Without another thought, she swooped over behind him and spun him on his heels diving into his neck with the ease of the panther to its unsuspecting prey. Lucius's eyes widen in fear as the full consequence of his choice came to him in the sensation of fangs puncturing his perfect skin with his pulse quickening to drain his body of his precious pure blood. His last imagine in his mind's eye was of his son lying in the study at home and the memorable words in his mind..."I'm coming for you next"...followed by the final syllables he would ever hear "Gotcha". Out of the corner of Harry's eyes, he caught sight of Tara putting an end to Lucius's reign of terror and cruelty but felt horrified by the sight of her vampire self's enjoyment at the act.

After finishing off her first victim and savouring the taste of the pure blood, Tara moved from victim to victim draining them of their very existence and gaining a superhuman form until she caught site of two emerald green eyes and fear that poured from them. All sense of reason returned to her but not before she was grabbed forcibly by a couple of cloaked figures and pulled away into the darkness. Harry was snapped from stooper at this and took off running after them. He would deal with what he saw later, first, he had to save her for she was all he had left. Hermione was not far behind ready to assist as Tara was her responsibility and she had failed to keep her under control. No one else was going to die, at least not while she was there to stop it.

The bloodlust had subsided and now Tara just felt drained from the look in Harry's eyes but it wasn't like she didn't understand. Who would really want to be with someone who could turn on them in a heartbeat and drain them of all their blood? She could feel the fear clear to her bones but she only did it to save them all or had she? Was it all just revenge again? Lost in her guilt and regret, Tara never fought back against her captors as she believed that she was now deserving to die because who would really come to save her now? She never heard the footsteps or saw Harry until it was too late.

Harry reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest directly behind the three Deatheaters ready to fight to the death to save Tara from them. But he didn't understand why she didn't appear to be fighting or trying to escape from them. Did she want to go with them? No, that wasn't it but what else could it be? Once again the dark and brooding voice returned with just a few simple words that inspired Harry to horrific stupidity....she saw the look of fear in your eyes and think that she now deserves to die. The men stopped, put her down and Harry was overtaken by the need to save her and make her see that he understands but was taken off guard by the sight of the vamp in her. After they had turned their backs, Harry jumped from behind the tree cover and started to curse them but wasn't quite fast enough as the largest one turned and shouted "Venas Effundo Cardes" straight at Harry's heart. Tara watched in horror as Harry chest opened up and blood began to pump mercilessly from the wound and there was only one possible way of stopping his envitable death with a wound of that nature.

Hermione arrived just in time to see Harry bleeding out from the chest and Tara trying to make her way to him so she gave her as much cover from the two remaining Deatheaters hoping that Tara could make it to him in time to save him. What Hermione wasn't expecting was the site of her taking Harry into her arms and leaning down towards his neck. Oh no, she musn't, she wouldn't...but she was....

"No, you can't." Hermione shouted while trying to run to Harry's side but it was too late and in her distraction of what was happening to Harry, Hermione had left herself unprotected as one of the Deatheater hit her square in the chest. "Stupify" and Hermione hit the ground with a thud then everything went black and she wondered if she was dead or not.

Her mind went completely blank as a well known warmth rushed over her and she once again heard music playing in the background with a soothing voice guiding her through the fog to him...

No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
If I look hard enough into the settin' sun
My love will laugh with me before the mornin' comes

"You have to fight to return to your friends and the Order. You are the key to victory as Harry will not be able to stop this now....say these words to the Dark Lord and victory will be yours before you come to me..."Adamo Nemo-inis".

When she awoke again Hermione was alone with the bodies of the three Deatheaters who it had appeared had been drained of their blood. But if Tara had done this, then why would she have left Hermione there alone. Where were they? Then she remember the message and leapt from her spot on the ground and headed back to the castle to end the battle once and for all. As she reaced the school grounds, Hermione noticed bodies everywhere and the castle doors were wide open. Oh no they've gotten into the castle, she had to hurry to find Voldemort to end this so that stop all this pain tonight and forever.....

a/n: thanks to all my new readers for the extra support...please keep reading and reviewing as all comments do help with improving my writing.......