Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter's characters. Everything belongs to J. K. Rowling. Everything unfamiliar is mine. 9/8/04

A/N: '' – Basically means that the character is thinking

"" – Basically means that the character is speaking

This is the continuation to "Models".

I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed. Loved everything! I was horrible to Ginny in this story so I thought I'd at least make up for it in my new story, "The Haunted". Check out my other stories: "Summer Camp" (Draco-Hermione fic) and "Picture Perfect" (Sirius-Hermione fic).

Title: Last Chance

Chapter 14

Finding Draco

Hermione showed the letter to Arabelle who gave it to the headmaster. The professors were now meeting in Dumbledore's office. Although Hermione was glad that finally the professors were taking serious actions in finding Draco, she felt that they were taking their oh so precious time. She was getting really impatient. She'd rather do something than wait for Dumbledore's actions and so…

Hermione told Harry and Ron what happened. They all agreed that this was something they wouldn't wish upon anyone. Harry and Ron doubted the fact that Malfoy has changed but it was evident to them that he was important to Hermione and right now, that's the only thing that mattered.

The most natural thing for Harry to do was to conduct a rescue. Although he hated Malfoy, he understood that it was not the time to play their petty rivalry crap. Malfoy's life is on the line. He asked Hermione to brew Etheral for their protection. Luckily, she kept a few bottle from the first successful batch. Ron and Harry started planning their actions from the moment they would leave Hogwarts to the moment that they would return. Hermione also searched for spells that might prove useful to them. Their plans were kept very well hidden, not even telling family or their trusted friends. They were so quiet that it roused Ginny's curiosity.

One night, she hid in the shadows of the common room as her housemates left for their dorms leaving the Gryffindor trio alone.

"So mates, this is as ready as we're going to be." Harry started.

"We've never prepared for a rescue before." Ron argued.

"Hush! Do you want to wake up everybody?" Hermione nagged. They chose the night where they knew Dumbledore would be away. If he was in Hogwarts, he'd know what they were up to and lock them inside the castle. In addition, with Dumbledore's departure Arabelle and Sirius were out searching for Draco as well. The only problem they would have is with their head of house, McGonagall.

Ron just rolled his eyes.

"Guys, do you remember your roles?" Harry intervened before another argument came up. He watched his friends nod their heads. "Hermione, distribute the potions."

Hermione's heart was beating so fast. "Remember this potion only works for a few seconds,a minute at the most. Snape tested it on the other spiders. So don't drink it carelessly."

"What about me?" Ginny walked away from the shadows.

"Ginevra Weasley what do you think you're doing up this late?" Ron scolded her sister.

"I want to help." Ginny started.

Harry and Hermione exchanged dubious looks.

"I'm sorry about before but this is something important. You need all the help you can get." Ginny argued.

"We don't have time to argue." Hermione was getting impatient.

Ron saw the change in her sister, he knew her from the moment she was born. He knew he could trust her again. 'She's back.' He sighed and said, "This is a life and death situation."

"I know and that's the reason I have to be with you."

"No, we need you here. If we're not back in an hour you have to tell McGonagall." Ron explained.

"But…" Ginny started.

"You haven't heard of the Weasley code have you?"

"No." Ginny answered her brother.

"The code goes, 'protect those younger than you'. That means my job is to protect you."

"I can handle myself." Ginny argued some more.

"If I let you come with us I would be putting you in harm's way and Bill, Charlie and the rest of the family will hunt me down."

Ginny was determined to argue her way in but Harry didn't give her a chance.

"Ginny, we have a plan that we practiced for, trained for. I believe this plan would only work within a small group."

"Ginny, you are part of this plan. You have the biggest responsibility. We need you to go to the professors if something bad happens to us." Hermione gave the younger witch's hand a squeeze. Petty arguments were forgotten especially in the face of danger.

Finally, Ginny understood, "I'll be waiting. One hour, right?"

Draco woke up feeling a little dizzy. There was no window inside the room but he knew it was morning. He lost the feeling of his hands behind his back. He would've loved to stretch them but they were bound tightly behind. He scanned the room he was in but it was dark without proper lights or windows. The only reason he knew that it was morning was because of the light sneaking under the door.

He was tired. He hasn't even fully recovered from the attack last time in Hogsmeade when his father's friends attacked him. Now more than ever, he was alone. He separated himself from Hermione, his only true friend. No one would look for him. He doubted that Dumbledore would inform Hermione or let her leave Hogwarts. He wasn't even sure if Dumbledore would help him either.

His hands were the least of his problems. Lucius Malfoy's Death Eater friends took rounds on him with Cruciatus. Every single move he made ached horribly but he wouldn't show that to any of his torturers. He closed his eyes instead and reminisced his moments with Hermione. This seemed to clear his mind and gave him strength. 'Hermione, I hope you're alright.'

The Gryffindor trio headed to the Forbidden Forest with brooms in their hand. They made sure that no one would see them, not even Hagrid, before they took off.

"Hermione, are you sure you want to fly alone?" Harry asked her before pushing off the ground.

"I can handle this." Hermione reassured him.

"We know. What Harry meant was you're not fast on a broom." Ron muttered matter-of-factly.

"Thanks for the ego boost Ron." Hermione rolled her eyes. "If I flew with Harry it would only hinder him from flying in top speed."

"Yeah, but if you fly alone you'll hinder Harry and I. We'd have to wait for you." Ron argued some more.

Hermione gave a minute to think about what Ron said and agreed. "Harry would it be alright if I…"

Harry didn't even let her finish. He took her hand and pulled her gently to him. "Ron, take Hermione's broom. We might need it later."

Ron nodded and pushed from the ground following Harry's lead. They rode to Hogsmeade to the cave where Sirius once lived as a dog. They hid their brooms inside and let Hermione do the first task.

Apparation is not just a means of transportation but also an art that can be combined with another spell of course there's a lot of training involved. An example of this spell is a tracking spell. Combine the two and one would be able to apparate to the specific location of a person. McGonagall deemed this useful especially since they have a tight relationship. If one went missing, another could easily find him/her. If they could sense the whereabouts of a person, they'd be able to go there. That's what they learned with their private classes with McGonagall. Since Hermione was the closest to Draco, she was the one responsible to scan for his presence. "I found him! Remember do not follow me. I'll come back here to get you two. If I get caught and don't come back, return to Hogwarts. Do not rescue me! They'd surely be looking for you two then. Let Dumbledore handle it. Promise me!"

"We've been through this before. We know what to do." Ron avoided the promise.

Harry nodded too. He can't possibly promise to leave her if she was in danger. They were putting themselves in danger for Malfoy surely he would do anything for his best friend.

Hermione looked deep into the eyes of her best friends before disapparating before them.

"If Hermione gets caught?" Ron looked to Harry.

"She won't!" Harry believed in her. They had to trust her.

Ron swallowed hard. "Well, we have to be prepared for everything. That's what you kept on saying before."

Harry calmed himself, "If she gets caught you go back to Hogwarts, warn the professors."

"What?" Ron didn't follow.

"If something bad happens, I'll follow her."

"I'll come with you." Ron insisted.

"No, we have to warn the professors." Harry argued.

"That's Ginny's role." Ron reasoned out.

"Ron, I don't want any of us to get hurt so I want you to go back. I wouldn't have even agreed to this plan if I didn't know how important this is to Hermione. So, stop being so pessimistic and relax because Hermione will be all right. She'll come back and everything will be fine!"

Ron stared at his friend surprised by his tone.

"I'm sorry, we just need to trust her now…"

Hermione didn't know whether she was in the right place. She couldn't see anything but from what she could tell, she was in some sort of a room… with no windows. She didn't move. She just let her eyes adjust to the darkness. There was something in the middle of the room she couldn't quite recognize. She quietly moved into the darkness. As she neared the object, she realized it was a person tied to a chair. Her heart started beating uncontrollably fast. The person's head was drooping down. She didn't know whether this person was dead or just sleeping. She moved in front of the person to take a good look in hopes that it was Draco.

"Draco?" She called softly realizing that the person was a guy. His hair fell in front of his face covering it from her gaze.

The person started moving his head waking from his sleep. He was having a dream about Hermione, his only true happiness. He slowly raised his head to look at the intruder. It took a moment for his eyes to focus before he saw a female silhouette in front of him. "Hermione?" He whispered softly. He wasn't sure if he was still dreaming. Then again, he felt pain coursing through his body. When he saw her smile, he considered himself hallucinating from pain.

Hermione's eyes started to swell with tears. "Draco." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Draco still didn't know what was happening only that he was hurting from the hug. 'Wait! That would only mean…' "Hermione!"

"Draco, I was so worried…"

"Hermione you have to leave. If you get caught I won't be able to forgive myself." Draco quickly argued.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me." She teased as she moved away to untie him from the chair.

"I am but…" Draco started. He heard footsteps headed toward the room. "Leave now!" He ordered her. He resumed his position to when he was still tied.

"I'll be back I promise." Hermione disapparated from the room.

"What's all that noise about?" Draco's guard asked upon entering.

"I must've been talking in my sleep." Draco learned to answer to his guard lest he be punished.

Hermione was ecstatic when she apparated to her friends.

Harry and Ron were relieved upon her return. "Is it right to assume that you found him?" Ron asked.

"Yes. I could have taken him with me but someone approached the room. We couldn't let him go inside with him gone. The rest of the Death Eaters would have hunted all of us."

"So when are we going to rescue him?" Harry suddenly had a bad feeling on what was going to happen next.

"Let's wait for ten minutes before we get him." Hermione was glad at the outcome of their plan.

Ten minutes later, Hermione apparated back into the room with Harry and Ron. She directly went to Draco's side to help him up.

"Hermione." Draco whispered her name with a smile on his face.

Hermione returned his smile and motioned for Harry and Ron to help her. "We have to leave as quickly as possible."

Harry and Ron went to Draco's side and each took one of his arms.

Draco was in serious pain but he couldn't complain especially since they were rescuing him.

"Sorry we took so long. We had to make sure that you were alone." Hermione explained to Draco. "I hope you didn't think that we left you beh…"

"Did you hear that?" Harry asked no one in particular.

Draco raised an eyebrow for his answer.

"I think I heard footsteps." Harry whispered.

This time they all heard the noise. Panic rushed through them fearing what could happen. Harry helped Draco back to his chair. Hermione pulled out Harry's invisibility cloak from her robe and hid within it with Ron. After Draco settled on the chair Harry joined his friends.

The same guard from earlier who checked up on him barged in again. "What's going on in here?"

"I didn't know you that cared." Draco avoided his question.

"I still can't believe that you'd choose a mudblood for a girlfriend. Malfoy's have one of the longest line of purebloods surely you wouldn't want to waste that."

Draco rolled his eyes. "And I can't believe someone like you would kiss the dirty arse of a wizard whose blood is tainted. Isn't that a contradiction?"

"The Dark Lord is different. He has cleansed himself of his muggle side. Besides, it's his purpose that we worship. Haven't your father taught you anything? No wonder you're a weakling."

"Say whatever you want to say. I don't even care anymore." Draco was anxious to get him out of the room.

The guard was suspicious with the change of attitude that he's getting from Draco. 'Something's not right.' He opened the door and performed a spell. "I heard that the Dark Lord arranged his schedule just to meet you tonight. Aren't you lucky?" He slammed the door with a nasty laugh.

Draco stood from his chair and searched the room for Hermione. "Where are you?"

Hermione pulled the cloak off her. "We're here. We better hurry before Voldemort catches us."

"I think we might have a problem." Draco held unto the chair for support.

"What do you mean?" Harry was concerned about leaving the place; he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"All we have to do is disapparate right?" Ron asked.

"It's not that easy anymore." Draco tried to explain.

"What do you mean?" Hermione repeated Harry's question.

"All the prisoners of the Dark Lord are under a spell." Draco started.

"What kind of spell?" Harry was suddenly cautious.

"In a word, trap. I can't leave here using magic unless I'm dead or he's dead." Draco began showing his human side.

"That makes our work more complicated." Harry started thinking of another plan to get out safe.

"Why don't you and Ron leave now and Draco and I will find another way out?" Hermione suggested.

"Like I'd let you stay here with a wounded wizard?" Ron was getting irritated from the noble act that he's getting from his friends.

"Ron's right. We're not leaving you especially since you need us right now. What was all that training for if not to help your friends?" Harry agreed with his friend.

"Harry you're the most wanted wizard among the Death Eaters…"

"There's no way you're going to convince us out of this Hermione, we love you and we'll stick with you whether you like it or not." Harry argued.

"Maybe you should save your sentiments for later. There's one more thing I forgot to tell you. I saw that guard cast a spell earlier and if I'm not mistaken, no one would be able to apparate or disapparate anywhere in this camp." Draco explained.

"What the hell do you mean?" Ron didn't want to hear anymore bad news. "We just apparated here didn't we?"

"Every day there'll be a two-hours opening where the protection of this place are down to let the Death Eaters enter and exit the camp. No one knows exactly what time this happens. The mark on their arms sort of informs them when they can get in or out. I think it's the Dark Lord's security system. So anyway that guard must've warned the Dark Lord already." Draco reiterated.

"Dark Lord?" Ron arched an eyebrow. 'Is this someone worth saving?'

"Habit. That's what my father kept calling him at home." Draco reacted.

"So you're saying we got lucky in getting here within the two-hours opening!" Harry could not believe their luck.

"Exactly." Draco answered.

"So you're saying the only way we can leave is to sneak out?" Hermione clarified.

Draco nodded ashamed that he had put Hermione in danger.

Hermione handed a vile to Draco. "Here's our potion. You'll going to need one too. Snape tested it and proved that it only works for a few seconds."

Draco nodded, "What about my wand?"

Harry handed it to Draco. "Can you use it?"

Draco nodded in reply, "I've been here before and I've learned some secret passages that we can use to get closer to the exit of the camp. There's only one place where anyone can leave on foot and it's heavily guarded."

"Wow, can you be more pessimistic?" Ron was sick of all the bad news.

Hermione smacked him lightly on the back of his head.

"Ok, let's start with following Malfoy through the secret passages. Once we get through them and face the guards, we'll use the invisibility cloak. We'll move past them two at a time. When these two leave the camp one will go back for the other and the two will move past the guards. We'll continue until everyone is safe outside the Death Eaters territory. Any questions?" Harry informed them of his plan.

"What if the guards can see through the invisibility cloak like Moody?" Ron asked.

Hermione looked at Harry before answering her friend's question. "I suppose we could test it by letting someone wear it and walk to the guards. I can do that."

"No! I'll test it." Harry insisted.

"Harry, you're the most wanted wizard in this camp, if they can see through the cloak you'll be in danger."

"So will you!" Harry argued.

"Let me do it then. I've already been caught. They won't think that any of you are here anyway." Draco volunteered himself.

"That's a good plan." Ron agreed.

Hermione agreed too but the fact that he's wounded made her doubtful. "Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine. What else can they do but lock me up again?" Draco tried to reassure her. "Besides, you're in this situation because of me. I should do my part to keep you safe."

"Since that's clear, are there any other questions?" Harry was glad that it was Malfoy who's going to sacrifice himself and not one of his friends.

"What if they have a map like that of the Marauders?" Ron asked again.

"Ron, you're the one who's being pessimistic." Hermione nagged.

"If the Death Eaters have that sort of map then we should be in trouble right now don't you think?" Harry challenged his friend.

"Marauders' Map?" Draco didn't know what they were talking about.

"It's nothing important." Hermione replied. "Harry's right Ron. If they knew we're here then we shouldn't even make it to the passage."

"Anymore sensible questions?" Harry stressed the second word.

"What are we supposed to do when Malfoy's guards check up on him?" Ron asked again.

"That's a good one." Harry pondered for an answer.

Draco started to speak but Hermione was able to speak first.

"I brought this." She pulled out a vile from her robe. "It's a polyjuice potion."

"That would mean we have to get someone to drink it with Malfoy's hair?" Harry thought out loud.

"So we have to seize someone?" Ron asked for clarification.

Draco cleared his throat to get their attention. "I don't think that's necessary. Since I'm bound and unable to leave camp anyway they wouldn't check up on me."

"But earlier…" Hermione was hesitant.

"They only check up on their captives during the two hour opening." Draco explained.

"That's good news." Hermione remarked.

"Ok for the last time, are there anymore questions?" Harry asked. When no one opened their mouth, he continued. "It's time, Malfoy lead the way."

Draco nodded.

Harry wasn't coldhearted, he draped Draco's left arm on his shoulder to help him walk. The camp they were in was now familiar to Draco because he recognized the paintings hanging in the hallway. This was no ordinary camp; they were inside the Zabini Manor. Blaise only showed him around once but he had a good sense of direction and remembered each passageway and secret knobs. There were a few changes however. Instead of saying the password, a blood of a Death Eater was required to gain access. Since Draco was a Malfoy and had a blood from the Black's (Narcissa's side) he had no trouble opening doors.

For the Gryffindor trio it seemed more of a maze. Hard as Hermione tried to memorize the turns it was just too complicated for her. She found a few portraits that would suggest to whom the Manor belonged to.

Harry was on alert mode. He didn't like being lost in a maze of the enemy. He jumped at every sound he heard. He even bumped into Ron once.

Ron on the other hand marveled at how large the estate was. "I wish I was born here." He didn't realize he had said it out loud.

"So you could become a Death Eater as well?" Hermione teased.

Ron blushed at her words. "I didn't mean it that way." He decided to change the topic. "Hey Malfoy are we there yet?"

"At the end of this hallway is the door outside and then we'll face the guards." Draco explained.

Ron moved up front of them eager to leave and head back to Hogwarts. When the rest caught up to him, he grabbed the knob and was shocked when the door moved on its own accord. He paled at the sight that greeted him. "I don't think we'll be needing the cloak now Harry."

"What do you mean?" Harry couldn't see beyond Ron.

"Guess who's greeting us from outside." Ron swallowed hard.

"How should I know?" Harry was irritated. He didn't like guessing games especially since they were on a mission.

"Harry Potter." A ghastly familiar voice called out for him.

Harry dropped Draco's hand and reached for his wand and vile. "Voldemort."

"Harry, remember only for a few seconds." Hermione nagged.

"Come out Harry." Voldemort waved his wand and the four Hogwarts students moved from the passage to face him outside.

Harry was sweating; he had escaped Voldemort before with the help of a port key and with the fact that he was alone. He didn't have to worry about other people with him. He had no plan against Voldemort and his Death Eaters and that's what's scaring him. He's facing danger with his friends and he had no idea of how to protect them.

"Harry have you met Nagini?" Voldemort then started talking in a foreign language that only a few understood, including Harry.

The huge snake circled protectively around his master, defending him.

Hermione surveyed the situation and was frightened at her deductions. 'There is no way we're going to survive attacks from this many Death Eaters, a huge snake, and Voldemort himself.'

Draco stood beside Hermione and took her hand to squeeze it. "No matter what happens I want you to know how much you've made a difference in my life and I'm very grateful for that."

"I've heard that saying goodbyes bring bad luck." Hermione managed to tease.

"I just wanted to be prepared." Draco whispered.

Ron was serious this time. He was facing death himself, Voldemort.

Harry started speaking to Nagini, "I have introduced myself and it seemed like you aren't treating her right."

"You see Harry? You see how much similar we are?" Voldemort had a dangerous smile on his face.

"No! We are not similar, I do not murder people!" Harry was aggravated; he remembered the death of his parents.

"It's only a matter of protecting myself surely you understand that." Voldemort explained.

"My parents were the ones protecting themselves! I can't say the same thing for you though." Harry couldn't contain his anger.

"Dumbledore has poisoned your mind. It was war, they were after me and I was after them. Isn't that fair?" Voldemort asked.

"My parents' are not murderers!" Harry exploded.

"Move on Potter, I have." Voldemort glared at the young wizard.

"Move on? Why would you need to move on?" Harry was confused.

"I have come to terms wherein I would allow you and maybe your friends to live another day as long as you join my side." Voldemort proposed.

"You're asking me to betray Dumbledore?" Harry was sending dangerous glares back at the older wizard. "You have got to be kidding!"

"If that's what you want." Voldemort raised his wand preparing for a curse.

Harry searched for the vial in his robes but he couldn't find it. 'I must have dropped it back in the passage.'

"Crucio!"

Harry easily swerved the curse.

Ron, Hermione, and Draco were kept on their toes by the Death Eaters. Ron could easily move away from the curses thrown at him but Hermione had to help Draco. Draco was standing only because of the fact that he was facing death, adrenaline in other words. Hermione was doing her best of trying to divert the attention of the Death Eaters from her wounded friend to herself. She was more flexible than Draco at this point.

"Hermione, you should try to move past the guards and…" Draco started.

"And leave you all behind? Are you stupid. I'm never leaving anyone behind." Hermione argued.

"But you have the chance and…" Draco continued but was cut because of a scream.

"Ron!" Hermione's attention moved toward her best friend.

Ron had been the recipient of the Cruciatus curse. Hermione wanted to go to his side but that would mean leaving Draco alone.

Draco saw the uncertainty in her eyes and thought of making it easier for her. "Go to him Hermione. My life has been reserved for the Dark Lord's hands and I doubt any of his followers would take that away from him."

Hermione didn't want to leave him though and was thinking of any plan to stay with the two.

"Hermione don't waste your time here. He needs your help. They are not going to waste their time in trying to kill him. To them he's free meat. Go to him." Draco was pushing her. "As far as I know he's not accustomed with these kinds of curses, I am. Go to him." 'I can't protect you but you can protect each other.'

Hermione studied the situation before nodding. "I'll be back."

Just then they heard an explosion coming from the gates. Hermione looked for the source and smiled. 'The Weasleys.' Suddenly the attention of the Death Eaters moved to the new intruders. Bill, Charlie, and the twins were there.

Harry on the other hand was trying his best to avoid the curses aimed at him. When he heard the Weasleys' grand entrance. He took the opportunity of this distraction to talk to the giant snake. 'How can you follow his orders?'

'Because he is my master!' Nagini hissed.

"You see how loyal my friends are Harry?" Voldemort faced him once again. "Do you think that those Weasleys are enough to stop me?" He laughed dangerously.

"You will fall Voldemort, that I promise you!" Harry didn't take his eyes off him.

"Very well, seeing as you cannot be persuaded. Let's see how you can survive a combined attack from me and my pet!" Voldemort hissed his instruction as he started to wave his wand.

Harry moved quickly dodging the attacks even putting Death Eaters in between. The only advantage he really had was his agility. He was a hard target even for a snake. He did know that he can't win just by avoiding these attacks he had to outwit his enemy. He heard Voldemort's orders for Nagini to kill him at all cost. 'I could try to use that to my advantage.'

"Harry Potter. Give up. Your friends have!" Voldemort called out to him.

For the first time Harry slowed his pace and saw his friends separated from each other with a Death Eater or two guarding them. He could feel his stomach churning. 'This is it.' He saw Hermione taking our her vile. 'They would be alright for a few seconds.' "Alright Voldemort, what would you want in exchange of my friends lives?" He started walking toward him.

"Harry don't! You can't possibly trust him." Hermione argued.

Harry ignored her friend. He was determined to move close to his enemy.

Voldemort smiled. "See how easily the great Harry Potter falls when his friends are involved."

Usually Draco would've agreed but this time was different. Harry's success meant their freedom.

Harry moved until he was a couple of feet from Voldemort. "My life for theirs?"

"How about your life…" He motioned for Nagini who was ready to strike Harry's back. "And theirs?" He drew his wand and mouthed "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry pointed his wand downward as he made up a spell. His wand shot up like a rocket taking Harry with it.

Nagini pounced narrowly missing Harry plunging her fangs into her master instead.

Harry landed hard on his arse. He stood up his legs feeling wobbly. He walked slowly to Voldemort ordering the snake to move as well.

Voldemort held his hand to where he was bitten. "Is that all Harry?"

Harry pointed his wand at Voldemort. "You will not hurt me or my friends anymore."

"Do you think a bite would kill Lord Voldemort?" He too pointed his wand at Harry.

Harry looked for his best friends faces, finding strength in them. "I know what you're capable of Voldemort. But I cannot let you win. My friends and I won't let you."

"There you go again, sporting your weakness!" Voldemort prepared to cast one of his famous spells yet again. "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry put all his anger into his next spell. "Crucio!"

In Voldemort's frustrations the brother wands were connected once again raising them both high in the air. The Death Eaters were astonished to watch this incident the second time. They all lowered their guard focusing only at the battle of wits. This proved helpful to Ron and Hermione. They easily broke loose from their guards and run toward their best friend. Harry saw his friends coming closer and realized that if something had to happen, this was the right time. He sneaked a glance to both friends waiting below before breaking the connection.

Both Harry and Voldemort fell down into the ground. Voldemort was surprised by his rival's actions. He underestimated him once again. Another surprise for him was the arrival of Sirius and the other members of the order into his camp, distracting most Death Eaters leaving the Golden Trio unguarded. In addition, the loyalty of the Death Eaters was revealed. A few turned their backs on him and joined the new arrivals. These few were more than capable on their own.

Harry was quick to his feet. He waved his wand and nodded to Hermione and Ron, who were a few feet away forming a triangle, signaling them to do the same. They have trained for this moment and doubts are not welcome. He was with his friends and he was more determined not to fail. His friends' lives depend on it. He didn't have a plan to defeat the Dark Lord and his followers but they had prepared a little something for Voldemort alone.

The trio was closing in on Voldemort. He waved his wand and a flash of light threw the trio away. He called for Nagini to occupy himself with the mudblood and the redhead.

She hesitated before slithering to Hermione. Draco was not to be left out as he cast a spell that enclosed Nagini in an invisible cage. Hermione mouthed a 'thank you' to him and faced the enemy at hand.

Harry faced the agitated snake and said something in Parseltongue. Nagini seemed to bow in acknowledgement. Usually this would tug at Hermione's curiosity but she deemed that there are matters far more important at hand. (She was curious about the strange language.)

Harry, Hermione and Ron raised their wands and shouted different incantations all at the same time making it very hard to understand. Voldemort also cast a spell to protect himself.

It seemed at first that there was no effect but the trio kept their chanting focusing on converting their energy into the incantations. Voldemort laughed at the seemingly failures of the three friends. He walked first to the Ron who was sweating with every step that Voldemort took but he stood his ground, continuing with his chants same as his friends.

Voldemort laughed once more to get the attention of the scar faced wizard. "Potter will you not help this friend of yours?" He waved his wand and shouted, "CRUCIO!"

Ron closed his eyes and chanted louder fearing to open his eyes.

Much to the surprise of the witches and wizards nearby the young Weasley did not even flinch.

Voldemort released an anguished cry that echoed into the night. He fled from Ron's side to Hermione. One more time he shouted the same curse and Hermione remained standing determinedly chanting her incantation. Voldemort showed his frustrations by grabbing the girl's neck. "If magic won't work with you I'm quite sure that my hands are still capable of breaking your tiny necks!"

Hermione even in the condition that she was put into tried hard not to break her incantation.

Draco ran as fast as his feet could carry him to Hermione's side. "Take your hands off of her!" He aimed at the dark lord to try to bind him but failed miserably.

Voldemort upon feeling the effects of Draco's attempts focused his attention to his pet and released her from the invisible cage. 'Nagini play with him for awhile but let me finish him off.'

'Nagini, stop. You will harm no one from now on.' The snake seemed to follow the latter's instruction and slithered into the forest past all the commotion.

Voldemort turned to Harry, "My, my, my Potter. You've lost me my pet. I believe it is high time for me to find another." He himself started to chant inaudible words and stood right in front of Harry. With a swish of his wand, a flaming red light rushed from it straight to Harry. The thing is, the red light dispersed as soon as it touched Harry's skin. It was as if there was a force field that pushed the light away.

Harry was in no pain but felt tremors from the effect of the spell aimed at him. Ron and Hermione felt the same vibrations even with the distance that was between them. This put a dangerous smile on the older wizard. He tried breaking the spell again this time more forceful than before. Ron felt the strongest vibration and fell into the ground braking his chant. Another smile escaped his lips. "Crucio." His aim was clear. Ron writhed with pain on the ground. "Who's next?" His devilish gazed was turned to Hermione.

Before Draco could reach her side, the senior Zabini got hold of him and performed a binding spell before heading back to the heat of the battle.

Hermione chose to close her eyes, this way she didn't have to worry about what was happening to her or her friends. She put all her concentration into her continuous chanting and then she heard a grunt from someone near her. She lifted an eyelid to find out what happened and to her surprise saw a yellow light emitted from a nearby presence. She opened her eyes fully and saw Voldemort glowing in light. 'I've done my part.' She turned her attention to Harry. 'All we have to do is protect Harry.' Before she could move to his side, she heard a voice shouting CRUCIO and soon enough she was on the ground taking in incredible pain. "Harry…"

Voldemort left the two alive wanting to watch Harry Potter's expression when he kills them in front of him. This thought brought a smile of satisfaction on his face. He walked to Harry's side stopping right in front of him. "Your friends have failed you, or you have failed them. It doesn't really matter how you see it just know that your little group will never see the light of day."

Harry didn't budge. He just kept on chanting blocking out everything; also preparing himself for the pain that was sure to come.

"Harry don't listen to him. You know how much we believe in you." Hermione reassured him in her softest whispering voice. It hurt even when she just moved her lips.

Voldemort put his hand on his shoulder to turn him around so that he was facing his friends however, before he could not turn him around. Heat was formed from the point of contact. This heat traveled into his body. Then was released in a form of mist. He tried to remove his hand but Harry held it down. Voldemort's body was clouded by thick mist. He waved his wand but found it to be an exhausting task. He pushed Harry away but his grip seemed to be getting stronger.

Harry held onto him until the mist faded. He cautiously moved backwards with his wand drawn at the older wizard.

Voldemort just stood on the same spot overwhelmed by the odd feeling that was coursing in his body.

Harry limped his way to Hermione's side. "Are you alright?"

"I think so, but Ron's still out cold." She pointed to her other friend.

"He'll be fine." Harry helped her to her feet.

"Whatever you tried to do has been a complete failure." Voldemort finally found his voice. He carefully took a step to try to prove a point; not realizing it was the trio's point he was proving.

"Whatever do you mean?" Harry stepped in front of Hermione in his protective stance.

"I will not be defeated with simple incantations." Another step was taken closer to the couple's position.

"That we already know." The spells and the tortures earlier were finally taking a toll on Harry. He could barely move a limb. Hermione noticed this and moved in front of his friend.

"Don't be so cocky Potter. You know nothing about the Lord Voldemort!" Again, another step closer.

Ron finally recovered although he did not stand up. He searched for his friends' faces before clutching his wand.

"Step away mudblood, this is not your fight."

Hermione couldn't contain her anger anymore and waved her wand. Voldemort saw her attempts and was quick to react with another Crucio. Harry pushed her to the ground taking the full blow of the curse. Harry fell to the ground next to Hermione. He tried to stand up to block Voldemort's view of his best friend.

"Are you ready to die?" Voldemort's eyes were glimmering with excitement.

"No… are you?" Harry glared at him.

"Lord Voldemort will never die!"

"We know," Harry shifted slightly to the right revealing Hermione who was on the verge of casting a spell, "Crucio!"

Voldemort took in the full effects of the curse, sending him down on his arse.

Ron saw the beginning of their plan put into action and stood up to cast his own spells. Hermione's combined with Ron's spells proved too powerful for Voldemort weakened state. The two friends continuously cursed the fallen wizard giving Harry enough time to stand and move to Voldemort's side. He acknowledged the efforts of his friends and drew all his strength in performing another incantation.

Bright lights surrounded Harry and Voldemort drawing the attention of all the witches and wizards to them. In a flash, the light shone throughout the camp temporarily blinding everyone in sight.

Hermione tightly shut her eyes from the blinding light and carefully listened to her surroundings. 'Harry, please be careful…'

Ron did the same and tightly clutched his wand just in case something goes wrong. 'Damn if this still won't work!'

The light subsided just as quickly as it came. Before anyone's eyes could focus to the sudden change in lighting, a loud thud could be heard.

Hermione went to her knees fearing for the worst. "Harry…" She strained her eyes anxious to see what happened, wanting to now whether her best friend was alright. She could barely see a silhouette lying on the ground. "Harry!"

The figure remained still, not responding to the call.

"Harry!" She called him once again, pushing herself off the ground. "Harry!"

The figure shifted to face her, moaning in pain.

Hermione's eyes started swelling with tears as she recognized the familiar messy hair. "Harry." She searched around her to look for Voldemort or any sign of his presence before she started walking toward her fallen friend. She had forgotten that she was still in a war. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a hooded figure also headed for Harry not registering what it really was until it was too late.

"Harry Potter you have ruined everything!" He stood within a distance but close enough to hit him with a spell. He took off his hood to reveal himself and to gain glory from what he was about to do.

Draco couldn't believe what had happened. The binding spell seemed to be wearing off but he still couldn't move. First, there was a blinding light, then the dark lord disappeared and now his father was on a raging fit to destroy Potter.

Ron on the other hand could see where this was all leading to. "Hermione…" He watched as his friend struggled to get to Harry's side.

"Avada Kedavra!" Lucius shouted with a hint of madness in his voice.

Harry opened his eyes just as Lucius' wand emitted a green light. He closed his eyes accepting his fate, feeling a little content.

"NO!" Draco broke completely free from the spell, drew his wand, and aimed directly at his father. "Avada Kedavra!"

Lucius faced his son before falling on the ground.

Draco frantically walked toward the mess, past his father feeling no remorse for his death or causing it. He knelt down beside Harry and carefully collected Hermione in his arms. "Hermione…" A single tear fell for his lost love.

A/N: Hi! Um… I couldn't think of any idea how to destroy Voldemort so please don't flame me on that topic.

I believe that the next chapter will be the last for this fic…

Also the following questions will be answered:

Where were all the members of the order were?

How did the Weasleys know where Harry and the others were?

Where was Dumbledore all this time?

What's Snape still doing in Hogwarts?

What happened to Hermione?

If you have other questions you'd like me to answer just review or email me…