Hi guys! The next chapter will be up next Sunday - April 4.

Review Responses:

Draco-FutureBF, SPASH Panther, John, thank you guys so much for your reviews!

Face, have no fear, there is Legolas and Pippin in this chapter. And even more Legolas in the next. Faith will be in chapter twelve, and I think you'll be quite pleased at the reason she's there.

harmoni, you're not the only one who likes the Snape/Anya pairing, Face can't seem to get enough of the two. And there will be loads of ME from now on, trust me.

Pandoras Box1, I love Sam too, and I had already written this chapter when I had received your review, so I think you might be pleasantly surprised by something. And I'm glad you like my Ron, he does seem to get shafted in other stories doesn't he? I actually read a really good story that puts him at the forefront called The Point Of No Return. You can find it listed in my favorite stories list since it was finished ages ago. And yeah, my husband can be cute at times - when he's not driving me nuts. (Hee hee, really, he is the best. He fixed my computer for me this week in time for me to do all this updating.)

LOTR Info:

Elbereth is kind of like a swear word - used like Merlin or god.

If you would like a map of ME to help you out, here is an absolutely beautiful one that I've got pinned up on my wall to help me remember where they all are. If you look at Mordor, the lake they are at in this chapter is to the NW. You won't see it called Parth Galen, but you will see Sarn Gebir. Just as a warning, the map is large and will take time to load.

Thanks to my beta PuNKyCoWGiRL!

You guys should really check out harmoni9's story Keep Me Safe here on ff.net. She's almost finished it and it is well worth the read!

Chapter Ten

Something's Wrong

Aragorn approached Frodo, who stood under the Seat of Seeing. He was relieved to find the hobbit for he had been worried when they discovered that he was missing. "Frodo?"

Startled, Frodo turned to face him. "It has taken Boromir."

The man stepped closer and asked, "Where is the ring?"

"Stay away!" Frodo cried, scrambling away.

"Frodo?" Aragorn asked in confusion, and the hobbit stopped. "I swore to protect you."
"Can you protect me from yourself?" Aragorn sighed softly as Frodo opened his hand to reveal the ring. "Would you destroy it?"
He slowly approached the hobbit, staring at the ring. In the back of his mind he could hear a dark voice calling. "Aragorn.... Aragorn... Elessar." Understanding Frodo's concern, he closed Frodo's hand with his own. "I would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor."
"I know. Look after the others, especially Sam. He will not understand," Frodo said, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

Knowing what Frodo planned to do, Aragorn could only nod. He saw that Frodo's sword, Sting, was glowing blue, signaling the approach of orcs. "Go Frodo!" He said as he stood and drew out his own sword. "Run." Seeing Frodo's hesitation, he pleaded, "Run!"

Frodo turned and ran. Aragorn stepped out from beneath the Seat of Seeing to find a troop of Uruk-hai, Saruman's twisted version of the orcs, advancing. A half-smile appeared on his lips as he held his sword up to his face in a salute.

************

It was the middle of the night on Halloween when Hermione entered the common area that she shared with Draco. After the party, she had gone back to the Gryffindor Tower and cuddled with Ron on one of the sofas. At four o'clock she had decided that she needed to get a few hours of sleep before classes the next day.

Hermione smiled softly as she studied the picture before her. Still in their elven costumes, Dawn and Draco were asleep together on the sofa. The couple had bedazzled the entire school that night. They had charmed their ears so they were pointed and Draco's hair so it was longer. Wearing the clothes they had received in Caras Galadhon, they looked like they stepped out of a fairytale.

She knew that it wasn't entirely proper for two students to sleep together, even though they weren't doing anything but sleeping. Plus, she knew things weren't always easy for them and she knew how hard it was to spend time with someone you loved.

The head girl went into her room and grabbed an extra blanket. She carried it back into the common room and covered her two friends with it.

***********

Merry and Pippin ran across a stone bridge only to stop at the far end when they saw a group of Uruk-hai running towards them. They turned to run back but another group was coming from that direction.

An Uruk came towards them with its ax raised, ready to strike. But at the last minute, Boromir knocked it back before stabbing it with his sword. He threw his knife, killing another. Boromir raised the horn from his hip and blew into it three times. "Run! Run!" He yelled at the hobbits.

The man ducked and flipped an Uruk over him and then stood and ran his sword through the next one. He raised the horn again to his lips. Boromir led the hobbits to a more defensible position.

He cut the arm off of another while the hobbits tackled one together and killed it. He paled slightly as he saw the approach of more Uruks. Pushing the hobbits onward, he covered their retreat. Boromir crossed swords, with another, not knowing that Merry and Pippin had stopped after several feet and were now throwing rocks.

Boromir knew he was not going to survive this battle, but if it meant keeping the hobbits safe then he would die knowing he had served the Fellowship well. It was the least he could do for betraying Frodo earlier that day. He swung his sword time after time, cutting his foes down one by one.

An arrow whizzed through the air, hitting him in the left shoulder. He could feel the poison that covered the tip enter his bloodstream and he knew that the end was near. Still, he fought on, determined to take as many of them down as he could. Another arrow hit him in the stomach. He dropped to his knees, gasping, but in sheer desperation he stood again, cutting down another Uruk. He felt another one go deep into his chest and he fell to his knees again, this time unable to go on.

Horrified, Merry and Pippin raised their own swords and charged the Uruks. But instead they were roughly picked up and carried away from a dazed Boromir.

The Uruks ran passed the now incapacitated man who could only watch helplessly from the ground He looked up at a lone Uruk who raised its bow for one final shot. Boromir looked defiantly into the thing's eyes and accepted his fate.

Only to have Aragorn crash into the Uruk, sending the arrow off in a harmless direction.

***********

Draco awoke and looked down at the beauty sleeping next to him, his angel. As he studied her flawless features he briefly wondered what he had done to have such a precious creature love him. A little over a year ago he was a sniveling, spoiled, little prat. And now, well he was still spoiled up to a point, but he was a fighter for the greater good. And all because of Dawn.

Merlin only knows why she had trusted him back at the beginning; he had never given her a reason to. But somehow she had instinctively known what he was capable of and not so gently pushed him towards it. Not that he had any regrets, only wondered how he got so damn lucky.

He looked up and realized how late it was. He nudged Dawn slightly and kissed her forehead. "Wake up," he whispered. "We need to get ready for class."
Dawn groaned and buried her face in his chest. "Don't wanna. Wanna stay right here with you." Then she pulled the blanket over her head.

Draco laughed softly. "We have potions first and you know how Snape is."

She threw the blanket off her face. "You'd think being with Anya would loosen him up a bit."
"No such luck." Then suddenly realized that they were covered, he studied the blanket. "Hermione must have covered us up last night."
"I thought for sure she'd stay in the Tower last night," Dawn said with a sly grin. "Still it must have been late. I don't think we fell asleep until after two."
"Either way, we need to hurry," Draco said, kicking the blanket off. "We're going to miss breakfast as it is."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Men and their food." She placed a quick kiss on his lips before heading to the door. "I'll see you in class."

************

Aragorn panted slightly after killing the last Uruk. He saw Boromir lying on his back and ran over to him. "No," he said softly, as he dropped to his knees beside the injured man.

"They took the little ones," Boromir choked out, his voice full of emotion.

"Be still."

"Frodo, where is Frodo?" The dying man asked desperately.

Aragorn sighed as he stopped inspecting the injuries. He looked his friend in the eye. "I let Frodo go."
"Then you did what I could not," Boromir said, gasping for breath. "I tried to take the ring from him."
"The ring is beyond our reach now."
"Forgive me, I did not see it. I have failed you all."
"No, Boromir," Aragorn assured him, "you fought bravely! You have kept your honor." He went to remove the arrows, but Boromir grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Leave it! It is over. The world of men will fall, and all will come to darkness... And my city to ruin."
A determined look appeared on Aragorn's face as he spoke with a voice filled with conviction. "I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, or our people fail."

"Our people? Our people," Boromir echoed. He reached out for his sword, but his body failed him. Aragorn placed the hilt into his hand and Boromir clasped it firmly to his chest. He fought to say his final words, "I would have followed you my brother, my captain, my king!"

Aragorn touched his hand to his forehead and then to his lips in respect for his fallen comrade. "Be at peace, son of Gondor." He bent and kissed Boromir on the brow as Legolas and Gimli finally reached them.

********

Dawn stared off into space as she absently stirred her potion. Blaise saw that her potions partner was about to ruin their assignment by stirring it too much. She reached over and stopped her. "What's wrong, Dawn?"

"Huh?" She asked, startled.

"You're usually great with potions, but you nearly ruined this one. What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Dawn said, with a puzzled look. "I just have this feeling that something is wrong."
Blaise lowered her voice. "Does it have anything to do with he-who-must-not-be-named?"

Dawn's eyes flickered over to Harry and she noticed he was rubbing his scar as he stirred his own potion. "I don't know," she answered, turning back to her partner. "I really can't tell."

Blaise nodded and went back to slicing the boomslang skin. However, Dawn could tell that something was happening, she just didn't know what.

***********

Frodo looked out across the lake, Parth Galen, as he faced his moment of decision. Not wanting to place his friends in any more danger, he tucked the ring into his pocket. He pushed one of the boats out into the lake and got in. As he began paddling, Sam emerged from the forest.

"Frodo, no! Frodo! Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried, stopping as the water reached his ankles.

Not looking back, Frodo softly said, "No Sam." He heard splashing and he turned to see Sam wading out into the lake. "Go back, Sam! I'm going to Mordor alone!"

"Of course you are, and I'm coming with you!"

"You can't swim! Sam!" Frodo cried as his friend continued out until the water went over his head and he sank beneath the surface. "Sam!"

Frodo furiously paddled back and reached in to grab his friend. He pulled Sam out of the water and into the boat.

"I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise! 'Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee.' And I don't mean to! I don't mean to."
As Sam began crying, Frodo hugged him with tears in his eyes. "Oh, Sam. Come on."
The two hobbits continued paddling across the river.

************

Lunchtime found Dawn absently picking at her food as she tried to figure out the cause of her belly rumblings'. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong. Looking at Harry she saw how red his forehead was. Apparently she wasn't the only one getting strange feelings.

Suddenly a shiver ran through her entire body and she heard a faint buzzing in her head. Then, just as quickly, it was gone.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think something just happened."
*********

Legolas shoved the remaining boat into the water. "Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore." He turned to see Aragorn staring sadly across the lake. After a moment, the elf understood. "You mean not to follow them."
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands."

"Then it has all been in vain! The Fellowship has failed," Gimli said in a resigned tone as he and Legolas walked up to Aragorn.

A glint appeared in the man's eyes. "Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left..."
Cutting Aragorn off was a cry from across the lake. The three turned to see Gollum attacking the two hobbits. Knowing that they could never reach them in time, they could only stand and watch.

"Elbereth!" Legolas cried as a strange light appeared behind the hobbits.

Then the light grew until two figures dressed in black with strange masks stepped through it and grabbed Gollum. They dragged the creature through the light with them. As the light began to collapse upon itself, Frodo and Sam, who were still reeling from the attack, fell through it and disappeared.

The three were left standing there, staring in helpless horror.

**********

It happened so quickly that if Draco hadn't been looking at Dawn from across the room, he would have only seen the aftermath.

Harry screamed while clutching his head. Then Dawn gasped loudly and they both passed out.