A/N: hugs angel of chaos, Love Alchemist (glad the kiss was worth the wait!), Rachy, Cithara (I love my Blaise too...kinda worried now that JKR is going to actually write about him in HBP and then what will I do? hope you still think the angst's gonna make it worthwhile...) and HecateDeMort

So, the angst begins...

'Professor...we...' Harry had lost the ability to sentence properly.

'Helpful,' Snape observed coldly. 'What are you thinking?'

'That unless you're going to investigate every student relationship in Hogwarts you can't investigate ours?' Draco fired back.

'You're not even going to attempt to deny it?' Snape asked incredulously.

Draco met his eyes defiantly. 'We were kissing! How much room for denial were we left with?'

'You could at least have made the attempt, Mr Malfoy, to acknowledge that you were doing something foolish.'

'What's foolish about it?'

Snape was, uncharacteristically, lost for words. He regained them soon enough. 'What's foolish! You,' he pointed at Harry, 'top the Death Eaters,' most wanted list. And you,' he turned to Draco, 'would be number two if anyone knew exactly what it is you're doing. If you showed any open affection, any gifts, any marks...'

Draco leant conspiratorially into Harry. 'Did our Professor just warn me not to give you a love-bite?'

Harry replied weakly, 'Or vice-versa.'

Snape took a step closer to the two of them, hovering menacingly, 'If you persist in this madness he will make one of you watch the other die screaming.'

'We're being careful,' Draco protested.

'You are never careful,' Snape said. 'you are always pushing the boundaries. Making each other unsafe. Now I am telling you, if you truly care about each other, you will end this. Now.' He swept out of the room.

It was the first Hogsmeade weekend after Christmas and three days after Snape had ordered Harry and Draco to end it. They hadn't, but neither had they seen each other.

Harry and Hermione were having an animated argument. 'I've been reading up on it!' Harry exclaimed.

'It's dangerous!' she replied anxiously. 'Blood magic is traditionally regarded as about the most dangerous method of strengthening bonds.'

'Only if you use it that way. We could use it for the DA. To help talk, to help the house thing...'

'Can we possibly have this conversation later?' Ron asked desperately. The three of them were walking down the main street past the shops.

Hermione turned to answer him. There was a deafening scream.

'What was...?' Ron asked.

Harry pointed down the street. Terrified shoppers and Hogwarts students were running up the street, towards the train station. He knew what it was, he had felt this before. Harry ran into the closest shop - Honeydukes. 'Floo Hogwarts and the Ministry NOW. Tell them Voldemort's here.'

The man behind the counter looked at Harry incredulously for a moment, and then recognised him. He ran into the back of the shop.

Harry saw Susan running his direction. 'Harry! They're saying Voldemort's coming! Through the fields behind Dervish and Banges. He's got Dementors.'

Harry nodded at her quickly. 'There's students everywhere, can you get people together, make sure we get all the kids to the station and back towards the school?'

'What about you?'

'He's looking for me. If I go down that direction everyone else should be able to get out the other way.'

The Dementors were advancing ahead of Voldemort and had made it to the edges of the street. Harry shot off a Patronus to hold them back. Hermione and Ron sent theirs as well. Harry heard more spells from behind him and realised that a small crowd of students had amassed behind him.

'What should we do?' It was Seamus.

'Help Susan get the kids back to Hogwarts. And anyone else who wants out of the town.'

'We're not leaving you by yourself,' Ron responded.

Harry sighed. 'I didn't imagine you would. Okay, fifth years and above with a good Patronus stay at the edges to take the Dementors. Everyone else, GO!'

They scurried off. The Dementors were half-way up the street now. Voldemort and the group of Death Eaters were visible on the horizon. Harry sent Ron into Honeydukes again to tell the man to Floo all the remaining shops and houses on the street. Anyone remaining in their houses was advised to leave through their back doors and head towards Hogwarts.

'Plan?' Hermione asked nervously. Everyone else had retreated back on Harry's orders, but Ron and Hermione refused to leave him.

'I was really hoping something would have happened by now.'

'What?'

Harry looked behind him and sighed in relief. 'That.'

Hermione and Ron turned around. Albus Dumbledore was striding firmly down the street, Professor McGonagall at his right hand. Most of the other Professors strode in their wake. Snape was obviously missing.

'Tom!' Dumbledore called. 'What do you imagine you can achieve with this senselessness?'

'Many, many, things, Albus.'

'Get back, Harry,' Dumbledore ordered urgently.

Harry obeyed, dragging Hermione and Ron back with him. The town was empty now but for the teachers, Death Eaters and DA members. All the residents and students had left.

Voldemort and Dumbledore were now no more than twelve feet apart. A shimmering barrier shot up around the two of them.

'My Lord?' one of the masked Death Eaters asked in confusion.

'It doesn't matter, fools!' Voldemort hissed. 'Carry out the plan.'

Voldemort fired his first spell at Dumbledore and the Death Eaters rushed the children. The Professors and DA members who had stayed behind hurried to help Harry, Ron and Hermione.

'Expelliarmus!'

'Reducto!'

'Relashio!'

'Protego!'

Harry found himself surrounded by enough bodies that there wasn't a Death Eater able to get near to him. Taking advantage of this, he shot the Patronus charm through the gaps at the Dementors who were now advancing on the battle. There were more of those on the light side than there were Death Eaters, unlikely as that sounded, so Harry kept his attention on the Dementors and gave help to whoever seemed in the most difficulties. The Professors and seventh years were holding their own, so he focussed on the sixth and seventh years.

Colin Creevey, who of course wouldn't leave, was fighting a losing battle. Harry's, 'Stupefy,' was enough of a shock to take out the Death Eater, but it had taken Harry's attention off his back.

'Harry!' He turned around just in time to see a slight figure in Death Eater robes hurl himself between Harry and a fired hex. The boy fell to the ground.

Lucius Malfoy was gaping in shock at the still figure of his only child, his wand still pointed at Harry. The Dementors were swooping down on Draco, who still wasn't moving. There were too many people between Harry and Draco, he wouldn't get there in time.

'Expecto Patronum!' The voice was Harry's, but the wand that the white stag came charging out of was held limply in the hand of the figure on the ground.

A Death Eater was moving towards Draco, but it wasn't Lucius. Severus forced a path through the Dementors and scooped Draco up with ease. He walked towards Harry and set Draco down carefully beside him. Severus glared defiance at his one-time friend who would have sat and watched his son die. He tore off the mask and threw himself into the fray.

Harry managed to drag Draco to one side. He was still breathing, but weakly. The hex had only caught his side. No doubt if it had hit its intended target Harry would be dead or as good as dead by now. Thanking whoever was listening that they had been practicing shields so long, he delved into Draco's thoughts.

Protego

Again the spell emanated from the unconscious boy drawing a powerful shield around him. Harry used Draco's knowledge to do it, but added his own power. Nothing would get in or out except him. Harry gave Draco's hand a squeeze before stepping back out into the battle.

Outside Dumbledore's shield they seemed to be winning. The Dementors were mostly driven back, thanks to the efforts of the DA who were now very capable at Patronus charms. The Professors were taking most of the Death Eaters themselves. Inside the circle it was impossible to tell what was going on. There was so much smoke and noise coming from the protected circle Dumbledore had created for himself and Voldemort, that nothing else could be distinguished.

Harry stayed as near to Draco as he could manage while still fighting the battle. He was surprised to observe that the other DA members also gravitated that direction. Luna and Neville smiled briefly at Harry as they came to stand beside Draco. Harry felt confident enough to move further away and take on the remaining Dementors. He saw Dean supporting Seamus, pulling him out of the battle. They weren't the only ones hurt but Harry could see no one who wasn't still conscious, however bleary that consciousness might be.

Snape looked unsteady on his feet, and as Harry weaved through the battle to get closer, he saw the ugly angle of one leg. He moved that direction to try and help. Before he reached Snape there was a strange echoing bang. The shield around Voldemort and Dumbledore had fallen. Death Eaters still able to use magic apparatedaway with a series of cracks. The battlefield stilled as it became apparent the fight was over. The milling crowds began to centre around one spot. Someone was hurt. Dead. It couldn't be…

It was Dumbledore.