AN: No lyrics. Sorry about the lame ending, but concidering I've officially been banned from the computer and actually got them to let me post one last update I think it's pretty good. Thanks to everyone who helped me out by reviewing and giving me some much needed tips and/or definitions that I wasn't aware of. You guys are awesome, especially Chrios who stuck with me. Hope yawl aren't too pissed off.

Chapter 18: The End

Harry and Hermione were standing on the far end of Hogwarts when Hermione heard it. At first it sounded like leaves crackling, but soon it was a distinct voice that she recognized but could not place. Perhaps it was a ghost, she thought, looking around but finding no one but her best friend beside her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, anxious to find his... girlfriend? Could he still concider her that?

"I heard something." she hushed him and stood straight, closing her eyes to focus.

"Blooming onions. Blasted people. They took the blooming onions right off the sodding menu."

"What was that?" again Hermione quieted Harry as she tried to ananlyse where the sound was coming from. Spike finally emerged from behind a tree in the Forbidden Forest and hobbled over to them.

"We need to talk. The onions. We must save the onions!" he gasped for breath,
hand clutching his throat. As if hit by some unseen force, he fell backwards.

"Here I thought I was choking to death. Hmph. I don't even breathe."

"Spike, where have you been?" she might not have been his biggest fan, but it would have taken an idiot to not notice his dissapearance.

"I smelled onions. And blood. Yeah, onions and blood. Followed it, I did. Bloody right I did. No one leaves a scent that strong. No one, you hear."

"Followed it to where?"

"You want me to show you to the onions? No, I didn't find onions. There were only people. Lots of people with sticks. They looked so funny. Locked me up, they did. Good and tight. Threw away the key. Smart Death Eaters. Smart..." he trailed off in thought, "Anyway, I decided I'd overstayed me welcome and skipped right on out. They couldn't even touch me. Seemed they were more interested in someone else. Yes, blonde girl. Sort of pretty. 'Bout this tall." He lifted his hand to indicate her heith.

"Buffy?" Harry murmured, suddenly becoming a lot more interested in the conversation.

"Yes! Couldn't think of her name for the life of me. Yes, it was Buffy. All chained up, good and tight. They're smart, those Death Eaters. Smart..." once again he trailed off before saying something like 'damned onion zappers'.

"What did the onion zappers to to you?"

"Not sure, pet. Didn't ask. There was a lot of light, though. I think that was the onions personally but I won't tell. We must go save them. Give 'em a good kicking so they'll fix it. What do ya say?" Hermione shrugged and looked over towards Harry mouthing 'he'll take us to her'.

"Let's save the onions."

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Fists aching, Buffy struck the door again as if mocking the pain. They were bleeding and quite possibly even infected judging by the swelling and redness spreading slowly up her forearm, but she didn't care. The door might have been metal and magically made to tolerate her beatings, but the frame itself was starting to give way under the pressure her blows delivered. What was another hour of suffering when it could mean escape?

"Is the..." she heard the whispering from down the hall and lifted her ear to the door. Smiling, she knew she was doing her job well. Earlier she couldn't even hear the noise blaring the next room over. The door's enchantments were starting to wane along with its strength.

"No, if anything his condition is worsening."

"What is happening to him?"

"He won't say, but I saw his hands. They're bleeding and swollen."

"What could have caused it?"

"Honestly? I don't know." Buffy backed away from the door, hands shaking at she looked at the bloody mass they'd become. Filled with understanding she breathed in sharply and collected her thoughts.

"It's me." she whispered. She was perfect for the job, really. Hex's didn't hurt her. She had super strength. All of it fell into place in one horribly foul swoop. If she hurt, he hurt. If he was sick, she'd be sick. And if she died... But no... There was a prophesy. She was wrong. Something had to be wrong.

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Harry and Hermione breached the walls easily, almost too easily. There had to be a guard, Voldemort wasn't stupid enough to leave his perimeters unchecked. Noises rose inside. Perhaps there was something more dangerous than intruders already inside.

"Come on, I think I know the way." Hermione said quickly, darting from column to colomn so she could remain unseen.

"But..."

"She's guiding me, Harry." Hermione could feel her sister's voice inside of her head. Right. Left. Right. Another right. STOP!

Two men stood around the next bend, wands at the ready. Spike would have been helpful here if it wasn't for his lapse of insanity that had driven him to the smell of the 'onions' as soon as they'd arrived at the castle.

Harry ran from behind the corner, blindly tackling on of the men and screaming a curse at the other. Surprisingly his rush of stupidity worked, and both were unconsious.

"She's in there." Hermione said, pointing to the door. A couple of spells later it flew off, and they entered the room. Buffy was in the corner pacing and talking to herself.

"I knew you'd come. You had to come. That's the way it works, isn't it. They planned this. They knew he'd find me. They made sure I'd know what to do. Because I have to, you know. I have to."

"We're going to get you out of here." Hermione said, attempting to reach out to her.

"No! Leave Hermione. I need to talk to Harry alone for a second." at Hermione's confussed look she added a sad 'please'.

"Only for a second. We need to get out before they catch us." she hurried out and Buffy turned to Harry.

"Buffy, I'm so sorry..." he started but Buffy cut him off.

"Shut up! This isn't the time. Riddle is tied to me. His essence and mine are the same, do you understand? I was the perfect person. I can't be touched magically or physically and you love me. There was no way he could be defeated. But Harry, we can't let him win. You have to do it." For the first time Harry noticed the flash of silver in her hand.

"Wh.. wh.. what do y.. you mean?" he stuttered, already knowing the answer.

"You have to kill me."

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Hermione watched Harry walk out of the room, hands covered in blood.

"We have to go. Now."

"Where's Buffy"

"She's not coming."

"What happened?" a screech sounded from somewhere beneath them and several others followed.

"Don't worry about it, it's over now. It's all over."

The End

AN2: Shitty, I know. There was supposed to be huge part where Draco rides in to save the day, but that didn't happen. If any of you guys want to post a rewrite of this with a happy ending, please do so. Just make sure my name's somewhere in the summary. See you guys... well... never. LOL! Love to all.