Hermione's scream awoke Ron with a start. His first thought was, "They're here." followed closely by, "Protect Hermione!" Its not like he didn't care about Harry, or think Hermione could not take care of herself. It was--bloody hell!--he didn't know what it was. He supposed you could call it instinct.
Out of the corner of his eye Ron could see Harry already standing, his wand drawn. Nothing ever fazed that guy. Hermione was also standing, already firing off stunning spells or full-body binds. Ron realized he was the only one still on the ground and quickly scrambled to his feet.
The sound of the beating of his heart was loud in his ears; it deafened him to all else. It was a comforting sound; it let him know he was still alive. How much longer would he hear his heartbeat? How much longer until there was only nothingness?
The Golden Trio managed to hold their own. Fifteen odd Death Eaters were already lying still on the floor. How many of them had he put there? He could not remember...
Harry had numerous scrapes along his face and arms, his shirt was in tatters and he was favouring his left leg. Hermione was not much better for wear. Ron felt every injury as if they were his own. He did not even notice the flow of blood running down his own face.
He was breathing heavily. He shared a quick look with Harry between battling Death Eaters. Harry's eyes were full of emotions, some were indistinguishable, but one overcame all the others. Fear. Not fear for his own life, but for those of his friends. There was also a message that was as clear as black on white; We need to finish this--fast.
That's when He entered.
The remaining Death Eaters moved out of his path, groveling as they nursed injuries. Ron froze. He had never faced Lord Voldemort before but now that he was he felt fear, but above that anger and disgust. Voldemort was the reason so many people were living in fear, or not living at all. He was the reason Harry, Hermione and himself had spent the last year running around the countryside instead of safely in Howgwarts, celebrating graduation. He was the reason he and Hermione may never be together. It was time he paid for all he had done.
Harry obviously felt the same way as he immediately fired the Killing Curse. Voldemort blocked it. He blocked an unblockable curse as if it were a pesky mosquito!
"Harry," Voldemort sneered, "I am above mere mortals like yourself. I am a God! Nothing you do can harm me." Then with an idle flick of his wand he sent Harry soaring through the air to crash against a stone wall before falling limply to the ground.
"Harry!" Hermione shrieked and ran over to him.
Everything began to happen in slow motion. Years later Ron would clearly remember every second, every sound, every movement of that moment. That moment would haunt him for eternity, the moment when he lost one of his best friends forever.
Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it directly at Hermione's heart. Ron ran. Ran faster than he had in his entire life. He had to make it to her. Had to save her. Had to...
He tackled her covering her body with his own. A flash of green light filled the cave. Ron waited for his life to be whisked away. It was an even trade he decided, his life for hers.
A second passed, then another. Was he dead? He raised himself off of Hermione who was pale and wide-eyed, but otherwise okay. That's when he saw Harry. The image would be burned into his mind forever. The image that would haunt his nightmares.
Harry's unmoving body lay inches away from Ron and Hermione. Somehow he had managed to find enough strength to jump in front of Ron and Hermione. He had sacrificed his life for theirs. The boy-who-lived...such an ironic and cruel title. Such a cruel world. Ron did not notice the tears streaming down his face leaving trails in the dirt and blood.
Hermione threw herself at Harry and began to shake him. "Wake up Harry! Wake up!" she cried shrilly.
Ron pulled her roughly to her feet. "Hermione, he's gone. He's dead."
Hermione took a deep steadying breath and together they raised their wands. They didn't have a chance, but they were going down fighting. He grasped her hand in his own. They were going down together. Always together.
Before they could speak the spell a silvery rose out of Harry's corpse. It was in the form of a stag and it cantered around the cave transforming every Death Eater it came in contact with into ash. Finally it ran through a petrified Voldemort. The Lord of Darkness was dead, but the damage had already been done. Harry Potter was dead.
The stag pranced over to Ron and Hermione. Its green eyes contrasted with the rest of its body. Harry's eyes.
Guys, we finally did it. Harry's voice echoed throughout the cave.
"No, Harry," Ron replied hoarsely, "you did it. You saved us all."
The stag made a motion that could be called a shrug and it almost appeared to be grinning. The look of mirth in its eyes appeared to say, "It's what I do."
For a moment Ron could see Harry with his messy hair and cheeky grin standing in front of them. Same old Harry. All the times they'd spent together the past seven years flashed quickly in front of his eyes and Ron sank to the ground with a sob.
Don't cry for me, Harry's voice comforted slowly getting fainter.
I'm free.
The End...
Review please? And if you have any quotes from this or
any of my
other fics that you enjoy please say so in your review so I can post
them on my profile. I may write a sequel to this...we'll
see. Thanks everyone for reading. And if at anytime during
this fic I made you cry, then my job is complete
MegTao