The final battle came sooner than any of them could have expected. It took two years to find the horcruxes, two years that were enough to turn them from innocent children to weather beaten adults. They had climbed a steep ravine, battled their way through a stone maze to reach the sixth and final piece and the minute Harry destroyed it, Voldemort and six of his closest followers apparated around them.
"Now!" Harry yelled. Ron and Hermione, wands in hand, nodded in assent and performed their assigned spell.
IMPERVIO Thought Hermione and a magical shield appeared around the three of them. She closed her eyes and concentrated. If the old book they'd found in Greece was right, she should be able to make them impervious to all spells simply through the power of her mind. Ron's spell was far more complicated. He was going to transfer every ounce of his power to Harry including his life force; for two minutes they were going to be as one. All around them enemy hexes bounced off of the bubble like force field of Hermione's spell. Ron placed his hand on Harry's shoulder-Trasferis-he thought and he was Ron no more.
"Okay Hermione." Harry told her with his mind. Instantly the shield dropped and a thick rope of red magic flew out of his wand. As it circled around him, Voldemort laughed.
"Is this it Potter? Seventeen years and this is all you've got?" He started to go for his own wand, but the rope wrapped around him tightly and he was thrust into whirlwind of faces. Everyone he'd ever killed- the power of what had been and what could have been- their very essence strangled him, weakened him. By then Hermione too had her hand on Harry's shoulder.
"This is for my mum and dad and Sirius," said Harry.
"For Dumbledore," said Hermione.
For the time we'll never get back and the people who will never have time, thought Ron.
"Avada Kedavra!" whispered Harry and Voldemort fell to the floor dead. Light died and a moment later the three lay on the ground unconscious surrounded by the dead.
"It's a miracle they survived," someone started. Ron didn't know where he was, but even through closed eyes he was aware of a brilliant white light. Bloody hell! I'm dead. I'm dead and they're alive. When I open my eyes there will be God and I'll be on a fluffy cloud and my friends will be on earth without me. Harry and Hermione will get married and have children and maybe name a couple of kids after me and I'll be sitting on a fluffy cloud watching my best mate make a play for my girlfriend, Oh God! No, don't think that. Pretend you're dead…I mean asleep. Harry you marry Hermione and I'll come back and murder you in your sleep... I'm too pale to wear white….I hate being dead. "But obviously they're not out of the woods yet. They put their very lives into those spells, they may never wake up." Ron opened his eyes and sat up. The doctor had his back to him and all seven Wesleys and two Grangers were crammed by his bedside. He saw everybody's eyes open in shock and his mother began to sob hysterically.
"My boy, my boy," she shrieked.
"There, there Mrs. Weasley, all's not lost. We've got people working around the clock, registering every single detail of their condition. Someone's always watching." Ron raised an eyebrow sardonically and Mrs. Granger burst into tears as well. Ron looked behind him and saw Harry and Hermione sitting up with dazed expression on their faces. "Now Mrs. Granger, please-"
"Excuse me doctor," Harry said groggily, "but would it be possible-"Ron interrupted him.
"- Would it be possible to get something to eat?" finished Ron. The doctor spun on his heel, transfixed before fainting flat out onto the ground.
"Wicked…" drawled Fred and George, and the heroic trio were enveloped in the arms of their loved ones.