Disclaimer: I own no part of Harry Potter or its associated canon nor, any other already copyrighted material.

(A/N): And now, at long last, the hour is at hand.

Chapter 36

The Hour Predestine

Harry stumbled backward in shock, his wand pointed uselessly to the ground. The pain, the stiffness, the tiredness in his body was gone in an instant, masked by the numbness in his mind. He…was a Horcrux? It couldn't be…no way. He wanted someone, anyone, Dumbledore, Hermione, even Ginny to tell him it was a lie, a dream, a nightmare. His mind was frozen in horror at the thought that he carried a piece of Tom's soul within him. He had accepted that he carried part of the wizard's power, stolen at the same moment he had miraculously survived, but not like this. Not like this…

As Harry's mind slowly thawed, it stuck on the more important part of what it meant if Tom was telling the truth. If Harry truly was a Horcrux…then the only way to make sure he destroyed the dark wizard…was to die. He had once made a promise to himself that he would die if necessary to end the threat of Voldemort forever, but he hadn't expected it to be for this reason. He was snapped back to the present as he realized Tom was speaking again.

"After my body was destroyed by 'the-boy-who-lived', my sprit fled. I was unsure exactly what had happened and it was only a matter of time before someone checked on your family, likely that accursed Dumbledore, and I was too weak to defend myself. According to Wormtail, he arrived minutes later and found only my wand near what he assumed was your lifeless body. Taking it, as well as your parents', he stashed them on his own personal hiding spot and fled. Being as inept as he is, it was only a matter of days before Black tracked him down. And from there, you know both our stories until we were once again reunited in the graveyard.

"Since then, I daresay you also know my motions," one of his long pail fingers stroked past his temple to indicate Harry's scar and their connection, "nearly as well as I do. And at every turn you and your little groups of admirers and followers have managed to thwart my plans." Harry could see the cold rage had once again built itself up as he continued. "But no more. After tonight…no one will ever stand in my way again. Because tonight…you…and all your little…friends," the derisive inflection with which he said the word left no doubt as to exactly what he thought of them, "will die."

Harry knew it was possible. They hadn't been winning by much before this duel had started only minutes ago and with the fresh reinforcements the Death Eaters were sure to have taken the upper hand. And Harry himself wouldn't be able to do much even if he defeated Tom right now. He took half a second to check his own body. The slow searing pain and trickles of blood in his shoulder were only the most prominent problems. The slash on his left forearm was still bleeding and slowly sapping him. Behind it all was the fact he ha been going for over an hour virtually nonstop in a pitched battle and every muscle was starting to burn. On top of all of it, his scar was still pulsing with pain as he stood there.

Harry did his best to focus his mind. The fiery resolve that had carried him for months to this moment rose again. People had died to let him reach this hour and he wasn't going to give up now. Steadying his panting breaths and standing a little straighter, he spoke in a firmer voice than his physical condition should have allowed. "No Tom. No they won't." In response to hearing his real name, the man finally let a bit of his anger over it show through.

"Don't call me that!"

"Why not…Tom. It is your name after all. Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"I said don't call me that! That name no longer has any meaning for me! It is the name of my filthy father." Harry could tell he was hitting a sore spot and wound up to hit it again.

"Ah yes…you filthy…muggle…father. Imagine that. The champion of pure blooded wizards, a half blood himself. What I don't understand Tom, is that if you hated your father's name so much, why didn't you change it?"

"I did change it! I divested myself of that name forever!"

"Did you?" Harry raised his wand and wrote in the air, tracing out four words. I AM LORD VOLDEMORT appeared in silver script where his wand had gone. "Not really." With a flick of Harry's wand, the letters reorganized themselves through a slow dance until they formed three different words. The silver script now spelled TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE. "For someone who hates their name so much, you seem oddly attached to it. You could have had any name you wanted, yet you just rearranged the letters in your own."

"Shut up!"

"Still feel that connection to daddy?" Harry didn't know if it was bravery or idiocy taunting the most lethal wizard of the age, but it was another chink in the armor he might be able to use.

"Shut up!" Tom's wand stabbed out and launched yet another unknown curse at Harry, which splashed off his hastily raised shield. More spells followed it and were either blocked or dodged quickly. Despite the shock of the conversation they had just finished, it had given Harry a couple critical minutes to catch his breath and pull up a second…third…was it fifth? wind. He could keep going for a few more minutes and see this fight through. "Death at my hand is too good for you…so it will death at your own!" Harry knew what was next and focused his will once more.

To Tom's stunned surprise, the Imperius Curse didn't even have a chance to settle on Harry and try to fight him for control. Instead it simply bounced off the formidable defense the student had built through weeks of training. He tried again, this time with all his power only to get the same result. His eyes widened as one of the three Unforgivables, the most dangerous and supposedly unstoppable curses ever devised, failed to have any impact on Harry's mind.

Harry could feel the frustration that had suddenly appeared in Tom's mind. The Imperius had ultimately failed in the graveyard, but that had taken time for him to fight. This time he hadn't even felt a second of desire to do as Tom might ask. The usual numbing bliss never got the chance to descend and he didn't have to fight the pain as it returned. A small smile formed on his lips at the even more angered look on Tom.

"So…you've learned to stop the Imperius Curse? Very well…then I'll just have to try something a little more…personal." The mental assault was nearly instantaneous and Harry could feel the same driving power that had so recently left him trying to beat its way into his head through his scar. The pain in his forehead rose exponentially as he tried to fight back against the assault. The snake like coils he remembered so well were just outside his body, the lightest tough telling him they were trying to contract. He would need something stronger than just his own will to fight Tom's attempted possession this time.

Remembering the last time he had driven the dark wizard out of his body, he tried to recapture what he had felt for Sirius. That held the breach for a moment, but as the pressure steadily increased, he knew it wouldn't be enough. The death of his godfather he had come to terms with and it was too far removed to spawn the raw emotion he needed to save himself. Reaching back only a year he replayed the death of Dumbledore and what that had done to him. That was better. He could feel Tom's anger at this fresh obstacle and once again redoubled his efforts to push through. Soon even Dumbledore wouldn't be enough.

Out of other ideas, he went back to his parents, the faithful rampart he had always been able to rely on for the inner strength he needed. He could feel the radiance he always got from their memory filling him and protecting his mind. For a few calm seconds he could feel the coils pushed back and Tom's mind being forced away. That peace only lasted a moment though as the coils returned, more powerful than ever. Harry could see the focus on Tom's face, all of his vast mental capabilities bent toward breaking through his defenses and taking over his mind. Even his parents weren't going to be sufficient to outlast this latest attempt.

The first tendrils of panic began to rise in him as the pressure on his mind and body mounted. The memory of his parents, what little he had, had always been sufficient to help him through his darkest times. It was one of the fews things that kept him sane through being accused of being Slytherin's heir and again as he and Dumbledore were made pariahs for openly defying the Ministry and saying Voldemort had returned. His father especially had been strong enough for him to fight off dozens of Dementors time and again.

Dementors… It took him mind for longer to put together the pieces he needed than it should have, but the weight on his conscious was making it hard to think. He could feel Tom battering through his strongest defenses. It wasn't happening fast, but there was an inexorable push forward and he could feel the coils growing tighter around him. Soon it would become hard to breath and even harder to concentrate. Dementors… The memory of his father had driven off dozens… But he had been able to drive off hundreds with the memory of…Ginny.

In a heartbeat he switched his focus to his girlfriend, all his will concentrating on her and the emotions she had awoken in him. It felt like a supernova in his chest as his love for Ginny exploded through his body. The coils were smashed apart and Tom's mind blasted away as he filled himself with the feeling. The scream of agony from the man refocused his eyes to the dome as he felt the assault drop to nothing. Letting the emotion subside a little, he still kept it in the back of his mind, not sure if Tom might try the same attack again. The wizard himself had a hand to his temple and was slightly hunched, trying to throw off the pain. It was passing though as he again rose to his full height and focused on Harry.

"So…you've found a way to keep me out of your mind. Some trick of Dumbledore's no doubt. He always was too clever for his own good. I'd try to pry the way out of you…but it doesn't matter…you're dead anyway, even with whatever he managed to teach you of Occulemency. Dumbledore always was a fool; especially for thinking you could ever challenge me. You should be glad he's dead…this way he doesn't have to suffer watching his last hope cut down before his eyes. He must have been finally loosing his mind after all these years. It's the only reason he would believe a student could ever stand against the powers of Darkness." Harry was surprised at his own self control while listening to the berating of his Headmaster; his eyes fell momentarily as he focused. Instead of anger, his voice was calm and confident.

"That's not the reason."

"What did you say Potter?" Harry's eyes rose to meet Tom's, no challenge this time, just firmness and conviction shone from behind green eyes.

"I said it wasn't the reason. Professor Dumbledore was perfectly sane, far more so than yourself. He only made one mistake and that was caring for his students a little too much. An admirable vice even if it cost him his life. He was neither desperate nor a fool and he didn't believe I could defeat you because he had lost his mind." Harry felt much like he had defending his Headmaster to the younger Tom Riddle in the Chamber. But this time there would be no Fawkes to heal him if he fell and the sword of Gryffindor had already been rendered useless. But it wasn't the sword or even the phoenix that would pull him through this time. "Dumbledore believed I could defeat you…because you believed I could defeat you." The confusion on Tom's face was evident as he stared at Harry, wondering just what the hell he was talking about.

"What in the name of Salazar Slytherin are you talking about? I believed you a threat? Never!"

"No? Then why did you try to kill me? What drove the 'darkest wizard of all time' to attack a baby, not even able to talk, much less hold a wand?" He waited a moment to see if Tom would reply. When he didn't Harry continued. "I know why. I know what brought you to my house that night and why you sought a way to my parents. It was a prophecy Tom, made by Hogwarts own Sybil Trelawney. A prophecy she doesn't remember and one that was lost to the ages when it was smashed in the Ministry two years ago. Right?"

"Yes."

"And that prophecy is the reason Dumbledore believed I could destroy you."

"Because you had 'the power to vanquish the Dark Lord'? You did for a time, because of your mother. But she's not here to save you now."

"Partially. But also because of the rest of the prophecy."

"What 'rest of the prophecy'! It was destroyed! No one knows what is said!"

"One person knew. The man whom the prophecy was made to. Albus Dumbledore. And he shared it with me. Do you want to see it Tom? Do you want to see how it was foretold that you would create the very person that would destroy you? Come…see for yourself." The backhanded invitation was accepted a heartbeat later and Harry let him see the prophecy as he had, rising from the pensieve in the silver form of Professor Trelawney. As it finished, Harry could feel the shock through the melted connection he didn't have to bother forcing out.

Harry could see the thoughts running through Tom's mind, probably very similar to the ones he had had after first hearing it himself. It tool him several moments before he was able to form any words, but the ones he did revealed once again his fixation on death. "So…'either must die at the hand of the other'? Time to fulfill that prophecy." Harry's mouth involuntarily shuddered as the Cruciatus curse blanketed his body in pain. His burning legs gave out and he felt his knees hit the ground once again, the impact barely registering over shooting agony in the rest of his nerves.

One of his hands hit the ground a second later, barely holding him up on hand and knees. Bellatrix might have thought herself the master of torture, and he could personally testify she was extremely apt at it, but the pure malice behind Tom's spell made hers seem like a paper cut. His breath was a ragged pant again as he stared at the ground, all his might being used to keep his eyes open. He could hardly form a coherent thought and would be hard pressed to fight back should Tom try to possess him again. His love for Ginny had saved him before but… Somehow his mind pulled out the thought that fighting for her had nearly thrown off Bellatrix's spell. It had worked once already… His eyes slipped shut as he concentrated once more on the thin red head that had been keeping him sane for the last year.

It was slower this time, but he could feel that same power rising within him, slowly pushing back the pain that had engulfed his body. Deepening his breathed through gritted teeth, he forced his arm to extend and push himself back to a kneeling position. One leg rose and planted his foot firmly in the grass. With a supreme force of will he pushed himself to his feet, shaking unsteadily as magic and emotion fought each other for dominance. Clenching one fist so hard he was sure he drew blood, he raised his wand and summoned the strongest shield he could. As it flared into existence, he could see energy crackling over its surface, instantly cutting off the torture curse.

The pain left his body in a heartbeat, but the strength of emotion he had summoned to fight it remained. Dropping the shield, he finally launched a blitz offensive of his own with a massive barrage of spells so strong, each made his wand vibrate with force. He had felt this strength before, when he had forgotten what practice was and believed Ginny was in danger. Even Tom seemed surprised at the wave of attacks. Some Harry had known for years and some he was copying form earlier in the fight. Everyone was a problem for Tom. After several, the silver shield he had been forced to summon when facing Dumbledore appeared on his arm, reverberating loudly with every blocked spell.

At last the wizard looked as if he thought Harry was truly dangerous to him and was actually backing away from the student who was stalking slowly forward. "What are you going to do now Tom? I've beaten and survived all three of your strongest curses! I'm still here! You killed my parents, my friends, my teachers…everyone! You made me what I am today! And now…you must face your creation." Tom did swallow hard this time and Harry suspected it was more for the look in his eye than the severity of his voice. "So…what are you going to do now Tom!" The wizard stopped and came to decision.

"I'm going to leave. And come back with a fresh host of destroyers to crush you and your precious school once and for all!" With this pronouncement Harry stopped his barrage and waited. "Did I forget to mention? This barrier was created long before apparation. It's the one other way out." He turned a little in place to leave. After a second he did it again. And a third time. He continued to stay in the same place, suddenly glancing around frantically. Harry took far too much delight in responding to his question.

"Actually…you didn't need to tell me. My professor knew. And that 'line in the sand' you crossed? That was the outer edge of the school's anti-apparation barrier. Right over there." Harry raised his hand on pointed several meters outside the dome where he could just make out Wormtail cowering. "So you see Tom…you can't run away this time, no matter how scared you are. Once again, in your quest for eternal glory, you've unwittingly sealed your own fate." Harry raised his wand, ready to begin attacking again. Tom hesitated for a moment while considering this reversal of fate before steeling himself again.

"Yes Potter…I see. I see perfectly. Which is more than I can say for you!" His hand shot out and Harry had only a second to react which was all the time Tom needed. Harry felt the frames of his glasses slip past either side of his face and fly across the space. It was only a blurry blob of color and the sound of crunching glass that told him the man had just crushed them in his hand. The tinkling of glass a moment later told him they had fallen to the ground and were now most likely lost among the grass.

He mentally cursed himself for not casting the unbreakable charm Hermione had reminded him about a dozen times. He had kept procrastinating after getting the new pair of round framed glasses at the beginning of the year on the grounds they didn't work as well when charmed. He was fairly sure she avoided calling his blatant lie so Ginny could do it, but he wished she had now. Blobs of color swimming before him were all he could make out, leaving him virtually defenseless against an attack. The only advantage of the brightly colored dome now was that it made finding Tom's black blob of a cloak easier.

Harry squinted at the blob, trying desperately to see if it was raising its hand again to attack. "What's the matter Potter? Things not as clear to you anymore? Pity. I've always had perfect vision. What would you expect from the Heir of Slytherin?" Harry began pacing backward carefully; trying not to trip, while trying to decide what to do. He could keep his shield up forever but he would likely not be worth a damn if he attacked. His wand danced back and forth uncertainly, not sure where to aim or what to attack. "So Boy-Who-Lived, marked as my equal…what are you going to do now?"

Harry's eyes slipped closed, virtually useless now. He desperately wished Keystone had done more total darkness training with them so he might have a chance right now. He had relied on his vision so much he could barely get by without it. Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady himself and focus. He raised his shield as he felt a surge of magic from Tom. It came up just in time as the spell bounced off of it into the dome. That would work, he could block like that, but he still needed a way to attack. What he needed was another set of eyes. Unless he found a way to see clearly, he would be cut down easily. Wait… Another…set of eyes…

Steeling himself against what he was about to do, Harry reached out with his mind. Perhaps he had stolen more of Tom's powers than even Dumbledore had expected. After searching for a moment, it settled back and he opened his eyes. Across the small intervening space, he could see himself, sans glasses, also opening his eyes and staring. It had worked; he was inside Tom's head. Now…could he still control himself? He tried to step to the side and found his body responded perfectly. It was disconcerting to watch himself from Tom's slightly elevated position, but he fought desperately to make it work. He was immediately put to the test as a barrage of spells was launched his way. Twisting, whirling and blocking, his body managed to evade the attacks.

"Not bad for a blind man Potter, but you can't defend forever if you want to survive. Then again…feel free to try." Harry raised his arm and did the best he could to aim at himself. He knew that letting his emotions rise could give away his presence, but he had no other choice to break the stalemate. Focusing himself with all the power that had fueled his earlier assault, he drew a bead on his Tom. "Trying to attack Potter? Give it your best shot." After a second, Harry did.

The sudden pain at Harry's rising emotions blinded Tom for a critical second as the expelliarmus shot toward him. He raised both the silver shield and a magical one in a blurred attempt at defense. He was a second too late though and using the split wand had reduced his power just enough that the spell crashed through and struck him across the chest. With a grunt of shock, the shield flew one way and the wand was torn from his grasp, landing lightly a second later in Harry's outstretched hand. Harry could vaguely feel it hit and managed to tuck it away in his robes for protection. After taking a mere second to recover, Tom was livid, anger coursing through his body.

"How? How could you possibly…" His voice trailed off as he seemed to realize something. A second later the rage rose again and he screamed. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Harry felt much as he though Tom must have when he had forced the man out of his body. Pain seared through his mind, trying to break his stream of thought and throw him from the man's body. He fought back with the same force he had when Tom had possessed him. Focusing on Ginny he let that overwhelm him and radiate out in powerful waves.

He felt Tom being pushed back and his own body filling with warmth, a startling contrast to the coldness of Tom's. It was causing heat to build there as well. But instead of the calming warmth that spread throughout Harry, it seemed to be literally boiling Tom's blood. He had begun panting in agony and Harry could tell his jaw was clenched in an attempt not to scream. A long pale hand rose to his forehead and Harry could see the rich orange light of something fiery showing against the white fingers. "What is this! Stop it! Get out of my…HEAD!" The screamed final word brought a rush of hate even Harry couldn't resist and he was thrown forcibly from Tom's mind to drop back into his own a second later.

Bringing his own eyes back to the meager focus he could manage, he found Tom hunched over, grabbing at his forehead in a motion Harry was painfully familiar with. As he rose, Harry could make out one thing clearly from the black and white blob. A line, glowing like lava, in the form of a lightning bolt, had appeared on the Dark Wizard's forehead, a mirror image of the one on his own. Fighting back the pain, he could just make out Tom once again drawing his own wand and pointing it ahead like a saber. His breathing was ragged and his voice forced as he spoke again. "So…you managed to retrieve your parents' wand. Very well…I shall kill you with my own. Yours will never be able to stop me." In response, Harry's wand fell from its aim on Tom to his side.

"I don't need my wand to beat you Tom, I never have. You beat yourself long ago when you began shredding your own soul." Despite being back in his own body, Harry could tell the pain in Tom's was still growing. "Just as you beat yourself when you stole my blood for you rebirth. It connected us in a way for more dangerous to you than the protection of my mother could ever be. Now it's time for your long death to end and for you to face your greatest fear."

"Still babbling that same nonsense that Dumbledore was always on about. You can't stop me Potter. I'm going to kill you and then I'm going to kill your friends and extend my immortality. Even for the few minutes I'm mortal, none of your followers will be able to stop me. So you see…you'll die…and so will they."

"Then why do you hesitate Tom?. Is it because you fear death? Even if only vulnerable for a moment, you will still be mortal. And that means the fear of death you've had all your life will return."

"Shut up! I'm am the most feared wizard in history! I fear nothing!"

"No you're not."

"What?"

"You're not the most feared. Not anymore. I don't fear you. I never will again. I'll pity you and remember the scared little boy who gave into fear and hid from the world trying desperately to outrun it, but I'll never fear you."

"Keep your pity for your dead followers! It ends here Potter!" He commenced a series of sharp cutting movements that Harry vaguely remembered having seen once before, only that time from the other side. The hair on the back of his neck, as well as a good way up his head, rose as the massive amount of magical energy was gathered. "Avada Crucio Kedavra!"

Time slowed one last time as the spell formed, an angry mix of green jet and blood red, more powerful than Harry could have imagined roaring toward him, cutting a blackened trench in the ground. He made no move to block and his wand never rose as it approached. Instead he closed his eyes and focused on what had carried him this far, and what he now knew, without a doubt, would save him from this assault. Various people had died to protect him and his love for them had protected him even after they had reached their final breath. But now, it was the love he felt and knew was returned by the person who still lived that would save his life and allow him to thrice defy the Killing curse.

He opened his eyes to find the spell still coming toward him. A meter before it reached his body, it splashed against an invisible barrier, spreading to the sides as it tried to work its way around to him. In only a heartbeat a half sphere of light had been formed as the jet of torturous death wrapped itself against the barrier and fought the power radiating from him. Tom's other hand rose and he could feel the added effort as the spell attacked him. Through the coursing light he could also feel Tom, the first hint of fear returning to the man's mind.

"What's the matter Tom? Seem all too familiar? Perhaps like the time you tried to kill me in my crib?" Harry's empty hand slowly rose, fingers spread, and he walked slowly forward, pushing the green and red jet back. "You couldn't kill me then because of the love my mother had for me and you can't kill me now be cause of the love I have for another. I promised Ginny I'd survive. And that means you can't." He could hear the words he had spoke to her months ago as he continued to advance. 'You…are so much more than just my friend or even my best friend. I would die for them, but for you, I want to live. For years I've known I'd have to face Tom at the end. And for years I've promised myself I would revenge my parent's murder even if it cost me my life. But when you came along…sometime after late last year, that idea changed. Now I promise myself I'll defeat him and live…so I can stay with you.'

"Goodbye Tom. May you find the peace in the next life you never could in this one." Finally raising his wand, he took one last deep breath and thrust his hand forward, throwing all his emotion behind it. "It's over. Animus Eximo!" He felt a strange and surreal calm fall over him as he cast the spell, much like his final strike with the basilisk fang; it seemed as if this was what he was meant to do. The spells were blasted back toward Tom, crashing into his body one after the other. Shock fought for hate as the combined unforgivable spell he had creates tore through his form, wracking him with pain while slowly draining the cold gleam from his eye. The second spell expanded and wrapped him in a sphere of light a moment later, lifting him several inches into the air as it had done the Horcrux.

Tom never let out a single scream of pain, but even if he had, it would have been eclipsed by the soul shattering cry of death worse than a thousand Dementors that tore from his body a moment later and caused the very dome to shake. Harry barely kept his footing as the sound was cut off, the sphere of light collapsed and all was calm for a moment. As Tom hung motionless in the air, he began too turn grey, starting at the tip of his wand. Soon his entire form looked to be composed of stone. An ethereal wind rose from nowhere and Harry realized with a start that the dome had fallen and disappeared. As the wind blew the grey blob stature of Tom grew smaller and smaller as Harry slowly realized it hadn't been made of stone, but ash. Without warning the sphere of light exploded in a deafening blast and shattered the remains of the form, blowing the last remains of Tom Riddle's body to the four corners of the planet, never to be reformed.

Having barley kept his footing after the blast, which had kicked up huge amounts of dust, he checked again to make sure the ashen form had truly disappeared and let out a sigh at finding nothing left. But Harry had no time to lose. Already he could feel the last bit of the dark soul within him, trying to fight its way free. His hand shot out toward what his hoped was the right place. "Accio glasses!" A second later the frames, horribly mutilated, crashed into his hand. "Oculous Reparo!" The frames straightened but he had no idea whether the lens had remained until he slipped them on.

Less than a quarter of one lens remained and they would be useless to see. Damn his poor vision! For the first time he was sorry to have inherited most of his father's traits. A second before he could curse his own eyes again, he heard something low and soft, it was a voice he recognized instantly. "Use…mine…" Harry could feel his eyes warming and his vision cleared, resolving into sharp focus. Somehow his mother was still watching over him. He desperately wanted to know how, but he had neither the time nor likely the ability to figure it out. He still had one task to finish before his destiny was fulfilled and it had to happen right now.

Harry had only a moment of peace before returning to the battle. The conflict still raged, smoke and fire now covering much of the field and obscuring everyone's vision. Spells were still being launched at a blistering pace and it was likely any one of a dozen fights could use his help. He had no time for the battle however, he had to find someone. Dashing off toward the last place he had seen his new target he blew past a couple allies and carefully avoided the few Death Eaters that crossed his path. The battle was winding down and he had to do this quickly for it to work. He caught a glimpse of Ginny crushing another foe and his heart tried desperately to drag him toward her. His mind however kept his feet on their present course.

A few seconds later he found what he sought as one of the Ministry Aurors fell to revel Draco Malfoy, battered and beaten but still on his feet, looking around for his next target. His eyes fell on Harry and he froze with his wand half raised. The same passive face that Harry had seen on him for months was in place though his eyes grew large and showed hints of malice.

"Potter…you survived." Harry slid to a halt in front of him.

"Yeah…listen Draco, you hate me right?" Surprised at the directness of the question he took a moment to answer. "Because you hate my heritage or my fame or whatever, but you hate me right?" Malfoy answered slowly, still unsure just what was going on.

"Yes…"

"Good, now…I need you to kill me." That had finally broke Draco's passive resolve and he stared at Harry, purely shocked..

"What? We just fought to help you live!"

"Listen…it will take too long to explain everything, but I have to die…right now." He could feel the last part of Tom growing stronger, trying to break out. "If you kill me now you can claim I came out of nowhere while you were dueling some Death Eaters and took a spell meant for them. It has to be the Killing Curse, nothing else is strong enough and no one else can do it." Ignoring Malfoy's still shocked look he jogged back a few paces. "Come on, there isn't much time."

More hesitantly than he would have believed, Draco raised his wand.

Harry stood tall with his wand at his side. If he had to die, he wanted it to be on his feet. This was right, it had to be done. I would have like to see Ginny…one last time.

"NO!" Out of the corner of his eyes a flash of red and gold was diving toward him. Time slowed as he turned to find Ginny barreling toward him, trying to throw herself between him and whatever Draco was bout to cast.

"Avada Kedavra!" The green jet of flame emerged from Malfoy's wand and shot toward him. Faster than even his Seeker reflexes could account for he dropped his wand, caught the diving form of Ginny and spun around, clutched her tightly to his chest. He closed his eyes, and waited for death, his only regret that she would not only have the pain of watching him die, but watching him die in her arms.

(A/N): If you feel it is warranted feel free to review. I welcome any and all opinions.