…Prepare for Battle…

We were back at Hogwarts for second term. All they joy and happiness from being home faded. We found out that Luna had been abducted and put in Azkaban for the thing's her father had printed. Ginny spent her break at her aunt's after the Burrow had been attacked.

Things were getting worse. The lines I had to write for detention were getting worse. They had me used more advanced quills to write with. I got another week of detentions for slapping Alecto Carrow during a detention. She'd made some snarky comments about my mum and I snapped. That earned me detentions in the Forbidden Forest with the Carrows.

It felt like someone was speeding up time. We'd begun staying in the Room of Requirement. I woke in the middle of the night. Izzy and few other DA members were awake keeping guard. There was a portrait of Dumbledore's sister in the room which kept us in contact with the Order. She left and I sat up.

"What's going on?", Izzy asked looking over. People began to wake up at the noise. She came back and motioned for Neville to follow her. He left and everyone waited with bated breath for his return and the news he would bring.

I sat with Ginny and Izzy in a corner. We heard Neville's return. "I brought some old friends back with me if you guys don't mind." he announced. I look up and saw the Golden Trio. Ginny ran and hugged Harry. Ron was upset. Seamus said something to Ron that made Ron punch his shoulder lightly.

They explained why they had returned and asked for help looking for the last item. Luna mentions the diadem and she and Harry left for more clues. Ava went the way Neville had left to notify the Order.

When she returned the Order was behind her and ready. "So, this where you hid all those years." I hear dad whisper to mum. I shake my head. The DA members had to leave to go to a nighttime school announcement.

Harry was spotted and uncle Severus and his Death Eaters vanished to tell the Dark Lord. The Slytherin students that wanted to turn Harry in were escorted to the dungeons while the rest of them prepared to fight.

The Order members stride into the Great Hall. They listened to Professor McGonagall's instructions about defenses. I'd just started to follow the other DA members to blow up the bridge when mum stopped me. "You and your siblings are to wait in the Room of Requirement." mum started. "I want to help." I interrupt.

Mum shot me a look. "Blaise would you mind making sure they're all in the room." dad said motioning to my siblings, Ginny, Luna, my cousins, and I. He nods and leads us from the hall. Ginny, Luna, Izzy, and I held back as we neared the room.

"I want to fight, and I will.", Ginny states defiantly. We waited until the others were in the room. Blaise turns around. He sank a bit. "Please." he begs looking at our defiant expressions. Luna, Ginny, and Izzy took off for the battle. Blaise closes the door on my siblings and cousins who had just began to complain.

"Love don't do this. I'm begging you." he closes the distance between us. I put my hands on his face. "If you stay with me during the battle it'd be like you kept your word.", I whispers. Blaise groans and looks around. "You're going to get me in trouble with your parents love." he murmurs and I smiled victoriously.

"Should there be any signs of danger I want you to run." he ordered. I blink at him and shake my head. "I won't. You know I won't." I tell him. He looks outside and swears. I grab his hands. "Look at me love. I'll stay and fight as long as I can." I whisper.

He sighs heavily. I grab his hand, and we went to go down to the battle. I take off my school robe and tied up my hair. I take out my wand and stretch my body preparing for the fight. We listen to the booms of Voldemort's army attacking the barrier.

…The Fight Begins…

They broke through and the battle began. I defended myself well switching between using my wand, wandless magic, and the self defense my mum had taught me. My parents saw me and had started to come over when a group of Dementors swooped down.

The Dementor in the lead halted in front of me. "I do not recognize fear!" I told it brandishing my wand. My lioness Patronus leapt from my wand. It stalked dangerously towards the Dementors. It took out the dementors and a few giant spiders behind them. "Strike." I wink at my Patronus and it leapt around taking out Dementors. I felt someone watching me.

I turned to see dad wink at mum before the joined the battle once more. Alecto Carrow appeared. She smirked and raised her wand, but my Patronus tackled her into a wall and through the other side and down the hill into the lake where the Giant Squid was throwing around the Death Eaters. "Bye bitch." I wave as she disappeared.

I made my way up the castle with Blaise. "This is getting bad." he mutters. I open up a door. There was a growl from inside. "Oh, hell no!" Blaise raises his voice. He takes a step back. I sung a bit of a song in Latin and the growling quieted. I waved my wand and bits of the wall melted away.

Fluffy raises its heads and looks around. "Time to go sweetie!" I whistle at Fluffy. The dog lowers its heads. I grab Blaise and we got on Fluffy's back. Fluffy bounded from the room taking out many spiders in his wake. We reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest. I slid off. "Go find Hagrid and then hide. Ok little one." I mumble. Blaise slides off just in time. Fluffy bounds off into the forest.

"Not one bit of that dog is little!" he states. A group of Death Eaters were walking towards us. We attacked. I summoned every bit of my courage and will to protect my school and those I cared for. I lifted some of the Death Eaters using my wand and flung them towards the Whomping Willow. Once the group was stunned enough that they couldn't fight anymore I tie them up.

I spy Draco flanked by his goons sneaking through the halls. I went after them. They disappeared into the Room of Requirement. I looked around but no one else was there. Blaise pulls me into a hall. "Don't go in there. The trio is in there. They can handle those three." he informs me. I nod looking up at him. I take a breather for the first time since the start of the battle.

…A Break…

Blaise holds me close. The trio and Draco appeared after 15 minutes. The other two didn't reappear. I could faintly smell fire. Draco got up and ran towards us. Blaise stopped him. We heard Voldemort's voice saying he'd give us a break and give us an hour to hand over Harry.

Blaise forced Draco into a classroom. He pulls me in too. A few minutes later auntie Zahara and few other Order members come in. "Nicely done Blaise." dad claps him on the back. I look at the two in confusion.

Auntie Zahara pulled up Draco's sleeve. The Death Eater's mark was there in black ink very vivid and pronounced on his pale skin. "You were there the night Dumbledore died?" she asked. Draco refuses to answer. Blaise hands her a clear bottle and went back to the wall he'd been leaning on. I join him still confused. He pulls to him.

Dad and uncle Jordan hold Draco down while uncles Liam, Zachary, Alexander, and Elijiah forced him to drink the bottle. Uncle Fuji, Seth, and Remus guards the door. Draco splutters as the last of the contents went down his throat. They release him and he sits back glaring and then a blankish expression glazed over him.

Auntie Zahara repeats her question. "I was there that night. I let the other Death Eater's in using a wardrobe. The Dark Lord tasked me with killing Dumbledore, but I couldn't. In the moment, I couldn't kill him. Dumbledore asked Snape to do it. He pleaded and begged him. I think Dumbledore had been poisoned. Snape kept hesitating. Finally, he consented to Dumbledore's request and then we fled." he chokes out as tears spilled onto his face.

I felt tears of my own falling down my face. Draco regained his composure, "Before the battle Snape told me that when I was ready to find Blaise or rather let Blaise find me so that Blaise could keep the promise, he made to him." I look at Blaise the memory of the corridor coming back to me. Blaise was looking out the window.

The room was silent. The information slowly sank in as the effects of the bottle slowly faded. The others escort Draco from the room. I turn to Blaise as the door closed leaving us alone. "That was what uncle Severus wanted from you that day?" I question.

Blaise was muttering in Italian under his breath. I waited for a response. "Dammit! Blaise Zabini answer me.", I yell. He flinches. "He made me promise not to tell. Said he'd already left notes for his family and the Order. Made it sound like he thought he was going to die. Wouldn't let me tell anyone until now. I promised. When I tried to ask him about it, he waved me off. Said the same thing your dad told me: Focus on protecting Charlotte." his voice cracks.

I let my anger fade. I bury my head in his chest. "I'm sorry." I whisper. He looks at me and wraps his arms around me. We stay there like that for a bit not saying anything and wrapped in each other's embraces.

We went down to the Great Hall. Blaise kept his arms around me as we entered. People were crying over the dead friends and family. I looked around suddenly. "My family weren't in the Room of Requirement. Where are they?" I mumbled. Blaise led me over to a small gathering of people with their heads down. Ava jumped up and hugged me. I hugged her back as Lucas and my other cousins came over to join.

We sat in silence. I hear something in the distance and stood. Dad and Ava heard too. Mum looked at us. "Hound hearing!" dad said in an attempt to be funny. I made eye contact with Ginny and Luna. Everyone started making their way to the Entrance Hall and out to the courtyard.

Voldemort was leading the last of Death Eater's into Hogwarts. He started giving a speech like his victory was certain now that Harry was dead. This dude talks too damn much, I thought to myself. Out of sight of the other's I flicked my wand so a stone from the rubble smacked him upside his head. He was furious turning this way and that to see who had done it. He continued telling us to bow to him, but no one moved.

He beckoned to some of the Slytherins who'd fought with us to join him and they'd be 'forgiven'. No one moved. Not even Draco. I could hear his mum crying for him to rejoin them. "I don't believe I will." he told her standing a bit straighter.

Voldemort was furious. He turned to his Death Eaters. I'd made another pebble hit him in his snake-like nose where it got lodged. Harry leapt to his feet shooting a hex at Voldemort and the battle resumed. The House Elves joined the second part of the battle, and I saw Kreacher leading the charge.

Blaise grabs my hand leading me back into the castle. As we went up the steps, we saw Neville behead Nagini. I saw Amycus Carrow above us dragging Ava by her hair. I saw red. I ran up the last of the steps and punched him hard in the gut "Let go of my little sister you evil ass bitch of a man!"

He released her and dropped down gasping for breath. He reached to grab me, but I twisted out of the way and wrapped my legs around his neck and flung him down the stairs. I landed on the ground stably. Blaise had Ava to the side making sure she was ok.

We took off again. We jinxed and stunned attackers as we went through the castle. We made it back to the Great Hall. Harry and Voldemort were dueling. With a final bit of effort Voldemort began to flake away.

…The War is Over…

The battle was over, and Voldemort was vanquished. I collapsed on the floor. I gasped. The war was over. I was shaking with relief. Some people cheered. I watched as Luna distracted everyone so the trio could have a moment to themselves. I took deep breaths. A wave of tiredness was beginning to wash over me.

I stood and looked at Blaise. "I told you I wouldn't run." I grin. He had his hands folded across his chest. I barely noticed the looks of my family as they watched. Nor did I notice how they crept closer to listen. Mrs. Zabini made her way over sneakily.

"What the hell were you thinking making those things hit Voldemort?" he demands. Mum makes a choking sound and dad sniggered. "Would you believe me if I said my wand slipped?" I ask hopefully. He raises an eyebrow. "He talked too much! What was I supposed to do? It was too good an opportunity to miss." I sniff.

"Twice! Twice you hit him, and before that when you went and got Fluffy. However, your Patronus was pretty badass." he chortles. He ruffles my hair.

"Fluffy? You're the one that sent Fluffy?" Hagrid's voice boom. I smile at him. "After Fluffy gave us a ride to the Forbidden Forest." Blaise explains. Mum smacks my shoulder. "Goodness child. I was scared half to death when I saw those Dementors hovering over you, but you just chatted with it and your Patronus just took them out in one sweep." mum rambles. Dad gives a bark of laughter.

I gave her a hug. They went to gather the injured and helped guide the younger kids to empty classrooms to rest. Blaise led me through the castle as we cleaned up bits of the castle that were easily manageable. We took a rest in a corridor that wasn't as damaged.

He sat in the windowsill and I stood between his legs. We stayed there for a bit with my hands on his shoulder and his hands on my waist. "What a nice picture!" a voice drawled. I turn my head and see Draco leaning against a wall. "I just came to tell you that they found your uncle Severus. He was badly bitten by Nagini but he's in the Hospital Wing on the way to a full recovery." he states. He smiles "I'll see you around cousin." He went back down the hall.

I begin to shake. "Oh, no you don't!" Blaise whispers as I lost feeling in my legs. He picks me up and carries me into a classroom. He sits me in a desk. I take some deep breaths. Blaise sits in front of me.

"Do you want to visit him later?" he asks. I nod. He kisses my cheek. I get up and sit in his lap. I buried my face in his neck. "I love you!" I whisper in his ear. I feel him take a deep breath. "I love you too." he responded as he kissed my neck.

We went back down. The Weasley's had surrounded Percy. Fred and George were animatedly telling their family about how Percy had told his first joke.

I made my way up to the Hospital Wing. I opened the door. Madam Pomfrey was bustling around. Blaise went over to help her. I saw auntie Zahara. She waved me over. I took a seat beside her. Uncle Severus looked bad, but he was awake and healing quickly. Harry came in and walked over. Uncle Severus sat up.

They shared a look and nodded politely. I saw Blaise pointing at the door. I grinned a big black dog was coming through the door. It made its way over. The dog transformed into dad. Blaise shook his head and uncle Severus jumped.

"Nice to see you are still acting like you did in school.", uncle Severus sneered playfully. They shook hands. We talked for a bit. I left them to have another chat that I was not invited to. I walked through the halls. I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around.

Blaise was behind me making faces. He saw me watching him and froze. I put my hands on my hips and he held up his hands in surrender.

He closes the distance. "There's something you've never told me. that day in the corridor who was that kiss more for? Me or you?" he asks. "Both!" I answer raising my eyebrow and smirking.

"That's what I thought at first, but I think it was more for you. I think I should be compensated.", he spoke softly. I put my arms around his neck and stare into his eyes. "Then you shall be compensated." I whisper. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around him. He sits on a bench. I tilt my head as he kisses me. I smile against his lips. I press myself closer to him.

…Summer…

School was canceled for the rest of the term. Funerals were held for the fallen and a new Minister was chosen. I spent as much time with my family as I could. Izzy spent a lot of time with Charlie and Ava spent time with Fred since George spent time with Angelina.

I was in Blaise's room lying on the couch. I had been in the house for days and wanted a break. Blaise had tried to beat me at monopoly for 3 hours straight. I got up and went over to the pouting boy.

I kissed a trail up his neck. "Don't be mad." I whisper. He tilts his head. I sit in his lap. "Did you need something love?" he asks. I kiss him and boop his nose. I smile. He kisses me with a bit of urgency and places a hand on my neck to keep me from retreating. I moan, and he deepens the kiss.

"A belated birthday gift for you." he states as I catch my breath. I fix my gaze on the ceiling. He kiss my neck. I put my lips next to his ear. "That was not nice Mr. Zabini." I purr.

Blaise picks me up and puts me on the bed. "You need a nap." he states. I pull him down with me. I put my head on his chest and fall asleep.

I wake up to the smell of food. I saw Blaise pouring drinks into cups. He turns to me. "She's awake." I nod as he speaks. I hold out my hands. He comes over and I stand and leap into his arms wrapping my legs around his torso. He tried to put me down in a chair, but I shake my head. He sits down with me in his lap. I look at the food. It was Spanish themed. We ate and watched a bit of television. I turn the radio on and danced with Blaise. He twirled me around and we danced for hours.