Sorry for the cliffhanger. I love those as much as the next person lol. We are now getting into the actual Battle of Hogwarts. And sorry, it seems that I got the year wrong for the settings… it's 1998 instead of 1999.

Chapter 13

Hermione sat there silent after Luna told her the whole story. The sound of waves encumbered their ears as Luna waited for a response.

"My..." Hermione began, but sealed her mouth shut again.

"I know it is shocking, but… that is what happened."

"I can't believe it. It's… I mean, Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes."

Hermione shook her head, swishing her light brown wavy hair. "Just give me some time to take all this in..."

"Alright."

"Luna! Hermione!"

Both girls looked behind them and saw Harry run up the hill to them. The weary look in eyes told them that whatever he needed them for was not good. They all ran back to the cottage and met Ron, his brother Bill, and the goblin Griphook in the kitchen.

"This isn't good," Griphook said. "The war's already started. We all have to go."

He eyed Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Luna knew what her friends were planning. "I hope you retrieve the last horcrux," she told them all. "Surely it will be difficult to break into Gingotts Bank?"

"Yes, and that's why you're coming with us, right?" Ron asked the goblin, and the goblin rubbed his fingers to his temples.

"I only agreed to help because goblins have special clearance into the vaults. But this vault—the Lestrange Vault—it is particularly difficult to get into, even with the assistance of a goblin. Once this horcrux is retrieved, then one more will remain. We will be that much closer to defeated the Dark Lord. That is my only desire-for all of this to end."

"It will," Harry assured him, and everyone. "I vowed to destroy Voldemort, and that's what I'm going to do. That's what all of us are going to do."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Ron asked Griphook, "You'll be able to help us get into the vault, right? You said it is difficult, even with a goblin's help."

"Yes, I can get in. I know the tricks. Now, we must go now. We are wasting time."

"Right," Harry said, and the friends prepared for their break-in at the wizarding world's most prestigious bank.

Luna watched as they prepared. She wished she could assist them, but this had to be done by them since it was their task to destroy all of Lord Voldemort's horcruxes. She hoped with all her heart that they find it and destroy it. She wanted all the sadness created by Lord Voldemort to end.

"Luna, watch over Mr. Ollivander," Hermione said as the trio stood in the living room, "and stay safe."

"I will. Be safe as well."

Her friends left the cottage by apparating, and she was left in the lone cottage. Bill stood beside her.

"Do you think that they will find the horcrux and destroy it?" he asked her.

"Yes, I believe that they will. They have destroyed five already, so I believe that they will destroy this one as well."

Fleur entered the room, hugging her torso. Bill noticed her expression and went over and hugged his wife. "What is the matter, darling?"

"This war… will it be the end? The end to everything terrible and horrible?"

"I sure hope that it will be. Dumbledore put a lot of trust in Harry, Ron and Hermione. I have faith in them as well."

"As do I."

She left the room, back to the kitchen, as Luna went to the window and stared off at the crashing waves. Her chest pinched when she thought about the danger that her friends were putting themselves into, and what will happen in this war. So many people will die… Her mind rested on one particular person. Where was he? What was he up to?

"Luna, you look lost in thought," Bill commented behind her. She looked behind her at him, and his brows furrowed at her watery eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I will be."

He came and stood next to her at the window. "They will be alright. Like you said, they have destroyed five of those horcruxes already."

"Yes."

Those tears in her eyes fell, and she wiped them away with her sweater sleeve. She cleared her throat, trying to calm her emotions. Billed eyed her.

"You know, I have heard about you, Luna, from Ron and Harry. Something about being shy and loony."

"Yes, but those are only nicknames. I have many of those."

Bill was silent for a moment, then said, "There is more to you, I can tell."

Luna recalled Draco telling her that she was irritatingly brilliant, how he praised her for being good at chess for a beginner, and she thought of her knowledge of magical creatures. "I suppose there is." She turned to face him, and his orange hair shined from the light coming through the window. "I must check on Mr. Ollivander."

"Yes, of course."

She left upstairs and went into Mr. Ollivander's room. The old man sat in a chair, facing the one window in the room, a dazed expression on his face.

"Miss Lovegood," he said without looking at her.

"Hello, Mr. Ollivander."

"Have your friends left?"

"Yes, they are going to retrieve and destroy the sixth horcrux."

"Yes…"

She sat on the bed and studied the old man with wavy gray hair going to his shoulders. She knew that he has gone through a lot, with his store being destroyed and being tortured… He was still in a state of shock.

"Why are you not with them?" he asked her. "With your friends?"

"It is their duty to find and destroy the horcruxes."

"You have an element in this as well, Miss Lovegood. You must go and battle the war that will ensue at Hogwart. The more people fighting, the better chance we have this this war will end." He turned his head and met her gaze, his expression wise. "You must go. Fulfill your duty as a student at Hogwarts, and as a witch in the widarding world. Show the enemy what you have learned, and show your fellow students that you are not just 'Loony Lovegood.'"

"How…?" she began to ask, but Mr. Ollivander turned and stared out the window again, and became completely silent.

Desire for this war to end filled her heart and soul. She stood and left the old man. Down in the kitchen, she stood in front of Fleur and Bill.

"I must go."

Fleur embraced her and Bill clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Good luck."

Luna stood away from them, pulled out her wand and apparated straight into the Gryffindor common room. Her friends and allies were there to greet her.

Setting: Hogwarts School, Battle of Hogwarts, spring, 1998.

Columns of rock crashed down and fiery explosions filled the air every witch and wizard of Hogwarts School battled Death Eaters, werewolves, and massive mountain trolls in the stone courtyard. Draco saw an explosion from his vantage point of a hill looking down at Hogwarts, along with streams of colorful light being cast everywhere into the night sky.

Luna was down there somewhere in that mess.

A hand clasped his shoulder. "Come, Draco," said his father.

Draco took one last look at Hogwarts under siege and turned and walked on with his father and other Death Eaters into a thicket of trees. In a small clearing, they met the Dark Lord.

"My Lord," Lucious said and bowed, and the red-eyed lizard being turned to face them.

Draco felt the vile rise in his throat. He knew that this was the time he would be punished.

The red eyes darted to Draco. "Ah, Draco."

He walked up to him and Lucious stepped back and away from his son. For the first time in years, Draco wanted his father to stay near him.

"I heard that you went on a little excursion," the Dark Lord said to Draco. "A week ago. After you escaped my presence."

Draco kept his face to the ground, and he swallow hard. "Yes, My Lord."

"And what caused you to flee?" he asked in a cool, yet evil voice.

"My own cowardice," Draco responded.

"Quite right." He looked down on Draco. "And where were you on said excursion?"

"An area near Devon, England." His lower lip trembled before he said, "At the Lovegood residence."

"Ah…" the Dark Lord breathed. "Xenophilius Lovegood's home." He turned to his Death Eater followers, eight present. "I'm sure he is having a splendid time in Azkaban awaiting his death."

The Death Eaters laughed, but Draco just felt sick.

"And the daughter…" he continued, and Draco's heart leaped to his throat. "I believe you became close with her on your little excursion, after you dragged her there with you."

Draco swallowed something again, and his hands started to go numb at the rate his pulse was going. "Y-Yes, My Lord."

"Well, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, dear boy…"

Draco felt the tears sting his eyes and his chest constrict as he waited for the Dark Lord to finish his evil news.

"I'm afraid…" He walked away from Draco, but circled him as he spoke. "…that she did not join her friends when they escaped to that sea cottage. You see, Draco, escaping prison, even in the smallest of confinements, has its consequences. She was taken by one of our Death Eaters at my command, before she could escape the manor." He stopped in front of Draco, and his voice slithered through his teeth. "Your friend Luna Lovegood is dead."

The strength in Draco's legs vanished and he dropped to his knees in front of the Dark Lord, who simply looked down at his blonde head. Draco's chest constricted to the point of unbearable pain as he doubled over, tears streaming down his face, and a sob erupting out of him.

"That is your punishment for escaping my presence, Draco. And this." He pointed his wand at Draco's back and Narcissa screamed, "Don't!" but her husband held her back.

"Crucio."

Draco screamed in pain as his body became confined in a tight hold, not being able to move a single limb. He convulsed on the ground until the hold loosened and the pain stopped. He lay there crumpled on the dirt as the Dark Lord suddenly vanished.

"Draco!" Narcissa hollered and went to her son, kneeling down and holding him, tears streaming down her face.

Draco could've gotten up because the Dark Lord performed the curse for only a few seconds, but Draco stayed lying on the ground, face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably with heavy heaves.

Luna's dead. And it's all his fault.

Draco paced the castle with his posse Crabbe and Goyle, passing the battle front at the main courtyard, and on through the corridors until he spotted Potter with Weasley and Granger. The three followed them on to the Room of Requirement.

Draco blood boiled with fury. He wanted to hurt someone. Luna's gone now, so there's no point in being the nice boy anymore.

The three entered the cluttered Room of Requirement and a soar battle erupted in there between the six of them, flaming and dangerous. It wasn't likely that he would make it out alive.