DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.

Chapter Twenty Eight - A Fond Farewell

Harry stood silently upon the cliffs of Shirestra, his gaze on the slowly lightening sky before him. The tall grasses lapped gently against his legs as night melted into day, hovering for a short period of time in that moment when everything seemed perfectly still. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, drawing the salty ocean air into his lungs. It was the sound of approaching footsteps that finally forced him from his reverie. Opening his eyes, he turned and glanced at the raven-haired witch standing next to him. Emerald orbs identical to his own were focused on the rolling waters, fingers toying with the gold ring wrapped around the fourth finger on her left hand.

"What happened?" He asked slowly, shifting his gaze to look back out over the water. His brow drew down as he attempted to recall the last thing that he remembered.

Swivelling her head just enough to look at him, Raveana arched a dark eyebrow and shrugged. "Perhaps you died," she offered. Her gaze returned to the crashing waves, hands dropping to smooth down the long folds of the green gown she wore.

Harry stared at the witch incredulously, mouth opening and closing. Giving his head a firm shake, he spit out the first word that came to his lips. "What?" He chewed his bottom lip nervously as he waited for Raveana to respond, folding his arms over his chest. The piercing scream of a gull made him jump, jerking his gaze to the blue sky floating above them.

Chuckling softly, Raveana swung to face him. Tipping her head to the side, she smiled and reached out to rest a light hand on his tensed shoulder. "Life shouldn't be as serious as you make it, Harry." Sighing, she tossed one last longing-filled look at the ocean before swinging around and beginning to walk away.

Frowning, Harry opened his mouth and turned but stilled when a flash of movement in the distance caught his eye. A figure perched atop a chestnut horse waited patiently beside the crumbling castle, their face hidden within the hood of a black cloak. Narrowing his orbs, he attempted to focus on the individual but found it impossible to make out the person's features. His frown deepening, he transferred his attention to Raveana but found himself speechless. The dark-haired witch stood beside a tall grey horse, one of her hands smoothing over its silky shoulder.

The animal was vaguely familiar and he strained his mind to recall where he'd seen it before. It hit him when the raven-haired witch whispered the stallion's name, the soft word bringing the horse's head up. The new position of the grey's muzzle revealed a star-shaped scar situated upon its chest; the old wound located exactly where an arrow should have protruded. "You're going?"

"It's time," murmured the witch. Gathering the reins with practiced ease, Raveana mounted the stallion. She took her time arranging her skirts artfully over the saddle, carefully adjusting and straightening them while waiting for him to understand. When she was done, she peeked over her shoulder and smiled shyly.

"But the dragons-"

"Will be well looked after." Raveana stated firmly. Nudging her mount forward, she directed him closer to the raven-haired wizard before tugging on the reins. "You have everything you need, Harry. Here," reaching out, she lightly brushed his temple with the tip of her index finger, "and here." As she spoke the word, the digit drifted and halted level with his heart. Picking up the reins she'd dropped to express her point, she forced the stallion back several steps before spinning him around.

Harry swallowed dryly and nodded. "I guess this is good-bye," he croaked. Shifting his gaze to the ground, he scuffed at the earth for a second before raising his chin and inhaling deeply. Forcing a smile to his lips, he widened his eyes and lifted a hand in farewell.

Raveana threw back her head and laughed, the abrupt sound causing the horse to snort and prance wildly. "I'll see you around, Harry Potter. Maybe not tomorrow or next week . . . but we will meet again, this I can promise you." Still chuckling, she buried her heels in the stallion's sides and sent him cantering toward the dilapidated manor only to bring him to a sharp halt several strides later. Staring at him from atop her dancing mount, she smiled. "Oh, and my manor. Please see that it's taken care of properly." Nodding her head in a gesture of finality, she spun the horse around and sent him thundering toward the waiting rider.

Harry lifted a hand and waved goodbye, smiling broadly as the cloaked rider reached out and grabbed the bridle of Raveana's horse, bringing the pair to a sliding stop. Though the light wind that had risen didn't bring the rider's words to his ears, he had a feeling that the witch was being sternly lectured. Chuckling softly, Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and tipped his head back. Listening to the rumble of the waves and the screaming of the gulls, the raven-haired wizard agreed with Raveana: his life was overly serious. Deciding he'd had enough, he sighed and dropped his chin, finding his eyes locked with a pair of pale blue orbs. Even as he opened his mouth in surprise, the dream dissolved.

XxXxX

Harry groaned and cracked his eyes open, blinking against the bright light that filled the room. Lifting a hand, he rubbed his forehead and yawned, wincing as his jaw cracked. He sniffled loudly before frowning and focusing on the ceiling, silently considering the white rafters. A vague feeling of recognition filled him and he tilted his head back to confirm it. Glaring unhappily at the brass headboard, he groaned and rolled slowly to the side. His hands froze on the rough white hospital linen as he realized the bed next to his was occupied. Glancing around the room only to find it completely abandoned, he sat up and leaned toward the figure curiously. The strands of blond hair peeping out from under the blanket had him gasping and lurching out of bed, stumbling the short distance to tear the covers away. "Draco!"

"Mister Potter," Lucius Malfoy snarled softly. Yanking the blankets from the lax grip the younger wizard now had on them, he pushed himself carefully into a sitting position. "Must you yell?" He demanded as he struggled to rearrange his pillows. With a hiss of defeat, he sank back and crossed his arms atop the covers.

Harry heaved a sigh of relief even as his face flushed in embarrassment. Reaching up to rub the back of his head, he dropped his gaze to the arms the blond had crossed over his chest. He stared at the pale skin in startled fascination, reaching out and grabbing the blond's forearm without thought. "It's gone?" Tightening his grip as Lucius began to struggle, the dark-haired wizard ran his eyes up and down the unmarred skin. The snake and skull tattoo that should have been engraved into the man's arm was gone. Surrendering the appendage, he ran his tongue over his lips and gave a brief bob of his head. "Let me see your other arm."

Narrowing his blue eyes, Lucius folded his arms and curled a lip. "No," he bit out. Smirking as the Gryffindor glared at him in disgust, he snuggled back against the pillow and closed his eyes. The soft scuff of a foot was the only warning he was given before a body landed atop him. His air left him in a huff as his eyes flew open, hands shoving at the individual sprawled across his chest. Grappling angrily over possession of his arm, he planted a hand firmly in the center Harry's chest and pushed. "Get off!"

"Mister Potter!" Madame Pomfrey yelped, rushing toward the struggling wizards. Hands waving wildly, she came to a stop next to them and attempted to pull the pair apart. "Remove your self from Mister Malfoy at once!"

"Not until he shows me his arm," Harry hissed, locking his fingers around Lucius's wrist and trying to pry it away from his chest. The tug of war over the limb continued for several long seconds, both wizards and witch pushing and shoving indiscriminately. It wasn't until Lucius sat up suddenly that Harry was thrown from his position.

Whimpering as the back of his head crashed into the stone floor, he gave one last futile tug and managed to yank the blond off the bed after him. However, Lucius managed to land almost completely on top of him, putting a quick end to the dispute. Gasping for air, Harry blinked woozily at the pair of bare forearms swung tauntingly over his face. "Bastard," he moaned out. Desperately sucking much needed oxygen into his lungs, he closed his eyes in relief and allowed his head to fall back against the floor.

"Language, Mister Potter." Pomfrey scolded, hauling Lucius back off the floor and directing him back into his bed. Shaking her head and mumbling angrily, she fluffed his pillows and dragged the blankets up to his chin before transferring her attentions to Harry. "Off the floor, now."

Swatting away the witch's hands, Harry pushed himself to his feet and stood swaying dizzily next to his bed. Ignoring the sneer Lucius had pinned on him, he allowed the mediwitch to guide him into bed and arrange the covers to her liking. With a final pat and a carefully worded warning, Pomfrey sailed from the room muttering under her breath. As soon as the door of her office swung shut, the dark-haired wizard tossed back the blankets and climbed out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Lucius growled, watching Harry scamper across the room on the tips of his toes. Smiling smugly, the blond sat up and turned his gaze in the direction of the mediwitch's door. "Pomfrey, he's escaping!" His eyes widened eagerly as the door flew open and the witch came rushing into the room, her face screwed up in a grimace of outrage as she peered at Harry's empty bed.

Whirling around as the double doors behind her flew open, she narrowed her eyes and strode angrily after Harry's retreating form. "Mister Potter! I didn't say you could go," Madame Pomfrey bellowed, standing in the open portal of Infirmary and watching as the young wizard vanished around a corner. Huffing unhappily, she spun around and leveled an icy glare on Lucius.

"I want another pain potion. All your yelling is making my head ache."

XxXxX

The Great Hall was abuzz with whispers. Voices rose and fell away in excitement amidst the flood of owls, the birds having only recently been allowed to return to their normal duties. Students scurried back and forth between the House Tables, exchanging rumours with friends and family. The topic of every conversation was the destruction of Voldemort. Although the actual details hadn't been released, the Dark Lord's death was now common knowledge. It was this information that had the student population in a tizzy.

Shaking his head in disgust, Draco lifted his fork and stabbed the last sausage on his plate so hard the tines went straight through and screeched against the metal. Lifting his knife slowly, he gave the blade a thoughtful look before returning his narrowed eyes to the Hufflepuffs. Under his angered glare, the other students paled and ducked their heads, shifting their topic of conversation abruptly. Smirking triumphantly, the blond resumed eating.

"Are you going to tell us what happened?" Ron demanded, toying with the fork laying beneath his fingers. Ignoring the elbow Hermione jammed into his ribs, he frowned and transferred his fidgeting fingers from the fork to his glass of orange juice.

Flicking his eyes up from his plate, Draco straightened slowly. He placed both fork and knife upon his plate, lifting the napkin he'd placed on his knee and dabbing delicately at his lips. When the redhead's gaze turned stormy, the blond smiled and tossed the soiled cloth on the table beside his dirty plate. "Patience is a virtue, Weasley."

Further conversation was cut off as silence swept through the Great Hall, heads turning and mouths closing in a wave of unwanted quiet. Arching a delicate eyebrow, Draco shifted his gaze. His eyes widened at the sight of a red-faced Harry Potter, the dark-haired wizard bending over slightly and resting his palms on his thighs while he panted for breath. Someone started clapping excitedly, the cheerful gesture picked up and expanded with shrieks and yells. Before the startled Gryffindor could do anything, students swarmed forward, grabbing and pushing to reach his side.

Draco snorted as he raised his teacup to his mouth, watching with arched eyebrows as Harry shook hands and nodded in confusion. "Poor boy," he muttered, shooting Blaise and Pansy an amused look. Placing his cup back on the table, he crossed his arms and rested them upon the table. His eyes searched for Harry among the crowd, passing over the bouncing Gryffindors and screeching Hufflepuffs. A smile slid across his lips when the raven-haired wizard pushed his way through the group, bight emerald eyes landing on him. With a gin twisting his features, the Saviour headed toward the Slytherin table.

"Hi," Harry said, sliding onto the bench between Hermione and Ron. He gave Draco a sheepish look as he poured himself a cup of juice, gritting his teeth when a passing student slapped him heartily on the shoulder. Shooting the student's back an agitated look, he mopped up the juice he had spilled with a clean napkin before taking a fortifying sip from the glass. Licking his lips, he lowered the cup and took a deep breath. "Okay, somebody tell me what's going on."

"You killed Voldemort," Ron hissed in startled shock. Shaking his head as Harry gave him a stunned look, the redhead drew back his hand and dealt him a happy pat to the middle of the back. Pretending not to see Hermione shake her head in warning, he repeated the gesture, sending Harry lurching forward on the bench. "Congratulations, mate, you did it."

Biting his lip so Ron wouldn't see his wince of pain, Harry lifted an eyebrow and peered into Draco's glowing orbs. "What happened?" He asked, wrapping his hands around his glass. A sudden whoop of joy had him tensing, head swinging around only to get a face full of red and gold shirt. Shoving free of Seamus's arms, the dark-haired wizard shook his head and motioned for the Gryffindor to remain quiet. Turning back to Draco, he sighed and arched an eyebrow plaintively. "Please."

"The spell that you cast was amplified by your connection with Basta." Draco explained softly, shifting his gaze to the trio of Ravenclaw students eavesdropping a short distance away. "Everything within a two hundred-meter radius was killed, trees, animals, and Death Eaters. That entire section of forest is black and will likely be like that for a very long time. You and Basta were the only things that survived the . . . killing curse."

"Everything?" Harry asked in horror. He dropped his head into his hands, staring at the dark wood under his elbows as he contemplated exactly what that meant. Without even meaning too, he'd killed harmless animals and quite possibly anyone else who may have stumbled upon the scene. If Silverhawk hadn't retrieved Draco when he did, the blond would probably be dead right now. Sucking in a deep breath at the horrifying thought, the Gryffindor scrubbed at his face with the heels of his hands. He stayed in that position for several minutes, silently berating himself while the group waited for him to regain his composure. When he finally straightened and lifted his chin, he found himself peering into bright blue eyes that shone knowingly.

Lifting his shoulder in a slight shrug, Draco answered the gasped question. "The killing curse was exaggerated to such an extent that it chewed its way through everything it touched." Reaching out, he caught one of Harry's hands and squeezed it comfortingly. "I think, perhaps, that it may have been my fault. I was playing the Dragon's Maw and the Mage Dragons-"

Hermione sat up with a hiss, her eyes widening as she snapped her fingers in realization. "The journal! Remember the hidden line from Raveana's music journal? 'Combine Mage and Maw and you'll have a greater power then anything ever foresaw?' That must have been what it meant!" Practically bouncing in her seat, she stared at Harry as he tipped his head and considered her thought.

Nodding his head, Harry shifted his gaze from the pale hand clasped around his to Hermione. "It makes sense," he breathed. Running his thumb over the back of Draco's hand, he gave a sigh of relief, glad that he wasn't directly to blame for the death of dozens of Death Eaters and animals. Relaxing his posture, he gave a small smile and glanced around the Great Hall. The sight of his fellow students laughing and joking in such a carefree manner made his chest tighten. Slipping his hand free of Draco's, he rose slowly and stepped over the bench. "I need some time . . . just to think about everything that's happened." Giving the group a tight smile, he made his way from the Great Hall.

Draco frowned and watched the dark-haired wizard leave the large chamber. Shaking his head, he stood and gave the startled Gryffindors and Slytherins a small nod before discreetly trailing after Harry. He wasn't surprised when the wizard headed for the Quidditch Pitch, his strides long and purposeful. Students who passed the Boy-Who-Lived in the corridors nodded respectfully or greeted him cheerfully, not one of them noticing how awkwardly Harry returned their head bobs and waves.

Chewing his bottom lip as they arrived upon the green lawn, he halted and watched as Harry scanned the pitch in search of the Mage Dragons. However, the pitch was empty; completely devoid of the creatures who'd called it home for the past few days. The signs of their occupancy were everywhere; in the broken and bent Hoops and scorched grass to the charred and crumpled remains of the Ravenclaw Stands.

Trekking slowly across the lawn toward a confused Harry, he halted and tipped his head to the side. "They've gone." His statement caused the emerald-eyed wizard to wheel around, brows drawn down and lips pursed. "After they deposited us here, they all flew away."

Sinking slowly to rest upon the lawn, Harry shook his head and buried his fingers in the grass. "Why? It's not safe, not yet." Tipping his head back, he peered up into the blue sky, searching for a Mage cavorting among the clouds. After several seconds of desperately scanning the horizon, he dropped his gaze and stared at the blond. "Have you tried to call them back?"

Draco gave a nod of his head as he walked toward Harry, stopping beside him and lowering himself gracefully to the ground. Wiggling closer to the raven-haired wizard, he wrapped an arm around his waist and settled his chin atop his shoulder. "There wasn't so much as a rumble when I called them." Inhaling deeply, he leaned forward and settled more comfortably against the Gryffindor, using the other wizard to prop himself up.

Shifting one of his hands to entwine his fingers with Draco's, Harry closed his eyes and thought hard. The Dragons weren't responding to the flute's call. That could mean any number of things, unfortunately he didn't know what. His mind drifted back to the conversation he had had with Raveana, the wheels turning slowly as he fought to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The witch had told him the dragons would be well looked after and that she was leaving. Forever.

Pulling lightly at the grass next to his knee, he opened his eyes and grinned. If Raveana felt she could safely leave without having to worry about the Dragons, then everything truly would be all right. Snuggling back against Draco, Harry flicked his gaze toward the sky and smiled. The warmth of the blond was comforting, as was the knowledge that the Mage Dragons were safely hidden away once more. Tightening his hand over Draco's, he wondered how long the Dragons would wait for him to assure their protection before revealing themselves to the wizarding world.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review! My apologies for the late update as well as a reminder that the next chapter shall be the last.

sbkarr - Oops, I guess time got away from me. Truthfully, I couldn't figure out how to end this chapter so I've been toying around with it between frolicking on the beach and partying with friends. I still don't like how I ended it but hopefully the next chapter will make up for it. The wall of earth was created by Basta.
fraewyn - Your guess was right. Channeling to much energy caused Harry to pass out.
NinjaoftheDarkness - Yep, he's dead.
Shinigami - lol, poor Voldie never stood a chance against a fleet of Mage Dragons.
fragonknight01 - It seemed only fair. He did, after all, downplay Draco's talent.
Shadow of a Shadow - Don't worry, we all have them . . .
hieisdragoness18 - Basta caused the small earthquake to protect Harry.
Lady Halaia - lol, you can't always please everyone.
TorringMay - Yeah, Basta helped heal Harry.
Fiery Phoenix - There is only one more chapter, which I shall enjoy writing very much.