CHAPTER 2

"You won't win," Voldemort said as he threw another curse.

Harry didn't respond, simply focused all of his energy on the battle. He might not win, but he would die trying. It was his destiny. He had given up everything for this, lived his entire life for this moment.

"Even if you did manage to win, you would be too late."

That stopped him. "What do you mean?"

"While we fight to the death, my followers are attacking the ministry… and Hogwarts."

"Ginny…"

"Yes, your precious Mudblood lover is probably fighting for her life right now. If she isn't already dead." He took that moment of distraction to gain the upper hand "Expelliarmus!"

Harry's wand went flying into Voldemort's open hand. Harry's eyes widened with fear as he watched the evil wizard snap the thin wand in half.

((0))

It had come. He had known when his Dark Mark had started burning that afternoon. Known, but didn't want to believe, that they were doomed, which they most certainly were now. He sat on one of the window seats of the main hall of the school looking out into the darkness of the early morning. Hundreds. There seemed to be hundreds of the black cloaked men surrounding the school, and still he knew they weren't all there. The Dark Lord had split up his troops.

He turned away from the window, looking instead to the front doors, barricaded as well as they could with spells and furniture, but it wouldn't hold. Not against his men.

A few strands of white-blonde hair fell into his eyes and he flipped them back, looking at the people inside the castle, most fidgeting nervously as they looked at the doors and imagined what was to come.

"Minerva!" Professor Flitwick squeaked. "Where are the Aurors?"

Draco watched as the headmistress bent down, whispering in the small professor's ear. He watched as realization dawned upon the man's small pudgy face. They weren't coming.

That meant that Draco was right, Voldemort had split up his troops. He must've sent half to the Ministry. Despair was a tangible thing as Draco looked around him. The Order of the Phoenix was here, constructing battle plans quietly, but it wouldn't be enough. They were terribly outnumbered. There were not as many students there that year, not after Dumbledore…

Thinking of the students brought his attention to talking to his far right. He turned his head to the side slowly and lifted his chin as he looked upon them.

"Oh sweet Merlin, he's right. Where are the Aurors?" the Creevey boy whispered, his eyes wide.

"Colin! Don't panic. We can do this, we're not many, but we're strong. This is what we've been training for all year. We can't give up."

Ahh…Weasley.

She was the ray of hope for the student body, having taken up Potter's place in heading the DA with Lovegood and Longbottom as her assistants. She seemed to know no fear, and could think as critically and slyly as a Slytherin.

The Creevey boy was still mumbling incoherently in his shock, and he was getting some of the other students nervous. "Where are the Aurors?" he asked again and Draco couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"They aren't coming, Creevey ," he said aloud. He watched as the Weasley girl turned her head towards him, glaring deeply, her brown eyes burning.

More murmurs arose around them, the students now shaking and wailing.

"Stop it!" Ginny yelled, grounding the almost fifty teenagers. "We can not panic! We need to stand strong. This is war, these are our lives, we can not let some thrice dead bastard run our lives. Some of us might not make it, we've known that. But if HE wins then we are all dead." She took a deep breath, her eyes lighting upon all the faces, some younger than others, but all of them far too young to die.

"Now, here are the facts. The Aurors may not be coming, and we may be outnumbered, but there is always hope. The trio found the last Horcrux. They'll destroy it and then defeat him. We have to believe that we will be victorious. If we cower in fear, then we have already lost! We know the plan; stay calm, create the shield, and fight." She finished, her hair falling around her in waves and her face flushed. Draco watched as Longbottom stood beside the girl, placing a hand on her shoulder and leading the now spellbound and more hopeful crowd in a few cheers.

Ginny stepped away from the students as they built themselves up and gathered their courage around them, preparing.

A snort to her left caught her attention and her coffee colored eyes met with deep silver.

"Still hoping Saint Potter can save the day?" Draco asked, but before she could retort, the front doors creaked and rattled. The Death Eaters had made it past the protective wards.

Ginny rushed to the doors along with many others, forming spells to make the doors hold just a little bit longer. The Order members were shouting out the battle plan, reminding everyone of their places… as if they could forget. It was do your job, or be killed.

The doors stopped rattling and Draco couldn't help but smile ruefully at the 'light side's' efforts.

Ginny looked around, seeing Malfoy with a strange sort of smile on his face. She stomped over to him. "Are you happy? Happy that your side is winning?"

The smile immediately left his face and he stood, facing her, their faces only inches apart, "They are NOT my side," he spat. "I told you. We are on the same side, Weasley. This is my side."

"If this is your side, then why don't you fight with us!" she gritted out. "Why just sit here and look out that damned window when you could fight?"

He growled at her and she laughed "Scared?" she asked, her eyes flashing with anger.

"No, not scared. I just know not to waste my time when it's over Weasley! It's. Over." he said acerbically

"It's not over! Help us fight damnit!" she said, her voice rising.

"No," he whispered, his eyebrows raising as he enunciated the syllable.

She poked him in the chest and he fell back into the window seat, rubbing at where her finger had hit. "You're a bloody coward. This is your life too, Malfoy! If you want to live, you have to fight!" The doors rattled once more, driving her point home. This time she didn't run to help keep up the wards, instead her eyes stayed on his in a challenge.

"Yes, it's my life," he sighed, "…but I cant fight."

Ginny let out a breath "Can't or won't?" she asked while exhaling.

"I can't. I can't fight, don't you understand?" he spat. "My father is out there! People I have known since I was born are out there, and I can not go out there and just kill them as if they don't matter. Some of them are good people, Weasley! I can't kill them! I couldn't kill Dumbledore, so what makes you think I could kill them?" he asked angrily, shoving his hair back so that she wouldn't see his shaking hands, so that she wouldn't notice that he was loosing his composure.

She just smiled a small smile at him as the doors rattled again, a crack sounding in the wood. "That's the difference between our side and their side, Draco. For us, it's not about killing people. It's about saving them," she said, and he couldn't help but stare at her a moment longer than necessary as she walked away, taking her place in front of the doors. Waiting.

Remus Lupin was saying a prayer loudly, but it could barely be heard over the racket of spells being shot at the doors, or their own heartbeats as they all prepared themselves, the veteran order members and the new recruits. Ginny's eyes slid from the door, falling upon each of her brothers' forms, Fred, George, Charlie, Bill. Ron was with Harry and Hermione, and Percy was most likely at the Ministry.

BOOM! BOOM! The crack in the left door grew longer. Her heart was beating furiously and her mouth was dry. Would they all survive?

She met Bill's eyes briefly and he winked at her. She smiled back. 'Please… Let us all survive...'

((0))

Harry's wand went flying into Voldemort's open hand. Harry's eyes widened with fear as he watched the evil wizard snap the thin wand in half.

He was trapped. There was nothing he could do. Voldemort was laughing and taunting him, but he couldn't really hear it. Everything seemed surreal. It wasn't a 'life flashing before your eyes thing', but instead more of a -- I've never noticed how green the grass is, or how the sky seems to glitter when it strikes the clouds just right. He was in shock. Voldemort took a step towards him, and Harry took a step back.

They were dancing and Voldemort was in the lead. It was all a game, and the most evil wizard in the world loved it. Loved being in control. He could finish it all right now, but instead he was taking his time; Playing with his prey, playing with him.

Harry backed up one more step and the heel of his left foot hit something soft in the middle of the rocky ground.

'Ron'

Harry gulped and quickly shot his gaze to the body of his friend. He looked like a mockery of his normal self. It almost looked as if he were sleeping, the muscles in his face lax and his mouth slightly open like usual. But his eyes were wide open, as blue as the sky, and his legs were splayed out strangely.

Harry slowly began to bring his gaze back up to the red eyes of the monster in front of him when he saw something. Ron's wand.

If he could get it…he could end this. Hope filled his chest. All he needed was a distraction.

He was considering his options, when Voldemort finally got tired of playing cat and mouse and shot another curse at Harry, a cutting curse. Without a way to block it, it hit Harry straight on, cutting his leg deeply, and he crumpled to the ground beside Ron.

He grabbed his leg, the loss of blood already making him dizzy. But he was now closer to the wand.

Voldemort was laughing once more and taking aim "Goodbye," he said with a laugh..

And just as all the hope had rushed back out of Harry, what he needed most came.

A distraction.

"HARRY! NOW!" he heard Hermione yell and saw that Voldemort had swiveled towards the sound. He quickly reached over Ron's body, reaching for his wand. Just one more inch. He lifted himself, putting pressure on his leg and causing more blood to seep out, but finally it was in his grasp.

As Voldemort turned back towards him, Harry pointed the wand at his greatest enemy's face.

He wouldn't play like Voldemort. He took no pleasure in what his destiny said that he must do. Kill. He just wanted it all to be over. He didn't give Voldemort the chance to react, just as he hadn't given Ron a chance.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

It was over. The darkest wizard of their time was gone. Forever this time. And even though he was relieved, Harry knew that nothing would ever be the same. Nothing would bring Ron back, not even Hermione, who was now cradling her boyfriend's head in her hands and asking him to wake up. 'Wake up,' she said with the same tone and inflection she used every morning to wake him.

He should've reacted sooner. Ron shouldn't be dead. It was his fault. Two new deaths on his hands, two more to add to the others.

He could feel his head start to swim and looked down at the deep cut on his leg. His last thought before passing out was that he had killed now, and nothing would ever be the same.

((0))

The doors shattered inward, and all at once, Death Eaters were inside of the castle. A round of 'Protego' was shouted and shields were everywhere, defending against curses and sending them flying up and away.

They had to back up into the Great Hall. There were too many of them, and they couldn't allow more than necessary inside the castle. It was getting too full inside. They needed to lead some of them outside. To her right, she heard someone fall to the ground with a scream, the shield wavering and snapping away from the student, teacher, or order member that had fallen.

Ginny dodged another curse. Someone had to lead them outside, out into the open. A curse struck her shield and the force of it knocked her down. She stood shakily, the smell of burning flesh and acrid blood entering her nostrils. How long had they been fighting? Minutes? Hours?

She looked around her. This castle would be their death trap. She couldn't let that happen. "Out—side," she gritted out. She strengthened her shield and pushed through the fighting, yelling and throwing hexes. Neville saw her and got the idea, mimicking her. They got to the front doors and pushed themselves outside, pleased that others had also gotten the idea and that the Death Eaters were following them.

The sun was now upon the horizon, sending blood red tendrils of light upon them as they fought.

((0))

Draco watched the battle rage around him. He had hidden when they had made it inside, and from his vantage point could see Ginny fighting. He noticed that she was right, the 'light side' was sending mainly stunners and body binds with the occasional, more lethal hex, while the Death Eaters were going for the kill, sending Unforgivables.

When he saw her fall, his breath caught in his throat. She couldn't die, she was their strength, their light. And he realized, somewhere along the line, she had become his light as well.

When he saw her get back up, he breathed in relief and then watched as she led the Death Eaters outside. He rushed to the window, looking out to see her. She was surrounded. She'd never make it, and even from here he could see that her movements were becoming sluggish from exhaustion.

Why should he care, it wasn't him. He had been taught that nothing was more important than saving yourself. So, why did he feel, at this moment, that that lesson was so wrong?

He saw her go down, her scarlet hair flying around her as she hit the ground, and without another thought, Draco was out the doors, coming to her aid.

He made his way to her, sending curse after curse, and dodging the best he could. A Bludgeoning curse was sent towards him and crashed into his shoulder. He knew it was dislocated, but didn't even feel it. His ears were ringing with the sounds of the battle, and his heart beat as he made it to her side.

She was just lying there, a few meters away, a Death Eater kneeling above her and ripping open her blouse.

"CRUCIO!" Draco vaguely recognized the voice as his own as the Death Eater fell to the side and away from Ginny.

Draco ran to her, falling to the ground beside her. She was breathing, a grimace upon her features, as her eyes fluttered open and looked up at his face.

"Knew you had it in you," she chuckled mirthlessly, and he smiled at her.

"Can you get up?" he asked, before sending a curse at the man attacking one of the Patil sisters.

Without answering, she stood, with difficulty, looking over her shoulder at him. "Let's do this," she said, her shirt still undone and crusted with blood. Before he could get a better look at her wound, she was off, fighting.

Cursing, Draco followed her.

Choosing to fight for himself; for others. Choosing to go down, fighting by her side.