The last week of school before their Christmas break dragged on. The teachers had relented on the fifth year's homework though, allowing plenty of time for revision. Harry and Ginny used any opportunity to escape to the Room of Requirement, needing that closeness, that reassurance that only their joined bodies could bring.
Remus and Tonks, and Bill and Fleur joined the class for the final lesson of the advanced defensive lessons. Some students who had fallen off due to studying had made their way back for the final lesson of the year. It proved timely as, apart from each year demonstrating what they'd learnt, Fleur, Ginny and Dobby had organised a Christmas party for everyone. Everyone's spirits were high, and Dobby enjoyed being the centre of attention with his Santa hat on.
Before everyone left, Remus passed on messages from Sirius and Emmy. "They both wanted me to tell you how proud they are of all of you. We know you've all tried hard, and we appreciate you coming to these lessons as well as your regular lessons. Please, stay alert over the holidays. Best wishes, and Merry Christmas to you all."
Everyone applauded, and mingled happily. Charlie slipped in, and Ginny noticed Hermione discreetly make her way to his side.
"Do you think I should mention the Nargles in the misteltoe to Hermione," whispered Luna to Ginny.
Harry, standing next to Ginny, snorted into his drink.
"No, that's all right, Luna. You know Hermione, she's more than capable of dealing with any pesky Nargles," smirked Ginny, nudging Harry.
"Are you sure? All she's got eyes for is your brother. I think it may be too late," said Luna worriedly.
"Youre right. Maybe I should go and talk to her. Thanks Luna," said Ginny. She walked over to where Charlie was talking to Hermione. Harry watched her go, mesmerised by her butt swaying as she walked.
"Are you okay, Harry? Oh dear, the Nargles haven't got to you too, have they?" asked Luna.
"Hmm? Oh no, I'm fine. Luna, are you sure you don't want to come to our place for Christmas?" asked Harry.
"Oh no, but thank you. It's fun exploring the castle when there's hardly any one here. It's how I met the Grey Lady, you know," said Luna happily. She was plucking things out of the air over Harry's head.
He gazed back to where Ginny was talking with Charlie and Hermione. He sighed, she was so beautiful. He couldn't get enough of her. The thought that tomorrow night they would be back at Grimmauld Place, in their own beds, was enough to get him all heated again. He tried to get her attention. He was sure she wouldn't mind leaving the party early.
He turned back to see Luna watching him anxiously. Something she said just clicked in. "Luna, the Grey Lady! She told me you had told her you believed in me. Thank you," said Harry.
"Well, of course I do. She's been ever so much more happier lately, and she told me you'd helped her with something that's been bothering her for a long time. Thank you, Harry," smiled Luna.
"Harry Potter, sir. Dobby is wanting to thank you and your Miss Wheezy for my present. Everyone is telling Dobby how Christmassy I is looking," said Dobby, smiling broadly and adjusting his hat.
"You're welcome. You and your house elf friends have done a great job with the party," said Harry, looking around. Everyone was relaxed and having a good time.
Dobby smiled happily. Harry Potter was pleased with him.
"Oh, and Dobby, you're welcome to join us at Grimmauld Place for Christmas, any time you can," said Harry.
Dobby's eyes filled with tears. "Nothing would make Dobby happier, Harry Potter."
"Good, we'll see you sometime," nodded Harry.
Ginny's arms slid around Harry's waist as she re-joined him. "Miss me? Oh, Dobby, please thank the house elves for us. You've all done brilliantly."
Dobby gazed at Ginny and Harry. What a wonderful couple they were.
"I've invited him to ours for Christmas," said Harry to Ginny.
"Oh good. We know you're needed here too, but come over when you can," said Ginny, beaming at the little elf. She turned her attention back to Harry. "Wanna get out of here?"
"You read my mind," said Harry, huskily. "Let's go. Bye Dobby, Luna."
Dobby and Luna watched them go. "Harry Potter is a great wizard. His Miss Wheezy makes him very happy, which makes Dobby happy for them."
"You know what, Dobby, I feel the same," smiled Luna. "You're very wise."
Dobby looked up at Luna. "You are good friends with Harry Potter and his Miss Wheezy. I have seen you at their table. If Dobby may be any help to you, please just call for Dobby."
Luna nodded. "Thank you Dobby. And if I can help you in any way, please just call me, Luna."
"Thank you, Miss Luna," said Dobby, taken aback by a witch or wizard offering to help him.
"Dobby, could you take me to the kitchens. I would love to meet the house elves who put together this lovely feast," said Luna.
Dobby nodded. "Take my arm, please Miss Luna."
POP The two of them were spirited away.
Charlie and Hermione were talking quietly. "I really should go. Gin's right, we don't want to draw any attention to ourselves," said Charlie.
"I know. It's been nice to spend this time with you. Still, I can't wait till we're away from here," said Hermione quietly.
"You may never come back," said Charlie, wishing he could take her in his arms.
"I know," sighed Hermione. "But I can still finish my education, even if it's by correspondence."
"If any one can, you can," said Charlie, looking at her fondly.
"Ah, Charlie, 'ere you are," said Fleur, joining them. "We came to zay au revoir."
"I'll probably see you tomorrow night for tea at the Burrow," chuckled Charlie.
"Yeah, I know," said Bill, coming to his wife's side. "Anyone seen Gin and Harry?" He looked around the room.
"I think they snuck out a while ago," chuckled Neville, walking past. "About the same time Remus and Tonks left. Tonks wasn't feeling well, said it was probably something she ate."
POP "Dobby is most distressed to hear someone has taken ill from the food. Did Dobby do wrong?" the little elf wrung his hands in agony.
"Luna, where did you come from?" asked Neville, nearly jumping in fright when the house elf and Luna suddenly appeared.
"Well, my new friend Dobby just took me to the kitchens. I thanked all the house elves for their help with the party," said Luna.
"Have you seen Ginny and Harry?" asked Bill.
Luna nodded. "They left a while ago. I'm sure the Nargles got to him, no matter what he said. He was looking quite amorously at Ginny, and they left. Kind of like Hermione and Charlie."
No-one said anything, but looked between Luna and the other two. Finally Neville chuckled. "Oh, Luna," and walked away to find Hannah.
Charlie and Hermione looked uncomfortable. "I'd say it's definitely time to go," said Charlie, gruffly.
"Charlie, I'm sorry," cried Hermione. She was so embarassed. Had she been too obvious?
Fleur comforted the young girl. "Do not fret. Luna zees what zo many others do not. But I zink Charlie iz right. He should go. It is only one more day, after all."
Hermione and Charlie nodded. Bill and Fleur drew close around them. "So you'll come back to the Burrow with Ron? Dad's meeting you at King's Cross. I'll swing by and get your parents, okay?" Charlie asked softly.
Hermione nodded, with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Charlie smiled. "Don't be. After tomorrow, we don't need to hide our love anymore. Just one more day." He quickly left.
"Come on, Hermione. We'll walk you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Bill. Fleur nodded.
They passed Ron snogging Lavender Brown. "Kind of look like a pair of eels thrashing around, don't they," grinned Bill.
"He needz to learn ze better technique," said Fleur in distaste. Ron's tongue was all over Lavender's lips. She seemed to like it, judging by her moans.
They made it back to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione thanked them for walking her back and quickly went inside.
"Do you think they'll be all right?" asked Bill worriedly. He'd been happy to have his older brother back and to see him more regularly. If Charlie went ahead with his plans, he would be gone again.
"He iz in love, and wants to make 'iz woman zafe. You can understand that, can't you, mon amour," crooned Fleur.
Bill sighed and nodded. "The thought of anything happening to you...Merlin, it tears me up. Are you sure you don't want to spend Christmas in Paris, with your family?"
"Your family iz my family. Besides, Harry 'as asked us to visit them at 'is 'ome over ze 'oliday," said Fleur. "'E asked me tonight."
"I wish they'd come to the Burrow," sighed Bill. "I'd like to spend Christmas with my whole family in one place."
Fleur comforted him, unsure if that was ever going to happen.
A couple of hours later, Harry walked Ginny back to the Slytherin common room. They had their arms around each other, stopping to snog every now and then.
"Tomorrow night we can sleep together the whole night," grinned Ginny, tilting her head to give Harry better access.
"Merlin, I love waking up with you next to me," said Harry, pushing her against a wall.
"It will be hard to top last year, but I have a feeling this is going to be a good Christmas," said Ginny, gasping as Harry's hands roamed her body.
"Ahem," coughed Terry Boot. "Best to say goodnight, guys. Harry, you've probably got just enough time to get back to Gryfindor Tower."
He nodded to them and continued on with his patrols.
Ginny leaned up and kissed him quickly. "The sooner we go to sleep, the sooner we wake up and head for home. I'll have to sit at the Slytherin table tomorrow, but I'll save you a spot on the train."
Harry nodded. "Love you," he whispered in her ear as he hugged her goodnight.
"Love you more," she said, nipping his ear. Harry growled, and she giggled and quickly left him to go to the Slytherin common room. Harry decided one day he was going to sneak in there and find her dorm, maybe even spend the night. His Invisibility cloak hadn't had much to do this year.
With that happy thought, and the thought that tomorrow night he'd be at home, Harry was in a good mood. He was making his way past the Great Hall when he heard the sound of arguing. He peeked in and saw Dumbledore and Snape arguing.
"-believes the school will soon be in his grasp."
"And when he does attack, I have your word that you will do everything you can to protect the students of Hogwarts?" asked Dumbledore calmly.
Harry saw Snape give a stiff nod.
"Including Harry," said Dumbledore severely.
Snape ignored his comment. "What are you doing with Potter, all those evenings you are closeted together?" he asked.
Dumbledore sighed."Why? Do you need to give him even more detentions? Really, Severus, Harry seems to be spending more time in detention than out!"
"He's just like his father. Thinks the rules don't apply to him," sneered Snape.
"In looks perhaps, but his deepest nature is more like his mother's. I'm surprised you haven't noticed. Then again, you never really gave him a chance, did you?" snapped Dumbledore.
"If it wasn't for him, Lily would still be alive," said Snape. "I ask again, what are the two of you doing?"
Dumbledore sighed a weary sigh. "Last summer, I released his powers that I bound when he was a baby. I spend time with him to give him information that will help him defeat Voldemort."
"You bound his powers?" gasped Snape.
"There is a connection between Harry and Voldemort, ever since that fateful night. Voldemort fears it. He had a taste of it in the Department of Mysteries. When Voldemort was in Miss Weasley's body, the love that Harry has for her, and then the love and protection Sirius offered them both, it caused Voldemort such pain, he immediately released her. He won't try that again," said Dumbledore, smiling at the thought.
"I don't understand," said Snape.
"Voldemort's soul cannot bear close contact with Harry's pure soul," said Dumbledore simply.
"Then how is Potter supposed to defeat him?" asked Snape.
"Harry must not find out, not until the last possible minute, what needs to be done. I'm trusting this to you, Severus," said Dumbledore.
"Find what out?" asked Snape. "Just give me the straight talk, for once."
"On the night that Voldemort came to kill Harry, Lily cast her own her life between them as a shield. The Killing Curse rebounded itself on Voldemort, with a fragment of his soul latching itself onto the only living soul left in that building. Don't you see? Part of Voldemort lives inside Harry. It is why he has the ability to speak Parseltongue. It explains the connection he has had all these years," said Dumbledore, desperate to get Severus to understand.
"So, are you saying..."
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. While that fragment, unmissed by Voldemort, remains inside Harry, Voldemort cannot die. Harry himself is the last Horcrux."
"So, he must die," said Snape.
"Voldemort himself must do it, Severus. That is essential," said Dumbledore.
There was a long pause. "All this time, I believed I was protecting him for her...for Lily." Snape stumbled over the last word.
"We have protected him because it has been essential to teach him, to raise him. But the connection grows stronger. He hasn't said anything, but I have been studying Harry for many years."
"So, you have kept him alive all these years so he can die at the right moment?" asked Snape, aghast.
"Why so shocked, Severus?" asked an amused Dumbledore.
"You used me, damnit," snapped Snape.
"Meaning?" asked Dumbledore.
"I hav lied for you, spied for you. Put myself in mortal peril for you. I thought it was all to keep her son safe. Now you tell me you've just been raising him like a pig for slaughter," yelled Snape.
"Well, well. Have you grown to care for the boy, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.
"For him?" growled Snape, shaking his head. "But-EXPECTO PATRONUM."
A silver doe shot out of the end of Snape's wand, bounding around the room before trotting slowly to Dumbledore. She stared at the old wizard, before disappearing back into the mist. Dumbledore turned back to Snape.
"So, after all this time?" he asked sadly.
Snape stared as the last mist disappeared. "Always." He shot Dumbledore a look of disgust and stormed from the Great Hall.
Harry flattened himself against a wall, thankful for knowing the dark nooks along the way. Snape brushed past him with nary a look.
Harry watched him go. When he looked back into the Great hall, Dumbledore was gone too. Harry was alone.
He shivered. He was numb. He wanted to scream and rage against the two wizards, demand they tell him they were lying. Yet he knew that they weren't. Somehow, deep in the recesses of his mind, Harry felt like he had already known it.
He had to die. He had to die at the hands of Voldemort, so someone else could kill the bastard when he was mortal- once and for all.
He was going to die. There would be no happy ever after, not for him. No career, no home, no life with Ginny.
Ginny. Oh god, how could he tell Ginny? How could he face her and Sirius? Worse of all, how could he leave Ginny?
He fell to the floor, his heart hurting. He felt like he was going to throw up. He felt dirty, disgusted with himself. All this time, and he had had a piece of Tom Riddle inside of him. If he had a knife, he'd try and scourge the bastard out of his skull.
"Hey Harry, I thought I-geez, are you all right? Shall I get Madame Pomfrey?" asked Terry, worriedly.
Harry shook his head. "Will you help me get back to my tower?" he asked shakily.
"Sure, of course. Shall I get Ginny? She can-"
"NO! No, she was pretty tired. I think I just ate something at the party," said Harry. Terry helped him up but Harry still felt faint.
"Are you sure? Maybe we should swing by the Infirmary," suggested Terry. Harry was leaning pretty heavily on him.
"No, I'll be fine. Thanks, Terry," sighed Harry.
It took them a twenty minutes to get to Gryffindor Tower. Harry had to stop often; with images and thoughts flooding his mind. He was barely coherent, mumbling to himself. Terry sent his Patronus ahead, and Neville met him at the door to the Gryffindor common room.
"I don't know what's wrong with him. He said it was something he ate at the party, but wouldn't let me take him to Pomfrey. Anyway, will you be right with him? I've got to get back on patrol," said Terry, shooting worried glances at Harry.
"Yeah, I've got him. Thanks, Terry. Come on Harry," said Neville, placing his arm around him.
"You're a good friend, Nev," said Harry, stumbling up the stairs.
"Harry, what's wrong? You were fine at the party," said Neville, anxiously. He pushed open the door to their dorm. Seamus and Dean were asleep. Ron's bed was empty.
Harry shrugged and lay on his bed. "Nothing. Doesn't matter," said Harry, turning on his side so he didn't have to face Neville. Nice, good Neville. Everything Harry wasn'[t.
"You wake me if you need me during the night, all right?" asked Neville.
Harry didn't respond. "Harry?" asked Neville, urgently.
"Sure, no worries," said Harry quietly. He waved his hand and his curtains closed.
"Good night," called Neville.
There was no response from Harry. Neville sighed and got into bed, laying on his side to watch over Harry.
He was still awake two hours later when Ron snuck in, but there was no word, no sound from Harry's bed.
Harry had thought ahead. He cast a Silencing charm on his bed, turned his head into his pillow and wept. Wept for a life he would never have.
A/N Snape and Dumbledore's conversation is taken from JKR's DH book, in the pensieve memories after Snape dies.