Chapter Twelve
''So Potter. You and your pathetic little friends stand in front of me, Lord Voldemort, thinking that you will be able to defeat me. You honestly believe that you will be able to overwhelm the power that is soon to take over the entire wizarding world?''
''I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe that.'' Harry's face was paler than normal, but just by looking at Voldemort's pallid complexion, he knew that he was more human than his adversary could ever hope to be.
''Stupid boy.'' Voldemort's face screwed up in contempt, and then his eyes flicked to the three people standing behind Harry. ''And your three sidekicks are present as well. How pleasant.''
Before Harry could respond, Lucius Malfoy stepped forward slightly, careful not to move in front of his master. ''And my son stands next to a Mudblood.''
''Don't call her that!'' Draco spat the words out from behind gritted teeth.
''My son, how can you possibly stand next to her, and not feel shame?'' Lucius was desperately trying to make Draco say that it was just a ploy, just a better way to deliver Granger, but his son was showing the obstinacy that Lucius had loved so much at other times.
''I love her! I couldn't give a flying fuck about her blood status!'' Draco's hand was clutching his wand tightly, and his other was clenching into a fist.
''You love her.'' Voldemort repeated the phrase as scornfully as was possible. ''How touching. Tell me Lucius, which one would you like me to kill first?''
''My Lord?''
''Would you like me to kill the boy that uses your noble family name to ingratiate himself with Mudbloods, or would you like me to kill the girl that turned down my generous offer of life?''
''The Mudblood my Lord.'' There was a murmur of assent from the other two Deatheaters. Lucius seemed slightly jolted by this, he had completely forgotten about them. He just wanted to delay the moment when his son would be taken away from him, but knowing Voldemort, that cold fuck would probably make Lucius kill Draco himself, just to twist the knife that further degree.
''Quite right. Business before pleasure.'' Voldemort let out a cold, high cackle, and grinned. ''I will take great pleasure in listening to young Mr Malfoy crying – after all, he loves her.''
Draco glanced quickly at Hermione, trying to tell her telepathically that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, that he would protect her, but before he could catch her eye, Voldemort was speaking again. ''So, let me kill Potter, and then Weasley I think, for his traitorous behaviour, and then the Mudblood and then Malfoy.''
''Lovely that you've got your running order planned out Riddle, but things rarely work out according to plan.'' Harry was holding his wand so tightly he was worried that he would break it. Anything to hide his shaking hands, anything to let him retain some kind of nonchalance.
With perfect timing, Mr Weasley's voice echoed through the atrium. ''The snake's dead. We stabbed her with the fang.'' The voice was cut off abruptly.
Voldemort's face grew more pinched. ''You have killed Nagini? Potter, you know not what you do.''
''I know perfectly well what I've done. Now there's only you left to kill.''
''My snake did not guarantee my immortality foolish boy. True, she nursed me back from my ill-health but nothing more than that…''
''Liar! She was a Horcrux. In exactly the same way that, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, the Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw, Slytherin's Locket, your old diary, and Marvolo Gaunt's ring. Dumbledore destroyed the ring last year, and I destroyed your diary in second year, but we've been hunting down the others all this year. It's just you Riddle, pure and simple.'' Harry's cheeks were slightly flushed, obviously thrilled that he had been able to deliver that revelation. Voldemort's lips drew back in a silent snarl.
''No matter, I'm going to kill you anyway.''
With that, he aimed his wand at Harry and screamed ''Avada Kedavra!'' Harry quickly threw himself out of the way, and the two of them began a duel around the atrium, lights and sparks flashing off the stone walls as each attempted to get the better of the other, a true battle to the end. Ron, Hermione and Draco had no chance to stand and watch, as the three Deatheaters had immediately thrown themselves forward, each determined to win some praise by trying to kill the three sidekicks. Ron tried to bring down Nott, Hermione fighting Lucius, while Draco had to bring down his aunt.
Various curses were thrown around, and each person screeched epithets, trying to distract their opponent to give them that extra second that would mean the difference between life and death. Finally, Ron threw himself bodily at Nott, toppled him over, jammed his wand in the soft spot beneath the jaw and shouted the killing curse. Pulling himself away from the corpse, he felt his mouth burning from the harsh acidity of the curse that he had promised himself he would never utter. Glancing into the room, he saw Voldemort thrown across the room from one of Harry's spells, but before he could smile, he heard one terrible shout:
''Sectum sempra!'' He spun around to see who the curse had been aimed at, hoping to see a Deatheater falling.
Hermione crumpled to the ground, blood pouring from underneath her slashed robes. The entire chamber went still, as the vibrant red liquid splashed against the grey tiles. A cold smirk curved Bellatrix's lips as she breathed heavily.
''Sorry Lucius, I know that she was yours but I couldn't resist. Just the thought of her and Draco…well, I've always had a lousy temper.''
Hermione's eyes were filled with pain and shock as her hand went to the largest cut, trying to stem the bleeding. ''Draco…'' her voice was already getting smaller and weaker, as yet more blood splattered to the floor.
Draco didn't even think of where they were, how they were in the middle of a battle. He ran straight to her side, kneeling next to her and pulling her unresisting head into his lap so that he could cradle her. ''You're going to be ok, just let me…just let me get at that and I'll try and heal it…''
''It's not going to heal with one simple spell, Draco. It's cursed magic.'' Ron and Harry stood next to her, and Hermione smiled at them, showing her teeth in a pale imitation of her usual beam. Suddenly, a movement caught the edge of her peripheral vision. Voldemort was staggering to his feet, clearly off guard at the moment, but it would only take a minute for him to notice exactly what was happening. ''Harry.'' She whispered his name urgently, grabbing his collar to pull him close. ''You need to kill Voldemort, now!''
''But Mione…''
''I'm not going to be dying any time soon Harry! And he said that he would use me against you in the final battle, don't let me distract you, because then he'll be getting exactly what he wants. Get him now, while he's disorientated.''
But Voldemort's eyes were already focusing on Harry as he smiled. ''Yet another girl sacrificing herself for you Potter! You do seem to have it lucky – first your mother, and then Granger…stupid, Mudblood bitches the pair of them.''
Clearly Voldemort was expecting some kind of repartee, the kind that had characterized all of his battles with Harry. So he was entirely unprepared when Harry turned around and shouted ''Avada Kedavra!''
The green light lit up the entire room, showing everyone up in an eerie green light. Hermione's spilt blood was a black colour with shimmering highlights, Bellatrix's hair became a sinister halo, green lights ignited in everyone's wide eyes, as they watched Voldemort thrown back, killed by the very thing that he had used to destroy so many people, so many hopes and so many dreams.
And just as he fell back, like a crumpled doll, against the wall, the tension went in Hermione's neck and she fell loosely back into Draco's arms. Harry sped over. ''Mione! Is she ok?'' He grabbed one of her hands, and squeezed it. ''Come on Mione, you promised that you weren't going to be going anytime soon!''
Tears streamed down Draco's face, his grief mirrored in Ron and Harry's face, as his trembling fingers explored her neck. ''She has a pulse but it's really, really weak. Unless we get her out of here now, she's going to…to die.'' His tears splashed onto Hermione's face as he lifted her body and tried to move her into a position where he could Apparate without hurting her.
''Oh no, you don't.'' Bellatrix's voice was just as cold as her lord's had been, but its pitch seemed to rise every time she looked at the white body lying on the floor. ''You do not get to just waltz out of here, after everything you've done Potter! It isn't that simple!'' Ropes shot out of her wand, and twined themselves around the three boys. Hermione fell to the floor, her unconscious body lolling as yet more blood jolted to the floor. ''What makes you think that everything is going to be happy and fine now that the Dark Lord is dead? You're going to pay for what you've done! And I think we can start by watching the Mudblood die.'' With that, Bellatrix stepped back from the three boys, breathing heavily but smiling as she watched Hermione lying on the cold floor, her face getting paler and paler. She seemed, if it was possible, to have become even more unhinged following the events of the evening.
Tears poured down Draco's face and he began trying to move forward, desperate not to leave Hermione lying where she was, cold and alone. Come on Mione, please, please do something! You've made me whole, you can't leave me now! Come on, brightest witch of our generation, please have something up your sleeve, please let this be some plan, I love you too much to let you go. Bellatrix saw what he was trying to do, and immobilised him with one simple flick of her wand. ''Oh, get a backbone Draco. Sobbing over this piece of crap?'' she aimed a sharp kick at Hermione's ribs. ''This torrid little affair ends here. I'm sure Lucius won't have a problem once you admit your mistake and, now that the Dark Lord is dead, you won't even be punished. It doesn't have to go any further than this evening.''
But the worm was already turning. Lucius was watching the desolation on his son's face, and something did seem to be rather seriously wrong. This wasn't the expression of a boy who was watching a favoured pet die, this was the expression of a boy whose heart was being ripped out and systematically shredded. And that simple expression was enough to change Lucius's mind.
Because Draco had got what he wanted throughout his entire life, and his father wasn't about to stop denying him now. He had no interest in having a son returned to him that wasn't his son, and things could be worse. At least his son had fallen in love with a relatively pretty, and rather intelligent Mudblood. With a deep sigh, he resigned himself to the fact that he was going to have to move away from the perfect Pureblood family that he had designed for himself in his mind's eye.
''Here, Bellatrix, allow me.''
''Allow you to do what Lucius?''
''I would quite like to kill Draco.'' The statement was so cold that it stopped all of them in their tracks. All that could be heard was Hermione's quiet breathing. ''I will admit that Draco has fallen in love with a pretty and intelligent girl, which is less dishonourable than if she were a normal Mudblood. Standing here, watching Draco, I thought that I suddenly didn't just want to watch Granger die, I wanted my son to join her. At least that way they'll be together forever.'' The smirk that curved Bellatrix's lips was mirrored on her brother-in-law's.
''Be my guest Lucius.''
Stepping forward, Lucius stepped contemptuously over Hermione, and moved closer, pointing his wand at his son. His own stormy grey eyes stared straight back at him, no more tears falling from them. Instead, Draco raised his chin proudly, gazing back at his father, daring him to speak the words that would end his life.
He watched, separated entirely from the situation, as one of his father's eyelids swept lazily down over one eye, and then as his mouth opened. But his wand wasn't aimed at Draco anymore, it was pointing at Bellatrix, and even as she laughed, anticipating Draco's death, a green jet of light shot straight into her, knocking her off her feet. She lay on the floor, never to rise up again.
The ropes had fallen off the three boys as Bellatrix's spell ended with her death, but it took Harry and Ron a minute to reach for their wands, so shocked were they by Lucius's actions. Draco had run straight for Hermione, desperately checking her pulse.
''She hasn't got long.'' He pulled her close to him and looked at Harry and Ron. ''I need your help. I'm not going to let her go!''
Without even thinking about what they were doing, Harry and Ron ran to his side, and helped him hold Hermione up. But before they could Apparate, Lucius threw a small flask to Draco. ''It's Blood-Replenishing potion. It won't heal her, but it'll give her a little longer.''
Harry uncorked the bottle and tasted it. ''Yeah, it's fine.''
Draco nodded at his father, unsure of how to act. Ron poured the potion down Hermione's throat, and then, before Lucius could say anything else, they were gone, vanished into thin air.
Appearing in Hogsmeade, they looked up to the castle, seeing it looming against the night sky in its wonderful familiarity.
''Brooms!'' Draco hissed, trying not to draw attention to them, ''We can't apparate inside the castle.''
Harry quickly pulled out his wand and summoned his Firebolt, Draco's Nimbus, and Ron's Comet. Within seconds, seconds that nonetheless seemed agonizingly long, Draco had pulled Hermione's body in front of him on his broom, and they were flying off, Ron and Harry flying either side of him, prepared to grab Hermione if she should fall.
They flew straight into the Great Hall, flying their brooms up the stairs and along the corridors, not even wanting to think about stopping, just zooming past the few puzzled students who were out of their beds. Draco could smell Hermione's hair as he whizzed along the corridors, trying not to think about what would happen if she was torn away from him.
Finally, they arrived in front of the doors to the hospital wing, and fell on them, shouting for Madam Pomfrey as they bore Hermione to the nearest bed. Within minutes, the white sheets were stained as Madam Pomfrey came in, ready to shout at them for making such a noise. But as soon as she saw Hermione, pale and bloody, she ushered them out, rolling her sleeves up and summoning potions and herbs to her.
Draco, Ron and Harry waited outside in the corridor for an excruciatingly long time, pacing up and down the corridor, almost as though Hermione were in labour.
''I can't lose her, I love her too much.'' Draco looked awful, his grey eyes huge and worried in his pale face. Over an hour of pacing was beginning to leave its toll on him, and Harry and Ron looked at each other.
''She's going to be fine, Draco.'' Ron put a hand on his shoulder. ''Sit down.''
''How do you know that she'll be fine?'' Draco slumped onto the floor, his head bowed. ''I've been a complete shit my entire life, and she is the only person whose made me think about someone other than myself.''
''Mione's amazing.'' Harry sat next to him. ''She makes everyone feel better, and she's always trying to do something for other people. First time I met her, she was trying to help Neville find his toad.''
''She tried to help me say Wingardium Leviosa right.'' Ron volunteered.
Draco smiled. ''I just hope…''
At that precise moment, Madam Pomfrey opened the door to the hospital wing. There were huge bags under her tired eyes and Harry thought that he had never seen her look so tired, and after all the time that he had spent in the hospital wing, that was saying something.
Draco had already leapt to his feet and taken in Madam Pomfrey's expression. ''Oh Merlin, please don't say, please don't say she's…that she's…''
''Do be quiet Mr Malfoy. She's absolutely fine. Tired and battered but fine.'' Wearily, Madam Pomfrey opened the door a little wider, and let them push past her.
Hermione was lying, asleep, on a fresh bed, her eyelashes resting on her cheeks. There was a bruise on her left temple, but no other signs of wear and tear. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically as she breathed deeply in sleep.
''I've managed to get rid of everything except one long cut on her ribs, but that's healing. I think that'll leave a scar though. And there was some very nasty bruising on her ribs. But she'll be absolutely fine.''
Draco kissed Hermione's lips gently, and then stood up and looked at the matron. ''Madam Pomfrey, you are amazing.'' He kissed her cheek briefly and then went back to sitting at Hermione's side.
''What on earth happened to her?'' The nurse was blushing slightly in the dim light, and began to busy herself with healing the boys' cuts.
''Bellatrix was kicking her there, wasn't she?'' Ron asked Harry.
''Yeah. She got her with a curse and then kicked her.'' Harry looked at the matron and was surprised to see such an expression of shock.
''Bellatrix Lestrange?''
''Yeah, she was with Voldemort.'' Harry wasn't even particularly thinking about he was saying, more about how right Hermione and Draco looked together.
''Voldemort?'' Madam Pomfrey's pitch was so high that soon only dogs would be able to hear her.
''Oh yeah.'' Harry looked at Ron and Draco, who looked back at him, grinning. ''I killed him. He's dead. Forever.''
Suddenly, the three boys seemed to realise exactly what they had achieved. They all leapt up and grabbed each other roughly, laughing with pure relief and joy. It's difficult to convey exactly how you're feeling when you've just destroyed the bane of the wizarding world, come out of it alive and are able to live a normal life. Harry felt as though his heart was going to explode, as though he couldn't get the joy out of him fast enough.
Madam Pomfrey was smiling incredulously. ''You killed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?''
''You'd better believe it.'' Ron grabbed Draco and hugged him. ''And we're all alive, and Hermione's going to be ok, and I can go out with Laetitia, and I'll even let you go out with Ginny, Harry, that's how good I'm feeling right now.''
They laughed and Madam Pomfrey left the room, all dignity forgotten as she raced along the corridors to alert everyone that she could. Ron and Harry looked at Draco, who was already sitting by Hermione's bed again.
''Told you she'd be ok.''
''Yeah, but now I know its true, and you're not just trying to stop me going mad.'' Draco smiled at them, and with a flick of his wand pulled up two more chairs. ''I hope everyone else is ok.''
Harry paused, he hadn't thought about the other members of the Order – what if they weren't still alive? But Madam Pomfrey was running back into the room: ''So many people are here, and they need patching up!''
Following her were the various members of the Order of the Phoenix that the three boys had last seen huddled in an office. Tonks smiled at them as Madam Pomfrey healed a cut on her upper right arm. ''It was fine.'' She paused and smiled again as Ron and Mr Weasley hugged. ''The snake came slithering underneath the door, so we all went at it with the fang. After that, all the Deatheaters tried to come through the door, but we just put up shield charms and picked them off one at a time as they tried to burst through. Simple. A few will have got away, but we can round them up soon.'' Harry grinned back at her in relief and then watched as they all wandered away, listening to the shouts of happiness that were echoing through the school.
Draco was stroking Hermione's hair as she slept peacefully, no sense of strain or tension on her smooth face. Without a word, Harry and Ron sat back down on their chairs and each held her hand. Eventually, they began to doze off, all of their breathing rhythms falling into one constant sound.
Hermione woke them up an hour later, simply by wriggling slightly in her bed. Draco sat bolt upright and tapped her forehead. ''Wake up Mione.''
''No. Go 'way, I'm too tired to wake up.'' She muttered at him.
''No, come on, wake up Mione.'' He cajoled her as gently as he could, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.
''Fine.'' She drew her legs up and sat up, blinking sleepily and yawning. ''What's all the fuss about?'' As soon as she said it, her eyes and mouth widened into perfect 'o's. ''Oh, you did it! Oh you excellent, wonderful, amazing guys!'' She kissed each of their cheeks with each adjective. ''Oh, I'm so proud of you! I can't believe I missed the final bits!''
''You didn't! You made sure that we actually killed Voldemort!'' Harry hugged her so hard that she whimpered. ''Mione, you're amazing, thank you so, so much for everything, for everything that you've ever done!''
Ron grabbed her from the other side. ''Ditto. Turns out that saving you from a mountain troll was a pretty good thing to do.'' Hermione laughed and hit the side of his head.
''Git.''
The boys laughed, and then a whirlwind topped with flaming red hair dashed into the room and threw herself at Harry. ''You stupid boy! Don't you ever dare leave me again!'' And with that, Harry bent down, and kissed Ginny so hard that Ron blushed slightly. And then flushed even brighter as Laetitia sidled into the room and gave him a coy wave.
''I am so proud of you, Ron.'' She lowered her eyelashes flirtily and beckoned him. Almost bewitched, Ron trotted meekly after her, with a delighted wink at Harry and Draco. Once Ron had left, Harry and Ginny followed, wrapped in each other's embrace. Draco pushed Hermione over slightly and lay on top of her bedcovers, her head resting on his chest.
''Things worked out ok.'' she sounded almost surprised.
''And that's cause for wonder because?''
''Well, I'd been preparing myself for worst case scenarios, and now none of them are valid. I can just be happy.'' Her smile was the most wonderful thing that Draco had ever seen.
''Every time I see you, it's a revelation. I can't believe that I'm so lucky to have you.'' He stroked the side of her face gently, feeling the soft skin and the delicate bone structure beneath. ''I want to spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you've made me.''
''You won't leave once you've made me that happy?''
''Of course not.''
''Thank Merlin for that. If that were the case, you'd be leaving now.''
And with that, Hermione leant forward, pressing her lips against her loved one's, even though she could feel a smile stretching both of their mouths out. ''I love you Draco Malfoy.''
''And I love you, Hermione Granger.''
''Well kiss me then.'' Draco laughed, pressed his lips to hers and lost himself in the world that belonged to them alone.
AN: I know it's a cop out – no one in the Order dies, and yes I know that compromises realism etc, but I cried buckets in the Deathly Hallows when Fred, Remus and Tonks dies, and I couldn't bear to do that to myself hehe. So I decided to have a happy ending (I'm the author of Conflict and Conspiracy, I can do what I want lol). So anyway, my lovely readers, only one more chapter to go – so leave me a review! Let me know what can be improved and all that shizzle. Go on, you know you want to…love Petitesorciere.