Chapter Twenty One

Once More, With Feeling

There was no way to describe the rush of feelings pounding through Draco's chest as his eyes met Ginny's. Relief was certainly one of the top few. Next came worry. For her, of course. He was had just suffered more than a few hours of torture. He had a curious desire to see her spared that torture.

Ron and Harry typically went after Voldemort together but it suddenly seemed that the entire Death Eater force was there.

Lucius and Narcissa seemed to disappear into the recesses of the room as Bella and Fenir dominated the fighting.

Draco ached everywhere but he stumbled to his feet, looking for a wand, a weapon, anything. He had to do something

A hand, warm and freckled, closed around his upper arm, helping him gently, but firmly to his feet.

He looked up to see the smiling face of Ginny Weasley.

"Well hello, Princess," he croaked in a voice raw from unvoiced screams.

"Hello Galahad."

"I see Luna's nickname is sticking."

"I rather like the idea of dating the perfect knight."

Draco was going to say something witty. The spell came from nowhere, bright red, hitting Ginny in the side. She slid from his grasp to slam against the wall. The force had lifted her several feet off the ground and she hit the wall shoulder first, several feet off the floor.

Draco heard something crack then Ginny's limp form (not lifeless sweet god not lifeless please) slide to the floor to lie in a (not lifeless she's alive not lifeless) heap on the ground.

Ginny lay on the floor in a crumpled pile, her crimson hair lying about her like blood.

Her wand was in Draco's jacket pocket.

He was wearing the same suit jacket from the ball. Somehow Ginny had slipped her wand into his pocket in the commotion.

He drew the wand, facing Ginny's assailant.

Bellatrix Lestrange grinned dementedly at him through dirty hair. Bella had always been a little crazy in his book but now he merely saw a murderer.

"You bitch," he muttered, raising the wand to point at her temple.

Bella cackled. "You don't have the strength, little boy!"

Draco remained there, point fixed on his aunt.

"You think you can kill me?"

"I don't have to..." Draco whispered.

He threw a spell at her. It was a simple repulsion charm. Bella could have countered it but it wasn't what she was expecting so the spell threw her back a good thirty feet. The battle seemed to have stopped to watch them. Draco was barely aware of the fact that Voldemort was dead and gone as was most of the enemy.

Bella recovered her balance before the spell slammed her into a wall. She smirked at Draco and ran at him.

"Accio," Draco whispered.

Bella jerked as the sword slammed into her. The tip entered between the third and forth rib. It caught as it tried to pull through her towards Draco. Bella, blood spilling out her lips, stared at her nephew in horror.

The sword tugged again and Draco flicked Ginny's wand.

The sword pulled through Bella's stomach in a shower of blood before clattering to the ground as Draco released the spell.

For a moment there was silence as Bella toppled to her side.

Without a word, Draco walked over to the crumpled form of Ginny Weasley. He lifted her in his arms as the crowd watched. Then, after one last look to his parents, he left.

The End

Seriously.

I didn't really think I'd end it here, but there you go. The frickin' end.