To start... I'm really sorry about the updating, or rather lack there of. Band camp caught up with me and then I sprained my ankle and Achilles tendon on the same foot the other day. So my bad. I think it is worth the wait though.
Okay, the reviews on the last chapter were hysterical. A few of your predictions are going in the right direction. Someone said they thought Draaco would kill Nagini. Honestly, I hadn't even thought about that but I definitly want Neville killing Nagini. I loved that scene.
So thank you for all the reviews. I cried when I wrote it so I hoped it was angsty enough.
Also this is probably the last chapter. I might throw an epilogue in to set up the sequel which will be happening. More on that at the bottom.
Also I dedicate this chapter to anyone who has read this story and stuck through it until the end.
Well, time to find out if Draco is really going bad...
The world was fading in and out.
I'm not going to hurt you.
I'll tickle you.
Laugh Hermione, it's funny.
I don't know either... so don't even ask.
Draco was gone now. Malfoy was back.
A dark arm wrapped around my shoulders and I looked over at Blaise Zabini.
"He... I... I love-," I tried to say.
"I know," Blaise replied simply.
The dark Italian boy let me silently cry in his arms for almost a full minute before a familiar voice pulled me from my sorrow.
"Just because Harry's gone doesn't mean we should stop fighting! People die everyday! They're still with us! Remus, Tonks! Don't let their deaths have been in vain!" Neville's words woke me up.
This wasn't over, not yet.
I stood, albeit shakily, but stronger than I was a minute ago. There was a moment of stunned silence as Neville reached into the sorting hat... and pulled out the sword of Gryffindor. Neville, as in can't remember his robes Neville, pulled out the sword of Godric Gryffindor.
And then it was chaos.
Harry dropped from Hagrid's arms, landed on his feet and sent a blast of fire toward Nagini. Unfortunately that didn't work. But he was alive! Harry started towards us, then turned around and stunned another death eater.
"Harry! Move!" Ron screamed.
Voldemort was distracted by some order members, allowing me time to run towards my best friend.
"Hermione, you have to get Draco!" Harry ordered.
I froze and just stared at him. Battles were erupting all around us, but I could only look at Harry in complete shock. Had he somehow missed what just happened?
"Why?" I managed to choke out.
In response Harry held up his wand, or rather Draco's wand.
And just like that, the pieces clicked together. My boyfriend had given Harry his wand, leaving himself completely defenseless in the midst of a battle.
"Hermione! Help me! Please!"
And there they were, the screams I never wanted to hear again. With speed I didn't know I possessed I ran towards them.
"You blood traitor! Crucio! And to think I called you my nephew! Crucio!" Bellatrix snarled.
"Stop! Ple-," the rest of his words were stolen by another heart wrenching scream.
The curse flew at him again and I threw myself in front of it, taking it straight in the chest. I was vaguely aware of my wand falling from my grasp through the haze of intense agony.
Then the black haired witch went flying back. Fights continued around me, but I heard none of them as I rolled to look at the blond Slytherin. He pressed my wand into my hand once again
Draco twitched as the residual effects of the cruciatus shot through him. I tried to speak, but couldn't. His gray eyes met mine, for once completely unguarded. Pain and anger was visible, but most of all they pleaded with me to forgive him.
In response I grabbed his hand and we stood together.
"Inside!" I yelled.
Together we ducked around smaller skirmishes and into the Great Hall. I saw Mrs. Weasley shoving Ginny aside, then a lifeless Bellatrix falling to the ground. Neville was fighting three death eaters. I disarmed one of them and handed Draco the wand.
"Hermione! I'm sorry! I really didn't mean-," he started.
"Not now," I snapped.
The words were harsher than I meant them to be and he flinched.
"Just... stay with me. We'll get through this together and then your explanation better be a damn good one!"
He nodded and together we returned to the battle. Voldemort and Harry were nowhere to be found, even as we fought our way towards the courtyard.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted before slamming into me.
I stumbled back against Draco and the three of us fell to the floor.
"It's happening! Voldemort and Harry are fighting right now," He yelled.
"Get off of me!" Draco moaned from beneath us.
Ron helped me up and stared at the Slytherin, looking positively murderous.
"I- I should kill you!" Ron snarled. "But Harry said not to... yet."
With that he punched Draco, who fell back to the floor.
"I deserved that," he muttered.
I pulled him up just in time to watch Neville separate Nagini's body and head. Voldemort screamed and the connection between his and Harry's wand broke.
"It's over Tom," Harry said wearily. "Expelliarmus!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
No one moved. The green light sped towards Harry, Harry's red light sped towards Voldemort. They hit, but rather than connecting, the killing curse rebounded. Voldemort's snake like pupils widened in shock, before he fell to the ground, dead.
There was the sound of wands hitting concrete. Every death eater held their hands in the air. Many blinked and looked thoroughly confused.
"We won!" Ron cried.
I thought about Remus and Tonks, Colin Creevey, Snape, and the many other dead. The fact that Draco and I might not be able to maintain a relationship after this.
"No one won Ron. They only lost more than we did," I murmured.
"Reparo," Harry said as he pointed the Elder wand at his Phoenix wand.
It snapped back together, as good a new. There was a crack as Harry snapped the elder wand in half and cast it over the bridge.
"Can someone please explain your plot so I can decide whether to kiss or murder my boyfriend?" I asked.
"It was Potter's fault," Draco muttered.
"It was," Harry stared at the ground. "I knew there was a distinct possibility I would survive."
"And you told ferr- I mean Malfoy but not us!" Ron yelled.
"Think about it Ron, the first people that others are going to look at when they see me 'dead' is you two. And no offense but neither of you can't mask your emotions worth crap. Then people would have found out and my ruse would be up," Harry ran his hands through his messy hair.
"Potter was going to need a wand and he wasn't going to get one from anyone else," Draco continued.
"We could have gotten him one!" Ron snarled.
"No," I muttered, finally understanding their plan. "Voldemort was only going to accept some people. A Weasley and a muggle born were definitely not going to be welcomed, but a Malfoy would be."
The blond nodded.
"My mom signalled that he was alive. It was just a subtle head nod. So... I-," Draco tried to say but instead buried his face on his hands.
"He needed to get me his wand Hermione. Otherwise I wouldn't have had a wand or the elder wand's power," Harry added.
"I used almost the horcrux's exact words hoping you might notice something was off."
"Hold on. Malfoy had to get Harry a wand so the elder wand's power would be Harry's. To do that he pretended to switch sides, breaking Hermione's heart in the process and risking his life. All for the greater good of wizarding society?" Ron was stunned.
"Just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I can't be brave," Draco muttered with a not so subtle eyeroll.
"That's why you hugged him before you went to the forest," I realized.
"Hermione, you have to forgive him. I told him to," Harry pleaded.
"I understand if you won't. What I said was-,"
"Just shut up!" I sighed.
He looked utterly defeated until I crashed my lips against his, pulling back only when Harry made gagging noises.
"I forgive you, and I especially loved the self sacrificing Gryffindor crap," I whispered to him as I relaxed against his strong chest.
"I love you so much."
"I love you more."
"Doubtful," he smirked.
"Can we push them into the lake?"
We sprung apart and glared at the laughing Weasley twins.
"Come one, it'll make you wet faster," George smiled cheekily.
"I don't think they need help with that," Fred added.
"Not another word!" I snapped, blushing furiously.
"You never know Hermione maybe-," Draco's smirk broadened.
"I will beat the hell out of you if you don't shut up right now!"
"Awe! Dramione!" The twins cooed.
"Eww! The thought of them having... doing that," Harry groaned, rubbing his eyes furiously.
"Harry!" Ron yelled and squeezed his eyes shut tightly.
I kissed Draco again.
We lost our friends, our family, the people we loved. But we gained so much more. I got Draco, and Harry got Ginny, and Ron got... well Ron is still trying to find a girlfriend. Sometimes I want to forget, but then I look at the man holding my hand I remember why I can't. Through pain I found love, through torture I found rescue, through lies I found the truth. I found Draco, and Draco found me.
And we thought our story was over. Turns out it has only just begun.
So... worth the wait?
So a sequel will be up eventually. It might not be until the end of October because of band and school (ugh). Sorry. But there will be one... promise. Ill add another chapter on this when that's up to let you all know.
I'm really sad this is over, but it's just the beginning right?
Thank you so much! Gosh I'm going to cry now.
Please review. it will fill the empty hole left in my heart by this story ending:(
Have a great school year, or whatever it is you are doing. Good luck!