Chapter 48

Draco climbed out of the cool water, soaked to the bone. He was tempted to collapse on the ground in pure exhaustion, but after seeing the tired state of his girlfriend, he decided against it. Instead, he pulled her into his chest, to allow her to rest against him. She gave him a gratified smile, as she drew her wand and dried them both, before doing the same for Ron and Harry.

The Chosen One was busy applying protection spells around them, while Ron was using dittany to cure his various injuries, before passing the bottle on to Hermione so she could do the same.

"Well, on the up side we got the Horcrux," Ron sighed after a moment. "On the down side-"

"-no sword," Harry finished for him, as Ron went on a rant about the Goblin who had double crossed them.

"To be fair, Bill did warn us about making deals with goblins," Hermione chided gently. She had been against the whole deal to begin with, saying it was wrong for them to lie to Griphook about when he would be able to get the sword.

Harry dumped the Horcrux on the ground, and as the setting sunlight hit it, it glistened in the light, catching all of their attentions.

Draco took a gulp of the pumpkin juice that Harry had handed him before saying, "What are we going to do with it?"

"Well at least we don't have to wear it around our necks this time," Ron said, somewhat lightly.

Hermione however, seemed focused on something else. She looked across the lake, lifting her head from Draco's chest, to where the dragon was currently sitting. "What do you think will happen to it? Do you think it will be alright?" she asked in a worried tone.

He chuckled softly, "Hermione, it's a dragon, it will be fine. Besides, you're starting to sound like Hagrid."

When she failed to look convinced, Ron gave it a shot. "I think you should worry more about us."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she shot him a worried look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know how to break this to you," he said in all seriousness, "but I think they might have noticed that we broke into Gringotts."

A laugh erupted from him, and soon, all of the four were laughing at the ridiculousness of the entire situation. It was Hermione who recovered first, as she voiced her concerns about Voldemort finding out about the break in, while Ron assured her that it wouldn't happen.

Draco was busy watching Harry, who quickly drew himself out of the conversation, and looked as if he were worlds away. He immediately knew that his friend was being sucked into Voldemort's head, and if that was happening, it couldn't be good.

Less than a moment later, he recovered. "He knows," Harry said in an oddly calm voice. "He knows, and he's going to check on all the others, and the last one, is at Hogwarts. I knew it. I knew it!" his voice rising at the last bit.

"What did you see?" Hermione asked, in an attempt to keep Harry calm. "How did you know?"

"I saw him find out about the cup," Harry said, filling in what had happened to him when he zoned out. "He's seriously angry, but he's also scared too. He's going to check on all the Horcruxes, starting with the ring first. He'll go to Hogwarts last, because he thinks it's safe there because Snape is guarding it, but he could still be there within hours."

Draco felt his chest clench at the mention of his Godfather. It had been nearly a year since he had seen Severus, and the last time he had, his Godfather had betrayed him, he had betrayed all of them, and Draco wasn't sure how he would react at the sight of Severus. Draco had done his best to avoid thinking about him in the last few months, but if they were going to Hogwarts, a confrontation would be hard to avoid.

When he tuned back into the conversation, Hermione was attempting to dissuade Ron and Harry from charging into Hogwarts. "We can't just go, we haven't got a plan, and we need to-"

"When have our plans ever worked?" Harry asked her exasperatedly. "Besides, he could move it, we need to go now."

"How are we going to get in?" Draco asked finally.

"We go to Hogsmeade. Then we try to work something out with the protection spells and try and get around them. We can go under the cloak."

She gave him a weird look. "We barely fit in with just the three of us, how will the four of us even manage to fit under there? It's not going to work, Harry."

"It's dark," Harry said. "No one's going to notice our feet. Draco, tell her to get under so we can go already," he said, giving Draco a meaningful look.

Hermione looked to Draco, but he simply shook his head. "Hermione, you know as well as I do that this is our best shot. It's risky, I know, but we have allies at Hogwarts. We just need to find them and enlist their help. The war is going to come to Hogwarts, whether we're there or not."

She sighed, but got under the cloak. The four of them barely fit, but somehow they made it work.

As his feet hit the ground at Hogsmeade, a horrid scream echoed through the village. Draco felt like hitting his head. He should have known that the town would have some sort of alarm ward around it.

The door of the Three Broomsticks burst open and Death Eaters began to pile out onto the streets, as they held their wands raised and ready to shoot.

"Accio Cloak," one of the Death Eaters roared out.

Draco held on tightly to the fabric, terrified that it would expose them where they stood. To his surprise, the cloak made no motion to leave, and stayed around them.

"Spread out, he's here," The Death Eater commanded, and immediately six Death Eaters charged towards them.

"We have to leave now," Hermione whispered. "We can find another way back."

"There's no leaving, Potter! We'll find you!" a Death Eaters said cheerfully.

"We can't they were ready for us," Draco said, attempting to keep his voice level.

He heard the Death Eaters mention using Dementors, and immediately froze up.

"We're going to have to try to disparate," Hermione said softly. However as the words left her mouth, an immediate, unnatural coldness consumed the street. They were stuck and they couldn't leave. Silently, the four made an effort to move away from the area; however it seemed as if the Dementors could sense their presence, as they approached the four rapidly.

Before Draco could prevent him, Harry cast his patronus, calling the attention of all the Death Eaters in the area.

He heard a rapid turning of bolts, and a whispering, "Potter, in here, quick." Harry obeyed quickly, and Draco followed, making sure Hermione was in front of him first. "Upstairs, keep the Cloak on, keep quiet," the man said once more in his rough voice.

Draco looked around a room which he immediately recognized as the Hog's Head.

"So what?" The barman bellowed from below them. "You send Dementors down my street, and I send a patronus after it as protection. I'm not having 'em after me, I'm not having it."

"It wasn't your patronus! It was a stag, it was Potter's," one of the Death Eaters insisted.

"Stag! You idiot! Expecto patronum," he yelled out in his deep voice, causing his patronus to charge down the street.

"Something obviously set it off," Another one said.

The men argued back and forth for a few more moments, however in the end they seemed to accept his explanation. The barman made his way back into the room.

"What were you thinking, coming here? You bloody fools!"

"Thank you," Harry said sincerely. "You saved our lives, more than once." Draco looked up at him in confusion. "It was you who sent Dobby, wasn't it?"

"Thought he'd be with you. Where've you left him?" The man said.

Draco studied his face; there was something oddly familiar about him, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

"He's staying with Bill Weasley and his family for the time being," Harry said.

Suddenly, Draco placed him. "You're Aberforth," He said in a surprised tone, causing the barman to look up at him.

Aberforth gave him one look, and it was clear that it was the first time he had seen him after entering the room, as his entire face became cold and hard.

"Why do you have a Malfoy with you, especially one that the world is supposed to have been rid of?" Aberforth said in a dark voice.

"He's on our side," Harry said firmly.

"Was that before or after he let in all the Death Eaters that murdered my brother into the school? He may not have said the spell, but he as good as killed Albus."

Draco's throat tightened. It was the first time he had realised what that night would have seemed like to those who weren't in on the plan.

Hermione grabbed his hand tightly, and held it firmly in her own, "Before," she said, drawing his attention to her.

"Look here, little girl, just because the boy wooed you with some pretty words doesn't make him any less guilty. He's a Death Eater, the entire lot of 'em can't be trusted," he said in a rough voice.

Anger flashed in her eyes. "No, you look here. You may be his brother, but that does not give you the right to presume what happened that night. Draco let in the Death Eaters under Albus' orders. He's been on our side for over a year and has never once betrayed us, even though he has had plenty of opportunities to do so. I'm not some silly girl who can be swayed easily with words. I'm Hermione Granger, and I'm the brightest witch of my age; it takes a lot to fool me. You and Albus are family, and it's clear what the difference between the two of you are, so what makes the difference between Draco and his family any different? Do not presume to know him." She said firmly, never once letting go of her grip on him. "And if you still do not believe in him, you can ask McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Bill Weasley, Andromeda Tonks; hell any of the Weasleys, or anyone in the Order."

Draco stared at her astounded. He knew she cared for him, but no one had ever said anything of the sort for him in the past.

Aberforth simply grunted. "Whatever. But the matter still stands that you lot coming here was foolish, especially you, Potter. You should be anywhere but here; you should be half way across the world.

"Dumbledore gave me a task, and I need to do it," Harry said strongly, as he moved closer to where Draco was, as an effort to show his support for the boy. "He wanted me, and only me, to do it."

Aberforth's eyes gleamed. "My brother wanted a lot of things. And people had a habit of getting hurt while he was carrying on with his all too grand plans. But he's gone where none of this can hurt him, and you don't owe him anything."

"You don't understand," Harry said quietly.

"Oh don't I? You don't think that I knew my own brother? You think you knew him better than I did?" Aberforth challenged.

Draco knew that they were losing time in his argument. But it was something that both Harry and Aberforth clearly needed to get out of their systems. Ever since Harry had found Skeeter's books, he had been conflicted with himself about how well he really knew his old Headmaster. Talking to Aberforth might give him the closer he needed. Draco listened silently as Aberforth launched into the story of his sister Ariana and her death.

"I don't believe it; Dumbledore loved Harry," Hermione said in response to Harry being thought of as dispensable by Dumbledore.

"Oh?" Aberforth asked, as he raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't he tell you to run? Why didn't he ask you to survive?"

"Because sometimes you have to think about the greater good! You have to give up you own safety because it's a war we're in."

"You're seventeen!" Aberforth argued.

The banter continued back and forth for several more minutes, before Aberforth seemed to cave in. He turned to the painting of his sister and uttered, "You know what to do." The young woman turned and disappeared down the path of the painting, until she was simply a tiny dot. After a few moments, she seemed to be returning, however there was another dot. As the dot grew; Draco identified it as a person; Longbottom.

"I knew you'd come! I knew it, Harry!" Longbottom said enthusiastically as he hugged the boy. Longbottom turned to Hermione and Ron before hugging them as well. Longbottom noticed the presence of Draco, and turned to him. "Malfoy?" Longbottom was one of the few students that had known of his true alliances because of the battle the night of Dumbledore's death. "I assumed you would be with your aunt."

Draco shook his head. "No, I wanted to help them in any way I can, so I decided to go with them."

Neville nodded. "Well best be getting you back then." He turned and lead them through the passage, while chatting animatedly with the Harry, Ron, and Hermione about their various times and the adventures which they had over the last year. As Draco listened, the conversation shifted to the Carrows, who had apparently taken over teaching a few of the classes during the school year.

"-practice the Cruciactus Curse on people who've earned detentions-" Neville said, catching his attention. His eyes snapped up to the boy who he had tormented in the past.

"What?" He, and the other three, asked in shock at the same time.

As Longbottom explained that one of his gashes had been as a result of disobeying the Carrows, Draco couldn't help but wonder how Severus allowed this.

Severus Snape was in no way an innocent person. He had tortured and cursed his fair share of people, however he rarely harmed any children. The Severus he knew wouldn't allow any of this to happen, especially since he was the Headmaster and had the power to control the punishments.

'The Severus you knew wouldn't have killed Dumbledore and betrayed you as well as the rest of the Order for Voldemort, especially after convincing you to go to Dumbledore in the first place' Draco thought bitterly to himself. 'I guess I didn't really know him then.'

The passageway seemed to end, and Neville opened the opposing portrait, to let them all out. There were immediate screams of recognition among the inhabitants of the room.

"Is that Harry Potter?"

"Oh good Merlin, Ron's with them!"

"It's Hermione! Of course she would be with them; can you imagine them trying to do this without her?"

"Is that Draco Malfoy?"

"I thought he was dead?"

"I heard that he was pretending so he could be You-Know-Who's special weapon as he trains in secret."

"I don't care what he is, he's super attractive. Do you think he's dating anyone?"

"Lisa! He's a Death Eater! Seriously, you have the worst taste in guys. Besides, can't you see how close he is to Hermione? There's obviously something going on there."

"I thought he was gay…"

Draco listened to the commentary of the room, half amused, half worried of their reactions to him. Rumours about their whereabouts and their actions had begun to spread amongst the room, with Longbottom adding to the excitement by filling in the bits he had found out only moments before.

"Guys, guys, you need to quiet down," Neville said in a loud voice, displaying more confidence than Draco had ever seen the boy, no, the man ever have. "Yes, that is Harry, Ron, and Hermione. And yes, that is Draco Malfoy. Now before you start saying anything, he's on our side."

"How can you be so sure?" a blonde Draco recognised as Cormac McLaggen bellowed out. A chorus of shouts supporting Hermione's Christmas date rang through the room.

"Because I trust him," Harry said in a loud firm voice. "And I know him better than any of you here. You have to take my word for it; just as you have to take my word that I am doing everything I can to bring down You-Know-Who, which is why we're here."

"What do you need?" Neville asked eagerly. "We can help you."

Before Harry could answer, the tunnel door opened once more, and out walked Lovegood and Thomas. They must have come from the cottage. Where were Blaise and Theo? Were they already on their way, or had they just decided not to come all together?

While Draco pondered upon this, Harry was struggling against the crowd, trying to explain to all of them why he couldn't possibly reveal the truth of the matter to them. But it seemed to do no good to the eager group, as they all wanted nothing more than to help.

Harry looked conflicted, and Draco knew that it was about revealing the truth of their search to so many people.

"Don't tell them the whole truth," he advised. "Tell them what you need, but not what it is or why you need it. It's better that way; if everyone knows, it will raise panic and fear. This way we can make sure nothing gets out of hand."

Hermione didn't seem to like that idea, but Harry and Ron both seemed to accept it, if only just a little.

"Secrets and lies," Harry quoted in a low voice. He turned out to face the room, and immediately caught all of their attentions. "I need an object of Ravenclaws."

A/N: For the most part, the Final Battle will be written is point of views that don't recap what happened in the novel. I don't want to have to rewrite everything, because most of it was so well done. However, there will be some parts that will be written again, however, if this happens it will include the presence of Draco, affecting it in some way major.