A/N: Before I start this chapter, I wish to clarify one thing. I received a review on the last chapter saying that Hermione was stupid for telling Draco not to kill his aunt, and it was only putting them in more danger. The reason I made that scene play out the way it did, was because Hermione was worried for Draco's soul. Hermione has always come off to me as a soft (even though she is amazingly strong character) person at times. If Draco were to kill his aunt, it would be out of spite and with the intent of revenge heavy on his mind. Killing to protect is one thing, killing out of malice is another. That is why I showed that Draco said he would fight his aunt to protect themselves, and if she died, it was because he was trying to keep Hermione safe. Killing with the intent to harm blackens the soul, and would make Draco no better than the Death Eaters, something he had been trying to avoid.
With that said, on to the next chapter!
Chapter 53
Draco stood in the Great Hall with Hermione by his side. So much had happened in such a short time, however it felt like it had been years instead of mere hours. His Godfather was standing off to the side with McGonagall, probably explaining everything that he had done to try and compensate for his actions.
Draco had forgiven his godfather instantly. There was no questioning it; however he still did need an explanation for what had happened. He may care for his godfather, but it did not excuse the things he did, and Draco needed to know why; why had Severus left him? Why had he killed Dumbledore? Why didn't Severus ever tell him?
He thought back to the conversation he had with Severus a short while ago.
"It's working!" Draco said in amazement as he watched the wounds from the snake heal on his godfather's skin. Draco stroked the bird that Dumbledore left him. Did Dumbledore know that Draco may need this bird one day to save someone he cared for one day? Did he know it would be his executioner that he saved?
Severus' eyes flashed open, and he looked around, unsure of what he was seeing.
"Am I dead?" he heard his former Potions' Master ask him as he tried to sit up where he lay.
Draco shook his head, as he handed him a cup of water which Hermione had filled for him only moments earlier. "No, Fawkes here saved you. Her tears healed your wounds. You're alive, Severus," he said, whispering the last part.
Severus took the cup from him and took a sip. After he was finished, he looked up and saw the proximity between him and Hermione, before smiling slowly. "I'm glad you found happiness, Draco. You deserve it, after everything you've been through in the last few years."
Draco smiled, but did not respond. It was finally sinking in that here Severus was, and that Draco would finally be able to ask him the questions he had wanted to for the last several months.
"Why did you do it?" he asked finally. "Why did you kill Dumbledore, after all your efforts to make sure I wouldn't have to? We had a plan! One that would have ensured Dumbledore's life; so why did you have to go against it all and kill him?"
Severus smiled sadly. "As I'm sure your friend, Potter, is viewing the memories that I gave him as we speak, I might as well tell you myself. I didn't think I would be alive long enough to explain myself, thus the memories."
"It started a few months before your sixth year. Dumbledore came to me, nearly hurdling over in pain, as he clutched his left hand. He showed it to me, bruised, bloodied, and broken. But that wasn't the worst of it; I could tell instantly that there was some dark magic infecting him, but the severity I didn't know as of yet. I had long known of his quest for the Horcruxes, and he had told me how he was following up on a lead which he had received earlier that summer. I did a couple tests on it, but it didn't take long to know that he was dying. If he had come to me a few hours earlier, I would have been able to cure him entirely, but unfortunately, I was unable to do so. All I could do was stop the dark magic from spreading entirely through his body, and for the time being, that was satisfactory. But as the months drew on, we both know that inevitable was going to happen. He was going to die and there would be nothing that could fix it."
"And then we found out about your problem. The Dark Lord intended for you to fail, so that he could kill you and punish your father. We didn't want worry you right away, but the two of us had been talking back and forth, trying to figure out how to help you. But there would be nothing; no way that could ensure that everyone lived."
"I was against the idea from the minute I heard it. He wanted me to kill him to save you, but there was nothing that could dissuade him from the notion. Kill him; an old man who was already dying, and save you, a young boy with so much potential. I knew everyone would hate me when I did it, and there would be no coming back from it, but it was the only way to save you, Draco. I have always cared for you, as if you were my own, and I would do anything to save you, even kill someone."
He hadn't even noticed that he had been shaking again, not until Hermione had held his hand to steady him from his motions.
"So what are you going to do when this is all over? What if no one believes you and they send you to Azkaban?" Draco questioned his godfather.
"Then it is the price I must pay," Severus said, as he shrugged. "Dumbledore said that he kept some memories safe to prove my innocence. But with that said, I am in no way an innocent man. I have committed many wrong things in my life and it would be my atonement for my actions."
He shook his head. "It's not right," he said in an angry manner. "You shouldn't have had to be placed into a position where you were forced to kill someone, and then have to pay the price because of a mercy killing."
"Didn't anyone ever tell you, Draco," Severus said, his voice void of any humor, "Iife isn't fair."
He stared at the bodies of so many that had been lost in this battle. The Weasleys were currently all huddled around the dead body of Fred Weasley, courtesy of his aunt Bellatrix. Hermione held his hand tightly as she paid her respects to the fallen body.
He heard a familiar voice call out loudly, "No! No, no, no, no, no! Remus, please! Don't be dead! I need you, I need you."
Draco turned to the cry and saw Tonks huddled over the dead body of her husband, holding him tightly as she sobbed for him. Hermione gave him a nudge and he knew that he had to go over there and help the little bit of family he had left.
He made his way to her, and took her into his arms. She looked up, and saw Draco holding her, and she grabbed on tightly to him.
"I can't do this without him," she said with a sob. "I can't raise Teddy all by myself. First they took my father, and now my husband. Who else are they going to take from me before it's all over? Who else are they going to take before they're satisfied?"
He held her tightly and stroked the back of her head. "I'm sorry, Tonks. I'm so sorry," he repeated to her.
"I can't let Teddy grow up all alone. I can't have that for him. But I can't go back either. Not while his murderer is still here. I need to be here to try and help this all come to an end."
"I know," he said softly. "It will all be okay; I swear it will. Just give it some time, Tonks. But for now, be safe. I'm not going to tell you to go home; it didn't work on Hermione, and I'm sure as hell that it's not going to work on you either. But with that said, I want you to do everything in your power not to die. Your mother is going to be one lonely woman if she loses you. And on top of that, I'm going to miss you. Tonks, you became like a sister to me in the little time that I have known you, and I need you."
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and saw that Hermione had joined them. She placed a comforting hand as well on Tonks' back.
"He fought bravely," she said, in reference to Tonks' dead husband. "And he will forever be remembered."
Her words seem to sooth his cousin, whose tears stopped flowing. She lightly pulled back from Draco, and she placed a hand over Remus'.
"Thank you both for everything," she said. "Hermione, I'm glad Draco has you. In times like these, a little love always makes everything slightly less grim."
He saw Hermione blush slightly as she nodded in response. "I understand," Hermione said. "Draco has been my rock through this entire fight. Hopefully, you will find the strength to pull through. But no matter what happens, we're all always here for you."
Draco looked up and saw a familiar figure sneaking through the background. "Hermione," he said urgently, as he realised who exactly he was seeing. "We have to go."
She seemed to understand what he was saying, and she followed him, as he led her through the crowd.
"Should we get Ron," he asked her while they followed the boy out of the room.
She shook her head. "No, he needs to be with his family right now."
Draco nodded, agreeing with her. He caught sight again of Harry, as he dodged through the crowd, obviously trying to sneak out before he was spotted. They had received their second warning from Voldemort about forty minutes ago, and in less than twenty, the war would be in full motion once more. He knew where the boy was going even without having talked to him; it was obvious he was attempting to sneak out so he could hand himself over to Voldemort personally. Whatever was in those memories that Severus had handed him had convinced him that he needed to go.
As they exited the Great Hall, he saw Harry talking to Neville Longbottom, "-kill the snake, Neville. Whatever you do, you must kill the snake," Harry was saying.
Longbottom looked confused out of his mind, but he nodded. "I will. But Harry, don't do anything stupid, okay?"
He could tell Harry was lying, even though he seemed to be agreeing with the other Gryffindor. Satisfied, Longbottom turned around and walked in the opposite direction.
"Where are you really going, Harry?" he asked, even though he knew the answer. His voice seemed to startle the boy who lived, causing him nearly jump before turning around suddenly.
"Draco, Hermione," he said, sounding nervous. "I thought you were in the Great Hall."
"We were, until Draco spotted you," Hermione said calmly.
"Is Snape…dead then?" Harry asked, in an attempt to change the subject, or at least draw the attention off from what he was trying to do.
"No," Hermione said softly. "Fawkes saved him. Trust me, it was a surprise for all of us when the bird showed up, but it means one less death today."
Harry looked nervous, "Yes, I know; the less deaths, the better."
Hermione burst into tears, unable to hold it in anymore, before wrapping her arms around Harry's neck. "You don't have to do it, you know. You can stay here and fight with us. Don't go to him; please."
He slid his arms around her back, as he placed his hands on the small of her back. Draco watched the scene, swallowing hard.
"Yes, I do," he whispered. "And I think you know that I have to as well, Hermione. It always came down to this; that I would have to face him and accept death. But after I die, and the snake is gone, Voldemort can be killed. I have to make this sacrifice for the greater good."
He heard his girlfriend begin to sob even harder. "I'll come with you," she said through her tears. "Let me keep you company, Harry. You shouldn't have to go alone."
Harry shook his head. "No, you and Draco, and Ron, need to be the ones who bring down Voldemort once and for all after my death. I need to die for this war to end, but none of you do."
He gently pushed Hermione off of him, but placed a hand on her arm. "Tell Ginny that I loved her. Tell Ron that he's been a brother to me. Tell the world what happened, and why I'm doing what I'm about to do."
She nodded, but did not say anything. Draco approached her to show his support, but did not touch her; not yet.
"Hermione, we've fought so many battles together, and I thank you for everything you've done for me. I love you, more than anything. You've been there for me through everything, even when I didn't deserve it. You're selfless, and brave beyond anything I've ever seen before. You wandered around the castle at night, just to find out about the basilisk, even though you were in the most danger because of who you were. You're fiercely loyal, even when you're having a spat with someone, like in third year when you told McGonagall about the Firebolt. You're intelligent; probably far too much for your own good, but you have never once thought that made you better than anyone else. You're compassionate, and always giving out chances to those who don't deserve it. But most of you've been a sister to me since I met you all those years ago, and I wouldn't trade the seven years I've had with you for anything in the world."
Hermione kissed Harry's cheek, "I love you, Harry. Being an only child I was always so alone, but meeting you and Ron made my life bearable, even if we were always fighting something. You're so loyal and noble, and I know that if your parents were here today, they would be nothing but proud of you. You deserve better than what life has handed you, but I've never heard you complain about the life you've been given."
Harry then looked at him. "Draco, even though we were enemies in school for so long, I want you to know that you've quickly become one of my closest friends. I didn't think I would ever see the day where we were anything more than civil, yet somehow we've managed to come together to fight a higher cause, and became friends in the process. Take care, Draco. And most of all take care of Hermione. Be happy in your life together, and enjoy every day. You both deserve nothing but happiness."
Draco felt a wave of sadness brush over him but gave Harry a smile. "Thank you, Harry. For everything you've done for me. If you didn't approach me last year, I don't even wish to think about what would have happened to me. You gave me a second chance at life when I thought it was hopeless. I won't forget what you've done for me, and I sure as hell will make sure that the Wizarding world never forgets your bravery and what you did for them."
Harry gave them both a sad smile before turning around and walking away, leaving them behind. Somehow, when Draco had thought of this moment, he never envisioned it hurting so much to see his friend walk to his death.
Before Harry, Hermione, and Ron, Draco had exactly two friends, Blaise and Theo. Draco cared for those boys a lot, and they had all known each other since they were younger. He knew those boys would go to the edge of the world for him, and he would do the exact same for them. But with the Golden Trio it was different. There was a different kindness in them, so much optimism and hope, more than Draco had ever seen in his entire career of a Slytherin.
Draco took Hermione into his arms, and she buried her face into his chest. They probably had less than ten minutes before the war was supposed to start up again, but with Harry going to Voldemort, who knew what would happen.
He wasn't stupid enough to believe that it would all end with Harry's demise. He wasn't stupid enough to believe the enticing words of Voldemort; that he would leave them all alone after Harry submitted himself to Voldemort.
He didn't know how many more would die or how much more pain they would suffer, but one thing was for sure; Voldemort would not win, and Draco would give everything he had to ensure that Voldemort fell, and his Death Eaters followed.
Draco held her, as her tears soaked through his robes, however he didn't say anything. What do you say to someone who knows that their friend is sacrificing themselves so the rest of the world could live? So he continued to simply hold her tightly until she was calm enough for them to head back to the great hall and wait for what would come next.
A/N: I know that scene where Hermione and Ron talked to Harry in the movie didn't actually happen in the books, but I found it to be so powerful and moving that I wanted to include my version of it in this story. Ron should have been there, yes, but at the minute he was so occupied with the death of his brother, he wouldn't have noticed Harry slipping out.
This chapter was so hard for me to write without getting emotional. I kept envisioning what I would have felt if I were one of the characters at this scene and it made me want to cry. I'd like to thank all of you for continuing to read this story, through all the different chapters. I've changed the direction I've wanted to go so many times since starting this story a year ago. While I knew how it would begin and end and several events along the way, the rest had many different possibilities, which only were determined when actually writing the story and only one possible outcome for each chapter fitted. I know I kept Tonks alive and that can be seen as cruel to make one suffer without their spouse, but I couldn't bear to kill her off. Honestly, if it were up to me, everyone would live, but I know that certain characters had to die to set certain wheels into motion.
Until next time,
-mayarox95