The Ending…

Hermione POV

I ran around, frantically searching for my friends. Harry should have been back by now, and Talia wasn't in the Hospital wing like she should have been. I ran into Ronald and hugged him.

"What's going on? I can't find anyone, and—"

"You need to come out into the courtyard with me." He said, his face looking solemn.

"What is it? Is Harry out there?"

"Yeah, just come on." And he guided me to the courtyard, where a crowd was gathering. I looked up to the sky where the Dark Mark was floating in the clouds, and gave a little start. Ron put his hand on my shoulder, make me feel safe. When we got to the front of the crowd, where Ginny was, I saw what everyone was gathered for. It was SO not something I was expecting.

Dumbledore was dead.

I silently started to cry, and then looked around for Harry. When I saw him walk up, I was so relieved it hurt. But then I thought about how he must've been feeling. He knelt down beside the lifeless Headmaster, and straightened his hair. I was about to go to him, but then I thought of someone better. I turned to Ginny.

"Go to him, Ginny." She gave one nod, knelt down next to Harry, and pulled him to her. He clung to her as if his life depended on it, and looking up at Ron, I hoped that someday I would have someone like that.

Ron POV

Hermione was so scared. And, frankly, so was I. I put a hand on her shoulder, hoping to comfort her, but I wasn't sure if it had worked. I was such a git to her, it wouldn't surprise me if it hadn't. I had a feeling that this was just the beginning of the shit hitting the fan. Later, when everyone went to bed, the four of us lingered a bit so we could talk about what happened.

"They took Talia." Was the first thing Harry said. We all stopped to stare at him.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters. Snape. Malfoy. They took her." Ginny covered her hands in her mouth in horror.

"Do you think they'll kill her?" She asked. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but what he said next was the worst possible thing.

"No. It's even worse than that. You guys, they know she's a Siren. Greyback was with them, and he could smell it on her."

"God. They'll torture her." Said Hermione.

"Well, at least until she agrees to help him." Harry said, but I shook my head.

"You know she'll never do that, right? She'd rather die." I said. They all nodded.

"You guys, we have to save her." Said Ginny. Hermione had something else to say.

"Wait a sec, guys. We KNOW Talia would rather us wait and kill Voldemort, first. She'd murder us if she knew we put her first."

"But how can we just leave her there?" I said.

"Well, she does have Malfoy." Ginny said. That was the most surprising thing I'd heard all night. Hermione looked at her warningly, but Ginny didn't care.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, before I had a chance to. Hermione sighed.

"Talia and Malfoy have been… seeing each other." And then Harry and I lost it. It wasn't my proudest moment, yelling and shouting like that, but I couldn't help it. The thought of Talia betraying us like that…

"You guys, it wasn't like that." Ginny said, and Harry and I stopped yelling, though both still furious.

"What do you mean, it wasn't like that? How could she sleep with ANY Slytherin, let alone one who's been giving us crap for the last six years, and I have PROOF now that he's a Death Eater—" Harry was ranting again, but Hermione stopped him with impossible words.

"They're in love. It's not just about sex with them, it never was. She changed him, you guys. Yes, he's a Death Eater. But he would NEVER hurt her; I've seen it in his eyes. You have to believe me. Believe us. Talia loves him. He'll keep her safe." We had no choice but to trust her words. And as much as we didn't like it, they were right. Voldemort HAD to be top priority, Talia would want it this way.

But we WOULD save her. I didn't know how, or when, but we would.

Ginny POV

I couldn't believe Talia was with those people. The things they would do to her if she refused them… and God knew she would. She was too stubborn. After talking some more, we decided to go up to bed. Harry and I walked hand in hand the whole way. I knew that all this stuff that was happening was so awful, but I couldn't help but feel excited that Harry and I were finally together. I had loved Harry for such a long time now. I felt bad for Hermione, though. I knew how much she wanted to be with Ron.

But my excitement didn't last. Before I headed up the stairs to my bed, Harry stopped me. He pulled me into a kiss, a sweet, wonderful kiss, and then looked at me.

"I have to tell you something." He said.

"What is it?"

"I'm leaving during the summer. I have to look for these last horcruxes, and I HAVE to save Talia."

"I understand." He looked momentarily surprised, but recovered pretty quickly.

"Really? Because if Ron and Hermione want to come, you know there's no stopping them. But I can't let you come, it'll be too dangerous."

"It's okay, I get it. Just kill this bastard and bring Talia home." I said, and he smiled.

"You're the best, you know that?"

"Yeah, well." I said, walking away. But then I had a thought. "Hey, Harry? When you guys are on this adventure, can you do something about Ron and Hermione? I'm sick of them being so damn stubborn." He smiled.

"I'll do what I can."

Harry POV

"He wouldn't have done it, you know. Draco." Hermione said. I nodded.

"I know. He was lowering his wand. In the end it was Snape. It was always Snape." I said. I had just stood there, not doing anything. Maybe I could have saved him… and Talia. Now because of me, they're both gone. Hermione came over to me, and studied the locket.

"It's strange. Thinking this is a piece of Voldemort's soul…"

"Yeah, strange. Only, it's not. It's a fake." And I pointed right to it. "Go on, open it." Hermione found the note, and read it out loud.

"'To the Dark Lord. I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. R.A.B.'" She looked up at me. "R.A.B.?"

"I don't know. But whoever they are, they've got the real horcrux. Which means all of this was a waste." Hermione looked away.

"Ron's okay with it, you know. You and Ginny. But if I were you, when he's around, I'd keep the snogging to a minimum." She said, probably trying to lighten the mood. I smiled a little for her sake, but I still didn't feel very light.

"I'm not coming back, Hermione." She nodded.

"We reckoned, Ron and me."

"I have to finish what Dumbledore started. I'm not sure where that will lead me, but I'll let you guys know where I am. When I can." Hermione and Ron shared a look, and then Hermione spoke.

"I've always admired your courage, Harry. But sometimes, you're really thick." I looked at her, faking surprise. I knew it was a long shot, trying to go it alone, but I had to try anyway. "You don't honestly think you can find all these horcruxes by yourself, do you? You need us, Harry." Finally, I smiled.

"Yeah, I do." We walked down and out onto the grounds, taking in the scenery as if for the last time. Hermione must have felt the same way.

"Do you think we'll ever come back?" She asked. I walked up right next to her, and by looking at her face, I could tell she was trying really hard to be strong. I think we all were. I gave her hand a brief squeeze and answered her truthfully.

"I don't know."

Draco POV

None of this was supposed to happen. Talia wasn't supposed to be here. But she was, and what made things worse was that they knew exactly what she was. And it was all my fault. The things they were going to make her do… but of course, she wouldn't. She was so stubborn. It's one of the things I loved about her. Once we reached the end of the boundaries, I fell back a little so we were behind everyone, and turned to her.

"Have you ever apparated before?" I asked her.

"No, I was supposed to take the test this summer." She said, and I could tell how terrified she was.

"We're about to apparate, okay? Be ready, it isn't easy the first—" But she cut me off.

"What's going to happen to me, Draco?" Somehow, I knew she wasn't talking about apparating. I looked into her beautiful, icy blue eyes, and told her the truth.

"I don't know. But it will be alright, okay? Trust me." She answered with such belief that it almost killed me.

"I do."

Talia POV

As we landed, I felt something twist in a very wrong way in my ankle. Why was it always my ankle? Between that, the sudden lurch in my stomach, and the lightheadedness, I could hardly stand on my own. I grabbed on tight to Draco, hoping he would never leave me.

"You okay?" He whispered. I nodded, trying to be strong.

"I think I twisted my ankle again." He gave me a short, brief smile.

"You and that Bloody ankle." And then he put his arm around my waist to help me walk.

"Come along Draco, we need to introduce the Dark Lord to his new guest." Bellatrix shouted from somewhere in front of us. I looked up to see this huge, black gate in front of us. Bella waved her wand, and we were somehow able to walk right through it. And around us were towering walls of bushes, like a maze. As we made our way closer to my prison, I gripped Draco's hand tighter and tighter. And the whole time, under his breath, he was whispering, "It will be okay." And finally we stopped. I looked up to the tall, menacing, black mansion, where I would be spending my captivity.

Malfoy Manor.

A.N. Dun dun dun! Sorry if it's a crappy ending, I gave up after five minutes of staring at the computer screen. I'll try and get the next one up as soon as possible, so just be patient.