A/N: It's been nearly a year since I first started writing this story, and here we are at the end. Thank you to all you wonderful readers that have followed this story since the beginning. I hope you loved as much as I did while writing it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Quotes from Homer's Iliad.
Draco blinked and let his eyes adjust as he took in the room around him. The familiarity was startling as he quickly put together just where he was. He'd know this room anywhere. A small sitting room in the Manor meant for use in the family rather than a room meant to be shown off to guests.
He sat back against the soft loveseat before he turned his head and his gaze flitted out the window to his left.
The Gardens.
He smiled slightly as he recognized the rows upon rows of flowers before he felt a pang of sadness at the thought of their current ruined state.
He was only just beginning to question why on earth he'd dreamt this when the faint sound of a door opening and light footsteps forced his head to turn away from the window.
He stiffened at the sight of his mother.
These dreams. Her.
He was beginning to grow frustrated at himself for being unable to decipher the meaning behind them.
In truth, he'd long been dreams always seemed to carry a double meaning, and he swore that his mother seemed more aware of his presence than a memory ought to. Then there was his brief excursion behind the veil with his godfather and his aunt's reaction at his mention of these dreams…
There was something about his mother's death that he was missing. Something about what had happened that day…
His thoughts were interrupted as his mother came and sat, placing the tea tray in her hands on the table to her side.
"I'm glad you came down to join me. You'll be back at school soon enough, and then I won't be able to see you." She said softly.
Her words forced him to straighten as he placed the memory. The summer before his last year...right before he'd left and she'd been taken away.
There was so much he wanted to say. To just break the memory and simply ask, no demand, she talk to him as he suspected she was capable of. To answer his questions and solve this mystery...but instead he felt an indescribable sadness and the fear of everything that had happened... of everything that would happen when he woke…
"I'm scared Mum." He whispered.
Narcissa stilled looking up for a moment, her own blue eyes sparkling with a brightness that wasn't there a moment before. She stood swiftly and before he could process it she'd pulled him into a tight hug, letting him bury his face in her embrace. He closed his eyes inhaling her scent. Gods how he'd missed this.
"I know love. I know." She murmured stroking his hair in a way that was reminiscent of childhood and nightmares that woke him in the middle of a stormy night.
"But darling you're so much braver than you give yourself credit for. You'll be alright."
He shook his head, a different kind of determination coming over him now.
"Mum. This is real isn't it?"
Narcissa looked at him sharply, her eyes dancing across his face.
She didn't answer, but her silence was enough to prompt his next words.
This had definitely not been in the memory.
"Where are you? Are you trapped?"
Narcissa cupped her hands along his jaw.
"You know love that I'm never far from you."
"That's not a real answer."
She smiled slightly.
"You have always been too smart for your own good." She sighed, "If I could tell you more, I would." She shook her head, her eyes glassy once more.
"My dragon you'll be alright until I see you again." She murmured before pressing a kiss to his temple, "Keep safe."
His eyes fluttered open.
"Always." He murmured, pressing his fingers to his temple.
He turned slightly catching sight of Hermione stirring beside him.
She turned to her side, cuddling closer to him. She let out a breath as her eyes fluttered open for a moment.
"Draco?" she mumbled reaching out and wrapping her arms around his neck as she pulled him into her, "What's the matter love?"
He shook his head, taking her into his own arms.
"Just a dream."
She murmured something he couldn't quite make out before she turned her head up to meet his eyes. She blinked slowly, still half asleep but wanting to focus on him. "You're feverish." She said.
He smiled slightly pressing soft kisses to her forehead.
"I'm fine. Go back to sleep."
She shook her head before dropping it to rest on his shoulder and not even a minute later she'd drifted right back to sleep.
He sighed, tracing his fingers up and down her arm that was still firmly around his waist wishing he could fall back to dreams the same way.
It had been a strange morning to say the least. From the moment Hermione had woken up she could feel how the air around base had changed. There was a certain mix of anticipation and dread as the hours seemed to stretch slowly before them.
They'd be in the midst of battle soon.
Troops were already amassing in the nearby area and Hogwarts itself was seeing more activity in the last few hours than it had in the last 2 years.
Voldemort was going to strike them whether they were ready or not it seemed. Though with the 2 hour meeting they'd sat through yesterday they couldn't hope to be more prepared than they already were.
They'd drawn their positions for enacting their protective wards and planned the three waves of attack the resistance would launch at the castle.
They'd even planned to destroy the last horcrux and remove Harry's curse at the same time.
Yet, all of this did nothing to diminish the anxious energy that had gripped her since opening her eyes to morning.
Her eyes slid to the clock in the room as the hand approached 8am.
She let out a breath.
Draco had gone to Padma and after that he'd head to the other end of base with Ron, Neville, and Blaise in order to contain and destroy the horcrux. She would be breaking Harry's curse with Ginny and Theo at her side just in case…
She clenched her fists. She was confident she could do it, and in truth she felt guilty she wasn't more nervous. No. Her nerves were for everything after. Fighting. Not seeing Draco until the throes of the battle or after…
He'd known too. Felt it just as strongly. This morning had been proof of that. Kisses that had turned into wandering hands that had turned into the worshiping of bodies and a tangle of limbs.
Merlin that boy made her heart ache.
She shook her head wrapping her arms around her middle.
Gods let this go alright.
She scarcely thought of anything else until the door to the room opened and the rest of her team filled in.
She took out her wand and drew upon every scrap of bravery she still possessed in order to give Harry a reassuring smile.
"Ready?" she asked.
Harry looked at her, straightening with a determined expression on his face.
"As much as I'll ever be ." he murmured in reply before slipping out of his shirt and laying flat on his stomach on the stretcher she'd conjured.
Ginny came in closer gripping his hand tightly. She blinked, quickly averting her gaze to afford the couple a bit of privacy when she felt an arm settle across her shoulders pulling her in tight.
She let out a breath, and Theo flashed her a thin smile.
"You'll do fine." he said softly, "Now what do you want us to do?"
She nodded, relieved for his distraction and the opportunity to simply throw herself into actions instead of lingering and letting her thoughts run away from her.
"A protection ward. I don't know if there are any retaliation spells woven into this block, but better we be safe." She said, "And watch Harry. If it starts to be too much and we have to stop, his safety is priority."
Theo nodded dropping his arm and gently nudging her forward as Ginny tore herself away from Harry to flank the side opposite Theo.
"Here we go." she murmured as she began the spell and after a moment placed her wand's tip in the center of Harry's back.
He didn't scream.
She felt awful that she was grateful of the fact. Her vision blurred as unshed tears filled her eyes as Harry shook and twitched under her wand. She kept her voice as steady as she could as she continued to chant and trace the rune into Harry's skin.
Just a little longer.
The air thickened around them as her magic poured out of her and the block around Harry seemed to flare to life at being threatened.
Her marks were thin, surface level that when they'd scar they'd become thin light lines you'd have to squint to see them, but the more she made the worse she felt.
This is for Harry. This is for Harry.
Light continued out of her wand tracing the marks she had as she completed the rune.
She closed the mark and felt her breath catch as she fought against the block. The magic was running wild, flaring and fighting with her as it saw fit.
She vaguely made out yelling behind her, but the words were too faint to understand from the roaring in her ears.
Her hair flew around her as she pushed her own magic back and after a moment she felt a give. She let out a breath of relief before one last blast of magic sent her spiraling backwards as she ended the spell.
"Hermione." Theo fell beside her checking her over as she lifted herself up with a groan.
"I'm fine Theo." She stood slowly accepting his hand to steady herself.
She immediately ran over to Harry who seemed to have passed out momentarily.
Ginny had turned him over and propped his head as he groggily muttered to himself.
"Harry?"
He blinked and his gaze seemed to focus as he pulled himself up.
"How do you feel Harry?"she said placing a hand on his shoulder to steady him.
He let out a breath before he glanced at Ginny who without a word handed him his wand.
He clenched it tight before muttering under his breath and a lumos lit up the tip.
A sly smile spread across his face.
"Perfect."
Draco had to say that the dream he'd had this morning had certainly set the tone for the rest of the day. It had been one hurdle after another all edged with that familiar feeling of dread and determination that were so potent his own stomach was doing flips at their taste.
He and Padma had finished the potion soon after he'd woken the second time this morning. He'd of course gotten one more lecture on that.
He hadn't expected anything less. Deadman's Happiness was a risky potion that was liable to leave you in a state 10 times worse than you were before with the stipulations that no other interacting potions be taken before or immediately after.
He'd forgone taking it now. He wanted his 8 hours to start on the field not here.
He winced at the next onslaught of smoke.
He was on his way to regretting that decision right about now.
He watched as Weasley continued to struggle with the sword still pressing into the coin.
His arm was throbbing at the dark magic bleeding into the air and still more was coming. This wasn't good. Even at this distance a few feet away his head was starting to spin, and he swore there were whispers of traitorous thoughts that weren't his own sounding in his ears.
And he certainly wasn't the only one affected either.
Weasley was sporting a look that could only be described as pure torture, and Longbottom wasn't doing much better.
He huffed as his vision swam for a minute.
His containment wards would fail soon at this rate. He could hardly keep them for much longer.
He turned to catch Blaise's eye.
"Take the spell." He called out and at Blaise's nod he took off toward Weasley.
The closer he stepped the heavier his head grew as visions flooded his sight. He could see death and turmoil and the burning of several places and people he loved.
But he'd seen such things before.
He grit his teeth and threw up his Occlumency shields.
"I won't let you scare me anymore than I already am." He muttered as the howling in his ears increased until he could just about grasp the sword still in Weasley's hand.
Without thinking, her reached out and grabbed the hilt just above where the other had his hands.
Weasley blinked, momentarily brought back to awareness at the disturbance.
"On three." he shouted out and at his nod he began counting.
"One…"
This is for taking over my house.
"Two."
This is for destroying my family.
"Three." He screamed out as the two of them thrust the sword down hard hearing a crack as the coin split in two.
Rot in hell you bastard.
They both stepped back letting the sword fall with a clank to the floor as they caught their breaths.
Weasley straightened, meeting his gaze. He bit his lip before offering Draco a curt nod.
He returned it resisting the urge to smirk.
It seemed he'd won himself another Gryffindor ally. Hermione would be pleased.
He nearly laughed at the notion when he felt a sharp stab at his temples that brought him down to his knees.
Flashes of Hogwarts, the earth trembling, and the sound of a blood curling scream rang in his ears as he snapped his shields back up panting at the effort it took.
He blinked nearly an eternity later before a familiar dark face came into focus in front of him.
Blaise's hands were gripping his shoulders, steadying him as he deflated in relief at his focused gaze.
"He's here." He croaked out, "He's here and he knows."
They all stood nearly shoulder to shoulder glancing out at the forest before them. Hermione's eyes drifted up to the sky and the dark and angry clouds that had blocked out any semblance of blue or the sun from sight. It looked like a storm was brewing, but it was cold enough to snow. Though not a flake was visible.
She shook her head, wondering if perhaps even the weather could sense the turmoil going on on the ground and had turned to match it. She shivered at the icy breeze running through the trees and ruffling their hair as she reached out and took Draco's hand.
She could feel the ground trembling, no doubt from the many duels that had broken out in the minutes it had taken for Voldemort to realize what they'd done and order the first wave of attacks on Hogwarts and the surrounding area.
Kingsley had already positioned their fighters out around them.
They were all that were left lingering by base.
Even the healers had gone, taking anyone who wasn't sure of their fighting skills but wanted to help with healing with them to sparse camps at every point around the area.
She'd wished Padma well as she left wanting, if only a moment, to speak to the girl about the quiet blonde at her side. There hadn't been time. With the hectic arrival of others from around their other bases, the chaos had been too much to talk over.
She tore her eyes from the sky and glanced at the strange bunch they made.
Theo was at her right, clutching Daphne's hand. Something he hadn't stopped doing since she arrived not five minutes before.
Then Blaise and Luna, Ron and Pansy, Ginny and Harry, and of course Draco on her left.
Though that wouldn't be for long.
They were going in pairs to each of the specified points before joining the battle, and to increase their odds they'd decided to split from one another.
They were the most capable at forming the runes, and splitting up meant two points with strong wards instead of just one.
Though she wondered if she could handle the separation. They hadn't been apart for so long in some time, and now she was even more worried at not seeing him throughout the battle much less the end of it.
She heard the others offering goodbyes as they went to stand next to their assigned partners.
Draco clutched her hand tighter.
"Hermione…"
"I love you." She rushed, not wanting to hear what he was surely going to say. She couldn't bear to hear him talk about the possibility of not meeting her at the end of this. It wasn't an option that she was willing to entertain.
He looked pained for a moment before pulling her roughly toward him and covering her mouth with his. He was rough, desperate at first, and she matched him move for move in a way that she was sure they were leaving bruises on each other's lips.
Then it changed, growing soft. Growing gentle as he threaded his hands through the length of her curls and settling at the small of her back.
"I love you." he murmured breaking away and leaving his forehead touching hers.
"Keep safe, and I'll see you in the battle to the very end of this." She said firmly letting her hands travel from around his jaw down his neck and resting in the center of his chest.
"Hermione." He said softly, "Love please-"
"I'll see you." She said firmly before pecking him quickly and going to stand by Blaise as Luna drifted to take her place by her cousin.
She forced her gaze forward knowing that if she looked back at him it would be the end of her.
She saw Blaise out of the corner of her eye shoot Draco a glance before he took her hand into hers.
"Let's do this."
Any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.
It was a strange set of words for her to be thinking about now as she trudged with Blaise to the eastern edge of the forest to set their rune. Poetic in their own way considering they hailed from the very text that had put her on this journey towards war and love.
The girl she had been a few short years ago, the cold and logical girl that had set Snape's robes on fire and cursed Marietta Edgecombe with horrid lettering on her face, would have laughed at her sentimentality.
She'd grown up loved, but unable to express her emotions...unable to understand such things that were not purely formulaic.
Knowing she might die, fighting in Hogwarts, torture under a mad woman's wand, to eventually the mandatory psychiatry sessions Kingsley had each of the Battle of Hogwarts survivors go through during the standstill years had left her forever changed.
These bonds she'd managed to form and her experiences through war had softened her.
She looked grimly around before clearing the ground around them from wayward branches and marking her circle.
She was worried now that perhaps she'd become too soft too soon.
She let out a short prayer as she crouched down to her knees and signaled Blaise to begin the spell.
They'd decided this long before.
He would cast, and she would draw.
She pooled her magic, a few choice spells on her lips until it lit a bright red at the tip of her wand, and she placed it into the earth.
She felt Blaise's magic entwine with hers as he wove protections spells into her lines that she drew. She moved slowly, taking in the bright red color her wand work left amongst the grass and dirt.
There it was again.
Poetic.
Coloring the ground red before any blood had been shed.
She connected her marks into the symbol Draco had shown her before taking her wand from the ground and making a small incision on her hand and letting a few drops of her own blood bind her incantations.
Opposite her, Blaise did the same.
This had been a point of argument amongst them.
Blood wards.
They were powerful, lasting, and extremely difficult to break, but they bordered on the darker end of magic.
It was worth the risk though, if their wards lasted the whole battle and then some.
She stood watching the mark she'd carved glow for a moment before sending out bursts of light to the north, west, and south that faded as it grew further from them.
The ward was set.
She turned to Blaise and without a word they broke out into a run toward the sound of fighting near the heart of Hogwarts grounds.
Be strong, saith my heart; I am a soldier; I have seen worse sights than this.
Draco forced his gaze forward and resisted the scream in his bones to join the fighting that had now edged very close to the path he and Luna were taking to their point of the ward.
It wasn't just the need to go fight. There was an even greater need to disappear into the chaos of duels in order to find Hermione.
She hadn't let him say goodbye, and he couldn't help but love her and hate her for that.
"Draco." Luna said softly, taking him by the hand and pulling him to the clearing that would serve as the home for their rune.
He squeezed her hand tight as she looked up at him with a thin smile.
"You should take that potion now."
He blinked, on some level not too surprised that Luna had known about the vial that lay shrunken and protected in his pocket.
With a quick nod, he dropped her hand and grabbed it, downing it in a single gulp.
He closed his eyes, feeling his core settle for the first time in months as warmth spread from his toes to his head.
He let out a breath.
The clock had started then.
Luna smiled sadly at him and pressed a kiss to his temple before she drew her wand and began casting.
He bit his lip before drawing his own wand and dropping to his knees as he began to draw.
It felt so strange really. The way everything had ended up playing out.
He'd always been fascinated by magic. Even growing up around it hadn't dampened his wonder or curiosity.
The resources of his family of course only aided that drive in him. He'd had all the material to research, to learn, and of course runes were a huge component of that. They were all over Malfoy Manor; in the walls, paintings, the grounds themselves.
His grandfather before he died had told him that there was magic so old buried into the Malfoy lands that even the family had forgotten what it was for.
It had doomed his childhood for sure, turning him into an inquisitive academic at such a young age with matters not helped when he grew sick because of an infection caused by magic gone astray.
It had led him here.
In the back of his mind he was free to wonder what that long line of ancestors he had would think about him taking all their knowledge and using it against a cause many of them would have supported in earnest.
He supposed it didn't matter, either way he'd always been intimately familiar with rebellion.
His magic hummed at his palms as he worked and lit up brightly as Luna's wove its way into his. It glowed brighter for a moment after the drops of their blood was added, the red deepening before it pulsed out to connect with the other points of their ward.
He stood and looked at Luna.
"Have you seen anything?" He said then, knowing that she'd understand what he meant.
Her face softened from the warrior like determination she'd been sporting.
"Besides the Wrackspurts above the castle, nothing." She pursed her lips, "But that's ok."
He closed his eyes letting out a tired breath before opening them and flashing her a thin smile.
"Yeah it is." He said as they both turned and headed down where they were immediately swept into fighting.
He was almost disconnected from his movements. He was somewhat aware of all the decisions he was making but the rush of a spell. Any feeling for each familiar face he brought down...that wasn't there.
He could hear the pound of his heart and occasionally he'd let his eyes wander to watch Luna who was holding her own as she ferociously fought one person after another.
He took a few cuts from a stray cutting hex, and the battle he'd waged against Avery had led to him being tossed to the side roughly and cracking a rib on impact. Though, overall the potion was certainly doing it's job.
He hadn't tired yet.
The rhythm seemed so familiar and easy to follow.
A least it was until one voice cut through the cacophony of noise around him.
"Call me what you want I'm not afraid of you."
Hermione.
Hermione panted as she ducked out of the way of another stray spell. Hogwarts was in chaos, and it was hard to tell which side was claiming victory for the time being.
It was clear though that this time the fight seemed even.
Those stray thoughts; though, distracted her as a spell finally connected, and she was thrown on her back against the rubble.
"I remember you."
She shivered; the urge to vomit strong at the whiff of bad breath that filled her nostrils.
Greyback smiled with all teeth as he crouched over her, sniffing and looking as much the feral beast he was without being fully transformed.
"I remember you from before. Threw me off that nice smelling pureblood." He continued, his voice hoarse as his wand found the pulse point of her throat.
He leaned in closer, sniffing and to her horror licking her skin beneath her ear.
"You taste so good for a dirty mudblood bitch."
She squirmed beneath his grasp, but he'd pinned her arms and the cutting hexes she was managing to cast wandlessly were doing nothing against him.
Finally, she squirmed enough to free her leg and kicked up at him just as a figure pulled Greyback off her by the collar.
He roared turning on the figure.
"What's the matter with you Nott?" He growled, "Too anxious to wait your turn?"
She scrambled to her feet, her wand already out.
Nott Sr. looked furious, an angry vein popping at his temple.
"Stay away from my daughter." He said lowly before he fired spell after spell tossing Greyback around like a rag doll.
She blinked before swallowing a lump and vowing to herself that she would at least try to connect with the enigmatic man her biological father was after the battle.
At least as a thank you for this.
She turned, not bothering to dust herself off before a voice brought her to a halt in her tracks.
"Well if it isn't Potter's Mudblood."
She shivered, her eyes widened as she whirled around and was met face to face with Bellatrix.
The woman's face was pinched in and the signs of stress had aged her a great deal since she'd last seen her.
The sneer was the same though as she stalked toward her.
"No screaming this time? No pleas and lies to fling at me." Bellatrix taunted before her face hardened, "What have you done to my nephew you Mudblood whore?"
She willed herself not to flinch, not to lose herself in the memories that were forcing her heart to race and breathing to quicken.
"Call me what you want I'm not afraid of you." She said tilting her chin up.
Bellatrix growled throwing a Cruciatus her way. She dodged it and quickly sent a spell of her own back in retaliation, and soon they were in a full out duel.
She was just managing to get the upper hand when Bellatrix knocked her off her feet and rapidly sent a Cruciatus. She shook, trembling at the hot knives the curse was using to cut into her every fiber.
"You really were no match." Bellatrix hissed and if possible the crucio grew even more hot at her added anger.
Her vision was blurring and the edges just beginning to darken when Bellatrix was tossed to the side by a spell cast behind her.
She blinked willing herself to focus, but unable to make out more than a white blonde haired blob walking to put themselves between her and Bellatrix.
"Really Bella, you should know better than to play with your food."
She stiffened swallowing the protest in her limbs as she crawled up to her knees to get a better look.
As it turned out she didn't need to see to have it confirmed.
"Mum?"
Draco froze, his wand out with spell on his lips to throw at his aunt, but it quickly died out as he took in the sight before him.
He felt Luna curl her hand around his arm as she whispered for him to remain calm, but any other words were lost to him.
There she was, haggard a little too thin but with her blonde hair gleaming as she kept her wand trained on her sister.
"Mum." He choked out once more wanting more than anything to walk forward, but sure that if he did this illusion he was seeing would shatter.
Narcissa turned to him a bright smile on her lips as she took him in hungerly.
"Hello darling." she whispered fondly before she hardened her gaze and turned back to Bellatrix, who had paled at the sight of her sister seemingly risen from the dead.
"How? You were dead." Bellatrix trembled.
"Nearly, by your hand no less." Narcissa said icily as she walked closer to the other, "But you see dear sister it wasn't your spell that hit me first." Her lips pursed into a cruel sneer, "It was Lucius's."
He couldn't say what happened after that only that one minute the two Black sisters were facing each other caught in some deep staring contest and the next they were hurling dark curses at one another.
"We should get to Hermione." Luna said then tugging at his arm no doubt in response to his unconscious step toward the duel.
He shook his head, before pulling them both to Hermione who was still struggling to get back onto her feet.
"Easy love." He said pulling her up and into his chest murmuring healing spells as she hugged him tight.
Luna was rummaging in her pockets, pulling out a multitude of shrunken vial that she handed to him as he worked.
He was torn watching the blur of the two figures.
Mum. Mum. Mum.
"Draco." Hermione stood straighter the potions and spells having done their job. "Your mum."
"I know." He swallowed clutching her tight. "You?"
"I'm fine." she said firmly turning her eyes at the two witches in wonder.
He was about to pull away and go help his mother when he saw the blur of his father come in from the left and knock Bellatrix to the side where she fell limply against a boulder.
At that he took off running and didn't stop until he had thrown his arms around her, practically crying in relief at the solid feel of her beneath his grasp.
"Draco." She murmured holding him tight. "Merlin I've missed you my love."
He pulled away.
"But you were dead. There was a funeral..I"
"That would be my doing."
He spun to face Lucius who was looking between him and his mother with a look that couldn't be described as anything but relief.
"Lucius cast a spell on me, a mix of a protection ward and a stunning spell and sent me to the Order." Narcissa said cupping her hand on his jaw.
"But 2 years." his voice trembled.
"Bella's spell rebounded. Bits of it interfered, and I was in a coma for quite sometime. They didn't think I would ever wake."
He frowned before the pieces finally fell together. "Andromeda knew." He said accusingly.
Narcissa only smiled in response. "Let's not worry about that now love."
He was about to protest when he felt an arm slip through his.
"Draco." Hermione warned.
He could feel his mother's questioning gaze, but ignored it as his eyes zoomed in on a figure that had pulled away and come to stand in the center of the chaos around them.
Potter.
"Fuck." He heard Hermione mutter, and resisted the urge to smile at her cursing.
"You're a coward Tom Riddle. I'm here, exposed, and still you hide behind all your followers" Potter shouted, "Surely you're not scared of me?"
"Potter has a death wish." he muttered to Hermione, who simply pinched him in response.
He gripped her tighter as the temperature around them suddenly dropped and a hissing sound could be heard.
"You are so foolish in your bravery."
Heads turned toward the school as the front doors opened and dark robes could be seen.
"What has it brought you but death?"
He felt his mark flare then as the snake bastard stepped fully outside, training his beady eyes to Potter.
He felt his anxiety mounting as the Voldemort continued to walk slowly out toward Potter, circling him in a manner similar to the way a predator might a prey.
His wand throbbed painfully in his hands as though sensing the battle and wanting to play a part in the destruction.
He'd offered it to Potter, the power of the Elder Wand, but he'd insisted that this time it simply be two wizards with two wands.
He didn't like those odds.
It wasn't long before the first spell was cast and chaos had descended once more over the battlefield.
He pulled himself from Hermione's side and quickly disillusioned himself as he stalked toward the duel raging in the center of the madness.
He was impressed. Two years out of action hadn't dulled Potter's skills, but would it be enough?
He waited and just as he saw that familiar flash of green light come, he cast a protection spell against Potter that would rebound the curse tenfold. Then it played out like a vision he'd once had.
He stood behind Potter as he called out to disarm the Dark Lord. As the wand flew through the air, he felt his own flare up to the light still coming from it, connecting it and leading it back in the direction it had come instead of dying out without the castor's direction.
He held his breath as the spell connected and knocked Voldemort back into the wall of the castle his body falling limply to the ground.
He tightened his grip and without thinking he'd broken his Disillusionment spell and the body of the very bastard who'd successfully made his life a living hell for years was set aflame.
Potter turned, shock clear on his face with an eyebrow raised at his dramatic antics.
Then, like a man possessed, Potter began to laugh stumbling toward him.
"It's over." he choked out.
He felt a lump in his own throat form at the sentiment.
Potter's grin widened, and he found his own lips twisting upwards as Potter thrust the Elder Wand into his hands.
"Yours."
He took it gingerly, feeling that same power a hundredfold in his own palm.
He could feel Potter and countless others watching him, and for a moment he wondered what would happened it he kept the wand.
Nothing good.
He'd seen power and the corruption it caused. He'd seen it, and he'd felt it poison him on the inside.
There were better ways, better things in life.
Without hesitation he snapped the wand, letting the pieces fall at his feet.
Potter met his eyes, that same ridiculous grin on his face as he inclined his head at him.
He returned the gesture letting his eyes fall back down to the broken wand at his feet as Potter ran off in the other direction and embraced Ginny.
He sighed, closing his eyes as he felt the familiar weariness settle in his bones as a weight in his chest was lifted.
Done.
Finally done.
He looked up and smiled before turning toward the sound of someone calling his name. He was about to step forward when he felt his feet stick to the ground.
No.
Fuck.
Fuck.
He was petrified where he stood.
"You're a traitor to your House." He made out his aunt screaming as she came toward, "To your blood! And I wash myself of your filth."
He couldn't even blink. Breathe. Move. He was powerless to even duck away to avoid the spell as it came soaring towards him.
It's not green though.
He must have missed something because in the next second he could blink and he felt someone ram into him taking the brunt of the curse just as the rest of it cut into his side up to above his heart.
He gasped as they fell backwards, twisting once they hit the ground to see who had jumped in front of him.
His mouth dropped as he pushed himself up to a crawl.
No.
"Fuck. Lucius." he crawled closer taking in the blood coming from seemingly every bit of skin on his father's body. "No. No. No. Father." He shouted quickly taking his wand and casting every spell he knew to somehow stop the blood from flowing.
He could make out other figures coming to circle them, someone begging him to be healed, but he didn't register any of it. Not the words. Not the voices. Not the blood seeping through his own clothes or the sudden stabbing fire that was spreading through his insides.
He didn't register anything until he felt a firm hand clasp his own that was gripping his wand.
"It's enough Draco."
He blinked as he looked down, tears in his eyes as he took in his father's scarred face.
"It's enough."
"No." he said, not bothering to hide the sobs as he normally would. "I can heal you. I can-"
"No." Lucius said, "You are many things Draco, but a miracle worker is not one of them."
He shook his head. In his heart, he already knew his father was right. This curse was meant to kill on impact, but split between them unevenly it would be drawn out for a few minutes more.
There was so much though. So much between them. So much that had never been said, and here he was grasping at seconds left.
"I'm sorry." he choked out, "I'm so sorry."
Lucius shook his head.
"Don't. Don't ever be." Lucius said, his chest movements dampening with each breath, "It was me. It was always me."
"I forgive you." he whispered, shocked at how true the words rang once they fell from his lips.
Lucius smiled slightly, "That does." He shuddered beneath him, "Make this easier."
He shook, clutching his other hand atop of Lucius's.
Lucius's eyes drifted over his shoulder settling on his mother and felt his heart break further at the sight of the love between his parents. Then, Lucius's gaze drifted further to his right.
To Luna.
"You look like your mother." he whispered keeping his eyes locked with the niece he'd barely acknowledged.
Luna stepped forward nearly crouching beside him.
"She was my sister." Lucius said softly, "My sister, my blood, and I left her...I should have tried harder. I should have-"
"She knew." Luna interrupted, tears in her own gray blue eyes, "She always knew."
Lucius smiled fully at that letting his eyes circle them all once more before one last shuddering gasp left his lips and his hand went limp in his.
His own breaths turned to gasps as he sobbed and his body trembled. He felt his grasp slip as his vision blurred and the need for air suddenly outweighed the urge to sob.
"Draco. Draco."
It was reaching him distorted as the realization of how wet his shirt suddenly was seemed to dawn on him.
"Draco!" He heard someone shout as his vision darkened completely and he slumped forward.
Hermione woke slowly, wanting nothing more than to bury herself deeper into her blankets and go back to sleep so she could dream.
So she could dream of him.
She swallowed roughly before kicking off her covers and dragging herself to the bathroom for a shower.
Draco had been under for 3 weeks now.
3 painfully long and torturous weeks.
She hadn't left his side the first few days, still in her dirtied clothes and blood stained hands clutching his limp ones as his bandaged chest rose and fell.
He'd lost so much blood and the curse had been burning his insides as it spread when they finally got him to the Healers.
That's when they'd found out about the Deadman's Happiness he'd taken.
She'd wanted to slap him, punch him, shake him silly for going behind her back and taking such a dangerous risk.
But she couldn't.
Padma had been so broken up before she'd easily slipped into Healer mode, stabilizing Draco before ordering an emergency cleanse 24 hours later.
Then they'd left him to rest. Sleep and the power of magical comas would help him not just for recovering from the curse but also in recovering from the cleanse.
So she hadn't left until on the fourth day Narcissa had come in with Andromeda at her side.
She hadn't known what to say to the woman.
The mother of the love of her life that she felt she knew so intimately from Draco's accounts and from the stolen memories she'd witnessed in her journal. In reality, she hadn't known her at all.
So it had been a shock when the woman had pulled her into such a tender embrace and allowed her to cry for an hour before drawing her a bath and putting her to bed with Andromeda's help.
She'd gotten to know Narcissa Malfoy quite well over the last few weeks. She clutched her pendant.
Just as the woman had gotten to know her.
She'd declared her family at the sight of the necklace around her neck, and it had been that way ever since.
Of course, with Narcissa's aid in pulling her out from drowning beside Draco's hospital bed came the realization of the aftermath of war. Her father, Theodore Nott Sr., had been sentenced to 10 years in Azkaban with room for a parole evaluation after 5 years. It had been strange really to say goodbye to him when she'd barely gotten to know him.
She'd stood with Theo, who'd awkwardly shook the man's hand before dropping it quickly. Guards had just come in to take him away when he'd stopped before her.
"Thank you." she'd blurted out.
He'd smiled so sweetly at her in a way that echoed Theo before asking her to write.
She'd already sent 2 letters.
There had been funerals then, visits to other hospital beds, but in all she'd count herself fortunate that the rest of her makeshift family was safe.
A slight grin formed on her face at the thought of a certain redhead member of her family and a dark haired beauty from Draco's getting caught the other day in a supply closet at Headquarters.
Safe and moving on.
It was a beautiful and downright amusing thing.
She pulled her hair into a loose bun before she dressed and stalked toward the hospital wing.
She couldn't bring herself to go to breakfast...to see everyone there and everyone who was not. Nor could she stand the crowding or the constant questions about Draco.
It only fueled her own fears.
She gripped her hands around her middle as she entered the Infirmary. Her feet took her automatically to the bed in the back as she took the free seat and gazed at Draco's peaceful face.
This was probably the best sleep he'd had in years.
Funny, because lately her's had been wretched.
She missed him. The feel of him, everything. She missed him so much sometimes that she'd wake at night in physical pain at not having him beside her.
She glanced around before impulsively slipping off her shoes and lifting up the covers before crawling in quickly.
It would just be for a little while.
She snuggled against him, breathing in that familiar scent as her eyes closed.
She was out in seconds.
Hermione snuggled closer to the body beside her. It was so warm and felt so comfortable.
She felt something heavy around her waist, and squirmed slightly at the feel of it, only for the grip to tighten around her.
"Mione quit squirming." she heard a rough voice in her ear.
She shot up, her eyes wide as she looked down at Draco rubbing at his face before blinking up at her.
"What-"
"Oh my god." She screeched before enveloping him tightly and pressing desperate kisses all over his face.
"I thought." She sobbed, the tears too quick to resurface, "I thought I'd lost you. Oh gods."
Recovered, Draco pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers and kissing her hungrily.
"I love you." she whispered in between each breath, "I love you so much."
"I'm here." he whispered back, "Right here. I'm ok."
She shook her head sobbing into his chest when she felt him go rigid at the sound of footsteps approaching.
"Hermione dear. I heard you scream. Is everything…"
Hermione pulled away from Draco, whose arms had gone limp at the sight of his mother. She quickly wiped her face before flashing Narcissa a wide smile and standing as though to make way for the woman to get to her son.
But Narcissa was frozen, eyes wide and unblinking as they darted across Draco's face in disbelief.
A quick glance at Draco showed him in much the same state as he took in a sharp breath of air.
"Mum." Draco murmured, and like that the spell was broken and Narcissa was cradling him much as she'd seen her do in memory.
Draco gripped her tight before she made out his shoulder shaking.
"Mum." he said brokenly as he pulled away tears slipping freely down his face.
Narcissa cupped his jaw, her thumbs wiping away the moisture as it fell.
Draco gripped her arms.
"I hated him. I hated him for so long." He cried.
Narcissa shushed him as he sobbed, before bringing him to her chest.
"I know sweetheart. I know." She whispered, "But you two made it right in the end."
She backed away intent on letting the two have a moment, but it wasn't five minutes later that she heard her name being called.
She turned and took in Draco's tearstained face as he smiled up at her and motioned for her to come closer.
"I know you two have probably already met, but.." He swallowed roughly, "I still feel like I should introduce you."
She smiled taking his hand and squeezing it tight.
"Hermione." he said looking up at her before turning his gaze to Narcissa.
"This is my Mum."
She smiled at Narcissa, noting the unshed tears pooling in the woman's eyes as she smiled widely at her in return.
"And Mum." Draco took a breath, "This is Hermione Granger." He looked up at her before a small smile pulled at his lips, "The girl I'm going to marry one day."
Narcissa smiled before stepping toward them both and planting kisses on their cheeks as she took their free hands into hers.
"I know darling. I know."
fin.
A/N: And that's the end! I might add an epilogue if there's enough interest in one. As always; Review! Review! Review!