Hermione Granger was in way over her head. She had absolutely no business what-so-ever being under Lily's invisibility cloak, let alone being under it all the way on the top floor of Malfoy Manor. She had no business what-so-ever being crouched in a dimly lit hallway, trying not to breathe too loudly by keeping both hands clamped over her mouth, and being frozen in place because there were two Death Eaters guarding the entrance into the attic. She had no business being so frightened when where she needed to be was up there, and she couldn't bring herself to try anything because, if she was caught, she was in for a world of unending nightmares.

Honestly, she got lucky when Draco Malfoy, of all people, approached the guards, a tray of food in his hands.

"I'm supposed to feed her," he said, sounding as if he believed himself to be entirely above this duty.

"She can't eat steak, can she, Amycus?" the robed Death Eater on the left said in a feminine voice.

"She sure can't, Alecto," the one on the right said in a much deeper one. "You plan on babybirding it, Draco?"

"She chews the food if you put it in her mouth, you fools," Draco said, his ears going pink. "The Dark Lord made the potion that way. Open the attic."

"The little brat thinks he commands us, Amycus," Alecto said.

"Funny, that, seeing as how his father is on the outs, isn't it, Alecto?" Amycus said.

"My father is still above you," Draco said, his face now matching his ears. The tray was shaking slightly in his hands. "Now, open the bloody attic, or he'll hear about this."

"He won't be hearing nothing, way he is," Amycus said. Hermione couldn't see his grin under his mask, but she could hear it in his voice. "The Dark Lord was mighty angry with him, when you went and let the bitch escape, wasn't he Alecto?"

"He was, Amycus," Alecto said, laughing in delight. "Why, you'd think poor little Draco would remember, seeing as how he watched his father's punishment."

"Your father is dirt to the Dark Lord, now, boy. I guess that lesson didn't stick."

"Should we teach him another?"

"I think we should!"
"What are you-"

Draco didn't get to finish his question, and Hermione made a little squeak of fear completely involuntarily. She was lucky that it went unnoticed, as the noise Draco made when Amycus punched him in the gut completely overshadowed it. Draco dropped the tray, the plate shattered on the ground, steak, sprouts, and potato went everywhere, and then Alecto kicked Draco in the side of the head.

"Get up," Amycus said, standing over the prone form of Draco Malfoy as he gasped for air. "The other bitch needs her food."

"It's wasted," Draco said, spitting a bit of blood onto the wooden floor and wiping his mouth. He didn't look up at Amycus.

"Still good enough," Alecto said, and in a swift motion with her wand, the spilled food piled back onto the now mended plate, righted itself on the tray, and hovered over Draco's head.

"Better get going," Amycus said, using his own wand to lower the attic's staircase. "Ten minutes, and we'll come see what's taking you so long."

"The master doesn't want anyone touching his pet, after all," Alecto said, laughing again.

Hermione couldn't believe her luck. She was starting to wonder if somebody had slipped some Felix Felicis into her morning's eggs, like Snape had done for Fleur. She was in such shock that she almost wasted this moment. Thankfully, Alecto sneezed, which covered up the sound of Hermione's hurried footsteps towards the staircase. Hermione emerged into the attic just a second before the staircase closed back up behind her.

She'd expected it to be like her own family's attic, albeit much larger, this being a manor and all. She didn't expect it to be bigger than the entirety of her house, let alone to be furnished like how Hermione imagined the Queen's bedchamber looked. There were large, velvet drapes lining the iron-wrought windows (their attic had windows!), a lengthy, gnarled table painted black, with ten chairs on each side and a throne at the head, and against one of the walls were dozens of bubbling and sizzling cauldrons.

And, of course, a large feather bed with purple dressings across the room, with a tall, beautiful, redheaded girl resting upon it, her chest rising and falling gently. Her face was peaceful, as if she wasn't trapped in the worst place in the world. Malfoy was heading straight for her, and now that Hermione was up here, she followed at a slow, quiet pace so that he wouldn't hear her.

She saw he was muttering something as he pulled up a stool next to the bed, but she was too far away to hear it. He kept rubbing at the darkening bruise on his face, though, and it was only when she got very close that she saw he also had a split lip.

"They'll pay," he was muttering as he cut up the steak. "They'll all pay."

Hermione almost expected Malfoy to feed her, but he didn't. He ate the meal, sitting in silence all the while. Occasionally, he would ask some inane question, but Lily kept breathing softly, her eyes shut closed. When Malfoy was done, he held the empty plate in his hand, watching her sleep.

"Figures the only place I can get some peace and quiet is in here," he said, looking around the room in disgust. "Father's let this place go. Think mum would let me back home?" He laughed softly, then. "Father's making me go back to Hogwarts, did you know? The Dark Lord is calling it his reward. Guess we're both stuck, then." He laughed again. "Guess not. You're stuck here, aren't you?"

He watched her for a while longer, a strange look on his face, before standing and carrying the empty plate back over to the staircase. Hermione just watched him go, wondering what on earth this whole thing had been about. If she didn't know better, she'd say that Malfoy looked utterly terrified for somebody else's wellbeing.

She shook the thought from her head. She was here for a job, after all, and she was going to do it. As soon as Malfoy was gone, and the staircase was shut back, Hermione pulled the invisibility cloak off her of her body and raised her wand.

"Expecto Patronum," she said. Her silver lion shot from her wand and straight out the nearest window, heading straight for Fleur's position. They'd have about a minute before the attack began, and then just ten to get out of here before the others retreated.

Hermione stared at Lily's peaceful face for a long time, then. Everything was just how she remembered it- absolutely perfect. Somebody had dressed her in thick black robes, and her usual earrings were gone, but she was otherwise the same Hazel Lily Potter that Hermione had come to love. Her nose had a slight crook to it from taking one too many bludgers, but Hermione always thought that only increased her charm. Her teeth were straight and just barely visible through her slightly parted lips, the same way she aways slept. Hermione had thought many times about kissing them, especially whenever she happened to come in and find Lily napping happily, but this had never been one of those pictured moments. She supposed it was that, though, or she'd have to carry Lily out, and she was nowhere near strong enough for that.

Hermione rounded the bed, hurrying over to Lily's side, and then took a deep breath and leaned in close, deciding to just get it over with before she lost her courage. She froze inches above Lily's face.

Her usual perfume was gone, but Hermione supposed she should have expected that. In it's place, though, was the regal, fancy stuff Hermione had smelled on the woman that visited her house with Lucius Malfoy. She supposed she should have already known that. It made sense. The same woman had been the one that held her captive, and that had been Lily, hadn't it? She'd seen it, even if she had been more focused on her burning hair at the time. Still- this close to Lily, with that smell bringing back every terrible image and memory from these last few weeks, Hermione came close to panicking and running their entire plan.

Then she closed the remaining few inches and placed her lips gently upon Lily's own.

Lily was nothing, which suited her quite fine, seeing as how she didn't really want to be anything at all. Floating in this dark void was quite fine, actually, and far more preferable to the unending nightmare that had become her life. If she could, she would rather have liked to stay here for the rest of time. Not having to think, or care, or feel a thing was really quite nice.

But then, suddenly, she felt a warmth press on her lips, and then her body, which had been nice and weightless just a moment before, felt heavy, and there was a sharp pain in both her scar and arm. The warmth left her lips, then, and when she licked them, trying to get rid of the dryness in her mouth, she felt they tasted slightly of mint. That reminded her of something, and Lily cracked her eyes open. The room was rather bright, and the bit piercing her pupils was rather painful. Even so, she managed to make out a vague figure standing above her. She didn't recognize her, at first. They seemed familiar enough, with their small, button nose, brown eyes filled with worry, and the way she kept worrying at her fingernails with her overly large front teeth. But it didn't make any sense. Ignoring that she couldn't possibly be here in Malfoy Manor, her usual large, bushy-brown hair (cut just a bit shorter during the last year) was now much, much shorter.

"Hermione?" Lily said anyway, her voice thick with the lack of use. She groaned as she tried to sit up, her joints popping as they freed themselves of rust.

"Oh, thank God," Hermione said, and before Lily could even register that it was her voice, and that it was the most beautiful thing she'd heard in ages, Hermione had thrown herself around Lily's torso in a great, tight, shaking hug. "I thought it might not work."

Lily didn't have the slightest idea what Hermione was talking about, but she found she didn't care. She didn't remember wrapping her own arms around Hermione, but they were, and Lily buried her face in what remained of Hermione's hair, breathing in deeply. She smelled like mint and fresh paper, like chocolate and strawberry, and all of Lily's favourite things.

"We've got to get going," Hermione said, suddenly pulling away from her and glancing frantically around the room. "Fleur should be-"

Lily didn't have the time to process anything before there was a great, cracking boom, and the Manor shook around them.

"Come on," Hermione said, and Lily felt a pulling at her right arm as Hermione tried to lift her from the bed. Lily was standing on shaking legs when she realised that Hermione had her right hand in a tight grip. She yanked it away a second later, not the slightest bit of sensation making it through her fingers.

"What's happening?" Lily asked. "How are you here? This a trick again?"

"Again?" Hermione asked, her eyes going wider. "No, this is- Lily, we only have ten minutes. We're getting you out of here."

"I'm not going anywhere until-"

Hermione pulled something out of her robes, and Lily just barely managed not to deck her. It was just a wand, and that initially raised Lily's suspicions further. Voldemort only ever allowed her a wand when he wanted to teach her something, or was going to force her to- to-

No, Lily thought, pushing the thought away. She recognized this wand. It wasn't Fleur's- it belonged to her. Ollivander gave it to her after the weighing of the wands, made her promise she'd keep it on her at all times. She'd stuffed it into her trunk and forgotten about it, instead. It was made of holly and phoenix feather, at a length of around eleven inches- and it shared a core with Voldemort's wand.

She snatched it from Hermione's hand and then pointed it straight at her friend's face. She could feel a burning between the fingers of her left hand, where the wand was resting- like it was willing to let her use it, but that it didn't like it one bit. Hermione seemed surprised, with her mouth drooping open and her eyes flicking to the tip of the wand.

"Look here," Lily said, using her other hand to tap below her eyes. Hermione did so- their eyes remained locked. Hermione's were wide and scared, but Lily needed to know for sure. She couldn't move forward until she did.

Legilimens, she thought.

There was a rush of memories all around them, fragments of voices, colour, smells, and sights jumping all throughout her brain, but Lily knew how to focus it, to see only what she wanted to see. She found herself standing outside Malfoy Manor, an invisibility cloak over her head. All she could think about was getting up to the attic, so she could be in position to send Fleur the signal. Lily pushed again, until she was back in Grimmauld Place, standing frozen at the front door. There was a woman wearing Death Eater robes and mask, and when she pulled it off, Fleur was there, looking thin and tired but trying to smile. That was enough for her.

Lily lowered her wand, and they were back in the attic.

"What was that?" Hermione said, grabbing at her head. She'd have a headache for a bit. Lily always did, when it was used on her.

"A test," Lily said, and she was already moving. "Grab my cloak and wear it."

"Lily, we've got to-"

"Go and find Fleur and the others," Lily said, raising her wand towards the simmering cauldrons. "They're going to need your help. I've got something else to do."

"Lily," Lily heard Hermione say, but she'd followed the orders and was now invisible. "Don't do anything stupid. We're supposed to sneak out together."

"No," Lily said. "I've got a message to send."

Lily swung her wand wide. She still wasn't quite used to using her left to cast spells, but her right didn't work anymore. Her movements were sloppier, but they got the job done. Every cauldron dropped together as one, crashing to the ground together, their contents mixing and popping and creating loads of hideous, colourful steam. Lily was moving again, then, swinging her arm back and forth in wide arcs.

Ignis Tempestia, she kept thinking, and sparks flew from the tip of her wand, growing in size with every movement. By the time she was halfway across the room, the staircase was being pulled down. She swung again and aimed her wand at the opening just as a head poked up from above.

Fire followed, a long, crimson jet that engulfed the Death Eater's head. Lily kept swinging, picked up her pace, and ignored the woman's screams. She jumped straight over her head, one foot hitting the woman's face and shoving it downwards. There was another, larger Death Eater who was attempting to draw his wand from his robes. Lily swung again, and the flames that were following her engulfed him entirely. He let out a guttural yell, and Lily swung her wand in a sharp slice. The man let out a grunt as some force crumpled him forward, grabbing at his chest, and then fell to the ground.

The woman was getting up by that point, the fire on her head extinguished and her wand raised in a shaking hand.

"Avada-"

Lily moved faster.

Bombarda.

The woman's wand, and perhaps even her hand, Lily didn't bother to check, exploded, and she shrieked again. Lily flicked her wand again, and she was thrown against the wall, where she slid to the floor and slumped into an unmoving ball. Then Lily was moving again, running down the hall, her arms swinging back and forth again. Every time she passed a room, she sent fire into it. By the time she was finished with the top floor, the air was thick with acrid, black smoke, and the heat was scalding her as she ran past the already blazing rooms. As she reached the staircase, she could just make out the female Death Eater trying to lift the other one. She almost send another curse their way, but she had more important things on her mind.

She ran down the stairs, still swinging her arm, the flames around her growing brighter and hotter, and the next floor went the same way as the last. She only encountered Death Eaters twice, trying to fight their way upstairs to put out the flames. The first set of three, Lily dispatched the same way she had the duo standing guard in her room. The next set ran from her, and Lily gave chase.

The flames had already reached the ground floor before she reached it, and Lily could hear the distant collapsing of rooms above them. She followed the fleeing Death Eaters, occasionally blocking the hexes or curses they sent her way, until they reached the Ballroom. This, it seemed was where the main battle was.

Fleur, Cedric, and Krum, of all people, were still standing, if just barely. Cedric was openly favouring one leg, and there was blood streaming down his left arm. Fleur was covered in burns, and her hair was stained with ash and smoke. Her spells came slower than Lily had seen before, and she no longer had those dance-like movements, there was no more grace to them, as she was just fighting for her life. Krum was holding his stomach, with an alarming amount of blood spilling between his fingers, but he fought as if he was completely unfased by the debilitating injury. Fred and George were slumped on the ground, and Hermione was kneeling next to them, prodding them with her wand and muttering spells under her breath.

There were three fighters, compared to the Death Eaters now twenty, since the runners had joined them. Lily didn't understand why her supposed rescuers hadn't fled, until she saw that the entirety of the ballroom's left wall was collapsed and smouldering, and she could hear more creaking and crashing above them. She supposed their route must have been cut off, and they'd been cornered. Her fault, but it was easily mended. Lily took a step forward and entered the room.

"You know," she shouted over the din, and ten of the other Death Eaters turned to face her, "it's not too late to run away. Clearly, this isn't going how you want it to."

The man she was looking for was one of those that turned to her. Lucius Malfoy was wide-eyed and crazed, and his lips turned to a snarl as he raised his wand and shouted at those around her.

"Get her, you fools!"

"Suit yourself," Lily said, raising her own wand. She was done with fire. It was time to try something else. She saw Fleur look at her from the far side of the room, frantically shaking her head, but Lily just looked away. She didn't understand. Lily always liked to be a menace on the Quidditch field.

It was time to become one on the battlefield, as well.

Lily sprinted straight towards them, shouting from the deep, frothing rage that was boiling in her blood, and raising her wand above her head. When she brought it down, the nearest Death Eater was pulled down with it, his head hitting the marble floor with a sickening crunch. Lily jumped straight over him when she reached the unconscious body and swung her wand back up, this time flinging another Death Eater upwards. She laughed when she saw him drop his wand. He flew up nearly twenty feet, hit the ceiling, and bounced back down. Lily didn't look, but she heard him hit the ground behind him. That was two. There were eighteen more.

She ducked and rolled on the ground, spinning her wand as she went, and the marble stuck to her skin, until she was covered from head to toe in a smooth armour. She jumped to her feet, using her right forearm to block a stunner, stone splintering from her skin, and shot a sharp, purple light into the nearest Death Eater's knees. She heard them pop, heard him scream, and turned again just to duck below a Killing Curse.

"None of that," she said.

She flicked her wand, and the Death Eater that sent it turned around against their own will. Lily pulled them to the left, using their body as a shield to block a stunner and two more curses Lily couldn't identify. One of them, at least, caused the Death Eater's next to stretch and thin out until it could no longer support their head and lolled to the side. She threw the Death Eater at another, then, and they both fell to the ground. Before either could get back up, Lily was spinning her wand again, and they sank into the ground. Lily spared the crowd around her only the slightest glance. Three more were down for the count. Fifteen to go.

The others were in trouble, though. Cedric was now collapsed onto one knee, desperately trying to block the curses being sent his way. Lily didn't look at the others. She aimed her wand at the wall closest to them, and it exploded. She flicked her wand upwards sharply, and the rubble rose and hovered, leaving an opening.

"Go!" she shouted. Krum nodded at her and grabbed Fleur by the arm, shoving her back towards it. That was all the time Lily could spare to make sure they were alright. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her left leg as something punched through her makeshift armour.

Lily whirled again, but she needn't have bothered. The ceiling above them collapsed, and the rubble crushed the two Death Eaters in front of them. Thirteen more, then. Lily jumped backwards and held her wand above her, and then spun back around. The ceiling tore again, and Lily sent long splinters of sharp wood into four more combatants. Two of them blocked them, two of them didn't, and they fell to the ground screaming. Eleven.

Another blow to her back, and Lily grunted and spun again. She made a wall between her and three other Death Eaters. She could only deal with one side at a time. The two that blocked the sharp wood were trying to drag away their friends. She supposed they were out of it for the meantime, at least. Nine, then. That just made it easier for her. She turned back to her wall, and with a great jump, landed on top of it, dragging the tip of her wand on the surface of the stone as she moved. A long strip of it followed after her, and when Lily swung her arm, it stretched and snapped like a whip. The end of it cracked against the face of a Death Eater, breaking their mask and jaw, and they fell to one knee, spitting out shards of broken teeth. Lily raised her whip above her head again, but her right knee crumpled under her, and she grunted and toppled back over her wall.

Lily hit the floor and felt the marble on her chest crack. She pushed herself right back off, though, and snapped her whip back towards the injured Death Eater just as he was getting up, and then yanked him towards her. Somebody else sent a purple curse at her, but she used the coiled person as a shield to block that and two more. She could feel his body slump and lose consciousness as it fell back into her, and she jabbed her wand sharply into his back and launched him forward. She heard him hit someone else, but she was already turning again, raising her wand above her head. There were a group of five Death Eaters near a different wall, with a different opening created, trying to pull the injured to safety. Between that and the whip guy, she was now at four.

She turned again to face them. One was Lucius Malfoy, and he'd somehow gotten an injury in his side. He was holding it, and Lily could see the blood seeping from it. A quick glance behind them showed her a bloody splinter of wood, and looking above, Lily saw much more of the ceiling had fallen when she wasn't watching. Another was his son, Draco, looking pale-faced and standing behind his father, who was trying to block him with his body.

"Hello, Draco," she said, spinning her wand between her fingers. "Having a good holiday, then?"

He didn't answer her.

The other two were still wearing masks, but they very much looked like they wanted to join those who were retreating. Unfortunately, Lily was between them and salvation, and she was taking a step forward. One of the two she didn't know spoke, then, and Lily recognized the voice.

"Please," Mrs. Bell said, collapsing to her knees. "Please, don't- don't!"

Lily did pause, if only for a moment.

"Did you stop when it was me begging?" she said, raising her wand again and levelling it at the kneeling woman's chest. "Or did laugh while you tortured me?"

"Please, I was only-"

Somebody stepped in front of her- likely her husband, if Lily had to guess- and took the curse she'd meant for the cruel woman, just as she did a savage slash downwards. The movement of his wand distracted her, and the sectumsempra meant for the woman's face instead cut across the man's chest instead. He screamed, then, and Lily laughed again, taking another step forward.

Three, she thought.

"Not so funny, now, is it?" Lily asked, swinging her wand again, this time at Lucius Malfoy. He tried to block her spell, and they had a brief exchange of curses.

All of his seemed to miss Lily, as if he was a blind man swinging a bat at a bludger, but hers- they always hit the mark, and each one made him give a brief grunt of pain. Lily chose minor hexes and jinxes, savouring every little noise he made, every step he took backwards in an effort to protect his son. He didn't beg, and she didn't mock him.

Lily hit him with a Stinging Hex, and he'd send a Strangulation Curse. She'd block, and she'd cut his leg open with a Diffindo. His steps became more awkward as he shifted off his bad leg, and he sent some marble tiles flying towards her. As each one reached her, she tapped them with the tip of her wand, and they turned into wispy smoke. She hit him with another purple jinx, and painful boils erupted on the right side of his neck. She stepped over the crumpled form of Mr. Bell, his catatonic wife sat next to him, still muttering "please." She raised her wand again, ready to end it all.

Lucius Malfoy raised his wand, and Lily could see his lips moving.

"Avada-"

Lily sliced her wand downwards, and a sharp rippling motion flew through the air. He'd just reached the second "da" when he instinctually moved his hand to block his chest. The ripple touched his wrist, instead, and she heard a loud squelch, quickly smothered out by his scream, as both hand and wand fell to the ground.

He felt to his knees, then, and Lily levelled her wand at his chest.

"This was a nice holiday," she said. "But I think I'm going home now."

And she could have, too. She could walk away right now, and there wasn't a thing any of them could do about it. Lucius Malfoy was on his knees, his bloody stump cradled to his chest. He wasn't a threat.

But there was an aching in Lily's chest, and her scar was pounded. She could almost hear a whisper in her ear.

Kill him, it said. He deserves it.

He did deserve it. Lily's hand started shaking, her wand wavering in the air.

If you don't, he'll hurt others. He'll come after Sirius, he'll come after Hermione.

It felt like the words were stuck in her throat. She knew what to say, and part of her even wanted. Still, though, she remained silent.

If we kill him now, it's all over. He'll never hurt us again.

Lily swallowed down the lump in her throat, her mind made up, and took a deep breath.

"Avada-"

And then, suddenly, Draco Malfoy was standing between her and his father, his arms raised up defensively.

"Don't," he said.

"Lose your wand, Draco?" Lily asked, scanning his empty hands. He could have disarmed her. She'd completely forgotten he was even there.

"Just leave," Draco said, his voice trembling as much as his arms. "You don't have to do this."

"Get out of the way," Lily said, her fingers slick with sweat. She tightened her grip around her wand.

"No. Please."

"Move, Malfoy," Lily said, raising her voice. "I'm going to-"

"Please," Draco said again, and, this time, Lily noticed how pale his face was. "Please, he's- he's my father. Don't."

"Would he spare Sirius, if it was me begging?" Lily asked. Draco didn't answer, but that, in and of itself, was the answer. "Get out of the way, or I'll kill you too."

"Please," Draco said. "I'll- please, don't. Please."

Lily took another deep breath. She'd just kill the both of them at once, and then-

Someone touched her hand, trying to push her wand down. Lily's eyes flicked sideways, and found Hermione standing at her side.

"Don't," she said.

"You were supposed to leave," Lily said, turning her eyes back to Draco.

"I came back for you. Come on, Lily. Let's leave."

"Not yet," Lily said. "Not until he's-"

"He can't hurt you anymore, Lily," Hermione said, and this time, when she pushed on Lily's hand, she let it fall back to her side. "We can go."

Lily kept staring at Draco, even while Hermione tugged on her sleeve, trying to get her moving. Suddenly, he looked so small. Why hadn't she noticed that before? She could have sworn they'd been near in height. She raised her wand again.

"Don't," Hermione said, but Lily didn't listen.

She turned around, and swung her wand downwards, towards the floor. There was a great crack, as the marble tiles splintered and broke. Lily brought her wand up, and then down again, wondering if the barrier was warded from both sides.

She found out on the third swing, when the floor broke open and collapsed, spilling into the hidden ball chamber below them, where the portkey had brought her all those weeks ago. Hopefully, that would bring up some questions as to why Lucius Malfoy had a second one hidden below the first, and to why it was warded and protected to keep sound from reaching those above. She doubted it would come to anything, but it made the ache in her heart lessen just a bit. She turned back to look at Draco.

"Get them all out, if you want," she said. "If you're lucky, the ones upstairs will still be alive."

Only then did she let Hermione finally lead her from the Ballroom. She took her through the same opening in the wall Lily had made, although this time it was Cedric holding it open. He let it fall as soon as they were through, and Lily walked past him without so much as looking at him. Hermione led her all the way to the distant trees, where they found the others waiting for them. Fred and George were still unconscious, and Fleur was fussing over them. Krum was sat against a tree, his head leaning against it and his eyes closed, one hand still pressed to his bleeding wound. Cedric grabbed him by the arm.

"Come on," he said, tugging at him. "We've got to get out of here."

"No," Lily said, turning back to face the manor.

"Lily," Hermione said, grabbing her sleeve again. "We can't stay here, we'll be-"

"I want to watch it burn," Lily said, pulling herself free. "You go. I'll be with you soon."

She was quiet for a moment, and then turned to look at Fleur and Cedric.

"Get them out of here," she said. "I'll stay with Lily."

Lily didn't look to see if they agreed, but she heard no arguments. To the contrary, she heard some loud cracks as they disapparated. To where, Lily didn't have the slightest idea, but she supposed she'd find out soon enough. She took a deep breath and watched the flickering flames through the once exquisite windows of Malfoy Manor. The top two floors were completely gone, now, and she could see and hear as more went with them.

She breathed in again and smiled. It was all over.

Hermione snuck to her side, and Lily felt her thread her fingers between the ones on her left hand. Lily squeezed her back and didn't pull away when Hermione rested her head on her shoulder.

The Order of the Phoenix arrived shortly after and found them hand-in-hand.