Harry felt like his life to this point had merely been taking the next step without knowing where he was going and an insane amount of luck. Most people would argue his luck was dreadful, but Harry felt different. Sure, he'd had a couple of close calls and an unfortunate amount of run-ins with Voldemort over the school years, but he had lived through every single one. It was luck that brought him close to death and whisked him away, regardless of whatever people said.

The events at Gringott's were just more proof of that. When they'd been struggling to escape, Draco had appeared out of nowhere to help them. Then, when everything looked dire because Voldemort finally learned they'd been going after his horcruxes, Draco gave them a way to Hogwarts to get the sword and the diadem.

And after that was perhaps the greatest stroke of luck that Harry knew he didn't deserve. Unfathomably, his father was alive, at Grimmauld, and with a real body. Hugging his dad was like walking straight into a dream, and it was all because of Draco.

The weight of that sat heavily on Harry. Draco, his rival, the Slytherin, former friend, had given him the best gift he could have asked for - his father. It was just another item to the ceaseless list of why Draco Malfoy was the best wizard alive. The only problem was that the other side of the list, everything that made Draco Malfoy terrible, was lengthy. It was easier when he was alone with Hermione and Ron to pretend that Draco wasn't worth thinking about. Still, it was entirely different standing with Draco when he had done the single most amazing thing Harry had ever known.

Even after his reunion with James, when everything started happening quickly, Harry was drawn to Draco. Despite the urgency of the situation, Harry wanted to stay next to Draco and his father. Even Regulus would have been welcome company, but he knew he should want to destroy Voldemort more, so he forced himself to do his duty to the school.

Once Harry was away from Draco's oddly grounding presence, he realised that he was a bit more unstable than expected. He'd gone with Neville and Ginny to find Professor McGonagall, but when they found her, one of the Carrows was saying something downright vile to her and Harry lost it. He was so angry that he used the Cruciartus curse without thinking. Crucio slipped off his tongue as easily as an Expiliarmus. Voldemort's anger had been flooding into him through their connection, but Harry didn't know if he'd done it because he was feeding off Voldemort's emotions or whether the last months had driven him mad.

He tried not to dwell on that, as McGonagall threw the Carrows and Snape out of the school in a rather intimidating display. The rest of the school had jumped to his aide with alarming speed, and Harry was thankful for it. After earning the trust of the professors, he reunited with Draco again, and Regulus who was falling into the role of calling the shots, let Harry stay with Draco. Hermione looked nervous about separating, but Ron instantly volunteered to join her. Harry suspected that Ron had an ulterior motive in joining Hermoine, and it made Harry self-conscious when Regulus sent him and Draco off. Should he be trying to confess something to Draco?

It took a few minutes of Draco yelling potion ingredients at the headmaster's gargoyle that Harry didn't even know existed for him to realise that he did want to confess to Draco. This was the longest time they'd been together in almost a year, and Harry felt comforted by his presence. Voldemort's anger was tearing his head apart, and the school would soon be under attack, yet Harry still felt right. Despite it all, Draco was still somehow the person he craved being around the most.

That was only solidified further when Draco had destroyed the horcrux and Harry had the somewhat terrifying realisation that he wanted to kiss Draco. It shouldn't have even been on his mind, but now that it was, he couldn't stop thinking about it, and part of him thought Draco might want it too.

Harry tried to read Draco's posture, and despite the year apart, he thought he could. Draco was tense and Harry was certain Draco wanted to tell him something.

So, needing to confirm his suspicions, Harry blurted out, "Why?"

"I regret to inform you that asking 'why' isn't a particularly interesting question," Draco said with the faintest hint of a sneer. Why did Harry still find that so charming?

Harry rolled his eyes in a way he hoped was playful. "Why have you helped me? Why did you bring my dad back?"

"I needed James to bring back Regulus," Draco said but paused and Harry held his breath. "And I can't live peacefully while the Dark Lord does," Draco finished.

Harry's heart sank. He couldn't fault Draco for wanting to live a peaceful life, he deserved it, but had he really misread Draco? He asked hesitantly, "And you didn't do it for any other reason?"

"I -" Draco seemed to choke on his words and then asked instead, "Why do you trust me?"

"Honestly? I know I shouldn't. Hermione tells it to me all the time, but I want to. I want things to be how they were before Dumbledore. I," he steadied himself. Draco deserved to know the truth. "I really liked you, Draco."

"I did it for you, I think I still really like you," Draco replied instantly like he'd been waiting for Harry to say it first. He should have known.

"Can I kiss you?" Harry blurted out.

"Yes," Draco said instantly and Harry grabbed him. It was exactly how he remembered and it was a relief that they could still have this. Harry started to forget the rest, letting himself sink into Draco, but of course, Voldemort wouldn't let him for long. His scar burned and he pulled back, nervous about accidentally biting Draco.

Eyes watering from the pain, he let go of Draco, suddenly desperate to find the others. Draco tried to stop him and kept yelling, but Harry knew the rage Voldemort had. They needed to act now. He led Draco back into the heart of the school and forced himself to keep walking despite the pain in his scar and Voldemort's announcement to turn him over.

He was so focused on moving forward and blocking out the searing pain in his scar, that he hadn't paid attention to his surroundings. Hermione, Ron and Regulus found him and called him over, explaining that they'd destroyed the locket and cup. Then Regulus said something that made Harry go cold.

"Where's Draco?"

Harry looked behind him; he'd just assumed Draco was following. He could feel his heart rate pick up, but before he could do much, Regulus told him to stay put. Despite the stress, and everything screaming in him to find Draco, he listened to Regulus. Draco trusted Regulus, and who was Harry to disobey this downright terrifying man?

He paced, overcome with anxious energy, as Ron and Hermione watched him, uncertain of what to say. Harry let himself wallow in guilt, knowing that he left Draco.

"I'm sure he's fine, mate," Ron tried to comfort him. Harry bit his tongue so he didn't snap a Ron.

"Draco and Regulus are both competent wizards," Hermione reasoned and Harry almost bit his tongue off to keep his silence. Draco was talented, but he wasn't perfect. Anything could have happened. Harry was about to abandon Regulus's orders, determined to do something, when Regulus returned, without Draco.

Before Harry could fully panic, Regulus told him Draco was fine and gave him something. A ring.

Harry could instantly guess what it was and couldn't believe Draco had done this for him. Draco had explained Regulus's ring to him and it was one of the most incredible things anyone had ever done for him, second only to bringing his father back.

Emboldened by wearing the ring, he was even more determined to help. At first, Regulus seemed like he was going to be reasonable about it, but that was quickly revealed to be false. Regulus turned from a competent wizard that Harry reluctantly trusted because he'd helped Draco to an utter prick. The man said Harry could help, then dragged him off to the infirmary, and then stuck his feet on the floor once Harry tried to get more than ten paces away.

Even when Sirius, one of the most important people in Harry's life, came in injured with his dad, Regulus tugged him away like a doll. It was bloody infuriating, and the pain in his scar only fueled his frustration.

It got even worse when Regulus let James take the sword and go after Nagini alone. Didn't Regulus love his father? What on earth would possess him to let him go like that?

"We can't let him go alone!" Harry yelled.

"I can, and so can you. I'll stun you if I have to," Regulus warned grabbing his arm tightly.

"Do it then. I am not letting him get himself killed," Harry challenged. For a terrifying second, Harry thought Regulus was going to do it, but instead, he just stuck his feet to the ground and ignored him. Harry felt all the stress and anger reach a tipping point. He was done following Regulus's rules.

While Regulus was weirdly distracted by his injured brother, Harry leaned into his connection to Voldemort, hoping to glimpse what James was headed into.

The reality was far worse than Harry assumed. Voldemort wasn't just protecting Nagini. Voldemort had found Draco.

"Draco," Harry gasped and Regulus turned to look at him. "Voldemort is trying to kill him." Regulus didn't even react. The bastard already knew.

"I know. James will try to save him."

"I can't just wait here," Harry said, struggling against Regulus's spell.

Regulus dismissed him again, and Harry snapped. He jerked wildly, getting Ron's attention from across the hall, and gave a tilt of his head towards Regulus's turned back and then his feet. Ron understood and raised his wand, Hermione grabbed him looking uncertain.

Harry screamed with his eyes how badly he needed to be freed. He mouthed, he's trying to hurt me, and Hermione finally steeled herself. She freed him, and Harry bolted, not looking back. It took Regulus a moment to figure out what had happened, but at that point, Harry was already halfway down the corridor and Ron and Hermione gave him cover as Regulus shouted furiously.

Harry ran. He refused to look at the battle around him, not wanting to know who else was suffering because of him. Draco was the person he needed to save right now. He felt sick knowing that after Draco had saved Sirius and saved his father, Harry could be letting him die.

He refused to let himself slow at the sight of the burning Whomping Willow. He ran and prayed Regulus couldn't stop him. Once in the tunnel, he caught glimpses of Voldemort through his scar. He was talking with Draco. Then he was angry.

Regulus followed him the whole way. Harry stumbled when he suddenly felt joy radiating from Voldemort, and Regulus finally caught up to him. He couldn't speak through the panic in his throat, but Regulus didn't make him return to the castle. He just insisted that Harry stayed behind him.

They entered the shack and Harry's world fell apart.

Draco looked dead. James was thrown to the side as Regulus took his spot over Draco, but Harry had seen Nagini attack before. Mr. Weasley had barely lived and this was much worse. Draco wasn't moving. He looked to James.

"Is he -" Harry couldn't finish the question.

James nodded with the most heartbroken expression. Harry couldn't breathe, so he pulled himself out of the shack not letting himself stay another moment next to a dead Draco. He had just kissed Draco and now…

He stumbled and collapsed against the side of the shack. He'd failed. Draco was dead. Part of him expected to feel numb, and he knew he was in shock, but something else familiar stirred inside him. Anger.

At the same moment, Voldemort made another echoing announcement. "You were foolish in your decision. Blood has been spilt when it is unnecessary, but I'll give you another chance. Bring me Harry Potter, and this will end. You have an hour. Retrieve your dead."

Harry could feel the smugness through his scar. Voldemort was glad Draco was dead and Harry rose with a fury. He was going to destroy Voldemort.

He marched to the castle, already planning. James must have killed Nagini. If he could get close, then he could kill the last bit of soul, ending it all. Someone in the castle was bound to help him, Sirius would probably leap at the chance. He was about halfway back when another figure approached him. Before Harry could decide what to do, they spoke first.

"With me, Potter," Snape hissed.

"No," Harry said, ready to disarm Snape. But why hadn't Snape attacked him first?

Snape stared at him intensely. "There are things you need to know."

"Like what?" Harry snapped, raising his wand. This couldn't distract him from his mission.

"Albus Dumbledore wished for you to know something." Harry froze.

"The prophecy? I already know. I knew you told him. I know you got my mother killed," Harry spat.

Snape's face crumpled, and Harry didn't realise the man could look remorseful. It stilled Harry's wand hand. "Please," Snape begged, "Harry." Harry couldn't believe this was the real Snape.

"I can't trust a word out of your mouth."

"Would you trust a memory?"

"I -" Harry made the mistake of meeting Snape's eye, but instead of legilimising him, Snape pulled Harry into his mind.

At first, it was a blur of memories. A girl with red hair was on a swing. And then the same girl on the Hogwarts train. Walking with her on the grounds. Snape, young and sad, saying, "Lily." Her turning away from him. Snape was trying to school his memories and Harry was yanked forward in time flashing glimpses of his mother.

It finally settled with Snape at Dumbledore's feet. Snape was much younger than he was now, closer in age to James and Regulus. He was sobbing, remorse spilling from his lips. It didn't take Harry long to realise what he was watching. This was the moment after Snape realised the prophecy was about the Potters. This was when he got his mother and father killed.

Anger had always simmered in Harry about this point in time. Snape had played a direct role in killing his parents, but now, seeing the regret, seeing how much he loved his mother, it made Harry a little sick. He'd done the same thing to Draco by letting him be killed by Voldemort.

The vision ended with Dumbledore warning that Voldemort would return and Harry would be in danger. Snape's twisted expression faded into something resembling resolve and then Harry saw flashes again.

Snape drinking. Meeting Harry. His Mark getting darker. Voldemort cursing him. Reporting to Dumbledore.

Then it settled again. Snape was standing in front of Dumbledore in the headmaster's office. They were discussing Dumbledore's blackened hand, so it must have been before sixth year.

"How long do you think I have?" Dumbledore asked Snape.

"Hard to tell. Maybe a year," Snape responded grimly and then went on to berate Dumbledore for failing to get to help sooner. Harry watched intently as the conversation shifted to Draco. Apparently, they had known about Draco's plans before school even started the sixth year. Harry felt that familiar twinge of anger knowing that they knew, and did nothing for Draco.

And then that twinge of anger turned to fire when Snape agreed to kill Dumbledore instead of Draco. He almost pulled out of Snape's mind to yell at him for the injustice, but the visions shifted again to a new discussion between Snape and Dumbledore.

"Harry must not know, not until the last second," Dumbledore said and Harry's breath caught.

"There will come a time when Voldemort will fear for the life of his snake… " Harry felt his vision tunnel the two kept speaking.

"Part of Voldemort lives within Harry…" Harry knew where Dumbledore was going before he said it.

"And while that fragment remains…" Harry closed his eyes, unable to look at Dumbledore's face as he spoke.

Snape spoke, calmly, "So the boy must… the boy must die?"

"And Voldemort himself must be the one to do it, Severus."

And Harry knew that it was true. It was the only explanation for his connection to Voldemort. Everything about it made perfect sense, and Harry had a new perspective on his life. He'd felt like his life had been laid out for him because it had. Dumbledore had planned for this very moment. The moment when Harry would walk to his death to destroy a horcrux.

Harry felt Snape trying to push him back out of his mind, but it wasn't before Dumbledore and Snape's conversation turned into an argument.

"You've raised him like a pig to slaughter -" Harry was thrown out. He stumbled, but somehow kept his feet under him. He looked blankly at Snape.

Harry needed to die. Whatever rage he had felt before Snape had cornered him hardened into resolve. If he wanted to destroy the Dark Lord, he needed to die, and that was simple enough. Draco had already travelled that path without him.

"So you finally get your wish of seeing me dead?" Harry said, still watching Snape.

Snape grimaced. "Do not assume to know me."

"All the same, this is it. I need to die," Harry said emotionlessly.

"Yes," Snape said bitterly.

Harry idly wondered how much Snape had cared for his mother and how much bearing that had on the events leading to this moment, but none of that really mattered. Harry turned away from the castle, away from his friends, and towards the forest.

Snape made an odd sound and said, "Is it that simple?"

Harry paused, "I'd do anything to end this."

"You are a remarkable man, Harry Potter," Snape choked over the words. Harry felt his eyes water but kept moving.

He didn't feel particularly remarkable. He had just followed the steps that had been laid out for him. How long had Dumbledore planned for this to have been his future? Harry wished it hadn't been Draco's future, but it was too late. At least he could and would do this for the others. For Ron. Hermione. Sirius. James.

The thoughts of Dumbledore reminded him of something. He stopped at the tree line and reached into his pocket.

I open at the close

He pulled out the snitch Dumbledore had left him in his will and Harry wanted to cry and at the same time smash it between his fingers. After all this, Dumbledore had truly set him up. He held the snitch to his mouth and it opened, revealing a ring. Knowing what he did now, he recognised it for what it was. It was the resurrection stone.

Harry couldn't put it on. He didn't want to see Draco. Draco would be upset, angry, cursing and convincing him not to do it and Harry didn't want his last memory of Draco to be that. He wouldn't let anyone stop him, so he dropped the snitch with the ring still inside to the ground, put on his invisibility cloak, and walked onward alone.

Imagining Draco's ire made Harry think of the ring already on his finger. Draco tried to save him, but he could never be saved. He had a leech living on his soul that needed to be exterminated. He couldn't risk wearing the ring and the Horcrux remaining with him. Besides, it didn't particularly feel right living in a world without Draco.

He slid the ring into his pocket with a silent apology to Draco. Numb is what Harry felt as he walked deeper into the forest. He let his feet take him forward, trusting that fate would take him to Voldemort, and sure enough voices started to filter in through the trees.

Dolohov and Yaxley were scouting nearby, casually discussing Harry's soon-to-be death. Harry followed until they led him to a clearing with more Death Eaters. They had captured Hagrid and were keeping him restrained along the edge. Harry hoped they would free him after this.

Voldemort stood in the centre, eyes wild and searching. Through his scar, Harry could feel fear and then triumph as Harry removed his cloak.

"HARRY, NO!" Hagrid shouted and the Death Eaters jeered.

"Harry Potter," Voldemort whispered, "The boy who lived," He raised his wand, "has come to die."

Real fear coursed through him and his resolve cracked. This was finally it, and he had no idea what lay before him. Some instinct in him that needed to feel comfort made him put his hand in his pocket. He gripped the ring tightly in his hand. I'm sorry, Draco.

A green flash and he was gone.

Until he wasn't. It was like a switch had been turned on and he was standing… back in Hogwarts, outside of the Great Hall. His father and Regulus stood next to him, tense. Did they die too?

"Prongs?" Harry asked, but James was looking right through him and didn't react to the sound of his voice.

Then he saw the ring on James's finger, the one Draco had made for him, and Harry's heart sank. What was this luck that refused to let him die?

He took in the rest of his surroundings. Sure enough, inside the Great Hall, a crowd was gathered around a body with too familiar messy dark hair. It was bloody unsettling, but Harry felt anger above anything else. Leave it to Draco to create something that could save him by touch alone. He hadn't worn the ring for a reason, because he didn't want to live.

He called for James again, then Regulus. Then to Sirius and his friends who were across the hall, but it was the same. No one acknowledged him. Regulus's ring hadn't been like this. What had Draco done?

A choking sound made him turn back around. His dad was crying.

"I don't see him." James was hyperventilating.

"Calm down let me see."

Before Harry could protest, Regulus took the ring off James's hand and Harry blanked.

And then he was back to standing outside the Great Hall feeling simultaneously like no time had passed and like it'd been hours. It was bizarre, and a little nauseating.

Regulus now wore the ring and was glancing around. He too looked right over where Harry was standing.

"Regulus?" Harry tried, but Regulus couldn't see him. Harry cursed.

"You can't -" James sobbed.

"I -" Regulus swallowed, eyes scanning. "I don't think he was wearing it."

James let out a sob and grabbed onto Regulus. Regulus gave one final glance over Harry without recognition, and then Harry blanked again.

Then Harry was in the Great Hall facing his dead body up close. He was unable to tell how much time had passed, but there were more people now and the light had changed. He tried to orient himself, curious as to who was wearing the ring now.

He turned away from his body, and Draco stood in front of him. Harry blinked dumbly at him. His mind raced to uncover what happened. Was this really Draco? It sure looked like it. A ghost? No. Was he like him, also trapped in a ring? No, James was talking with him. Had Draco faked the attack? No, there were two red pricks right on the side of his neck from Nagini's fangs.

"How?" Harry breathed out.

Draco's eyes went right over him like Regulus and James's had.

"Draco, please. I'm here," Harry said reaching for Draco.

The moment Harry's hand went right through, Draco looked right at him. Harry's breath caught, but Draco didn't say anything. Harry waited for Draco to recognise him.

But then, Draco moved to take off the ring.

"Wait! Don't, I'm -" Harry shouted.

He blanked again.

His awareness the next time came slowly. Sensations felt more like a dream than anything else. He felt energy leaking from his hand like he was re-fusing himself together, but it was slow and hesitant.

Memories came first. He knew they'd destroyed the horcruxes. He remembered Draco dying and Snape's confession. He remembered the fear that coursed through him as the green light came at him, but he also remembered the ring. Draco was somehow alive and forced Harry to stay alive with him through that single ring.

Then, he started to feel. He was lying on something hard. It was a truly physical sensation, so he must be in the Great Hall on that table. Sound filtered through the darkness.

"We need to move him," someone whispered.

"Where? There's nowhere for him."

Finally, movement came to Harry. He could feel his heartbeat and his lungs breathed shallowly. Willing his body to do something, his eyes opened and at the same time, his arm jerked awkwardly and thudded loudly against the table. Someone jumped next to him.

"What?" Someone else exclaimed and Harry blinked, trying to clear his vision. As he guessed, he was back in his body.

He looked down at the ring now on his hand. Had Draco brought him back? Harry immediately tried to sit up. His body seemed to protest the movement and his chest spasmed, making him cough loudly.

"Harry!" Sirius yelled, grabbing him into a hug. Harry tried to push him off; he needed to find Draco.

A chorus of people exclaiming his name came, and people surrounded him. Mrs. Weasley shoved her way to the front and grabbed him from Sirius's hold. Hermione grabbed his arm and Ron started to cry. It was thoroughly overwhelming.

How many people came to stare at his dead body? He scanned but failed to find the face he wanted most.

"How are you alive?" Sirius asked.

"Are you alright, dear?" Mrs. Weasley fussed.

"I'm fine," Harry responded, but it sounded too raspy to be convincing. He pulled against the hands holding him.

"You need to rest," Lupin said from behind Sirius, looking amazed to see Harry.

"Where's Draco?" Harry asked. He looked at the faces again. "James?"

"You were dead!" Sirius cried.

"Where is Draco?" Harry asked more forcefully. Sirius remained silent, mouth opening and closing uselessly. He didn't know.

Hermoine said, "He left not too long ago. I'm sure he's in the castle. I can -"

"No, I need to find him," Harry said shrugging off everyone's grip.

"Absolutely, not," Mrs. Weasley said and then turned to her children. "Someone get Pomfrey!"

"No," Harry growled and searched for his wand. It was nowhere in sight, but he spotted his invisibility cloak lying right next to him. Everyone hovered over him, ready to stop him from running off to Draco, but if they didn't want him to leave, they should have taken his cloak away.

As quick as his uncoordinated limbs would allow, Harry snatched the cloak and threw himself off the side of the table away from Sirius. Everyone shouted at once, but Harry slid the cloak on, righting himself and stumbling through the people.

Blessedly, people were still too stunned to act quickly, so Harry pushed them aside and despite the clumsiness, got away. He had no idea where Draco had gone, but he had to make sure he hadn't been deceived. He needed to feel Draco's heart beating.

People were starting to flood out of the Great Hall, calling his name, but Harry stayed ahead of them. Harry looked out the front of the castle first and saw three figures walking away. Regulus, James, and Draco were marching towards the edge of the wards surrounding Hogwarts. He sprinted.

Harry wasn't sure what to say to them. They looked grimly determined, and the combination of becoming more out of breath with each step and his curiosity overrode his desire to call out to Draco. They reached the edge of the wards and Harry's heart got stuck in his throat. It took him far too long, to realise that Regulus had grabbed Draco to apparate. They disappeared with a crack and Harry ran harder, unwilling to be left behind.

He grabbed his father's arm just as James started to apparate. When they landed, James lurched, making Harry fall backwards. Thankfully he hadn't been splinched, but James was looking around wildly. Harry debated revealing himself now, but something felt off.

They were in an unknown cemetery. Was there another Horcrux? Harry wanted to ask, but he also didn't want to disrupt them. They'd probably be pissed he wasn't resting back at Hogwarts like the rest of them, and worst of all, he knew they'd send him off with some excuse of being too weak, especially without his wand. They split up on Regulus's direction.

Were they looking for something? Harry was too uncertain, so he remained silent and waited. The moment Regulus rolled up his sleeve and summoned Voldemort, Harry realised that might have been a mistake.

But it was too late to do anything now. Harry couldn't distract them. Voldemort appeared with a crack and Regulus moved faster than Harry could process. His reflexives were impressive. He fired a killing curse and started to weave behind headstones.

Harry, realising that he was standing in the middle of the fight, sprinted to get behind Regulus. It would be bloody embarrassing to get hit by a stray spell, but Harry was distracted by how satisfying it was to see Voldemort so shaken. It was also an amazing realisation that his scar didn't hurt even though Voldemort was right there and presumably livid. If his horcrux was dead, this was truly it.

Regulus was talented. He methodically moved through the cemetery, and Voldemort couldn't quite keep up. The only problem was that Regulus was heading to where Harry was trying to stay out of the way. Regulus changed direction unexpectedly, and Harry tried to move out of the way, but Regulus's foot caught on his, and Regulus stumbled.

Terrified that Harry had ruined everything, he readied himself to be a distraction for Regulus, but before he could do anything, James fired a killing curse, revealing himself.

The noise Voldemort let out was inhuman. Harry watched in awe as the two fought but was ready to reveal himself to give an upper hand. Watching the two fight filled Harry with hope, but then it all went to shit.

Voldemort destroyed a whole section of the cemetery and sent the rubble right on top of James. He screamed in pain as Harry ran to him. Regulus tried to follow but was caught in a curse.

Harry scrambled over to James, dead set on finding his wand in the rubble. He couldn't. James was yelling and panting heavily between the yells. He was buried below the waist and his wand arm was pinned. It would take minutes to free his wand without magic.

Before he could even attempt it, Draco shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" Harry turned to see the curse barely miss Voldemort. Harry cursed under his breath and ran for where Regulus had been. He would grapple Voldemort if he had to, but Merlin, he preferred a wand.

Before he could even get close to Regulus, Voldemort had forced Draco to the ground. Grappling it was then. He turned and raced to Draco, determined not to let Draco die again.

"You can't destroy me," Draco told Voldemort, manic.

"I won't make the same mistake again," Voldemort hissed. Harry slowed as he approached. He would tackle Voldemort but that wouldn't help as much as he needed it to. There had to be something better.

"Wanna bet? Who do you think brought Regulus back? And James?" A shiver went through Harry as he stopped beside Draco.

"Me." Draco sneered and then grinned and said, "I accomplished what you can only dream of, Voldemort."

Harry wanted to shout his agreement. Draco, who had always been adamant about proper titles, finally understood his power. Draco finally saw what Harry always could - he owed Voldemort no respect.

Then Draco yelled in pain as Voldemort stared at him. Harry knew what was happening, and Voldemort searched for the truth in Draco's claim. Draco's yell caused James to scream again, and Harry waited, ready for Draco to end it. With Voldemort broken, Draco could.

Draco sagged after a few seconds as Voldemort presumably retreated out of his mind. Harry had never seen Voldemort so overcome, and Harry realised with a thrill, that he hadn't felt anything from his scar.

"You are foolish. All you ever had was luck and foolish tricks. You can't move. Your friends are as good as dead. You couldn't even save your precious Potter."

As Voldemort spoke, Draco's expression fell and Harry's certainty that Draco was going to end this wavered. Draco needed to. Draco was better than him, but Draco slumped and closed his eyes, and Harry knew he'd given up. Draco had given up because he thought the failed to save Harry.

Well, Harry could prove that wrong.

He threw off his cloak and grabbed Draco's wand.

"Yes, he could," Harry said and smiled when Voldemort stumbled backwards. Voldemort couldn't even speak. Taking a page out of Regulus's book, Harry didn't give Voldemort a chance to do or say anything. He summoned all of his luck, all of his anger, everything that had brought him to this moment, and yelled, "Avada Kedavra."

Voldemort's eyes went wild, panic-filled. He yelled at the same time and flicked his wand, but his wand was resisting him. Harry could feel its reluctance as if it wanted to disobey him. Voldmort's curse tapered out in response to Harry's and the green light hit Voldemort square in the chest.

Voldemort fell to the ground. Dead.

It was over, and Draco was right there beside him.