A/N: Hello! Sorry for the long update gap. After my vacation I was just too happy to write about something sad so I mainly just updated my other fic. (I think I uploaded at least three more chapters on that one) But now that my classes start in a day and half, I am too sad to write about anything happy, which is why I was finally able to update this hahaha.

Anyway hope you like this chapter and thanks for reading!

Hermione did not know how long she had been sitting in the dark. She was never one to fail nor to give up but as the minutes ticked by in that small, dark room, she could not help but feel a little deflated.

She had tried everything, even as drastic as trying to burn a hole through it or blasting the whole thing open altogether but the door stood firmly in its frame, refusing to allow her passage. In the end, she decided to sit down and wait, and comforted herself with the notion that as long as the door held, Draco was safe.

So when the door clicked open it felt as if someone had thrown the Gryffindor in the iciest of oceans, her blood turning cold almost as if to stop her heart. Within seconds the witch was out of the broom closet and racing towards the courtyard.

xxx

The Gryffindor princess skidded to a halt as she was met with a wall of her fellow classmate's backs. They stood there motionless with an air of morbid silence surrounding them. It appeared as if they were watching something.

Hermione pushed through the crowd trying to see what was happening. On her way there she saw faces: faces that looked at her with pity, faces that looked down in shame and faces that look haunted, their eyes reflecting what they were seeing right in front of them. Hermione tried to peer over their shoulders but her height had always been a problem in such crowds and so she pushed on.

Suddenly, there was a scream and the witch stopped dead in her tracks, her heart aching in recognition of the voice. She pushed weaved through her fellow classmates with much more urgency.

"Get up" the Dark Lord sneered

"Draco…" Hermione whimpered as she reached the front lines. The blonde Slytherin pushed himself up from the ground with weak and shaky knees, his body staggering as it tried to keep up with its injuries. He looked tired and pale and every inch of his white porcelain skin was marred by either dirt, bruises or deep gashes. The Dark Lord was playing with his prey.

The Gryffindor made a move to go to him but someone held her back. She looked up at the blue eyes of Ron Weasley, who shook his head sadly. It's not time, his eyes seemed to say.

Hermione's eyes widened in horror and she realized why her classmates had looked at her with guilt and shame—she realized why Draco was standing there alone.

They had sacrificed him. They had willingly let him walk into the mercy of the Dark Lord to buy more time—more time to find the snake, Nagini, who until now, was well kept and hidden. Even with Harry's sacrifice they had failed to find her and now they needed one more.

He was the pawn—the distraction, as the professors and aurors sent out silent spells to search out the snake. They knew that she'd be near her master at this critical moment but was concealed by a charm. They had more chance detect her if the hundreds of death eaters were kept at bay and the dark lord, preoccupied.

Hermione shook her head and whispered in a hoarse voice, "No…how could you let his happen…"

Ron looked at his best friend with sympathy as he remembered Draco pass him by on his way to the Dark Lord. At first, he had to admit, that he wanted nothing more than to strangle the Slytherin thinking that he was walking over to defect back to the dark side.

That was until he heard Draco whisper something in his ear. His voice had come so quietly that if the Weasley hadn't locked eyes with him for that one split second he wouldn't think he had said it at all.

The Weasley then, had dug into his pocket and grasped at a galleon that was sitting there—the same gold coin that they had used in Dumbledore's Army to communicate. Ron burnt the message in there, focusing all his magic on his hand that held it and prayed for a wandless magic miracle. The club may have ceased to exist but the members had never disbanded. Each of them had clung on to their galleons during the war in hopes that someone would tell them what to do in that dark and frightful time. Today it finally did just that: Find the Snake. Draco will buy us time.

Ron held that coin now to the Gryffindor, letting it speak for itself. Hermione took out her own coin that held the same words. She had read the words in that dark broom closet but she foolishly refused to believe what it had entailed. She shook her head again, tears silently filling her eyes as she turned to watch another one of her loved ones suffer, "No, not again"

xxx

Draco could not feel his legs as he stood up, wand weakly in his hand. In fact, Draco could not feel anything except for the constant humming of pain radiating in his body. He was so tired and cold now that he wanted nothing more than his death to come. Once or twice he had contemplated begging for it but as soon as the thought came up, the image of Hermione filled him and he swallowed his pleas.

He looked at the Dark Lord, gloating to the courtyard, That's right. Keep your eyes on me.

"Now you see," the Dark Lord said with morbid gleefulness, speaking to both his death eaters and the line of Hogwarts students he had been daring to join his side, "what happens when you try to oppose me"

The Dark Lord invaded his mind once again and his wavering strength finally let Voldemort in. He couldn't hide it any longer, the memories of the bushy haired brunette who had held him at night when he was afraid. The know-it-all who made him cookies and tucked him into bed and read her stories no matter how many he asks for. Hermione who he had shared his silence with in the lonely nights.

Voldemort's eyes flickered towards the crowd of Hogwarts students until his eyes landed on who he was looking for. Draco followed his gaze, horrified as he saw the softest brown eyes look back at him. The Slytherin turned back to the Dark Lord, "No...please, don't...not her..."

"Really Draco? A mudblood?" Voldemort sneered, "Oh, don't worry. By the time I'm through with you, you wouldn't be able to remember her to feel the pain for when I kill her"

"Please...no..."

He sent off another Crucio towards the Slytherin, who, given his state, was barely able to get out of the way. Once again Draco crumpled to the ground and he thought about how nice it would be to sleep, his thoughts were starting to cloud up. The cold, dirty cobblestones were starting to feel quite pleasant against his skin. This was the third time he had found himself dying and he was sorry that this time he might actually have to say goodbye. You know what they say, third time's the charm, he smiled weakly to himself.

"Draco," the chilling voice came, "Is there anything you'd like to share?"

The Slytherin tried to speak out but his throat had gone dry and nothing came out other than a few broken words.

"Answer when I ask you something!" Voldemort sneered and levitated the Slytherin's body. It looked as if some invisible hand was lifting Draco by his neck as the blonde tried to gasp for breath.

"I s..sa..aid, I c..can't..wa..it…to..s…see y..o.u…in..h..ell" It was impressive really how the Malfoy heir found the energy to smirk.

This seemed to be the wrong response as the Dark Lord's eyes flashed dangerously, throwing the blonde back to the ground. He raised his wand again, the unmistakable glow of the cruciatus curse building up on the tip of the Elder and Draco knew that he wouldn't survive it this time. He closed his eyes and welcomed death—or insanity, but instead something else greeting him: the piercing sound of his mother's scream.

xxx

Narcissa Malfoy appeared seconds before the curse had made its way to her only son. It had made no sense to her why she wasn't there beside him as he was the only reason she had stood by the Dark Lord's side. In fact, she didn't understand why it took her so long to do what she just did and she silently hated herself for not stepping in the first time the Dark Lord had cursed him. If her son was going to die, she wanted to be with him.

The curse coursed through her body quite angrily and she could not help but scream. Lady Malfoy staggered but never fell to her knees. When the pain faded Narcissa stood up defiantly with the poise of a true pureblood—and Malfoy. She was never going to kneel for the Dark Lord again.

"Mother…" Draco pleaded weakly from behind her, "Don't…"

Lady Malfoy threw him a glance and smiled, "It's okay, my dear. I'm here now"

"Narcissa," Voldemort snarled, her name rolling of as if from a snake's tongue

The witch merely whipped out her wand and flourished it with grace as if to say, 'If you want to get to my son, you'll have to go through me first.' No sooner had she done that did black smoke appear before her.

"Lucius?" Narcissa whispered incredulously at her who husband now standing beside her.

Lucius Malfoy smiled softly at his wife and simply said, "In good times and in bad"

Narcissa smiled back and nodded, "Till death do us part"

The two now looked towards the master they had served for years with defiance, this time finally understanding what they should have been fighting for.

The Dark Lord broke out into toe-curling laugh and circled the couple, his predator like eyes boring into them, "Touching. I must say. This is a rather pleasant surprise. For the past few days I was already thinking up of ways of how to get rid of you and your family, Lucius. I've been waiting for the right opportunity to sentence you to death—a mistake or poor service perhaps"

Lucius remembered his failure in acquiring the prophecy and he gripped his stolen wand tighter. The Dark Lord was walking to his left now and as he spoke it felt as if Voldemort had been standing right beside him, "Maybe even...betrayal?"

The Malfoys watched as the Dark Lord resumed his position in front of them, "But I must say, Lucius. I want to know why you'd rather die as a blood traitor defending your pathetic son and useless wife than die in honor of service to me"

Lucius looked into the eyes of evil, the pair of red eyes he had never been able to bring himself to look at, and spoke, for once in his life, bravely, "I love my family more than I fear you."

The Dark Lord snarled, "Pathetic"

xxx

The Malfoys were losing—which was not surprising as they were battling the Dark Lord. What was surprising was that they had lasted as long as they did. Everyone had always thought of the pureblood family to be weak and cowardly but none of those were seen today.

The husband and wife battled ferociously, the two moving fluidly casting spell after spell, one anticipating the action of the other. It was mesmerizing to watch Lucius and Narcissa fight in perfect harmony, almost like a dance. Narcissa, more talented in charms, took care of the defensive spells and Lucius handled the offense. It was as if defying the Dark Lord had let their magic flourish outside of fear and self-doubt.

It wasn't long until the Dark Lord had disturbed that harmony as he landed a nasty sectumsempra on Lady Malfoy, red angry lines appearing on her chest. Lucius, momentarily distracted by his wife's injuries was barely able to dodge out of the way. Draco ran to his mother just in time to catch her. The Slytherin frantically murmured the healing curse as he waved his wand over her body. He was able to stop the bleeding but because of the complexity spell, he was unable to close the wounds properly.

"I'm sorry, mother," Draco sobbed, "This is my fault. This is all my fault. I'm sorry you got hurt. I'm sorry, i'm sorry, i'm sorry..."

Narcissa shook her head and reached out to wipe his tears, "Don't be. I'm so proud of you, Draco"

Hermione watched Draco cry as held Narcissa. Lucius who had continued on with the fighting in hopes of drawing the attention of the Dark Lord from his wife and son, stood defensively in front of them, broken and weak, taking one last stand to protect what was his. Draco kissed his mother's forehead and stood up to join his father to protect her. This was it. The Dark Lord was going to make his final move and three more bodies would be added to the count. Hermione couldn't let this happen and she wouldn't.

The Gryffindor witch broke out Ron's grasp and ran towards the Malfoy family, placing herself in front of Lucius and Draco. There was a collective grasp in the crowd.

"If you want to get to them, you have to go through me" Hermione stood front of the Dark Lord as if to challenge him and yet her wand lay on her side rather than in front of her, pointing at the enemy. She looked at Harry laying motionless in Hagrid's arms. She should never have let him go alone and this time she wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

Draco choked back a sob, "Hermione—"

"You're so stupid Draco," the witch hissed under her breath, her shaky voice betraying the strength in her eyes, "Did you mean what you said"

"Now's not the—"

"Did you mean it!"

"Yes—"

Hermione whirled around and punch him, breaking his nose for the second time since third year. She sniffed holding her tears in, "You can't just say those things and then leave!"

Draco stared at her wide eyed and then nodded, "I'm sorry..."

"You better be," Hermione said as she turned to face the Dark Lord once again who watched the two of them with amusement and cruelty in his eyes.

"Lover's quarrel?" Voldemort sneered and the death eaters behind him laughed. He was enjoying the show his enemies were putting up for him.

"You'll have to get through me as well" Ron stepped up beside Hermione and gave her a reassuring smile to say that he'd stand by her decision, which she returned. He looked at her as if to ask, what's the plan? It made the Weasley slightly nervous when Hermione shrugged.

The Dark Lord's amusement disappeared as aura hummed dangerously with anger. Unease filled the death eater army.

"Count me in," Ginny Weasley came to Hermione's other side. She whimpered when she saw Harry up close but her brave face returned when Hermione squeezed her hand.

"Me too," Luna waltzed in

"And me," Neville followed

"And me," George stepped in honor of his twin

"And me,"

"And me,"

"And me,"

"And me,"

One by one, people broke from the crowd to step forward and wield their wands against the Dark Lord. Most of them were from the D.A. and amongst them stood the Auror's and the professors. Unlike Hermione, they did not step up because they particularly cared for the Malfoys. In fact, most of them had been on the receiving end of either Draco or Lucius' bullying.

No, they stepped forward because they respected what they did today. As much as a lot of these people who stood by the Slytherin hated him, they couldn't let this sacrifice go unnoticed and unappreciated especially since the Malfoys had done so with so little to gain—and the Malfoys have never done anything that wasn't selfish. They didn't all magically like the Malfoys but some were willing to forgive, some were willing just to forget and move on but one thing is for sure, all of them felt that the Malfoys did not deserve to die even if they were such a horrible bunch. They were punished enough.

Draco watched as people passed him by. Some nodded at him and some simply looked at him and kept on walking. Professor McGonagal had stopped beside Narcissa and helped her up. She called two other students to guide the Malfoy matriarch inside the castle to be treated. She nodded at the blonde Slytherin and walk forward to join her students.

"Don't forget us," Blaise Zabini, the first of the Slytherins who stepped forward, Theo and Pansy behind him.

"You...," Draco croaked as his friends passed by, "Think about what your families would do to you!"

"We never had families. We had each other," Pansy squeezed his hand before walking ahead.

Theo nodded, "Besides, we can't let those Gryffindors upstage again, now can we?"

"Those self-righteous bastards" Blaise said with a smirk

Draco watched his friends stand themselves amongst the lions. A collection of twenty-eight witches of wizards formed a wall between the Dark Lord and the Malfoys, each of them silently pairing themselves off with a Deatheater in case they were ordered to attach.

Doubt started to plant itself in the Dark Lord and Hermione could feel him getting distracted and uneasy by the growing numbers of his opposition. He thought that he had crushed their spirit but every soul glowed brighter than ever. Hermione used this opportunity to search out the snake at a closer distance.

"Foolish," the Dark Lord spoke and the Gryffindor princess' eyes snapped back to the cold red ones, "You really think you can win against me?"

The death eaters behind him laughed again but this time it sounded as if they were nervous. It seems they too had started to doubt the outcome of this battle.

The Dark Lord's eyes landed on the muggle born with who started it all, "Any last words, Mudblood?"

"Yeah," Hermione smiled, the Dark Lord flinched in surprise. "I've got you now."

Then with one quick movement the witch brandished her wand and a bright yellow spell shot out of it, hitting what seems to be an invisible 'wall' on top of a broken pillar at the far right corner of the courtyard. Draco and Lucius looked confused as to what exactly that witch was trying to accomplish. However everyone else around them seemed to get the message just right as 28 wands ignited aiming for the same spot the muggle-born had marked. The Dark Lord screeched in fury as a horrible hissing sound could be heard. Nagini writhed as the concealment spell burnt off of her.

"YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD" Voldemort bellowed but no sooner had he raised his wand against her did he hear the words he had come to loathe.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

A/N:

1: If you're wondering how Hermione figured out where Nagini was when an army of Aurors couldn't, the answer is...in the next chapter. lol.
2: I put 28 stepped forward. I randomly chose that number so...hahaha.
3: Voldemort doesn't use unforgivables on Narcissa and Lucius because he wanted to toy with them, confident that he was going to win against them. So he just used spells that they had a chance of blocking or repelling to see how far they would go.