Year 7

What would have been his seventh and final year at Hogwarts was spent at home with his cracked father, his submissive mother, and his completely insane aunt who where all ordered to stay put. He knew despite the fact that their house was used as the Dark Lord's base, their family was a disgrace and they were practically on the lowest level of the Dark Lords list of followers. The only thing that kept them alive was Bellatrix, and that was barely enough.

Months past and things only seemed to get worse, and the only thing that kept Draco's head above water was Lucy. He thought of her when she'd insult him or when she'd laugh and smile or when she scrunch her nose whenever she couldn't get a spell or potion right. But he didn't dare touch on where he thought she was now, if he did he'd run himself right into more stress than he already faced with his family and the Dark Lord.

One day, months and months after the day he left Lucy and Hogwarts, Draco was called into the drawing room by Bellatrix, and found himself being asked to identify whether a boy that had been brought it was Harry Potter or not.

"Draco! Draco, I have a job for you,"

Bellatrix led Draco to where all plump faced boy was kneeling on the ground, being watched by two Snatchers. Bellatrix immediately grabbed the hair on his head and forced him to face Draco.

"Well, Draco?" Bellatrix asked avidly. "Is it him? Is it Harry Potter?"

"I- I can't be sure," Draco said, keeping his distance from Greyback and avoiding looking directly at Harry.

"Look at him carefully- go closer!" Draco looked up at his father, who had never seen so excited, even though he looked more like a bum than his father at the moment. "Draco, if we're the ones to hand over Potter-"

"We won't forget who actually caught him, will we, Mr. Malfoy?" the head Snatcher said in a light way, but a menacing threat clung beneath his words.

"You dare to talk to me like that in my own house!" Draco's father yelled crankily, but his mother was suddenly there, calming him and pulling him away from Draco. Bellatrix was immediately there to replace him however, and grabbing his arm, pulling him down close to Potter.

"Now, Draco, if this isn't who we think it is and we call Him, he'll kill us all. We have to be absolutely sure," Bellatrix told him as Draco looked at Potter's face, knowing it was him but not wanting to say so.

"I don't know. I can't be sure… what's wrong with his face anyway?" Draco asked trying to get the attention off of him.

"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix asked, looking up at the Snatchers.

"He came to us like that. Something he picked up in the forest I reckon,"

"Or ran into a Stinging Jinx," Draco could hear Bellatrix smile. "Was it you, deary? Give me her wand, I'll check what the last spell was,"

Draco looked up as his mother tapped him on the shoulder, beckoning him away from Potter. He quickly stood with his mother, moving away from Potter and coming to stand closer to the wall and out of the way.

Then he heard Bellatrix gasp.

"What's that? Where did you get that?"

"The sword? It was in her bag when we searched her- reckon it's mine, now," the snatcher grinned happily.

There was a bang and a flash of red light as Bellatrix took out every last snatcher without hesitation. She was incredible; they were no match for her prodigious skills and lack of conscience. They fell where they stood as if they were nothing. They were nothing, under her wandpoint.

"Go! Get out!" she yelled at those still alive, and boy did they take off.

"Bella? What's wrong?" Draco's mother asked.

"Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!" Bellatrix was panting slightly, looking down at the sword, examining its hilt with desperate eyes. Then she turned to look at the others. "If it is indeed Potter, he must not be harmed," she muttered. "The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Potter himself… but if he finds out… I must… I must know…"

To Draco's surprise, Bellatrix actually looked frightened, fire issuing from her wand tip and burnt a hole in the carpet. Whatever was going on was big, and it was scaring her to death.

Bellatrix turned back to his mother again. "Put the boys in the cellar- we'll start with the Mudblood," Bellatrix nodded, as if agreeing with herself that that was the best course of action.

"This is my house, Bella," his mother snapped. "You don't give orders in my-"

"Do it!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You have no idea of the danger we are in!"

Bellatrix then walked over to Granger and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her to the center of the room. Weasley and Potter yelled the whole way down to the cellar, Weasley even offering himself up to her, but Bellatrix wouldn't have it.

"If one of them dies under questioning, I'll take you next. Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book," she sneered. "Take the downstairs and make sure they are secure, but do nothing more to them- yet,"

From then on Draco couldn't bare to watch as Granger was tortured under his aunt's wand. Draco just stood numbly and tried not to listen to his aunts maniacal laughter or Grangers pain filled screams. He barely noticed it when the goblin from the cellar was brought up until he heard him talking.

"No. It's a fake,"

"Are you sure?" asked Bellatrix. "Quite sure?"

"Yes," the goblin said in monotone.

"Consider yourself lucky, goblin," Bellatrix casually flicked her wand, cutting a deep gash into the goblin's face. He dropped to his knees at her feet and she kicked him aside.

"The same won't be said for this one," Bellatrix smiled, leaning over Granger with a devilish smile on her face.

"No!" Draco looked up as Weasley and Potter burst into the room.

Bellatrix stood and spun around as her wand jumped out of her hand and into Potter's her eyes wide in surprise at what Weasley had down. Potter then quickly stunned Draco's father sending him grumbling to the floor. His mother and him then quickly ran forward, dueling the two before Bellatrix's voice broke through.

"STOP OR SHE DIES!" Draco looked back to see Bellatrix with an unconscious Granger in her arms, holding a knife to her throat. "Drop your wands," she yelled dangerously. "Drop them, or we'll see exactly how filthy her blood really is!" Neither Weasley nor Potter made a move to drop their wands. "I said, drop them!" Bellatrix screeched, pressing the knife into Granger's throat making drops of blood trickle down it.

Their wands quickly hit the floor.

"Good," Bellatrix leered. "Draco, pick them up!"

Draco did as he was told before walking over to stand against the wall with his mother again, watching the scene carefully.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here," Bellatrix smiled, stepping forward carefully, Granger still her arms, nearly taunting them. "It's Harry Potter. He's all bright and shiny and new again, just in time for the Dark Lord," Bellatrix smiled. "Call him. Go on, call him,"

Draco shifted nervously, not wanting to do it, and then shrinking a little when he saw his father walk past him, eyeing him dangerously before raising his own sleeve to reveal his own dark mark, slowly and melodramatically pointing his wand to the tattoo.

But then suddenly, a peculiar grinding noise from above came to all of their attention, even stopping Draco's father from touching his Dark Mark. Draco looked up in time to see Dobby, their old house-elf, sitting at the top of the chandelier, turning the top of it until it trembled and, with one final creak, fell. Bellatrix shrieked and dropped Granger, letting her fall forward as she scampered back. The glass shards flew in all directions once the chandelier met the ground with a crash, making Draco drop the wands in his hand to cover his face.

Once Draco could see again, he found that Potter, Weasley, Granger, the goblin and Dobby were all gathered near the head of the room, a bundle of wands in Potter's hand.

"Dobby!" Draco's mother screamed, her voice getting shrill. "You! You dropped the chandelier-?"

"You dirty little monkey! You could have killed me!" Bellatrix shrieked.

"Dobby never meant to kill- only to maim or seriously injure," Dobby smiled.

"How dare you! How dare you defy your masters!"

"Dobby has no master!" he straightened, standing tall. "Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!"

Draco watched as they Disapparated, a knife disappearing with them as they went, and somehow, Draco knew that Dobby didn't survive.

After that, the Dark Lord appeared and upon learning that Potter had escaped their clutches, punished them severely. Once the Dark Lord had finally finished with them, Draco's father wouldn't even look, let alone speak to Draco or his mother, but simple took a bottle of strong scotch and locked himself in his study.

It was when he and his family were called forth for the finally war and the taking of Hogwarts did Draco feel any hope. Draco immediately Apparated into Hogwarts, into the dungeons where he found Goyle and Blaise running off. He grabbed them and yanked them into a side corridor before forcing them to follow him.

Draco had a good idea where Potter was headed and he was planning on catching him and getting his wand back, and then if he had time take Potter to the Dark Lord and redeem his family.

"Well, well," And predictably enough, Potter was right where Draco thought he would be. "What brings you here, Potter?"

"I could ask you the same," Potter asked as he stepped forward.

"You have something of mine. I'd like it back," Draco hissed.

"What's wrong with the one you have?" Potter asked, pointing to the wand aimed at his face.

"It's my mother's," Draco answered. "It's powerful… but it's not the same. Doesn't quite understand me. Know what I mean?"

"Why didn't you tell her? Bellatrix?" Potter asked, making Draco stiffen, afraid by what he might say. "You knew it was me, You didn't say anything,"

"Come on, Draco," Goyle whispered into his ear. "Don't be a prat. Do it,"

"Easy," Draco bit out, not wanting Goyle to do anything stupid like kill Potter, now that would send his family into the furthest pits of dishonor.

"Expelliarmus!"

Suddenly Draco's wand jumped out of his hand and he took off, running behind Goyle and Blaise, before taking off, not wanting to get hit by a ill aimed spell or caught by the Golden Trio.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Stupefy!"

"That's my girlfriend, you numpties!"

And then Draco felt something hot at his back. Draco glanced back to see fire issuing from the tip of his wand. Fire roared around them, surrounding them and seeming to come alive and mold into creatures that wanted to swallow them up. They all kept backing up until they were completely cornered, fire in front of them, a pile of junk at their backs. Draco quickly spun around and started to climb up a pile of dressers, bookshelves, desks and grandfather clocks, Blaise and Goyle close behind.

Only when Draco heard a shout did he look back, and it was only to watch Goyle fall backwards and into the very flames they were all trying to escape. Draco and Blaise continued climbing until they reached the top, but to their horror, they realized that was it, there was no where else to go.

Draco saw Potter and friends whiz past them on brooms, and Draco felt a small amount of hate beneath his fear toward them. The table Draco and Blaise were standing on suddenly gave way and the fell, but they quickly grabbed a hold to the table edge before they could fall into the fire burning at their backs.

Draco could barely think through his fear, but the whole time, beneath the fear and the urge to live, Draco could see glimpses of Lucy, smiling at him, sticking her tongue out at him. Draco could stand the thought of not seeing her again, but he couldn't help but except it since he and Blaise were holding on for their dear lives as fire tried to eat them alive.

That was when Draco saw a glimmer of hope as he saw Potter and Weasley flying back towards them, Potters arm reaching down toward him. Draco reached up as well, only to miss. Draco quickly grabbed onto the table again before Potter made another pass, this time, successfully.

Draco held on for dear life as the two of them whizzed past piles of falling objects and flew over columns of angry fire. Draco could see the entrance when suddenly Potter lost control and sent them flying at the door, minus the broom. Draco hit the ground hard, but he quickly jumped up and started running, he didn't know where but he most definitely didn't want to be anywhere near that room again.

That's when Draco heard the sound of dueling coming down an adjoining corridor, heading toward him. He looked up as six people came into view, three Death Eaters, two redheaded men and a girl.

The girl Draco could swear he had seen before, but she was so dirty and different that Draco couldn't tell who she was. She fought gracefully, flicking her wand and ducking and sidestepping with grace before she shot a spell right into the Death Eater's face before she smiled in triumph.

Draco knew that smile. Lucy.

"Hello, Minister!" one shouted as the Minister's head dress fell off his head, and the redhead, who Draco assumed was Percy Weasley, shot a spell at him, dropping him to the ground. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking, Perce!" the other laughed, one of the twins Draco guessed. He continued to laugh even as he shot a spell right into the other Death Eater's face, knocking him back down the corridor. "You actually are joking, Perce… I don't think I've heard you joke since you were-"

Draco was about to run forward, danger gone, to see his Lucy.

"NO!"

But that was when the air exploded. A loud sound crack against Draco's ears as chunks of stone, splintered wood, the people around him and he himself went flying through the air. Draco could feel himself thrown up and into the air until he went hurtling backwards. He threw his arms out in front of him as a reflex and shouted as he felt the force and the sudden weightlessness until his back hit a wall and he crumbled to the ground, bits of debris landing on top of him. When Draco sat up he could see a huge whole in the corridor which now let the cold air from the outside breeze in.

"Is everyone all right?" Draco could hear Potter ask as he and Granger stood up, looking about.

"Think so," Draco could hear Weasley saying as Draco stood, looking about himself, trying to find where Lucy was. "Fred, Perce?"

"All right, Ron," Percy coughed.

"As can be expected," Draco heard Fred add. "Think I've broken something though. Don't really appreciate being exploded, but I probably wouldn't of survived without… Hang on, where's that Slytherin girl?"

Yes, Draco was still looking for her, and becoming more frantic with each second that went by when he couldn't find her. His eyes searched every pile of rubble for any sign of Lucy, her brown hair or anything that told him where she was.

"I'm fine!"

Draco spun around to see Lucy limping down the corridor, as if she were just entering the scene when she had actually been being thrown by the explosion. Her hair was much shorter than he remembered it last being, and she looked awful with the dirt and old blood that covered nearly every inch of her. But God she was probably the most beautiful thing that Draco had even seen in his life.

Draco ran over the pile of ruble to her, in the back of his mind surprised that he didn't twist his ankle accomplishing that feat. He practically slammed into her before she knew what was happening, and held onto her for dear life like he had been doing with the table in the Room of Requirement not a minute before this.

He could feel her stiffen against him before she suddenly let out a happy yip and hugged him back, holding onto him just as firmly. He pulled back and started kissing every inch of her dirty face that he could reach, so happy to see this girl that he almost couldn't comprehend what he was feeling, though he had an idea.

"You found me. You came back!" Lucy exclaimed as tears came to her eyes.

"I promised you, didn't I?" Draco laughed as he pulled back and looking into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"Did you keep your promise to not do anything that you'd be ashamed to tell me while you were gone?" she asked smiling through her tears.

"As well as I could," he told her truthfully.

"Good," she whispered before kissing him, much harder than their previous two kisses, much more of a desperate sort of kiss that they both needed. It was only when they heard people clearing their throats behind them did the two look up.

"Is that really necessary?" Fred asked with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, yes it is," Lucy told him before pulling Draco back into another quick kiss that sent the group behind them gagging.

"Not as mature as you all thought, now are you?" Draco smiled as he pulled away from Lucy only to pull her tightly to his chest.

"Not when it comes to whatever animalistic thing that was," Ron Weasley said with a scrunched up face, gesturing to them.

That was when the sound of more dueling met their ears.

Draco and Lucy ran through the familiar corridors, their feet pounding against the cold stone floor as they made their way to the Great Hall. They were running towards where most of the Death Eaters were bound to be, now that they had practically overrun the castle.

As they came closer to the Great Hall, the screams, the crashes, the spells all came to a crescendo. It wasn't long before Draco could actually see the fights and watched as the stray curses flashed past him and Lucy. The battle raged between the Order, Harry Potter's DA, the professors, the students and Death Eaters, the Dementors, the werewolves, and the giants.

Draco didn't want either he or Lucy to fight in this battle, he wanted to stay hidden somewhere and wait for the dust to settle. But he knew that Lucy wouldn't stay with him, she would fight for what she believed in no matter what, and he'd stick next to her at all costs. Draco loved Lucy and they were a team and Draco planned for it to stay that way.

Draco and Lucy ran into the fray, trying to duck as spells flew past them until Death Eaters started attacking them specifically. A Death Eater approached Draco and shot a green spell past him… and there aren't many that were green. His heart jumped as he grabbed Lucy's arm and jumped her to the side before shooting a Stunner at the insect, dropping him to the ground with a thud.

That's when everything grew cold and silent.

"You have fought valiantly… but in vain,"

Draco could feel Lucy shudder next to him, and Draco couldn't help the urge to cover his ears, though he knew that it wouldn't block him out.

"I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity.

"Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. There is no grater dishonor. Join me in the Forbidden Forest and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child that tries to conceal you from me,"

It all grew silent again and the Death Eaters all began to leave in black wisps. Draco was torn then, he knew he had to stay with Lucy, it was as if his life depended on it. But on the other hand, his parents were out in the Forbidden Forest and were waiting for him.

But he wasn't going to return to them.

"Are you going to stay with me?"

Draco looked down at Lucy and smiled a true smile. "Forever,"

The next morning, after a bit of fitful sleep, everyone was called outside by Longbottom. Draco, of course, followed Lucy outside until they stopped on the steps, looking out at the group of Death Eaters that had assembled at the entrance of the school, the Dark Lord leading them. Draco could see his parents near the front, his father looking awful as usually, and his mother searching the crowd for him.

"Who's that Hagrid's carrying?" Draco could hear Ginny Weasley ask no one unparticular.

Draco looked to the center of the Death Eater's group to see Hagrid holding a body in his arms, and Draco had a good idea of who it was.

"Harry Potter is dead!"

"NO!" Ginny screamed along with nearly everyone in the group that was now pouring out of the castle.

"SILENCE!" the Dark Lord shouted, a loud boom resounding as a spell fell over all of them, silencing them. "Stupid girl," the Dark Lord bit out. "It's over! Harry Potter is dead. Lay him at my feet, Hagrid, where he belongs," Hagrid unwillingly moved, but in the end laid Potter's body at Voldemort's feet. "You see? Harry Potter is dead! He was never anything but a boy who allowed others to sacrifice themselves for him! From this day forth, you put your faith in me,"

No one moved.

"Harry Potter is dead!" the Dark Lord shouting, earning loud cackles and laughs from the group behind him. "And now is the time to declare yourself," he announced, but no one moved an inch. "Come forward and join us. Or die,"

Again, nothing.

"Draco," Draco looked up as his father beckoned him over to their side, having spotted him. But Draco didn't move. "Draco," his father called more desperately, but again Draco wouldn't move.

"Draco," Draco looked up at the sound of his mother's voice, so sweet to his ears. "Come,"

"Go," Draco looked down at his Lucy who stood at his side, not looking at him, surprised at what she had whispered to him. "They're your family. You shouldn't leave them for me,"

"But I can't leave you. You're more important," he whispered back, instantly feeling her hand tighten around his.

"So… you'll stay?" she asked, looking up at him.

Draco nodded. "Until we die,"

"DRACO!"

He winced at the disparity in his mother's voice, but he wouldn't leave Lucy, not again, not when deep down he knew that what the Dark Lord was doing was wrong. Even as Draco was going against what his parents had ever taught him, Draco wasn't going to move from Lucy's side, no matter how much it scared him, he wouldn't take the easy route. Draco looked up at his mother and just looked at her until she understood his choice.

"The son has broke from his family," Voldemort sighed. "How disappointed they must be, Draco, as I am. You have become a blood-traitor, joining the losing side as it is,"

Draco didn't say anything, since he couldn't, but he couldn't even keep eye contact with Voldemort, and quickly dropped his eyes to the ground. Lucy was there though, and stepped closer to him, squeezing his hand in assurance.

Then Voldemort made a sound or surprise. "Do you see, Lucius? He's doing this for a girl. How sweet," Voldemort laughed. "It will be interesting to see what side he chooses once she is dead,"

Draco flinched and wanted to kill Voldemort himself, but Lucy grabbed his arm with her other hand, keeping him back.

There was suddenly a flash of light, hitting someone who had run from the crowd, and for a second Draco's heart had stopped, thinking that the spell had been meant for his Lucy. But as he looked up, he saw Neville Longbottom on the ground, pushing himself back to his feet. Voldemort threw his wand aside, laughing.

"And who is this?" he hissed. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" Bellatrix laughed. "The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors I tortured, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember," Voldemort smiled, making a shiver go done Draco's spine. "But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?"

Longbottom stood facing him, his fists curled into fists.

"So, what if I am?" Neville snapped loudly.

"You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom,"

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," Longbottom bit out. "It doesn't matter Harry's gone!"

"Stand down, Neville," Finnigan told him quickly.

"People die every day," Neville insisted. "Friends, family. We may have lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us. So is Fred and Remus and Tonks. All of them. They didn't die in vain," Neville told them before turning back to Voldemort. "But you will because you're wrong. Harry's heart beat for all of us. And it's not over," A cheer, including one from Lucy, came from the crowd, his Silencing Charm having broken.

Voldemort stared at them all before he sighed. "Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it,"

Voldemort raised his wand and waved it and seconds later something black and ragged flew from one of the broken windows of the castle, landing in Voldemort's outstretched hand. He shook the mildewed object by its pointed end, revealing that the object was in fact the Sorting Hat.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School," he said. "There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone, won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

He pointed his wand at Longbottom, looking as if he was now frozen in place, his body stiff. Voldemort strode forwards and forced the Sorting Hat down on Longbottom's head. Draco feared what would happen next, as Voldemort turned away, walking back to where he had been. Lucy was practically shaking at his side, feeling poised and ready to do something that Draco knew that he would regret.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," he said as he turned back around. With a flick of his wand, the Sorting Hat burst into flames on Longbottoms head.

The silence between the opposing armies was broken by his screams. He was frozen to the spot surrounded in fire, unable to escape it.

Suddenly the ground shook as a giant appeared, and was soon overtaken by another, and than centaurs appeared from the Forbidden Forest, showering the Death Eaters in arrows, forcing the Death Eaters to break their ranks to avoid them.

It was then that Longbottom broke free of the Body-Bind Curse, the Sorting Hat falling from him and from its depths he drew a long silver sword, rubies glittering in the light in the hilt. Even Draco knew that that sword was the sword of Gryffindor. Amongst the disarray of the fleeing Death Eaters, Neville ran and with a slash of the blade, Neville sliced off the head of Voldemort's pet snake. It spun high into the air and its body fell to the ground, wrenching a scream from Voldemort's throat.

"Harry!" Hagrid shouted suddenly. "Harry- Where's Harry?"

Draco didn't care, Death Eater's were coming at them fast, and he was pulling Lucy with him into the Great Hall along with his fellow students as the readied for the battle that had just begun.

The fight raged between good and evil, a fight with Draco and Lucy against everyone in the room that came at them. They protected each other, fighting back to back, and ducking as Death Eater's spells flew over their heads and hitting the Death Eater the other had been fighting. They fought together until a yell sent the room into silence.

"Protego!"

A shield expanded in the middle of the Hall, protecting everyone in the Hall from Voldemort. Various shouts went around the entire Great Hall as Potter pulled off his invisibility cloak revealing himself to the world. He was alive and well.

The two foes circled each other, both had their wands drawn; their eyes focused only on each other. Everyone was silent as they watched the two and their final standoff, as they argued with each other, neither in any apparent hurry to finish the other. But that was all this was, them and their final encounter. No one else.

Nobody in the Hall moved but them.

Draco didn't know how long their banter went on, but it was hard no to listen to what they were speaking of, most of which he only half understood. It was when they started speaking of Dumbledore that Draco shrunk down, his ears picking up everything that was said, afraid of what would be said.

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!" Voldemort bit out.

"You thought you did, but you're wrong," Potter told him.

Everyone gathered in the room gasped.

"Dumbledore is dead!" Voldemort shouted angrily. "His body decays in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!"

"Yes, Dumbledore's dead," Potter said, surprisingly calmly. "But you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant,"

Who was Potter talking about? Who had been on Dumbledore's side that Voldemort believed to be on his? It certainly hadn't been Draco at the time. But then Draco realized what Potter was talking about. Snape!

"What childish dream is this?" Voldemort asked, still not striking.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours," Potter explained. "Snape was Dumbledore's, Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

Voldemort did not answer. They continued to circle each other like wolves about to tear each other apart. Draco kept his arm around Lucy and his eyes on Potter, waiting and listening.

"Snape's Patronus was a doe," Potter explained. "The same as my mother's, because he loved her for nearly all his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized," Potter told him. "He asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

"He desired her, that was all," Voldemort sneered. "But when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him-"

"Of course he told you that," Potter interrupted. "But he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

"It matters not!" Voldemort shrieked. "It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path! I crushed them as I crushed your mother, Snape's supposed great love! Oh, but it all makes sense, Potter, and in ways that you do not understand! Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy- I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it. I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, it did," Potter put in with a small smile. "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done… think, and try for some remorse, Riddle…"

Now Draco knew for a fact that Potter was a nutter. Voldemort try remorse? That was like asking a Basilisk not to petrify you. Voldemort too was shocked by Potter's statement, his pupils contracting and the skin around his eyes whitening.

"It's your one last chance," Potter told him. "It's all you've got left… I've seen what you'll be otherwise… be a man… try for some remorse …"

"You dare-" Voldemort began again, but Harry cut him off.

"Yes, I dare, because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle,"

Draco was utterly confused as he assumed many of the people in the room were, so he just watched the two, noticing that Voldemort's hand was trembling, the Elder Wand shaking. He was moments away from striking.

"That wand still isn't working properly for you, because you murdered the wrong person," Harry told him. "Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore,"

"He killed-"

"Aren't you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore!" Potter exclaimed, and suddenly, Draco had a very bad feeling about this whole thing. "Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort's voice shook with malicious pleasure, seeming even more mad than any time Draco had ever seen him before. "I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against its last master's wishes! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you?" Potter yelled. "Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard… the Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance…"

Draco froze.

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy,"

Everyone close to him looked up and stared at him in shock, even Lucy, but Draco didn't take his eyes off the two in the center of the room. He knew there was more, after all, Potter had stolen his wand from him when he had come to his home, that had to count for something. Not to mention he need to keep his eye on Voldemort, who might no doubt go after Draco to try to gain power of the wand. Voldemort's chest rose and fell rapidly, blank shock showed in Voldemort's face for a moment, but then it was gone.

"But what does it matter?" Voldemort said softly. "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: we duel on skill alone… and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy…"

Draco winced, as did Lucy who held onto him tighter.

"But you're too late," Potter interrupted. "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him," Potter smiled, showing the wand in his hand, which was indeed, Draco's old wand. "So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" Potter whispered. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand,"

A red-gold glow burst suddenly across the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall, an edge of the dazzling sun appearing through the windows. It was morning.

Potter and Voldemort were illuminated in the center of the Hall, and all at once, the pair of them yelled a final spell.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The bang was like a canon-blast and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead centre of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells had collided. The people nearest them all covered their faces, shielding themselves from the bright light.

A wand spun high into the air, spinning across the enchanted ceiling. A hand reached up and grabbed it.

Voldemort's body hit the floor, his red eyes rolling back into his head, while Potter stood victorious, two wands clasped in his hand, staring down at the enemy's shell.

Draco stood in the Great Hall with his parents, feeling awkward standing amidst the cheer, even if he had joined these people at the last minute. It was all because of Lucy anyway, not for them. Draco didn't talk to his parents, his father was a broken man that didn't have a side anymore, and his mother probably felt betrayed by him, despite how protective she had become over him. Draco didn't necessarily want to talk to them anyway, he was looking for Lucy.

He finally spotted her next to Potter and friends, smiling and congratulating them, giving them all hugs before punching one of the more beat up Weasley twins in the arms, making him wince. Draco left his parents and walked over to the group slightly awkwardly, keeping his eyes on Lucy.

She looked up at him and smiled brightly, pulling him the rest of the way to her as she listened to the group talking. Draco didn't really listen to what they were all talking about, he was just glad that Voldemort was gone and that he and Lucy were alive and well.

Only once did Draco look up at the room, spotting his parents still in their corner, and then spotting Potter across the circle at him, his own arm wrapped around Ginny Weasley. The two gave each other a cut nod before they turned back to there girls, the ones that they had been fighting for.

Draco smiled after twenty minutes of this torture and leant down and whispered into Lucy's ear. "Why don't we go someplace private? It's crowded in here," Lucy shivered against him before she looked up at him and smiled cleverly before taking his hand and running towards their common room, him in tow, hoots from the Gryffindors they had just left.

Draco Malfoy looked down at the girl next to him, lying against his side and smiled. Yes, he could smile, and not in the way he usually did, that awful sneer that people had become accustomed to. A real smile, one that one she could force out of him, only she could make him truly smile.

Draco laid his head back down on his pillow and thought back over the past seven years, back to when he had first met her, to their first day at Hogwarts, that horribly boring school with all of those… no, she wouldn't want him thinking so cruelly… but he could still remember her, and honestly, she hadn't changed much, even from back then… except now they didn't hate each other, they didn't have a strained mutual respect for each other… now they loved each other.

Draco started to get up, though he wasn't looking forward to finding his parents later, when;

"No. Too comfy," Lucy suddenly protested, completely awake but sounding more like a five year old instead of a seventeen year old. Lucy snuggled closer to him and Draco sighed in slight annoyance before he smiled and tried to get up again. "No! Bad pillow!"

Draco sighed in defeat and settled down next to her again, pulling her close to him and kissing the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered to her, almost afraid to say it, but feeling that it was right. "And I need you,"

"I believe you," Lucy said softly, pulling away so that she could look him in the face, brushing some of his hair off of his forehead and out of his eyes. "I love you too,"

They took a few moments to digest the confession, just looking at each other before either of them spoke.

"Will you stay with me?"

"Forever,"

The End.