He is graduating tomorrow and it is his last night.

He is with her, as always.

She washes herself, graceful as a swan. She has not lit any candles, and she has no peace; not even a mere imitation of it. There is nothing. Her darkness is not removed. She knows it, as does he. She scrubs at her skin until it starts to bleed. The redness compares strongly against her pale fragile skin, but is quickly hidden by water, but not gone. Blood is pain, and her pain lives on.

Her hair is so golden when wet…he still does not understand. How is it so golden, when he knows it's so red? Does the water tone down her character, making her no longer a member of her family, no longer a tragic victim of circumstance and beliefs? If the water tones down the red, does it really tone down her pain? He doesn't think so; he doesn't think there was anything left to take away her pain. Perhaps it Potter had lived...

She is not beautiful. He does not want to see her again. He is tired.

He watches.

She doesn't cry. She never does. Not really. Not even now.

"Goodbye," she whispers aloud. To him.

He is not shocked.

Draco Malfoy steps forward now, showing her himself properly for the first time. The shadows cannot cover what he wants them to now, he has revealed too much. By stripping her dry of her defences, he's lost apart of his, and she looks at him eagerly, drinking it, feeling the connection, the connection of their loneliness, their hopelessness, their lack of people to love anymore, the connection that has made him stay and watch her for so long, the connection which, whether willingly or not, has kept her alive, kept her from her own self-destruction.

"Goodbye," he responds back, finality, and leaves her.

He has a future to live, outside of his school. His father has it planned.

He does not stay awake to hear whether she survived the rest of the night or not.

Because he knows Ginny Weasley will.

Cold, cold water surrounds me now
And all I've got is your hand
Lord, can you hear me now?
Lord, can you hear me now?
Lord, can you hear me now?
Or am I lost?

Love one's daughter
Allow me that
And I can't let go of your hand
Lord, can you hear me now?
Lord, can you hear me now?
Lord, can you hear me now?
Or am I lost?

chanting Cold, cold water surrounds me now
And all I've got is your hand
Lord, can you hear me now?
Lord, can you hear me now?
Lord, can you hear me now?
Or am I lost?

Lyrics from Damien's Rice's Cold Water. On one chapter there's another verse from Damien Rice's Cannonball (Or it could be volcano, I'll have to check!)

The End

Special Thanks to for the seventh chapter: Citronella (cool new name), T, Illyria-Light (as always, thank you!), Lavender Mansworth, DG, LishaMe, Anna-Bananna890, s.halliwell24, xcrystaildreamzx, Helldarkangel1, dragonsqueaks, firesorceress1

Honestly, the story wasn't supposed to be a mystery - you were supposed to know who the characters were. I wasn't even going to name 'em by full name but I had thought I better, or be sentenced to hell because that'd be evil!

Sorry I didn't update yesterday. Life caught up.

This could probably use a backstory but I think it'd ruin it. It's shrouded with questions, I know, but I dunno the answers...

Reviews, as always, would be greatly appreciated. I've had a terrible day! Cheer me up and I'll love you forever.

Thanks for the reviews on this final chapter are for:

Unspeakable Mae, Deanna86, Anna-Bananna890, T (I tried, thanks!) illyria-Light (Your support for me as a writer is really truly amazing!), Catchy Pen Name (I'll try do another one like this, but it'll probably be after the sixth book, to see which characters and sceneries to use!)