Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I've snagged some of JKR's characters for a bit of fun. Weehee. Don't sue and all that jazz.

Thanks go to Charmed_Nay for the beta read!

Hermione bolted up, bent on joining the fray. She'd find a wand or try to help somehow! How could Severus expect her to remain there while something like this happened? As she got to the opening of the curtain, many robed Death Eaters began Apparating into the large outer room, rallying to their Lord's side. Even after all she'd faced in the past, she'd never seen anything that frightened her so much. Only Rabastan, Voldemort, and Severus didn't have masks on, as they'd been caught unprepared, but the others were all masked.

"Rabastan!" yelled Bellatrix upon Apparating in, her husband at her side. "What the bloody hell is going on here?"

"Infiltrated! Potter's lot," he replied.

She pulled a small package from a pocket within her robes. "Take this, Rab. It's for our Master. Now! Into the locked box with it before the blighters find it."

He nodded and took it from her as she ran to Voldemort's side. When he turned around, his eyes met Hermione's. "All hell's about to break loose. Go hide, lass."

Whatever he held in his palm was something precious to the Dark Lord. Of that, Hermione was certain. My God! Could it be a Horcrux? she wondered excitedly. If her calculations were correct, then this could possibly end here! Determination renewed, she decided to play along with things so that she could remain close to what he had.

"I'm afraid!" she said, moving closer and reaching out to touch his arm, as if needing comfort. "What if everyone's killed?"

Just as she'd hoped, he pulled her behind him and shoved the little parcel into his pocket, drawing his wand. "Stay behind me! We'll show those wankers not to fuck with us!"

THUD!

The entire wall on the far side of the room seemed to peel away, blinding them all in dazzling sunlight, as the feet and part of the legs of a giant could be seen. It had to be Grawp, for the next person she saw was Hagrid, wielding his umbrella towards the Death Eaters and shaking a large fist in the air.

Everything suddenly happened in slow motion. Order members came charging into the room, wands lifted and blasting spells. The first person to be hit and flung backwards was a squat Death Eater. Hermione watched in wonder as his body rose and landed with a sickening crack. She scanned the crowd for Severus and saw him to the right of the room, already flicking his wand to protect himself against flying hexes.

"Severus," she murmured and stepped forward.

"Leave him be, else you'll distract him."

"Draco!" She pointed to his prone form on the floor and cringed as someone kicked him in the side hard while passing by. "They'll kill him, won't they?"

"He's a traitor anyway." He roughly pushed her aside as a purple light shot towards them, slipping down in the process. However, the jinx missed them. "Arseholes!" he yelled and jumped up, shooting an array of hexes. Without thinking about her further, he ran forward with the others.

At least he didn't go hide whatever Bellatrix has given him! As carefully as she could, she moved towards Draco, noticing that Ron was also lying next to him. "Please be all right," she said aloud.

Kneeling next to Draco, she scanned both of them and noted that they were both alive, but it was obvious they'd been tortured badly. Draco had a gash near his temple, and Hermione feared he needed aid she couldn't give. She tried to rouse him. "Draco? Can you hear me?" He simply moaned but didn't move. "Damn it."

"Leave him, Mudblood," Bellatrix's cold voice said. "Let the filth lie on the floor where it belongs."

Her eyes widened as she looked at the woman, the long shocks of white in her hair adding to her feral appearance. "He's your nephew!"

"And a blood traitor!"

Before she could say more, a white light hit her in the side, nearly unbalancing her. "Narcissa!" she roared. "How dare you!"

"Leave my son alone, Bella!"

"You've gone mad. Have you let Lucius or this pathetic whelp poison you so? You know where our loyalties should lay. Right here with the Dark Lord, as it always has."

"Draco comes first," Narcissa said firmly.

This earned Hermione's respect deeply. "He needs a Healer!" she called out.

Bellatrix turned on her then. "Shut it, you!"

It was exactly the break the other woman needed, as she used that moment to shoot a Stunner at her sister. However, she could only take two steps before she was also blasted by a hex.

"Bitch!" Rodolphus yelled, striding towards the place she'd fallen.

Lucius, however, had finally dueled his way over and began to defend his wife and son. Hermione reached over to snatch Bellatrix's wand from her hand. She felt an odd tingle as the magic of the wand hummed over her palm. Swallowing, she pointed it towards Narcissa, "Rennervate!"

The woman immediately sat up and shook her head as if to clear it.

"Over here! You need to get Draco out of here," Hermione said. "He's bleeding and has a wound to the head. I think the Cruciatus was used on him."

"Draco!" she cried as she crawled over to him.

"You can't Disapparate. They've put up wards," Hermione warned.

"We've all been given emergency Portkeys," she said, pulling out an inkwell. "Come with us."

As tempting as it was, Hermione knew that she couldn't go with them. "I can't, but thank you." When she looked up, she saw that Rodolphus had downed Lucius. "Petrificus Totalus!" she called, flicking her wand in Lestrange's direction.

Lucius gazed at her with wide eyes for a moment before giving her a slight nod and scrambling to his wife's side worriedly. "Draco?"

"Needs St. Mungo's," Narcissa replied.

Moments later, the family had Portkeyed to safety, leaving Hermione in the midst of chaos with an unconscious Ron at her side. When she tried to wake Ron up, both with her hands and with her borrowed wand, nothing happened.

"Ron, please wake up! I'm sorry, so sorry."

With wide eyes, she looked around the room, spotting Severus...still all the way across from her...and she noticed that there were three people dueling with him. One looked like Percy Weasley, but she couldn't tell who the others were. There was so much else going on. "Shit!"

She looked down at Ron's pale face and then back over to where Severus fought. What to do? "You'll be all right and out of the way here," she told Ron as she pulled him closer to the grate. "Why didn't I tell the damn Malfoys to bring you with them? And why the bloody hell didn't they offer?" Annoyed with herself, she stood and marched towards Severus, dodging one hex along the way. Luckily for her, it seemed like nobody from either side intended to harm her.

As she approached her destination, she noticed that Harry and Voldemort had squared off, but both were roughly knocked to the ground as a large section of the ceiling was yanked away, raining big chunks of cement and wood down onto everyone.

"Hermione! Wotcher!"

"Tonks!" she called, smiling. "Be careful. There's a beam just over..."

But it was too late. The large piece of wood fell onto Tonks, knocking her unconscious. Just as she was about to stoop down to help her, she saw that Severus had fallen to a knee.

"NO!"

She ran forward and brandished her wand at Percy, who had his wand in motion. "Stupefy!" she yelled.

He fell back, and this startled Severus' other assailants, allowing him to get a hex off at one, flinging her...Hestia...away from them roughly. The other, however, had his wand pointed at Hermione now, causing her to stop short.

"George, it's me," she said uncertainly, lowering her wand.

"Yeah, I know it's you all right."

"Listen, Severus is..."

"Give me my wand, you filthy Mudblood!" Bellatrix roared, shoving her to the ground roughly. "How dare you think to use my wand! The Dark Lord will have that knotty little head of yours on Nagini's dinner plate for this!"

Hermione tried to scramble out of her reach, but the woman's boot found its mark in Hermione's stomach. She dropped the wand and curled into a fetal position, trying to catch her breath and deal with the pain.

"Avada Kedavra!" said the silky voice she'd become so fond of.

Hermione's mind silently screamed 'No!' as she half expected George Weasley to fall down beside her. However, it was Bella's lifeless, staring gaze that met hers. Severus had killed her. She turned over to face him and an astonished George, taking the hand he extended after snatching up the wand once again.

"All right?" she asked frantically, looking him over.

"Yes, you?"

"I think so."

"I told you to remain in the room."

"I couldn't!"

"Oi, what the hell..."

"Please, George, don't," Hermione said quickly. "Ron's across the room, and he won't wake up. I think he needs to go to St. Mungo's. Would you Portkey him there?"

"I don't see him," he said, looking where she pointed.

"He's just there. Near the grate. Where is he?" She spun around and saw that Ron was on his feet and clinging to the wall. "He's mad! He'll be killed!"

She made to follow George but was pulled back by Severus. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked, holding her wrist tightly.

"I can help!" she said.

"Stay with me!"

"Murderer!" thundered Hagrid, slamming into both of them and sending Hermione skidding across the floor to land in a heap at Kingsley's feet.

"Hagrid!" she screamed. "Wait!"

There was a horrible crunch as he slammed Severus against the wall. Whatever hexes Severus had flung towards the angry half giant seemed to do nothing. Quickly, Kingsley brushed her aside and ran towards Hagrid. She was uncertain if he was going to pull him off or help, but she wasn't going to sit on her arse waiting to find out. It took some effort to rise, and she realized that she must have twisted her ankle, for it hurt terribly when she put pressure on it.

Someone screamed loudly, and a large spatter of blood sprayed the floor in front of Hermione. Arthur Weasley came into view, inflicting a second Slicing Hex on Nagini. She grinned at the poetic justice of the situation.

Another look around told her that many had fallen on both sides, but she was uncertain what any casualties were. She simply knew that she needed to get to Severus and to explain to the others that things weren't as they seemed. She hobbled over to his limp body while Kingsley and Hagrid had a violent row.

Hermione found a pulse and rejoiced. "He's alive," she said to nobody in particular. She was not alone, though, as her mentor kneeled down and used her wand to check on him.

"Broken ribs, I expect," McGonagall said softly and then drew Hermione into her arms. "We've been so worried about you, girl."

Hermione sobbed hysterically. "It's been so long." Things were coming to an end. She would be free! The Dark Lord would be defeated! "Harry," she whispered, realizing he and Voldemort were still goading and trying to hex each other. "But their wands!"

"It seems Voldemort has procured another wand for his use."

"Oh."

Behind them, there was yelling, and she saw George and Ron both dueling with Rabastan. "Please... take care of Severus," she told Minerva as she stumbled over to the trio. Before she could get there, George was hit by a bright jet of light and simply crumpled where he stood.

Incensed, Ron began flicking his wand with fervor. "You scum! Crucio!" he yelled.

The curse hit Rabastan before he could dodge out of the way. He twitched violently for a moment and then dropped to his knees, obviously in pain.

"Ron! Stop!"

"Out of the way, Hermione!" he said, not lifting the curse.

She pointed her wand at Rabastan. "Expelliarmus!" The wand, which had still been clutched in his hand, sailed towards her. "Finite!" she added, stopping Ron's hex. And then she and Ron were facing each other, wands drawn.

"What are you going to do now, Hermione? Hex me?"

"I told you to trust me when the time came. Please... I'm asking you to do that now."

His wand shook with his indecision. "Why should I?"

"Ron, he's..." She looked down to Rabastan, who was panting and gazing up at them. "He's my friend. Please." And so the tables had turned. Would Ron stop as Rabastan had done when she'd asked?

"And you want me to just let him go?"

"Just don't torture him!"

"He didn't mind letting You-Know-Who do it to me, did he?"

"He's got a Horcrux! I'm sure of it!"

"No, Harry and I got them all. We followed the notes from Snape, read over the things you'd been working on, and figured it out ourselves. There's only Nagini."

"Your father killed her."

"Then it's down to the git." He looked behind her. "Harry's still at it."

"Bellatrix had something of Voldemort's that she wanted him to hide. He's still got it on him."

"In me pocket," Rabastan said, breaking the tense silence. "And what notes from Snape?"

"I... I think he's made another Horcrux," Hermione said. "We either missed something, or he's made another one."

Ron shook his head. "Impossible."

"Hang on," Rabastan said. He slowly pulled the package out of his pocket and opened it. "What the hell is this?"

In his hand was a monocle. "But that doesn't make sense. No founder had this," Ron said uncertainly.

Hermione gasped. "Madam Bones! This was hers. Rabastan, he... he killed her himself, didn't he? Her death was in the papers!"

"Aye, that he did. What's a Horcrux?"

"Part of his soul," Ron blurted out and then turned red, remembering to point his wand at the man. "Oi. Sit still, you."

"We have to destroy it. Nagini was one, too," she said. "If Harry kills him, it'll be over!"

Rabastan's gaze moved to where his Master dueled. "Freedom," he said with a snort. "Followed my brother into this and then got locked up for it."

"It's time to do what's right," Hermione pleaded.

"What of Severus? Do you think he'll be understanding about this?"

"He's on our side," Hermione said quietly.

Rabastan blinked a few times, trying to understand. "He is the Dark Lord's right hand. Do you not understand that, girl? He's the one what killed Albus Dumbledore that night."

"I know he did, but there's more to that story."

"The git's been helping us on the sly," Ron said bitterly. "Sent us information."

"And has only been pretending to care for me or to want me as his concubine. We were just trying to keep me alive." This last part was said more to Ron than to Rabastan, and she saw the relief all over his face. "It's the truth."

"But the memories..."

"Faked... mostly."

"I saw you kiss him."

"That... I..."

"You care about him."

She nodded, wanting to be honest. "I do, yes."

"And what will you do now? Try to stay with him?" he asked, voice cracking.

"No," she whispered. "I'll go with you. I still want the same things." I think I do anyway. She was certain, though, that she wasn't being completely honest, but she would learn to feel that way about Ron again as time went on. He'd done so much for her, had worried for her, had nearly been killed for her... She wouldn't leave him...not now.

He nodded slightly and looked back at Rabastan. "I'll have that, mate."

"What of me?"

"We'll tell them the truth. That you've helped us."

"I don't think that will matter much," he said, eyes scanning the crowd. "Rodolphus?" he asked.

"Petrified," she replied. "Bellatrix, she's dead." She saw him frown and felt sorry for him. "I'm sorry."

Not looking at either of them, he lifted his hand. "Take it."

Ron snatched it from him and neatly said, "Incarcerous," securing Rabastan. "Just stay put until this is over," he said, pulling Hermione up.

"My ankle! It's twisted. Be careful."

"Harry!" he yelled and sprinted away.

She turned and felt very helpless as she watched her friend fall. "NO!"

"Untie me, lass," Rabastan said from behind her. "You know they won't do anything but send me to Azkaban... maybe even have me Kissed by a dementor."

"I won't let that happen. Trust me."

"You're wrong about Severus. He's not pretending."

"What do you mean?"

"He's fallen for you."

"Do... do you really think so? But he doesn't seem..."

A collective gasp from many others made her turn back towards Harry.

"Let me free. I can help."

"I'll be right back!" she called over her shoulder, quickly hobbling towards the center of the room where Harry lay on his back flinging curses at the Dark Lord. Somehow he was able to roll this way and that, avoiding the hexes thrown at him. She nearly suspected he might have had a swig of Felix Felicis.

As if in a dream, Harry shot a jet of light at the Dark Lord that blasted his wand apart and knocked the man on his back. Harry quickly scrambled up, pointing his wand down at him.

"Get 'im, Potter!" someone shouted.

"Hooray, Harry!" Hagrid boomed.

"Wait, Harry! Wait!" Ron yelled, sliding to a stop at his side. "Look!"

"How dare you!" Voldemort said, moving to a sitting position. "Unhand that!"

"It's another Horcrux!" Ron added, ignoring him.

Hermione made it to them and doubled over to catch her breath, but she was able to say, "He made another one when he killed Madam Bones, Harry."

"Potter knows what you've been doing, girl. No need to try to save your own skin by pretending to be on his side. You're one of us." He nodded his reptilian head towards Ron. "Who do you think Stunned him and enabled Severusss to capture him? Granger did! Severusss' young lover." He cackled in amusement. "She's not on your side any longer, boy. How does that make you feel?"

"Don't lose your focus, Harry!" she called. "I'm still the same as I always was!" She could see the rage in Harry's eyes and worried that he truly believed what the man had said. "Ron, tell him!"

"She got this from Rabastan Lestrange. We need to destroy it."

"I'll do it," Hermione said, brandishing her borrowed wand once again.

"Hermione, don't forget about the curses," Ron said, holding up his hand.

"But your dad didn't have anything happen to him after he killed Nagini." She looked about. "Not that I noticed anyway."

"She wasn't an inanimate object. He wouldn't likely curse her, being he needed her alive and at his side, right?"

"Good point, Ron," Harry said. "You'll get yourself hurt or killed, Hermione."

"It'll be worth it to be done with all of this."

The room was quiet, and a look around told her that Voldemort only had a few supporters still standing, most held at wandpoint, but all watching their fallen leader and the unraveling scene before them.

"No," Harry said finally. "We'll do this the right way."

"Dumbledore's raised you to be quite foolish, boy," Voldemort said as he suddenly lunged for Ron, who was closest to him.

"Geroff, git!" Ron yelled, stumbling back.

Black ink-like smoke began forming around both of them, and Hermione screamed, "He's trying to use Ron's body, Harry!"

Without caring about what could happen to her, she aimed her wand at the Horcrux. If she destroyed it, Harry could take out Voldemort before he could use Ron. "Avada Kedavra!" she yelled. It was the first thing to pop into her mind. Kill the soul. Kill it.

The repercussion was quick. A loud bang and a powerful aftershock rocked the already unstable building, sending most people to their knees and more of the ceiling to the floor. She felt a dark, horrible energy filtering her body and clawed at her throat. It was suffocating her. Before she lost consciousness, she just barely made out the most brilliant flash of green enveloping Voldemort's body.

Harry had done it. He'd defeated him. It was over. Finally.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry Potter Defeats Lord Voldemort...Again

As you can see from the photograph here, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, an anti-Voldemort group formed by the late Albus Dumbledore back in the 1970s, which was thought to be defunct, clashed with Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters earlier today. The end result: Voldemort is dead! All hail Harry Potter and his friends, for they have freed us from pending tyranny once again.

A vault has been opened at Gringotts by the Minister of Magic under the name Aftermath Fund. If you would like to make a monetary donation to go to the families of those killed or to the heroes who were harmed, please visit Diagon Alley and make a deposit immediately.

Southern's Notes: And I did promise another chapter before the holiday, so I hope this helps, even though it does end unclearly as to what happened to whom! Now that the "final battle" is out of the way, it'll be time to carry on with the real story, eh? ~cheers, all~