A/N CAN I PLEASE GRAB PEOPLE'S ATTENTION!
Yes?
Okay thank you. Right. First off I'm really really sorry about the wait. I have been doing (believe it or not) my GCSEs, yes I'm still a little person sorry, which have taken priority as they are kinda important. For those of you who are American or not from UK, these are the main qualification exams you take at 16 (your sophomore year). Also I have had loads of other stuff going on which I know kinda isn't an excuse but ANYWAY. So that's the excuses out the way.
Secondly, because I haven't written for so long I am aware that this chapter is a bit... how do I put this... bad. All of it was planned right from the very beginning so if you could just see the plot - just written a bit better. Sorry about that.
Thirdly, I know, 'Stop talking and get on with it' you say, thirdly I'd like to thank EVERYONE who has come on this journey with me, left comments (especially the ones since last chapter you've really helped pull this through and even persuaded me to actually write this chapter), and favourited. There will be a thanks note after this chapter which probably no one will read but you all deserve it anyway. Anyone who can take my rubbish deserves crediting.
Fourthly - joking, let's get on with it. The final chapter. 'Internal screams of pain' ...
Chapter 44 - The Last Match
Sweat dripping down his face, Draco bounded over the rubble blocking the hole to the entrance hall and raced into the Great Hall. His eyes skirted the sight, appalled. Theo had just shot past him, yelling something. The accumulating number of bodies were lined up in neat, regular lines across the hall where the tables were usually placed. On the other half of the hall were benches where the wounded were being treated. He had never seen so many bodies in one place unmoving. Still. The chaos around him hustled and bustled, people shouting for medicine, bandages, people crying and whaling in grief, people standing still - in shock. Like him. A chaotic neatness.
Then he remembered why he was here and raced over to the lines of benches, inspecting faces, dreading what would happen if... but he couldn't think of that. Not now. Now was meant to be bordering celebratory. He'd - 'he'd' just killed the Dark Lord. Him, of all people. An yet -
Finally, he found Theo and he raced over to him. The man was crouched next to the bench, pounding the floor with his fist and yelling something to Madam Pomfrey in fury. Pansy had just rushed over past Draco and had taken to kneeling beside Theo, staring at the figure on the bench in disbelief. "Get out of the way!" Draco snapped, suddenly coming to his senses as he barged past faceless figures, eyes set on the small group in front of him. People parted, staggering, retorting as he pushed past the crowd to get to the scene. He hardly noticed as he elbowed a smaller boy in the face whilst trying to get to the gaggle.
And he was there. In front of the bench. All he could do was stare and watch as his world passed away like a stain of breath upon a mirror. He barely acknowledged the sweat pouring from the pours in his skin. "- so sorry but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to fix this. There is internal bleeding in the brain. I'll give you space -"
"No fuck you! There must be something! Anything!"
"I'm afraid not Mr Nott -"
"Fuck you!"
"I've got to see to the -"
"Just leave then! You're useless! You're meant to be a mediwitch!"
Draco watched through red eyes as Theo and Madam Pomfrey fought. He watched as Madam Pomfrey abandoned her patient to see to others. He watched, stared, appalled at the damaged face in front of him.
"It's gonna be alright Blaise, she - she - she doesn't even know what - what she's talking about," Theo choked. Blaise was sitting calmly on the bench. He looked a wreck. Blood was pouring from the side of his head; he'd looked to have fractured his skull. But he was grinning somewhat manically.
"Knew it was gonna happen though, totally called it," smirked Blaise.
"What's going on - what happened? Blaise what are you -" Draco began, heart pounding against his rib cage, trying to escape.
"He -"
"I was tossed off a rogue broomstick and suffered a head injury," Blaise tried to joke, cutting off Theo. No one laughed. "Oh you're a cheery lot aren't you. Some death eater fired a spell and I happened to be the one it was directed at. Nothing special. Didn't even see who the bugger was. Might've been Dolohov. Not quite sure though argh -" he scrunched up his face in pain and clutched his forehead. Draco stared at him. How could he be joking around. He was in serious pain! "But what did Madam Pomfrey mean 'internal bleeding'? Where's she gone? Why isn't she -" Draco stopped upon seeing the look on Theo's face. And then it clicked and it felt as if a part of him had died. "No no no no no. No. No! I - what? No! She - she'll fix this. She's got to fix this! She - no! No I'm not -"
"Draco -" Pansy tried through teary eyes.
"NO!" Draco roared, staring at Blaise in disbelief. He needed to do something. Anything.
"Jeez calm down mate, one would - would think you'd m-miss me," Blaise coughed wearily, bringing his hands away from his face, which were now stained with a fresh coating of the dark red substance which oozed from his face. Draco stared imploringly to the heavens and fixed his gaze back on Blaise.
"I'm not gonna miss you cos you ain't going anywhere! You're gonna pull through or Merlin help me I'll - I'll - Theo tell him he's gonna pull through!" Draco yelled hysterically.
"She doesn't know what she's talking about Blaise, she's barmy! She's -"
"A mediwitch, Theo. She's a mediwitch. She's helping the people who have... who have a chance -"
"No! God damn it Blaise you - you can't!" Theo yelled through stubborn tears.
"I think... I think I'm gonna... I'm gonna have to say bye -" Blaise choked.
Draco didn't know what to say. He couldn't, wouldn't believe what was happening. They'd just won the war! How could - not another loss. He tried raking his brains for something they'd missed, something to help! No. No! "Tell me this is some kinda prank Blaise, some sick prank. Tell me you set me up and - and -" but Draco received no response. Blaise, whose countenance was losing colour gradually, opened his mouth. "I - I always knew I was gonna be the weakest link. You - you don't understand how hard this is. But then - I suppose I knew it was gonna be me so - so I guess it's not so hard after all. I didn't have anyone. No father, my mother was always away with some 'guy' in some country. She didn't care. You lot had people. You lot were always so brave and... and I guess it's gonna be easy for me to say goodbye because there's no one -"
"Blaise shut up! You're not going - you're not going to die!" Theo sobbed through anguished tears.
"Oh piss off Theo, we all know that's a lie," Blaise said, rolling his eyes.
"You have US!" Theo cried, "Us! We care you idiot! Me, Draco, Pans, Hermione, Daphne -"
"Oh come off it, Daphne? Really?" Blaise choked with laughter.
"Yes Daphne! She's your girlfriend!" Draco cried out suddenly, because what else was there really to say?
"Only because I'm a great shag, " Blaise smirked, then he admitted, somewhat sullenly, "She never really loved me. We didn't have that thing that you and Hermione have." A few seconds passed.
"When did this even happen? How?" Draco asked frustratedly.
"I saw you kill him. The dark - The... Voldemort. Yeah. Voldemort VOLDEMORT I tell you, you killed him and he died. And then... and then there was a flash and I was on the ground. And... and yeah. The screams and cheers started. Everyone was cheering for you and I was on the ground. I couldn't see. The popping started. And I kinda made my way in here. Some kid helped me. That Creevey dude. But he then left and went back outside. What happened to him? You seen him?" Blaise asked. Draco bit his lip and thought back to seeing Oliver carrying Collin in on a stretcher.
"He's alright," Draco choked, not wanting his best mate's last few minutes to be filled with sadness.
"At least someone is. He deserved it. Didn't have to help me he didn't, but he did. Ran out whilst people were still shooting spells at each other and grabbed me, pulled me inside. Bloody hero he is. If I - if I go to heaven, I hope I'll see him there one day. Thank him, you know. I... guys I'm scared!"
"It's gonna be alright," Pansy whispered through tears, hugging Blaise tightly.
Draco could hardly compensate the words his friend was telling him. He couldn't just die. He... he couldn't. "This is so fucked up!" Draco yelled through a fresh wave of tears. He wanted to throw something. Anything. He needed that satisfaction. "Hey calm down, I'm just dying. Nothing new around here," Blaise chortled.
"Stop making jokes damn it Blaise!" Theo yelled. He had never felt so much grief in his life. This was Blaise. Blaise! His best friend since forever. His childhood mate. He couldn't comprehend -
"Never thought I'd see the day you'd all be crying over my dead body -"
"Shut UP Blaise!" Theo wept.
"No you shut up! This is my farewell speech or whatever cringe thing it's called. I am going to die. I can already feel this flimsy shit life draining out of me. I... I'm gonna miss you lot. But I was never really the important one was I? I suppose me dying, it's not that important -"
"Bullshit it's not," Theo spat.
"Are you out of your mind?" Draco demanded.
"Maybe," Blaise shrugged, twitching as another spasm of pain shot through his head, "Maybe not. But - but I got to tell you this. A story. Once upon a - a time, there was no hope, no light, only darkness. There were four kids. Four kids with shit parents. One of them was the most badass girl I've ever met. One of them got the girl and changed the world - and ended the war. One of them was smart and was a better mate than anyone could have asked for. And the other one - well - he was just the class clown. Always making jokes to lighten the atmosphere. Three of them ended up living happily ever after whereas the other - he just didn't make the cut -" Blaise let out a series of coughs and began to wheeze but raised his hand when Theo tried to call for help. "He didn't make the cut but - but he tried. And he turned his life around! He risked his life trying to help save the second kid's girlfriend's life. He risked his life saving the second kid's life. He was a good friend. He - he -" a further cough - "damn it let me talk! Better. Where was I. Yeah - he just didn't make the cut. But he tried."
Draco stared at him. Theo was clinging to Blaise tightly, sobbing hysterically, telling him that he was sorry. Pansy was rocking back and forth on her knees, silent tears staining her bloody face. He watched as blood dribbled from Blaise' mouth, trickling down his neck. "Man you are a miserable lot, who died?" Blaise grinned. Theo nearly slapped him. "I'm serious Blaise stop joking about this! It's not funny!"
"Well it kinda is," Blaise reasoned but he was running out of breath, "The fact I have to look at your miserable faces before I die, you should look at yourselves -"
"Blaise stop!" Draco said in earnest.
"I'm dying, Draco, get over it mate. You've seen worse," Blaise coughed, blood spewing into his hand which he rubbed on his cloak.
"Actually of things going to shit this is pretty high up on my list," Draco replied angrily, not at Blaise but the fact that fate had a funny way of presenting itself.
"I'll take the compliment," Blaise replied breathily. He then added, "I'm - scared."
"It's gonna be alright man, you're gonna be fine. Just hold in there. I'm sure, I'm sure someone will have something. A potion or -" Theo looked wildly around as if hoping to find a bottle of healing or whatever.
"Man, I thought you were a good listener. Shows, how much, I know," Blaise panted, "I'm gonna die Theo. Get it, in, your head."
"Fuck off you're gonna die!" Theo screamed, suddenly breaking all threads holding him together and sobbing for the end of innocence.
"Oi, shut up," Blaise panted and Theo sniffed loudly, tears subsiding slightly. Draco looked at Blaise through swollen eyes, waiting. "Don't, don't let em bury me - near my family. Please - Let them bury me with - with someone who I gave a shit about. Please," he begged earnestly.
"Of course, anything. We won't let em bury you near your family. Any of it. Promise," Draco replied honestly.
"Good. Now, I'm really... I think this is... I think..." Blaise coughed once more.
"No no no no no Blaise damn you NO!" Theo moaned, wiping his eyes furiously and gripping his friend by the shoulders. "You are GOING to get through this! Please!" Theo begged.
"Theo -" Pansy whispered timidly.
"NO!" Theo wailed. By this point Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Neville had joined them but they were standing at a distance, horrorstruck but leaving them space.
"Theo damn you, let me die, in, peace!" Blaise wheezed, coughing hysterically.
"No Blaise Theo's right! We can't - I can't do this without you mate!" Draco pleaded.
"You've - you've already done it mate. You saved the world. And I was apart of that. I was. I helped. You know what - you can do," Blaise heaved. Draco listened intently. "You play that fucking quiddich match for me yeah? We'll be down by a player, but I'll be watching, from wherever I am. You play yeah? For me. One last time," Blaise said hoarsely, and coughed for the last time. His eyes began to roll upwards and as one both boys launched themselves upon him, begging him to wake up. Telling him to stop fooling around. That this wasn't a joke. That it wasn't funny. "Blaise damn it do not do this!" Draco cried.
"It doesn't hurt, anymore. And I'm... I'm not scared," Blaise murmured, "I'm glad... I'm glad we're all mates and... and that we're all good." And just like that, he breathed out. And didn't breath in again.
Draco tried to shake him, tried to wake him up. This had to be some sick joke! There was no way he was just 'gone', just like that. He blinked, the image before him tattooed onto the inside of his eyelids. Hands were pulling him away, restraining him, holding him tight. Eventually he gave up and sank back into Hermione's embrace, unable to fight any longer. He'd lost too much in such a short space of time. Too much.
Theo was clinging to Blaise' limp body, begging him to come back, praying for him to open his eyes and say 'ha ha! Got you all! You should've seen your faces'. But he didn't. He just slouched there, on the bench, limp like a rag doll. Turning away, Theo searched in need for something to cling to that would cling back. He found Pansy right behind him and collapsed into her arms, both of them leaning upon each other, clutching each other. Tightly. Theo embraced Pansy and Pansy embraced Theo, both in need of consolation. And three of the four friends from the story wept and wept, out of anger and grief, until no more tears could come.
A quarter of an hour had past and nothing had changed. Ginny had joined Ron, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Molly and Arthur to mourn Percy's body quietly. Lee stood by the twins' sides, faithfully standing with them as they wept noiselessly into each other's shoulders. "It's my fault," Fred muttered almost inaudibly.
"It's not your fault," George groaned into Fred's shoulder.
"It is my fault, I shouldn't have went for him. I should've -"
"Fred!" George hissed, pushing himself off his brother and staring at him as if he were a stranger. "It's not your fault!" He said clearly, pronouncing every syllable with purpose. Fred looked away and his eyes fell on Percy. The late Weasley's mutated face was plastered with blood, his bones in his body broken from where the rock had fallen. Fred cast his foggy memory back to when he and George had levitated the rock off his brother once the trio had left. He'd taken all his anger out on moving that rock. He was still angry, but most of that anger had been replaced by an overwhelming feeling of grief. Fred stooped down, removed the horn rimmed glasses from Percy's face, and pocketed them.
"We should've been there for him!" Molly wept into Arthur's robes as Arthur held her tight. "We all could've done more, Molly, but what's done is... is done," Arthur choked. Ron looked away from Percy, unable to bare it any longer, and instead took for looking around the hall for Lavender. He needed to get away, preoccupy himself. A distraction. He found her sitting with Dean, Seamus and Leanne, all huddled together with the same gaunt expression.
"Werewolf I heard, that's what it looks like anyway."
"Least it wasn't spiders. She hates spiders."
"Not as much as Ron," Lavender mused. Ron sat himself down next to Lavender and put an arm around her whilst silent tears trickled down her face. Dean on the other hand had no more tears left to cry. He was shaking, watching as a mediwitch covered the small girl opposite him with a white blanket, leaving nothing but her face and raven black hair showing. "Where is she?! WHERE IS SHE!" A figure shrieked as she skidded across the hall and stared imploringly at Lavender.
"Padma -" Lavender choked, "Padma oh God."
"You tell me where she is Thomas! You were the one protecting her! You tell me where my sister is!" Padma screamed.
Dean stared at her with empty eyes, shaking with self disappointment. "No - No Dean it wasn't your fault -" Seamus tried.
"Oh sure, yeah whatever. You just tell me where she is Thomas!" Padma spat.
"No, back off Padma. We've all been through the war, we've all lost people. Don't pin this on Dean," Seamus seethed, glowering at her.
"Oh it's alright for you, Finnigan, your family didn't fight in the war. You haven't lost -"
"Shut up Padma," Ron glowered, "She's over there. No stop don't you walk away. Do you really think she'd want you to start hurting the people she cared about most?"
Padma sniffed, turned and ran to where Ron had pointed. They saw her gasp and collapse next to her sister, and no more was said.
"It's not your fault Dean, you gotta stop this," Seamus said with as much empathy as he could muster. Dean didn't say anything. Seamus enveloped Dean in a tight hug and refused to let go, not that Dean put up a struggle. He was a walking talking shell. A ghost of his mere self.
"Harry you shouldn't be doing this," Luna sighed. Neville was sat with Hermione who was with Draco, Pansy and Theo.
"No I need to, I need to know how many," Harry said determinedly.
"They haven't found everyone yet," Luna moaned, jogging to catch up with Harry.
"And I'll help find them, once I've looked," Harry replied, exhaustion laced in his voice. He slowed down, walking down the centre of the hall and examining the different faces which could be seen poking out of the sea of white blankets. He needed to know who had survived... and who hadn't. He and Luna teetered through the crowd, registering every emotionless face. They recognised some, others not so much. Some were plastered in blood, others drenched in stale sweat, the ghost of a grin still etched upon their face, the memory of a laugh.
And then he passed a body which made him freeze. There, lying between a Hufflepuff boy and Colin, lay a body he hadn't prepared himself to be here. Cho Chang was lying there, the light dusting of freckles upon her nose violently contrasting her skin, which was a ghostly white despite her complexion. She had no visible traces of blood on her, and her eyes were closed, as if she were sleeping. "Knew her well?" Croaked a female voice behind Harry causing him to spin around, the ghost of a shocked expression still reminiscent on his face.
"Uhm..." Harry began, opening his mouth before promptly shutting it again. The woman before him had long, straight black hair, wore the traces of old age imbedded in her features and her eyes were bloodshot. "Mrs Chang?" Harry asked nervously. The lady nodded. "I'm - I'm sorry. I... yes I knew your daughter," Harry choked, looking to Luna for help. Cho's mother nodded sombrely and sniffed in a sharp intake of breath. "I suppose now... I guess now she'll be able to reunite with old Ced, never got over the young man. I... I'm terribly sorry you must be busy, do carry on," Mrs Chang hurried before turning and hurrying away. Luna stared after her.
"Loss can do strange things to a person," she mused, before turning to see that Harry was still deeply shaken. "Harry -"
"If I'd turned myself in earlier, none of this might not have -"
"But it might've, so stop punishing yourself," Luna said firmly. Harry nodded weakly before carrying on down the line. More faces, more bodies, more sheets, it didn't seem to stop.
He came to rest at the final two sheets. Lupin and Tonks. Someone had positioned them so that their hands were clasped above the blankets, clutching on for eternity. Harry gritted his teeth and tried to keep it together, under control. But he did so in vain. His face contorted into that of one who'd lost everyone precious to him, contorted into a silent scream. A hand fell upon his shoulder and squeezed. He looked up to see the person comforting him. Not a parent, not a godfather, not a teacher, a friend. Luna smiled encouragingly and Harry nodded. He hadn't lost everyone. He had the Weasleys and Hermione, Neville and Luna and maybe, just maybe he also had some of the Slytherins.
In the end, it was McGonagall who separated Hermione from Draco's limp figure. She was asking the head girl to go down to the chamber to let the younger students out and see if they were okay. She would have sent Draco too - but given his current state...
So Hermione disentangled herself from Draco and left him with Theo and Neville whilst Pansy, who had decided that a break from the hall of bodies would be good for her, joined her on her stretch down to the chamber. The two girls didn't say much as they journeyed off to find Harry so that he could open the passage under the tap in the girls' bathroom on the second floor.
Harry, just like the rest of the hall, looked lost. The boy who lived followed Hermione and Pansy wordlessly out of the hall and up to the bathroom, where Moaning Myrtle was slouched, looking somber. "Is it over?" She asked quietly. The three students nodded simultaneously. A ghost of a grin lit up across Myrtle's face before she asked, "And you know who?"
"Dead," spoke Harry for the first time since leaving the hall, his voice reflecting his emotions. "Like many of those who fought," he added. He had counted. The ratio of dead bodies to living bodies was unbearable. Harry merely stared at the sink. Myrtle let out a small gasp and floated down towards them. "The students," she spoke sincerely, "The ones down in the chamber, no one has touched them. A man came up here but I managed to send him the other way. Told him I had seen you. I'm sorry about your friends Harry."
"Thanks, Myrtle," was all he could choke. Then he looked towards Hermione. "What if I can't do it?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" Hermione replied, confused.
"The part of Voldemort in me is destroyed. What if I've lost the ability to talk parseltongue?"
"Then we blow it up," said Pansy simply. Harry nodded and tried to speak the words. "Open," he said.
"English," Hermione replied in a monotone, a heavy weight suddenly settling in her chest. "Bombarda!" Pansy yelled at the sink. Nothing happened. The spell seemed to sink through a protective barrier around the sink. The Slytherin raised her eyebrows and mused, "Well this is a problem."
"But Draco was able to imitate it earlier when we went down!" Hermione burst out.
"But I can't exactly imitate myself Hermione, as I hear parseltongue as English," Harry grumbled.
In the Hermione managed to open the chamber by trying to hone down on what Harry sounded like when he was speaking parseltounge. She repeated this phrasing once they'd slid down the pipes, journeyed through the tunnel and reached the chamber door. For the last time they watched the Chamber of Secrets' door open and found themselves met with a sea of children who followed who looked a cross between scared and relieved. Hermione's eyes met Dennis' and she held back a sob. Who else had lost family and friends in the war?
A small Ravenclaw girl in pigtails handed Hermione her cat back and the head girl nuzzled Crookshanks' soft fur as he purred. This was going to take a lot of fixing. But some things can never be fixed.
The sun filtered into the head dorms, one of the very few parts of the school which had been left untouched. It had been two weeks since Lord Voldemort had died, bringing the war to a close, and still there was much work to be done to fix the castle. But this was old news. Draco sat up, in his bed, and beamed. "Hermione!" He yelled, running out into the common room to find Hermione brewing herself a mug of steaming coffee. "Hermione! Guess what day it is?" Hermione focussed her attention on the boy, a confused, tired look settling upon her countenance. "The day we're fixing the entrance hall?"
"It's Tuesday!" Draco beamed, looking the happiest he'd looked since the death of his best friend and countless others. Hermione's confusion remained firmly in place. "And last night was a full moon," Draco said slowly, snaking his arms around her waist from behind causing her to nearly spill her coffee. One second passed. Two seconds. Then Hermione's face lit up and she abandoned her mug of coffee and spin around, flinging her arms around his shoulders. "YOU'RE YOU!" She cried, tears of joy streaming down her face. "You didn't change! You don't have lycanthropy you - oh Merlin Draco I'm so happy for you!" Hermione beamed. Ever since Draco's encounter with Fenrir, he and Hermione had been petrified of the outcome of the situation on the first full moon. "Come on and change though Draco, we'll be late for assembly," Hermione chivied, giving her boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek before returning to her coffee.
.
The Great hall, Hermione noticed, was decorated with black flags to commemorate those who did not make it through the war. Once everyone had filtered into the Great Hall, the majority of which had been salvaged and repaired, McGonagall stood up. "I would like to make a few announcements before we indulge into our delicious food this morning. This year has been a tricky year indeed for all of us. Many of you have made friends, lost friends and established alliances and differences throughout your time at Hogwarts and to see the school come together in a time of need this year, I'd just like to thank you all for your utmost loyalty and bravery. Furthermore, I'd like to say, for the seventh years, that due to the events over the past few weeks, we have - erm - decided to postpone your NEWTs until further notice," a scattered applause broke out upon this news, "but we do believe that the school will be open for a week in the holidays for you to come and sit them! All additional end of year exams are cancelled!" There was the ghost of a cheer. The general atmosphere in the castle was still bleak and dark. "I know these have been tricky times for you all. Many of you have lost friends and family. Everyone will have a different way of coping and I do expect that each and every one of you of you will respect that and help each other during these troubling times. Now, tuck in!"
There was a murmuring as the dishes filled with food and people began shovelling sausages and bacon onto their plates. Fred and George, who had decided to stay at Hogwarts for the remainder of the term, were sitting across from Draco and were deeply immersed in discussing his lack of lycanthropy with him. Everyone was recovering slowly, rebuilding their lives around their losses but never forgetting.
"The match is at eleven we have plenty of time," Ginny yawned, buttering a piece of toast and biting into it. "We are so going to beat you," Theo smirked to Harry. Theo hadn't gotten over Blaise' sudden death and vowed he never would, but he was putting all of his negativity into the upcoming quidditch match to make sure that this would be the best match Blaise could get. "Oh yeah?" Harry asked, "How many times has Draco won a match against me?"
"Yeah but this time Harry, they have me," Ginny smiled evilly.
"And us," Seamus grinned, who was sitting next to Dean. Dean was still deeply shaken about Parvati's death. Padma, Parvati's twin Ravenclaw sister, still believed Dean to be partially responsible for her sister's death which had driven Seamus to despising the Ravenclaw. This had then caused Leanne and Seamus to split up as Leanne, Padma's best friend, thought it her duty to stay by her side during this devastating time. Seamus had taken this surprisingly well. I guess he was just thankful she was alive. "And me, and I have improved on a broom, just you wait till we get out there, you'll see," Neville grinned through a mouthful of baked beans.
"He has," Luna smiled distantly. Harry scoffed. "Have you even got a team name yet? Last I heard Ginny was still kicking up a fuss," Pansy smirked.
"As a matter of fact we have," Draco grinned.
.
"I'll get a good seat!" Hermione yelled before running away from Draco and up into one of the boxes. The school had gathered for the first and final quidditch match of the year. Hermione and Luna were sitting together with Fred and George, watching as Madam Hooch strode into the middle of the pitch with the case of balls. "Kinda wish we were out there too you know, one last game," George sighed.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Fred asked with a grin.
"I sure am Fred," George replied.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen for the first and final quidditch match of the year! Today our players are playing for not only their glory, but for the people we lost in the past few months. I am Lee Jordan and I will be commentating your match today!" Lee roared into the magically magnified megaphone, the sound of which echoed around the stadium. A cheer from everyone in the boxes followed. "Let's give a hand to our first team, The Soaring Hippogriffs!" A tumult of applause as Harry flew out into the middle of the pitch, followed by Ron, Hannah Abbott, Pansy, Tracy Davis, Michael Corner and Zacharias Smith. "And a speedy entrance from the Hippogriffs, Harry Potter flaunting an excellent firebolt - er, sorry professor," Lee stumbled as Professor McGonagall gave him a look, "A couple of Nimbus 2000s and yes, a Nimbus 2001, couple of Cleansweeps, and lets have it for our second team! Team - er, professor?" For a second time Lee faltered as he showed his piece of parchment to McGonagall, who cracked a grin and shrugged. "Well, Team Fussy Ginny, seems like someone didn't like anyone's team name suggestions," Lee chortled as Draco zoomed onto the pitch followed by Seamus, Ginny, Dean, Neville and Theo. "And, wow! Two Nimbus 2001s, another firebolt, wow what a beauty, a Nimbus 2000 and, yes, two Cleansweeps! This will be an interesting game, seven vs six, we haven't seen this before at Hogwarts. And the balls are out! And the game begins!"
The first fifteen minutes of gameplay were intense. The broad daylight was battering down ruthlessly upon them and making the chasers' grip on the quaffle slippery. By quarter past eleven, Team Fussy Ginny were in lead 40 to 10. "And another 10 points to Team Fussy Ginny! Those Soaring Hippogriffs better get their act together! Oh, there they go, ten points to The Soaring Hippogriffs!"
Hermione wasn't usually into quidditch but even she was trying to keep her eyes on the game. It wasn't very easy though. The quaffel kept switching sides so quickly that it was hard to tell what was happening. And still no sign of the snitch. "Look!" Luna cried as Neville caught the quaffel and darted through the air across the pitch to score. He threw the ball but Ron wasn't quick enough. "Another ten points to Team Fussy Ginny!" Lee roared.
"You haven't by any chance used another confundus charm have you Hermione?" Fred asked in an undertone, making Hermione jump.
"Absolutely not!" Hermione snapped.
"So our brother is just naturally bad," concluded George.
"Or Neville is naturally good?" Luna smiled. The twins gave her a look which suggested that the highly doubted that.
The game continued and still no sign of the snitch. The chasers were dropping and diving, zig zagging in and out of each other until all of a sudden, Harry burst through the middle of them, diving towards the ground. Draco saw Harry dive and instantly followed him. Had he seen the snitch? Where was it? But all he could see beneath him was grass and - and Harry was still diving. What was going on? At the same moment Draco realised exactly what Harry was doing, Harry had pulled out of his dive smoothly and Draco had to skid off to the right to avoid colliding with the ground. He turned back and glared at Harry, who glowered. "Trying the Wronki Feint are you?" Draco laughed at him.
"Cottoned on did you?" Harry glowered back. Then his eyes went wide and all of a sudden he zoomed off to the left.
"Yeah I'm not falling for - the snitch!" Draco yelled as he trained his focus on a tiny golden dot and urged his broom forwards faster towards Harry.
"Another ten points for Team Fussy Ginny! And the points stand at 230, 80 to Team Fussy Ginny! And - wait! Has somebody spotted the snitch?" Lee shouted excitedly. Both Harry and Draco were fighting to get to the snitch first. They were nearly neck and neck. Draco was just behind him. He was just inches away. Harry stretched out his arm and - "Harry Potter gets the snitch! And the points are -! Well, this is interesting." For those who could do mental maths quickly, they already knew that "It's a tie!" Lee yelled excitedly! "It's a tie! Team Fussy Ginny and The Soaring Hippogriffs both have 230 points! Well this is something we don't see every day!" Both Harry and Draco landed next to each other in the grass. Draco looked at the ground for a good few seconds before looking towards Harry. He stuck out his hand. "Good game," he said. And then cracked a grin. Harry grinned too and went to take his hand. "Good game," he agreed.
"You know what!" Seamus yelled as the rest of the team ran towards the seekers, "I'm not even even annoyed we drew! I saved more goals there than I ever have in practice!"
"Yeah well done mate," Dean grinned.
"Ginny how was I meant to catch you on my Cleansweep?!" Hannah laughed.
"I'm just too good," Ginny chortled.
"Well done everyone!" Tracy sighed, wiping blood from her nose (Theo had hit the bludger towards Tracy which had caused her to swerve and hit the stands, causing a minor nose bleed).
"Party in the Gryffindor common room?" Ron asked.
"Hey what about us?" Pansy asked.
"You can come too," Hermione grinned, who'd just come down from the stands with Luna, Fred, George and Lavender.
"Yeah us Hufflepuffs might just have our own one," Zacharias mumbled.
"Yeah us too," Michael said.
"Yeah Pans I'm gonna see you later? There'll be a Slytherin bash too and I don't wanna miss it," Tracy teetered awkwardly.
The celebrations lasted all afternoon and into the night, what with all the food and butter beer Fred and George had got from the kitchens and, at around nine o'clock, a spectacular firework display as Fred and George used the last of their Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet Start No Heat fireworks.
And finally, a mere few weeks later, it was the end of the year. Draco and Hermione were making their way down to the end of term feast, their bags packed ready to be taken down to the Hogwarts Express which had been repaired to be as good as ever. Once seated, McGonagall began her end of year speech, the dishes filled with food and then the post arrived. No one seemed to be expecting anything as it was the last day, but Draco's owl did swoop in, a letter firmly clutched in its beak. "Who's writing?" Hermione asked through a mouthful of pie as Draco took the letter from the bird's beak.
"Mother," Draco replied as the bird took off. Hermione held her breath as Draco read the short note. He positively beamed, a surprised look plastered all over his face. "What?" Hermione laughed.
"My mother, my pureblooded Malfoy mother, has been speaking with Aunt Andromenda for the first time since she was disowned. I think she felt they both needed each other after everything they've both been through. And there's more! Harry and Ron listen to this; Andromenda is adopting Tonk's kid Teddy!"
"That's brilliant news!" Hermione beamed, "Truly it is!"
The conversations continued up until they'd reached the stone steps in the entrance hall. "Just one second I need to talk to McGonagall," Hermione said quickly, remembering something. She dashed back into the hall and nearly ran headlong into her head of house. "Hermione!" McGonagall began alarmed.
"Professor! I've been meaning to speak to you," Hermione began. McGonagall nodded. "I - you know after the war and all that... I was wondering if there was any way in finding my - my parents..." Hermione began, shakily. McGonagall gave her a warming smile and said, "They're already in St Mungos recovering. I sent out a pair of mediwizards to track them down only days after the war finished. With a bit of luck they'll be on a speedy recovery in no time."
"Really?" Hermione gasped. McGonagall nodded and smiled. Hermione beamed and sped out of the hall, bursting to tell everyone the news.
And at last, each and everyone of them equipped with trunk, pet and bags, they all headed out of the semi repaired entrance hall and into the grounds, ready to leave behind for one last time the place in which they had all created so many memories, had so many adventures and met life long friends. "Harry are you - are you crying?" Neville asked incredulously. Everyone looked at him.
"Nah, just a spot of hay fever you know," Harry scoffed.
"Nope, they're definitely real tears mate," Ron grinned.
"Of course Harry's crying Ronald," Hermione said indignantly, then added in a softer tone, "It's all gonna change now. It's really over."
"Talking about change, is it just me who thinks us - what - seven, eight, nine - us nine walking out these doors together is a bit odd?" Theo asked aloud as he looked along the line. Him and Pansy, Draco and Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny and Neville and Luna. The new friends.
"Yeah no trust me, I still get the creeps round you guys," Seamus yelled back at them as he and Dean walked ahead, hand in hand.
"It still feels weird, you know," Draco sighed, "Because - you know - it feels like there should be ten."
"There are ten. I just know he's somewhere up there, laughing down at us because we're still moping. But we ain't gonna stop moping, you hear me Blaise?!" Theo raised his voice a little, looking up at the clouds.
They reached the Hogsmeade station with their luggage, where they met up with Lavender Brown, Fred and George, and a Ravenclaw girl in Luna's year. Clouds of steam billowed into the air around them from the train as they heard it screech to a halt and allowed them to board. Hermione smiled at the polished scarlet metal before she boarded with the others, gave Hogwarts a final goodbye and found a compartment with Harry, Ron, Draco, Theo and Pansy.
They amused them selves by reliving the best moments of their years, each moment a new chapter of their life. Harry, Ron and Hermione told the Slytherins all about their previous dangerous encounters throughout the years, including that of Fluffy, the giant chess board and their adventure involving the Shrieking Shack.
And then, as all good things do, the train journey came to a shrieking halt and they all gathered their luggage, promised to meet up in the holidays, and left, one by one, onto the platform.
.
.
.
"Blaise Zabini
1979-1998
A true friend and war hero."
Pansy read.
"I thought I could do this but now -"
"Theo you are going to stay here for Merlin's sake. Just - look I'm sorry it's just hard," Pansy finished quietly. The wind swirled gently around them, a light breeze which rustled the surrounding trees in the graveyard and pulling at their black robes. The four of them - Theo, Pansy, Draco and Hermione - were visiting the grave for the first time, the others deciding to pay their respects at a later date. "What do you reckon he'd have wanted written on his gravestone?" Draco choked through a tight throat.
"Probably, probably something like "Watch it that's my feet you're standing on!"" Theo choked back, half a grin forming upon his tear streaked face.
"Knowing Blaise, 'feet' probably isn't the body part he probably would've gone for," Hermione smiled sadly.
"True," Theo nodded. They all continued to stand there, arm in arm, staring.
"He was a good friend - no, a true friend. He always lit up a room with some goofy comment. He - I'm gonna miss him," Pansy said bravely.
"We're all going to miss him," Hermione nodded solemnly. Her eyes fell on the grave stone next to Blaise's. On his right, laid Collin Creevey's tombstone, where a wreath of roses and some polaroids laid. On his left, stood two graves very close together: Remus Lupin, and Nymphadora Tonks. "He didn't want to be put with his family," Draco said quietly.
"No, but I think he would be happy with our choice of burying him here, with the people he cared about," Hermione smiled, draping an arm around Draco's shoulder.
"Yeah, and - yeah that," Theo sighed quietly. And just like that, the wind stopped, the birds began to sing, and everything was a brighter shade of melancholic.
A/N. um. Yeah sorry. It was always planned. I am sorry. He's greatness really is but someone had to go and I - yeah sorry. I saved Fred for you guys anyway! I think this sad ending really sums up how sad it is me leaving this. Back in the day... like two years ago (! I'm that bad at writing quickly), when I was really into all this writing stuff and now it's all over. You lot have stuck by through and through and I'm so greatful of that. This is really hard for me to be honest. But all good things (even though this wasn't that good tbf) must come to an end. See you all in the next - oh wait, there isn't one. I'm not gonna be able to get over this. Feel free to comment, love you all,
Hedwig467