AN: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling (in other words, not moi)

This is just gonna be a short story about a possible alternate ending for the Deathly Hallows. Starts off right when Harry and Voldemort are having a face off after the Battle of Hogwarts.

Harry and Voldemort stood facing each other, surrounded by onlookers. No one moved except those two. They were holding their breath, astounded, as Harry goaded Voldemort, petrified where they stood.

"You are weak," Voldemort sneered. "You gave yourself up for others. You would have let me kill you."

"And yet," Harry said, "You still have not been able to kill me.

Voldemort's eyes flashed in anger. "I can kill you whenever I wish!" He raised his wand...

"No!"

Ron couldn't stand it anymore. He broke away from the onlooking circle and stumbled clumsily next to Harry. Voldemort turned his wand on Ron.

"Another spare," he said silkily.

Though the comment set off a wave of anger inside Harry, he forced himself to stay calm.

"Alright," he said, "Go ahead."

Hundreds of astounded eyes turned to him.

"What?"

Voldemort's eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"Go ahead. Kill him. If you are so powerful you can kill whoever you want, kill him. Kill him now."

Ron's eyes flickered nervously toward Harry. "Um, Harry?"

"Trust me," Harry replied out of the corner of his mouth.

Voldemort sneered. "Do you think I will not?"
"Why would I think that?" Harry asked calmly.

His less-than-fearful answers seem to enrage his oponent. "You will regret it once I've finished with him!"

And, quick as lightning, his wand slashed in Ron's direction and he screamed his high, cold scream.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Cries of "Ron!" could be heard from the sidelines as the spell hit Ron straight in the chest. He collapsed, and Harry caught him. He sensed every eye on the redhead's body.

Ron lay, motionless, in Harry's arms for a moment. And then, his eyes blinked open and he grabbed Harry's shoulder in an attempt to pull himself upright.

To say he looked confused was an understatement. Along with the crowd, he looked utterly bewildered. Then a triumphant cry came from somewhere in the mass of people.

A few feet away , Tom Riddle's body was splayed on the cold, stone floor.

The Death Eaters fled. At first, everyone was to shocked to do anything, but right as the last Death Eater was reaching the door, someone screamed "Stupefy!" and he collapsed in a heap.

Ron's family and Hermione were the first to reach them. Molly threw her arms around him, sobbing with the temporary terror of Ron dying and the overwhelming relief of him not.

He turned to his black-haired best friend. "But...how?"

Harry smiled at him. "The same reason I didn't die sixteen years ago. Because someone died for me."

Tell me what you think!