Chapter 14

Harry's POV

I entered the pub quietly; almost positive he wouldn't be there. Then I saw the red hair at the bar. I breathed a sigh of relief, which quickly turned to anger as I made my way to Ron.

"Where the hell were you today?" I asked him.

"Ron looked at me with bleary eyes and I wondered how much he'd had.

"Ron, it's me. Do you know where you are?"

He struggled to speak, swallowing a few times. Then- "Piss off."

I exhaled. "Do you remember what today was? It was her wedding, Ron. The wedding that you promised you would come to. And instead you what?"

"I had better things to do then witness that joke of a wedding," he mumbled.

"Like what? Getting drunk in a pub?"

He looked up from his drink, straight at me. "You didn't want to be there either. You should have come with me, and then you could've met Tom."

"Yes I did Ron, and- wait, who's Tom?"

"Friend," Ron grunted. "Better one than you. He knows what it's like, watching the woman you love getting married to a man you hate."

"Ron, what did you tell him?" I asked; dread starting to grow in the pit of my stomach.

"He was symp - he knew how it feels." Ron repeated. "How they're all lovey down there in St. Avery's, how being around them made me want to heave…"

"You told Tom this? Ron!" I grabbed him by his robes. "Ron, you told someone you had just met about St. Avery's? Where they're hiding? You told him everything? What the hell do you think a secret-keeper is?"

Ron stared back at me, until I could see him sober. Then his mouth fell open. I grabbed him by his collar and dragged him out of the pub, twisting into nothingness.

Hermione's POV

My parents had taken Daniel home with them to give me and Draco a weekend off. It was hard letting him go, being without him for a long period of time for the first time, but I knew we needed the privacy. I stared at the new ring on my finger and hugged myself. My wedding day had been wonderful. Wonderful. A sudden pang as I remembered. Wonderful except that – Ron never showed up.

As I went about putting my things away, I heard the door crash open.

"Hermione! They're here! Go, Hermione, run!" Then he was back outside, fighting. I could hear yells as spells flew, and my heart dropped. Thoughts raced through my head: At least Daniel is safe! Almost before the thought had flashed through my mind, it was joined by another. If I don't run, I may never see him again…A long moment – or maybe only a fraction of a second – while I decided. Bracing myself, I ran to fight beside my husband.

As more and more death eaters appeared, I spotted Harry and Ron appear out of thin air. Order members were also popping into existence, and my friends from Hogwarts…A spell missed me by an inch, and I fired one back.

I saw Draco fighting his father, and my heart felt like it would burst. As I ran into the battle, fighting with Dolohov, I saw Voldemort.

Harry! Had Harry found the horcruxes – or not? I didn't know. I didn't know because I hadn't been there for him.

I had not been there for them…Harry locked on to Voldemort, and moved off to meet him.

"Sate Crulorius!" Came out of nowhere, and I was blown to the ground. I struggled to get back up, but my head seemed oddly detached, and I could only watch, as the battle raged on.

I saw Draco running towards me, and wanted to tell him to be careful, don't worry about me, I loved him…Our first kiss, his lips so soft on mine. How he was so shy, so unsure. I leaned into that kiss, wanting to experience it all over again…A bang and a scream brought me back to reality.

I had to hold on, for Draco, Daniel, my family needed me…Our first night, he had been so careful. I knew he was scared I didn't want him, that I couldn't after what his father had made him do, but at that point, I had never been so sure of anything. I knew we were meant to be together, and this, this was natural. I reached up to kiss him, my legs wrapping around his hips…

Another loud bang, and a crater appeared in the earth right next to my head. Where was Draco? He had been right there. Get up Hermione! But I couldn't, I didn't have the strength, and where were my legs anyway? Oh yes, right there, but they wouldn't move. I turned my head, and saw him, laying a foot away from me, his eyes closed. He wasn't moving.

A guttural cry sounded, loud and heartbroken, and then I realized it was coming from me. The smoke from spells and destruction were fogging my brain, seeping into my very soul. It wasn't supposed to end this way. I felt my wand by my side, reached for it, and after what seemed like a decade, felt it in my hand. Keep them safe, keep them safe, keep them safe, I chanted, every protection spell I could think of running through my mind. And then I was back with Draco, back to that first night, with him moving on top of me, and I let myself go.

Epilogue

Mrs. Granger placed a bouquet of fresh flowers at the base of the headstone. As she stepped back, Mr. Granger embraced her. Harry had his hand on Ron's shoulder, as both stood and stared. As a tear made its way down Ron's cheek, Daniel tugged on the hem of Mrs. Grangers' skirt.

"Mummy?" He stared up at her expectantly, and when she didn't answer right away he asked again. "Mummy?" He pointed to the tombstone.

Mrs. Granger nodded, and smiled sadly. She took his hand and then sighed.

As they left, Harry glanced back, as he always did, to read the tombstone again.

Draco and Hermione Malfoy

Love Never Fails

The End.