A Turn of Events

Chapter 22- More Than Enough

Harry looked up at the scene unraveling in front of him.  Dumbledores face held calmness, with no evidence of panic or distress. "Good evening, Draco."

"What brings you here, on this fine spring evening?"

"Who else is here? I heard you talking!" Malfoy had his wand drawn, and was pointing it at Dumbledore.

In his calm voice, Dumbledore replied with ease. "I've been known to talk out loud to myself. I find it extraordinarily useful."

"I've got backup." said Draco, "There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight."

"Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?"

"Yeah," Malfoy was now panting. "Right under your nose and you never realized!"

"Ingenious. Yet . . . forgive me . . . where are they now? You seem unsupported."

"I — I've got a job to do, old man."

"Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy," said Dumbledore softly.

Draco did not respond. Instead, he kept his wand pointing at Dumbledore, though his hand was shaking so much, Harry thought his wand might fall.

Dumbledore looked into Draco's face. "Draco, you are no assassin."

"How do you know what I am?" said Draco at once. "I've done things that would shock you!"

"Oh yes, I do. You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but these have been feeble attempts . . . So feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your heart has been really in it."

It seemed Dumbledore had hit a nerve and Harry could've sworn, even from his frozen position, that something had flashed in Draco's eyes. Something that looked curiously like love and regret.

He looked as if he were about to reply before there was the sound of a door being slammed. Dumble-dore looked towards the noise, then back at Draco. "It seems that your guests have joined us. Now tell me Draco, how did you do it?"

"The Vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement.  I've been mending it all year."

"Ah, and let me guess. It has a sister? A twin?"

"At Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage."

The Death Eaters we're approaching now and Dumbledore seized his chance. "Draco, many years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please. Let me help you."

Draco was clearly shaking now and he sounded close to tears when he spoke. "I don't want your help! Don't you understand?" He said. "I have to do this."

Malfoy, surprisingly, sounded close to breaking point. "I have to kill you! Or he'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family! And he will have no mercy when it comes to her."

There was silence as footsteps moved closer to the pair. "Well, look what we have here." said a feminine voice. Harry could see wild black hair from where he stood and he knew.

"Do it!"

"He doesn't have the stomach, just like his father." said a drawling voice.

Suddenly, Harry felt a presence behind him. He turned around to see Snape. He was standing there with his wand drawn and he quietly put a finger to his lips.

"Do it Draco! Now!!!" screamed Bellatrix.

"No." said a cold voice.

Harry stood, terrified of what was bound to happen but rooted to the spot in which he stood.

"Severus" Dumbledore looked at the wizard before him who had his wand drawn. "Please."

"Avada Kedavra!"

Green light shot from Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore square in the chest. The scream of horror never left Harry's body; silent and unmoving, he watched as Dumbledore was blasted into the air.

— —

Ginny squealed and squirmed in Fenrirs grasp. He held on to her tighter, his dirty nails sinking into her soft flesh. She was close to tears as she saw the scene unraveling, not know that Harry was right below her, feeling the same. "Draco, no!" she screamed, knowing better but doing so anyway.

Her eyes flashed as she saw her headmaster fall, like a rag doll. And for a moment, it seemed he was suspended in mid air, dangling uselessly.

"Leave the girl. We have no use for her." said Snape as Fenrir continued to yank her with him.

Fenrir growled as Snape as his dark eyes glimmered and he ached to taste her delicate human flesh. "Leave her!"

Fenrir grudgingly let go of her and pushed her aside. She hugged herself and tried to brush her wild hair aside. She didn't have time to ponder Snape's action as she was looking at her boyfriend, being whisked away into a life he didn't belong to.

— —
Harry was sitting in the hospital wing with Hermione and the Weasley's. Bill was in the bed they were all crowded around, although under all the wrappings, you couldn't really see his face. Her-mione had informed him that he would never fully change but he would have some 'wolffish' traits now. Fluer still wanted to marry him either way.

Harry and Hermione stood off to the side of all the Weasley's. Harry was still holding onto Hermione, not wanting to let her go, even after she had to pry him off of Dumbledore's body. Harry shivered just thinking of the events from earlier. He didn't want to think about any of this anymore.

He didn't want to think of Dumbledore or Voldemort anymore. He just wanted to be with Hermione again. But he had failed her. He just wanted her to know how sorry he was for that.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I failed you." said Harry brokenly.

Hermione looked over at him sadly. "Harry, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't ha — "

"No. Not about that. About us." He looked up at her and all she could see was hurt and pain and guilt.

"I failed you, and our relationship. I was supposed to protect you. Protect your heart. And I failed..."

"Harry, you couldn't have failed, ever. It's my problem and my insecurities keeping us apart."

"I guess I thought that if I had loved you enough, then maybe they would go away. I should have."

"Should have what?"

"Loved you enough."