If Only in My Dreams (Dramione)

Chapter 21: The Final Battle

A/N: Just a reminder, I don't own Harry Potter. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling. This is just my version of how the Battle of Hogwarts could have gone down...

***

When the group arrived at Hogwarts, everyone from the Order spread out, making themselves useful for the imminent war. Harry turned to his three friends.

"Hermione, you and Ron go to the Chamber of Secrets and destroy the cup. Malfoy and I will work on finding and killing Nagini."

"You got it, mate." Ron grabbed Hermione's arm and made his way to go.

"Wait!" Hermione cried, "How are you two going to kill Nagini?"

"We'll do Draco's plan." Harry said.

Draco looked at him, surprised, but nodded. "It will work. It has to."

Hermione turned pale.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but it's the best we've got. We'll be careful, I promise." Harry said.

"Come on, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, impatiently. "We have to go!"

Hermione's eyes darted between Harry and Draco and she whispered, "Please...be careful."

"We will....and you be careful too." Draco said, as he watched her and Ron depart, until they turned a corner and were out of sight. It hit him that may have been the last time he would see her alive. Pain struck his heart as he turned to Harry.

"Let's go."

***

"...I think I have the answer." The voice belonged to Voldemort. Harry and Draco were huddled outside the Shrieking Shack, under Harry's invisibility cloak, far enough away to avoid being detected by Voldemort or Nagini. They both held their breaths, listening and watching as the scene inside unfolded.

"My Lord—" Severus Snape began, but Voldemort cut him off.

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine."

His words caused Draco's blood to run cold. He had been commanded to kill Dumbledore. If he had succeeded, he could have been the one in Snape's position now.

"My Lord!" Snape exclaimed in objection, raising his wand.

"It cannot be any other way," said Voldemort. "I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last."

Voldemort raised the Elder Wand in the air, summoning Nagini.

"Kill." Voldemort commanded in Parsletongue.

Snape's screams tore through the air, while Harry and Draco remained frozen.

"I regret it," Voldemort said, not at all sounding remorseful, and left the room with Nagini.

Draco and Harry remained still for several moments, in shock over what they had just witnessed. When he was sure that Voldemort had truly departed from the Shrieking Shack, Draco inclined his head in the direction Voldemort had taken and whispered to Harry.

"Come on."

"No," Harry replied and made his way towards Snape.

Reluctantly, Draco followed and was surprised to see that Snape was still alive, panting for his last breath. Draco raised his wand in a feeble attempt to heal the dying man, although he knew it was hopeless.