The End's Intent

Chapter 30

All things considered, this really wasn't the worst thing Hermione had agreed to in the past two days alone. She'd had to give Draco several more potions before he could think straight while standing up, but once they'd mounted his summoned broom, she was fairly confident they'd be okay. Harry hovered beside them as they soared over the battlefield, well out of sight of the Death Eaters.

"I swear to Merlin, Draco," Hermione muttered, holding onto his arm tightly. "If you so much as try to cast a spell in the state you're in, I'll send you to the infirmary myself."

"Yes, ma'am," Draco said, pressing a kiss to her head before dropping down low enough she could start firing rapid spells at Death Eaters from above.

She refrained from slitting their throats as Harry had pointed out the Ministry may not appreciate that, but she was no stranger to other, more vicious spells that were just as effective at killing a wizard. Across from them, Harry shot the killing curse at an unmasked Death Eater—Antonin Dolohov, if Hermione were to guess—and sent her a wild grin before soaring off to kill more.

Hermione knew there were Death Eaters in the castle they wouldn't be able to get to, but if they could take care of most of the ones outside, then the chances of finishing this battle successfully went up. Of course, such powerful spells drained her quickly and after a while, Hermione had to resort to simple immobilisation spells. It was a risk performing a reversible spell, but it gave those battling the Death Eaters a chance to further disable them.

At some point, Harry darted off and disappeared, but Hermione tried not to think about whether or not he'd stay alive. If he'd managed to survive the killing curse twice, she hoped he could survive a flight above a battlefield. She'd cloaked them all in Disillusionment spells and Notice Me Not charms with the hope they would work better this time. So far they were working well.

Behind her, Draco slumped forward and the broom wavered slightly. Hermione glanced back at him to see his eyes fluttering and a grimace on his face.

"Take us down," she told him, casting a strong shield around them. Draco nodded and they shot over to the castle and landed on top of the astronomy tower.

As soon as they slid off the broom, Draco stumbled forward into her. Hermione hastily wrapped her arm around his back and helped him sit down against the nearby wall. He groaned as he sat down and Hermione kneeled beside him worriedly.

"Are—"

"I'm okay," he assured her, groaning even as he spoke. His eyes closed and he laid his head back against the wall, taking several deep breaths.

"You were hit with a lot of spells, Draco," Hermione reminded him. She brushed her hand across his forehead and his eyes flickered open to look at her for just a moment. "It's alright if you don't feel okay. You should be resting anyway."

"I'm not leaving you to this on your own," he said. His eyes flashed for a second and Hermione smiled. She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

"You've done so much already, you don't have to come with me for this," she said. Draco narrowed his eyes at her and pulled her to his side abruptly.

"You aren't leaving," he told her. When she looked up at him, his eyes were bright silver and she knew there would be no arguing about it.

"Alright," she agreed, settling in beside him.

All around them were the sounds of spells being hurled and the castle getting destroyed, but Hermione tried not to think about how she should be fighting when Draco was so clearly unwell. When a spell hit the astronomy tower, however, and Hermione barely managed to cast a shield in time, she knew they needed to find a better place to rest. Once the debris had settled, she helped Draco to his feet and made sure he was okay before apparating to Hogsmeade.

The Hog's Head was dark but when Hermione burst in through the front door, Rosmerta came running. A few younger students peered around the corner after her, but Hermione didn't bother to tell them off for sneaking over.

"Lay him here, Hermione," Rosmerta instructed, leading them into her office where she conjured a stool into a cot.

Hermione helped Draco sit on the cot then lie down, giving him another pain relief potion and wishing she could do more.

"What happened? What's going on at Hogwarts?" Rosmerta asked. Hermione glanced at the students peering through the door and Rosmerta sent them running, closing the door behind them and sealing it tight.

"Voldemort's been killed," Hermione said. Rosmerta's eyes widened and Hermione nodded. "Draco killed him himself and received many crucios and other spells getting me and Harry out. The Death Eaters are still fighting, but not for long hopefully."

Rosmerta nodded solemnly and glanced at Draco who groaned on the cot.

"How many others are injured?" she asked. Hermione shook her head and shrugged. She didn't know. "You should return and find Poppy. She's sure to be caring for some of them. You can bring the injured here if there's still a battle at the school."

"I will, thank you," Hermione said. She stood up from the cot but Draco grabbed her hand before she stepped away. Hermione looked down at him to see him frowning up at her. "I'm just going to get others who have been injured. I won't go near the fighting, I swear."

"If you're not back in fifteen minutes," Draco warned. Hermione smiled at him and nodded. Fifteen minutes would be plenty of time. He glanced at Rosmerta nevertheless and she nodded.

"I'll come get you myself," Rosmerta threatened. Hermione nodded quickly before apparating back to Hogwarts and hurrying to find Madam Pomfrey and anyone who was injured.

* * * *

The battle raged for hours, but Hermione kept to her word and stayed far from it. Instead, she helped Madam Pomfrey transport those that had been injured to Rosmerta's. While Madam Pomfrey tended to the injured in Hogsmeade, Hermione returned time and time again to Hogwarts and returned with another witch or wizard each time.

Injuries varied greatly among everyone. Some had come away with just a crucio to the back while others were missing full body parts and rapidly bleeding out. Every time Hermione found someone injured too much to apparate, she hurried them off to a safer part of the castle before healing them enough that they could travel. Rosmerta, Madam Pomfrey, and a few other medi-witches who had helped her on the battlefield tended to each wizard as they arrived. Soon, there was a small hospital set up and running smoothly in Hogsmeade while Hermione, the Patil twins, and a few others brought the wounded from the battle.

When Hermione finally apparated back to Hogsmeade for the last time, she was exhausted. She helped Angelina Johnson limp over to a chair and checked her over herself before drifting back to Rosmerta's office to find Draco.

They hadn't said a word about it, but it seemed that everyone had collectively agreed not to put anyone else in the room with Draco. He remained alone and fast asleep after Madam Pomfrey had tricked him into taking a Dreamless Sleep potion. Despite the fact he was sleeping soundly when Hermione finished playing medi-witch, she slumped down onto the cot beside him and took a long sip of what remained of his Dreamless Sleep potion.

When she woke up, she wasn't sure how long it had been. Draco was still sleeping, but a blanket had been pulled over them both so Hermione knew someone had come to check on them. As she looked around the room, she saw Harry dozing on another conjured cot with Ginny at his side. The room had clearly been charmed to grow because another cot was set beside them where Ron was snoring quietly.

Hermione started to sit up, but Draco's arm locked around her and his eyes flew open, telling her he hadn't been asleep like she'd thought. She melted back against him and smiled sleepily.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him. She hadn't really thought about if sleeping beside him would slow down his healing, but now that she had a moment to, she couldn't help but worry.

"Almost back to normal," he replied quietly. He glanced around the room and pulled Hermione closer. "Is it done then? The battle at Hogwarts?"

Hermione nodded and wrapped her arm over his waist.

"Yeah, it's over," she murmured.

A/N: Only two more chapters left after this! We're getting closer and closer to the end!