wildflowers // dramione

Chapter 33

"Harry Potter is dead!"

Voldemort's haunting voice made every single person stop dead in their tracks. Time stood still. When everyone recovered, as much as they could, they rushed out to the courtyard to see if the tragic news was true. The courtyard filled quickly. On one side stood all of the wizards fighting for Hogwarts, and the other, all the wizards fighting for the Dark Lord. There were a few exceptions; Draco stood on the side with the Order members, and though it seemed he should be on the other, his rightful place would have been somewhere in the middle, or by Hermione's side. He hadn't seen her in the crowd yet, but she saw him. In fact, her vision was bouncing back and forth between her blonde love and Harry's lifeless body. Hermione had screamed in horror when she saw it. Many others did the same, such as McGonagall, Ginny, and Ron. Hermione couldn't breath, she used Ron to hold herself up. Tonight she had thought that herself dying was the worst thing to possibly happen, but she had been naive. Harry's death was the worst thing that could have happened and seeing him in a sobbing Hagrid's arms sent a feeling of hopelessness through everyone she loved. Order members shouted and cursed at the Death Eaters.

"Silence!" Voldemort boomed. An eerie quiet followed.

Voldemort lied about how Harry was killed, saying Harry tried to escape instead of sacrifice himself for everyone. Ron knew it was a lie and started shouting again. Others followed. Voldemort ordered silence again and cast a charm to quiet everyone. Lucius took the hush as his opportunity to get Draco's attention.

"Draco!" Lucius whispered. "Draco!"

Everyone's eyes fell on the young Malfoy, who wasn't moving. He didn't look up from the ground he had been staring at.

"Ah yes, dearest Draco, what are you doing over there?" Voldemort said much louder than Lucius had spoken.

Hermione choked on a sob. She couldn't handle seeing Draco go back to Voldemort and Harry's death. She was breaking.

"Draco!" Lucius repeated.

Hermione felt a glimmer of hope for the boy she cared for when he didn't move a muscle towards the "dark side."

"Young Malfoy, don't be difficult. You've caused enough trouble." Voldemort spoke like a snake. It made chills go up Draco's spine.

Draco couldn't seem to make his legs move. He would never understand where the bravery was coming from, but to Ron, Ginny, Narcissa, and Luna it was obvious what, or who, had made him take on the Gryffindor trait.

"Dra- Is that Miss Granger?" Voldemort's eyes fell on Hermione. She froze. Death Eaters shouted and gasped.

"He's a liar!" one yelled.

"He said she was dead!" another said. People on either side of the courtyard sent wary glances at each other. Both Hermione and Draco had been caught in their lies.

Voldemort looked infuriated. "What is the meaning of this, Draco?!"

Allies of the Order and Harry Potter were silent. They knew Hermione had been kidnapped by Death Eaters and Draco and that she was rescued by Harry and Ron, but something still confused everyone watching.

"I told you, Lucius, that if your foolish boy failed me one more time, I'd have him killed!" Voldemort was in Draco's father's face now. Narcissa looked horrified and Bellatrix's expression was full of awe, though a hint of worry could be seen if you looked close enough. "And now, now he's lied to me. And why?" Voldemort turned back to Draco. He raised his wand and the crowd around Draco parted immediately. "Was it because you were ashamed you had failed me again? Or because you were protecting her?"

The crowd around Hermione separated as well. Ron and Ginny remained. Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand. The Dark Lord laughed. Usually, his Death Eaters would laugh along with him but no one made a sound.

"You're dead," Voldemort hissed at Draco.

Draco's eyes widened and Narcissa sobbed into her sister's arms. Bellatrix was unbothered. She was in a daze, watching her master. Voldemort flicked his wand and Draco's body was pulled towards him. Draco now stood only a foot away from Voldemort. Draco was shaking, he couldn't move his head to look for Hermione.

"Crucio!" Voldemort sent Draco's body sliding across the ground.

"No!" Hermione screamed. Before she knew it, she had removed herself from Ginny and Ron and was running to Draco's side. Loud whispers filled the courtyard.

"What is she doing?"

"Why is she protecting him?"

"She's going to get herself killed!"

"Pathetic!" Voldemort cackled again and this time, his followers did the same.

Hermione was at Draco's side and had used all her strength to conjure a powerful spell to stop the Cruciatus Curse. Hermione felt tears form and fall from her eyes. She laid Draco's head on her knees and held his face in her hands. Everyone went silent again. Slowly, some people started to realize the true relationship between Draco and Hermione. If Tonks and Remus had been watching, they would have had their suspicions confirmed.

"Draco! Draco! Are you with me?" Hermione said, trying to gain his attention. He was slowly falling into unconsciousness due to the searing pain.

"Granger," Draco whispered in a hoarse voice. Hermione was overjoyed to be near him again, to hear his voice again. Her dreams hadn't done him enough justice.

Hermione, instantly and without care of who saw, kissed Draco. Gaspes and screams flooded the courtyard. When Draco reached a hand up to Hermione's cheek, Lucius and Bellatrix thought they might faint. Even Voldemort's eyes were wide. Luna, unlike everyone else watching the spectacle, smiled widely.

The kiss ended and Draco couldn't help but smile. He was delirious from the pain, but still aware they could die at any moment. "Fleur sauvage," he whispered almost incoherently.

Hermione heard. She smiled at the French words. "What? Why?" she asked through sniffles.

Draco wasn't able to answer her questions. His emotions overwhelmed him. "I'm not ready to die, not yet. Not without you." Hermione brushed his cheek with her hand and held his hand tightly.

Voldemort had begun to speak again. "Look what we have here. A mudblood and a Malfoy. Your parents should be ashamed of themselves for raising a filthy blood traitor!" Voldemort pointed his wand at the young couple. "I supposed to have to kill you both now. That's lovely. Not only is it romantic, but that know-it-all mudblood deserved to die a long time ago!"

Suddenly, Voldemort's words made Harry, who was alive this whole time, jump out of Hagrid's arms. Jaws dropped and shouts could be heard. Death Eaters cursed at the Boy Who Lived and those against the Dark Lord exclaimed their excitement. Everyone drew their wands, prepared to begin battle again. Voldemort's attention left Hermione and Draco, as did everyone else's', which the wizard and witch were thankful for.

"It can't be!" Voldemort yelled.

Suddenly, Neville emerged from the crowd and began casting curses at the Dark Lord and his henchman. All hell broke loose. Fighting started again and in the midst of all the commotion, Hermione got Draco to his feet and helped him inside the castle.

"I think we're alone now," Hermione said as she looked around their new location.

Once far enough away from the battle, Hermione and Draco threw themselves into each other's arms.