The Last Stand
by harry_mione_love

Rating: PG
Ship: Harry & Hermione
Canon: Books 1 - 6
Genre: Action/Adventure
Status: Complete
Length: 1,312 words in 1 chapter
Published: 28 Jan 2007
Last updated: 28 Jan 2007

One-shot. About the final battle and Harry's defeat of Voldemort and his courage (on more than one level).

From the Unofficial Portkey Archive: https://portkey-archive.org/story/6896/

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1. The Last Stand

The Last Stand

The three, Harry, Ron and Hermione stood in a triangle. Harry in front, Ron and Hermione at his sides only a few steps
behind him as Death Eaters surrounded them.

They begin throwing curses and blocking curses left and right with the Death Eaters, who were trying to protect Lord
Voldemort. Remus appeared and stunned a good many of the Death Eaters before any of them knew he was there.

The Death Eaters had backed off a bit but were still surrounding Voldemort. Remus got hit with a curse and fell to the
ground.

“Remus!” Harry yelled, trying to run toward him. Ron held his hand in front of Harry. “No. Remus will be fine. He would
want you to worry about Voldemort!” Ron yelled.

Harry was stunned with a curse that made him sink limply to the ground. “Harry!” Hermione cried. Harry looked into her
tear swelled eyes and stood up again, “I will not let anything happen to you.” He spoke firmly and defiantly. She lifted
herself up and stood next to Harry, grabbing his arm.

Remus hastily got up again and nodded to Harry. Harry turned around to nod to Ron and Hermione who took deep breaths.
All at once, the four of them began to mutter something under their breath, all ending at the same time with their wands
extended to Voldemort.

A bright light had ascended from the wands, forming one before hitting Voldemort square in the chest.

Before Voldemort could counter-act the curse, he'd been hit with it. He fell back and hit his head on a rock. They took
this advantage to try to through spells at him, but the Death Eaters protected him. Voldemort stood up, “Come face your
death, Harry Potter!”

Remus joined the three in the corner. Harry turned to them. “I have to go, I have to finish this! You guys worry about
the Death Eaters. I'm going to end this once and for all!”

Remus immediately fled to fight an approaching Death Eater, Ron put a hand on Harry's shoulder, “Good Luck, mate.” He
said before fleeing to help Remus.

Hermione started to cry, “It's not far! We can't lose you! We can't!” Harry turned to look at Voldemort before pulling
her into him. He wrapped her arms around her and she did the same. “I can't lose you!” She added, shouting angrily.

“Hermione, you are not going to lose me. But I have to do this, I have to finish this!” She cried harder and held him
tighter. “I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, or Ron! Understand that.” He continued, holding onto her and running his
fingers through her hair.

“Harry…” She moaned. Harry pulled apart from her only long enough to look into her eyes. “Hermione, I need to tell you
something. It's very important. If something should happen to me today, I want you to remember one thing.”

“What is it Harry?” She asked, trying to stop the tear flow. Her face was red and scarred. He kissed the top of her
head.

“Hermione, I love you. I love you more than anything in this world, I always have. I will not let anything happen to
you. And even if something should happen to me today, I want you to always know that I love you.” He looked into her
tear soaked eyes.

“Oh, Harry…I love you, too. I love you so much. I've loved you so long.” She sobbed crying into his chest again.

He lifted her face up and kissed her. It was the most intense and passionate kiss he had ever had. So much emotion was
behind it, and he knew that the power of her love alone who make him have the energy to kill off Voldemort a million
times, if it meant she would be safe.

He pulled away from her a little more. “I have to go now.” He whispered in her ear. “I have to end this. I will be fine.
Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” She answered, her brown eyes sparkling. “Come back safe, Harry. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He told her as he pulled out of their embrace and turned to walk towards Voldemort, as Hermione
eagerly and angrily stunned every Death Eater she saw before they knew what hit them.

“I'm here, Voldemort, isn't this what you wanted?” Voldemort laughed an evil laugh. “Oh, Harry Potter, it's a shame that
you have to die like this. If only you would've died the first time! You wouldn't have had to go through all of this
suffering.”

“Crucio!” Harry shouted pointing his wand at Voldemort. Voldemort ducked this curse and threw one at Harry. They were
fighting curses and spells back and forth, until Ron, Hermione and Remus joined them.

Remus whispered, “We've destroyed them all, I except there are more on the way. The least we can do is offer a little
support.”

“Remus, I have to do this on my own.” He yelled ducking a curse and throwing one back at Voldemort. He saw Hermione
crying. “Hermione, go, I don't want you to watch this.” He said.

“Harry, I'm not leaving.” She looked at him without a doubt or question in her mind. He looked at her, but then turned
to face Voldemort.

Harry felt a curse strike his body and he threw a stunning curse back at Voldemort in a desperate attempt that he knew
would not succeed. Hermione gasped and Ron through the same curse at Voldemort.

Surprisingly, Voldemort did fall back onto a rock, rendering him unconscious. He was weaker because some of his power
had been drained at the earlier battle.

Remus helped Harry up, and ended the curse on him. “Go, Harry. Fulfill your destiny.” He encouraged him, handing him
Godric Gryffindor's sword.

Harry gripped the sword in his hand and admired it before swallowing the lump in his throat. He turned to his two best
friends, “It's all going to be over in a few minutes. Hermione, don't watch this.” He told her placing his hand on her
arm.

“Harry, I…” She began but Ron cut her off, “Don't worry, I won't let her.” They both smiled for the first time in a
really long time.

Harry looked to Hermione and said, “I love you.” Then turned to Voldemort limp body. He ran the blade of the sword up
Voldemort's body before reaching his neck and chopping his head off.

He looked down in disgust at the man who had single handedly destroyed his life.

Harry turned back to his friends and immediately took a sobbing Hermione into his arms, comforting her. She melted into
his embrace. Ron actually smiled and hugged the two of them.

Ron was weakly limping back, as he had gotten attacked by one Death Eater horribly, beside Remus, who gave him support.
Hermione clasped her hand with Harry's, walking so close to him their shoulders were pressing against each other.

For one brief moment they all looked at the moon in the dark, starry sky. Harry suddenly smiled and grabbed Hermione,
picking her up. “He's gone.” Was all he could manage to say before they all forced themselves to stifle a laugh out of
their serious mood they had been in for so long. He put her down and kissed her.

“I could've never done this without you two, you know?” Harry commented looking at Ron, who stopped and put a hand on
Harry's shoulder and said in a serious, deep tone, “Yes, we know.”
