A/N: I would like to apologise to those of you that have waited so long for this chapter. I suffered horrible writers block with it, partly because I have such a hard time being nice to Ginny in my fics… as most of you know, she's one of my least favourite characters, even though I liked her a bit more after OotP.
Anyways, here is the last chapter of The Raven. I hope you will all enjoy it, and if so inclined, please leave me a review with your thoughts.
Chapter 5: Final Confrontation
Ginny sat at the bar at the Leaky Cauldron, waiting for her meal. She almost hadn't taken a lunch break that day but with the events of that morning, she'd worked up a ravenous appetite. She stirred the straw around in her strawberry fizzy drink and thought about what Harry had given her that morning.
Her life was going to change, that was for sure. She would move out of her current flat and into a nicer one, for starts. Ginny's excitement over her situation dissipated as she thought about Harry. He would be leaving again as soon as he finished what he came back to do. She sighed as she thought about having to lose him another time.
Sirius opened the door to The Leaky Cauldron and spied Ginny sitting alone at the bar. "Hey," he said giving her a small squeeze.
"Sirius!" Ginny jumped out of her chair and hugged him tightly.
"Whoa," he stumbled back, smiling a little. "You're awful chipper today."
"Sirius," Ginny sat back down as he took the stool next to her. "Have um… have you had any… unusual visits from anyone lately?" she bit hard on her lower lip as she waited for him to answer.
"Why do you ask?" Sirius avoided her eyes.
"Please, tell me!" Ginny implored.
He sighed, looking down at his hands. "I don't know if it was really him… but Harry… he was at my flat last night."
Ginny let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. "It was really him…"
"Did he come visit you too?" Sirius asked.
"No… I thought I saw him in Diagon Alley last night… so this morning I went back to his and Hermione's house… and he was there!" Ginny bubbled forth with her story. "Sirius… he gave me his Gringotts key, and he told me he wants me to be happy again."
"That sounds like Harry," Sirius replied.
Ginny nodded, a small smile on her face again. "He came back to help, even after he died."
"That sounds like Harry too," Sirius said. "Ginny," he turned to face her. "I don't want… I don't want you to think he's here to stay."
"I know he's not," Ginny replied. "I wish he could, but I know he wouldn't be happy here without Hermione."
"No, he wouldn't." Sirius said. "I just don't want you getting your hopes up only to be let down in the end."
"I know," Ginny said. "Thanks for thinking of me."
"I care about you Ginny, I hope you know that." Sirius replied. "You can come talk to me anytime you need to."
"Thanks Sirius," she hugged him and got off her stool. "I have to get back to work, and then I have a date tonight."
"Oh? With who?" Sirius was curious.
"Draco Malfoy," Ginny replied, blushing a little. "We've been friends for awhile and he asked me out last night."
"Well have fun," Sirius forced a smile on his face, and after she hugged him again Ginny left.
"I don't mean to eavesdrop, but did she say she was dating a Malfoy?" Tom the bartender asked from behind the counter.
"Yes, she did." Sirius looked at the door Ginny had just disappeared through. "I'm assuming she means the young one, Draco."
"I just hope she knows what she's getting into," Tom said, setting a drink in front of Sirius. "Those Malfoys aren't good news."
"Well Lucius is still the biggest bastard on the face of the earth," Sirius toyed with a napkin. "But his son… he did help us out quite a lot with Voldemort."
Tom suppressed a shudder at the name of the former Dark Lord. "Still… bad blood runs thicker than love."
"I know," Sirius replied. "She's got a good head on her shoulders though. I think if Draco has ulterior motives she'll know it right away."
He still looked uneasy, long after he'd finished his drink and left The Leaky Cauldron.
*** *** ***
Shaitan Shimmer sat in silence, his arms folded over his torso. "I don't know what happened to him," he snapped. "I told you, I kicked him off the broom and he fell down into the clouds somewhere!"
"You had Potter and you let him get away," Lucius sneered, slamming his fist on the table so hard that Skank Whitmore jumped. "You could have ended all of this and you failed to do so."
Shaitan glared at him. "I told you, I tried. We were on a fucking broom hundreds of feet in the air. I don't think you'd have fared much better Lucius."
Lucius snarled, jumping out of his chair at him. Shaitan stepped back coolly as Bellatrix came forward to calm her lover down.
"Everyone is here," she said in her low, hypnotic tone. Lucius's tense body loosened at her touch and he turned to look at her.
"You bring him down," he jerked his head in the direction. Bellatrix said nothing but moved to take Skank's arm.
Lucius stalked ahead of the other three, rage boiling beneath the surface. Slamming the door open, he sauntered imposingly to the head of the table where several Death Eaters were sitting.
"I'm sure you have all heard the news of a certain visitor we thought we'd gotten rid of a year ago," he began, his voice cool and his tones clipped. Several of his men nodded. "He's already made off with three of you! THREE!" Lucius slapped his hands on the table, making Skank jump in fright again. "You feel that, you worthless piece of scum?"
"Yes sir," Skank shrank back into his chair, whimpering with fear. Lucius felt nothing but disgust for him and was about to use one of the Unforgivable Curses on him when a noise startled them all.
"Good evening, my fellow gentlemen," a sarcastic voice cut through the room. Harry Potter strode towards them, his emerald eyes narrowed at Lucius. He kicked away a chair from the end of the table and sat cross legged on top of it. "For now, I just want him," he pointed to Skank who was positively trembling.
"You can't have him," Lucius stated calmly, not really caring about Skank Whitmore but he certainly wasn't about to give in to Potter's demands.
Harry eyed him calmly. "Well it seems you've made your decision then," he stood up, spreading his arms to his sides.
"Kill the bastard," Lucius waved his hand. "He's the same boring pathetic loser he was when he was alive.
Ten wands came out and were pointed directly at him. Harry felt a large, hideous smile spread across his face as Avada Kedavra was shouted and green light rushed at him from every direction.
His laughter filled the room as the green light blinded everyone, and when they could all see again Harry was gone from the table, and it was eerily silent.
"Well, that was easy," Lucius laughed as one of the Death Eaters approached the opposite end of the table. "What's the matter?" he asked when the smile dropped off his man's face.
"He's… he's not here…" the Death Eater reported, his voice shaking. A sudden burst of green light burst straight into the man's face and he dropped on the floor dead. Several screams came up from different members as the curse ripped through them. Lucius grabbed Bellatrix, who was watching everything with an amused smile on her face, and ran for the door, Shaitan sending the curses back at Harry as he followed them out.
Harry watched with malicious glee as Death Eaters dropped like flies. He spotted his target huddled in a corner, hands over his ears as he rocked back and forth. "You," he pointed to him through the kicked up dust.
Skank whimpered like a baby and tore over underneath the table. Harry smirked and pulled a sword down from where it was nailed to the wall. "Not really a good day to be a Death Eater is it?" he jeered, plunging the sword through the thick wood of the table. Skank's weepiness reminded him of Neville Longbottom when they had first started school.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" Harry said in a creepy singsong voice as he continued to thrust the sword through the table. As he put it through near the edge he heard a distinct tearing of cloth and an anguished cry.
"Please!" Skank came out from under the table on his knees. "Please man, don't kill me please…" his begs were fruitless, as Harry hauled him up at his collar. "Hey! I'm not Skank!" his eyes grew wide. "You already killed him!"
"That's right, I did. One year ago," Harry said, his eyes glowing. Without another word, he dragged the other man across the room and threw him straight through the glass window.
Skank screamed the entire way down and Harry watched as the body hit the pavement below, not wincing as blood began to seep it's way out of the Death Eater's head.
*** *** ***
Ginny sat at her dressing table, combing at her long red hair. She'd used a charm to make it wavy and now she pulled it back at each side, fastening the red locks with combs. Ginny had also gone out briefly that afternoon with some of her new fortune to buy some blue dress robes, her first new piece of clothing in a year. She didn't think Harry would mind if she used a bit of the money to make herself look nice for her date.
"My date," she murmured, liking the way the words sounded. Ginny hadn't had a date in so long she just hoped she knew how to act. A quick glance at the clock made her hurry, she only had fifteen minutes until he arrived.
Draco stood outside Ginny's flat, taking a deep breath. He was nervous, actually nervous. If someone told him five years ago that he would be terrified of taking Ginny Weasley out on a date, he would have laughed in their face. But things had changed so bitterly since then, and she was the one bright spot in an otherwise dull world.
He raised his hand to knock on her door, which he had to do twice because the first time he rapped so softly even he could hardly hear it. A pounding of feet on the other side made him smile as Ginny finally flung the door open.
"Sorry!" she apologised before he could even say anything. "I didn't hear you knocking before have you been standing out here long?" Ginny asked in a rush as Draco stepped inside.
"No, not really," Draco replied. "I just got here."
"Okay…" Ginny seemed flustered. "I'll just be a few more minutes, I was running late today."
"Take your time," Draco said simply, perching himself on the edge of her sofa. "Your robes are nice," he commented, eyeing her.
"Thank you," Ginny blushed. "I'll um… I'll be right back okay?"
"Sure," Draco replied, watching her as she rushed from the room. He felt a smile quirk at the corner of his mouth as he heard her muttering in the next room, perhaps it meant she was as nervous as he was.
"Okay," Ginny came back several minutes later, looking no different (to him anyway) than she had when she answered the door.
Draco stopped pushing his toe into the worn carpet and stood up. "We have reservations so we'd best get going," he held her cloak for her as she slid into it.
"Thank you," Ginny replied, fastening the cloak. Draco offered his arm, his pale grey eyes warming as he gazed at her. "Where are we going?"
'You'll see," Draco smiled at her. Ginny smiled back and hooked her hand into his arm.
*** Later that Evening***
"That was delicious," Ginny wiped her mouth. "I can't believe we still have dessert!"
Draco smiled again. She thought he looked so nice when he smiled, it took all the worry out of his eyes and his lips were so finely shaped. Shaking her head slightly, Ginny looked down at her lap, not wanting him to catch her staring.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Draco replied, his hand reaching over the table for hers. Ginny shyly accepted, his fingers curling over hers. She hadn't had food this good since her family had died, but didn't want to say so aloud. Draco seemed to sense it, but didn't indicate whether he had or not.
"So what are you planning on doing for yourself in the future?" Draco suddenly asked.
"What?" Ginny seemed startled by his question. "Oh… I don't know. I always thought I might go into Healing. It's just right now… I have to save up some money for the supplies and schooling I need for that."
Draco nodded. "I can see you being a Healer," he said, the side of his mouth quirking up.
"And what are you looking to do?" Ginny asked, turning the tables on him as she sat up straighter.
Draco shrugged. "I'm actually not sure," he replied. "I mean… as long as my father is around no one will even take a chance on me."
Ginny nodded, looking down at her lap. They were silent until the waiter came back with their dessert, a lovely crème brulee. They dug in eagerly; Ginny tried not to eat so fast but it was delicious.
Afterwards, Draco asked her if she'd like to take a walk. Ginny agreed, surprised to discover that she did not want the evening to end quite yet. They made small talk as they walked along, her hand warm inside Draco's.
"You've been awfully quiet," he said, pushing his hair out of his eyes with his free hand.
"I've got a lot on my mind these days," Ginny replied truthfully.
"Like what?" Draco asked, squeezing her hand.
Ginny sighed, debating internally on whether or not she should tell him about Harry. It was likely he didn't know, as Harry had most likely kept a low profile. "Just some visitors," she replied cryptically.
"Visitors?" Draco felt a heavy pit settle into his stomach. Was she seeing someone else already? If so, why hadn't he heard about him and why would Ginny be out that night?
He stopped in his tracks, pulling on her hand. Focusing on her face which was staring up at him in confusion, Draco bent his head and kissed her lightly.
Ginny was hardly able to breathe at the first touch of his lips. Of its own volition, her hand sneaked around to the back of his neck, her fingers sneaking between the strands of his hair. His wound around her waist as he deepened the kiss, enjoying every second of her mouth pressed so firmly against his.
She couldn't believe this was happening. One part of her wanted him to stop; she didn't want to get close to anyone because of everything that had happened. The other part of her was begging for the kiss to keep going- it had been so long since anyone had held her, so long since anyone had even cared about her like this.
They kissed for a long time, sighing softly into the cool air, until the mist began to settle over them, making their clothes damp. Breaking apart, Draco and Ginny smiled at one another before joining hands and walking again.
It was a comfortable silence, but Ginny was now struggling with whether or not she should tell him now about Harry. "Draco," she paused. "Can I trust you?"
"What?" Draco looked down at her. "Of course you can."
Ginny bit her lower lip, which was still tender from their kiss. "Well… I told you I've had a visitor lately…" she trailed off as she tried to figure out what to say. "It was someone I would have never expected, but…"
"Who is it?" Draco asked, a flare of jealousy sprouting up again. Her cheeks had turned pink and he was sure it wasn't from the cool air.
"It's Harry, Draco." Ginny confessed in a rush. "Harry's come back!"
"What?" Draco was dumbfounded. He knew of her crush on Potter from their schooldays but he thought she was long over that. "Ginny…" he ran a hand through his damp blond hair. "How… how could Harry Potter come back? He died last year."
"Well, he's not… alive." Ginny tried to explain.
"Ginny, you have to let him go!" Draco suddenly turned and braced his hands on her shoulders. "He's gone. He's not coming back anymore!"
"Draco!" Ginny pulled out of his grasp. "You just said I could trust you!"
"You can!" Draco replied. "But Ginny… you can't live your life in the past! Harry Potter is dead!"
SLAP! Draco's head snapped to one side as Ginny's palm connected to his cheek. "I'm sorry I said anything to you!" Ginny snapped as tears slid down her face. "You're horrible!" she turned and ran up the pavement.
"Ginny!" Draco shouted. She didn't stop as she ran into an old abandoned church down the street. He rushed after her, not knowing if the building was safe or not.
"Ginny!" he called again as he gingerly entered the church. "Ginny come on out! I'm sorry about what I said!" his voice echoed off the rafters. He heard some rustling and went on forward.
Ginny whimpered in fear as Bellatrix pressed her hand over her mouth and wound her arm about Ginny's neck at an angle so her wand pressed into her skin.
"Shhhh little one. Soon your pretty eyes will see no more," Bellatrix cooed softly in her ear.
Ginny was terrified as she watched Lucius Malfoy emerge from the shadows. "So he's done what I wanted him to do," Lucius said softly, his eyes on Ginny. "We will wait until he finds us," Bellatrix nodded.
Draco carefully stepped over some fallen stones and wood beams as he tried to concentrate where the rustling noise had come from. "Ginny?" he called out again and a scream erupted from somewhere above him.
"DRACO! HELP ME!" Ginny had bitten Bellatrix's hand and was now screaming as loud as she could. "HARRY!" she cried, not knowing if he was even around to hear her anymore. "HELP ME!"
"Shut UP girl," Lucius snarled, pushing her against the wall and grabbing her throat. "Do you really expect your hero Potter to come and save you? We took care of him earlier, yes we did," he smirked at Bellatrix who curled her lip in reply.
Harry stood at the gravesite, tracing his fingers over the letters on Hermione's stone. The rain started to fall around him, the cold drops having no feeling on him whatsoever.
"HARRY! HELP ME!" Ginny's voice suddenly echoed into his head and the Raven let out several cries above him and Harry was on his feet in a flash and was running to her.
He stopped in front of a large run down church; he looked up as the rain started to fall harder and lightning streaked continuously across the sky. Harry shoved the doors open roughly and strode inside.
Draco continued towards the back of the church and started to make his way up the steps. "Ginny?" he called.
"Draco!" a large figure stepped out in front of him and Draco looked up, seeing someone he truly wanted to forget.
"Father," he returned coldly.
Lucius looked at his son for a moment then smiled. "I must say, you've disappointed me greatly, but leading this little bitch to us."
"Let her go," Draco said with the same cold tone. "Your issues are with me, not her."
"Wrong, my son," Lucius replied. "My business tonight resides with Harry Potter. She is simply bait."
Draco felt his eyes widen and his gaze trailed to Ginny. She had been telling the truth, he realised, and he fought to keep down the guilt that flooded through him. If he had simply believed her, she wouldn't have run in here and be put in danger.
"Let her go!" a strong voice came from behind Draco. He turned and saw the person in question come striding towards them.
The intensity of hatred in Harry Potter's pale face frightened Draco. During their school days he'd had no problem picking a fight with Harry but now… he looked like something out of a nightmare.
"Ah, Potter. Just who we have been waiting for," Lucius smiled coldly.
"This between us, not Ginny, not Draco," Harry replied, not taking his eyes off the blond man. "Let them go."
"Hmm…" Lucius looked deep in thought for a moment, turning to look at Bellatrix and Shaitan. "Why don't you give me a moment to think about this?" he turned to look out the large stained glass window behind him.
Harry turned his glowing eyes to Draco, trying to convey a silent message. 'Get Ginny out of here.'
Draco gave a tiny nod and slowly started to move towards Bellatrix.
"I don't think so," Lucius snapped around, his wand extended straight out at Harry. "Crucio!" he shouted, and Harry fell off his feet and onto his back.
"GET OFF HER!" Draco took that moment to pounce on Bellatrix and try to pull Ginny away. Shaitan grabbed his arm and Draco threw a blind punch back and hit him square in the nose.
Ginny saw her chance and began to twist around as hard as she could. She grabbed Bellatrix's arm which was reaching for her knife and smacked it hard against the stone wall, causing her to drop it.
Draco pulled Ginny towards him, drawing her back out of the way of any curses from Shaitan or Bellatrix.
"We have to help Harry!" she cried desperately, clawing at Draco to let her go.
"NO!" Draco held on. "Ginny he's got to do this without you!"
Harry staggered back up, the weight of the curse pushing down on him. 'Help me,' he thought. Closing his eyes, he could hear a shriek and then the curse was suddenly lifted.
The Raven was clinging to Bellatrix's face and its beak was gouging at her eyes. She was screaming as Lucius tried to pull the bird from her. Harry got to his feet and tackled Lucius from behind.
Bellatrix screamed as the bird flapped its wings wildly and continued to peck her eyes. She stumbled into the railing and the rotten wood gave way.
"BELLATRIX!" Lucius saw her go over and could hear her scream the whole way down. A sickening splat sounded from below and he trembled with rage.
"I'm going to kill you," Lucius said, his teeth clenched. Shaitan watched from the corner, his fist held over his nose as he searched for his wand to stop the flow of blood.
"You already did," Harry answered, his eyes flashing malevolently with the lightning. Lucius snarled and flew at him, but Harry was ready for him. He dodged the wand and closed his fingers around Lucius's throat.
Lucius pushed back on Harry as hard as he could; he jabbed his wand at him again. "Avada Kedavra!" he screamed, forgetting the curse had no effect on Harry anymore.
Harry ducked as soon as Lucius began to curse him, and the green light shot past him and straight at Shaitan Shimmer, who had been sneaking up behind him.
"NO!" Lucius shouted as his last man fell to the ground, dead. He glared back at Harry. "Are you satisfied, Potter? You've killed all of us but me."
"And I won't stop until you're gone as well," Harry replied in a low voice.
"I won't let you kill me Potter," Lucius sneered.
"That doesn't matter," Harry said, moving forward. Lucius began to back up as Harry advanced on him and then turned and ran up another flight of stairs.
Draco and Ginny came out of their hiding spot as Harry watched Lucius run up to the roof. "Harry," Draco said, not sure of what to say.
Harry shook his head. "I haven't got time to talk. I have to kill him." He looked over at Draco.
"I know," Draco replied. "He stopped being my father long ago. If you killed him I would feel nothing." Ginny stepped closer to him as he said this and rested her head on his shoulder.
Harry nodded. "Good luck," he simply said. Turning his back on them, he raced up the stairs after Lucius.
"We're not going to see him again," Ginny spoke up, feeling a lot calmer than she thought she would.
"No, I reckon we aren't," Draco answered.
Harry emerged on the roof, rain immediately lashing at him. Lucius was rushing to the other end, where he could rush down another flight of stairs and get away from him.
Lucius grabbed onto the door handle and tugged as hard as he could. "NO!" he screamed as he realised the door was locked tight.
"Oh Lucius," Harry drawled in a creepy singsong voice.
"Go away!" Lucius shouted.
"Not so big and bad now are you?" Harry grinned. "Now that your whole gang is dead, there's no one to do your dirty work for you."
"I was the one who killed you last year," Lucius snarled back at him.
"I know," Harry's smile faded. "And for that, I owe you. I have something for you, something I don't want anymore."
Lucius screamed as Harry flew forward, clamping his hands on either side of his head and putting his thumbs over his eyelids. "Hours of pain, the shredding of innocence, the Cruciatus Curse…" he lowered his voice as he pushed his thumbs hard into Lucius's eyes. "And the Avada Kedavra…"
Lucius screamed as the most intense pain he had ever experienced wracked his body. Harry let go and Lucius stumbled back, catching his foot on a loose stone. With an even louder scream, he went tumbling over the side of the roof and down onto a rusty spiked iron gate below.
"He's gone," Draco said as they walked carefully down the stairs. He pulled Ginny close as they passed Bellatrix's broken body, turning her head so she wouldn't have to see it.
"I thought you said you wouldn't feel anything," Ginny replied.
"I meant remorse," Draco answered. "Having him dead… it frees me from any obligation I might have had towards him. For once, I owe Potter."
Ginny nodded as they exited the church. "Draco? I'm sorry I ran in there."
"It's okay," he smiled at her. "I'm just glad you didn't think I led you in."
"No," Ginny smiled back at him. "I know you wouldn't do that."
Draco stopped and pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "Thank you," he said, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes.
"For what?" Ginny asked.
"For giving me a chance," he replied. "For not blaming me for my father's actions."
Ginny looked up at him for a moment, and then kissed him softly. "Take me home, will you?" she asked, her forehead pressed against his.
*** *** ***
Harry stumbled back into the yard. Now that his ordeal was over with, the strength from the Raven was leaving his body.
He fell on his knees in front of his grave, his fingers clutching onto the cold, wet stone. His breath was ragged, and he could feel things growing darker around him.
A slender figure in flowing ivory robes moved noiselessly over the ground, drawing closer and closer to the shivering huddled figure.
"Harry," her voice was soft, yet he could hear it over the storm. Her hand touched his shoulder lightly, and he turned slowly, not daring to believe what he heard.
"Hermione," he blinked several times.
"Shhhh…" she caressed his face gently. "I've been waiting for you, love."
"I tried to get there," Harry turned and sat up straighter.
"I know you did," Hermione kneeled down, her hands moving over his face and hair. They stared at one another for several long moments, their faces moving closer and closer until their lips met tenderly, for the first time after life.
"Come on Harry," Hermione pulled back slightly and gazed lovingly at his face. "We're all waiting for you… me, your mum and dad, Ron, the rest of the Weasleys. We've been waiting all this time."
Harry nodded, a sincere smile crossing his face. Hermione kissed him again and he got up, linking his fingers with hers.
She led him away, away from the pain they suffered there, away from the loss.
And he never looked back.
*** *** ***
I believe that sometimes, love is a more powerful thing than magic. I believe when two people love one another; it can stretch across boundaries, across time, across anything for those two people to be together.
My name is Ginny Weasley. I used to know two people who loved each other so much they couldn't bear to be parted for more than hours at a time.
No, I take that back. I know two people who love each other so much they crossed the boundaries of life and death to be together.
Since Harry's return, my life has changed. I live more comfortably thanks to him, and I'm not lonely. I have Draco… sometimes I feel so lucky. I never thought I would have a companion again.
I still see Sirius from time to time. I told him everything that happened that night and I know he's happy for Harry too, even though he didn't get to say a goodbye.
Life is better now. And my story? That's a whole other tale.