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Authors Note: I would like to thank all of you again for the great reviews. Yes, I goofed in the last chapter by using a flashback from Book Five that related to the death of a major character----in this next chapter, this should be cleared up…in my fanfiction he never died….chapter should clear it up for you. I apologize for my goof!
Chapter 25
Game, Set, Match
Ron was taking a rest in the sitting room at The Burrow and was just out of earshot as Sirius, Lupin and Harry went over last minute plans. As he sat there on the couch looking at his best friend of the past 12 years, he couldn't remember a time when he'd ever seen Harry more determined or focused. He had every reason to be, Ron thought. There was so much on the line---the life of the woman they both loved and the life of Harry and Hermione's unborn child.
Harry and Hermione's child. A baby. Ron hadn't let himself react when he'd first heard the news. Truth be told, he'd gone through so much in the past few weeks, he was numb to almost every new emotion or thought. Yes, he was angry that Harry had come back into their lives and stolen away the life that Ron had worked to build for himself with Hermione. Yet, Ron couldn't escape the cold, hard truth that Hermione had never really been his to begin with. How could Harry steal something from Ron that he never really had?
Looking back on it now, hindsight being 20/20 and all, Ron couldn't believe he'd missed the signals that had been staring at him in the face. He remembered how Harry and Hermione had a way of always knowing what the other was thinking. They'd finish each others' sentences and many times had the same thoughts. He remembered how Hermione's eyes would light up with even the slightest mention of Harry or how they'd shine when he walked into the room. He recalled the times he'd caught them exchanging glances when they thought no one was watching. Then, there was the emotional way she'd reacted when Harry had left them all behind years ago. She hadn't told him then why it had broken her heart so. He wished she'd just have been honest with him from the start. Maybe then he wouldn't have let himself fall so hard for her. Maybe he wouldn't be hurting so much now.
He was handling it so well, everyone had told him. It now seemed like such a long time ago since he'd confronted Harry and Hermione in his own backyard. He'd had a lot of time to reflect on things since that had happened. Even though it was painful to admit, it was good that it came out now instead of years later when neither of them were happy. You can't marry someone whose heart belongs to someone else and expect to live happily ever after, Ron kept telling himself. It had become his mantra. It helped him get up in the morning. It helped him look at Harry and not want to rugby tackle him whenever he saw him.
His thoughts were interrupted by his mother's familiar voice.
"Is everything ready?" Molly asked. She sat down on the couch beside her youngest son. She couldn't hide the worried tone in her voice.
Ron nodded. "Yeah, I think so. They're just going over some last minute details."
Molly sighed. She gave her son a half-hearted smile and absentmindedly began pinching lint off the couch.
"What's on your mind, Mum?" Ron asked. "You look like you want to say something and being as I've known you all my life, I've never known you to let an opportunity to pass by. So, out with it. What do you have to say?"
She suddenly enveloped Ron in a big bear hug. Ron could hear her begin to sob uncontrollably.
"What is that for?" Ron said, breathlessly.
She let go of him and looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "I just wanted you to know how very proud I am of you. Your father and I are so proud of the way you've carried yourself these past few weeks."
Ron looked nonplussed at her. "For what, mum? I haven't done anything."
Molly shook her head. "No, Ronald. That's not true. You have. The way you've handled all of this, it's just been extraordinary. You know, no one would have blamed you if you'd buried your head in the sand, so to speak, but you haven't done that. You've been strong and you've done all that you could to help bring Hermione home."
Ron shrugged. "She'd made her choice. I have to live with it. I mean, I'm certainly not happy with the way things went down, but I've got to live with it. I've always wanted her to be happy. It's like I told Harry, if being with him makes her happy, then so be it. I can't stand in her way."
Molly wiped a tear away from her eyes. "Someday, you are going to make some girl very happy. You are a good man, Ronald Weasley. And we're damn proud to have you in this family."
She grabbed Ron again and gave him another big hug. She let him go and urged him to be careful tonight.
"Of course," Ron said, getting up from the couch. "Besides, now that I know I'm your favorite child, I have every reason to live. I suspected this all along, but to now have confirmation, it's just icing on the cake."
Molly laughed through her tears. "Just don't tell the others, they think they're the favorite, too."
"Your secret's safe with me, Mum," Ron said. He gave her a smile as he headed back into the kitchen.
Harry was ready. There wasn't any doubt about that. He was as ready as he could possibly be, considering he had no idea what awaited him at Malfoy's manor house. Justin had been of some help, of course. He'd given them the layout of the house and let them know which room Malfoy held Hermione in. He'd let them know of the entrances, exits and passageways that existed in the house. These would be used should Harry need backup or reinforcements. For all of this, however, Justin couldn't tell them what exactly Malfoy had planned.
"He never let me in on those matters," Justin had said. "He said it was on a need-to-know basis, and to him, that was something I didn't need to know."
So, they wouldn't be going in there blindsided, but they still had no idea what they were really going up against. Lupin had charmed a pin on Harry's cloak that would allow the others to hear whatever Harry heard. It would also allow him to signal to the others if he needed help. The others would be stationed outside the house, ready and waiting if they were needed.
Harry would be going in alone, though. It was all up to him. The outcome of all of this depended on him and him alone. He had too many people counting on him. He couldn't fail. This was his most important mission. He'd lost too many people in his life and he couldn't bear to lose the most important one. He'd lost his parents, Cedric, Hagrid. He'd even at one time thought he'd lost Sirius. That had been one of the lowest times in his life. He'd been so angry at that point in his life. He'd lost, or thought he'd lost, the person who had been like a father to him. He'd been ecstatic when he'd discovered a year later that Sirius had been alive and well, working to bring Voldemort down.
It was now or never. He didn't have any other option. He wouldn't allow Malfoy or anyone else, for that matter, to destroy what he'd found. He had everything to live for now. Everything he'd been looking his whole life for was just within his grasp. He wasn't going to let a deranged bastard like Malfoy take it all away from him.
He thought again of Hermione. She was counting on him. She was waiting for him. She needed him. She loved him. He loved her. Loving her was just like breathing to him. It was automatic, it was natural. It just was. He had played the "what if" game in his head a number of times over the years. If he hadn't left her behind five years ago, what would life have been like? They'd probably have been married by now.
No, he couldn't think of the past now. He had to focus on the present. He had to focus on the here and now. Right now, that was all he had. The past was the past and there was nothing he could do about it now. He had to concentrate on the present. Then, and only then, could he plan on the future and the family he'd always wanted.
They had all gathered just a block away from the Malfoy Manor.
"Don't go in there unless I signal for you, okay? We can't risk the chance of what he'll do if he faces an ambush," Harry said to Sirius and the others.
Sirius nodded, solemnly.
"Okay, this is it," Harry said resolutely.
"Be careful," Lupin said. "Constant vigilance, remember?"
"Spoken like a true professor," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "I got it."
"Good luck, Harry," Lupin said.
Ron called to Harry before he walked away. "You can do it, Harry. Go in there and bring her back to us."
Harry nodded. "I will."
They shook hands.
"Good luck." Ron called after him as Harry walked away from them. They watched in silence as Harry turned the corner toward the manor house.
"Right, then," Sirius said, softly. "Let's get into position." As each man took their assigned place, they all said a silent prayer that this mission would be a success.
Harry ascended the front steps of the house and noticed that the front door was slightly ajar. He hesitated for a brief second before pushing the door all the way open and stepping through. He took his wand from his cloak pocket and whispered, "Lumos!" The tip of the wand became illuminated and he walked into the foyer of the house.
The foyer was lit with a line of tapered candles on silver candelabras. The house was sparsely furnished and there were no decorations or artwork on the walls. The house was deafeningly silent and the only sound seemed to be coming from Harry's heart, which seemed to be beating about a thousand beats per minute. He took a deep breath as he continued to walk down the hallway toward the staircase. The steps were lined with the tapered, lit candles.
As Harry put his foot on the staircase, a chilling voice came from upstairs.
"How nice of you to join us, Potter," Malfoy said. "It's been a long time coming, hasn't it? We've been expecting you. Come on upstairs."
Harry grasped his wand tighter as he took the stairs to the second floor of the house. As he reached the top, he followed the sound of Malfoy's eerie laughter toward the end of the hallway where a door was open and light illuminated brightly.
He walked toward the door and hesitated just a moment before walking inside the room. Malfoy was standing in the middle of a circle of more tapered, lit candles. Beside him was a red velvet covered chair. Hermione was no where to be seen. The only other person in the room was a cloaked figure standing beside a door. The room was painted black and the windows were adorned with heavy drapes.
As Harry came closer, he got a better look at Lucius Malfoy. Time had not been kind to him at all, Harry couldn't help thinking. Malfoy's hair was sparse and thinning. His skin was a pasty white and his cheeks were marked with scabby sores and scratches. He was dressed all in black, which only highlighted the pastiness of his skin. He was holding his wand in one hand, pointing it threateningly at Harry.
"Before you come any further, Potter," Malfoy said, "kindly drop your wand."
Harry reluctantly let go of his wand and gingerly dropped it to the tile floor.
"Where is she?" Harry asked, looking around the room again.
Lucius continued to pace in front of the chair.
"Isn't that sweet," Malfoy said. "For what it's worth, Potter, she's missed you too. It's really been quite heart-wrenching to watch."
"Let her go, Malfoy," Harry said forcefully. "You don't need her. It's me you want. Let her go and take me."
Malfoy snickered. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Such a sacrifice to make for a mudblood like her. Yes, I know, she's a very intelligent mudblood, but a mudblood nonetheless. You know you can dress them up and teach them well, but you can't hide the fact that they're just filthy, dirty, little mudbloods. Pitiful, really."
Harry could feel the anger rising in him. He tried to keep control of his emotions. He had to stay focused.
"Very well, then," Malfoy said, smiling. "If you want to see her, you shall see her." He nodded to the cloaked figure standing guard by the door. The man opened the door and pulled Hermione through.
Harry felt his heart lurch at the sight of her. She looked scared. She didn't look as if she'd been hurt physically, but she looked exhausted and drained emotionally. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked as if she'd been crying. She wore a simple black dress and no makeup. Her hair was pulled back into a sloppy plait. When she walked through the door, her eyes fell on Malfoy.
"You?" she asked, amazed. "It was you all this time?"
"Guilty as charged, Miss Granger," Malfoy said, smiling broadly at her. "I hope the accommodations have been to your liking. You won't be staying here too much longer. You do have a guest, though. He's very anxious to see you."
Hermione's eyes scanned the room until they fell on Harry. Her eyes brightened and she smiled at the sight of him.
"Harry!" she said hoarsely.
"Hermione!" Harry called to her. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, frightened.
Malfoy snickered again. "Touching. Touching, but we are running behind schedule. The plan, my dear lad and lass, is that I am going to kill the mudblood and watch as Potter sees her die. Then, I'm going to take care of him. I like to consider it killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. Nice ring to it, don't you think?"
"LET HER GO!" Harry yelled to Malfoy.
"No, I don't think so," Malfoy said. "I've been planning this for weeks. I hope you don't think just because that sniveling Finch-Fletchley suddenly grew a conscience that you're going to defeat me. I should have known better then to take him on as an apprentice. He'll soon see what becomes of traitors. He's not my concern right now, though. You are."
Malfoy continued, clearly enjoying his power over the two of them.
"Now, the way I see it, I have three options for Miss Granger. You could help me choose, Potter. The first option, of course, would be the Cruciatus Curse. I've always been quite fond of that one. You could always ask Longbottom's parents about that one," he paused for effect. "And then the second option would be the Imperius Curse. Another favorite of mine. And then of course, The Killing Curse. We could do any of those, really. How about a combination of the three?"
Harry angrily stepped forward. "WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT, MALFOY? WHAT IS KILLING HERMIONE OR ME FOR THAT MATTER GOING TO ACCOMPLISH?"
"REVENGE!" Malfoy retorted. "REVENGE! Do you have any idea what it's like to have everything taken from you? My power. My prestige. My family. My life. All lost due to you and your meddling parents. You are the cause of all of my problems."
"Killing us isn't going to bring any of that back," Harry reasoned. "Your wife will still be gone. Your son will still hate you and everything you stand for." He put his hand to his side and felt the spare wand just inside his cloak. If he could just get closer to Hermione and get her away from Malfoy, he'd be able to do something. She was too close to Malfoy though to take the risk.
"You have no idea what it will do for me," Malfoy said. He still pointed his wand squarely at Harry. Come a little closer, Potter. You want to be able to see."
Harry took a couple of steps closer. From behind Malfoy, Hermione was watching intently the cloaked guard who stood only a few feet away. He was holding a wand. Hermione looked back and forth from the verbal battle going on between Harry and Malfoy and at the cloaked guard.
"Accio wand!" she whispered. Within seconds, the guard's wand flew into her hands.
"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried pointing the wand at the guard who fell stone still to the floor.
Malfoy turned just in time to see the guard fall. The distraction provided Harry enough time to draw his spare wand from his cloak and point it at Malfoy.
"EXPELLARMUS!" Harry shouted, pointing the wand directly at Malfoy and watched as the wand flew out of Malfoy's hands. Malfoy let out a groan and made a movement toward Hermione. Harry ran at them and pointed the wand at Malfoy again, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" just as Malfoy shoved Hermione to the ground. He grasped his chest and fell to the ground. Harry watched breathlessly as Malfoy took his last breath and fell on top of Hermione.
Within seconds, Harry had pulled the now dead Malfoy off of Hermione, who lay there unconscious. He tugged at the charmed pin on his cloak to signal for the others to come in. He cradled Hermione in his arms and lifted her arm; he could still feel a pulse.
"Come on, baby," Potter said. "Don't you go anywhere on me now. Come on, hang on." He stroked her hair. "I missed you so much. Come on, now. Wake up for me and let me see that smile of yours and those pretty eyes. Come on. WAKE UP!"
She lay motionless in Harry's lap. Harry could hear the approaching footsteps of the others.
"IN HERE!" he shouted to them. "QUICK!"
***********
ST. MUNGO'S HOSPITAL
The waiting room was full. In addition to Harry, the entire Weasley family along with Draco, Sirius, Lupin and Hermione's parents were seated throughout the room. Hermione had yet to regain consciousness. She'd been under mediwizard care for over three hours now and they'd yet to receive word.
Harry had been stony silent since they arrived. He'd turned down anything they'd offered him. He'd even refused to be checked out himself. The others knew him well enough to leave him alone.
Hermione's parents were beside themselves. Mrs. Granger had started to cry even harder than she'd been when she was told her daughter was with child. Molly had been sitting with her, trying to offer some words of comfort.
"She'll be okay," Sirius said, taking a seat beside Harry. "She's a fighter. Tough as nails, she is."
"Yes, she is," Harry whispered. "She is."
A few moments later the mediwizard on duty came out to discuss Hermione's condition with her family and friends. He looked serious and somber as he stood before them.
Hermione's dad spoke up first. "How is she?"
"It was a little touch and go," he said. "She's exhausted. A little dehydrated. Some bumps and bruises, but she'll be okay."
The room gave a collective sigh of relief.
"Thank you so much," Mrs. Granger said.
"And the baby?" Harry asked. "How's the baby?"
"Fine," the mediwizard said. "Mother-to-be is fine. Baby is fine. She's asking to see you, Mr. Potter."
Harry smiled. "Can I see her now?"
The mediwizard nodded. "For a few moments just. She needs her rest."
"Alright, then," Harry said. "Thank you."
She was resting in her hospital bed when Harry walked through the doors. She looked up to see him and smiled slightly.
"It hurts to smile," she said. "But I can't help it when you walk into a room."
"I wish I had flowers or something," Harry said. "Next time, I promise."
"I'll hold you to that," she whispered. Harry took a seat beside her bed and took her hand.
"Everyone's really glad that you're okay," he said.
"Me, too," she said. "Thank you."
"Why are you thanking me? You had just as much to do with your rescue as I did."
"Well, we'll call it even," she whispered. "You sure you don't mind sharing that "saving-people' thing with me?"
Harry shook his head, "No, not at all."
"I have something to tell you," she said softly. "I, um, I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby."
"I know," he said, softly. "Justin told me."
"Justin?" she asked, confused. "Finch-Fletchley? How would he know?"
"It's a long story," he said. "I'll tell you all about it at another time. Right now, we have to concentrate on getting you out of here and getting ready for that baby."
"That sounds like a great plan to me," she said, taking his hand. "I never doubted you for a second, you know that? I knew you'd come back for me. And I'm not just talking about finding me at Malfoy's. I'm talking about here. I knew you'd come back. I knew it in my heart."
"I did, too," Harry whispered. He could feel tears of joy welling up in his eyes. "You are so beautiful, did you know that?"
She gave a soft laugh. "Sure I do."
"You do," he said. "I've never seen you look more beautiful than you do right now. I love you so much, Hermione Granger."
She began to cry.
"And I know this isn't exactly the ideal situation or circumstance for this and I don't have the right equipment to do this right, but now's as good a time as any," he said, smiling at her. He wiped a tear from her cheek and got up from his chair and knelt down on one knee beside her bed.
Hermione beamed at him as he took her hand. "Hermione Elizabeth Granger will you do me the honor of being my wife?"
"Oh, Harry," she choked out between sobs.
"Is that a yes?" he asked, stroking her trembling hand.
"You're damn right that's a yes," she said, pulling him closer. They kissed softly.
"Well, you're stuck with us, Harry," she said, patting her stomach. "You, me and baby makes three. You think you can handle us?"
"There's no place I'd rather be," he said, kissing her one more time.