Final Peace

moogle

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Draco & Ginny
Book: Draco & Ginny, Books 1 - 6
Published: 17/07/2007
Last Updated: 17/07/2007
Status: completed

Love can be found in the most unexpected times, and in the most unexpected places.

Chapters

1. Final Peace

1. Final Peace

Disclaimer: I did not create any of the Harry Potter storyline or characters.

A/n: This is the last ficlet for portkey.org seven before seven challenge. I hope you like it.

Final Peace

Ginny stared about the battlefield; at the bodies strewn across the scarred, bloody grounds of Hogwarts. She could no longer tell who was on what side there was so much blood distorting her vision, except for the few moments when a pair of chilling eyes would gaze at her from the mask that represented death itself. She could feel the icy chill of dementors sucking away all of her happiness, but she couldn’t help but wonder if there was any happiness left to take. Giants roared loudly as they killed wizards, Death Eaters, and other giants with furious, powerful blows. The goblins raced with their axes, slashing and attacking the other goblins, while the House Elves sent mighty spells careering across the battlefield, the luminescent lights clashing with sparks of every colour into the dark, ominous night. There was no rain, no clashing of thunder and lightening, only a terrible clarity of the brutality going on in front of her chestnut eyes.

Ginny felt strangely detached as she stood there, her wand in her wand, just watching the horror unfold before her. She had no idea where her friends were, or if they were still alive. The chaos of the battlefield seemed to make her feel lost, and all she could hear was the screaming and the crackling of magic flaring up in the night sky. The only thing running through her brain was how could it have possibly ended this way? Was the future even worth all this suffering and bloodshed?

An explosion of magic burst right next to her, knocking her hard to the ground. She could feel her head stinging as a sharp rock scraped across her forehead, and could feel the warm blood trickling down her face. She gazed about dazedly and noticed her wand snapped clearly in half from the impact. For some reason she didn’t feel as upset as she should that she was now defenceless in the middle of a battlefield.

She stood up shakily, feeling her head ringing from the explosion. A robed figure was walking towards her through the smoke, a hazy reaper coming to take her life. She could see the glint of the Death Mask as a spell flashed before them and just watched as the Death Eater came towards her. She wasn’t sure why she wasn’t running, but it was almost like her legs had decided to give up. Her very body had shut down and now her brain was simply clinging to the few seconds she knew she had left to live.

The Death Eater raised his wand, mouthing those two, terrible words, and Ginny could only watch as the jet of green soared towards her. Someone grabbed her hard around her waist, pulling her roughly to the ground, and Ginny closed her eyes, feeling the rush of the spell pass over her closed eyes, just barely brushing her face. She opened her eyes to see a tall boy covered in blood get up off her and quickly start fighting the Death Eater. She dimly recognised the pale blond hair on the boy’s head, and realised with surprise that Draco Malfoy had just saved her. An Auror came running over and joined Draco in the fight with the Death Eater. Draco left the fight and quickly came back towards where she still lay on the ground, his grey eyes alight with adrenaline and fear as he stared down at her.

“What are you doing?” He yelled angrily, yanking her roughly off the ground by her wrist. “Do you want to get killed?”

Ginny mumbled that her wand was broken, but Draco didn’t spare any time to listen to her excuses, as he let out a strangled oath as another spell came close to hitting them. Without a word, he tugged her wrist forcefully, dragging her through the battlefield. Ginny felt almost like everything was going in slow motion, as she ran through the swarms of people, seeing them fall like dominoes around her, one after the other. She chanced a glance at Draco’s face but he was not looking at her, his eyes determinedly searching for something. Ginny could see that they were heading towards the periphery of the battle. Everyone had been too involved in fighting to even notice that the two teenagers were running, and before Ginny could say anything, Draco suddenly yanked her into a secluded alcove and finally released her wrist, which was now throbbing painfully.

“What is wrong with you?” Draco demanded, his eyes burning with disbelief and rage. “Why were you just standing there? This is a battle, Ginevra, and people don’t stand still in battles. You almost died!”

Ginny stood there, the explosions and screaming still echoing in her ears. She thought about his question and could think of no answer. She had lost her wand, but that didn’t mean she had to give up her life too. It was a pitiful excuse, and one she knew he would not accept. He had never accepted her excuses.

“I…don’t know.” Ginny mumbled finally not able to bring herself to look into his eyes. She was ashamed that he had seen her on the point of giving up. She was ashamed that he had seen her embracing death.

“It’s just…seeing all that death, all that destruction…. I couldn’t do it….” Ginny said in a small voice. “I couldn’t fight.”

“Ginny,” Draco said in a surprisingly gentle voice, one she had never heard him use with her. She looked up and met his grey eyes- eyes that had once seemed so cold to her, but now only held understanding. “You were the one who insisted on fighting, remember?”

Ginny nodded, tears slipping down her face. It was true that she had insisted on fighting. Harry, Hermione, Ron, no everyone had told her that she was not ready for battle; that it would only make things worse if she came, but she had stubbornly insisted on going. Being out here had made everything different though. Somehow fighting seemed so much more glorious back at home, but out here on the battlefield, where every second was a chance that she could die, that others could die, it was so much harder, and there was no glory in it at all.

“It’s okay.” Draco said quietly. “Just stay here, and I’ll protect you.”

Ginny gave him a watery smile, “Thank you,” she said gratefully. Draco nodded, giving her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder, before he walked to the alcove entrance, his wand in his hand, as he stood protectively in front of her. Ginny gazed at his tall silhouette, feeling immense relief that he had been there to save her. Only a few months ago she would have laughed if someone had said that she and Draco were going to become allies, but now he was more than her ally, he was her friend, and he had been there for her when no one else was.

She remembered it like it was yesterday when Draco Malfoy had joined the order. No one had trusted him for weeks, and Ginny had been one of the worst. However, once Harry, Hermione and Ron had left, as did some of the other Auror members, Ginny found herself stuck with only Draco for company. Boredom had forced her to talk to him, and boredom it seemed, had given them friendship. It had never been a conventional friendship, with Draco constantly pushing Ginny to her limit, and Ginny doing the same to him, but they had learnt to appreciate the other’s company.

When the battle had come, Draco was the only one who did not tell her that she should not fight, but Ginny had seen in his eyes that he did not want her to; he just knew her well enough not to mention it. He had always said, “Let people make their own mistakes, and they’ll soon learn their lesson.” Ginny knew she had just learnt hers.

“HE’S DEAD! VOLDEMORT IS DEAD!” A loud cry screamed through the night, the words echoing over and over again as more people shouted it for joy. Ginny and Draco shared a glance, each with relieved smiles coming to their faces.

“We won!” Ginny cried, and impulsively threw her arms around Draco, pulling him into a tight hug. She felt his body stiffen slightly, but he did not push her away.

Ginny pulled herself away, her hands still resting on his shoulder, as she looked up into his blood-stained face. Their eyes met, the torrent of emotions between them pulling them closer, and Ginny slowly leaned up, just as he leaned down, their lips meeting in a soft, gentle kiss. His hands slid along her back, pulling her closer towards him, and for the first time in that whole night Ginny felt safe.

He pulled his lips away and held her to him, tenderly stroking her hair. They were both covered in blood, both exhausted from everything that had happened, but they were safe now, and they still had each other. They had found their final peace.