Broken, But in Love.

A Serpent's Tragic Ending

Harry looked around in satisfaction at the member with as of the D.A. as they tried to produce Patronuses. Half the group had already been able to at least produce a silver mist and a few had actually produced a corporeal one, Cho, Fred and George, Hermione and Ron.

Two things happened simultaneously that Harry didn't know which occurred first. The door to the room opened and he saw Dobby standing there, wringing his hands in terror.

"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby has come to warn you..." Harry's attention was drawn away from the trembling house elf by the excited gasps from one side of the Room of Requirement. Turning he saw a ferret Patronus bouncing past the students towards him. It leapt at him and he heard Draco's voice call out "She's coming!"

Harry gaze shifted from Draco's ferret Patronus to Dobby. He looked up at the stunned group of students who were standing motionless. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!" he bellowed. There was a split-second delay as they looked at him blankly and then there was a mad rush for the door.

Harry stood in the middle of the classroom watching to make sure everyone was getting out of the room. He shouted at them to make for the library or the owlery, so they weren't all travelling down the stairs towards their dormitories at the same time. There was a thumping noise and Harry turned around to see Dobby slamming his head against the floor. He ran back and picked up the small elf and shook him gently. "Stop it. Stop it! Dobby, I forbid you to hurt yourself. Go back to the kitchens, hurry!"

Running out the door of the Room of Requirement he could see the last of the D.A. members disappearing down the far staircase. Quickly he turned and ran the other way. He started down the far staircase but swore as he got a glimpse of Goyle heading up the stairs. The lumbering Slytherin was still a couple of flights down though and moving slowly. Harry turned and ran back down the corridor. Draco was standing in the middle of the corridor, Harry skidded to a stop. Draco ran up to him, "What are you doing! Get out of here, she'll be here any minute."

Shaking his head, Harry looked at him. "It's no good. Goyle is coming from up the other stairs." They both eyed each knowing that there was no way out for Harry. Harry shrugged and reached down and pulled up Draco's wand hand. The hawthorn wand was trembling in his grip. Harry quickly kissed Draco's hand as if to calm the Slytherin down.

Harry was breathing hard, but he looked at Draco, his green eyes boring into Draco's, "Do it."

Draco's eyes went wide, "I can't!"

"Between you turning me in or Goyle, I would rather it be you. Do it now, we are out of time." Harry forced his voice to be firm, even though he was shaking. They both could hear the thud of footsteps running towards them from both ends of the hallway.

"Damn you, Harry. You always have to be the hero." Draco went back a few steps and held up his wand. Harry nodded at him and gave a half-smile as Draco chose to hit him with the jelly legs jinx. His legs collapsed from under him and he hit the ground hard. Draco paled but he tightened his jaw with resolve, not breaking eye contact with Harry he called out loudly "Hey Professor! I've got one..."

*****

Harry wearily climbed into his bed. After he had finally made it back to the common room he had been assaulted by Ron and Hermione and all the Gryffindor DA members. Relaying what had happened over and over again had been exhausting and he finally had begged to be able to go up to his room. He climbed into his bed and pulled the curtains shut. He stayed there, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain on the windowpane and fell into a deep sleep.

As morning broke, Harry headed down into the common room and that was when he saw Draco pacing back and forth.

"Thank, Merlin!" Draco ran up to Harry and hugged him tightly, and Harry stumbled back a little in surprise. "Are you okay?"