Count Your Blessings

A/N This is the second to last chapter!!! There are quite a few surprises and such in here, sooo hopefully you'll enjoy it!

I listened to Poets of the Fall's Locking Up the Sun and highly suggest you listen to it while reading :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iap7PpYNcXQ


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Some One Expendable
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Eerie silence filled the Forbidden Forest, even after the storm had begun to pick up and pelt the ground with hot icy beads. Water wasn’t the only thing soaking into the dirt, but blood. Copious amounts of blood dripped from trees, leaves, and bodies of fallen centaurs. Two cloak figures walked through the trees, no light led their way but they knew exactly where they were going. Winding past fallen body after fallen body, the stench of decomposing centaurs was enough to make even the strongest of people retch. In a clearing just outside the circle of remaining centaurs – each tied, bound and held mercilessly to the ground.

“Ah, the last of us has come to join,” came the soft yet menacing voice of Lord Voldemort.

Water seemed to drip from him as if it were afraid of touching such evil. His dark robes, however, were dry compared to the rest of the Death Eaters that surrounded him. Severus Snape pulled his hood back, followed shortly by the silvery blond Draco Malfoy. His face was pale, severe looking, and tired but he stood firm in his place. Voldemort cast one last glance at the boy before moving in a small circle around his faithful followers.

“Now is the time,” he hissed, holding his wand in the air, “Time to take what is ours. The centaurs have fled, or died, and there is no more protection for the school. Let the Order come. Kill them all but leave the boy to me.”

“Yes my liege,” the crowd replied, bowing low.

Voldemort walked past his followers, looking into their stone cold faces. He paused at Bellatrix, whose face flooded with color, swinging around Voldemort held his wand to Draco. The boy stiffened but he remained firm in his ground.

“I see you have chosen, my boy,” Voldemort said with indifference, although there was a hint of pride in his chest, “And you have chosen well.”

Draco caught the gaze of his father, who quirked an eyebrow at him, but he averted his eyes and nodded. “Yes, my lord. I have.” He made no indication in his voice that he was afraid, disloyal, or unsure.

Voldemort moved, floating along the leaves as rain fell on every single one. “You will have a task of your own…one that will prove yourself to me…to your father…and to our cause.”

He tilted Draco’s chin up with the tip of his wand and stared into his eyes. Draco could feel the poking and prodding of his mind but he fought back – shielding every memory he had. It was no use. Voldemort broke through his barrier and images of Hermione’s face flashed in Voldemort’s eyes. Her laughs. Her moans. Her cries. Their touches and kisses. Voldemort hissed and broke from Draco, spinning around toward his Death Eaters. He clenched onto his wand and chuckled like the maniac he was.

“The girl,” Voldemort whispered, turning on his heel to look into Draco’s frightened cobalt eyes, “You shall be charged with killing the Mudblood Potter is so fond of.”

His heart began pumping, thumping so hard against his chest that he was sure it would explode. Draco felt faint and wanted to faint but Snape’s hand was brought to his back to keep him in place. Lucius tilted his head back with a smirk fit for a king.

“Rabastan and Rodolphus will ensure of her death,” Voldemort said, nodding to the Lestrange brothers, “Kill her and hang her carcass for all the school to see.”

Draco’s eyes fell to the floor shimmering with tears but he held them back. Instead, he nodded and bowed to Voldemort. The Dark Lord nodded back and turned to the rest of his followers.

“Take no prisoners, they all shall perish,” he flipped his cloak over his body and spun around, disappearing into the forest.

“Hahahah!” Bellatrix shouted cheerfully, “FOR THE DARK LORD!”

The Death Eaters cheered and disappeared into the forest heading toward the castle. Draco clenched onto is wand and disappeared with Rabastan and Rodolphus following him closely. He could hear the breaking of lightning above but his mind was swimming with thoughts, hopes, and the inevitable. Death Eaters exploded from the forest and charged at the castle, bursting apart the gates that kept people out.

They rounded on the entrance, magically sealed shut, but not for long. The doors exploded into tiny shreds as Bellatrix cackled and lead a group of Death Eaters to the right. Draco, Rabastan and Rodolphus headed to the left. The corridors were void of life but shadowed heavily by the flickering flames of torches along the wall. Draco’s heart was pumping in his chest so loudly that he was sure everyone within listening range could hear.

Swinging around when they heard a door open, Rabastan chuckled at the sight of a few students. They paused with their eyes widened but wands drawn. There was a moment of silence before the whole castle seemed to shake with explosions and cursed went flying. Draco threw himself against a wall as Rodolphus and Rabastan shot spells at the students, sending them flying back against the wall.

He heard screams and shouts from the corridor and in a burst, all three had rushed down the hall. Lights of Technicolor broke through doors and hit walls. Draco ducked as a stunning spell flew past him and swung around, throwing his own spell back at Justin Finch-Fletchy, knocking the Hufflepuff against a suit of arm. He clamored to the ground unconscious, his wand rolling out of his hand.

As they rounded the corner to the Great Hall, Rabastan stopped and shouted, “THEY KNEW!!!”



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Is There a Hero There?
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Harry ran through the crowded halls, students screaming for their brothers or sisters as they were evacuated. He jumped over a trunk and barged through the doors of the Great Hall. Already there stood the Order and a few people from Dumbledore’s Army. Ron and Luna turned to look at Harry as he rushed to them. His eyes scanned for Ginny, who was currently arguing with her mother to let her stay. He spotted Neville, Dean, Seamus, Terry Boot, Lavender, the Patil twins, but no Hermione.

“Where’s Hermione?” Harry breathed, trying to catch his breath.

“I haven’t seen her since dinner,” Ron replied, a look of worry on his face.

“She might be in the library…” Harry began but realized that even Hermione would have recognized that the school was being evacuated.

“There she is!” Luna called, pointing over the crowded room as Hermione broke through the doors, her cheeks flushed from having ran.

“Professor McGonagall said that they spotted Voldemort at the edge of the Forbidden Forest,” Hermione panted, resting her hands on her knees, “I told her I’d help check the bathrooms. Moaning Myrtle swam the pipes to make sure everyone was clear.”

“Moaning Myrtle?” Ron asked, flabbergasted, “Blimey, I thought she of all people would…”

“She loves this school just as much as everyone else does, Ron,” Hermione breathed, resting her arm on Harry’s shoulder, “She wouldn’t let people just die.”

“Right,” Ron’s ears went pink but he cleared his throat, “What about the Slytherins? We got everyone else out but them.”

“They’ve been gone a long while,” Hermione replied, “Only out to save their own skin…”

“Oh really,” came a voice from behind them, “And here I thought we were well on our way to being friends, Granger.”

“Nott,” Ron growled, “What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like?” Theo said, holding his wand up, “I’m here to fight.”

“But your dad was a Dea – “ Harry frowned, moving in front of Hermione.

“My father doesn’t control my life, Potter,” Theo said tilting his head back, “My mother died because of him and I lost my best friend to You-Know-Who, I’m not about to let him destroy the rest of the world. So, either you allow me to help you I’ll just hex your bollocks off and help anyway.”

“Harry,” Hermione said lightly, resting her hand on his forearm when he raised his wand, “We don’t have time for this….”

There was an explosion behind the large oak doors, causing everyone to spin around. Her eyes widened as the doors pounded from several explosions until they splintered. Hermione felt Harry cover her with his body as shards of door flew around the room. Nott casted a protection charm around the group causing the shards to merely bounce off the invisible bubble.

Standing in front of the largest group of Death Eaters, lead by Voldemort himself, was none other than the entire Hogwarts staff as well as those of age willing to fight. Draco’s eyes scanned the crowd, looking for Hermione and widened his eyes when he saw her. Standing between Harry and Ron, her wand was raised and magic cackled around her. Their eyes met briefly and she looked shocked but still stood firmly on her ground.

“Albus,” Voldemort crowed, tilting his head back, “I see that you have known of our attack…”

“There isn’t much that I don’t know, Tom,” Voldemort growled and held his wand up.

“Then you know this attempt at protecting the boy is futile,” Voldemort hissed, with the death of Harry Potter came the death of the entire wizarding world.

“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try,” Dumbledore replied, holding his own wand out.

“So be it,” Voldemort snarled, throwing his wand into the air as emerald sparks flew from it.



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Some One to Hold Out Their Hand
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There was a rush of bodies, spells, and dust. People shouted as they charged into battle. Hermione spun around and flicked her wand, tripping Yaxley with a full body bind. She jumped back as Bellatrix shot Avada at her and collided with the wall. Her breath was knocked from her as Bellatrix rounded on the curly-haired witch.

She cackled, “Itsy Bitcy Mudblood trying to fight big bad Bella? Oh joy…”

She wound her wand up and shouted a curse at Hermione but just in the nick of time, Hermione was tackled to the ground. Nott covered her and shot a spell at Bellatrix, knocking her to her feet. He rose and grabbed Hermione by the hand, “Move it or lose it, Granger!”

They rushed through the halls, dodging and jumping over people as they threw spells at the Death Eaters. Hermione and Nott split when a curse whizzed straight past them and hit the opposite wall. Hermione spun around and threw a protection charm over them as another spell bounced from their invisible shield.

“I got this, you go!” Nott said, rounding none other than his father. He looked to Hermione and shouted, “Go!”

“Nott, my boy,” Nott sr. said with a grin, “I wonder what you are doing fighting on the wrong side…”

Hermione took off down the hall, casting Nott a last glance.

“You’re on the wrong side, father,” Theo said, knocking back a stunning spell. “But I do see that Azkaban had treated you will. How’s the arthritic knee?”

Nott sr. growled with his upper lip sneering as Theo grinned wickedly at his father.

“You were always such a little whelp of a child,” Nott sr crowed, “No wonder I had to kill your mother. Babying and pampering you…you’re weak.”

“No,” Theo breathed, blinking back tears, “You’re the one who’s weak.”

“The family line ends here, son,” Nott sr. growled, clenching his wand.

“Then it will do the world well,” Theo replied, his upper lip curling.

Nott sr. and Theo glared daggers at one another before they screamed in unison and charged at one another. Nott sr. threw a killing curse at Theo, who managed to jump out of the way before it touched him. It did, however, skid past his sweater, leaving a large cut in it. Theo flicked his wand under his arm and fired a stunning spell at his father. Nott sr. was old but spry for such an elderly man. He rolled out of the way and shot another spell at his only son, eyes glowing angrily.

Theo swished his wand in the air and blocked the spell, firing a spell to the ground. The ground exploded under Nott sr.’s feet, sending him flying back against the wall. Theo rounded on his father, wand drawn out with narrowed eyes.

“I’m your father,” Nott sr. breathed as a large cut bled all over his face, “I’m your father! You are mine!”

“You’re nothing but a pathetic man who thinks he can bully his way through life,” Nott growled, “I’m nothing like you.”

Nott sr. growled and launched himself at Theo pushing him against the wall. They struggled against one another, wands lay forgotten beside them. Nott sr. punched his son in the jaw splitting his lip effectively. They tussled and Theo was able to push himself from the wall, toward the open window. They crashed into it with Nott sr. flying over the edge pulling on his son’s leg. Theo reached out for the ledge and held onto it, cutting his hand on the glass. He grunted in an attempt to pull himself up while Nott sr. was trying to pull him down.

“The line ends with us, son! Remember that!” Nott sr. called, bringing his other hand to Theo’s other leg, adding more weight.

He felt his fingers slipping and with clenched teeth fell. Nott sr. let go of Theo just as his fingers flew from the window. Both plummeted to the bottom, or Theo was expecting to fall but a hand shot out and grasped onto his bloody fingers. He looked up as the wind battered against his frame and saw the chiseled face of Blaise Zabini. Zabini had a large gash across his cheek but his hazel eyes bore into Theo’s own blue orbs.

He pulled his fellow Slytherin up through the window. Theo quirked an eyebrow when Blaise handed him his wand.

“You’re not…” Theo began but was silenced by Blaise’s hand.

“Don’t make me regret saving you,” Blaise said, “Shut your mouth and let’s go.”

Theo shrugged ripped his sweater to tie around his bleeding hand. “Alright. No questions asked. Let’s just kick some arse.”

“Let’s,” Blaise nodded, holding his wand up with an evil smirk. They grinned and took off down the corridor, blasting several Death Eaters out of the way.



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This Time They'll Make a Plan
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Ron kept a tight hold on Luna’s hand as they rushed past Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. They came to a skidding halt when three Death Eaters rounded the corner with their wands held. Ron glanced to Luna, who glanced back at him, their eyes locked in a passionate embrace. He moved, placing Luna behind him with his wand rose above him.

A Death Eater shouted a hex at the pair, to which Ron easily deflected and sent a full body bind toward one. It bounced off the wall and hit one in the back. Luna flicked her wand from behind Ron, under his arm, and shot a stream of spells at them.

The Death Eaters dodged the spell and shot one at Ron and Luna. Ron pushed Luna away and was hit with a stunning curse. He let out a howl and slumped to the ground, Luna following him closely. She brought his head to her lap and looked on with wide eyes as the two Death Eaters moved.

“Run, Luna,” Ron breathed, clearly fighting the unknown spell that had his body feeling like a limp noodle.

“Not without you,” Luna replied, her voice and eyes serious.

“Kill the red head, the blond is mine,” one of the men said with a cackle, waving his hand, “Come here ikkle Ravenclaw…let daddy show you what a real man is like…”

“Touch her and I’ll bloody rip your head off!” Ron cried out, struggling to move but finding that all he could do was lay there.

Luna glanced between Ron and the Death Eater, holding her wand up. She narrowed her eyes, catching something glimmering from her peripheral vision and moved. Dragging Ron with her as the Death Eaters passed Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, the doors suddenly flew open. They turned and screamed as a wave of water crashed down on them, knocking them against the wall. Moaning Myrtle flew out of the door screaming as more jets of water exploded from the pipes above them.

“Leave my friends alone!” she shouted, throwing her fists against the Death Eater, only to cause him to shout in the icy pain and swallow water that lapped at him.

They fell to a slump on the ground as the water trickled past them. Luna and Ron looked up to see Moaning Myrtle floating triumphantly over them.

“Olive Hornby, eat my ruddy socks!” Myrtle proclaimed, swooping down to Luna and Ron who was struggling to get to his feet as the spell wore off.

“Thanks,” Ron breathed to Myrtle, who giggled and wiggled her eyebrows at him.

“Anything for Harry,” she smiled, swooping out of the hall where she went straight through a Death Eater dueling Seamus and Dean, enabling them to stun him in his moment of shock.

Ron turned to Luna and stared at her, his lips parted. Luna looked down at her feet and then back at him. She launched herself into his arms, crashing her lips. Ron’s eyes widened but they slowly closed as he pulled his arms around her, feeling her fingers in his hair. Luna pressed her small frame against him, deepening the kiss in a very un-Luna fashion. Ron moaned into her mouth as she pulled on his bottom lip, ignoring the explosions around them.

“Oi!” Seamus shouted as he and Dean went charging down the corridor, “Enough snogging we’re in a war here!”

Ron pulled away from Luna with flushed cheeks, “Yeah. Yeah, right!”

“Bout bloody time, mate,” Dean laughed, slapping him on his back.

“What?” Ron asked, feeling Luna pull him with her.

“Nothing, let’s go Ronald!” Luna called as they ran after the other two Gryffindors.


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Fathers and Their Sons
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His eyes watered from the dust but he still moved. Coming up to one landing, he saw Kingsley Shacklebolt dueling Yaxley, spells flying everywhere. A light blue light streaked past him and Draco turned, Neville Longbottom had his wand pointed at Draco. Sneering, Draco held his wand up and threw a hex at the boy. Longbottom blocked it and tossed one at him. Bright blinding light shot from both wands as they shot curses at one around.

Draco rounded Longbottom, moving in after each shot and balled his fist up. He punched him and then lifted his leg and kicked hard. Longbottom flew into the wall but fired a spell at Draco. Leaning back, the spell bounced from the wall and caused it to explode, raining bits of stone all over him. Sneering, Draco shouted a stunning curse but jumped back when it was repelled by another spell.

He turned and saw Hermione, standing there with her wand raised, eyes burning with fire. His throat grew dry as she shot a spell at him, tears running down her cheeks. Draco blocked the spell easily but found himself hesitating.

“Get out of here, Granger,” Draco growled, blocking another one of her spells.

“You. Bloody. Coward!” Hermione snarled, firing another spell at him.

“You don’t understand,” Draco shouted, blocking yet another spell. “I have to….”

“You don’t have to do anything. Since when do you listen to what others tell you? Or are you just too afraid to get your hands dirty!” Hermione clenched her teeth, “You’re not a Malfoy. You are Draco Malfoy. Be independent for once in your gods damned life!”

Draco shouted and shot a spell at her. Hermione’s eyes widened before shutting closed tightly expecting an impact but what she heard was a loud grunt from behind her. She spun around and gasped as Rodolphus Lestrange tumbled to the ground unconscious. Draco rushed to Hermione and pulled her away, holding onto her arm.

He pushed Hermione behind him and stared off into the darkened corridor, his heart thumping wildly. Two Death Eaters he didn’t know emerged from the darkness, their wands drawn. Hermione grasped onto her wand and glanced at Draco, who looked down at her. They clenched their jaws and ran straight at the Death Eaters, cutting their wand through the air as spells bounced from the walls. He had chosen alright. He had chosen her.

Ginny rushed past them, her eyes darting between Draco and Hermione before she lunged to Neville, who had just regain consciousness. Draco nodded to Ginny, who nodded curtly back before they took off down the hall, Neville with Ginny and Hermione with Draco. Holding tightly onto Hermione’s hand they weaved through the wreckage around them.

Draco spun around when he heard a noise and was prepared to fire a spell at the attacker. His eyes widened as he saw his father walk nimbly toward them, his own wand raised. Putting Hermione behind him, Draco stood his ground with narrow eyes.

“Draco,” Lucius called, “Who are you hiding?”

“Father,” Draco replied, moving when Lucius moved to try and block Hermione, but it was hard to hide her for long.

Lucius snarled and darted his eyes between them, “A mudblood Draco? You have yet to kill her per our liege’s orders…”

“I won’t kill her,” Draco said in a small voice, his hand gripping onto his wand, “I can’t.”

“Oh?” Lucius held his wand up, and flicked it, “Move aside and I will finish her for you.”

Draco moved in front of his wand, his eyes narrowing, “No. I will not move. I will not be bullied into this. Not any more.”

“You choose the mudblood?” Lucius asked, lowering his wand, “Why? She’s filth, weak, worthless…”

“I love her,” Draco announced, “And….and…”

“Love? Such trivial things in the scheme of it, Draco….” Lucius sneered at Hermione from in front of Draco, “I had so much hope for you…”

"I will not move, yield or bend to anything anymore. I won't kill her and you'll have to kill me to get to her," Draco growled, holding his wand up, "I won't hesitate to kill you, father, to make sure she is safe..."

Lucius' lip quivered and curled into a sneer, or was that a smirk. His eyes narrowed as he raised his wand quickly. Draco clenched his eyes shut when Lucius raised his wand, preparing to take the blow but it never came. Instead, he felt Lucius grab him by the scruff of the neck and push both he and Hermione to the side. Lucius shouted a curse at Rabastan Lestrange, who was preparing to kill either one of them. The Death Eater flew across the room and into a pile of rubble. His eyes shot open and he stared up at his father, who was standing in front of him.

Placing his hands on Draco’s face, Lucius whispered, “I am proud of you, my son. Now, go. Both of you…”

Draco looked at Lucius, who nodded curtly, before the pair took off. Lucius growled and pulled his wand out, firing a spell at the oncoming Death Eaters.

“Do not touch my son!” he shouted at three Death Eaters, firmly planting them on their back.

Another Death Eater Apparated behind Lucius, his wand raised and posed to kill the Malfoy. As Lucius spun around, the Death Eater was hit in the side with a spell that sent him reeling into the wall. Lucius held his wand out as Snape rounded him. They stared into each others' eyes and slowly lowered their wands. Nodding, Lucius and Snape exchanged a grin and took off down the hall toward the battle, their robes billowing behind them.


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