Last Love

Ok guys this is my first fanfic ever,so please don't be too rough with me.Constructive criticism is most welcome.A few minor points-the Battle of Hogwarts has already happened but Voldemort apparated off before Harry could kill him. The second war has been going on for two years since then.Also Snape is not dead (because i love him).Bellatrix is also still with us.That should be all for right now.Hope it's not too confusing. Hope you enjoy and please review!

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The War was ending. We could all feel it, hanging over the camp like a black cloud of

apprehension and unease. Conversation was now limited to strategies, manoeuvres, how

best to utilize the small force we still had.Smiles were few and far between,laughter

almost nonexistant.All our faces were pinched and careworn now. The constant rigid

alertness required was weighing on us all.We were also having to relocate at least every

8 hours now.Failure to do so was courting certain death. They were always working to

invent new tracking spells to find us. Smiling inwardly, I recalled Moody's mantra.

Constant vigilance indeed. He would have been proud of our cautious paranoia. Sleep, for

me anyway, was also in short supply. My dreams had become vivid blood drenched

nightmares. I usually woke after only an hour or two, drenched in cold sweat, a scream

caught in my throat. I wondered sometimes if by some miracle i lived through this war,

if I would ever feel safe again, if the nightmares would ever end. I tried not to dwell

on such thoughts too often, there were too many other things that needed my full and

undivided attention. People depended on me, I knew, and felt the burden keenly. Most

days I felt a hundred years old instead of 20.


My twentieth birthday had been only last month. I nearly forgot the significance of the

date until Harry and Ron woke me and presented me with an old torn copy of Hogwarts: A

History and a small silver dagger with an exquisite ruby studded handle. I looked at

them in disbelief. God only knew where they had gotten the presents.I knew Harry had

gotten me the dagger, as he now always went armed with his wand and at least one knife

on his person. My eyes filled up with tears, blurring the vision of the two of them

smiling at me. "We figured since now you're officially an old bird we'd better get you

something to help with the depression" Ron stated,still smiling. I threw my arms about

both of them, holding on as tightly as I was able. "Oi, geroff 'Mione, you're crushing

us", griped Ron. Letting go, I swatted at him playfully. I loved both these boys so

much. No, not boys any longer, battle hardened men now. My two best friends. My reason

for not giving up hope. No matter how bad things became, I could endure as long as I

had them. I thanked them and kissed each one on the cheek. Ron coloured slightly and

could not meet my eyes. Harry regarded him with eyebrows raised, smiling bemusedly. I

saw again how much they had changed since our school days. Ron so tall but now filled

out with lean, rangy muscle. Shockingly red hair now slightly shaggy, blue eyes now with

a shadow in them of remembered sorrow and pain for those lost. Harry not quite as tall


but thicker with muscle, raven hair shorn nearly military short, his scar clearly

visable. His deep emerald eyes were somber and steady, eyes of a soldier who knows his

duty is nearly at an end. My heart ached for them, for all we had lost. We were nearly

to the end but i had never lost hope that Harry would triumph. That like could again be

good. If one of us has to fall , i prayed to whatever gods might hear, let it be me. We

then went out to get our meagre breakfast with the others. I could not have known it,

but my life and everything in it was about to change. We were about to get a new

addition to our little army, one i could not have forseen in a thousand years.





He stumbled into our latest camp at dusk, wild eyed, skin bone white,platinum hair
shining like a beacon.We all recognized him immediately. As the alarm went up that camp


had been breached, i saw Harry running to get to him first, wand pointed at his face. I

knew instinctively if Malfoy were to draw his next breath in a way Harry saw as

threatening, he was a dead man.Surprising everyone,Malfoy offered no resistance,falling

into the dirt with Harry's knee in his back,wand at his throat. They carted him off to

the nearest tent to be held until he could be questioned under veritaserum. I saw Harry

and Ron shortly after, both grim faced and hard eyed. Harry told me he was sprouting

some rubbish about his parents being killed and wanting to help defeat Voldemort. I knew

Harry didn't believe the tale and probably would not even if we could verify his story.

They had the veritaserum and were going to question him. Harry asked me if I would stay

and help Ron to guard the others while he and Kingsley questioned Malfoy. We were on

heightened alert since Malfoy had somehow overcome our wards. I readily agreed since i

knew more Deatheaters might show up at any time, even though our wards were still good

for roughly another 4 hours. We were all quiet and on edge during the questioning. Harry

was with Malfoy a little over 2 hours. When he emerged from the tent i was becoming

slightly anxious, as i knew we would have to start packing up to leave for a new camp

soon.


Ron and I followed Harry into his tent and he began to relate what Malfoy had told him.

Apparently what he had related to Harry upon arriving had all been true. Voldemort had

murdered both Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, accusing them of being traitors. His behavior

had been increasingly bizzare and erratic over the last few months. His paranoia over

being betrayed seemed to be increasing his madness to an alarming degree.Malfoy had been

hit with the cruciatus curse repeatedly while being forced to watch his parents being

tortured to death. When both his parents were dead, Voldemort had instructed his aunt,

Bellatrix to escort him into the dungeons to be held until Voldemort decided his

punishment, which Bellatrix would then carry out to prove her loyalty to her lord.Snape

appeared outside Malfoy's cell shortly before dusk and helped him to escape, providing

him with a wand and the new spells to break our camp wards that he had just perfected.

Snape had stayed behind and Malfoy said he was probably dead by now. Harry said he

wanted vengance for his parents and knew he could convince Harry he was dedicated to

seeing Voldemort dead by fighting with us. "That foul git?"Ron exploded. "He'll turn

tail and run the first chance he gets in a real battle!" Harry said we were all going to

meet when we broke new camp to decide what to do with Malfoy, but until then he would be

traveling with us. So we began to gather all our things and were ready to leave quickly.

Malfoy was put in a tent alone and restrained and under heavy guards until his fate was

decided. Harry gave testimony about how he believed Malfoy could be an asset to us in

battle and how we needed all the help we could get. Both Ron and I protested this,

saying he could not be trusted."I don't like the bastard either but I'm telling you,

he's changed since we saw him last, I can see it. He's got a fire in him now. He wants

revenge badly and will do anything to get it." Harry said. "So you really believe him?",

I asked? " I do 'Mione, and you know I'm not one who's easily fooled." Harry did have a

canny way with reading people and this skill had saved us more than once in the

past. "All right then, I still don't trust the git,but I'm with you whatever you

decide.", I said. Ron grudgingly agreed, along with the others. "But, at the first sign

of anything off with him and I will not hesitate to kill him." I said. "I will not see

everything we've worked for ruined by Malfoy of all people." Harry wholeheartedly agreed

with me. I knew I would become Malfoy's personal guard while he was with us, with or

without Harry's permission. The slippery bastard needed to be watched constantly and I

was going to make sure he was.




Harry asked who wanted to guard Malfoy first and i immediately volunteered. Harry asked if I was sure and I assured him I was.


Shortly after the meeting I left with Harry to tell Malfoy the outcome of the meeting.

Upon entering the tent, I was shocked momentarily by his appearance. I had not seen him

up close since his arrival. He smelled of blood, his filthy robes torn and muddied. It

was strange to see him like this, dirty, hair mussed,expensive clothes reduced to rags.

His cool perfection destroyed. He gave no outward sign of any emotion,but i saw his pale

gray eyes flash slightly when Harry told him he would be allowed to stay with the Order,

but would be carefully guarded until we were certain where his true loyalties lay. "Of

course Potter, you would be a fool if you didn't. I'd expect nothing less.", he said in

that cold drawling voice of his. It was the same, but also different somehow. Deeper and

richer than I remembered. He had changed physically as well. His hair was much longer,

almost to his shoulders,making him remind me more than ever of Lucius Malfoy. His

shoulders had broadened considerably and he was several inches taller than Harry,

probably near Ron's height. His face was also not as sharp as before, his jawline harder

and more defined. Like Harry and Ron, he had grown up, it seemed. Harry was telling him

I would be guarding him tonight and he was regarding me cooly. He nodded at me once and

I inclined my head toward him. Harry was looking at me and i turned to him. "I'll bring

Malfoy clean clothes and some food for you both. I'll be back in a bit." Harry said. I

nodded at him before he turned to leave.



I turned back to Malfoy, noticing he was still looking at me. "Stop staring at me

Malfoy. If you're looking for a weakness let me assure you now you won't find one.", I

said, my voice hard. A ghost of his old hateful smirk graced his lips as he continued to

look at my face."Calm yourself,Granger. I wasn't looking for a weakness. That would be

pointless, wouldn't it? Seeing as you don't have any. Still the brave,perfect Gryffindor

princess. I guess some things never change." His words were mocking, but strangely his

tone wasn't. It was almost as though he were being sincere and he continued staring at

me with an intensity I could not explain. "That's where you're wrong Malfoy. Everything

has changed and if you continue to push me I'll show you exactly how much I have

changed." I said. He sobered suddenly,his face sliding into a cold emotionless

mask. "Yes," he said, "I suppose we all have. I meant no offense regardless, Granger."

How could someone who had just seen his parents murdered be so cold? I marveled at this,

unable to understand it. He truly was as cold blooded as a serpent. I could almost have

believed this, were it not for those smoldering slate eyes. I saw emotions in them I

could not name. I turned away from him abruptly,feeling deeply unsettled, but I would

never let him know that. "I'll wait for Harry outside. He should be back any minute.

I'll come back inside with the food when you've changed. We should eat and try to rest

while we can." I said. He nodded slightly, and I turned and walked outside quickly. I

was now regretting volunteering to watch Malfoy. Stupid swot!!! He was only trying to

rattle me. I swore he would not suceed. I sighed loudly. I knew one thing, it was going

to be a long effing night.
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Here's the end of the first chappie. Hopefully not too sucky.Sorry for any horrid grammer mistakes. I have no beta. Thanks for reading.:)