Breaking the rules

AN - This story is canon compliant up until the Battle of Hogwarts begins. I used a combination of the book's version and the film's version of the final battle, but had to change a few things (obviously) because in my mind, Harry belongs with Hermione. (At least for this story). Any dialogue recognizable from the book or film are clearly NOT mine. I only wish I was JK Rowling.

The rating on this story is mostly for violence. Apparently my muse just wanted to torture some people. I'm trying not to think too much about where that came from. ;-)

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Ginny impatiently flicked her long red hair out of her face as she knelt beside an injured seventh year Hufflepuff girl. She couldn't remember her fellow student's name, and when she asked, the girl just kept asking for her mother. Ginny was struggling to stop the flow of blood from a large, gaping wound on the girl's stomach, but was having little success. She watched helplessly as the girl became weaker and weaker, knowing that time was quickly running out. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was just about quarter to three in the morning. Fifteen minutes had already passed since Voldemort had given Harry one more hour to surrender. People were rushing around in the dark trying to get the injured inside before the fighting resumed.

At a loss as to how to help the wounded girl, Ginny desperately called, "Madame Pomfrey! Help!"

Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas, who were passing by carrying a limp, blanket-wrapped form, paused, "Pomfrey's up in the Great Hall. What's left of it. She's working on Trelawney. Don't think she's gonna make it," Dean murmured regretfully before the two moved on.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Ginny muttered frantically. Hearing footsteps approaching, she paused to listen, but could not figure out where they were coming from in the darkness.

"I want to go home," the injured girl whispered breathlessly, "I just want to go home."

"You're going to be fine," Ginny lied, choking back tears. The knees of her jeans were soaked with the girl's blood, and she knew she didn't have much longer. She checked her watch again. It was nearly three o'clock.

Hearing more footsteps, these ones sounding closer, she turned her head and gasped. Draco Malfoy, covered in soot from head to toe and his upper lip crusted with dried blood, was heading straight for her. As he got closer he glanced at the fallen girl, frowned and pulled out his wand.

"Stop! There's a truce!" Ginny exclaimed, raising her own wand.

"I know," he murmured softly. "I can help her," he added, crouching beside the girl, his shoulder brushing Ginny's. Leaning over, he briefly examined the girl's wound, then said, "Vulnera Sanentur!"

Ginny watched in stunned surprise as all the blood surrounding the other girl slowly seeped back into the wound, which proceeded to close over as if it had been zipped shut.

"She should be alright now," Draco smiled wearily at Ginny as he stood up. "Take care," he added almost in a whisper before nodding his head politely and walking away.

Ginny finally shook herself from her shocked state when she realized he was leaving. Whirling around, she yelled, "Thank you!" after Draco's receding form.

He paused for a moment and she barely heard his murmured response, "It was the least I could do," before he continued onward. He was quickly swallowed by a cloud of drifting smoke.

"I-I feel better," the Hufflepuff girl rasped a few minutes later, struggling to sit up, "I thought I was gonna die. How did you do that?" She asked, running her hand over the red, raised scar left behind by her wound.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Ginny mumbled, shaking her head slightly. "Here, let's get you inside..." she offered, holding out her hand and gently pulling the girl to her feet when it was accepted.

They slowly made their way up to the castle. The older girl seemed to feel better and better the closer they got to the castle. Ginny finally got her into the Great Hall, where Madame Sprout immediately took her under her care, fussing over the girl and leading her over to a nearby bench after thanking Ginny profusely.

Ginny slipped away as soon as possible. Sighing sadly, she went to spend a few moments sitting beside her brother Percy, who was weeping in a corner beside the pale, blood covered corpse of their brother Fred. Ginny was devastated by the loss of her mischievous sibling, but Percy was absolutely inconsolable. Ginny soon became too overwhelmed by his grief to be able to force herself to sit still any longer. "I love you, Perce. He loved you too..." she whispered, kissing his cheek as she rose to find some new way to keep herself busy.

When she turned away, she nearly tripped over Lavender Brown, who was lying on a pallet of blankets on the floor. The blonde Gryffindor's neck and left shoulder were bleeding heavily through the thick bandages wrapped around them, and although she was clearly unconscious, she was twitching and moaning in pain. Ginny backed away in horror. It was one thing to help a girl she didn't know, but seeing a friend suffering so was terrifying.

Just as she turned away, determined to leave the Hall, Neville and Luna walked up carrying another blanket-wrapped figure. When they laid the bundle down, a corner of the blanket fell away, revealing Colin Creevey. His face was frozen, eyes wide and lips parted in surprise. His skin was gray and pasty.

"Oh gods..." Ginny whimpered, her heart rate skyrocketing as she suddenly found it difficult to breath. Colin was in her year. He was supposed to have left before the fighting began, just like she was.

"Hey, it's going to be alright," her brother Ron was suddenly beside her, hugging her gently in a rather uncharacteristic display of empathy. "Don't panic. And don't forget to breath,"

"I didn't think it was going to be this bad..." Ginny admitted sheepishly, trying to follow his advice and take deep breaths. "Where's Harry? And Hermione?"

Ron frowned sadly. "He went to turn himself over to Voldemort," he murmured, looking like he was going to be sick. "He found out he's a horcrux," Ron shrugged helplessly, and let out a heavy sigh.

Ginny shot him a confused look. "A what?"

Ron slapped himself lightly on the forehead, then explained. "He has a piece of Voldemort's soul in him. If he kills Voldemort while it's still there, Voldemort will be able to use it to come back again. Harry has to die to destroy the piece of soul, so, he's headed to the Forest to sacrifice himself."

"He has to die?!" Ginny gasped, horrified. She was no longer in love with her ex boyfriend, but she did still love him, and her eyes filled with tears at the thought of him dying. There had already been too much death that day.

"Yes," Ron murmured miserably, "Hermione isn't taking it very well. She wanted to go with him, but he wouldn't let her. You know Harry," he smiled sadly and Ginny nodded. "She's over there staring at the woods," he pointed through a large hole in the wall between the Great Hall and the entrance hall, where the curly haired girl was leaning against the frame of the front door, gazing longingly toward the Forbidden Forest.

"She's in love with him," Ginny murmured. "I knew he was in love with her, but I wasn't sure if she felt the same way."

"You knew?" Ron asked, looking surprised.

"Honestly Ron...did it make any sense for him to break up with me and leave me behind for my own good when he let you two tag along?" Ginny snorted. "I'm not stupid. He was letting me down easy."

"I know," Ron grinned sheepishly, "I just didn't know you knew. I'm not even sure he knew."

"This is so sad," Ginny sighed, biting her lip hard to try to keep from crying. "He doesn't deserve all this crap. He deserves to be happy. It isn't fair,"

"I know," Ron murmured, exhaling slowly. "I guess we can't always get what we want,"

"Are you going to be okay?" Ginny whispered.

"About 'Mione?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. Ginny nodded hesitantly. "Yeah. I kissed her a while ago, but kissing her just felt awkward and wrong. Like kissing...you!" He exclaimed, wrinkling his nose.

"Ew!" Ginny exclaimed, pretending to gag.

"Exactly," Ron chuckled softly. "How about you?"

"I've had a year to get over him, I'm fine," Ginny shrugged, meaning every word. "Not that I want him to die. Are you sure he's this horcrux thing?"

Ron nodded sadly, "When You-know-who cursed him as a baby, he accidentally left part of his soul inside the scar. That's why it hurt him whenever You-know-who was angry and how Harry could see into his head sometimes. Dumbledore suspected ever since he found out about the horcruxes."

"How did Harry find out about all of this?" Ginny wondered aloud.

"Turns out Snape really was Dumbledore's right hand man all along. He shared some memories with Harry just before he died." Ron shrugged.

"Snape's dead?!" Ginny gasped.

"Yeah. Just before You-know-who called for Harry this last time," Ron sighed. "Apparently, Dumbledore was dying all last year from that curse on his hand. He made Snape promise to kill him so the ferret wouldn't have to,"

"Really? Then why didn't he just help Draco get out of the position of having to kill him in the first place?" Ginny frowned, "He obviously didn't want to."

"Since when do we call the ferret by his first name?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Since he saved a girl from bleeding to death in my arms just now," Ginny mumbled.

Ron blinked. "That's not like him," he murmured bemusedly.

"I don't know. I don't think he really wants to be a Death Eater. He's not very good at it. I saw him stand up to the Carrows for this little first year Ravenclaw a few weeks ago. She'd gotten stuck in a corridor that was off limits. The staircase dumped her there." Ginny told him. He raised a questioning eyebrow and she nodded affirmatively, "He told them to leave her alone and sent her on her way. They crucio'd him for mouthing off."

"Wow," Ron murmured. "The Prince of Slytherin has a heart? Who knew? Maybe 'Mione was right. Maybe he didn't identify us at his parents' place on purpose."

"Duh," Ginny muttered. "He had to recognize you and Hermione, if not Harry. And remember how miserable he seemed all last year? I think maybe he isn't that big a fan of You-know-who."

"Yeah, yeah," Ron muttered. "Maybe I won't punch the git next time I see him," he mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Just then, a loud shout came from outside. Ginny turned to look and saw Hermione staring wide eyed out at the courtyard, her hand clasped over her mouth. Glancing outside through one of the shattered windows, Ginny swallowed nervously at the sight of a small army of Death Eaters marching across the bridge spanning the ravine between the castle and the front gates. "Oh gods...they're coming back!"

Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the front doors, joining the rush of people now racing out to the courtyard. Hermione grabbed his other arm as they passed and the three hurried down the front steps just as Voldemort practically pranced into the courtyard, smiling from ear to ear.

"No! Harry! No!" Hermione screamed, bolting forward as the Dark Lord stepped to the side, revealing Hagrid, in chains, with Harry cradled limply in his arms. The half-giant was weeping brokenly. Hermione sobbed loudly and fell to her knees when Ron grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her to prevent her from lunging at Voldemort, who had marched right up to them, laughing giddily.

"As you can see...Harry Potter is dead!" The Dark Lord announced happily, "Struck down as he attempted to run away!"

Ginny narrowed her eyes at this, knowing he was lying. Ignoring the psychotic bastard, she knelt beside Ron and Hermione, trying to help her brother console the hysterical witch. Tears blurred her vision as she watched her friend grieving for the boy she herself had once loved. Hermione's agonized shrieks and sobs blocked out whatever Voldemort was saying.

"Draco! Draco!" The name caught Ginny's attention as Hermione's screams died down slightly. She raised her eyes and saw Lucius Malfoy frantically making beckoning gestures toward a spot off to her left. Following his gaze, she spotted Draco standing near the doors. He was looking down at his feet, acting as though he hadn't heard his father calling to him. "Draco!" Lucius hissed loudly.

Ginny realized that Voldemort was beginning to take notice of their behavior and feared Draco's days were seriously numbered if he didn't obey his father, and soon. Draco finally raised his eyes, and they briefly met her own. She inhaled sharply, seeing the hopeless, trapped expression on his face just before he let out a heavy sigh and finally began walking toward his parents.

Before he could reach the elder Malfoys, Voldemort suddenly stepped into his path. Draco flinched and Ginny cringed instinctively, but the Dark Lord merely held his arms wide, crooning, "Dear Draco!" and embraced him awkwardly. Draco visibly shuddered when they made contact, his own arms remaining stiffly at his sides. The moment Voldemort released him, he moved away, rushing to his mother's side. Ginny slowly let out the breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding. To her surprise, Draco looked right at her again, his eyes filled with shame, before lowering his head again.

"No, Harry...please! No!" As Hermione's cries increased in volume, Ginny turned her attention back to Harry, staring sadly at his pale white face as Hermione continued to sob beside her.

"Shhhh...'Mione. Shhhh," Ginny murmured soothingly, "Don't let that bastard see you cry. Harry loved you. He wouldn't want you to hurt like this..."

Hermione hiccuped a few times, then sucked in a deep, shaky breath. Blinking back tears, she nodded slightly and forced herself to her feet. Ginny and Ron rose with her, each keeping one arm around her. Ron grasped Ginny's shoulder, rubbing it gently and she flashed him a faint smile in return.

While she was distracted by Draco and Hermione, Neville had stepped away from the group. He was now only a few feet from Voldemort and seemed to be immobilized. Ginny yelped as the Sorting Hat suddenly covered his head, immediately bursting into flames. She watched in amazement as Neville miraculously shrugged off the spell he was under and pulled the smoldering hat from his head, throwing it down and stomping on it to extinguish the flames. Ginny saw a surprised smile flit across his face and then he pulled a slightly soot-streaked sword from the hat, lunged forward, and cleanly decapitated Voldemort's pet snake in one powerful stroke.

Everything seemed to freeze for a moment, then Ginny heard someone shout "Protego!" just as Voldemort screamed in rage and shot a blast of green light at Neville. The horde of Death Eaters immediately began to advance on those gathered around the castle steps.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, her voice suddenly more confused than sorrowful.

"What?" Ginny asked distractedly, grabbing her friend's arm and pulling her back as she noticed Bellatrix LeStrange heading toward them.

"Harry's gone," Hermione breathed, "Where'd he go?"

"We've got bigger problems!" Ginny yelped as Bellatrix cast a severing hex at them. "Protego!" Ginny shouted as she waved her wand, blocking the spell. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Luna stepping up beside her just as Hermione finally seemed to realize they were fighting again.

"Confringo!" The brunette yelled, jabbing her wand at Bellatrix

"Stupefy!" Luna sang out, her spell almost hitting the older witch, who began to laugh maniacally.

Ginny cast another shield charm just as Bellatrix flung a ball of fire their way. As soon as it bounced away, she shouted, "Reducto!" Her spell reflected off Bellatrix' shield and disintegrated a nearby column.

The other two girls were also alternately flinging curses and taking turns shielding each other, but despite all of their best efforts, Bellatrix was gaining on them. Suddenly, the older witch shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" while Ginny's shield was down. Ginny froze in terror as the spell blasted by just beside her head; it was so close that her hair whipped about in the wind created by its passing. Ginny wondered dazedly how she managed not to soil herself in that moment.

Then, she heard what had to be the most beautiful sound on earth, an angry female voice bellowing, "Not my daughter you bitch!" All three girls stopped and watched in amazement as Ginny's mother stepped between them and their crazed opponent. "Leave her to me, girls!" Molly ordered almost gleefully.

The two older witches began blasting spells at each other, but Bellatrix was still flitting around and laughing, while Molly was clearly in full blown Mamabear mode. After nearly being hit by a few of Molly's curses, Bellatrix frowned somewhat confusedly. Then, Molly hit her full in the face with some sort of freezing charm. A blasting spell followed quickly in its wake, and Voldemort's most loyal follower exploded into tiny pieces.

Voldemort immediately let out an enraged shout and Ginny froze as she realized he was right behind her, Luna and Hermione. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Hermione's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Avada Kedavra!"

"Protego!" A very familiar voice shouted and the blast of green light from Voldemort's curse suddenly dissipated less than a foot from Hermione's back. The older girl spun about and let out a cry of joy. Ginny turned and grinned at the sight of Harry, back on his feet and facing off against the now infuriated Dark Lord. The black haired wizard was quite deliberately shielding Hermione from Voldemort's view with his own body.

The next few minutes seemed completely surreal as Harry mocked and provoked the Dark Lord, slowly circling around him and skillfully turning his attention to the far side of the courtyard, away from Hermione.

Suddenly, the two wizards cast on each other...Voldemort predictably shouting the killing curse while Harry (a bit foolishly, Ginny thought) cast "Expelliarmus!"

To everyone's surprise, their spells clashed in midair. The two wizards struggled for a moment, but then Harry's spell won over. The elder wand flew from Voldemort's hand into Harry's and then Voldemort's own spell ricocheted back into his chest. The Dark Lord's eyes widened in surprise, then he dropped to his knees like a ton of bricks before slowly disintegrating.

For a moment, one could have heard a pin drop. Then, Hermione screamed Harry's name delightedly and moved across the courtyard in a blur, throwing herself into his arms just as he turned and embraced her. Ginny smiled amusedly as the pair both tilted their heads to Harry's right, then to his left before Harry grabbed Hermione's face in both hands, holding her still while he moved back to his right, swooped in, and kissed her deeply.

Everyone, minus the few remaining Death Eaters who hadn't yet slunk away, let out a joyous cheer and began embracing the couple, patting Harry on the back, arms, and head. Harry, for his part, seemed completely oblivious as he continued to kiss Hermione until they finally parted to breath. Even then, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms tightly around her and resting his forehead against her shoulder as she clutched the back of his jacket in a death grip.

Ginny chuckled as she drew closer and saw the stunned, delighted smile on Hermione's face. The other girl had her eyes closed and was pressing her cheek to Harry's. Everyone nearby was smiling amusedly at the pair, and more than one person had tears in their eyes.

"Guess they finally figured it out, huh?" Ron chuckled beside Ginny.

"It's about time," Ginny nodded, rolling her eyes. Hearing a shout from the far side of the courtyard, she watched a couple of aurors subdue a struggling Death Eater. When they removed the man's mask, she gasped. It was Augustus Rookwood, the man who had killed Fred.

"Bloody hell...where's mum?" Ron murmured, sighing sadly.

Putting their arms around each other, they wandered inside where they found George and their mother kneeling on either side of Fred's body. George was sobbing and Ginny felt like she was going to throw up as she and Ron knelt beside their mother, putting their arms around her.

The next few hours passed in a blur as people filed past the family, offering their condolences. They were eventually approached by a solemn group from St Mungo's, who lead them through the floo in the Headmaster's office, then to a dark, crowded room beneath the hospital. Fred's body was carefully moved, along with several others, to the hospital's grim little morgue. Ginny choked back tears as her brother was placed on a large sliding metal tray and hidden away behind a small wooden door.

After saying their goodbyes, the family stumbled back upstairs to the public floos in the lobby. Before they could enter, a couple of men in blood splattered white robes burst through the front doors pushing a floating stretcher. The unfortunate occupant was so covered with blood that Ginny couldn't even tell if it was a man or a woman. "Get out of the way! Out of the way!" One man shouted as he pushed the stretcher through the doors leading to the emergency department.

The other man stopped at the front desk to hand some papers to the nurse. Looking bored, she skimmed them over, then went pale as she yelped, "Harry Potter?!"