No Matter How Much We Win, We Still Lose

"When you fall they say, get up, move on. But how can you move on when you don't know what direction you were going in the first place?"

~Ashley LeeAnn Fredrick

"I told her not to go! Damn women, they're so stubborn!" Ronald Weasley ranted from the Mister's office.

"Well, we have to go after her; we can't just let her face them alone," Draco Malfoy put in from his shadowed corner.

"And so it begins," Harry sighed from his chair. "The final battle."

"Perhaps we've put it off long enough," Malfoy grunted.

"Are you ready for this, Harry, you've been training a long time," Lupin said looking at his late best friend's son.

"For Hermione's sake, we've got to do it. We've taken enough of his Death Eaters out now that it should be okay," Harry said.

"Yup, just like I taught you mate; like chess. Take out the players surrounding the king," Ron said.

"Make an announcement then," the Minister said quietly from his seat.

"What should we say?" Lupin asked.

"Tell them, the last stand has begun," he sighed.

Hermione Granger trudged through the downpour and mud to Voldemort's lair, the abandoned McKee's Manor. When Hermione had read the headline of the recent attack she had stormed out of her office threatening to kill the bastard herself. And now, after pissing everyone off and telling them she wouldn't go, here she was. Her daughter was safe at home with her grandparents not knowing that her mother just started the last stand with Voldemort. The battle that would finish the war, whether light or dark triumphed.

"Miss Granger, how lucky we are to have your company," a voice startled her from behind.

"Count of three we storm the place," Harry shouted out his orders over the driving rain. "And remember, no matter what happens, leave Voldemort to me. Ron, take your crew into the left wing and take out the Death Eaters there. McGrew, take your group into the right wing. My group will storm in through the front. Malfoy, you know your job." Harry nodded to the blonde still not completely sure it was safe to trust his enemy with the task of rescuing his best friend.

"You do your job, and I'll do mine, Potter. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask," he growled.

"One," Harry started, "two...three!"

"Would you stop pacing around like that!?" Lucius growled. "You're making me nauseated."

"Why don't you just kill me and get it over with then?" Hermione screeched from her cell.

"Because, love, your friends will come after you. And precious Potter wouldn't let anything happen to his friend," the blonde growled infuriated that he got stuck with the task of watching this Mudblood.

"Harry would sacrifice my life to save hundreds!" she said pounding sense into his head.

"I'm not so sure about that," he spat evilly, the trademark Malfoy smirk becoming more evident.

"Bring the girl," a voice said harshly stopping the banter within.

"It's time," Lucius said almost gleefully. "One side will fall tonight, and it won't be ours."

Draco had sensed her presence in the room beyond before he heard her screams of torture. He could hear Potter and the others taking out the Death Eaters victoriously from the front. 'Just get Hermione and leave.' His orders had been pretty clear. Draco swore that Potter knew his feelings for Hermione, but he knew that Hermione hadn't mentioned it to anyone since that day. And if Potter thought Malfoy was going to let him claim all the victory he needed to be knocked up the side of the head with a brick.

Malfoy mentally counted to three and then burst through the doors ahead of him. The doors that lead to victory, to heartbreak, and to more than ever possibly imagined; through the doors where the final battle would take place.

"Tell me Potter won't come for you and let me go just to save your pathetic existence," the snake-like man growled nearly in Hermione's face.

"Harry won't come for me. He's worked to hard to throw it away just to let me live," she said a slight smirk on her face.

"Stupid intolerable Mudblood," the man screamed sending a Crucio on her frail body.

When the pain had etched away and numbed her body she laughed with the strength she had left. "You'll never win. Why do you think you found no new recruits out of Hogwarts? Why do you think the son of Lucius Malfoy turned to our side?"

"Because Dumbledore took away all the knowledge I implanted in him!" Lucius screeched outraged at the mention of his pathetic traitor son.

"No, father, because I didn't want to be heartless like you," a voice said venomously from the doorway.

"We got them all, Potter, head to the drawing room, finish off that bastard!" one of his crew shouted at him scanning the scene.

"Left wing has not one left standing," Ron said grinning catching up to them from his side.

"And don't even think that we need help," McKee growled. "Right wing's clear too. All that's left is what's beyond that door."

"Well, Ron, McGrew, take you're groups back to headquarters. Johnston," Harry ordered to one of his own. "Take the remainder her back." Harry tried to not think about the few he lost. "I've got Voldemort."

"What about Malfoy, Harry?" Ron asked signaling to his crew to head for the door.

"I have a feeling that if he hasn't found her already Voldemort has found him."

"Well, this is certainly becoming an interesting party isn't it?" Voldemort smirked from his position.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here, Malfoy?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Funny, I should be asking you the same thing," Malfoy said.

"Sorry kids, no time to catch up. I have matters to intend to. Potter came with you I assume?" Voldemort asked.

"No, I came alone," Draco replied shutting the man off from his Occlumency attempt.

"Liar," Lucius spat.

"Talking to yourself again, father?" Malfoy spat bitterly.

"Malfoy, go, I can handle my own battles," Hermione said.

"Oh no, the party's just starting, stay for the finale," Voldemort spat gleefully.

"I was just going to say the same to you Voldemort," Harry Potter said coming through the doors.

"I knew you'd come for your friend, Potter. So predictable, that's why you always lose," Lucius said.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked bewildered as to what was going on.

"Malfoy, stick to your task, I'll stick to mine," Harry ordered Draco with a curt nod.

"Come to kill me, again?" Voldemort taunted.

"For good this time, Voldemort," he spat walking towards the man.

"We'll see about that. You see, I've got your little girlfriend in my possession. You try anything and she dies," Voldemort said grabbing Hermione up from the floor and putting his wand to her heart.

"Leave her out of this, Voldemort, it's about you and me," Harry said looking a bit worried.

"You're right," he smirked. "Kill the girl," he directed Lucius.

It happened in an instant; Voldemort dead at the vengeful hand of Harry's wand and Hermione colliding to the floor. Lucius smirked triumphantly before noticing his master's downfall. He fled from the room leaving Hermione withering on the floor, a huge gash cut near her heart.

"Hermione!" Draco screamed flinging himself down near her.

Don't you fret, Misuer Marius,

I don't feel any pain.

A little fall of rain,

Can hardly hurt me now.

"Hermione, stay with me," Draco said pressing his robe against her wound.

"Draco?" she asked opening her eyes.

"I'm here, you'll be fine. Harry's here too," he said glancing over his shoulder and noticing Potter's gaunt face.

"I'm here Hermione," Harry said quietly not sure of what to do.

You're here,

That's all I need to know.

And you will keep me safe,

And you will keep me close.

"You can't help me," she whispered painfully. "He cast the Impedma. The wound is deep, it can't be healed."

"Oh god, no," Harry said tears forming in his eyes. Harry bent down next to Hermione and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she insisted. "You saved hundreds of lives for the price of one."

"I want you to promise me something," Harry said.

"What?"

"Talk to him," Harry said signaling at Draco. "Before you go, please talk to him." And Harry got up and left with one final glance back at his dying friend. Harry found it painfully difficult to leave her at a time like this, but he couldn't crowd her final moments. Harry knew there was someone who needed to talk to her alone before she went, and Harry knew how important it was to leave fulfilled.

"Granger, don't do this," Malfoy said scooting back nearer to her.

"I can't stop it," she said.

"There has to be some way...."

"There's not. Trust me, I've been researching it."

"Why did you have to come here?" Draco practically yelled fighting off tears.

"It's okay to cry," she said. "I won't tell anyone." Hermione reached up and brushed a lone tear that escaped down his cheek.

And rain will make the flowers grow.

"It's not right, it's not fair," he spat a bit angrily.

The rain will wash away what's past.

And you will keep me safe.

And you will keep me close.

I'll sleep in your embrace at last.

"Perhaps it's my perfect ending," she sighed taking her hand from his face. He picked up her fallen hand and grasped it in his. "I forgive, I move on," she said smiling. "You were right. The past can't be changed, but it can be washed away, if you choose so." Draco picked her frail body up and set it into his lap pulling her against him.

The rain that brings you here is heaven blessed.

The sky begins to clear,

And I'm at rest.

"I never told you this," Hermione continued biting back tears. "But I always wondered what it would be like to be in your arms."

A world away from where you are,

I've come home from so far.

"You were the reason I changed, Hermione," Draco said. "You're the reason I am who I am today."

"Then I did something right. But I think you had it in you all along," she said. Hermione was gasping for breath now. But she wouldn't go, not yet. Another tear escaped down Draco's cheek and she wiped it away. "It's alright, I'll be fine. I can't feel anything anymore. Not regret, not guilt, not pain."

Don't you fret, Misuer Marius,

I don't feel any pain.

A little fall of rain,

Can hardly hurt me now.

"I'll be here until the end, Hermione," he said trying to hold his composure.

"I'm here."

"That's all I need to know.

"There's something I always wanted to tell you," Draco said.

"Let me ask something of you first," she whispered.

"Anything," he replied.

"Persephone loves you. I give her to your care; I know you'll take care of her. Don't let Blaise have her, please. Love her as if she were your own," Hermione said looking into his eyes.

"I'll take care of her," Draco said proudly. "I promise it to you. I have to tell you something now, Hermione, something I should have told you forever ago."

"Hmmm?" she muttered loosing strength.

"And you will keep me safe."

"I'll stay until you are sleeping"

"And you will keep me close."

"And rain."

"And rain.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Will make the flower's...."

After hearing his soft words Hermione closed her eyes for the last time.

"Grow."

Draco let another tear escape and bent down and kissed Hermione's cold, dead lips; saying goodbye for the world to Hermione Granger.