Night Divine

#38 Oh Holy Night

Night Divine

O Holy Night,
The stars are brightly shining

She ran, vision swirling with the things unforeseen. She had to find him. She had to know he was safe.

"Crucio!"

Pain rushed over and over her in almost palpable waves. She could feel her heart skipping and pounding in her chest. Her blood rushed through her veins so fast that it made her sick. But her thoughts did not stop. They couldn't stop.

He couldn't be dead.

"Dear, little mudblood..." that odious and wretchedly vile woman crooned, ending her curse briefly. "I saw it with my own eyes. He begged dear Lucius, begged like a filthy animal, like the beasts he's fighting for. Lucius would have killed him just to shut him up even if he had not betrayed us."

"Draco would never beg, you disgusting wench!"

"Crucio!"

Hermione screamed at the short and overwhelming burst of pain, lying panting on the ground. Bellatrix stood over her, like she had already one the battle, like the Dark had won the war.

Hermione couldn't help but wonder if it was true.

It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.

He didn't feel any remorse. He couldn't help but wonder why.

But even as he stood there, staring at his father's crumpled bleeding form, he felt nothing. Perhaps, it was because it was a war and he was used the emptiness by now. Perhaps, it was because his revenge had been fully paid. Perhaps, it was because he had never truly loved the man.

Whatever it was, Draco found his heart grateful for the lack of emotions.

With a sigh, he lifted the sword in his hand, hilt encrusted with rubies, and Godric Gryffindor's name glinting on the blade.

Potter's sword.

Draco turned and saw the two lone figures dueling in the middle of the field, carnage in a radius around them. He watched for a while, as the two wands locked together, the taller figure almost overpowering the slighter form. As the green light began to eat away at the azure spell from the smaller person's wand, they sent it off to the side where it created another crater in the ground.

Draco closed his eyes for a moment and the weapon disappeared from his grasp.

A barely a second later, a shrill inhuman scream pierced the air as Harry Potter embedded Godric's sword into the last of Voldemort's soul.

A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

The fighting stopped as a bright white beam went up from the place where the Dark Lord once stood. It shot straight up into the sky, reaching the Mark where it floated ominously above the plain. Once the light touched the brand, the skull and snake glowed with such radiance that no one had ever seen such like it

And then the Dark Mark shattered, pieces falling to the ground as shards of emerald glass, impaling all those not loyal to the Light.

The agony filled screams of the Death Eaters erupted as Voldemort's lifeless corpse fell to the ground.

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices

Hermione's tears began to fall just as the first triumphal cry broke out among her comrades. It was over - she couldn't believe it was over - but had everyone made it?

What about Ron? What about Ginny? What about Harry?

What about Draco?

She found herself standing on shaky legs, barely casting a glance at the deceased form of Bellatrix. She had to find them. She needed to find them.

She needed them, because without them, the victory meant nothing.

O night divine

He sat on the ground as others rejoiced around him. Potter sat beside him, bruised, bleeding and tired but otherwise fine. Ginny lay with her head in Potter's lap, past out from exhaustion. Weasley paced behind him like a caged animal, too high on adrenaline to calm for the moment.

And the sword laid in front of them, no longer needed, the Dark Lord's blood drying in the cold winter wind.

A small choked sound made its way over the noise and the three men looked up at once. Hermione stood off from them, shaking with tears running down her face. Relieved looks came over the once tensed expressions. She swayed for a moment and Draco quickly rushed forward to hold her with her immediately bursting into loud, joyous sobs.

Ron made a snort of annoyance at the couple and went back to pacing. Harry smiled as he quickly saw through his friend's act. Even after the final battle of a seven year long war, things would never change.

"I'm alive," Harry muttered, a small smile across his face and leaned down to kiss the top of Ginny's head. "I can't believe I'm alive..."

And when he reached up to rub his scar, his fingers reached even skin.

Night divine...

"I thought you were dead. I was so worried. Bellatrix..."

Draco smirked at her and caressed her dirty cheek with the back of his frozen fingers. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

She smiled at him, watching as he leaned down. His lips hovered over hers a moment before he gently brushed his against hers. She stared at him with wide eyes, as another tear spilled down her face. He pulled back a bit to brush it away with the pad of his thumb.

"Happy Christmas, Granger."