The Last Stand and Forever Goodbye

Olivia Montgomery's POV

We crouch just outside the boathouse, silent as shadows. The air is cold, but Voldemort's voice is colder. "You have performed extraordinary magic with this wand, my Lord, in the last few hours alone," Snape says, his voice calm, composed.

I press my back against the damp wood and hold my breath.

"No," Voldemort replies, and that one word sends an icy shiver crawling down my spine. My fingers, almost instinctively, find Harry's. He doesn't pull away. "I am extraordinary. But the wand... resists me," Voldemort finishes, stepping closer to Snape.

I squeeze Harry's hand. The Elder Wand. Of course. It doesn't truly belong to him.

"There is no wand more powerful. Ollivander himself said it," Snape replies, hands clasped neatly behind him.

"Tonight, when the boy comes to you—I am sure of it—it will not fail you. It answers to you, and you only," Snape says, eyes fixed on Voldemort's. But it's not true. Snape doesn't know. Draco disarmed Dumbledore before Snape killed him. Which means... Draco is the wand's master. Not Snape. Not Voldemort.

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly because I am not its true master," Voldemort says, stepping forward. "It belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner," he adds—and my heart drops. "You killed Dumbledore, Severus. While you live, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine."

No.

"You have been a true and faithful servant, Severus. But only I can live forever."

No, no, no.

"My Lord—" Snape starts, but the words barely leave his mouth before the flash of green light cuts through the air. Voldemort disappears in an instant, leaving Snape's crumpled body behind.

I can't move. I can't even breathe.

Harry grips my hand tighter, but I barely register it.

I lunge forward the moment Voldemort's gone, crashing to the ground beside Snape. "Do something!" Harry shouts, panicked. I press my forehead to Snape's, my wand trembling in my grip. I whisper healing spells, close the gash at his neck, but it's not enough.

"Come on, please. Come back," I whisper through the tears now rolling freely down my face.

Still nothing.

"Please..." My voice breaks. "You can't leave me. Not now." One more tear lands on his cheek—and his eyes flutter open. "Take them. Please," he rasps, voice barely audible. "Something to collect it, quickly!" Harry yells, and Hermione pulls out a flask. Harry holds it to Snape's cheek, catching his tears.

"The Pensieve," Snape whispers.

"You're coming with us. We're getting you out of here," I say, helping him up, but he weakly pushes me back. "No..." he breathes. "No. I'm not letting you die. Not like this." I cup his cheek, more tears falling. "Please." A ghost of a smile appears on his face. "You're just like your mother."

That stabs deeper than I expect.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts," I say and Apparate us to the safe house.

I help him into the bed, clean his wounds, brew the strongest healing potion I know, and gently guide it to his lips. He drinks. Slowly. Watching me. "You were on our side... all along, weren't you?" I ask, though I already know the answer.

"You've learned well," he says softly, nodding at the potion.

I almost smile.

"Go. They need you more. You'll be the death of him," he says, and I freeze.

He begins to explain everything. My mother. Dumbledore's orders. The prophecy. How it could have been Neville. How Voldemort never saw it coming. How he killed his best friend on command. And then—Harry.

"A part of him... lives in Harry," Snape says. I shake my head slowly, not wanting to believe it. "Now," he says, struggling to sit upright, "the most important thing for you to know..." He points to the necklace around my neck.

My heart nearly stops. My mind spins.

"I have to do it, don't I?" I ask.

He doesn't speak. He only nods.

The weight of the war shifts and lands on my shoulders. "Find out what it is. If I'm right... it'll help you." I nod, eyes burning, but not with tears. With purpose. "Thank you," I whisper.

There's no time left to say more.

I press a kiss to his forehead and Disapparate back to Hogwarts.

I'm walking across the bridge, looking around. It's completely silent. No one's here. No Death Eaters. No students. No giants. No teachers. The place is a mess. Broken walls and shattered pillars lie scattered on the ground, some still smoldering with fire.

"Aguamenti!" I cast the spell, dousing the flames.

I head inside the castle, searching for Hermione or Ron or Draco—but most importantly, Harry. I have to tell him what Snape told me about myself. I climb the stairs and suddenly catch voices. "No, you can't go to the forest. You can't give yourself up to him," Ron says firmly as I get closer.

"What forest?" I ask, stepping beside Harry. "The Dark Forest," Hermione answers. "Harry has to go there and give himself up to Voldemort." I stare at him, eyes wide. "There's a reason I can hear them—the Horcruxes," Harry says, looking at Hermione. "I think I've known for a while. And I think you have, too."

Hermione rushes to him and hugs him tight, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I'll go with you," she says. "No, kill the snake first. Then it's just him," Harry insists. I shake my head. "No. It's not just him," I say, and they all turn toward me.

I sit down on the stairs. Ron slides in next to me. "What did Snape tell you?" he asks gently. I look at him, tears pricking my eyes. I tell them everything Snape revealed—the things that could change everything in our fight against Voldemort.

"Hermione, Ron, please try and kill the snake. Harry, you go on. There's no point in sulking. This was my fate when I was born. Nothing can stop it—except if I find out something about the necklace," I say, standing and wiping my tears away.

"Olivia?" a voice calls from below the stairs.

"Draco?" I reply, looking down just as he runs up to me and pulls me into his arms. "I—I didn't see you, and I thought I'd lost you. I searched the Great Hall, your dorm, my dorm, the library—everywhere. I was so scared," he says, his tears soaking my shoulder.

"I'm glad I found you," I whisper, kissing his cheeks. "We have to find that book at your place—'The Real Quest of Quartz'—and figure out something about this necklace," I say. He nods. "You should tell Sirius and the others," Harry suggests. "No time," I shake my head. I grasp Draco's hand and lead him toward the library.

"Tell what?" Draco asks as we walk.

If I tell him everything, he won't let me do this. He'll hold me back, never let me leave.

I'm sorry, my love.

"About the book," I say quietly.

We arrive at the library. "Draco, find any book on quartz you can. Read whatever feels important, whatever might help us defeat You-Know-Who or tell us about this necklace. Tell me what you find," I say as we split up, combing through the shelves.

I'm in the restricted section when Draco finds me.

"Look, darling," he says, holding up The Real Quest of Quartz. The same page is torn out. "Someone really doesn't want me reading this," I mutter, taking the book. We spend hours searching. No luck.

I'm reading The True Magic of Healing Quartz and about to turn the page when Draco says, "He's here." I look up at him, and he's staring out the window. He turns and meets my eyes. "Let's face him." I close the book and follow him.

"I love you, Draco," I say, my hands resting on his chest. He smiles softly. "I love you, Olivia." When his lips brush my forehead, I close my eyes and let a tear slip down.

I don't want to feel like this. Not now.

I'm about to break his heart.

He'll never forgive me for what I'm about to do.

We step outside, hand in hand. I glance up at him, and he looks down at me. Slowly, people start gathering around us. "Who's that Hagrid is carrying?" Ginny asks. I look at her. "Neville. Who is it?" she finishes, and Dad puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort shouts, grinning cruelly.

"No! No! He can't be!" Ginny yells and tries to run toward him, but Dad catches her just in time before she can get hurt. "Silence!" Voldemort commands, taking a few steps closer.

Draco squeezes my hand tight. I meet his eyes—he looks terrified, heartbroken.

"Stupid girl," Voldemort sneers at me. "From this day forward, you put your faith in me." Then he turns to his followers. "Harry Potter is dead!" he declares with sick joy. They laugh along—everyone except Draco's parents.

"Now, it's time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us—or die," Voldemort says, arms stretched wide, scanning the crowd.

"Draco!" Lucius calls out to his son. Draco doesn't move, just holds my hand tighter. Everyone watches him. His eyes roam over the faces—friends he fought beside, people who lost loved ones today, those who saved his life.

"Draco!" Lucius calls again. I see real fear in his father's eyes, fear for his son's fate. Draco looks at me, tears shining in his eyes. I search for an answer in those tears. He doesn't want to go. Before he can say anything, Narcissa calls out softly, lovingly, "Draco."

I know he will never say no to his mother—especially not when she pleads like that.

I loosen my grip and let go of his hand. He looks at me. I give him an apologetic smile and turn my gaze to Voldemort. This is Draco's decision now. Whatever happens, I'll respect it.

That smile says everything to him. He understands. If he chooses that side, I won't follow. If he leaves me now, I might never see him again. If he listens to his mother, he'll never hear my pleas.

Draco looks at me as I stare straight ahead.

"Come," his mother pleads again. He glances at her outstretched hand and starts walking. I smile. He's always had a deep respect and special kind of love for her. "Well done, Draco. Well done," Voldemort says awkwardly, pulling him into a forced hug. Draco goes to his mother and then looks at me.

I shake my head and walk toward Hermione.

"What about your fiancée, Draco?" Voldemort asks, eyes flicking between Draco and me.

Everyone gasps and turns to look at me. I glance at Draco, who meets my eyes with pleading desperation.

Before I can reject Voldemort's pathetic offer, Neville steps forward. "Well, I must say, I hoped for better," Voldemort sneers, eyes on Neville, then back to me. "And who might you be, young man?" he asks, tearing his gaze off me.

"Neville Longbottom," he answers, eyes fixed on the ground. "Well, Neville, I'm sure there's a place for you in our ranks," Voldemort says, beckoning him forward. "No. I'd like to say something," Neville says firmly.

Voldemort hesitates, then sneers, "I'm sure we're all fascinated to hear what you have to say."

"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone," Neville says, and Seamus interrupts, "Stand down, Neville."

"No," Neville insists, "people die every day. Friends, family. We lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us—in here." He taps his chest. "So are Fred, Remus, Tonks. All of them." I stagger back.

"F-Fred?" I ask, looking at George. He nods. My heart sinks—I could've brought him back.

Why didn't anyone tell me?

"They didn't die in vain. But you will, because you're wrong," Neville says to the laughing Voldemort. "Harry's heart beat for us. For all of us. This isn't over." He pulls the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat.

Everyone takes a step back.

Harry falls from Hagrid's grasp, stands up, and Draco yells, "Potter!" He throws Harry a wand and rushes over to me.

Everyone smiles, hope blossoming at the thought of their savior still alive.

"Confringo!" Harry fires a spell at the snake. One by one, a few Death Eaters flee in fear. Voldemort shoots a spell at Harry, then turns to see his "trusted" followers running away. "No, no! Come back and fight!" Bellatrix orders, but none stop.

"I'll lure them into the castle. We have to kill the snake," Harry says as Kingsley and I fire spells, protecting those around us. "Draco!" I shout, stunning a Death Eater behind him.

"You have your wand, don't you?" I ask, and his father points his wand at me. "If you shoot a spell at her—" Narcissa warns from behind Lucius. He turns around. "I will kill you. She is family now. For once, Lucius, do the right thing," Narcissa says fiercely.

Lucius looks at me, then around.

Spells fly everywhere. People die in front of us. Some get knocked away, some injured, some fight till their last breath.

A sly Death Eater approaches, seeing Lucius standing with us. Maybe he thinks Lucius has betrayed Voldemort. But Lucius is still deciding. I raise my hands and step forward, careful not to be noticed. "Avada Kedavra!" I shout.

"Darling, no!" Draco screams behind me, but the spell flies from Lucius' left side and strikes the Death Eater.

He looks back, then falls.

I kneel beside him. "Mr. Malfoy, you still have time. Do the right thing. Pick the right side. Help us fight," I say. Lucius looks up. Narcissa steps beside him, holding out her hand. He looks at it, then at her warm smile, then at Draco, who watches with pleading eyes—and finally at me.

His hands shake, but he takes her hand and stands.

"Let's kick some Death Eater ass," he says, firing spells.

Draco and I fight side by side, blasting spells as we push toward the snake. "Granger and Weasley have it covered," Draco says, and we step outside the castle.

"Crucio!" Draco hurls a spell straight at Voldemort.

I freeze in my tracks.

Draco Malfoy's POV

There's a moment — frozen, like time itself is holding its breath. Voldemort looks shocked. So do Olivia and Potter. They didn't expect me to face him, to finally throw a spell his way.

I scream, voice raw and wild. "YOU FUCKING COWARD. YOU MADE ME HATE MYSELF."

Crucio.

"YOU MADE ME HATE MY FATHER. YOU FORCED ME TO KILL A MAN WHO SAW ME GROW UP. AND WHEN I DIDN'T, YOU MADE MY LIFE, ALREADY MISERABLE, WORSE."

Reducto.

"HOW YOU MANIPULATED MY FAMILY. HOW YOU THREATENED US."

Sectumsempra.

"HOW YOU FORCED ME TO DO HORRIBLE ACTS. HOW YOU TURNED MY HOME — THE PLACE I GREW UP — INTO YOUR BLOODY BASE."

Avada Kedavra.

"HOW I HAD PANIC ATTACKS EVERY TIME I SAW YOU. HOW YOU MADE ME BELIEVE I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING, WHEN I WASN'T."

I keep shouting, casting spell after spell, and he blocks every single one with ease. But the fury burning inside me is too much — years of guilt and rage explode through me.

Harry picks up his wand, and with Olivia, we all fire spells at Voldemort. The Elder Wand is still in his grasp, and even at his weakest, he's strong. Our spells bounce off him like raindrops.

Suddenly, Voldemort falters, dropping to his knees. Then I hear Olivia say, "I have to do it, Harry," right as Neville kills the snake.

Do what?

"Avada Kedavra."

Her spell hits Voldemort. Harry signals me to stop, and I drop to the ground, breaking apart. Tears pour down my face as I think about all the pain I've caused — to others, to Olivia.

The cheering around me feels distant until I look up — Voldemort is gone.

I stand, a small smile breaking through the storm in my chest.

Then a weak voice breaks the moment: "D-Draco..."

My smile fades.

It's Olivia, lying on the ground, helpless. Potter kneels beside her, but I'm already rushing over.

"No, no, no," I sob, pulling her into my arms. "Olivia, don't you dare give up on me now," I whisper, clutching her close. She smiles weakly, cupping my cheek. "Draco... I love you."

"You knew," I choke out. "You knew you had to do it. Why didn't you tell me?" She chuckles softly. "You would've stopped me." I shake my head, tears blurring my vision. "Damn you, Montgomery. You should've been in Slytherin. I'd have taught you how to be selfish."

She sighs and grows weaker.

"No, no, Olivia. Come on, please. Fight for me. We still have to graduate, get married, have kids — start our lives. Please don't leave me." My mother kneels beside me, her voice trembling. "Draco, you fought so bravely. I love you. Be good. Take care of your parents. Graduate and start your life — even if it's with someone else..."

I pull Olivia closer to my face. "No. You promised me. You said forever. This isn't forever. You always keep your promises. I've lost you too many times already. Not today. Not again. Not ever."

She looks at the others and smiles faintly. "Sometimes, things don't go as planned."

"So... I guess this is forever, Draco."

She leans in for a kiss.

I press my lips to hers, savoring that softness, that warmth — the same as the first time we kissed. Even wounded, even fading, the taste of her is unchanged.

But then her lips stop moving. Her body goes limp in my arms. Her hands hang loose, her head falls back, her eyes close — a peaceful smile on her face.

"NOOOOOOO!" I scream, clutching her close. I bury my face in her neck and cry, the love of my life gone, and I am left shattered.

Maybe one day we will find that place where you and I could be together. And we'll catch our dreams within the waves of change. So, smile for me, one last time and believe that we'll be meeting again. Until then, I'll be missing you.

(Quote credit – r. m. drake)