Dramione: The Final Battle

"What was the point of all my wishing and hoping if I die and my love dies with me tonight?!" she yelled at him.

For years she had loved the blonde-haired bastard that had made her school years a living hell. For years she had hoped and wished he would love her also. But how could that be when she was just a filthy mudblood to him?

"But I love you, Hermione," he said desperately, needing her to finally know the truth.

As he said this, the hand holding his wand dropped to his side. Her wand arm only dipped slightly.

"You're lying!" she yelled in disbelief, raising her wand to point at his chest once more. "You're just saying that so I won't kill you!"

"You wouldn't kill me," he said softly, taking a few steps towards her.

"Yes I would! And I will if you take another step towards me!" she warned, not looking into his steel grey eyes. For if she did, what little control she had would crumble.

He did not heed the warning, but took another step closer to the curly haired witch who had haunted his dreams and his heart for more years than he cared to admit. He may have called her a mudblood, but the heart which pumped that blood was more pure and true than his ever could be.

"Malfoy, I will kill you if you come any closer!" Hermione said in desperation.

Without even blinking, Draco took another step forward.

Tears that had been threatening to spill over finally did. "Draco," she whispered as she lowered her wand.

Without another thought, he took the final step towards her. Their faces were inches apart as he whispered, "Even if you do not kill me, Hermione, the Dark Lord will, for I have betrayed him. And even if you do kill me, I will die happy, with the knowledge that you have loved me, as I love you."

Hermione leaned forward slightly, her lips mere millimeters from his. She could feel his warm breath on her face as she finally looked into his eyes. Once cold, steel grey eyes were now filled with sincerity and love.

Draco quickly closed that final small gap between them, pressing his lips against hers. This kiss was far better than any that either had dreamed. Sparks flew and the sounds of the raging battle around them died out completely. It was just the two of them in this moment.

After long moments of that shared bliss, they broke apart, breathless.

"I love you, Hermione Granger," he whispered in her ear, his hot breath ghosting over it.

"And I love you, Draco Malfoy," she said in response, kissing his smooth cheek.

"If either of us dies," he said. "At least we die with love in our hearts, something the Dark Lord never had."

And with one last, swift kiss, Draco ran off to help fight the last battle against Voldemort.

~*~

Hours later, Hermione sat in the rubble strewn Great Hall with the other survivors. Molly Weasley had killed Bellatrix Lestrange and Harry had killed Lord Voldemort. The two people Hermione had hated most in the entire wizarding world. Along with the two dark wizards, many Death Eaters had been killed, but also some of her friends. She watched people cry over the bodies of the fallen. As her eyes combed over the bodies of Fred, Lupin, and Tonks, honey brown met steel grey on the other side of the hall.

She hadn't seen Draco after he had left her in that corridor, and she had hoped he would not be one of the fallen.

"Draco," she breathed his name as he breathed hers.

Before either knew what they were really doing, they were racing across the hall to each other.

"You're alive!" they exclaimed  simultaneously before their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss, hands roaming over bodies, checking for injury and simply for the joy of touch.

Not only was the final battle against Voldemort over, but also the battle against each other.