To Save A Life

This is bases in sixth year but Draco doesn't have to kill Dumbledore.

"Harry! He's going up the stairs!" Neville shouted to Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Luna through the chaos of the battle.

The six looked up to the staircase that led to the astronomy tower to see Draco Malfoy walking up them.

"Let's go!" Ron yelled.

The six ran over to the stairs and started climbing. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had made it ten stairs up when they realized they weren't being followed. They tilurned around to see their friends at the bottom of the stairs. Luna and Ginny were trying to walk through some sort of invisible barrier while Neville was facing the battle, blocking any spells that randomly came their way.

"Are you coming?" Ron asked.

"We can't. There's something in the way. Its a ward. It only let you three through," Ginny said.

"What?" Harry said, confused.

"Go!" Luna exclaimed, "Go help him. We all know he's being forced to do something. You three can help, you can proceed forward."

They nodded and ran up the rest of the way while Luna and Ginny turned to fight alongside Neville.

When the golden trio got to the top they spotted Malfoy standing in the entrance way to the balcony. He had his back to them and his shoulders were trembling.

They walked forward until Ron was stopped.

"There's another ward!" He said.

Harry reached his hand out and it was stopped. Hermione didn't even bother trying. Malfoy was right behind her in all her classes so his magic was impenetrable.

"Lovely night tonight, isn't it?" Malfoy asked, his voice hoarse as though he had been crying.

He turned around and walked forward until he was a couple feet away from the barrier that separated them. He looked down quickly, but the trio were able to see his red eyes. He had been crying.

"Malfoy, what's wrong?" Ron asked firmly, but in a gentle way. They all knew Malfoy was being forced to do something horrible and by his crying, it was clear he didn't want to.

Malfoy slowly rolled up his left sleeve to reveal a dark mark, "I have to kill..."

"What? No! They can't make you do that," Hermione said.

Malfoy sighed and met Harry's eyes, "They can. Blaise, Theo, Pansy, Daphne, Astoria," he said before switching his gaze to Ron's eyes, "Crabbe, Goyle, Mum." His voice cracked.

He took a deep breath and looked back to Harry then Ron. He kept switching his gaze between them, not sparing Hermione even a glance.

"All tied up and ready to be killed. Either I take one life, or they take eight," Malfoy breathed out before looking at the ground.

"Who do you have to kill?" Harry asked softly.

"The one I love the most," Malfoy whispered.

"Who is it Malfoy?" Harry asked in the safe soft tone.

Malfoy look up at Harry and Ron, "I'm so sorry Harry, Ron. I don't want to. I don't even think I can but they'll kill the others. They're the only people I have."

"Us?" Ron said surprised.

Something clicked inside Hermione's brain.

"No," Hermione said out loud.

Harry and Ron looked at her questioningly. Hermione took Harry's wrsit and placed his palm against the ward. It wouldn't go through. She left his hand there and did the same with Ron's hand. It also wouldn't go through. She slowly raised her shaking hand up to the barrier. It went through to the other side.

"He has to kill me," She whispered.

"What? No, he can't!" Harry and Ron exclaimed outraged.

"He has to or they'll kill everyone else he loves," Hermione slowly.

Ignoring Harry and Ron's protests, she stepped through the barrier to the other side. She walked in front of Draco so they were standing sideways to Harry and Ron. She placed herself a little over arms reach away.

"Do it, kill me." She said.

Malfoy raised his wand and pointed it at her. He was about to kill the love of his life. The one he had loved since third year. The one he had to be rude to to keep her safe from his father. Hadn't he pained her enough? And now he had to kill her. He couldn't do it.

Malfoy opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. He closed his mouth and lowered his arm, dropping his wand.

A voice was heard below calling 'Retreat' and moments later death eaters could be seen flying away. Luna's voice was also heard calling out, "The wards gone. We can go up now. Come on."

Footsteps were heard coming up.

"Malfoy, you have to kill me," Hermione said standing close to him. She picked up his wand and threw hers towards the barrier so it landed on the other side.

"Kill me," she whispered as the first few people entered the astronomy tower. They stood next to Ron and Harry not trying to pass through as the ward was now a visible pink.

"I-I can't," he choked out.

"Fine then," Hermione said.

Harry's eyes widened as he realized what Hermione was going to do. She was Hermione Granger and would gladly give her life to save others.

Hermione put Draco's wand in her robe pocket. More people had arrived but no one noticed. She cupped her hands on Draco's face, forcing him to look at her in the eyes.

Without thinking about what she was doing, Hermione gently pressed her lips to his. Draco responded immediately. The kiss was soft but passionate and both put everything they were feeling into it. It barely lasted ten seconds before Hermione pulled away, not wanting to get to attached.

By now, everyone had arrived and were wearing shocked faces. They had just witnessed Hermione willingly kiss a Slytherin.

Hermione stepped far away from Draco and pulled out his wand. She looked at the crowd of people, tears in her eyes.

"Hermione," Harry said, "Please don't."

"Don't what?" Ginny asked, her voice laced with fear.

"Good bye," Hermione whispered before looking at Draco, "I love you," she said in a quiet voice that pierced the silence.

Draco seemed to have realized what was happening and tried to move but found that he was in a full-body-bind jinx, "Hermione. Please no. You can't."

Hermione gave him a weak smile before letting her tears fall and whispering the two words that would haunt Draco until he died, "Avada Kedavra."

When Hermione's body hit the floor, that's when Draco broke. The jinx was gone and he fell to his knees, leaning over Hermione's body. His wards Gabe down in an instant and Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville ran over.

"Hermione! No please. No, you can't be gone." Draco said, holding her shoulders, "Please."

Hermione was unresponsive, as she was dead. She had killed herself with Draco's wand to complete his task and save his friends.

"I love you too," He whispered quietly, but once again was heard through the silence.

The next day Draco's Malfoy's body was found. He had hung himself in the astronomy tower, over the exact spot where Hermione had died. And even in the afterlife, Hermione's words continue to haunt him.