DEVOTED | dramione ✓

| Thirty-five

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35

O N E

P I E C E

O F T H E

P U Z Z L E

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INSIDE THE STALE BUILDING, they find that new faces have joined them in the apartment. Among the faces of rebels is the scowling face of Neville Longbottom.

"Have a seat, you two," he says, kicking out a chair for one of them to take.

Hermione glances around and sees that Pansy and Blaise are restrained in their own chairs. Gags cover their mouths. Narcissa is no where to be found.

Draco steps in front of Hermione, anger coloring his face in the hearth-lit room.

"What exactly are you doing here, Longbottom? You had orders to stay with Dumbledore," he says, stepping up to the man with such a ferocity that it's a surprise Neville didn't flinch.

Neville looks behind him at his comrades then back at Draco.

"The old man's dead," he says, almost as if the news was made national and they were fools for not knowing. "One of her friends killed him during our last patrol. Huh, you like that, you filthy -"

"- enough!" Remus shouts over the antsy crowd. "That is quite enough bullocks. Now, tell them what is going on, or I will. We have more important matters to deal with at the moment." He backs away, allowing Neville the room to speak.

Neville glares at Hermione.

"You escaped me once, I will not let it happen again. You're coming with me, and we're putting this Death Eater bull shit to a close." He then points at Draco. "You need to head out to your location. It's time."

Hermione looks to Draco, but he keeps his eyes on Neville.

"We've got one shot at this, and then that's it. No pressure," Neville says as he lifts his wand to restrain Hermione.

Draco stops him with his own wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

The wand flies across the room to Draco, landing perfectly in his hand. The room quiets suddenly.

"I can fight you without a wand, Malfoy," Neville threatens. "Give me my wand."

"No," Draco says. "Let Hermione take my place. I will go with you to fight the Dark Lord."

Neville shakes his head, nearly laughing at the notion.

"I want to do this," Hermione says, finally gaining Draco's attention. "It is my fault we're here. I am the only one who knows Tom better than he knows himself. Let me go in and distract him until you can come in, Neville. We will stick with the original plan." Hermione shifts away from Draco.

He must notice because he storms out of the room, leaving everyone else to agree to the terms of the final plan. It is now time for the war to end, once and for all.

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