Choices

Valerie led her brother running down the hallway of a destroyed Hogwarts, jumping over fallen debris and turning her face away from the awful sight of dead bodies littering the floor. Many were only children, first years that had been helpless in the face of experienced Death Eaters. Valerie looked away and concentrated on her mission—getting her brother out of Hogwarts alive. This wasn’t a task that the Dark Lord had given her but her parents who were frantic with worry over him. Unable to go looking for Draco themselves with You-Know-Who keeping a close watch on them it had been left to Valerie to find and get him out in one piece.

She had arrived only minutes later, climbing through a hole that had been blasted through the side of the beloved school. Valerie had found Draco slumped on the floor beside the closing door of the Room of Requirement but mercifully still alive and breathing. Passing the running Golden Trio she shouted her thanks when she figured out that they had saved her brother.

“Come on Draco,” Valerie said to her stunned brother. “I’m getting you out of here.”

Putting her shoulder under his arm she managed to lift him up as the sound of dueling echoed around them.

“I can walk,” Draco brushed her concern away, determination back in the eyes that mirrored her own.

“Alright. Keep up little brother,” she gave him an affectionate hug to show how happy she was that he was unscratched and they ran down the hall in the same direction that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had just taken.

A deafening explosion coming from ahead rocked the sprinting siblings but they managed to stay on their feet as they rounded the corner. Valerie’s heart stopped beating and her legs gave out. Only thanks to Draco’s reflexive grasp around her middle did she not fall onto the ground. A chocked cry of denial spilled from her dry lips when her eyes locked on two redheads in the middle of ruble weeping over a familiar third figure.

“George,” she croaked out as tears fell down her face. She buried her face in the arms of her brother as despair washed over her.

George was dead!

The man that she had pushed away and not seen in months was gone. And she had never told him the truth...that ever moment apart was unbearable…that each breath she took was in the hopes of one day being reunited with him…that her heart would always be his…that she loved him.

“No! Fred!” screamed Percy holding on to the twin’s body. It took a few minutes for his words to sink in but when it did she studied the fallen body closely. Percy was right, it was Fred not George. The all-consuming agony receded a little as she pulled herself together. George was still alive and well but the pain of the death of Fred stayed with her. Fred had been a good man and Valerie knew that his death might well push George over the edge of his sanity.

Valerie found herself moving to the huddled group and when a Death Eater saw them and raised his wand to hurt them further Valerie just acted.

“Stupefy!” Valerie yelled stunning the Death Eater. He wasn’t alone though and soon the deserted hallway was crawling with minions of the Dark Lord. “Take shelter!”

Hermione grabbed a distraught Ron and pulled him away to safety while he resisted every step, needing to avenge his brother.

“Come Percy, there is nothing you can do for him!” Harry told Percy, aguish in his voice.

“No! I am not leaving him,” Percy swore.

Valerie grabbed Fred’s dead weight and when Percy saw what she was doing he helped her carry his body. As they moved into a notch in the side of the hall for safety Valerie spotted Draco helping Harry cover their retreat. Slamming into the wall because of the weight of the body Valerie closed her eyes, unable to look at the dead body of Fred because it made her think of George this way. She felt rather than saw Draco and Harry join them in the protective corner as spells buzzed around them.

“Valerie we have to go,” Draco said to her.

“I…” Valerie opened her eyes and the composure in her brother’s face made her racing heartbeat calm and the scream of horror she wanted to let out at the unfairness of it all fade.

“Come on,” Draco ignored the shocked people that were wondering why they had helped them and tugged at her hand.

Valerie let Harry take hold of Fred’s body and turned to Percy, “Tell George that I am so sorry…tell him I lo—just tell him I am with him.”

Percy gave a tight nod and Valerie let her brother take her away from the carnage. They ran and dodged spells for what seemed like miles before they found a place to hide. They stayed there, not knowing who was friend and who was foe anymore. Clutching each other Valerie let her sadness at Fred’s death out and cried in her brother’s arm as he comforted her. Soon the battle died down and Voldemort’s chilling voice invaded their minds and told Harry Potter to meet him in the Forbidden Forest. Draco helped her stand and they walk swiftly towards the exit of Hogwarts, their only plan was to get to their parents.

Valerie froze when they neared the Great Hall and she saw the dead laid out there but it was the sight of George by his brother’s head trembling in misery that had her clutching the side of the doorway. She wanted to run to him and gather him into her arms, kiss the torment away and tell him everything was going to be okay.

But it wasn’t…and it was not her place to offer him her support.

She looked at the Weasley family gathered around George, all consumed by their loss.

Valerie didn’t belong there…didn’t belong with George.

Valerie lowered her eyes when Percy looked up to see her. Embarrassed she took a few steps away from the scene of devastation and clasped Draco’s hand for support. When she was strong enough to look back, it was to collide with George’s dimmed brown eyes.

“Go to him,” Draco whispered into her ear. Percy was also talking to George and Valerie guessed it was to convey the words she had asked him to deliver to George.

“What?” Valerie tore her eyes from her shattered lover to find that Draco was serious. She knew in that moment that her brother had guessed her feelings for George and the fact that he wasn’t standing between them and was encouraging her meant the world to her.

Draco didn’t need to tell her twice as he promised to meet her later in the courtyard. She strolled hesitantly towards George who had gotten up.

Valerie stopped an arm’s length away from him, “George…I am so sorry. I—.”

He staggered into her arms and she hugged him tightly as his depression poured out of him. Valerie thought that his family would be infuriated by her presence and not welcome her presence there. Her blond hair spoke of her Malfoy name after all and her sleeve had torn during the night and her Dark Mark was there for them to see. The Weasleys took one look at their son and brother holding her like a life support and let her stay. Valerie led George to a bench and held him, whispering soothing words to him while running her hand up and down his back. She joined his sorrow and just let him take what strength she had. Hours must have passed but she didn’t feel time move, her whole focus centered on George.

It was like they had never been apart and all was forgiven between them…and then reality set in once more.

An upheaval in the courtyard drew everyone outside and Valerie left George beside his family as she picked her way to Draco’s side. They watched along with everyone as Voldemort and hundreds of his Death Eaters marched triumphantly into the courtyard dragging Hagrid by ropes tied at his neck.

Hagrid was carrying Harry Potter’s motionless body.

Ginny Weasley screamed and would have rushed forward if her father hadn’t restrained her. A hush fell over those assembled as Voldemort gloated in his triumph.

It was all over.

Voldemort asked the defeated to join him. No one moved.

“Draco. Valerie,” hissed their father. “Come here.”

Draco didn’t move until their mother beckoned with her hand. He walk rigidly across the courtyard, bearing the honor of Voldemort’s hug.

“Valerie,” her father prompted. Valerie glanced over at George who was standing tall next to his family and friends even after all that he had suffered. He was so loyal and brave and funny and everything she wanted in a man…and she loved him.

Valerie truly belonged with him.

Her legs moved yet it wasn’t to Voldemort but to George that she went. It was a straight line to George’s side, the shortest and most meaningful walk of her life. George turned his head as she slipped her hands in his hand.

“I love you George,” she declared, uncaring of everyone else around them: not his family or hers, not their friends, not even the Death Eaters, and especially not Voldemort.

“I love you Valerie.” George lowered his head and kissed her. It was a kiss that spoke of love and hope but most importantly it spoke of the choices that she had made to bring them to this point…the freedom of choosing that Voldemort wanted to take from all to replace with tyranny. George and Valerie turned back as one to face the consequences of their love. Valerie was finally where she was meant to be and if she had to die today because of that choice than so be it, at least she died at George’s side.

His family moved closer to them, surrounding them in protection and silent support. Valerie’s parents faintly bowed their heads in acceptance at her decision. Then all hell broke loose as Harry Potter suddenly tumbled from Hagrid’s arms and in a smooth motion rolled to his feet and broke out into a dead run.

“He’s alive!” someone cheered as Voldemort’s face betrayed a hint of fear.

The light still had their champion and all knew deep in their hearts that the end of the Dark Lord was near. Some Death Eaters fled, including Valerie’s family but some stayed to fight until the end.

And when Voldemort was finally destroyed for good, George and Valerie chose to be married that day in honor of what everyone had been fighting for… the chance for a future with loved ones.