The next step was going to be easy, they knew where the Horcrux was and could easily sneak in and get it. They knew Hogwarts, it had been their home.
As they got ready to leave, Harry couldn't help but think about Draco. Would he be there? Was he still going to his classes, or was he too busy serving the Dark Lord? He had heard tell from some members of the Order that Snape had taken the role as headmaster, which seemed fitting since The Death Eaters had taken over everything.
"Are you ready to go, Harry?" Hermione asked him.
He nodded but he felt unsure. They were so close it almost seemed beyond the bounds of possibility. He had been fighting this battle for so long it felt almost unattainable. What would it be like to not worry about dying every day?
"Okay," She said, "I'll go grab Ron and we'll apparate to Hogsmeade."
She came back minutes later with Ron, he looked tired. He looked about ready to collapse.
"It's almost over," He said.
They all exchanged one more brief look before Apparating to Hogsmeade. It was desolate. Everyone seemed to have left, shops were closed, streets were empty, and even the shrieking shack had been abandon.
"No use in waiting around now, let's go." Hermione took off toward the castle, they did not know how they would get in. They tried all of the secret entrances that Fred and George had shown them but they were blocked off.
"Main entrance it is," Hermione said.
"Do you really think that's a good idea," Ron asked.
"We don't have another choice." She was right, it was a risk but it was their only option left.
"I have my cloak," Harry said, pulling from Hermione's bag. He let each of them crawl underneath until they were all out of sight.
They got into the school and decided to split up, Hermione and Ron would be checking up on the students, going to Professor McGonagall, while Harry would be going to the Room of Requirments for the Diadem.
Harry took the cloak after some argument about who needed to be safer and he was off to find the last Horcrux.
The room was full of objects, Unknown and unimportant to Harry at that very moment. He looked high and low until he got to the very back of the room.
Draco stood, Diadem in hand, smirking at him.
"Harry, good to see you here," He said.
"Draco, what are you doing? How did you know-"
"How did I know? Well, you and your friends triggered the Caterwauling charm when you entered Hogsmeade. No one is supposed to be there anymore so when someone is, it alerts the Death Eaters to go check it out. Which is why I am here. Along with the others, who are looking for anything else out of ordinary. I suppose they'll find your friends."
"Draco, what are you doing," Harry asked again. He was beginning to not be so glad to see him.
"To collect this," He said holding up the Diadem. "But also to give it to you. Although, I do have to alert The Dark Lord that you are here."
"You really don't have to," Harry began.
"No, I must keep up my reputation. So he knows I'm trustworthy. Tell him you're here, and he can kill you," Draco said.
"Y-you don't want that...Do you?" Harry had never been more confused, he was helping Harry kill Voldemort while also helping Voldemort kill him.
"I don't want to be the one to kill you, but I sure as hell don't mind someone else doing it," Draco said, "You have to understand." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark. "It's only my job, Harry."
"It doesn't have to be this way," Harry managed. He was shaking, the deep ache in his chest was almost too much for him.
"It does. It had to be this way from the beginning." He then mumbled some words to his Dark Mark and apparated out of the room, leaving the diadem on the table.
"No!" Harry yelled at where Draco once had stood. He pulled on his hair in distress. He couldn't believe him.
He got himself together and decided that he couldn't worry about it at that moment. Voldemort would be at the castle any moment if he wasn't already there. He put his cloak back on and left the room, he heard screams from somewhere and begins to run, He had to find Ron and Hermione.
The Battle had begun, he could tell by the screams and the explosions. He kept running through the halls until he found them, also running but in the opposite direction.
He threw the cloak off when he saw them.
"I've got the Diadem," He said, "What's going on?"
"The Death Eaters have entered the castle," Hermione told him. "McGonagall gathered the other teachers and some of the students to help keep them off."
"And Voldemort?"Harry asked.
"We didn't see him," Ron said.
"Well he'll be here any second, we have to go," He handed Hermione the Diadem, she knew what to do to destroy it. He ran in the direction that Ron and Hermione had been running from, throwing the cloak back over himself. When he reached the entrance hall he saw that most of the death eaters had been defeated, there was a group of them near the back of the room, Voldemort stood where Dumbledore had stood every year.
"I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded," Voldemort said.
Harry watched the students faces, they knew they were no match to the Dark Lord.
He threw off his cloak, "Voldemort." Harry pushed his way through the crowd of students.
Voldemort and the other Death Eater laughed at him as he strode confidently up to them.
"This will be all over soon," Voldemort told them.
"Avada Kedavra." There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound.
Harry acted quickly, "Protego, "He shouted. The shield charm kept Voldemorts spell from hitting him. It was then that the Elder Wand flew from Voldemorts hand, the Greenlight going with it, until it was in Harry grasp, going back at Voldemort. There was not even a scream that escaped his mouth, only the collapse of his body.
The next bit was a whirl of confusion. The remaining Death Eaters scattering, the teachers going after them, the students rushing somewhere safe. Harry took off after Draco while all of this was going on. He followed him out of the castle and onto the Quidditch pitch. He called after him but he didn't stop.
"Draco please, It's over."
He followed him into the forbidden forest. He didn't get far before Draco stopped.
Harry caught up to him and Draco swung his fist at him. "Leave me alone, Potter."
"Draco, it's over," Harry said.
"Maybe for you. Not for me. I've still got this thing on my arm," Draco shook as he spoke.
"It doesn't matter, I'll let the ministry know you're innocent, I can tell them what you've done to help me," Harry pleaded.
Draco shook his head, "No, Harry. I'm not innocent. Because there is a lot you don't know."
"What don't I know?" Harry asked. He wanted to know, but he was scared of the answer.
"I killed Dumbledore, Harry. That's not something the ministry will ever forgive, no matter what I did to help you," Draco turned to keep running but Harry grabbed his arm.
"I can help you, we can do this together."
"Harry," Draco started, without turning. "You can't help me. I wouldn't want it anyway. Truth be told, I've always been sort of jealous of you. You're so perfect, everything you do you do with perfection and it's bloody annoying. And I sort of realized earlier last year that I was jealous because I fancied you."
Harry looked at him, Draco still wasn't looking at him. "There was nothing I could ever do about it. I was destined to serve the Dark Lord and now, well. There nowhere for me to go, I'm sorry Harry. This would never work out."
He shook his head and grabbed Draco's hand. He could feel tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
Draco turned toward him, Pulling Harry's whole body to his. He placed his lips on Harry's and held him there for several seconds.
Draco pulled away, "I'll miss you, and maybe one day we'll meet again but for now, It's not safe for me to be here."
Harry kissed him more time, understanding the complications of the situation.
"I'm sorry things aren't different,"
Draco gave him a weak smile before apparating out of his arms and into wherever place he deemed safe. He reckoned that there was a lot Harry didn't know about him, He thought that maybe Draco was fighting a battle with himself about his feelings for him and he hoped that Draco could figure it out.
And as for Harry, he hoped that they did meet up in the future when it was safer for Draco.