Anything with stars (*) around it are a certain person's thoughts...it will become evident who I'm talking about as you begin to read.

Chapter Nineteen - Soul Searching

Make me a witness / Take me out / Out of darkness / Out of doubt.

I won't weigh you down / With good intention / Won't make fire out of clay / Or other inventions.

Will we burn in heaven / Like we do down here / Will the change come / While we're waiting / Everyone is waiting.

And when we're done / Soul searching / As we carried the weight / And died for the cause / Is misery / Made beautiful / Right before our eyes / Will mercy be revealed / Or blind us where we stand.

--"Witness" - Sarah McLachlan

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gods it hurt. Pins and needles were being forced through her body, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Moving was never so painful. Breathing never hurt so much.

Dawn heard Buffy cry out.

*She thinks I'm dead. God, she thinks I'm dead. I should be dead. But I'm not. Buffy! I have to make her notice I'm alive. *

Dawn took a few very shallow, painful breaths - and that's when Ron realized that Dawn was very much alive.

"Look!"

Angel followed Ron's gaze. "Buffy!"

Buffy looked at Dawn - and saw her take a breath. She was breathing. She wasn't dead!

"Oh my god."

*Goddess, make this pain go away...They noticed! Thank God. Don't give up on me Buffy, please. *

"She's alive. She - oh my god." Buffy said, disbelieving.

"That's not possible!" Hermione said. "She's can't be! She's - "

"Not human. My God - the binding spell. It kept her alive." Buffy slung Dawn over her shoulder. "Help me get her to the infirmary." She told Angel.

"Buffy, you're hurt." He said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Then come with me! I'm not sacrificing her! Not again! I'll heal. She could die."

Angel took Dawn from Buffy's arms and headed back to the castle. Buffy followed. Xander put a hand on her arm, but she shook him off. Ron followed close behind them.

"Harry," Hermione said slowly, "Are you alright? Harry?"

"Yeah. Yes, I'm fine. I mean, as fine as I can be."

Hermione put a hand over a cut above his eye. "You're hurt."

"I'll live."

Hermione saw the guilty look in his eyes. "Harry, look at me."

"'Mione - "

Hermione grabbed his chin and forced him to look into her eyes. "Don't you DARE blame yourself for this Harry. This isn't your fault. This isn't anyone's fault but Voldemort's." She put a hand on both of his cheeks. "I love you." She kissed him. "I love you so much. But this isn't your fault." She kissed him again. "Do you hear me?"

Harry nodded. Hermione kissed his forehead, a bit disappointed. "Good."

"They're gone. They all disappeared." Xander said, but he was fighting a smile. Harry failed to see what was so funny.

"But look what we found." Faith said happily.

Willow came out from behind the bushes and held up a rat she was holding by it's tail. The rodent was flailing around madly.

Harry clenched his teeth and glared. "Pettigrew."

Willow smiled evilly. "I smelled a rat. And here he is. All - ratty."

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other. They were both thinking the same thing, but it was Harry who voiced his thoughts.

"Sirius. We can prove he's innocent."

"Yes, that's all fine and dandy, but can we discuss this when I don't have an evil rat in my hands?"

"Oh - right. Umm - why don't you and Professor Harris - "

"Xander." He whispered quickly.

"Right - you and Xander go to see Dumbledore with him." He said the word him with a great deal of malice. "Faith can take Hermione and I to the infirmary.

"Its about time a certain wrong was made right."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*I have to keep breathing. I have to stay alive. But it hurts so much... *

"Professor Summers?"

Buffy looked up at Madame Pomfrey. She was holding Dawn's hand. "Yes?"

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office."

"I don't want to leave Dawn alone." Her voice was quiet and it broke Dawn's heart to hear the fear not so well hidden anymore.

"I'll sit with her."

"Are you sure Ron?"

"Yes."

Buffy brushed her hand over Dawn's cheek and got up. She paused to give Ron a quick hug.

Harry and Hermione were sitting on the bed next to Dawn's. They watched silently as Ron sat down where Buffy had been sitting. He gently kissed her forehead. Harry and Hermione sat down on the other side.

"Hey Dawn. I'm here."

*Hi. I wish I could talk to you. I wish I could see you. *

"Dawn, you have to come back to us. You - you have to come back to me." He held her hand tightly in his and Hermione had to bite back a sob when she saw a tear slide down his cheek. Seven years and she had never seen Ron cry. Harry put his arm around her.

"I love you." Ron said.

*I love you too. * Dawn tried to speak, but it was still too painful, so she resorted to the next best thing -

She squeezed his hand.

"Harry, I think she heard me."

"What?"

"Just now. She squeezed my hand."

Harry moved forward and held Dawn's other hand. Hermione put her arm around his waist.

"Dawn?"

*Harry. You're here too? * She squeezed Harry's hand lightly.

"Dawn, you have to come out of this."

*I want to. But it hurts so much. It's like fire one minute and ice the next. It hurts so much to even breathe. *

"Do it for Buffy." Ron was speaking again. "Do it for all of us." He paused and said quietly, "Do it for me."

Hermione rose out of her chair and went over to Ron. Without speaking, she hugged him, not much unlike a sister would embrace a brother. Harry got up and joined them.

"Guys, don't get all weepy, because then you're going to cry, and then I'm going to cry, and then we're all going to cry, and it'll just be bad."

They pulled away and respectively dried their eyes when they heard Faith enter the room.

"Good news. Professor Dumbledore owled Fudge to come and question Pettigrew with Veritaserum. Sirius should be acquitted of all charges by tomorrow morning. Dumbledore's going to ask Sirius to come here.

Harry nodded.

"You three look exhausted. You should get some rest. Pomfrey's gonna freak when she sees that you're out of bed - you should have heard the lecture she gave Xander, Buffy and me." Faith shook her head and glanced at Dawn. "Hang in there kiddo. Hang on." She gave Ron a half smile and walked out, shutting the door behind her.

Harry and Hermione curled up on the bed next to Dawn's. Ron sat back down in the chair next to her and held her hand. Although they didn't want to, the three of them succumbed to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Harry? Harry, wake up."

Harry groaned as he awakened and fumbled for his glasses on the bedside table. "What's the matter 'Mione?"

"Hermione?" Harry turned around. "It's nice to know that you're mistaking me for your girlfriend." Dawn walked over and sat down next to him. She was wearing a flowing green dress and was barefoot.

She glanced over at the bed - and there she was again, lying down.

"Is this a dream?" Harry asked.

"Sort of. This definitely isn't my head. My thoughts are a little cluttered right now."

"Did you hear everything that we said?"

Dawn nodded. "It's lonely in there. And painful. Like fire and ice. I can't find the strength to come out of it on my own, even though I want to. I want to so much."

Dawn glanced at Ron. "I love him. I love him and I couldn't tell him."

"He knows." Harry brushed a piece of hair out of her face. "He knows."

"The binding saved me. Only breaking the spell can bring me back."

"What do you mean?"

"She has to break the spell. Just tell her that." Dawn kissed Harry on the cheek.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Harry? Harry, wake up."

Harry groggily awakened and his dream came flooding back to him. He sat up slowly. "What happened?"

"Good news. Sirius is free. Pettigrew confessed." Ron and Hermione were standing over him.

Harry smiled. "At least some good has come out of this." He shook his head. "I need to speak with Professor Summers. About the binding spell."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I had a dream and Dawn told me to tell Buffy that she has to break the binding spell for her to wake up. Oh, and Ron," he said, pausing in the doorway, "She loves you."

He disappeared, leaving Hermione to deal with a very upset and confused Ron.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace in her office. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and Angel was kneeling in front of her with his arms around her.

"Profess - Buffy?" Harry said quietly.

"What is it Harry?" He voice was hoarse, almost a whisper.

" I - I had a dream last night. Dawn was in it and - she told me that she loves you and that she wants to come back, but it's too painful to do on her own. The only way for her to wake up is - is for you to break the binding spell."

Buffy was looking at Harry in shock, but she didn't need to think twice. She removed the stone from around her neck and smashed it on the top of her desk. It shattered to pieces. Buffy fell backwards with the impact. She felt whatever part of her that had been bound coursing through her again, and it was enough to make her slightly light-headed.

"Buffy, are you ok?" Angel asked, helping her up.

"Yeah," she said sitting up. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Did it work?" Harry asked.

Buffy shook her head. "I don't know. Now all we can do is wait and see."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dawn's eyes fluttered open slowly. It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the light, and brought a wave of pain to her already splitting head.

Dawn turned her head slightly and saw Ron with his head down on the bed next to her. Carefully, she lifted his hand, clasped in hers, and kissed it.

Ron looked up at her and smiled.

"Hi."

"Dawn - "

"Shh." She put a finger to his lips. "I want to tell you something." Her voice was quiet and shaky.

"What? What is it?"

She took a breath. "I love you too."

Ron smiled and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Thank God you're alright." He said hugging her.

"Of course I'm alright. It was getting lonely in there. I heard your voice and I wanted to respond, but - I couldn't. I wanted to tell you right away, but I couldn't, so I squeezed your hand instead. I wanted you to know I heard. And I love you." Her eyes welled with tears as she pulled Ron over for a hug and a kiss. Ron put a hand on her stomach and -

"Ow! Oh, that's a bitch."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm so achy. Especially there. Why there?"

"That's where the curse hit you."

"Oh."

Ron looked at her awkwardly. "You sure you're okay?"

"Honestly - no. Ron, I'm supposed to be dead right now. But this whole fucking key thing is what's keeping me alive. I could bring the end of the world. Do you know what it's like to have that hanging over your head every minute of every day?"

Ron sighed. "No, I don't. But the world isn't going to end. Voldemort," he grimaced, "isn't going to get the key's power. You're not going to die. You'll heal," he put his hand on her cheek, "and that's all that matters."

Dawn blinked back tears. "I love you."

"I love you too." Ron leaned in to kiss her. Hermione had been watching from the doorway, tearfully, next to Harry and Buffy. She turned around and walked out of the room. Buffy eyed Harry, silently telling him to follow her. She knew exactly what was going through Hermione's head, and it wasn't 'I'm glad Dawn's okay and they're happy.'

Buffy cleared her throat after giving them about two minutes of touchy- feely time. Ron pulled away blushing.

"Thank you for keeping an eye on Dawn for me." She said smirking.

"Umm, you're welcome." He nodded and Buffy nodded back. "Right. I'll - I'll go upstairs now."

Buffy laughed as he left. Dawn sat up and winced.

"Easy there killer. You've had a rough day."

Dawn half-smiled. "So, is this what it's usually like coming back from the dead?"

"Oh yeah. It'll be touch and go for a while."

They both laughed silently.

"God Dawn, you don't know how sorry I am."

"For what?"

"For not getting there in time. I thought you were dead." She felt tears coming again. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

Dawn hugged her. "I'm here now, and that's all that matter."

"I love you." Buffy pulled away. "And it appears I'm not the only one."

Dawn looked surprised.

"What? You think I wouldn't notice? C'mon, it's as obvious as anything. Plus, I overheard you in the doorway. It's okay. You're all grown up now. I have to stop thinking of you as a little kid. You're a woman, a woman in love. You deserve everything you're about to experience."

"But hey, at least Ron isn't a vampire."

"Neither is Angel.

"No anymore." There was a brief pause. "Of course, Ron IS a wizard."

"Quit while you're ahead Dawnie."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry found Hermione out by the lake.

"'Mione?"

Hermione was facing the water. She had her back turned to Harry.

"Hermione."

Hermione was looking tearfully out onto the water.

"Are you okay?"

"Honestly? No, Harry. I'm not okay."

Harry was confused. "But - Dawn's fine. You just saw her. She's awake. She'll be okay."

"They love each other, Harry. At least they both know."

"I don't understand."

"I didn't expect you to." Hermione began to walk off, but Harry grabbed her arm. Her eyes met his and she was only upset further.

"You don't get it, so you?"

"Hermione, I don't - "

"You never said it back Harry!"

Harry mentally slapped himself in the face. He finally understood. Out on the lawn before - she told him she loved him and this whole time, he hadn't said it back.

"Don't you Harry?" Hermione asked softly.

Harry pulled her towards him and kissed her, putting all of himself into it. He wanted to show her how much he really loved her. Love wasn't even the right word. It was something even more then that.

"Hermione Granger, I love you." He pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you more then I could ever express with words." He kissed her again. "I love you." He murmured against her mouth.

She kissed him back. "I love you too."

"Awe, isn't that just sweet? It's like Lily and James all over again. Too bad it'll all end the same way."

Harry pushed Hermione behind him at the sound of that voice. HIS voice.

Voldemort's voice.

"So, I finally get to face you again Mr. Potter."

Harry stood his ground.

"It was fun fighting your friends, even more fun killing that key of yours, "Harry balled his hands into fists, "but I will truly enjoy killing you."

Harry backed up and Hermione saw him mouth one word - 'Run.'

Harry pushed Hermione out of the way and she scrambled to her feet and back to the castle. Three of the Death Eaters ran after her, but Voldemort stopped them. "No. Leave her, She is no threat to us now. She'll die later anyway." He turned back to Harry. "Your slayer friends may have won the battle, but I will win the war. History always repeats itself Harry. And this time, you won't come back."

Voldemort pulled a bloody knife from his robes. Harry knew whose blood it was. He knew it with every fiber of his being.

Voldemort threw the knife to the ground and the lawn was filled with an unearthly green light.

That's when the sky went black and the earth shook.

Dawn and Buffy felt it from their place in the infirmary. Hermione's face only confirmed what they already knew.

"He has the key's power." Buffy said.

"Only my blood can stop it."

Buffy stared at her. "This isn't Glory, Dawn. This is something more powerful and more dangerous. Are you insane? You'll be killed."

"It's the only way Buffy! And don't you DARE!"

Suddenly, Willow's words rang through her head - "One Ritual of Endowment. It's used to transfer the strength of one person or persons into another. It begins with drawing blood from the palm of people with ties to that person. It's a soul spell."

The connections finally registered.

"There is another way." Dawn said. "Get Angel, Willow, Ron, and everyone else involved in the prophecy down to the front of the castle. Now."

Dawn struggled, but was able to find the strength to get up out of bed. Buffy recognized that face. The resolve face. She herself had it so many times.

Buffy went to get the others.

"What exactly do you plan to do?" Hermione asked as she helped Dawn down the stairs.

Dawn's not-so-cryptic answer was, "Give him your strength."

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