Spike stumbled back from Voldemort, hands clutching the chair leg sticking out of his stomach. He tugged on the wood but it barely moved, it was wedged between the ribs near his spine... and directly beneath his heart.

Red light filled the room and, looking up from his wound, the vampire saw his mate was awake – awake and surrounded by a blood red glow. He really didn't need the tingle at the back of head– his 'oh-shit-o-meter' – to tell him something nasty was about to happen, Harry's face sort of said it all.

Everyone else in the room stopped fighting and backed up against the edges of the room; so afraid of the diminutive teen that they paid no mind to the enemies standing near them, equally immobile.

Voldemort turned his back on Spike to face Harry but the blonde found himself unable to take advantage of that fact, too entranced by the graceful destruction embodied in his mate.

Killing curse green light leaked from the edges of Harry's eyes, the color bright even behind the red glow and the Gryffindor's sneering mouth exposed delicate fangs sliding into place over his eyeteeth.

The red shield around Harry engulfed the Dark Lord just as Spike felt several of their vampiric allies run down the stairs and were also struck motionless by the ensuing tableau.

Harry snarled – that monstrous, lion-like sound that all vampires could make in times of stress – and Voldemort...

... shattered.

A deafening sound rocked the room... as if the world had broken... and the Dark Lord shattered into pieces so small that there was no evidence he had ever been.

The red glow around Harry faded and after a moment his eyes returned to normal.

"William," the teen whispered before his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed.

Spike leapt forward – or tried to, rather – but Angel got to Harry first, just in time to protect both Gryffindor and unborn child from the impact.

The blonde nodded his thanks to the older man.

An Asian looking vampire jogged down the stone steps, "Master Spike."

Grimacing and still plucking at the stake Spike turned, "Yes, Childe."

The vampire seemed shocked at the title for a second before blanking his face and Spike held back his own tired smirk. The exotic vampire was the favored Childe of the Head of the Chalcean Order and by referring to him as Spike would his own Childe was making a proclamation of loyalty and protection. It was an honor to the Chalcean Order and something that would go a long way toward cementing his ties among the other Masters. Of course he would now have to make sure the vamp didn't get dusted under the blonde's watch.

"We have found captives above and have nearly all of the Death Eaters in custody."

Spike glanced over at the few Dark Wizards in the round chamber now being herded up the stairs, and then over to his pale mate cradled in his Sire's arms.

"Take the captives outside and turn them over to the Aurors," Spike growled the last word, disgusted that the Wizarding police force had been all too happy to have the vampires be the ones to take the castle. "After that, kill the Death Eaters."

The oriental vamp merely nodded and jogged back up the stairs, ignoring the spluttering Amelia Bones.

"You can't do that," she screeched.

Spike paid no attention to the woman and asked Dumbledore to summon the Medi-team waiting on the grounds above them before moving closer to his mate and running his fingers through chestnut locks. The feeling of relief that poured through him was so profound that he nearly collapsed against his Sire.

Bones stalked across the room to face the blonde.

"Did you hear me Vampire? You can't just summarily execute these people! There must be a trial–"

Spike's growl cut through the woman's tirade and she backed away from him so quickly that she stumbled.

"You forget your place, Madame Bones. I allowed you Wizards to come along out of courtesy but this is a Vampire matter and it will be handled as I see fit. The Death Eaters are a danger to my mate and to my child as long as they live – so they will not live."

Spike knew his expression was vicious and he made sure to meet the eyes of all three Wizards in the room. While Bones looked angry and shocked, Dumbledore was disapproving but resigned while Snape actually looked... giddy.

He half expected Buffy or Red to protest but the pair stayed silent. He glanced their way as the Medi-team finally bustled down the stairs and they had identical stony expressions. He supposed they might not totally agree with his methods but both women had lost too much to argue with anyone trying to protect a loved one.

"Gentlemen, Mister Potter seems to be fine for the most part but he is suffering from sever exhaustion and mild toxemia. I need to get him back to the school to treat him properly."

Spike nodded, "Sire–"

"I'll go with Harry," Angel volunteered so the blonde wouldn't have to ask. "You have things to finish up. Besides, I doubt he'll be wake up any time soon."

Pomphrey clucked in disapproval when she glanced over and caught sight of the stake.

Spike's eyes widened when the woman slapped his hands away and examined the wound. Huffing disgustedly, the annoyed nurse reached into the bag hanging from her shoulder and pulled out a blue rubber glove. Slipping the glove onto her right hand, she tapped it with the wand in her left.

"This may feel a little strange."

Spike braced himself, unsure of exactly what was about to happen.

The nurse grabbed the offending piece of wood and pulled...

The stake came out and Spike didn't feel anything but a slight tingle. There was no pulling, scraping or tearing; it just slid out.

"How did you do that," he asked, amazed.

"It's magic, my dear," she replied loftily as she dropped the stake in a metal tray thoughtfully provided by one of the Medi-team members. The nurse pulled off the gloved ad dropped it in the tray as well. The girl holding the tray promptly moved away and, after placing the tray on the stone floor, used her wand to set the items on fire.

"Purely a precaution," the girl said after catching sight of Spike's puzzled face.

The blonde shook his head and decided he really didn't want to know how the nurse had pulled out the wood wedged between his ribs and ridiculously close to his heart without any physical effort and without a stray splinter turning him to dust.

After Pomphrey cast a few spells to augment his own impressive vampiric healing, the nurse and her team disappeared in a swirl of magic with Harry, Angel, and Willow.

"Right," Spike said, clapping his hands together, "let's finish this up, shall we."

Six days later, on New Year's Eve, Harry finally started to wake up.

Spike leaned over his mate happily and purred when he first heard the teen's heart rate increase.

"Will?" Harry's voice was a low rumble that made the vampire's eyes turn gold with desire.

"Yes Luv. How do you feel?"

Harry smacked his lips together, nose wrinkling and eyes clamped firmly shut. "Fuzzy," he finally answered.

"To be expected Luv."

Harry lay still and Spike ran gentle fingers softly over his mate's chest.

After a few more minutes of silence Harry barely opened a single eye, "Did Voldemort really kidnap me?"

Spike grinned, "Yes Luv."

"And did I really blow him up?"

"Damn right you did."

"Oh... I guess that's kinda neat."

Harry closed his eye again and fell silent.

"Are you sure you're all right with that Harry?"

The brunette frowned, "Yeah. It was gonna happen sooner or later anyway. I'm just glad you and Lilith are alright."

Spike felt his eyes go wide, "Lilith?"

"The baby."

"The baby's name is Lilith?"

Harry yawned. "Yeah. She told me it fit since she's the first half-vamp, half-witch."

"Really."

"Yup. She wants you to pick out her middle name tho'."

Spike's voice cracked, "Really."

Harry hummed his assent. "'m sleepy."

The blonde shook his head in amazement and climbed into the hospital bed with the sleeping teen. Cradling his mate tightly against him the vampire fell asleep whispering, "Harry New Year Luv."