"Salvation"
chapter 1
Draco looked around as he dipped the blood from his split lip with a handkerchief. That Weasley had a mean right hook. His mother softly squeezed his hand as a warning and he quickly lowered his gaze towards his knees.
They were completely ignored by the others, as they were too occupied celebrating the Dark Lord’s downfall. He heard McGonagall’s words about freedom and salvation, but Draco was too worried about what was about to come. He felt tears forming in his eyes as he realised that McGonagall’s speech wasn’t meant for him and his parents. Although the Dark Lord was gone forever, the Dark Mark on his arm would always be the mark of his allegiance to him. Draco would always be held responsible for the death and mayhem the Dark Lord had caused. He would be better off in prison, rotting for eternity, as his guilt would slowly consume the tiny bit of goodness that was still present deep inside his heart.
“Need an ice pack for that lip?”
Draco turned his head and looked into the eyes of Potter, who looked battered and bruised, but relieved.
“Er...”
“A Malfoy lost for words,” Potter said. “That’s a first.”
They were completely ignored by the others, as they were too occupied celebrating the Dark Lord’s downfall. He heard McGonagall’s words about freedom and salvation, but Draco was too worried about what was about to come. He felt tears forming in his eyes as he realised that McGonagall’s speech wasn’t meant for him and his parents. Although the Dark Lord was gone forever, the Dark Mark on his arm would always be the mark of his allegiance to him. Draco would always be held responsible for the death and mayhem the Dark Lord had caused. He would be better off in prison, rotting for eternity, as his guilt would slowly consume the tiny bit of goodness that was still present deep inside his heart.
“Need an ice pack for that lip?”
Draco turned his head and looked into the eyes of Potter, who looked battered and bruised, but relieved.
“Er...”
“A Malfoy lost for words,” Potter said. “That’s a first.”
chapter 2
“What is it you that wanted to talk about, Potter?” Draco asked as they walked to an empty classroom, closely followed by several Aurors.
“You can go now,” Harry said politely to the grumpy looking men. “I have a wand and Malfoy doesn’t. I’m in no danger, but thanks anyway.”
The Aurors curtly nodded and left the two boys. Harry closed the door and pointed to a chair. Draco nodded and took a seat. Harry paced up and down and Draco saw the desperation glistering in Harry’s eyes.
“Why, Malfoy?” Harry said. “Why didn’t you say it was me? I know that you recognised me.”
“Does it matter, Potter?” Draco sneered. “You escaped, didn’t you?”
“It matters to me,” Harry said, agitated. “It should have been your moment of glory, handing me over to Voldemort. You would have been rewarded beyond your imagination. Your parents’ honour would have been restored. But you didn’t. Why? Out of cowardice?”
“Don’t call be a coward, Potter! “ Draco spat; a flush appearing on his pale cheeks. “You have no idea what you’re talking about! No fucking idea!”
“Tell me!” Harry roared, grabbing Draco by his collar and started to shake him relentlessly. “Be honest for once!”
“I couldn’t take responsibility for your death, Potter,” Draco whispered, and Harry heard his voice breaking. “I loathe you. I really do. But I never wanted you dead. “
“Even if it meant betraying your precious Dark Lord?” Harry said haughtily, pushing Draco against one of the tables. “I want to know, Malfoy! I need to know! I want to know the reason for this madness! Why did you become a Death Eater? Why?”
“He threatened to kill my parents,” Draco said softly. “But he tricked me. He knew that I couldn’t kill Dumbledore. You have no idea how it feels like having your parents’ lives lying in your hands. Your parents are dead, Potter. You don’t understand.”
“Not understand?!” Harry screamed and tears formed in his eyes. “Do you have any idea how it feels when you witness the people you love being slaughtered like beasts? Or being tortured? All because of me? Every wound, every scream of agony and grief and every last breath, Malfoy, is entirely my responsibility. “
“Everyone is responsible for themselves, Potter,” Draco hissed. “No one expects you to carry the weight of the world, but yourself. Did you really think Granger and Weasley accompanied you only because of you? They love you. Even I can see that. But the main reason for them was to fight for their right to live. For the people they love. To keep fighting against all odds.”
“Don’t pretend that you understand me or my friends, Malfoy,” Harry spat. “Because you don’t!”
“I’ve lost loved ones, too, Potter,” Draco said. “I saw Vincent die before my eyes.”
“Crabbe?” Harry sneered. “He was your bodyguard! A fucking flunky!”
“But still a friend,” Draco said briskly. “Are you done projecting your anger on me?”
“I don’t know!” Harry roared; cheeks flushed with frustration and anger. “Fuck!”
“You’re grieving, Potter,” Draco said, calmly. “Your loved ones are grieving and preoccupied with their own pain and anger. You don’t love me. You only see me as a representation of all the evil you’ve faced, so it’s easy for you to take it out on me. I deserve it, so I’m not blaming you.”
“You’re a Death Eater, Malfoy,” Harry hissed, but the anger in his voice started to falter.
“I am,” Malfoy whispered. “I was. It doesn’t mean that I’m unable to love. I can be hurt, just like you. That makes just as much human as you.”
“You’re sounding wise,” Harry retorted. “But it could be just another dirty trick to hurt me.”
“Why should I, Potter?” Draco said softly. “I have nothing left to lose, except my dignity. The war is over. You’ve won. I lost. The end.”
“I wish it was that simple,” Harry sighed and he laid his face into his hands. “Why don’t I feel like a winner right now?”
“We both have lost people we love,” Draco said. “But we both found something good.”
“Like what?” Harry whispered.
“Hope,” Draco replied. “Hope for a better future.”
“Maybe you’re right, Malfoy,” Harry said. “Wow. I never thought those words would ever leave my mouth.”
“Mr. Potter?”
Harry and Draco turned their heads, and saw one of the Aurors standing in the doorway of the classroom.
“It’s time for the ceremony to honour the death,” the Auror said. “And we have to escort Mr. Malfoy and his parents to Azkaban.”
“Just one question, Potter,” Draco said as he was magically bounded by the Auror. “How did you survive the Death Curse?”
“Long story,” Harry said, stoically.
“Bore me,” Draco whispered. “I have all the time in the world.”
“You can go now,” Harry said politely to the grumpy looking men. “I have a wand and Malfoy doesn’t. I’m in no danger, but thanks anyway.”
The Aurors curtly nodded and left the two boys. Harry closed the door and pointed to a chair. Draco nodded and took a seat. Harry paced up and down and Draco saw the desperation glistering in Harry’s eyes.
“Why, Malfoy?” Harry said. “Why didn’t you say it was me? I know that you recognised me.”
“Does it matter, Potter?” Draco sneered. “You escaped, didn’t you?”
“It matters to me,” Harry said, agitated. “It should have been your moment of glory, handing me over to Voldemort. You would have been rewarded beyond your imagination. Your parents’ honour would have been restored. But you didn’t. Why? Out of cowardice?”
“Don’t call be a coward, Potter! “ Draco spat; a flush appearing on his pale cheeks. “You have no idea what you’re talking about! No fucking idea!”
“Tell me!” Harry roared, grabbing Draco by his collar and started to shake him relentlessly. “Be honest for once!”
“I couldn’t take responsibility for your death, Potter,” Draco whispered, and Harry heard his voice breaking. “I loathe you. I really do. But I never wanted you dead. “
“Even if it meant betraying your precious Dark Lord?” Harry said haughtily, pushing Draco against one of the tables. “I want to know, Malfoy! I need to know! I want to know the reason for this madness! Why did you become a Death Eater? Why?”
“He threatened to kill my parents,” Draco said softly. “But he tricked me. He knew that I couldn’t kill Dumbledore. You have no idea how it feels like having your parents’ lives lying in your hands. Your parents are dead, Potter. You don’t understand.”
“Not understand?!” Harry screamed and tears formed in his eyes. “Do you have any idea how it feels when you witness the people you love being slaughtered like beasts? Or being tortured? All because of me? Every wound, every scream of agony and grief and every last breath, Malfoy, is entirely my responsibility. “
“Everyone is responsible for themselves, Potter,” Draco hissed. “No one expects you to carry the weight of the world, but yourself. Did you really think Granger and Weasley accompanied you only because of you? They love you. Even I can see that. But the main reason for them was to fight for their right to live. For the people they love. To keep fighting against all odds.”
“Don’t pretend that you understand me or my friends, Malfoy,” Harry spat. “Because you don’t!”
“I’ve lost loved ones, too, Potter,” Draco said. “I saw Vincent die before my eyes.”
“Crabbe?” Harry sneered. “He was your bodyguard! A fucking flunky!”
“But still a friend,” Draco said briskly. “Are you done projecting your anger on me?”
“I don’t know!” Harry roared; cheeks flushed with frustration and anger. “Fuck!”
“You’re grieving, Potter,” Draco said, calmly. “Your loved ones are grieving and preoccupied with their own pain and anger. You don’t love me. You only see me as a representation of all the evil you’ve faced, so it’s easy for you to take it out on me. I deserve it, so I’m not blaming you.”
“You’re a Death Eater, Malfoy,” Harry hissed, but the anger in his voice started to falter.
“I am,” Malfoy whispered. “I was. It doesn’t mean that I’m unable to love. I can be hurt, just like you. That makes just as much human as you.”
“You’re sounding wise,” Harry retorted. “But it could be just another dirty trick to hurt me.”
“Why should I, Potter?” Draco said softly. “I have nothing left to lose, except my dignity. The war is over. You’ve won. I lost. The end.”
“I wish it was that simple,” Harry sighed and he laid his face into his hands. “Why don’t I feel like a winner right now?”
“We both have lost people we love,” Draco said. “But we both found something good.”
“Like what?” Harry whispered.
“Hope,” Draco replied. “Hope for a better future.”
“Maybe you’re right, Malfoy,” Harry said. “Wow. I never thought those words would ever leave my mouth.”
“Mr. Potter?”
Harry and Draco turned their heads, and saw one of the Aurors standing in the doorway of the classroom.
“It’s time for the ceremony to honour the death,” the Auror said. “And we have to escort Mr. Malfoy and his parents to Azkaban.”
“Just one question, Potter,” Draco said as he was magically bounded by the Auror. “How did you survive the Death Curse?”
“Long story,” Harry said, stoically.
“Bore me,” Draco whispered. “I have all the time in the world.”