When?
August 7, 2003
Angelkatt
post-OotP fic
Summary: Harry knows his future in all its cliche glory, and he also knows the answer to the important question of 'When?'.
Pairing: implied Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Harry?
In my sixth year, I'll stumble through classes, not really paying attention to what goes on around me because I'll have more important things to think about. I'll still be regarded as the famous Boy Who Lived and people will be cautious around me, but I'll go on as I always do. Later in the year, the war will heighten and people we know will start dying. Everyone will be extra sensitive to children of Aurors and ministry workers. The teachers will do their best to shield us and the ministry will do its best to justify their actions, but nothing will comfort the families. At the end of the year, I'll be heroic and help uncover a plot to siege Hogwarts. I won't smile. Then I'll go back to the Dursleys for an unbearable summer.
In my seventh year, Ron and Hermione will finally get together and although I'll be happy for them, I'll be left in the cold. Girls will want me to protect them and boys will claim they can make me stronger, but I won't want any of them. Malfoy and I will have a grand showdown in which we'll both realize the energy we use on our hate would be better used for meaningless sex and we will have a truce. The war will become more intense as teachers are needed to fight. Upper year students will soon be asked to join in the cause and by the middle of the year, half our graduating class will be dead.
I'll be the leader of the students fighting in the war because that is what everyone will assume. I'll play the role, even if I hate every moment of it. Soon, I'll get used to leading friends to their end and accept that those who fall behind are to be left behind. Ron will unfortunately be one of those who don't return and Hermione, in her hysteria, will blame me. By that time, I'll be so used to the blood on my hands that her accusations will not affect me.
One no-so-special day on the field I'll be sending curses to Death Eaters when He will appear. We will be forced into a secluded clearing on a high cliff and have our historic final battle. He'll taunt me about my childishness and how he slowly killed Malfoy, like it would affect me in some deep way, and I'll calmly taunt back. After a few curses he'll point his wand at me and say Avada Kedavra. There will be a familiar green light and when my vision returns, I'll see him crumpled on the ground, dead. I'll realize that I had also said the words of the curse, but a fraction of a second before he did. When I'm sure that he is truly dead, I'll not show any emotion on my face. I'll hear fireworks and cheers, indicating the Death Eaters could tell they no longer had a leader and surrendered to save what was left of their pathetic lives. In shock and confusion about it finally being over, I'll stumble a few steps backwards. I'll lose my footing and fall off the edge of the cliff towards the rushing waters beneath.
I'm gone when I hit the cold, and that's when it'll be. That's when I'll smile again, because that's when I'll see you again.