Disclaimer: NO, I don't own any Harry Potter characters of any kind. NO, I don't own the song, "Perfect" by Simple Plan. (*Do any of us own anything?*)

Perfect

Happiness was shot. It was as if all the joy had been sucked out of him. There weren't any dementors, no. This feeling of despair was real.
Draco Malfoy was sad; depressed. He felt his life meant nothing; he had failed at life itself. Everything that he had been taught growing up was now being questioned. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. His identity was taking a beating; not knowing who you are is painful.
In his sixth year at Hogwarts, the Dark Lord came back once again, this time at full strength. He was seeking revenge on two this time: Harry Potter and Dumbledore. Draco had been supporting the Dark Lord at that point. He was still hateful towards the infamous Harry Potter for landing Draco's father, Lucius, in Azkaban their fifth year.
The war broke out and continued on through the summer. At that time, all the deatheaters had been called to the Dark Lord's side and those stuck in Azkaban escaped. Draco had been asked by Lord Voldemort and his father to join them, become a deatheater. It was early even, but the Dark Lord wanted to make an exception for the young Malfoy. Oh, how happy his father had liked that.
Draco had agreed, he didn't know what else he could do. So, he followed his father's footsteps as he led Draco into the darkness.
Then that one night changed everything.
Draco had gone out with Voldemort and his few "inner-circle" deatheaters. He was sixteen. The smug, oily night's sky spread for as far as the eye could see. It was crisp and the icy breeze pushed back the hazy clouds, one by one, the silver stars appeared in the sky.
It was the perfect night for a raid around London. This wasn't an ordinary raid, though. This particular raid was all business. The Dark Lord had big plans, and who he would think to show up to try and stop him but little Harry Potter.
Draco could remember that Harry had brought reinforcements. Quite an army actually. A lot of people he recognized from school. And of course, Dumbledore. Draco had been sure Dumbledore had known it was him, even behind the deatheater mask. Then there was talking between Voldemort and Dumbledore, then arguing between Voldemort and Harry, then there had been a flash of green light. And war broke loose.
Draco had gone and fought against some to his classmates, even Snape, head of Slytherin House, was fighting against the Dark Lord.
Draco started to wonder if he was on the right side. Lucius ordered Draco to keep fighting, though. He tried to oblige. Draco couldn't stop the feeling of dread in his stomach when he watched two students from Hogwarts fall to the ground by the Cruciatious Curse. It was sickening.

* Hey dad look at me/ Think back and talk to me/ Did I grow up according to plan?*

Draco was trembling then. He had known those people and he was on the side that was trying to kill them. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill anyone. He didn't even want to hurt anyone. He couldn't.
BANG! Draco flew into the air, landing on his back. He quickly got to his feet, wand at the ready. And then his blue-gray eyes were looking into green eyes behind glass. Draco froze for a moment.
"Potter," Draco said, sneering.
"Malfoy?" Harry's voice inclined that it was a question, as if he didn't believe it was him.
"That'd be me," Draco replied.
"I don't believe you," Harry said, shaking his head. "Well, I guess there's no changing a daddy's boy like you, especially now that he's out of Azkaban, huh?"
Draco didn't answer. He didn't even hear what Harry had said.He was too busy watching a figure dueling with a deatheater, clearly on Harry's side.
"Mother?" Draco yelled as she stunned the deateater and headed towards him and Harry.
"Draco," Narcissa Malfoy said.
"What are you doing?" Draco was shocked.

* And do you think I'm wasting my time/ Doing things I wanna do?/ But it hurts when you disapprove all along.*

"Fighting deatheaters, what does it look like she was doing, Malfoy?" Harry said sarcastically. Narcissa looked over at Harry and smiled.
"Draco, you might not understand right now, but I just don't want to follow the Dark Lord anymore. He has big plans, I know, but everything he promised you might not come true. It's too dangerous to stay on his side. Draco, fight for the right side, please. Come onto the lighter side with me." Narcissa stared at Draco with pleading eyes.
Draco looked at Harry, who just smiled and said," Yeah Malfoy, you could help out a lot."
Draco looked around him. It had started raining and thundering. Wizards, students, deatheaters all stood around him fighting. Bodies lay on the ground, raindrops falling into the blood puddles. This was war. And he needed to be on the right side, the side worth fighting for.

* And now I try to make it/ I just want to make you proud. *

"Alright. I'm on your side," Draco said.
After all, his mother would be on that side. And she was something worth fighting for. She had always loved Draco more than Lucius ever did. He never had a chance to show her he loved her back. He had always been too busy trying to impress his father. Now was his chance to show her.
Draco was a mama's boy.
Harry split from them and started fighting again. As did Mrs. Malfoy and soon after, Draco. Draco was standing side-by-side with Harry when he heard a scream near him. Harry heard it too. The two boys swirled around to see Lucius standing over a girl who was under the Cruciatious Curse. Draco couldn't quite see the girl's face, but realized who it was when Harry shouted to her.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled.
Realization turned to shock when Harry called to her. Granger.
Harry looked over his shoulder at the deatheater coming towards him. Bellatrix Lestrange. She had killed Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, the previous year.
"Draco, could you take care of your father?" Harry asked, a gleam of malice in his eyes as he watched Lestrange coming closer.
Draco didn't question his expression.
"Don't worry. I can handle him." Draco drawled.

* I'm never gonna be good enough for you/ I can't pretend that I'm all right. *

And Harry nodded, and then was off. Draco followed suit, and was off too.
Draco could hear Hermione's screams as he neared his father's back. Then, he heard "AVADA-"Draco quickly reacted. Pointing his wand directly at Lucius's back, he bellowed, "Expelliarmas!"
A light blasted Lucius into the air and Hermione seized her advantage to get up and retrieve her wand which was lying on the ground.
"Draco, what do you think you're doing?" Lucius spat.

* And you can't change me.*

Draco just stood and smiled.
"Fighting for the right side."

* 'Cause we lost if all/ nothing lasts forever/ I'm sorry I can't be perfect/ now it's just too late/ and we can't go back/ I'm sorry I can't be perfect. *