Branded
Draco was trapped in a whirlwind. Tumbling around, out of control, without any idea where he would end up. Most likely, he'd end up dead. Oh, how he cursed his father. He had taken away his freedom of choice long ago. If he wanted to live, he had to obey. Look where that got him. He was in it up to his neck, darkness pressing on him from all angles, suffocating him.
Not much longer than a year ago he had felt sorry for them. The good ones. They were the Dark Lord's enemies, and he was certain that they were going to die before they even graduated from Hogwarts. They had a better chance of survival than he had at this point, he knew that now. One toe out of line. That's all it would take, and he would be gone at the hands of the Dark Lord or at least on his orders.
The mess he was in was so deep, getting out would be like getting out of a maze the size of Europe, with only one exit. He wasn't sure if he really was thankful of Dumbledore and Snape. If they hadn't helped him he would have already been dead. Who knew what Snape had told the Dark Lord to make sure he didn't just kill him right away. Now he was alive and well, but still traped like a rat in a cage. No place to run. The path back to the light side was blocked. Dumbledore had made sure Draco stayed innocent and without blood on his hands. Still, he couldn't go back, if he tried he would be dead. The Dark Lord wouldn't spare a traitor. No where to go, no where to hide.
Draco slumped onto what was currently his bed in the Dark Lord's castle. Hidden deep inside the Black Forest. Sobbing like a little girl, for a moment he felt ashamed, but deep down he didn't really care. Oh, how he wished now that his blood had been less pure. Sure they lived in fear, but most of them would survive this. They would live to be old, have kids, feel happiness. He might live through the war too, only to be a prisoner. He was a criminal, and clearly labeled as such. Branded. His skin tainted by darkness. Sometimes he felt like cutting his arm off. All he wanted was to be free. Free to live, free to love.