A Vow I Could Not Break

Summary: SHORT One-shot But it was a vow I could not break; A mistake I knew I had to make; I knew the price that had to be paid; But god, I wish he could be saved HBP Spoiler Warnings

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, lets just say things would be different.

I had to remain hidden. If I showed my face just once- if my whereabouts became know then I would be as good as dead. There were plenty of people wishing me dead. That damn Potter made it explicitly clear what he thought of his ex-professor that night. The night of the Flight of the Prince. The night that, I, Severus Snape became a murderer. And I bet you anything there all sitting in a room, drowning in their hatred for me because I, the slimy, former Slytherin Bastard, Dumbledore had only been a fool enough trust, had killed him. A mentor, a friend, and teacher. Glorious, wonderful Dumbledore. And I could kill myself for doing it…

But it was a vow I could not break

A mistake I knew I had to make

I knew the price that had to be paid

But god, I wish he could be saved

I knew, I knew the moment I said those words I would regret them for the rest of my life. And his face, as he stared at me, weak from a battle I could not prevent, begging me, even as I sent the curse that would end his life, still haunted me. It ripped me it two. I tore myself into little pieces, yelling at myself, asking why I had betrayed the man when he had only given me kindness. And the answer to that question: to save my own skin, was one. The second was something completely different. I had felt a strange need to protect that boy. The boy that loved his family even if they may have never loved him back and had given him only pain. That boy had something I could only dream of having. Something I wish I had given to my mother and father. A blood-betrayer and a muggle but they were my family. He had shown me that no matter the bad you only had one family.

I knew what I was getting myself into, feeling the flames lick my skin that fateful night. I could foresee my life, in the shambles that it is now in. I knew he wouldn't succeed. He wasn't a murder, just a young, lost boy, hoping to save his family. He was scared and weak, but he had pretended to be strong for so long. We all knew he would fail. And so I vowed to protect him and finish his task if it laid cast aside in fear and second-guessing. I didn't expect him to get so far but I knew ultimately he would fail.

No, Draco Malfoy was no murderer. I was. I was a Murderer. I was a Betrayer. I was a Coward. Potter had been right about me all along.

Sorry that it's so short. Despite it's lack in length I enjoyed writing this. I wrote it about ten minutes after I finished HBP, with the tears still fresh in my eyes. As you can tell I still believe Snape is good and oddly enough because he murdered Dumbledore I love his character even more than I used too. I never liked Snape but know I have a lot of respect for him and I like him- wierd. Well I hope you liked it. Untill next time...

-Frozen-Passion-