Died and Reborn
Everyone has secrets. Secrets are a part of a human being. Countries' governments have secrets, friends have secrets, and Mona Lisa's smile was a secret. But Draco's secret, it was a secret to beat those all. It could cost him his life. He was fooling the greatest wizard of the era, the most skilled Legilimens of all, the Dark Lord, and Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Considering that Draco Malfoy's father had been a Death Eater since before his birth, it was assumed that Draco was to follow in his footsteps. Lucius Malfoy hated anybody that wasn't a pureblood. He was filthy rich, a smirk always present on his face, and treated house-elves like the dirt beneath his feet. Draco Xavier Malfoy was an exact replica of his vicious father. His favorite subject was Defense Against the Dark Arts, he had followers, and nobody dared cross his path. But that's just what people believed of him. No one had taken the time to find out whether Draco was really so harmful or not. Except for one person, Hermione Granger.
Hermione was the only person in the world who knew his deadly secret. She was a cheeky, know-it-all, but quite sensitive, and as Draco had found out, an excellent listener. And that was exactly who Draco was rushing to see on this crisp April morning. He was incoherently muttering profanities to himself as he hastened down the gloomy passage towards the dungeons that were his home away from home. The Slytherin dormitories were located below the castle, for some odd reason, and it got chilly in the winters, but Draco was always at peace there.
Just this morning, he had found out that Voldemort was planning to reach his last Horcrux, or part of his soul, before Harry Potter could, and crucify the Chosen One when he came along. The Boy Who Lived would not be alive for much longer. Draco had to do his best to inform the Aurors and Order members fighting against Voldemort and his faithful companions, the Death Eaters, that tonight was the night. But the question was who would believe him?
For months now Voldemort had slyly been tracking Harry Potter and found out that he was after the Dark Lord's Horcruxes. Draco had despised Voldemort ever since he had been handed the task of finishing off, in Draco's opinion, the greatest wizard of all time, Albus Dumbledore. At first, living in a house contaminated with the Dark Arts, he had believed Voldemort's intentions to be true and sensible. But now all he thought about was how cruel, unjust, and disgusting, You-Know-Who was. Since then Draco had made it his ultimate goal to turn over a new leaf and help the light side defeat Lord Voldemort. This was where the actual work began.
"So are you sure it's going to be tonight?" she asked, for the umpteenth time. Hermione Granger might be book-smart but sometimes she could be a tiny bit slow.
Frustrated, Draco snapped. "Of course I'm sure. My father is aware of all of His plans."
Seeing the look on her face, he immediately regretted raising his voice. "I'm sorry, it's just that we have a limited amount of time left, and…," he trailed off. Hermione quietly mumbled an "It's okay" and they started to discuss who to notify first. Hermione was going to go to Headmistress McGonagall and ask her to make a school-wide announcement about Voldemort's plans and Draco would make sure to let the news reach Harry Potter, and his trusty side-kick, Ron Weasley. As much as they had taunted each other in the previous years, Harry, Ron, and Draco were making their best efforts to get along for the good cause. Plans were made, letters were written, owls were sent, and everybody was alerted by sunset. The plan was for everyone to be at the ready, and right before Harry and Ron reached the location of the last Horcrux, all of their allies would be Apparating over to them.
"Wand."
"Check."
"Hand of Glory."
"Why are you taking that disgusting thing?"
"Hermione!"
"Fine, check."
"Strengthening Potion."
"Check."
"Cloak."
"Check."
"Umm, I guess that's it."
"Yeah, guess so."
Draco and Hermione were doing a quick run-through of all the things that Draco would need before he Apparated. Hermione had persisted repeatedly that she should get to accompany Draco for the Last Battle, but Draco, being the stubborn Slytherin he was, had decidedly said no. Something about not wanting extra baggage. But Draco knew the real reason; he was falling for her. They shared a quick hug, and Draco took off with a snap. As soon as he left, Hermione felt like following after him, and pleading for him to not go. It wasn't going to be an easy thing, taking on Voldemort. And if the Dark Lord found out that Draco had betrayed him before the battle finished, well… she didn't even want to think about that. But she had a bad feeling, the feeling that something threatening was going to happen.
(At the battle scene)
"How dare you fool the greatest wizard of all!" he bellowed that the blonde boy at his feet.
"You think I did not know? Oh Draco, I expected great things from you, not this, no, not this at all." Voldemort was steaming.
"In fact I don't think you're going to be useful to me anymore. Peter might as well kill you. Or shall I get your father to do the honors? Yes, Locus. Lucius." As Voldemort stated his name Malfoy immediately appeared beside his master.
"Master, you called?" Lucius questioned.
"Yes, Lucius, did you know what dirty deed your son has performed? He is a traitor! No more useful to me, I would like you to Avada this disgusting boy," Voldemort sneered, no trace of forgiveness on his twisted, snake-like features.
"What? Father! You couldn't! No!" Draco cried.
"Draco, I have repeatedly told you, Master comes before my family, he IS my family," Lucius Malfoy expressionlessly pronounced. He raised his wand and pointed towards his son.
"Oh, but this is no fun. He's not a least bit afraid. Look at him, standing there, taunting me," Voldemort said unhappily. "I think he should feel the pain I felt when I found out I'd be betrayed. Don't you Draco?"
"I will not feel the pain, no matter how excruciating it is. I have done my good deed, and I'm not afraid of death, not now," Draco replied calmly. Inside, his heart was pounding exaggeratedly, and his legs felt like gummy worms.
"Okay then, Lucius, let us waste no more time."
"Avada Kedavra!" Lucius bellowed, a green jet of light shooting from his wand hit his son square in the chest.
Just two seconds prior to that, Harry Potter rushed over to them.
"I have got the last Horcrux, you can't stop me now!" he yelled. He took the sword in his hand and stabbed it into the back of Lord Voldemort. This destroyed the silver sword, and Voldemort's last Horcrux, the one inside himself, in one swift movement. After that, chaos followed.
Hermione had not been able to sleep, no matter how hard she tried. She was too anxious for the outcome of the war. After all, so many people important to her were fighting in it. She mumbled a quick prayer for Harry, Draco, and Ron, and went downstairs to try and sneak into the library. As she opened the portrait door, a figure Apparated in front of her. She opened her mouth scream, but the stranger clapped a hand over her.
"It's me, Hermione," the figure said, and she recognized it as Ron's.
"Oh. Oh! So is it over?" she asked anxiously.
"Yeah. It's over. The Horcruxes are gone, Voldemort's destroyed, and…"
"And?"
"Uh. VoldemortfoundoutDraco'ssecretandLuciuskilledhim," Ron mumbled.
"What?"
"Voldemort found out Draco's secret and-"she gasped, "Lucius, well Lucius, killed him."
"No, no, no, that can't be true! How could he have found out?"
"I donno Mione, but, maybe you should get some rest, you don't look too good."
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Hermione said, in a daze.
The next day there was a funeral held for him.
Everyone attended. Draco had been disliked by many, but now it didn't matter. His body had been moved to a handsome green emerald tomb, and everyone was gathered around it. It had been raining cats and dogs since yesterday night, and the clouds didn't show any sign of letting up. Some of Draco's friends gave a speech, including Harry and Hermione, and then the tomb had been magically buried.
Since Ron had told her the tragic news, Hermione had remained in a daze. She was off in her own world, staring into space occasionally, and not acknowledging anyone. After the burial, she hadn't had the heart to go back in the castle, where everyone was waiting to question her. So she wandered around the lake, her favorite place on the grounds. Hermione picked up a round blue stone and flung it into the water, letting out all her anger and sorrow. She continued doing this, flinging a stone, and walking, flinging a stone, and walking.
Hermione didn't care that she was getting wet, or that she'd get a cold, or the fact that she was hungry. She missed him too much. It seemed as if even the skies were crying for Draco. Eventually getting tired, she sat down on the shore, tightly wrapping her coat around her to keep away the harsh winds and debris flying everywhere. Tears streamed down Hermione's face as she recollected all her memories with Draco. How she had punched him in third year, done prefect duties with him in sixth year, loathed him since first year, and actually got to know him this year.
As the tears slowly stopped, she gazed up at the sky, full of stars. Far off in the west, she noticed some bright stars she had never seemed to hear of in Astronomy. To her, they seemed to be in the shape of a serpent. A serpent, like the symbol of Salazar Slytherin, a serpent, like a dragon. And then she remembered that Draco actually meant dragon in Latin. And the tears started again. She lay down on the grass, closed her eyes, and just let it all go.
"Hermione, Hermione," a male's voice softly called out. She looked around and saw, to her ultimate surprise, Draco standing a little ways off, a shimmering aura surrounding him. He seemed to float towards her, and she was so confused.
What was he doing here? He was supposed to be dead,
As if reading her mind, he said," I know, I know, I'm dead. But, I mean, you didn't really expect me to not meet you for the last time, didcha?" he said with a grin. Her eyes widened.
"I mean, I needed to say something really important."
"What?"
"That I love you."
"You do?" she asked, astonished.
"Of course I do, you bookworm," he said in a teasing way." And I want you to know that, no matter what, if you miss me, look up in the sky and you'll be able to remember me, okay?"
"Mhm," she stated, the tears starting again." I'll miss you, Draco."
"I'll miss you too," he said, and then he was gone.
Hermione woke up. It had been a dream. Only a dream. She sighed. She picked up her cloak and started back towards the castle. Hermione gazed up towards the sky, to see if what Draco had said was true. It had been. The serpent, the Draco, constellation shined the brightest in the spring sky, looking down upon her. It didn't hurt that much anymore; there was almost a faint smile on her face. It didn't seem like he was really gone, in fact, he had died and had been reborn, into the sky.