Self-Conclusion
Madame Zephyrus

Pairing: DM/HP
Rating: T
Summary: Fade in. Start the scene. Enter beautiful boy. But things are not what they seem, as we stand on the edge of the world. Draco will talk some sense into Harry, if it's the last thing either of them do. DMHP Slas
Warning: Attempted suicide and slash

Author's Note: This is supposed to sound choppy and thought is not always supposed to flow. Many part of this will leave you with unanswered questions. This is supposed to happen. Hopefully you'll get it. Happy reading.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Also, all spoken words in quotation marks are the lyrics of a song called Self-Conclusion by The Spill Canvas. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.


'Fade in. Start the scene. Enter beautiful boy. But things are not what they seem, as we stand on the edge of the world.' Draco was well aware that he was narrating the scene in front of him in his head. He found himself doing it more and more often after the war ended and the charges pressed to his name were dropped.

He had been informed that an anonymous source had testified on his behalf and finally dissuaded the Wizengamot from a guilty charge, which everyone had fully expected.

Draco couldn't fathom who on the Light Side would have done that for him. Weasley and Granger were out; he had heard they eloped to the United States after the war ended and the casualties had been tallied. They both had no home in England any longer. A new start was exactly what the blossoming family-to-be needed.

'Potter.' Draco's thought surprised him. It had seemed as though Potter had disappeared right after the final spell finished Voldemort. No one heard anything from the Boy Who Continued to Live in four years. Draco decided that the Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, must be in on it for he granted a full pardon of any duties Potter might have to do as savior of the Wizarding World as they know it.

That was another reason why this scene surprised him so greatly. 'That beautiful boy – is Potter?' Draco was fooling no one. There was no way he could mistake anyone for that stupid, brainless, amazing boy.

"Excuse me sir, but I had plans to die tonight. Oh, and you are directly in my way and I bet you're gonna say it's not right…" Potter's voice was quiet with the threat of impending challenge.

There was a long pause. Draco needed to step back and marvel at the situation. How fitting was it that Potter and he were still so connected that they had picked the same cliffs to do some – contemplating. He ached to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Potter was still staring at him in trepidation. Draco was waiting for Potter to recognize him. He looked harder at the beautiful boy and realized that even though his eyes were open, he wasn't really seeing. No, Potter wasn't blind, just clouded.

'My reply,' Draco said in his head before he spoke out loud. "Excuse me sir, but do you have the slightest clue of exactly what you said to me and exactly who you're talking to?"

Patiently, Draco waited for some recognition in Potter's impossibly green eyes. It was another minute before Potter seemed to snap together with fierce determination.

'He remembers…'

He said, "I don't care you don't even know me!"

Draco replied, "I know but I'd like to change that soon hopefully."

By now Potter was breathing heavily through his nose in anger and frustration. Draco hoped if he waited patiently, calmly, quietly Potter would say something more. 'A little inkling leading to his sudden reappearance, especially at a place such as this would be most helpful.'

His thoughts were answered.

"You make it sound so easy to be alive." Potter ran shaking hands through tangled, dark locks. "But tell me how am I supposed to seize this day, when everything inside of me has died?"

Draco was floored; but only on the inside of course. 'Had Potter really taken the war that badly? I know it was a war and everything but he had his best friends by his side helping him, every step of the way.' Of course there were many casualties of all degrees of closeness to Potter, be he had been able to keep his best friends. 'Sure there were trials testing his morals and virtue… Though when it comes down to it, I was far worse off…' He trailed off in his mind pensively

Potter had other plans. He was inching slowly closer and closer toward the overlook. Draco needed to pull his thoughts together quickly; before it was too late. 'None of those thoughts now…'

'My reply,' he began in his head again, "Trust me Harry; I know your legs are pleading to leap. But I offer you this easy choice – instead of dying, living with me."

The blond took Potter's – oh hell – Harry's sharp reaction to hearing his own name as a good sign.

'How long has it been since anyone has said his name?' Draco began wondering as Harry seemed to inflate with anger once again.

He repeated, "Are you crazy you don't even know me!"

Draco repeated as well, "I know but I'd like to change that soon hopefully.

"I would be lying if I said that things would never get rough. And all this cliché motivation, it could never be enough. I could stand here all night trying to convince you, but what good would that do?

"My offer stands and you must choose." Draco heard the words fly from his mouth and didn't realize he was dead serious until he took note of Harry's incredulous face.

It was all up to Harry now. This was the help that they both so desperately wished for on their darkest of nights. Draco had to believe that Harry felt it too, that Harry really did wish too…

Agonizing minutes passed. Emotions flashed through Harry's eyes at an alarming pace. His mouth was tensely pursed and his nostrils were flaring erratically.

Draco wasn't sure what to expect when a look of firm resolve set into the other boy's eyes.

It was time.

"Alright you win, but I only give you one night to prove yourself to be better than my attempt at flight."

Harry's look became even harder with his next condition. "I swear to God if you hurt me I will leap – I will toss myself from these very cliffs, and you'll never see it coming."

Draco had to restrain the joy he felt coursing through his very body. It wouldn't be wise to scare the fragile, beautiful boy away now. The hope dangled right in front of him. He could finally reach it now. He knew Harry desperately wanted to reach it too, but Draco could tell he still had some reservations about the entire situation, especially because it was him.

His resolve was set firmly as well. 'This has to be right, or everything we just worked for will all be for naught.'

Staring deeply into Harry's green eyes – and moving the last few steps closer to grab the hands hanging loosely at the boy's sides he whispered, "Settle Harry I know what you're going through… 'Cause ten minutes before you got here – I was gonna jump too."

Harry stared at him in wonder, then looked down to their intertwined hands. He smiled to himself.

That was all it took for Draco. He hooked a finger under Harry's chin to have him look into his own grey eyes to hopefully have him understand completely.

"We all flirt with the tiniest notion," he began shakily, "of self-conclusion in one simplified motion. You see the trick is that you're never supposed to act on it, no matter how unbearable this misery gets." Draco ended his declaration by moving Harry's face closer and sealing it with an explosive kiss.

'End scene. Fade out. Exit boy and boy hand in hand,' Draco concluded the beginning monologue. 'Things are not always what they seem, as we stand on the edge of the world-' They both broke away from the kiss at the same moment and smiled shyly at one another, '-together.'