Disclaimer: I am NOT JK Rowling, although I wish some days that I were. I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated with Harry Potter or Warner Bros. I am a Slytherin nerd with a writing habit and a deep love of Dramione Fanfiction.
A/N: Each chapter in this story has been inspired by a song. Link to the playlist for Bridges and the Sequel to Bridges (Picking Up The Pieces) can be found on my FF profile page.
Enjoy!
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It's too late to make it right. I probably wouldn't if I could, because I'm mad as hell and can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should.
Dixie Chicks
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The war was finally coming to an end and many wizards believed that because Voldemort was dead, the chaos of the war would immediately cease.
They would be wrong.
After the Dark Lord fell at the hands of Harry Potter there was mass rebellion. The killing continued and wizards and muggles alike continued to suffer.
The men and women that followed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were rotten on the inside; if not all of them, then most. They merely used the Dark Lord as an excuse to carry on with their behavior and justify their crimes. His death didn't differ their impulses, or lessen their need to watch the world burn.
The biggest change that existed after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fell was that people were less afraid now. They began to stand up to the Death Eaters and aid the Aurors in their capture.
The Malfoys felt it best to turn them-selves in from the beginning. If they were to be charged with crimes against the Wizarding World, they believed they would be treated less harshly if they were among the first to co-operate.
Besides, it was Narcissa who had tricked the Dark Lord into believing Harry Potter to be dead, thus saving his life and, in her mind, the Wizarding World as it was known. The Malfoys believed that they not only deserved clemency, but they saw themselves as Heroes deserving of recognition and retribution.
Draco felt confidant as he sat on the bench inside the Ministry, awaiting his turn to be seen and judged by the Wizengamont. His mother had already been judged, and had been forgiven of all her charges. He felt that his father would not get off as scot-free as his mother but receive minimal punishment, seeing as it was his idea to give the Malfoy name and service to the Dark Lord. He was being judged presently as Draco waited outside of the courtroom.
Draco viewed himself as faultless. He had tried to be everything his father had demanded of him, but evidently, he just wasn't that man. In the beginning of his service, he was excited to be called upon to serve the Dark Lord. He had fantasies of late night raids, of torturing muggles and muggle-borns and making them pay for their crimes against nature and the wizarding world.
He dreamed of vengeance against Mudbloods like Granger.
He had a special hatred reserved just for her. She was the only person in school to receive higher marks them him, and that made her a potent threat in his eyes. He saw her as nothing more than a repulsive abomination that needed to be erased. He knew that, if he had been able to get his revenge against her, it would have sent a message to Mudbloods everywhere that they didn't belong among wizards. He could have proved that cleverness and luck could never hold up against the weight of blood purity.
But he never got the opportunity; instead, he was sent to kill a legitimate wizard who, although he believed him to be a fool half the time, was generally respected by the Wizarding world. Regardless of what Draco thought of his views and alliances, Dumbledore had worked his way to his position through the use of genuine power, cunning and intellect; the kind that only a real wizard could harbor. Sure, Dumbledore was a half blood, but so was the Dark Lord. And half-bloods stood leagues above Mudbloods in Draco's registry.
If Draco had been given the chance, he knew he could have made a difference in the war. His heart had been in the cause, but luck had never been his friend, and therefore he never received the opportunities he craved. He was angry that his ability and talents had never been recognized and utilized during the war. His shining day never rose above the horizon.
Draco clenched his fist and scowled at the thought.
He didn't care if his mother had come to a realization that they would have been better off never following the Dark Lord in the first place.
He didn't care that he had almost been killed in the war.
He didn't care that his family's alliance almost wound them all in Azkaban.
He didn't want reformation and change; he wanted an outlet for his rage and, by Merlin, he was going to make sure he got it!
As soon as he got out of this stupid court room…
"Draco Lucius Malfoy." The court officer opened the door and called out his name.
Draco stood up confidently and followed him into the court room. Both of his hands were bound in shackles, as was customary. He took a seat in the center of room, and faced the court with confidence. He tried not to show weakness or flinch when chains rose off the floor, up past the arms of the chair, and bound him further.
The Chief Warlock, who presided in the center of the room, was the only one to speak.
"Mr. Malfoy, the court has been informed by an array of witnesses, in a previous hearing, that your allegiance to the Dark Lord was deemed involuntary and that you were forced to take on the Dark Mark against your will. It is truly a shame that your parents would allow you to become involved with such a cruel and hateful cult; learning to hate perfect strangers on their blood status alone. I hope, for your sake, that their influence on you has been minimal?"
Draco merely nodded to acknowledge that he was paying attention to what was being said to him.
The Chief Warlock took this gesture as agreement and was satisfied, so he continued speaking. "The court has also been informed that you were ordered to kill Albus Dumbledore by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named directly; A mission that you did not successfully carry out."
Draco heard someone murmuring, "He didn't carry it out, or he wasn't able to?"
He ignored it. So did the Chief Warlock, thank Merlin.
"Because there are no major charges against you, other than being illegally allied with the Dark Lord, the court finds you innocent of any crimes against the Wizarding World in recognition of your family's contribution to ending the war. However, the Ministry will hold record of your relations with the Death Eaters and any future charges against you, should they be pressed, will hold serious consequence. So be wary to keep yourself out of trouble, Mr. Malfoy. Consider this a second chance. An opportunity to change the way you view the world and the people in it. By order of this court, you are cleared of all wrong doing and are free to leave."
The Chief Warlock stood after delivering his verdict and the chains unraveled back down to the floor. Draco clenched and released his hands, glad to be unbound, and left the room in the opposite direction of which he came.
Draco's mother and father were waiting anxiously past the doorway. The moment he passed the threshold, Narcissa took hold of him and embraced him closely.
"Oh, Draco! I'm so happy! I don't know what I would have done if they had punished you because of the choices we made. We never should have dragged you into this."
"You both were cleared?" asked Draco.
"Mostly, we have to pay restitution to a few Half-Blood and Muggle-Born families that we afflicted in the past. A sum far more deserving than their grievances, if you ask me…"Lucius was scowling as he spoke, "But I would rather pay that than face the kiss, or Azkaban."
"We must remain grateful, and always remember how close we came to that fate. Many of our friends are not as lucky as we are. If opportunity had not presented itself…"Narcissa shuddered at the thought. "I don't even want to think of where we would be," she tenderly caressed Draco's face with the back of her hand, "especially you Draco. You're so young, with so much to look forward to. To think that you could have spent the rest of your adult life in prison makes me nearly ill."
"Well you have nothing to worry about Mother. We're all fortunate enough to find ourselves free and safe."
"Of course. Shall we go? I'm quickly tiring of this place. I want to get back home," requested Narcissa.
"Let us be on our way then," agreed Lucius.
Draco followed closely behind his parents as they made their way back to the Manor. While they imagined their future, free of the pressures they had endured over the last decade, Draco was busy scheming all of the ways he could bring pain and suffering to those he believed had wronged and offended him.
It didn't matter to him that his parents, and the court, believed that he had the ability to be a decent Wizard in the newly developing society. He wasn't ready to make nice with Muggle-Borns and Half-Bloods; he was angry and all he wanted was to make the world pay.
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A/N: This story is complete, but I wrote it a while ago. I'm going to be making an effort to go through and edit/revise these chapters. I may even expand a few of the chapters. I don't have a beta so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Please read and REVIEW! Reviews motivate me and feed my muse!
Feel free to check out my other completed works:
Torn: Hermione is stuck in an unhappy marriage. A turn of shocking events changes her life. She is torn over the decision to be loyal to her "husband" or to succomb to the new idea of a happy romance with the man who hates her more than anyone.
The Possibility: Hermione and Draco make a terrible mistake over something that may have been. Dr/Her. Warning: Contains Adult Themes, Character Death
Prohibited Behavior: Hermione and Draco are Head Boy and Girl during their final year at Hogwarts. Can they put their differences aside and work as an effective team? Explicit content. Prequel to 'The Possibility'
I also have 2 released series of Dramione Ficlets: Flashes of Dramione, More Flashes of Dramione, & Even More Flashes of Dramione. Both are Ipod Shuffle Challenge Fics.
Finally, I have one Work In Progress
On The Run: Harry, Ron and Hermione are searching for the final horcrux. Draco is forced to go into hiding in order to protect his family during the war. The one person he can trust has been ordered to hunt him down. *Does not follow Deathly Hollows* Warning: Possible Character Deaths