A/N: While sitting staring at a blank page trying to write the next chapter of Bella, this emerged...
The magic was all consuming. He could barely breathe as it's pressure slowly built up inside him.
Harry stood unsteadily and looked down to where the crumpled body of a former dark lord lay on the ground.
Once the Horcruxes had been destroyed, his magic had been the key. It had been completely entwined with his life and his soul. Thus, the plan had been to remove the magic from him. That part had been successful at least.
When they'd been researching the spell to do it, Harry had managed to hide the books that described the side-affects on the caster. Thus, no-one else had known that more often than not the caster absorbed the magic. This usually only made them more powerful, however Voldemort's power had been foul and unnatural, as well as immense.
It was too much for Harry to bear.
Glancing around the battlefield, it was evident that few had noticed the fall of the leader of one of the two sides. Aurors and Order members continued to fight Death Eaters, but the number of Death Eater's was beginning to dwindle. Satisfied that the rest of the battle would end in their favour, Harry stumbled away from the fighting.
He needed to get far away from them all.
Far, far away.
Thoughts of how those he knew had faired in the battle wriggled impatiently at the back of his mind, but he couldn't let them free. He needed to concentrate on reigning in the torrent of magic that was trying to overwhelm him.
Valiantly, he trudged his way past the outer edge of the Forbidden Forest, distant memories of warnings to stay away tickled the periphery of his thoughts. Dumbledore's amused voice reminding returning students of that fact every year, every year but the last.
Harry pushed the memories aside as he approached the edge of a clearing. With no trees left to support him he fell heavily to his knees and crumpled face first onto the grass covered ground.
He felt a wave of uncontrollable magic well up inside him ad break past the barrier pulsing outwards. Birds fled from the tree tops, which were bent backwards by the force of the blast. Harry gasped, and dug his fingers into the ground.
With the magic inhabiting the forest around him now, he felt the approach of an individual.
Instinctually, Harry used the magic to flick through the images at the forefront of the man's mind. He'd watched Harry defeat the Dark Lord, recognised the spell, and that Harry had absorbed the magic. He had followed Harry as he stumbled his way away from the battle field.
To finish him off, or in concern? Harry probed.
Indecision. Duty compelled him to the first action, but he felt the second more.
Harry groaned as Draco Malfoy lay a hand on his back and rolled him over.
"Potter?" he said, barely audible.
Harry blinked and tried to focus his eyes, along with his magic, onto Draco. There was concern swimming in his eyes, but something else too.
He reached a hand out to Malfoy, who had knelt down next to him. Tendrils of his magic escaped his fingers, trying to help him reach out, Harry called them back and Draco leaned forward, letting Harry graze his fingers across his cheek.
Admiration and understanding. Respect for what Harry had done.
Harry smiled and laid back on the ground.
He felt Draco's whole body hum as he released another pulse of raw magic.
After a moment, Draco said his name again. Harry shook his head and closed his eyes briefly, feeling Draco lie down next to him, their shoulders bumping together.
Harry felt his magic reach out to Draco, felt it begin to consume him like it was Harry. He briefly contemplated warning Draco to leave, but he understood what was going to happen, nothing Harry could say would be anything he didn't already know.
Harry opened his eyes and looked over at Draco, who looked right back. Harry's mind briefly flashed back to the moment on the tower when Draco had lowered his wand, to when he found Draco in the bathroom, distraught over not being able to find a way to do the Dark Lord's bidding, in order to protect his parents.
He closed his eyes against the pain that he felt emanating from Draco at the memories.
Draco relaxed as he let free another wave of magic. He looked over at Harry and genuinely smiled. Distantly, Harry recognised that this would have usually required a different response than smiling back, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
He felt the immense sense of relief Draco was feeling now that it was all over, now that one side had finally won. The fact that it wasn't the side he'd committed himself to didn't seem to be bothering him. Harry smiled at the fact that they both felt the same weight lift from their shoulders. The same apathy for their own survival now that responsibilities had been fulfilled.
The magic was making the trees sing around them, making the grass sway in the breeze. Overhead the cloud that had overcast the battle was beginning to clear and the sun was creeping out from behind them.
Harry's breathing was deep and easy now as the magic gathered inside him. He glanced across at Draco before reaching out and entwining their hands together.
As sun began to creep across the clearing, chasing away the lingering shadows away, Harry closed his eyes and felt Draco do the same, squeezing Harry's hand as he did so.
Exhaling slowly Harry allowed the dam holding back the magic to shatter.
He smiled as it consumed him, Draco and the forest surrounding them.
Comments welcome and appreciated!