I wrote this an age ago, long before the last book came out and have only just got round to posting. It's not great, just thoughts that came one night...well if you like it let me know, comments very welcome.
UNSUNG HERO
Description:-
It was over, Voldermort was dead. But who would believe Harry wasn't the real hero? That someone else was working towards the same thing, and he did it alone?
This was it, the momentous occasion. His whole life building up to this point finally the fall of the darkside had happened. Voldermort was at long last defeated; he was dead, but how? Harry looked across the war torn field. Through the mist he could see the dead, lifeless bodies lying strewn across the way. Granted most of them were death eaters but they had lost people to. He was the only living person still here; the injured had been taken to St Mungos. Hermione had asked him to go but he had to stay, just for a while longer. He needed to try and understand how Voldermort had died. They had spent over a year searching for the remaining Horcruxes systematically destroying them one after another, but one they couldn't find and while one remained Voldermort would survive, nothing could kill him. Had Dumbledore been wrong, had Voldermort only produced six?
He walked slowly, wand dangling from his hand. This was one day he would never ever forget, nor anyone else. Only hours ago this field had been filled with people, throwing curses. The noise had been deafening. Throughout it all Harry had only been looking for one person, then he had spotted him walking towards him, his red eyes almost glowing as he focused on Harry. For once Harry had been quicker, a lot quicker. He had pointed his wand at Voldermort and yelled "Avada Kedavra!" A jet of green light had shot from the end of his wand and hit Voldermort square in the chest, a look of horror flashed across Voldermort face replaced almost instantly with a look of shock. Then as if in slow motion he had fallen backwards, dead by the time he landed. Harry had just stood there, shocked, he shouldn't be dead, the curse shouldn't have killed him. They had gone from strength to strength then and before he knew it all the deatheaters were down. Hermione had organised everything after that.
Harry sat down feeling completely numb; he'd thought he'd feel relieved, pleased that finally it was over. But he didn't he just felt frozen. Killing the snake, Nagini had instigated this final battle. Even though they weren't ready but they had nothing left to lose. Suddenly he heard a groan behind him.
Jumping up and spinning round he yelled "who's there?" He had his wand outstretched before him as he looked round, then he saw something move. It was almost invisible due to the filth that clung to him but there before him was one of the most loathed people of all time.
"You!" Spat Harry. Grey eyes looked back up at him; "Great, it had to be you!" came the reply. Harry stood shaking his wand pointed at his enemies' chest. His blonde hair was now a dirty grey and his clothes were in tatters and caked in mud. Harry was once again filled with hatred and anger; he hadn't seen Malfoy since the night on the astrominy tower. The night Dumbledore had been killed. "You gonna drop your wand or kill me?" asked Malfoy.
"Kill you!" replied Harry steadying his arm. "Good you'll be doing me a favour." "A favour?" repeated Harry. "Merlin" groaned Malfoy "please don't be so thick today, I haven't got the energy" Harry looked at him more closely, he was a lot thinner, his skin much paler than normal and small beads of sweat were forming across his brow. He was trembling; Harry guessed this was not through fear. His face was covered in cuts and scratches and something gold gleamed in his hand. But Harry couldn't make out what it was.
"What's wrong with you?" Malfoy rolled his eyes and sighed, "I've been cursed Potter, isn't it obvious?" "So you were in the battle then? Once a deatheater, always a deatheater." Malfoy sneered weakly, "you'd like that wouldn't you Potter make it a lot easier for you. But no I wasn't in the battle" "Oh right, so you just happened to be walking past and got hit by a stray spell!" retorted Harry sarcastically. "Yeah that's it." Said Malfoy. Harry sighed and sat down beside him, "come on then it's no coincidence that you're here." "And why would I tell you?" "You don't have to tell me anything Malfoy; you'll be going to Azkaban with your dad. I bet your mother will be so proud of you both!" "Don't you dare speak about my mother!" Spat Malfoy, inducing another bout of coughing. A little blood trickled down the side of his mouth, Harry realised his injuries were serious. "Why what are you going to do about it, Cough on me some more?" Draco glared at him, his eyes glazing over.
Harry was about to make a comment when he said softly "She's dead." For a moment Harry didn't speak. "I'm sorry" he said eventually. "Yeah course you are" replied Malfoy. "Actually I am, I wouldn't wish that on anyone not even you Malfoy." Said Harry sincerely, "How?" "It was my fault" "What? How can your mother dying be your fault?" Asked Harry. Draco shuddered and coughed. Harry removed his jacket and placed it over Malfoy. He looked up somewhat surprised at Harry's kindness. "it was my punishment for not doing my task" Task?" repeated Harry a little puzzled. Malfoy sighed again, "Because I couldn't kill Dumbledore, Voldermort killed my mother as punishment." "Oh" was all Harry could say. Malfoy may not have killed Dumbledore himself but it was him who brought the deatheaters into Hogwarts that night, he had the dark mark, he was one of Voldermorts followers. So in Harry's mind he had brought it all on himself, he'd known full well what he was getting into.
"Well he won't be killing anyone else" offered Harry by way of small consolation. "I know" said Malfoy looking down at what he was holding. "Is that something of your mothers?" Asked Harry noticing now that it looked like a piece of gold jewellery. "Huh, I thought it was" "looks damaged" commented Harry "I know, I did it" Harry frowned "why?" He asked, half expecting Malfoy to sneer and say he hadn't done it on purpose. "If I hadn't HE'D still be alive!" "What?? You mean that's a…" "Yep" cut in Malfoy.weakly. "Rowena Ravenclaws brooch. My father gave it to my mother years ago." "But how did you know?" "Didn't take a genius too work it out."
Looking at him now Harry knew what was wrong with him. "Do you know what type of curse it was?" He asked quietly. Weakly Malfoy shook his head. Harry thought back to when Ron had destroyed the locket, the curse protecting it had killed him in minutes. Before Hermione or he could do anything about it, he had just fallen down dead. Looking at Malfoy, Harry knew he didn't have long. "I don't want your sympathy!" "Don't worry you won't get it." Malfoy grinned. "I see mudblood made it, what about weaslebeak?" Harry hung his head, "No" he said softly. "Oh err, sorry" "yeah, course you are" retorted Harry "How?" "Same as you, a cursed object." "Not dead yet Potter" Said Malfoy closing his eyes and coughing again, "too many people have died"
Looking at him Harry said "for once I agree with you. Although your side brought it on themselves." "I never wanted this Potter! It was what my father wanted for me! I'm sure given the chance you'd do what you could to please your father!" "Well I was never given the chance thanks to him was I?" snapped Harry. Malfoy sighed heavily "I know and I'm sorry. But tell me had he been alive wouldn't you have wanted him to be proud of you?" "Of course" "Well that's all I ever wanted" said Malfoy. Harry gazed at him, he was right; Harry would have done anything to have his dad say he was proud. It wasn't Malfoy's fault his dad was evil. All he had wanted was his approval, Harry could see that now, Malfoy wasn't bad or evil. He was just a little boy who wanted his dad to say 'I'm proud of you son'.Malfoy began to cough again, Harry saw he didn't have long left.
"I'll make sure everyone knows what you did Draco" said Harry softly. "What and take away your crowning glory? Don't you dare." Smiled Malfoy. "But surely people should know, you killed him. Why keep that hidden. Let everyone know you're not truly evil." Malfoy smirked "Merlin that would finish my dad of. No trust me its better this way."
They sat in silence for a while, Harry thought about what Malfoy said. And knew it was a last ditch attempt to get his dads approval. He would rather let his dad think he died in battle along side their precious lord than let the whole of the wizarding community know he was the one that killed him. "Well if you're sure"Malfoy nodded weakly. Harry wasn't sure how long he sat with him for, but he stayed to the end. No one deserved to die alone, not even Malfoy. Standing up he looked down at Malfoy's lifeless body and hoped this would be the last casualty of the war. The secret would stay with Harry forever, Malfoy, evil weasel to unsung hero, who would believe him anyway?