I wrote this for an old Battle of the Drabbles over on the DG forum. The prompt was something along the lines of 'broken'. Warnings for drug abuse – this was a dark fic so if that sort of thing bothers you it's best avoided.
Disclaimer: I don't own the magical world of Harry Potter – all credit to JK Rowling. If you recognise this you probably saw it over on the forum where I originally published it.
DRACO
The pale hand shook as it slowly pushed the needle in, a slight hiss of pain breaking through the silence. A moment later, the syringe was pushed down, injecting the drug into the bloodstream. The hand paused, hovering brokenly, before withdrawing the needle, leaving behind a small mark to match the dozens of others all ready littering the white, scarred arm.
Draco Malfoy sat back and closed his eyes, placing the needle onto the stained, cracked coffee table beside him. If only everyone could see him now – the great Pureblood Prince, reduced to using Muggle drugs in order to forget his pathetic excuse of a life. As the heroin coursed through his system, putting a strange foggy cloud over his mind, he wondered how it had ever gotten this far.
The fall of the Dark Lord. The arrest of all those believed to be Death Eaters. The trials. His name being made into mud. But no Kiss – deep down, Draco knew he had hoped for the Kiss, so it would all finally be over. But no, the stupid Golden Trio had vouched for his innocence and left him with no respect and nowhere to go – and nothing to free him for the nightmares of his past.
As he slipped into a drug-induced haze, he wished for this torture to end. The others may have believed he escaped lightly, not even having to deal with Azkaban. But to him, this strange half-life in the prison he used to call his home was worse.
GINNY
Ginny had been ecstatic when Harry had prevailed against Voldemort. It had seemed to signal the arrival of peace to the magical community – the achievement of equality for all those involved. Yet somehow, it all seemed to have backfired.
The people now were not equal, it was simply the other way round. Purebloods were detested and thought of as scum, while Muggle-borns were hailed as geniuses and almost better than everyone else. When the Golden Trio was talked about, Ron was somewhat forgotten – the half-blood Saviour and Muggle-born genius were praised and showered with gifts, whereas Ron was barely acknowledged. It didn't matter that he had helped defeat Voldemort, he was a Pureblood – therefore not what the world was looking for.
The Weasleys might not have been typical Purebloods, yet they still felt some of the fallout. Ginny had graduated from Hogwarts early with exceptional results, yet had only been awarded a mediocre job dealing with the ex-Death Eaters who remained free. As a Pureblood, no-one wanted to give her a decent job, just in case it led to a repeat of Voldemort. It sickened her. Even Harry and Hermione, previously her boyfriend and best friend, had abandoned her. The balance might have changed, but in a way, the world was still the same.
When Ginny arrived at the Manor she found the unkempt state strangely comforting. It seemed to symbolise her own thoughts in a way nothing else could. It almost felt more homely than everywhere else – silent and brooding, just waiting for the rest of the world to wake up.
As she passed through into the study, discovering Draco passed out surrounded by needles, she immediately understood why. The fairness the end of the war promised had never come. Despite the fact Draco had had no choice as to his path, he had been punished by being outcast and forgotten about. His behaviour almost mirrored her thoughts – it was his way out of this unfair world. His method of easy escape.
Calmly, Ginny cleared up the mess and studied the man. His ragged clothes and scarred arms showed how hard this was for him. How hard it was for his society.
It was at this moment Ginny resolved to help. Now, he was no different to what she was. The old leaders of society, pushed aside to make way for the next mistake.
The fallen angels.
I'm sorry if that was too depressing – please do review with your comments and criticism so I know what you think!