Introduction
The wide bridge swayed in the wind.
A slight figure lay sprawled on the wooden panels, his eyes fixed on the Gothic architecture above him. In his right hand was a hip flask, in his left, he clutched the hem of his sleeve, so that his forearm was covered. He closed his eyes. Feel the pain, a voice hissed evilly inside his head. Thoughts flew before his eyes; he couldn't see them, but he knew what they were. Failure, failure, failure, the voice said. You are a failure.
Gritting his teeth, he sat up. Just to his right, in the distance, was Hogwarts castle. He himself found it odd to be coming back here, so close to Hogwarts. So close to where he had let down his own family name, caused the death of someone who had wanted to help him. You are not a killer, Dumbledore had said.
Draco Malfoy grasped at the roots of his own white-blonde hair, hiding his face in his hands. Suck it up, loser, he told himself.
Ever since that cold night, three months ago, he had basically gone on self-destruct. He was consumed by the past; he never slept. He could not bring himself to the present, he was so lost. You're losing it, he told himself. You're really losing it this time. Draco's shoulders shook, hardly noticeable. He was, after all, a Malfoy, if not a disowned Malfoy. Not that it mattered anymore.
Finally pulling it together, he stood up. Taking a gulp of firewhiskey, he started across the bridge. One step at a time, a creak of the floor panels for every step. When he reached the end, he paused. Unclipping his hip flask, he tossed it over the railing. He heard the it shatter as it hit the rocks, even though the bridge was to high. Then he started again, down the trail to the riverbank below.
Kannilia: Please review! This is my first fanfic, I want to learn to be like all of you good writers out there! Sorry it's so short, I've never been much of a "long-distance" writer. :) (This story is in progress.)