"You realise of course that you can't stay here,"

"Can't I?"

"No, you can't,"

The man allowed this thought to echo through his soul. It was cold in this place, his fingers, his brain, his heart, all frozen in time. He didn't want to go. He wanted to stay, to obey the promise he'd made to his heart, long ago.

"The frost creeping through your body is killing you, you internal organs are shutting down, one by one,"

"I know,"

"No, I don't think you do. You're dying, you are going to die, you arrogant little whelp."

"I died long ago Severus," and it was true. He could no longer remember anything other than this, no longer comprehend what his life could have been. His only wish was to lie in this place until the world faded around him.

"It's too late for me now,"

"A coward's response! You can still go back, still make a life for yourself, still live!"

"Perhaps I don't want to live!"

"You and I both know that that's a lie! You've done some selfish things in your life, but this-"

"Selfish! You have the cheek to call me selfish!? Did you ever consider for one moment that I might be afraid? That the thought of going back there riddles me with sheer terror? I don't know who I am anymore!"

"You are a man who has the chance to be re-born! A chance to start a new life! And you're throwing it away!"

"I don't deserve a new life! Everything I touch crumbles at my fingertips, and the only person I ever loved is in pieces!"

Tears should have shone down the man's face, but none would come. For so long he had dreamt of this, the opportunity to be at peace, to rest, to finally cease. Severus was wrong, no good could come from his return. He was damaged, the world was better off without his taint.

And yet, inside he held the darkest truth.

"He's in pieces because of me, because of my cowardice, my fear. But how can I return there? To a world that has raped from me everything I adore. I don't even know if I can be everything he wants, needs from me. Why should he have to settle for me? He should be with someone who can give him everything he deserves,"

"And who are you to decide what Draco wants, Harry? He doesn't want anyone or anything else, not even his own life. All he wants is you. The world cant expect much more from you than you've already given. That is not to say that it will not ask, but you would be more than justified in your refusal."

"You think this is really possible? You think I can just walk away from death?"

"Death is a process. As those who morn you accept your fate, you will fade, the cold encompassing your body is part of this process."

"Does it always take this long?"

"It is not common, but is known. You haven't passed over completely because Draco refuses to accept that you are truly gone. So long as this is true, you are able to cross back over"

"If it were that simple to cheat death, then everyone would do it,"

"At no point did I say that it was simple, Harry, and at no point did I infer that this sole point would allow you life again. The time given to us as others accept our fate, allows us to accept our fate. You can choose whether to accept death and cross over, or fight death and return to the world."

"You mean as a ghost? What good could that possibly achieve?"

"No, not as a ghost, you're too far gone for that by this point. But you can still connect with the world. Think of Draco, allow your minds eye to show you what is veritable"

The man thought of all that resided in his heart, all that he longed for, and slowly, to a degree almost painful to him, the mist encompassing him began to slip away. All around him, silence resounded. Nothing moved, no sentience presented itself as the man searched the landscape. It was a depressing place really. Cold, dank, lifeless. A cemetery, though one unknown to him. In the distance a great garish tomb stood out against the sea of dilapidated stone. The man found it tasteless, a testament to money and frivolity, as though the death of one man was more important than that of all the others in this place. Still, something drew him to it, and his instincts usually proved sound. As he made his way closer he found himself wondering how he had been buried, where. He wanted to be laid to rest near his parents in Godric's Hollow, it was only right that his legacy finished there, where it had begun, eons ago. And then he saw the other man, the one he had sought out. He was unmoving, crumpled in front of the tomb, his face ashen, and his eyes unseeing.

"Draco,"

But man did not stir. Harry knelt down beside the derelict male, whose hand and face were covered in blood and dirt, whose hair was matted, and clothes were repellent. His heart was destroyed by this sight, he had done this, it was his fault that the beautiful man he remembered had done this to himself. He understood now, that the monstrosity that stood in this place, the great monument to a life deemed more worthy than the countless others, was his monument, his monstrosity. This thought sparked more fury in him than he had thought was still possible, and as he aggressed at the world for its stupidity, he felt the ground around him tremor slightly.

This time the distraught figure took notice. He jerked his head in a sudden and forgotten motion, one that surprised even him. He blinked, looking around slowly, intently. He knew not that the was staring straight through the very thing he was searching for. Harry knew that this was the best chance he would have. He focused once more on the pale blue depths that had always entrapped him in the past, and he knew that this time, he would be heard.

"I'm coming back to you Draco, I'll find a way."


Well, this might be riddled with mistakes, I can't see any, but then I'm very tired. All I can do is apologise if there are.

I'm not sure if it's any good, let me know?