"Patience, dear Rodolphus," Bellatrix uncharacteristically told her husband as Voldemort and the Death Eaters quietly waited. All but Voldemort were hovering on their broomsticks. Draco hovered to the left of Voldemort, who stood to the left of Snape. Not too long ago, Harry Potter's aunt, uncle, and cousin had departed from number 4 Privet Drive, according to one of the scouts Voldemort had sent ahead. The scout reported that shortly after this, a sizable group of wizards appeared at Potter's doorstep and entered. At the present time, the Death Eaters calmly awaited for the other scout, who had stayed behind, to signal them when Potter and company departed.

"Ready to go down in history, son?" cackled Rabastan, nudging Draco hard.

"Don't call me son," Draco spat back. "You're not my fa..." he trailed off.

"No, I'm not," Rabastan agreed, "because your father escaped and is who knows where!"

The other Death Eaters began laughing and taking shots at insulting Draco.

Stay calm, a voice told Draco. That voice sounded a lot like Hermione.

"You reckon we can make him go paler than his hair?" someone joked, eliciting more laughter.

Draco glanced at Voldemort out the corner of his eye, but the creature seemed to be focusing straight ahead. Snape blankly stared in the same direction.

"We can't do that—he's already as pale as his mum!"

Draco spun around and shouted "Crucio!" at the man he knew said that, Macnair. Stepping down from his broom, Draco approached the other Death Eater and made him scream and writhe in pain.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother that way," Draco spoke with a clenched jaw as he released Macnair from the curse. He already felt Voldemort's eyes on him. Approving? Disappointed? Draco didn't dare look so he continued to glare at each of the Death Eaters. They weren't wearing their masks that day. Their master insisted that there was no reason to hide anymore, with success so near. As Draco met each set of eyes, he ensured their owners felt scared out of their cloaks.

Suddenly, a terrible thought occurred to Draco. If he really wanted, he could easily take over the Death Eaters after Voldemort was defeated. He could have them torture each other and kill each other for all the horrible things each wizard or witch had done. He could gather his own army and hunt down everyone he didn't like and eliminate them. He could be the new Minister—the Wizarding World would certainly be better off under his rule.

Draco snapped out of it. What was that emotion banging around inside his head? Was it fear? Fear of himself? He was Merlin's descendant...his true heir. He couldn't afford to think like that. No. He wouldn't think like that. Draco would absolutely reject any corruption that came with being a Death Eater. It wasn't his choice, after all...there was nothing he could have done...or so he told himself.

He took a deep breath and collected to himself. He had done everything he could have. He needed his strength to save the world. The world needed his strength to save the world. Petty Potter couldn't manage a thing like that by himself.

You're not doing it for the glory, a voice inside his head spoke. You're not doing it for the peace. He was doing it for himself. And his family. And his friends. And Hermione. And the rest of the world would somehow branch off. But why? What really brought him to save Potter and company from the troll all those years ago?

Before Draco could think on it further, Voldemort brought him back to reality.

"I see you have learned how to effectively deal with unacceptable behavior," Voldemort surmised.

Draco turned to face his master. "Apologies, my—"

"Apologize not, dear Draco. I, too, would be quite ruthless had someone poked fun at my mother were I your age. Despite everything, she was still a witch after all. You see, we both have similar situations in that our mothers were blood traitors. And I have learned not to let this little fact affect me. Your mother made her choice to leave, and for that she will be punished. You must accept this."

"Of course, my Lord." Draco wanted to scoff. Clearly, Voldemort did let his mother's decision to marry a Muggle affect him. Everything Voldemort had been through had led him to that point. Draco shuddered to even think that Voldemort was somehow right in claiming that they were in similar situations. He wasn't going to become a murderer just because life didn't agree with him.

A sharp pain sliced through Draco's left forearm. He mounted his broom. It was time.

With the information Snape had provided, the Dark Lord had split the Death Eaters into groups to be led by himself, Snape, and Bellatrix. Of course, Draco would be on Voldemort's team because the cloud of suspicion had yet to clear away, thanks to the wand incident.

Draco and the rest of his team rose and followed Voldemort all the way to the Palace of Westminster. They flew higher and higher until most of them were hidden from each other by the thick clouds. Draco's job was to lead a trail of green sparks with his wand since he was right on Voldemort's tail and probably the only one who could see him.

There was a perfectly timed crack of lightning as the Death Eaters burst out of the sky to meet four broomsticks, two thestrals, and a flying motorbike, each mounted by Harry Potter and a protector. Bellatrix's group emerged from the right, Snape's from the left. In an instant, spells started flying everywhere. Out of the corner of his eyes, Draco watched as Bellatrix charged after a woman with pink hair, Draco's cousin Nymphadora Tonks.

Draco followed Voldemort, who decided to go after the Auror Moody. It would make sense for Harry to be under his protection. They sped after the Potter and the Auror, who was sending spells left and right at them.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted. In a flash, the Potter on the broomstick disapparated and the green beam of light hit the formidable Auror instead. Draco watched helplessly as the man slid off the broom and plummeted to the earth. He turned and sped after his master towards another man Draco believed was an Auror.

To most, it would seem like the Auror and his Potter were floating in midair, but they were really gliding across on a thestral. Upon seeing one closer than he had but a few minutes ago, he suddenly recalled the first time he had seen death, by his father's hand, no less.

"Keep up, Draco!" Voldemort shouted, startling him out of his memory. Draco looked up to catch Potter's head snap in his direction. For a split second he wondered why Voldemort cared where Draco was. It was as if he was building Draco up to be his second-in-command, although Snape currently held that position. But this was all forgotten when he caught the look on Potter's face—it was the same way in which Hermione would look at him.

Draco was so caught off guard that he almost smashed into the thestral. Voldemort and the Auror kept flinging spells at each other while Hermione was fending off three Death Eaters from the other side.

"Draco!" he heard her whisper-yell. He acted as if aiming for her but hit one of the Death Eaters instead, sending him on a downward spiral.

"It's him!" someone shouted. Everyone turned their heads to see Nott Sr. declare, "The Potter with Rubeus Hagrid just used Expelliarmus on Stan Shunpike."

"That's his trademark!" yelled one of the Death Eaters left fighting Hermione.

"Draco, with me now!" Voldemort called, speeding after Hagrid, letting Nott Sr. take over in a duel against the Auror.

"I'm sorry," Draco whispered as he sped past Hermione.

Ahead was Snape, aiming Sectumsempra at some Death Eater who looked on the verge of attacking Draco's former professor, Lupin, but somehow, one of the Potters got in the way and the curse severed his ear. Draco then saw Bellatrix and her husband still dueling Tonks and her Potter. Inconspicuously as he could, Draco managed to injure Rodolphus with a silent spell. Not because he wanted to save anyone, necessarily, for surely his cousin the Auror could handle herself, but because Rodolphus deserved it. And because Rabastan wasn't currently in Draco's sight.

Finally, Draco caught up to Voldemort, who was trying to blast Hagrid's flying motorbike. Potter was in the sidecar, which was barely still attached to the main bike. Voldemort then struck with Bellatrix's wand and Potter attempted to counter it, shooting gold sparks out of his wand. The moment Potter lifted his wand to defend himself, Draco wandlessly held up Potter's sidecar, knowing it would fall.

There was a deafening crack as his aunt's wand split right in half and Voldemort flew back. Draco used his energy to shove Potter and Hagrid away, the two disappearing into thin air just as Potter's sidecar was about to come undone.

Suddenly feeling lightheaded, Draco blinked rapidly to ensure he wasn't losing his vision as he and his broom began their descent towards the Thames. The last thing he could remember thinking was that Voldemort would take suspicion to a whole new level.

A/N: Well, I hope that was a satisfactory battle for you. I tried to stay accurate to the book's telling of events which is why Draco doesn't see or hear about Hedwig's death as the identifier of the real Harry. Draco recognizing Hermione may seem a little far fetched but if someone who looks like Potter and is calling out the enemy, aka you, by your first name then what would you think? Anyway, I know there's quite a few of you who gag at Dramione, but don't let that deter you from this book (there won't be as much interaction between them as in the last book). Just pretend it's a regular platonic friendship, because friendships are ships too ;)

As always, I encourage you all to share this book with your friends, comment, vote, and keep on reading! Thank you all so much!