July 7, 2010
396 words, according to OpenOffice word count.
This is not how Draco had wanted to spend his Easter holiday.
He'd been looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home, with his mother fussing over him and house-elves to boss around. How could he have thought home would be a relaxing place? Since the Dark Lord had made Malfoy Manor the Death Eater headquarters, his whole family had been nothing but on edge, and who could relax in an environment like that?
Even worse, Potter, Granger, and Weasley (Ronald, not Ginevra) were tied up in the drawing room, together with some other riff raff the Snatchers had caught.
Draco understood his father's excitement. He knew what this capture would mean for his family. Even so, he had felt nothing but ill since his mother had summoned him to identify Potter. Granger was easy to recognize, and the red-headed oaf next to her could be no one but Weasley, even as blood gushed from his nose, but Potter was harder. With his face round, swollen and pink, Draco couldn't be sure it actually was him. Instead of looking closer, studying harder, to know for sure, he averted his eyes. Despite his hate for all three of them, he didn't want to be their executioner.
Ginny's face floated in his mind. What would she think of him if she found out he had been the one to turn her classmates in to the Dark Lord? Her ex-boyfriend? Her brother?
Part of him told him to forget what she thought. She'd obviously created her own opinion, and wasn't about to change it. All he'd be doing was living up to what she already falsely thought of him.
Another part strove to be what she wanted, even if it was impossible, even if the man she wanted him to be didn't exist.
So he didn't look very hard, and he faked his uncertainty about their identities. Less than an hour later, the three escaped, and took with them Draco's wand. When the cellar was checked, the prisoners were gone, including Luna Lovegood.
Draco's chest felt hollow, but his heart pounded with relief.
Relief that they'd all escaped.
Relief that he hadn't caused their deaths.
Just relief.
Ginny might never know what he had done for her, or she may look past it as if it were nothing, but Draco's own conscience was clear.
He was not a murderer.