AN: It's not mine except the plot. Enjoy!
Failed
"You failed! You always failed in everything, my son!" his father's voice echoed in his head. "You failed!"
Draco jumped from his bed, sweaty and breathing fast because of having another nightmare. Although his father died a month ago, he still haunted his son's dreams at night.
Last month, the last desperate battle against Voldemort and his fellow Dark Wizards, the Death Eaters.
It was a month ago, that 17 years old Draco Malfoy decided he didn't want to follow into the Dark Arts, that he wanted to fight Voldemort… and his father, who was one of the most important supporters of the Dark Lord. So Draco stood side by side with his former archenemies, the people around Dumbledore and famous Harry Potter. And in the end, they won the fight. It cost the lives of hundreds of loyal wizards and witches but at last the Dark Side was defeated.
When Dumbledore told Draco, that his father was killed during the last day of the final battle, at first, he felt nothing. No sadness, not hate, no regrets, no feelings at all. But after realizing what it really meant for him and his further life, a great wave of relief washed over Draco. Completely releasing him from his angst, pain and fears. He was free. Free to decide, free to do whatever he wanted to do. And free to love. Free to love the person he admired secretly for so long. His feelings towards her always well hidden from everyone. No one would have ever guessed. He could even fool his father…but now, there was no more reason to hide it. Except one.
The fear of being rejected, of making himself a fool. He never admitted any feelings to anybody, so probably she wouldn't even believe him. Though there was no more hate between them, no more insulting or fighting, it simply was peace with the slightest bit of friendship in it, but love…? That was not a thing he could ever expect from her.
But he needed to tell her, needed her to know - not that it would change anything, but he needed her to know.
"They'll leave in an hour!" his mind screamed. Draco shot a quick glance at his watch, then showered and dressed quickly. He hurried down the stairs, through the great entrance hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, left the castle behind and soon reached the station, where the train was already waiting for the students to get on.
There they stood. Harry, Ron and Hermione. Draco slowed down to catch his breath and walked over to them. "Hey, did you change your mind and decided to come with us now?!" Ron greeted him curiously. "No, no! I still need to talk to Dumbledore what to do best with Malfoy Manor and the, umm, ´stuff` my father kept there. Need to check how to get rid of that. Dumbledore and Snape promised me to help. Just came down to say goodbye." Draco smiled slightly.
"Bye then, Weas... um, Ron I wanted to say!" "Bye Malfoy!" Ron answered, emphasizing the surname of his former enemy. But he grinned when they shook hands. Draco shook hands with Harry, too, stating a "Well Done!" at the boy who - once again - lived.
And then, there she was. Draco felt quite awkward turning to Hermione. He didn't know how to react, how to actually say goodbye to her when everything he really wanted was to hold her in his arms, wanted her to stay. With him.
Silence.
None of them spoke, they only gazed into each others eyes. After some time, the girl broke the silence. "Well…bye, Draco!" "Yeah, bye, Hermione!" he replied. Hermione turned away from him and headed to follow her friends on to the train.
Suddenly it burst out of Draco. "Wait!" he screamed after her "Wait, I need to tell you something! I'm sorry for the last years, I really am. I never meant to hurt you, I… I love you, Hermione, I love you with every fibre of my heart and soul! I love you!"
But Hermione never turned around to face him, never looked back at him and it was then, that Draco realized he hadn't really spoken out the words loudly. He only screamed in his mind, where the words remained a last desperate wish.
And so he never dared to tell Hermione about his feelings, she never turned around, she never looked him into the eyes again and he never saw the silent tears falling from her eyes when she entered the train.
"You failed!" his father's voice echoed in his head.
Failed
"You failed! You always failed in everything, my son!" his father's voice echoed in his head. "You failed!"
Draco jumped from his bed, sweaty and breathing fast because of having another nightmare. Although his father died a month ago, he still haunted his son's dreams at night.
Last month, the last desperate battle against Voldemort and his fellow Dark Wizards, the Death Eaters.
It was a month ago, that 17 years old Draco Malfoy decided he didn't want to follow into the Dark Arts, that he wanted to fight Voldemort… and his father, who was one of the most important supporters of the Dark Lord. So Draco stood side by side with his former archenemies, the people around Dumbledore and famous Harry Potter. And in the end, they won the fight. It cost the lives of hundreds of loyal wizards and witches but at last the Dark Side was defeated.
When Dumbledore told Draco, that his father was killed during the last day of the final battle, at first, he felt nothing. No sadness, not hate, no regrets, no feelings at all. But after realizing what it really meant for him and his further life, a great wave of relief washed over Draco. Completely releasing him from his angst, pain and fears. He was free. Free to decide, free to do whatever he wanted to do. And free to love. Free to love the person he admired secretly for so long. His feelings towards her always well hidden from everyone. No one would have ever guessed. He could even fool his father…but now, there was no more reason to hide it. Except one.
The fear of being rejected, of making himself a fool. He never admitted any feelings to anybody, so probably she wouldn't even believe him. Though there was no more hate between them, no more insulting or fighting, it simply was peace with the slightest bit of friendship in it, but love…? That was not a thing he could ever expect from her.
But he needed to tell her, needed her to know - not that it would change anything, but he needed her to know.
"They'll leave in an hour!" his mind screamed. Draco shot a quick glance at his watch, then showered and dressed quickly. He hurried down the stairs, through the great entrance hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, left the castle behind and soon reached the station, where the train was already waiting for the students to get on.
There they stood. Harry, Ron and Hermione. Draco slowed down to catch his breath and walked over to them. "Hey, did you change your mind and decided to come with us now?!" Ron greeted him curiously. "No, no! I still need to talk to Dumbledore what to do best with Malfoy Manor and the, umm, ´stuff` my father kept there. Need to check how to get rid of that. Dumbledore and Snape promised me to help. Just came down to say goodbye." Draco smiled slightly.
"Bye then, Weas... um, Ron I wanted to say!" "Bye Malfoy!" Ron answered, emphasizing the surname of his former enemy. But he grinned when they shook hands. Draco shook hands with Harry, too, stating a "Well Done!" at the boy who - once again - lived.
And then, there she was. Draco felt quite awkward turning to Hermione. He didn't know how to react, how to actually say goodbye to her when everything he really wanted was to hold her in his arms, wanted her to stay. With him.
Silence.
None of them spoke, they only gazed into each others eyes. After some time, the girl broke the silence. "Well…bye, Draco!" "Yeah, bye, Hermione!" he replied. Hermione turned away from him and headed to follow her friends on to the train.
Suddenly it burst out of Draco. "Wait!" he screamed after her "Wait, I need to tell you something! I'm sorry for the last years, I really am. I never meant to hurt you, I… I love you, Hermione, I love you with every fibre of my heart and soul! I love you!"
But Hermione never turned around to face him, never looked back at him and it was then, that Draco realized he hadn't really spoken out the words loudly. He only screamed in his mind, where the words remained a last desperate wish.
And so he never dared to tell Hermione about his feelings, she never turned around, she never looked him into the eyes again and he never saw the silent tears falling from her eyes when she entered the train.
"You failed!" his father's voice echoed in his head.