The sky was clearly giving the signs of foreboding. Darkness surrounded everything; the only thing that was visible were the greying clouds. There were no stars, there was no moon. Now and then, a loud clap of lightning disrupted the silence, illuminating the gloom with an eerie light. In the distance, rumbles of thunder could be heard.
The field was deserted. No other sound could be heard except the gentle whisper of the wind against the soft blades of grass. The silence was terrifying; the scent of death was in the air. Of course, through the course of the past two years, the smell of the dead hung thickly in the air almost all the time. But this night was different. Two strong forces will clash. And Fate was hanging in the balance.
There was a loud crack, the sound of Apparition. A dark-haired man appeared on the middle of the field, his robes billowing against the wind, his hair flying across his face. Round spectacles served as a shield to the searching emerald eyes that were staring hard across the field, fixed on an empty space.
"Come out. I know you're there." The voice was not commanding, yet there was enough firmness in the tone to generate it.
A shiny, silvery piece of cloth was suddenly discarded, dropping gently on the ground. Beside it stood a man exuding elegance, even though his face showed a hardened look deeply prepared for battle. Slowly, he lowered the hood of his black robes and removed the mask covering his face. With his blonde hair carefully caressed by the wind, grey eyes unsurprisingly piercing, Draco Malfoy looked magnificently beautiful.
"Not a very creative entrance, Malfoy." A teasing smile alighted Harry Potter's face, obviously trying to lessen the tension visibly felt between them. Their lives were at stake, yet, he appeared mildly indifferent.
"What, you think you're the only one with an Invisibility Cloak, Potter? At least my entrance was still impeccably interesting." Draco returned Harry's smile with a smirk, agreeably permitting conversation before the duel started.
Harry replied with a shrug, not openly affirming but giving slight indication, still. Draco relished the look for a few moments before it was replaced with one of absolute pain. Harry's emerald eyes were in agony, his face holding a plea. Apparently, the denial could not be kept bottled up. "Draco, we don't have to do this."
Draco laughed, the laugh sounding so hollow and distant that it made Harry flinch. "Come off it, Potter, are you still living the illusion that what went on between us was real? I don't love you, Potter. I was there simply because of the sex, the lust and the pleasure your body gave me. It's simple, Harry. Why are you making it so complicated?"
Harry's gaze was unyielding as he gave the other boy a bitter smile. "Because you can't conceal your lies. I can see right through you. I would've expected better deceit from you, of all people."
Draco's mercury eyes blazed and he angrily raised his wand, pointing it steadily at Harry's heart. "You knew when the Dark Lord rose, this would follow. I am bound by blood to the Dark. I can't just throw it all away." He smiled, this time sardonically. "You think I'll give it all up for you? I won't disappoint my father. You knew that when the opportunity comes, I will kill you."
A brief flash of betrayal shone on Harry's green eyes before he hardened his gaze, made it impassive. His mind screamed that what Draco just said was the truth, he just didn't, couldn't accept it. But if this is what lay for both of them, then he would make sure he emerged the victor. Grimly, he lifted his hand, gripping his wand tightly. "Then, let's get it over with."
A duel to death. Blinding flashes of light lit the dark in rapid succession as spells, jinxes and curses were exchanged between the two men. Some were deflected; some hit their target with amazing precision. The duel was intense, and though both young wizards became gravely injured, neither would give up. It was clear that emotions were greatly involved with the transition of this duel; Harry's fury was blinding him, as was Draco's conviction to redeem his family. Looking closely at his mercurial orbs, though, one would see that there was a deeper emotion stirring dangerously close to the surface, no matter how he hard he tried to hide it.
Harry's eyes widened as he caught this and involuntarily let down his guard. Draco, seizing the opportunity, lashed at him with a spell, slamming the latter's body to the ground. Harry groaned in anguish as the pain cursed through him, nearly knocking him out. His energy had deteriorated and this blow had seriously increased it. He was over.
"Scared, Potter?" It was nearly five years since he had heard those exact same words, yet, ironically, he could still remember every single detail that happened through the course of said night.
"You wish," he replied, albeit rather weakly.
Draco's familiar smirk, the one he hated and had grown to love so much weaved its way to his lips as he pointed his wand at Harry's chest, hovering steadily at his heart. His hair fell delicately in front of his face, the perfect blonde locks shielding his eyes. "Time to die, Boy-Who- Lived." He murmured, mockingly.
"Do it." A bitter smile lit Harry's lips as ivory hands reached up to take the wand closer to his head. The wand was digging painfully on his skin, but he didn't care. "Now."
A flash of surprise crossed Draco's handsome face, making him raise his head suddenly. And this, this was his biggest mistake. For as he raised his head, he exposed his eyes.
And locked them with Harry's own.
Grey and green. Perfect. Draco tried to pull away, but the face between them would not break them apart. Draco was once again faced with the windows of Harry's soul. And it was breaking him. He could see the pain, the misery, the love.
It was coming from both of them.
Draco hissed in spite, cursing himself for giving out a weakness. Before Harry could react, he had steadied his wand and had conjured up chains, binding Harry's arms by the wrists on the top of his head. "Infligo!" he cried, casting a spell that delivered huge blows on Harry's body. He did this over and over again, trying to block out Harry's tormented screams. He did this over and over again, until Harry was reduced to a bloody mess.
"Now die." For the second time he took the wand to the other wizard's chest.
Harry coughed, spilling blood. His vision was becoming hazy; there was a loud ringing in his ears.
And moist was falling on his cheeks.
"Draco, you're crying." He tried desperately to search his lover's face, to let him know it was all right, that he'd rather be killed by Draco than Voldemort, anyway. But all he got was a blurred image.
Draco was moving his mouth. A flash of light. A sudden, painful blow on his chest.
And everything went black.
The field was deserted. No other sound could be heard except the gentle whisper of the wind against the soft blades of grass. The silence was terrifying; the scent of death was in the air. Of course, through the course of the past two years, the smell of the dead hung thickly in the air almost all the time. But this night was different. Two strong forces will clash. And Fate was hanging in the balance.
There was a loud crack, the sound of Apparition. A dark-haired man appeared on the middle of the field, his robes billowing against the wind, his hair flying across his face. Round spectacles served as a shield to the searching emerald eyes that were staring hard across the field, fixed on an empty space.
"Come out. I know you're there." The voice was not commanding, yet there was enough firmness in the tone to generate it.
A shiny, silvery piece of cloth was suddenly discarded, dropping gently on the ground. Beside it stood a man exuding elegance, even though his face showed a hardened look deeply prepared for battle. Slowly, he lowered the hood of his black robes and removed the mask covering his face. With his blonde hair carefully caressed by the wind, grey eyes unsurprisingly piercing, Draco Malfoy looked magnificently beautiful.
"Not a very creative entrance, Malfoy." A teasing smile alighted Harry Potter's face, obviously trying to lessen the tension visibly felt between them. Their lives were at stake, yet, he appeared mildly indifferent.
"What, you think you're the only one with an Invisibility Cloak, Potter? At least my entrance was still impeccably interesting." Draco returned Harry's smile with a smirk, agreeably permitting conversation before the duel started.
Harry replied with a shrug, not openly affirming but giving slight indication, still. Draco relished the look for a few moments before it was replaced with one of absolute pain. Harry's emerald eyes were in agony, his face holding a plea. Apparently, the denial could not be kept bottled up. "Draco, we don't have to do this."
Draco laughed, the laugh sounding so hollow and distant that it made Harry flinch. "Come off it, Potter, are you still living the illusion that what went on between us was real? I don't love you, Potter. I was there simply because of the sex, the lust and the pleasure your body gave me. It's simple, Harry. Why are you making it so complicated?"
Harry's gaze was unyielding as he gave the other boy a bitter smile. "Because you can't conceal your lies. I can see right through you. I would've expected better deceit from you, of all people."
Draco's mercury eyes blazed and he angrily raised his wand, pointing it steadily at Harry's heart. "You knew when the Dark Lord rose, this would follow. I am bound by blood to the Dark. I can't just throw it all away." He smiled, this time sardonically. "You think I'll give it all up for you? I won't disappoint my father. You knew that when the opportunity comes, I will kill you."
A brief flash of betrayal shone on Harry's green eyes before he hardened his gaze, made it impassive. His mind screamed that what Draco just said was the truth, he just didn't, couldn't accept it. But if this is what lay for both of them, then he would make sure he emerged the victor. Grimly, he lifted his hand, gripping his wand tightly. "Then, let's get it over with."
A duel to death. Blinding flashes of light lit the dark in rapid succession as spells, jinxes and curses were exchanged between the two men. Some were deflected; some hit their target with amazing precision. The duel was intense, and though both young wizards became gravely injured, neither would give up. It was clear that emotions were greatly involved with the transition of this duel; Harry's fury was blinding him, as was Draco's conviction to redeem his family. Looking closely at his mercurial orbs, though, one would see that there was a deeper emotion stirring dangerously close to the surface, no matter how he hard he tried to hide it.
Harry's eyes widened as he caught this and involuntarily let down his guard. Draco, seizing the opportunity, lashed at him with a spell, slamming the latter's body to the ground. Harry groaned in anguish as the pain cursed through him, nearly knocking him out. His energy had deteriorated and this blow had seriously increased it. He was over.
"Scared, Potter?" It was nearly five years since he had heard those exact same words, yet, ironically, he could still remember every single detail that happened through the course of said night.
"You wish," he replied, albeit rather weakly.
Draco's familiar smirk, the one he hated and had grown to love so much weaved its way to his lips as he pointed his wand at Harry's chest, hovering steadily at his heart. His hair fell delicately in front of his face, the perfect blonde locks shielding his eyes. "Time to die, Boy-Who- Lived." He murmured, mockingly.
"Do it." A bitter smile lit Harry's lips as ivory hands reached up to take the wand closer to his head. The wand was digging painfully on his skin, but he didn't care. "Now."
A flash of surprise crossed Draco's handsome face, making him raise his head suddenly. And this, this was his biggest mistake. For as he raised his head, he exposed his eyes.
And locked them with Harry's own.
Grey and green. Perfect. Draco tried to pull away, but the face between them would not break them apart. Draco was once again faced with the windows of Harry's soul. And it was breaking him. He could see the pain, the misery, the love.
It was coming from both of them.
Draco hissed in spite, cursing himself for giving out a weakness. Before Harry could react, he had steadied his wand and had conjured up chains, binding Harry's arms by the wrists on the top of his head. "Infligo!" he cried, casting a spell that delivered huge blows on Harry's body. He did this over and over again, trying to block out Harry's tormented screams. He did this over and over again, until Harry was reduced to a bloody mess.
"Now die." For the second time he took the wand to the other wizard's chest.
Harry coughed, spilling blood. His vision was becoming hazy; there was a loud ringing in his ears.
And moist was falling on his cheeks.
"Draco, you're crying." He tried desperately to search his lover's face, to let him know it was all right, that he'd rather be killed by Draco than Voldemort, anyway. But all he got was a blurred image.
Draco was moving his mouth. A flash of light. A sudden, painful blow on his chest.
And everything went black.