Hermione woke up. She wondered briefly what had woken her up, when she
heard it again: a small noise, like a knife drawing.
"Hello Hermione." Said an unfamiliar voice.
"Who are you?"
"Right now, I'm your new best friend."
"Why?"
"Well," said the stranger, "the way this...um...person was looking at you he didn't seem to be your friend."
Hermione then looked down. Draco Malfoy was spread-eagled on the ground.
"You didn't kill him did you?"
"No. Do you wish me to?"
"NO!"
"Okay, but you don't have to scream."
"I do thank you though. But WHO are you?"
"Call me Dragon. Harry already does."
"Why Dragon?"
"I am a Dragon Lord. And, I've also forgotten my real name."
Hermione gasped. Unlike Harry, she knew exactly what being a Dragon Lord meant. The blessing, and the curse. "I truly am honored then."
"Think of it as paying off an old debt to your great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great-grandmother."
TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO
"I can't just leave you here."
"You have to. You're a Dragon Lord. I'm a mortal."
Another beam fell somewhere.
"Just because I'm a Dragon Lord doesn't mean I can't love!"
"I love you too, Dragon."
And with those words, the walls fell.
Dragon looked back at the ruins that was once Hogwarts Schoolhouse.
"Why do Muggles hate us so much?" he thought. "They have hunted us, called us demons, killed us. Just because we were different. Oh, Jennifer, I will pay back the debt I know owe you."
He pulled out the dagger she had given to him. "This I swear with my own blood." He drew the dagger slowly across his palm. "I will watch over the members of your family. I swear."
THE PRESENT DAY
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Dragon appeared completely unfazed by Harry's outburst.
"Just talking with Hermione."
"Really Harry. You shouldn't be so jealous." Added Hermione.
"Jealous?! Why would I have any reason to be jealous?! Immortality, being a legend, although I do know that one, and...and..."
"Immortality is..." Dragon sighed. "...More of a curse than a blessing. How would you like it, to see your friends grow old and die while you remain young? Unlike Nicholas Flamel, I don't have a choice.
"I am forever 20, with a perfect memory. Every joke, every tease, every one I ever loved, burned into my brain, never to be erased or forgotten.
"I can tell you things I've seen that would make even you go mad with fear. So don't you DARE tell me that I have it easy!"
Harry was stunned. He had always been mostly treated with respect in the wizarding world. "I'm sorry." It was all he could think to say.
"No Harry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. You do have a right to be jealous of me. But do not wish for immortality. The burden is sometimes just too much."
Dragon looked directly into Harry's eyes and for a brief instant, Harry felt a wave of sadness, pain, loneliness and heartache.
"What you just felt is what I feel 24/7, Harry."
"Hello Hermione." Said an unfamiliar voice.
"Who are you?"
"Right now, I'm your new best friend."
"Why?"
"Well," said the stranger, "the way this...um...person was looking at you he didn't seem to be your friend."
Hermione then looked down. Draco Malfoy was spread-eagled on the ground.
"You didn't kill him did you?"
"No. Do you wish me to?"
"NO!"
"Okay, but you don't have to scream."
"I do thank you though. But WHO are you?"
"Call me Dragon. Harry already does."
"Why Dragon?"
"I am a Dragon Lord. And, I've also forgotten my real name."
Hermione gasped. Unlike Harry, she knew exactly what being a Dragon Lord meant. The blessing, and the curse. "I truly am honored then."
"Think of it as paying off an old debt to your great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great-grandmother."
TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO
"I can't just leave you here."
"You have to. You're a Dragon Lord. I'm a mortal."
Another beam fell somewhere.
"Just because I'm a Dragon Lord doesn't mean I can't love!"
"I love you too, Dragon."
And with those words, the walls fell.
Dragon looked back at the ruins that was once Hogwarts Schoolhouse.
"Why do Muggles hate us so much?" he thought. "They have hunted us, called us demons, killed us. Just because we were different. Oh, Jennifer, I will pay back the debt I know owe you."
He pulled out the dagger she had given to him. "This I swear with my own blood." He drew the dagger slowly across his palm. "I will watch over the members of your family. I swear."
THE PRESENT DAY
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Dragon appeared completely unfazed by Harry's outburst.
"Just talking with Hermione."
"Really Harry. You shouldn't be so jealous." Added Hermione.
"Jealous?! Why would I have any reason to be jealous?! Immortality, being a legend, although I do know that one, and...and..."
"Immortality is..." Dragon sighed. "...More of a curse than a blessing. How would you like it, to see your friends grow old and die while you remain young? Unlike Nicholas Flamel, I don't have a choice.
"I am forever 20, with a perfect memory. Every joke, every tease, every one I ever loved, burned into my brain, never to be erased or forgotten.
"I can tell you things I've seen that would make even you go mad with fear. So don't you DARE tell me that I have it easy!"
Harry was stunned. He had always been mostly treated with respect in the wizarding world. "I'm sorry." It was all he could think to say.
"No Harry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. You do have a right to be jealous of me. But do not wish for immortality. The burden is sometimes just too much."
Dragon looked directly into Harry's eyes and for a brief instant, Harry felt a wave of sadness, pain, loneliness and heartache.
"What you just felt is what I feel 24/7, Harry."