Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N The song at the beginning will come later in the story. ItÕs called, no duh, ÒStill HereÓ. Thanks for all your fabulous reviews. Keep them coming! R/R!!

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~*~0~ Chapter Five- Still Here ~0~*~

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ÔHe branded pain on his arm. He gave himself to darkness. He died inside, not thinking of what she might do if she were there. Not thinking. He wasnÕt thinking.Õ

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Draco sat alone by the lake, smoking a cigarette. His black leather jacket reflected his mood and his eyes were confused and swarming pools of grey. He threw the cigarette on the ground, crushing it with his boot. Looking back up at the castle, he breathed a deep sigh and closed his eyes.

He then pulled up the sleeve of his jacket, staring at the pale milky skin of his forearm. He traced a finger along the soft skin, flinching slightly.

Was he ready?

His father had asked him that question a lot these days. He was of age as his sixteenth birthday past two years ago. He looked across the lake again, his eyes now blurry with tears of hate and anger.

ÔI blame it on you.Õ He thought bitterly.

Then, he walked slowly and quietly into the forest. Careful not to make the twigs that scattered the floor break, he crouched low on the ground and made his way through the enormous forest, till he reached the other side.

It was night now, and he was tired and uncomfortable. He sat down on a rock just on the forest edge, blanketed in darkness. He massaged his shoulder and wiped the sweat on his forehead.

His father would be pleased.

He was now old enough to apparate, and was not inside the confining invisible walls of Hogwarts. He sighed deeply and stood up, his legs nearly giving up on him. He took all the strength he could muster and apparated with a faint ÔpopÕ.

He arrived at his fatherÕs feet. The new, expensive leather boot kicked Draco slightly, motioning him to get up. He got slowly to his knees, and with great difficulty managed to get to his feet.

ÒSo glad you could join us, Draco.Ó LuciusÕs silky voice echoed through the dungeon, and he sneered at his son. Draco flinched at the evil look his father was giving him.

ÒIÕm. . . ready.Ó Draco said. Lucius grinned maliciously and turned away from him. A snake was mounted on the dark and dank dungeon wall. Its eyes were green emerald and they flashed eerily. Draco shook his head in disgust as Lucius pulled up his sleeve. He put his Dark Mark tattoo up against the snake and whispered, ÒMastero vlabim.Ó

He then turned back to Draco, the sneer not leaving his face. A few moments later, the wall with the snake began to move. It revolved around to show a throne made of stone. Upon it, sat the ugliest man Draco had ever seen.

Lord Voldemort.

He kneeled down in respect for his Ôso-calledÕ superior and whispered, ÒI have decided to join you my Lord.Ó

Voldemort laughed coldly, ÒVery well. Get up off the floor boy!Ó Draco obeyed and stood before the snake like man, suppressed terror on his face, ÒDonÕt be scared,Ó Voldemort cooed, ÒI wonÕt bite.Ó Lucius chuckled, but stopped after a particularly fierce look from his Master.

ÒNow, Draco. . . I have been waiting a long time for you, and your ability. Do you claim your loyalty?Ó

ÒYes, my Lord.Ó

ÒHmm, and would you do anything for me?Ó VoldemortÕs red eyes blazed and glinted, as if on fire.

ÒOf course, my-Ò

ÒEven kill a classmate?Ó Draco looked horror stricken. Voldemort got up from his seat. He was taller then Draco, and much too thin. His spindly fingers were tapping together gently. ÒNow, you see, Draco. My servants must prove their loyalty to me. No one by I should matter anymore. Not even your own father should be of any importance to you, like you are of no importance to him.Ó Draco flinched, ÒYou didnÕt like that, did you? We need you on our team, Draco.

ÒYou are far more powerful then your father could ever hope to be. I would be prepared to end his life if you would only prove your loyalty. Please, Draco. Be reasonable.Ó One could tell the word ÔpleaseÕ was never used my Voldemort. Why was he so anxious for Draco to join him, ÒYou are my heir. I need you to carry on my traditions when I am gone. For it wonÕt be long, I can feel it. I know my ending is near, and I will face it like a man, I just need to know that my work will be continued. Are you willing?Ó

ÒI. . . amÓ He looked at his father, who was now even whiter then usual, if possible. A look of sheer terror played across his handsome features and he flinched ever so slightly.

ÒMy Lord, surely you were lying just to make the boy-Ô

ÒSilence.Ó Voldemort barked, ÒYour son is important to me, and I will do whatever I can to save him, even if it means killing you. ItÕs never stopped me before, has it Lucius? I killed your father for you. Ever heard of karma?Ó

Lucius whimpered and backed up to the wall behind him. He sank to the floor, all of a sudden not looking quite as confident as he had before.

ÒWho will I have to. . . kill?Ó Draco whispered.

ÒI think. . .Ronald Weasley.Ó

Draco Ôs expression did not change, but his mind was racing. Hermione wonÕt be happy if he kills her ex-best friend. Even if he is too hot-tempered and ignorant, she still loved him, she just didnÕt wan to spend time with him. He next spoke words he thought he would never say.

ÒAlright, I will kill Weasley.Ó Voldemort smiled. He laughed coldly, letting it boom through the dungeon, echoing off the walls.

ÒWell, go then. I expect it to be done as soon as possible. Is that understood?Ó

ÒYes sir.Ó

ÒGood, go!Ó Draco disappeared with a ÔpopÕ. Voldemort smiled evilly and thought, ÒThis shall be fun.Ó

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Draco walked through the halls of Hogwarts, his fingers gingerly touching the blade of the dagger in his hands. He looked scared, but he didnÕt know what else to do. It was nighttime, and no soul stirred. He would have been caught had he not been Head Boy.

He rounded a corner, coming to the portrait of the Fat Lady where the Gryffindor Common room was. He had a vial of Polyjuice Potion in his pocket so he wouldnÕt be expected. He decided to take on the look of a fellow Slytherin, Blaise Zabini. Chugging the vial down, he dropped it to the floor as he began to morph.

Staggering to his feet, he touched his face gingerly. It was oily and sallow. His hand moved to his hair, and it was bristly. He smile to himself, the potion had most definitely worked. He then whispered the password to the Fat Lady, and she grunted, but opened slowly.

Draco crept to the foot of the boys stairs, his heart pounding.

He opened the door to their dormitory, seeing all the boys asleep. He shut his eyes, praying he wouldnÕt get caught, for his sake, and BlaiseÕs. ÔBetter him then youÕ, he thought.

He crept to all the beds and peered at the faces, trying to distinguish his target. He finally spotted him, his red hair barely visible under the thick red, velvet duvet. Draco carefully pulled the cover down and stuffed a sock into the mouth of Ron. He was bound to wake up now, but to DracoÕs surprise, he did not. He merely snorted and scratched his stomach.

Draco looked around slightly, and upon noticing a bottle of sleeping pills on the dresser, he knew why he hadnÕt woken up. He looked back at RonÕs sleeping figure, and said a silent good bye.

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It was all over school the next morning.

Ronald Weasley was dead.

No one had seen who had killed him, but it was with a sharp dagger. A pair of old, green socks were in his mouth when Harry had found him there. He looked peaceful and normal, albeit the sock and blood pouring from his heart.

To HarryÕs surprise, he also saw sleeping pills next to RonÕs bed side, the bottle completely empty. When checked for poison in his veins, it was found that Ron had over dosed, and would probably have been dead anyway, without being stabbed violently.

Hermione wasnÕt in tears, but she wouldnÕt talk to anyone. Harry tried time and time again to speak to her, but she ignored everyone. Even teachers wouldnÕt get a response out of her in class, even when asked. She stared out into space all day.

No one knew what she was doing, why she was so quiet. Everyone knew she hasnÕt said much to Ron or Harry that year.

But what surprised everyone most was that Draco was also quiet. He never raised his hand in class, or did much of anything. He stared into space quiet often as well. Hermione noticed and decided to take her chances and talk to him.

ÒDraco?Ó Her voice came out rather raspy. She hadnÕt spoken in quite a while.

ÒMmm?Ó Draco knew what was bothering him. The guilt pounded through his veins. Guilt was like a blanket constantly covering him, keeping him over heated. He hated himself so desperately for what he had done.

ÒAre you all right? I never imagined youÕd get so shook up over RonÕs death.Ó She wavered on the word death. It was sort of a finalization that he was indeed gone.

ÒIt just sort of put my life in perspective, I guess. I honestly donÕt know why IÕm so upset.Ó ÔI killed him! I killed him, thatÕs why!!!Õ, his thoughts screamed the words, but his mouth was wired shut.

ÒHe died before he was stabbed, you know.Ó Hermione looked into DracoÕs stormy eyes, seeing sadness and regret, and even a glimmer of guilt in his eyes.

ÔNo he didnÕt. I saw him breathingÕ, Draco thought. Hermione the doubt on his face.

ÒOr, he would have died that night anyway, even if no one stabbed him.Ó She watched Draco physically relax slightly. Somehow, she knew it was he who had stabbed him. She kept her mouth shut.

ÒYou know, youÕre the first person IÕve spoken to since he died.Ó She laughed bitterly, ÒMy throat kind of hurts.Ó

ÒI know what you mean.Ó Draco didnÕt laugh, but his voice contained a darkly humorous sound to it.

ÒIÕm sorry.Ó Draco whispered.

ÒMe too.Ó Hermione said, and she stalked off.

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Draco knew he had to do it. He ran up to the front of the Great Hall, a magic megaphone in his hands.

ÒHey, everyone! Look, IÕm sorry to, uh, disrupt your dinners, but I wanted to sing a song for you guys. And anyone who doesnÕt want to listen, leave.Ó Dumbledore didnÕt object, much to most of the students and teachersÕ surprise/ He simply folded his hands and looked amusedly at Draco.

The Slytherins whooped because they knew Draco had a great voice. He gave free performances in the showers.

ÒOk, here goes nothing.Ó

ÒI know IÕve some bad shit in the past

But this time IÕd like to make this thing last

Why do you insist on walking away from me?

CanÕt you see? YouÕre the only one I need

When you left me feeling cold

I looked so deep inside of my soul

Found something to get me out

Too bad what IÕd found would let you down

But IÕm still here

Waiting for you to return

Yeah, IÕm still here

Waiting for our flame to burn

IÕm still here

I know that I donÕt deserve (you)

But honey, IÕm still here

Now when I look at you, I see the look I saw before

And now I think myself, what did I do that for?

I let you down, killed you inside

Made you want to run and hide, felt like you could die

YouÕve been tearing me apart

Ever since I broke your heart

Do you think I could be forgiven?

Or are we just to damn forbidden?

But IÕm still here

Waiting for you to return

Yeah, IÕm still here

Waiting for our flame to burn

IÕm still here

I know that I donÕt deserve (you)

But honey, IÕm still here

Let me into your heart

Make me feel free

Stop ripping me apart

For this dirty deed

IÕm sorry baby

Please forgive me

IÕm sorry baby

Please forgive me

But IÕm still here

Waiting for you to return

Yeah, IÕm still here

Waiting for our flame to burn

IÕm still here

I know that I donÕt deserve (you)

But honey, IÕm still here

I love you, baby, you are my soulÓ

He finished the song, and everyone clapped. Hermione sat there smiling, beaming in fact. He ran off the stage and out of the Great Hall. He stood there, waiting and finally, Hermione ran out and jumped into his open arms.

ÒThat was brilliant. Thank you!Ó

ÒYouÕre welcome, gorgeous.Ó He smiled at her, and watched her face fall slightly.

ÒDraco, do you love me?Ó Hermione stared up at him.

Draco felt the sweat beads forming on his head. Uh oh. . .

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A/N REVIEW PRETTY PLEASE!!!!