Disclaimer: I'm a 15-year-old girl. I couldn't possibly own any of this.
A/N This is a quick look into the lives of two opposites who are each heroes in their own way. /Shrugs/ I haven't a clue where it came from, my muses just sprung it on me. It's a one-shot songfic, so I hope it does well all alone.
HERO
I am so high; I can hear heaven.
I am so high; I can hear heaven.
But heaven, no, heaven don't hear me.
And they say that a hero can save us,
I'm not going to stand here and wait.
I'll hold onto the wings of the heroes,
Watch as they all fly away.
/o/
Draco Malfoy hung back in the shadows, watching quietly as his father tortured yet another mudblood. It had been going on for weeks now, the same man, the same spells, and different people screaming in pain.
There were five of them. Three women, two men. They'd probably die or lose their sanity if someone didn't get them out soon.
Draco was sick of it. He was sick of his father's self-righteous reasoning for tormenting people when the truth could be plainly seen on his face as he tortured them. He loved hearing their screams and seeing their pain. Draco couldn't understand that and it made him nauseous to watch.
However, tonight was different. The blonde teen had had enough. Tonight Draco would leave home and his insane father behind. He'd even leave his careless mother who was beyond concern for those in agony.
Draco had waited long enough for someone to notice how much his family hurt him. He was taking his fate into his own hands.
Tonight he led the five mudbloods out of the manor and back to Hogwarts. School would be starting soon anyway.
/o/
Someone told me that love would all save us,
But how can that be?
Look what love gave us.
A world full of killing and blood-spilling,
That won't ever change.
/o/
Harry walked quietly after the Weasleys; desperately trying to pretend they weren't shooting him looks that ranged from pity to solace. The summer was bad enough without those he considered family feeling pity for him.
There was an explosion in the background, almost like a car backfiring. Whirling around, Harry watched as several Death Eaters walked towards him, their faces covered by their strange masks.
"Harry, what are you..." Ron trailed off. "Bloody hell," he whispered.
"We are in so much trouble."
/PoV/
Draco waited for an hour and then, when his father finally left, went to the five in the dungeon cell. He unlocked the door silently and then, letting it swing open wide, he motioned for the five to follow him. "I can get you all out of here," he whispered.
"Why would you?" one man demanded. "Why would you disobey your father like this?"
"Because he is insane, I'm not."
"Really?"
"Jared, shut-up," a woman with lovely auburn hair elbowed the man sharply. "I trust him. He always cringes when his father makes him watch us get tortured. Typically that means he doesn't approve of it."
"Fine, Shelly. Whatever," Jared gave the teen a harsh look. "You'd better not betray us."
"If I was planing to that I would've never opened the gate," Draco retorted and then, gesturing for silence, the blonde led the group out of the dungeons and into the main part of the house. 'I hope this works,' Draco thought, belatedly realizing all the things that might go wrong.
/o/
And they say that a hero can save us,
I'm not going to stand here and wait.
I'll hold onto the wings of the heroes,
Watch as they all fly away.
/o/
There was a green haze forming around one of the Death Eater's wands and, with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Harry realized that it was the wand recognizing the spell that wizard would be using. The killing curse.
Harry reacted instinctively, a purple spell coming out of his wand without him saying anything. Everyone else was busy with other Death Eaters, but they all stopped in surprise when the one who'd been about to kill someone was destroyed in a small purple-green implosion.
Then another one imploded.
The Death Eaters turned their attention to the Boy-Who-Lived and began to advance on him.
'I won't let them hurt those I care about,' was the only thought running through Harry's head.
/PoV/
Draco gave a soft sigh of relief when he led the others outside. 'Halfway out,' he thought in relief. "Don't look up," Draco commanded as he started forward.
"Why not?" Jared demanded in a harsh whisper.
"It's bad enough that we're even moving out here while the sun is still out, though it won't be for more than a few more minutes, the sentries don't see well with little or no light, but they can see eyes as brightly as we see the sun. Don't look up and they won't see."
"I told you we could trust him," Shelly hissed softly at Jared.
Draco started forward, the others just moments behind him. He skirted around the gardens and stayed under the trees. When they reached the walls Draco let out another sigh of relief. There was only one major danger left, but they'd be able to get past it, he was certain of that.
But then again, there was always the slight chance they'd be shot and killed by the spells protecting the wall. Draco didn't particularly want to think about that.
"Now what?" Jared snapped.
"Now we have the hard part," Draco replied.
"It's just a wall," a dark haired woman commented.
"It's been spelled I'll bet," Jared told her softly.
Draco nodded numbly. "It is spelled, but there are gaps. We just have to find one."
/o/
Now that the world isn't ending,
It's love that I'm sending to you.
It isn't the love of a hero,
That's why I fear it won't do.
/o/
The Death Eaters angrily raised their wands, the green haze forming as they shouted the words of the killing curse. It was almost a shame they were to slow, but they were the bad guys after all.
The purple spell flared from Harry's wand, spreading to hit the four remaining Death Eaters. They died instantly.
Harry closed his eyes, the world spinning in front of him, the power he'd felt moments before slipping away into the dark corners of his mind. He recognized what it was, though, just before he passed out.
It was his love for his 'family.'
/PoV/
Jared scowled. "Find it? You never said anything about having to find our way out."
"If you'd prefer returning to your cell, than that's fine by me," Draco snapped. "I've done more than I had to, getting you out of there. I could've just left without you five. At least they," Draco gestured to the others, "haven't complained about my method of getting out of here."
Shelly placed a hand on Jared's should. "Jar, don't reply. You are in the wrong here. Draco is saving our lives here and if escaping this mansion happens to take a little effort on our parts you should shut-up and do what it takes."
Jared glared at her, but backed away and wandered over to the wall, getting as close as he could without actually touching anything.
"Thanks," Draco whispered.
Shelly smiled. "No problem. You are a good person, Draco. Jared just has personal issues with your father that he seems determined to take out on you."
"Now I know how Potter feels in Snape's class," Draco quipped.
"Potter? As in Harry Potter?" Shelly asked curiously.
"Yeah, the same," Draco handed her his wand as he spoke. "Use the Acclaro spell. I can't the Ministry would send its notice and then my father would find us."
"Ok," Shelly muttered Acclaro and waved the wand. Immediately the wall in front of them flashed a pale blue color.
"Nope, not here," Jared muttered.
"I'll try again over here," Shelly said as she moved to the right some.
/o/
And they say that a hero can save us,
I'm not going to stand here and wait.
I'll hold onto the wings of the heroes,
Watch as they all fly away.
And they're watching us,
Watching us,
They're watching us,
As we all fly away.
/o/
Draco was the last to vault over the wall, the last to leave the mansion property. As he walked after Shelly, it finally occurred to him that he was free. After years of torment, mental and physical alike, he was free of his father who knew nothing but torture. He was free to be himself, to act like himself, to like people despite what their blood might be.
Free.
The others were free, too, but they all stayed silent, not speaking at all as they made the trek across the field towards the trees. There was a small town at the other side that had floo connections. It was dark, the half-moon above steadily watching their progress. The next day would be coming soon and Draco could only hope that it would bring him good tidings for a change.
Shelly grinned and patted Draco on the shoulder. "You're, what, 17, 18?"
"17."
"You've got another year of Hogwarts ahead of you." Shelly was beaming as she added, "now that I'm 25 I can be a Professor and I intend to find out if that spot for DADA is open. If I do get the spot, I promise your classes will be fun."
Jared gave a soft snort. "More like insane. Shelly is trouble, Malfoy. She is a total klutz."
Shelly just stuck her tongue out at Jared.
They entered the woods.
Ten minutes later they were in the town. Twenty minutes and they were in Hogsmead.
/PoV/
Harry blinked as the world of black gave way to blurred colors as he opened his eyes. He sat up slowly and grabbed his glasses. There were hushed voices coming from the other end of the room, but the room dividers kept his cot sectioned off.
As the world came into focus, Harry realized that he was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. It was still the middle of summer, but here he was. It seemed so strange.
Standing, Harry walked over to the dividers and looked around them, careful to keep from actually being seen. There were five people clustered at the other side of the room.
"I'm still having a hard time believing it was a Malfoy who saved us," one man said.
"Well, believe it, Jared!" Snapped a red haired woman. "Draco risked his life for us. He might not be the ideal hero, but he is one." She shook her head ruefully. "Get over yourself, Jared. If a Malfoy can, you can too."
Harry chuckled softly and sat back down on the cot. Jared and Shelly. He'd met the two the previous summer. They were brother and sister and were always bickering. He'd known that they'd been missing for weeks, but now they were here.
'Draco Malfoy saved them,' Harry thought, chuckling once again. 'Must irk Jared to no end. It is surprising that it was Draco Malfoy, but who knows until it happens what is to come.'
/PoV/
Dumbledore smiled, proud of his two students. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Heroes of the day.
It was a shame that most would never know what it was that Harry had used to save the others. His love for his true family that was with him that day.
It was sad that those same people would understand what it was that finally made Draco leave his home with five muggle-borns in tow. His understanding that there are things more important than family blood-ties.
These two would certainly be the ones to shape the future in the days to come.
/o/
And they're watching us,
Watching us,
They're watching us,
As we all fly away.
And they're watching us,
Watching us,
They're watching us,
As we all fly away.
/o/
A/N So, what did you think? It came to me yesterday and I finished it today, but I just don't know what to think of it. I think I did a good job on it, but I'm not certain, so you, yes you reading this right now, need to review. Please let me know what your opinion is.
(Sign appears with the words "America wants you to review" on it.)