CHAPTER 4: TIME TO PAY

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Draco heard Dumbledore´s voice far, far away, he was conscious that finally Voldemort was really gone, dead, vanquished as the prophecy said, and Draco was perfectly aware that he was partially the cause, that he, a Malfoy had helped a Potter to kill the Dark Lord. Draco felt exhausted beyond belief and disorientation was starting to surround him, he barely remembered his reasons for helping Potter and betraying his father, it has something to do with Draco not wanting to bow to anybody, and something to do with his mother pleading with his father to let Draco out of the war and his father refusal, and it had something to do with Draco not wanting Ginny Weasley hurt. That was the main reason: Ginny Weasley and her stupid sweet smile, Ginny and her stubbornness that led her into the war despite Draco's threats to strangle her, Ginny and her betrayal siding with Potter, Ginny leaving Draco because of Potter.

(Flash back)

"I'm sorry Draco, I'm so sorry…" Ginny sobbed almost desperately against his chest "but I can't let Harry do this alone, he has just confessed that he loves me and that he is willing to fight he-who-must-not-be-named because of me, I can't tell him that I don't love him and condemn all the Wizarding World"

"So you have chosen to sacrifice us to save your precious Wizarding World little one?" in spite of the bitterness in his tone, Draco held Ginny firmly against him.

"I don't have any option Draco, I wouldn't forgive myself if Harry couldn't find a reason that's worth the effort to go against the Dark Lord" Ginny continued sobbing and shaking like a little girl "Please don't hate me Draco, please… is something I have to do… besides our relationship will never be possible, will never work…"

Draco held Ginny even closer to him "Don't you ever say that again" his voice was fierce and barely audible "Look at me Ginevra" Ginny refused to look at Draco's face so he made her see him "I would've done anything to be with you, I would've fought anyone who dared to threat you, I would've kill anyone who tried to take you away from me. I was more than willing to die for you" his voice was full of pain and Draco was trembling against his will "What we have, this relationship or whatever it is, could have worked if you had been faithful to your heart" Draco was slowly losing control and he started to raise his voice "Are you going to tell Potter you love him in order to help him find the courage he doesn't have?, are you going to kiss him the way you used to kiss me?, are you going to tell him that you're his the same way you told me once? Are you?? Are you?? Answer me dammit Weasel!!!!" Finally Draco was openly yelling, showing his emotions for everyone who wanted to see them for the first time.

Ginny just looked at him with her sad eyes, not crying anymore "You know I love you Draco… but I need to do this… I don't expect you to understand it, but I need to do it, I really do… Draco, please" Draco just stared at her incredulous to what was taking place, Ginny was walking away from him "Harry is waiting for me… I need to go, please Draco, let me go"

Before he released her he was about to kiss her "You have decided our fate already. So be it, little one.. so be it"

(End of flashback)

The little witch betrayed him and he couldn't think of anything else but try to protect her, to keep her safe, that was the reason he abandoned his family, his home, his friends and everything he once had. He was still the Malfoy heir, his father didn't dare to disown him, but Draco was utterly alone and he only was able to think of the little treacherous woman who made him realize he indeed had a heart that she took care of breaking into tiny pieces.

Finally the threat was gone, Voldemort was dead and Draco should have felt exhilarated at the thought, but he didn't feel a thing, nothing but emptiness. He looked at Potter who was as still as Draco himself. Draco knew that Potter would run to his sidekicks: the mudblood and the weasel, and then he would run into the open arms of his girlfriend: Ginny Weasley, Draco's woman. That simple thought was enough to infuriate him and he wanted nothing more but to kill Potter as his presence was not vital anymore. As if reading his thoughts, and she was doing that certainly, Sarah's voice cut the silence.

"Don't even think about it Draco" her voice was stern but so full of concealed tenderness "it's not worthy my precious" a sensuous sound of liquid in her words.

It was just then that Draco became conscious of his surroundings: Voldemort's body lying in the ground lifeless; Sarah standing at Voldemort's side, eyes sparkling in the dark; Snape looking at him as calmed and controlled as always but with certain something in his eyes when he was looking at Draco, something that looked very much like pride; Dumbledore stood there also looking suddenly older and weaker as if an infinite weight was put over his shoulders; and finally wonder boy, who kept looking intently at Voldemort's body without even blink.

"What have you done my boys?" Dumbledore's voice sounded even more worried as his first question was so blatantly ignored.

Draco sneered at the question "Well Headmaster, it seems the answer is obvious: we just killed the Dark Lord, and I think you should be as happy as it is possible to be." Snape was amused and took a step towards Sarah.

"My Lady" he said bowing slightly in her presence "I must apologize for my disrespect, but I was completely taken aback with the unexpected Dark Lord's death" Now Draco was officially confused, what was Snape doing?

"I understand Severus, you don't need to worry" her voice was silky and full of self-confidence, she began approaching the Headmaster "Hello Albus, surprised to see me my old friend?, you don't look very happy right now, I wonder why" her smile looked more like a predator gesture "Did you think I forgot our deal? I'm sorry to disappoint you my dear Albus, but some things needed to be taken cared of and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time" She was getting closer to Dumbledore and Draco wasn't able to understand what was going on, she looked young enough to be one of the Headmaster's students, but she was talking to him as if they knew each other from long ago. "I must say that I was very surprised Albus, when I had the pleasure to know the great Harry Potter and discover at the same time that he was nothing but a lost boy, a very powerful wizard without any doubt, but without proper training and without a decent teacher he was no match for the all mighty Lord Voldemort" her tone was slightly annoyed "And you can't imagine my surprise Albus when I discovered that you left the boy to his own devices, that you never trained him neither helped him to discover his full potential."

"Anyway Sarah" Dumbledore interrupted her with a stern voice "You didn't have the right to intervene"

"You're wrong my dear friend, I had all the right to take part in this great show. It was such a luck for the kid that Draco Malfoy was with him, he saved Harry's life when you were not able to save your pupil's life you know?" Draco decided that this woman was dangerous but couldn't stop himself for liking her "And, I must tell you I gave the boys the chance to choose if they wanted my help or not, and they agreed maybe because you didn't left them any other option Albus. Tell me, how Harry was supposed to vanquish Voldemort? Without any knowledge of advanced magic, without a proper training and without the self confidence needed for such a task. I'm surprised Albus, that you were so careless with this boy"

Draco had to agree even if he didn't like Potter at all, but all the woman have said was true, Wonder Boy had no idea of how to perform the most simple dark spell, it was highly illogical for him to know how to contercurse them.

"So, here I was, knowing that the world's fate was in this young one's hands. It was such a luck that Draco was with him, Mr. Malfoy is such a powerful wizard himself that made possible to cast the killing curse on a weakened Voldemort. How could I not assist these two young wizards in their quest to save the world. And Albus, is such a luck that you're here, so you can witness the payment"

"Sarah, surely there must be another way out" Dumbledore said "You really can't understand what have happened all these years, I had to protect Harry without forgetting that he was just a boy, he's still a boy. Sarah I'm sure we can have an arrangement, it's obvious that young Harry and young Draco didn't know what they were getting themselves into, and it is not fair to receive the payment in such conditions"

"You're right my friend, they didn't know what I was going to request from them, but they agreed to do it no matter the consequences. Such fine and courageous young men!"

During all the conversation Harry was lost to his own thoughts, he never, not even once took his eyes away from Voldemort's body. Draco had been so close to punch him at one point and Harry didn't even notice, Dumbledore had arrived and Harry continued looking at Voldemort, Sarah was arguing with his Headmaster and Harry paid no attention to any of them. He was lost in his own world and it seemed that he was not planning to return any soon, and nobody noticed how quiet he had gone.

"Stop it Harry" came Sarah's voice, sweet and gentle. She left Dumbledore's side and approached the boy "He's really dead, he's gone Harry, it's finally over my boy, you won't have to worry anymore, the nightmare is over. Look at me Potter… look at me" The boy did what he was told and looked at Sarah, smiling for the first time in the whole day. As is he would have returned from the dead, Harry's body came to life and the boy started laughing almost hysterically, in his joy he hugged Malfoy "For God's sake Scar Face!" came Draco's infuriated response. Harry didn't pay attention to him, he ran directly to Snape, but fortunately for the Potions Master, he collided with Dumbledore who hugged him back without emotion, but trying to calm Harry down instead.

After a few minutes Harry began coming to his senses. "I always thought you were nuts Scar Face, today I just confirmed it" Draco snarled.

"Well kids" Sarah's voice was heard not without a hint of annoyance "we have some business to attend. It's such a luck that your Headmaster is here to be our witness as well as you Severus" Draco and Harry looked at each other.

"What I want in return for my help to defeat Voldemort is… your loyalty. I know that I have been rude but really there was no time, so let me introduce myself. My name is Sarah and as you must have already inferred, I am a vampire, but not any kind of vampire. I'm not the dark creature that you have studied at school. I'm the Queen of a great and proud species, you will learn a lot more of our kind in time. Let's just say in order to make a long story short, that long time ago I made a pact with a great wizard: my children wouldn't feed on wizards and in exchange once in a while I could claim one or two wizards amongst the most powerful, as mine. So you see, I could have claimed you both without helping you to defeat Voldemort but I did it, and what I want is your total and complete loyalty to me, I will teach you things that you could only dream of and I will give you my word that I won't turn you into Vampires if you don't want to be made one of us"

Draco and Harry were speechless. Draco already suspected that the strange woman was a vampire and he confirmed the fact as soon as he saw her drain Voldemort almost until death, but hearing it directly from her was a shock, and the knowledge that he an Potter were going to be claimed as her possession was totally unbelievable.

"But boys, I can't keep both of you with me, you'd killed each other, so just one of you will remain with me, the other one will keep the one that managed to get you together. One of you will go with me and will learn unimaginable things, he will live among my people and will be cherished and loved. The other one will marry Ginevra Weasley"¨

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