Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter, or his friends, or Hogwarts, etc. The only thing I own is the plot and a computer to type it on.
OMGosh! I got reviewers! Yay. It really did just make my day.
To Alexandria J. Malfoy: Thank you so much for the positive feedback, and here's another chapter, it took me a while because its rather long.
And to Anon. (brea): Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it. This will get some romance later on, but I am trying to keep it from being all soap opera-ish and cliché. Thanks again!
------------------
He must have gone insane. It was the only logical explanation. Here he was, Prince of Slytherin, reported Death Eater, and student of the Dark Arts, standing before the Dark Lord and openly defying him. He was scared, scared shitless. His left hand was clenched so tightly his nails broke skin.
"My lord," said Lucius, turning to the Dark Lord, "I would be honored if you would teach my son a lesson."
Here goes nothing, Draco thought.
"It would be my pleasure," said the Dark Lord, his intentions quite clear in his evil grin.
Time seemed to slow down. Draco gave the nod as Voldemort began the curse. He heard the two 'pops' of Disapparation and whipped out his wand. He had spent the past four months researching the Dark Lords new weapon and he couldn't find anything that told him how to disable it. If this didn't work, he was dead.
"Avada Kedavra!" he yelled.
The horse exploded in a flash of blue light, causing Voldemort to scream and stumble backwards. Those held by the blue light were dropped to the floor and before the Death Eaters could pick them off, his army of Slytherins emerged. Time returned to normal, and deflecting a barrage of curses, he Apparated to Harry's side and ducked behind the table.
"Please tell me you know how to kill him, Potter," he said.
"Uh, I think so," said Harry, whose green eyes looked rather stunned.
"Good," said Draco. He peered over the edge of the table at the battle. "Alright, this is how it's going to happen." Potter joined him in surveying the clashing forces. "You see the Dark Lord, Potter? How he's surrounded by the Death Eaters?"
"Yeah."
"Well, when there's a gap in the ranks, we're going for it. Follow me in, alright?"
"Follow you?" Harry asked.
Draco sighed impatiently. "Yes, follow me in. I'll be able to deflect most of the curses the Death Eaters throw at us better than you can. Besides, you have to go after the Dark Lord, we can't have precious Potter die prematurely, now can we, Potter? Damn it, Potter, stay DOWN!" The last was a yell as he yanked on Harry's robes hard enough to topple the Gryffindor as Harry jumped to his feet. "What do you think you are doing Potter?" he demanded.
"Sod off, Malfoy," yelled Potter as he struggled against Draco's grasp. "Hermione's in trouble, I have to help her!"
Draco risked another glance and saw the bushy-haired girl going up against two Death Eaters. "She's fine, Potter," he lied. "Remember she's smarter than you."
"I'm going to help her, let go of me."
"No."
"What!"
"Think Potter," he hissed into Harry's face. "We may only have one opportunity to get past the Death Eaters. You can't run off playing the hero any time you bloody feel like it, understand? It's your job to kill the Dark Lord, so you can't put yourself in any more danger."
Harry opened his mouth to retort, then stopped, thought and spoke up. "Fine, you go help her then."
Draco glanced out again. Granger wasn't doing to well. "You can't get to the Dark Lord on your own," he said, stating the truth.
There was a crack and suddenly Dumbledore was beside them. "He is not alone," the Headmaster said simply.
Draco stared at him, then at Potter who had grabbed his arm rather tightly. "Malfoy, since you are the one who won't let me go out and help my friends, I'm trusting you to make sure that they come out alright, understand?"
Draco searched the emerald eyes of his nemesis and was impressed. There was no fear, no hate, no anger. Just a realization that the only way he could truly protect his friends was by leaving them in the care of his enemy while he fulfilled his own destiny by destroying the evil that would bring them harm.
"I'll do everything I can," he promised, then raised his arm and Apparated.
He reappeared by Granger's side, just in time to block a particularly nasty dark curse that would have burned her eyes out. He then retaliated with his own bit of dark magic, thinking the spell and not saying it so that the two would not have time to block it. His spell had the effect of a lightning bolt, blasting them across the room with enough electricity to singe straight through clothing and skin.
He turned back to Granger just in time to catch her as she collapsed. Damn, he thought, as he looked her over. He was never good at healing and had no clue where to even begin.
"Hermione!" yelled a frantic voice and for the first time in his life, Draco Malfoy was glad to see Ron Weasley. He stood up and let Ron take his place kneeling by Granger's side while he protected the two from the Death Eaters.
It was pure chaos and Draco thanked the stars that Granger had collapsed near the side of the room and not in the middle, or else all three of them would be dead by now. Even apart from the major battle he was having trouble blocking the direct spells thrown at them and the stray hexes. He only hoped Potter killed the Dark Lord soon.
He slashed with his wand and caused all of the Death Eaters within a five meter radius of him be blasted again with lightning. He was rather partial to that particular curse. He turned to make sure Granger was still living, but a cold voice made him whip back around.
"Well, if it isn't my wayward son." Lucius was standing in front of him, his mask off to help him blend into the crowd better and his face was twisted into an expression of loathing. "When this whole thing is over, I'm disowning you."
"When this whole thing is over, you'll be back in Azkaban and I'll be the one disowning you," spat Draco.
"Not if you are dead," said Lucius, raising his wand.
Draco slashed with his, and Lucius, recognizing his son's favorite curse, blocked it with a smirk of triumph. But Draco knew his father would be anticipating that spell and quickly followed it up with a shout of "Sectumsempra!"
Lucius stumbled backwards but managed to stay on his feet as a long gash appeared across the chest of his robes and dark red blood flowed forth. He flicked his wand and Draco pulled up a shield, then Apparated behind Lucius' back to draw the fire away from Granger and Weasley. However, because he made his Apparation rather obvious-to decrease the chance of Lucius throwing a curse their way by accident- he was unprepared to block his father's next attack.
Lucius waved his wand and an invisible force rammed into Draco, picking him up into the air and then slamming him down fifteen meters back onto the Ravenclaw table. The air whooshed from his lungs and he gasped for breath, rolling off the table and onto the floor. That jolt knocked the air back into him and he gulped it in then scrambled to his feet as his father came at him again.
"Impedimenta!" Draco managed, the curse strong even though he was still gasping in air. Lucius was flung back into the stone wall, temporarily stunned. Draco vaulted over the Slytherin table to press his advantage, bringing his wand down in a sharp rap. Lucius Apparated and Draco's curse blasted a chunk out of the wall. Draco whirled around but couldn't spot his father anywhere. He searched the sea of dueling bodies, noting with satisfaction that the Death Eaters seemed to be losing.But his unease grew as Lucius was no where to be found. He felt the back of his neck prickle and he Apparated just as his father shouted "Avada Kedavra!"
He only Apparated a few feet to the left, closer to the wall and so he was able to see the flash of green light as the curse fizzled out with no one to kill. He was shocked, staring at the cold eyes of his father in surprise. He hadn't thought his father would actually murder him. He just managed to block the next curse his father sent his way, another blasting hex. The curse bounced off his shield and shattered a window above his head. Shards of glass the size of daggers began to fall and he raised a hand to Apparate and just when he felt the familiar squeeze start to take him, a slice of fire flared in his side.
He appeared on the other side of the table, away from the glass, and staggered heavily, his hands flying to the injury. He looked down and saw the hilt of a dagger buried into his skin. There was a low chuckle and he looked up to see his father frozen a few feet in front of him, his arm still outstretched in a throw. Slowly Lucius straightened and walked to his side. The backhand sent Draco reeling and to the floor. Lucius laughed again and walked to the form of Hermione Granger, who was being cradled in Ron's embrace.
Draco gritted his teeth, pulled the dagger out, and threw it to the side. Immediately the blade and ruby encrusted hilt turned into ash and was blown away. A quick examination of the wound showed that while it was bleeding steadily, it could have been much worse. Most importantly, the blood did not show up on the silken robes and so no one could take advantage of his weakness. Ignoring the disappearing blade and the pain in his side, he pulled himself to his feet and leveled his wand at his father. Lucius was raising his wand over Weasley's head and Draco shouted "Avada Kedavra!"
There was a burst of green light and his father fell to the floor, dead. Draco stared; he had just killed his own father. He gazed stupidly at the body of his father for a moment before snapping out of his trance and whipping about to search for any more danger. He turned just in time to see the Dark Lord and Harry Potter dueling vicously on the remains of the Hufflepuff table. The Dark Lord seemed to be on the offensive, casting all of the curses and Potter was trying to block them, though he appeared to be getting tired.
"Crucio!" the Dark Lord hissed.
"Protego!" Harry countered, but the force of the spell knocked him to the ground. Draco could see the Dark Lord preparing himself for his next strike and he knew this was it.
"Now, Harry!" shouted Dumbledore.
Harry scrambled to his feet and both he and the Dark Lord shouted at the same time "Avada Kedavra!"
Green light met green light halfway and stopped. Now the curses seemed to be one, frozen in midair. Both combatants were shaking as wands were still clasped pointing at the other. Slowly the green light inched in the Dark Lords direction, but then back tracked towards Harry.
"Remember what makes you strong Harry," said Dumbledore quietly, his voice the only other sound in the room as everyone watched the green light. And slowly the green light flew towards the Dark Lord, picking up speed until it hit him square in the chest with a flash. The Dark Lord screamed once, then fell over dead.
Pandamonium broke out. The Death Eaters that remained either fled or gave in, students cheered and shrieked in happiness, teachers sobbed, the Aurors sent for medical help for the wounded, and the Order members and the DA crowded around Harry as he clasped a hand to his scar and collapsed. Dumbledore caught him and bore him out of the room, his followers tagging along.
Medi witches started arriving almost instantly and after Draco saw that Granger was being tended to, he left in search for his friends.
It was apparent the robes had done their jobs. Draco trained his army to be a distraction, to be used when the Order was at its weakest, hence the bright emerald green uniform. They were targets to be cursed at, and his soldiers knew that. Most had grown up with the Dark Arts and were therefore more qualified than the other students to be fighting, but that did not stop the fact that he and those in the uniforms knew that they would most likely be killed. And that is what had happened. He past emerald uniform after emerald uniform. He found Warrington, the dirty blond was face down, dead, and next to him, fighting to breathe, was Blaise Zabini.
Draco threw himself to his knees by his friends side and swore at all of the blood. "Medic!" He yelled frightened. "I need some help over here!" He reached out to find where the wound was but pulled back, afraid of causing more damage. "You're going to be fine Blaise," he whispered to the black haired boy. "Just fine. MEDIC!" he screamed over his shoulder as blood began to gurgle forth from Blaise's open mouth. "Oh, Merlin, oh Merlin, oh Merlin," he chanted under his breath, feeling nausea and panic rising. "Blaise, don't die, don't you even think about dying!" He snagged a passing Medi-wizard. "Help him!" he half ordered, half begged. "I think he's dying."
The man pulled back. "I have patients to treat," he said coldly. "If there is time later we will treat the Death Eaters."
Draco stared at him in shock and fury. "He wasn't a Death Eater," he spat, rage building inside of him. "If it weren't for him, there wouldn't be anyone, anyone at all for you to treat because the Death Eaters would have bloody killed them all!"
"It's true," said a quiet voice. Draco turned his head to see Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall behind him. "If it weren't for these boys in green, I'm afraid Voldemort would have won. It would be best to care for them like the heroes they are."
The Medi-wizard stared at Dumbledore for a moment then nodded. "Stefan, I could use a hand over here!" he called to another. He turned back to Dumbledore. "You're going to have to give us some space," he said.
"Of course," said Dumbledore. "Come, Draco."
Draco hesitated for a split second then clamored stiffly to his feet and stalked towards the wall, which was relatively clear of the wounded. On the way there, he past six more green uniforms. All dead, all of them, and people still thought they were Death Eaters.
"What a waste," he muttered, leaning against the wall and surveying the damage. So many people dead, so many of his friends wore those masks and now they had paid with their lives, and most of them didn't even believe in what they were fighting for. "What a waste." He ran an aggravated hand through his hair, trying to bottle the anger that threatened to consume him.
"Draco?" asked Dumbledore softly.
He was becoming agitated, his left hand clenching and unclenching and he was grinding his teeth together. A waste, echoed his mind, what a waste! Tears pricked behind his eyes.
"Draco?"
"Damn it!" he screamed, whirling around and punching the wall with all of his might. There was a crack and sudden pain in his hand; it felt good. He rested his forehead against the cool stone.
"Draco, you're hurt. I'll take you up to the Infirmary," said Dumbledore.
"I'm fine," said Draco, suddenly realizing that his side was sending sharp pulses of pain throughout his entire body although the blood flow had slowed to a trickle.
"Blaise has just been taken up, do you want to see him?"
He did want to see him. He sighed, "Fine."
He strode out of the Great Hall, jaw locked to keep from gasping at the pain each step caused and his face set in its expressionless mask. By the time they reached the stairs, he was sweating, and by the time they reached the top he was shaking uncontrollably. But he refused Dumbledore's assistance and entered the room unaided. It was chaos. He leaned heavily against a wall and watched the disorder. Medi-witches were running here and there, grabbing supplies for those attending directly to the injured, and then running back to the bedside they were assisting. The wounded kept pouring in, along with concerned friends and teary eyed family members that were only getting in the way.
"ENOUGH!" some one finally shouted. The room fell silent as Ginny Weasley climbed up onto a chair and addressed the crowd with a magically magnified voice. "If you are not injured, get out now. I have fought too hard in this battle to see more people die because the Medi-witches could not reach the bedside of a patient because there were too many people in the way. And for the nurses, I will tell you again, if you need something do not just take it off of the tables. Ask one of the students manning them because we need to keep track of what medicines we are running out of and what medicines we can use. If you have a problem with what I just said, write a letter and drop it in the suggestion box labeled 'dustbin'. Now, if you are not working or injured, leave. If you are working here, get back to work. Thank you." She stepped off of the chair and pointed her wand at her throat. "Quietus," she said and her voice fell back to normal. She looked up and noticed that every one was still staring at her. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she yelled, and the room burst into action once more.
This time, there was a semblance of order in the chaos.
Dumbledore chuckled. "She does take after her mother in organizational skills," he said in Draco's ear. "Now then, shall I take you to see Mr. Zabini?"
Draco nodded and pushed himself off of the wall, but his side flared with a pain so intense that black swam in front of his vision. He vaguely realized that the strangled cry of pain came from his own lips and that Dumbledore was immediately steadying him and calling for assistance. He blinked rapidly to clear his sight and tried to pull away from the Headmaster. His movements however caused his wound to bleed even more and his vision grew dim again from blood loss. He crumpled to the floor even as a Medi witch ran to his side and then the black rose up again, and buried him.
--------
R & R ( and I'm not talking about railroad crossings)
Just drop a line and let me know what you think