Two people, they could have been anywhere, but these two were on opposite sides. It could have been a lake, or a building, or even an airplane, but for them, it was a war. Frozen in time, wands pointed, curses ready, but silent, they'd been standing there for only a few seconds, but it could have been a lifetime to either.
"Will it ever be over?"
He'd asked her it once, twice, maybe a hundred times, but the answer was always the same.
"Never, now stop asking."
She left the reason it would never be over silent. It was his fault, he was the one who couldn't change, no matter what he felt for her, the ink stain on his flesh would always come between them.
"You could help us!"
But that would never work. He was always the evil Slytherin Prince, she would always be Harry Potter's best friend.
"Who would accept it?"
Another problem among hundreds, thousands, millions. They had more problems than there were stars in the sky. But he was looking into her eyes, and his wand was wavering.
The eyes weren't windows to anything. They were just the things that let you see. His were gray and expressionless, hers were brown and full of emotion. Opposites, even there.
"Give me a reason!" he screamed at her, jabbing his wand at her chest, "Just one!"
She was scared, Malfoy had been gone for over a year, and all of the sudden, he was in front of her, desperate and threatening. She couldn't say anything, not only because there was nothing to say, but because one word and she was dead.
And his wand wasn't jabbing her anymore. His arms were around her, she thought he would choke her, but that wasn't his intention.
Lips on her neck, tongue licking, teeth biting, he was still desperate and threatening, but in a totally different way.
And his eyes were burning holes through her, melting her skin, killing her. But they were still frozen in place. "Just do it, Malfoy!"
"Give me a reason!"
What led us here? Why can't we escape?
He noticed his had sagging and pointed it again, forcefully. Her arm was starting to hurt, but that didn't matter.
I wish you were Ron.
Just say the curse, finish it! But their throats were closed off, no sound could escape. It wasn't any curse that bound their words.
I wish you weren't you.
Kill me, you bastard, she wanted to scream. You're the bad guy here. His wand was falling again. Don't do that! You are my death!
And I am yours.
She couldn't kill him, he was Malfoy, but she knew that he was also Draco. All of the sudden, he jumped at her, his feet finally released from the ground. A curse, vile and purple, flew over their heads and hit a wall. It winked out with a hiss.
I wish you were good.
Those eyes, just gray, but no longer expressionless. "I can't let them kill you." Then that silent speech, It's my job.
Sometime later, long after that time when he showed up, trying to kill her. "He told me to kill you."
"I know." He said nothing more. "When are you going to do it?"
"I don't know."
A kiss on her forehead, her ear, her lips. I don't want to do this, but I have to. He's going to win, and if you're not dead, I am.
He's not going to win.
"We could run away from all of this," he told her. "No one would stop us."
"No we can't. Everyone is stopping us."
They rolled backwards, another spell flew over their heads. She ended in a crouch, wand pointed at him again. He mirrored her. "Give me a reason, Malfoy."
"That's my line."
"You could just disappear."
"No I can't."
Her crouch was uncomfortable, and her foot twisted under her. Before she knew it, she was on her back and he was above her. His wand at her throat. "Here again, are we?"
On top of her, wand at her throat. "You're not going to kill me."
"How do you know?"
She swatted his wand away, "That's how."
"You're not going to kill me."
"How do you know?"
She swatted his had away, but this time it didn't move. Now she was scared. "You're a coward. That's how I know." The wand pressed harder into her throat and she made a choking sound.
"I'll do it this time." He wasn't focused enough on keeping her down, and her fear didn't cow her. She jutted her hips up and threw him off balance. She twisted and stood up, pointing her wand at him as he stood up slowly.
"No, you won't."
"I don't want to kill you."
"Are you going to let that stop you?"
"Do you still need a reason, Malfoy? Do you still want one?" They were frozen in place again, words were allowed, but no curses.
Is there a reason?
I wish you weren't you.
"There's my girl,"
Always your girl.
"Finally growing a spine. Do you need a reason, Granger? Or are you just going to do it. You know you want to."
"There's a different between want and need."
I want to kill you, I need you with me.
"Are you going to kill me?" If it were anything else, a movie, a book, a cartoon, anything but real, he would have dropped his wand, wrapped her in his arms and said, Never, I love you, this will end well.
But this was real.
There's no way this is going to end well.
He didn't drop his wand, and he didn't answer. "Give me a reason."
What's your reason, Granger? What's his? She met his eyes, the gray ones, still just gray, no windows, nothing. "There is no reason."
Then there was something wrong with his eyes. They had been gray and shiny, almost as if he were going to cry, but now they were dull.
Lifeless.
He pitched forward, onto her, and she knew.
Two people, they could be anywhere. But they were on opposite sides. It could be a bridge, or a building, or a war. But now it was death.
Give me a reason.
"Goodbye."