Author's Notes: I do not own Harry Potter in any form or manner.
Sunrise
by Kaiyo No Hime
"Are you sure you want to do this," Snape asked, looking down at the boy sitting on the floor below him, a knife in his hand, a potion by his side.
"There's no other way, is there, Professor," Harry asked, looking back up.
Snape sighed, and shook his head, "No Harry, I don't believe there is."
Harry smiled, and nodded. He knew what he was doing, and he knew why he was doing it. There was no other way, truly.
"Is there anything you want me to tell anyone? Any messages to deliver," Snape asked, handing the bag of purified sea salt to the young man.
"Could you deliver these letters, please," Harry asked, handing a small stack of envelopes, each with names printed neatly on the outside, to his potions professor.
The top letter had his beloveds name written upon it, the ink streaked with tears Harry must have shed the night before while writing it. Snape couldn't blame him, he did not think he would have been able to face his own death so willingly when he was so young.
Snape nodded, and left the room. He couldn't be there for the ritual, he would pose a risk to both himself and the success of what Harry was about to do.
"Professor," Draco asked, looking up, "Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing is wrong. Nothing at all," Snap smiled, handing the blonde the last envelope.
He had made sure to wait until after everything was done and over with before delivering this last letter. He knew what would happen once Draco found out, and knew what Harry had done and why.
"Do you know where Harry is," Draco asked, taking the envelope gently, closing the book he had been reading, "He went missing yesterday and no one's seen him since yesterday afternoon. Skipping classes isn't like him, and I'm beginning to get worried."
"I think... I think you'll find everything explained in the letter, Mr. Malfoy," Snape smiled sadly, and left the Slytherin common room, ignoring the screaming sobs that followed him down the dungeon hallway after Draco read the letter.
My Dearest Draco,
I am sorry to have to tell you this way, and not in person, but I have no other choice. I know that, if I were to face you as I should rightfully do, face to face, you would try to convince me not to do what I must. You would do everything in your power to stop me, and I cannot allow that.
For, as much as I love you, I must do this. There is no other way, no other path left for me to walk. I must do what I was cursed to do when I was so young. I must defeat Voldemort, I must save you, and the rest of the Wizarding World from his cruelty.
But now, if you reading this, you are free from his tyranny. Everyone is free.
I'm sorry, Draco, but there was no other way.
I love you, for always.
Harry Potter
"Why," Draco sobbed, "Why?"
Snape looked over at the doorway of the classroom, not surprised to see the blonde standing there. Harry had told him that Draco would probably be the one to demand answers. At least, Harry had said, the only one who would demand the answers first. The rest were probably still dealing with their grief.
"Because it was the only sure way to destroy Voldemort," Snape explained, motioning for the blonde to take a seat.
"No!" Draco snapped, "There had to be another way!"
Snape sighed, and shook his head, "There was no other way. The blood tied him directly to Voldemort. By killing himself in such a way... by killing himself, he killed Voldemort."
"But he didn't have to die! We could have fought him, he could have lived!" Draco screamed, pounding his fist on the table.
"He didn't want you hurt, you know. He didn't want anyone hurt. This was the safest way he could think of," Snape explained, trying to calm the heart broken student before him, "He died for you."
"But I didn't want him to die for me, I just wanted him to live," Draco sobbed, tears streaming down his face as he looked down at the letter clutched in his hands, and the sketch of the last sunrise the two of them had spent together, on the top of the Astronomy tower.
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