Draco stood silently, watching as the mourners went by. He shivered in the unnaturally cold wind, but he felt that he had to stand here and pay his respects to the man. Albus Dumbledore had not been liked very much in the family. Lucius had often talked of him as weak and a fool. Just an old man fighting against what was inevitable.
There were many people there. They all had gone to pay their respects to the great wizard. But he stood alone, in the back. He felt, that he didn't deserve to go any closer.
That night up there in the tower still haunted him. It came to him in his dreams. Even though he had not been the one to cast the death curse, he had left Dumbledore in the hands of Severus Snape, unarmed, unable to fight.
Draco's whole world had collapsed that night. He had helped commit murder. One man he respected had been killed by another he also had respected. Despite what his father had taught him, Draco had never seen Dumbledore the way he did. He might have payed a little too much attention to the Potter boy but he had been wise and brave. And Snape had been a good head of Slytherin. He had looked out for the students in his house, he had given them advantages and despite what others thought, been there for them if they really needed.
He followed the mourners at a distance. He watch from afar behind the trees as the tufty-haired wizard conducted the ceremony. The whole school was there, apart from him and Severus Snape. After his eulogy had been given, Dumbledore's body was encased in bright white flames. When the smoke subsided, he saw that Dumbledore's body was closed in the tomb.
Suddenly a cloud of arrows flew from the forest, as the centaurs paid their respect to the headmaster. Draco felt a tear roll down his cheek. He didn't bother wiping it away. No one would see it anyway, he had hid himself so as not to be noticed.
After a while everyone left. Only a few closest to Dumbledore cried by his grave. But then they went too. Very quietly Draco inched forward, making sure not to be seen. He reached the grave. His fingers brushed the white marble.
"Forgive me!" he whispered. "Please forgive me!" Draco fell on his knees and started crying. He had never wanted for this to happen. He had just wanted to please his father. He had just wanted to make him proud.
It was dark already, when he finally got up. With cold hands he wiped away his tears. Draco glanced one last time at the grave, placed a single white rose on it. Then as quietly as he had come, he left.
