Forgiven // Drarry

Deception

Harry awoke to a Golden light. His eyes focused. He recognised it as the fountain at the Ministry of Magic. But it was blurry. Where were his glasses?

He grabbed around him until he found them. The lenses were scratched and the frames badly bent.

"Reparo." He muttered, pointing his wand at them, and he put them on. He looked around. His heart skipped a beat.

Draco was across the room, knelt down, looking at Harry with panic in his eyes. Harry ran over to him.

"You're awake, Harry." Draco gave a smile of relief.

"What happened?" Harry asked. Draco gave him a pained expression. Harry's heart dropped.

"I'm sorry." Draco whispered. Harry felt panic rise in his throat. 

"What happened?" Harry repeated, dreading the answer.

"Your godfather. He pushed you out of the way when - when she-she cast the curse. He took the blow himself. He fell through the veil. Your godfather is dead, Harry."

Harry was frozen. Time seemed to have stopped. Pain went through Harry like a knife in his heart.

"No- no. He can't be-" Tears started to spill from his eyes. "He couldn't have-"

"I'm sorry, Harry. I wish I could've done something."

"Who did it?" Harry asked, even though he already knew the answer. Her. The cackling laugh. "Who cast the curse?"

Draco didn't reply.

"Who?" Harry demanded.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Draco replied quietly. Harry felt fury raise up in him like a pot boiling over.

"Where is she?" Harry felt his voice shake. "WHERE IS SHE? I'LL KILL HER. I'LL KILL HER!"

"You can't go after her now. She's far from here" Draco said calmly.

"I'll kill her." He said again, his voice cracking.

"No, Harry." Draco put a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked at his surroundings again.

"Why am I here?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Dumbledore brought you..." Dumbledore? He was there. Harry expected to feel relief at this news. But it did not come.

"Where is he now?" Harry asked.

"Helping your friends." Ron and Hermione. He hasn't  even seen them  after the Prophecy room. Harry looked at Draco with a sad expression in his eyes, tears raining down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Draco repeated.

"It's not your fault- don't apologise. It's my fault." Harry muttered bitterly.

"I'm just glad you're okay. " Draco muttered.

They were an inch apart. Harry avoided eye contact with him. Draco leaned in and pressed his mouth to Harry's lips. Something felt wrong.

"Has - has something else happened?" Harry asked him. Draco bowed his head.

"Harry. He's after me. The Dark Lord. He's trying to get to me." Draco said.

"He won't let him  get to you." Harry whispered. "I swear I won't let him."

"Oh, Harry" Draco looked at him pitifully. He saw a malicious glint in Draco's eyes and his heart stopped. "He already has."

"NO!" Harry pushed Draco away.

In a split second they both had their wands pointed to each other

"Avada Kedavra!" Screamed Draco.

Harry barely dodged the jet of green light sent his way. Harry made fruitless attempts to disarm him. Draco blocked every one of them. But it was the only way to keep him occupied, so that he wouldn't spend killing curses Harry's way.

Rage fuelled Harry to keep going. Love fuelled him. Pain fuelled him.

But he knew that he couldn't continue forever. He felt weak, but he continued sending spells Draco's way.

Then, he came. He walked between them, and they stopped duelling. It was Dumbledore. He wasn't calm when he looked to Draco. He was fuming.

"Let the boy go." Dumbledore ordered. Wind swirled angrily around them and Draco dropped to the floor. Harry ran to Draco, kneeling to his side.

Then Dumbledore turned to Harry, his eyes worried.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Dumbledore asked. What a stupid question to ask. He nodded anyways, even though he felt anything but alright.

"Draco will be fine. When he wakes up, he will be shaken. But he will not suffer long term effects."
Harry reluctantly stood up to face Dumbledore. But suddenly Harry felt a white-hot pain running through his scar. He felt dizzy with pain and he collapsed to the floor.

A voice came out of his mouth that wasn't his own. He could not focus on what that voice said. He wondered if this was dying. He thought about being with Sirius. His parents. And possibly later on, Draco. He wondered if his parents, Cedric, Sirius felt like this when they died. He felt a wave of sorrow for them.

Harry realised there was wind blowing around him. The pain faded. He was laying flat on the cool marble floor.

A tall figure stood above him, wearing a hooded cloak. Dementor? Harry's immediate thought was to cast a Patronus. But the figure was not floating off the ground. The air had not chilled. But the sense of dread was there.

The figure was not looking at Harry. It was looking across from Harry. The figure spoke with a cold high pitched voice, sending shivers down Harry's spine. At first he did not focus on the words it was saying. But he concentrated on them.

"There is nothing worse than death, you fool."

"Life without love is worse than death will ever be."

A shield of magic formed around Harry. He willed himself to crawl to Draco's side, shielding the unconscious boy.

Lord Voldemort sent curses flying Dumbledore's direction. But Dumbledore sent curses back to Voldemort. The structures the spells had hit were in ruins. But then, the fireplaces lit up emerald green. Witches and Wizards were arriving to the Ministry for work.

And Cornelius Fudge could no longer deny the return of Lord Voldemort.