Potter!

The Aftermath

Draco felt a complete outsider when he sat amongst the crowds of people in the great hall sitting through the speech after the battle. He'd honestly expected people to throw him out, finish him off, but they had all seen him throw his wand at Harry. So even though they didn't speak to him, they accepted his aiding the death of the tyrant.

Draco bowed his head, not willing to look at anyone. And when he finally raised his head, his eyes were met with the boy who lived's green orbs. Harry was staring at him quizzically, probably wondering after everything why Draco would help him.

After a few moments of staring at eachother, Harry glanced towards to the door, motioning with his head that they should both leave to talk, or to duel to the death, Draco couldn't figure out which.

Harry left the hall, and Draco left a few moments after. He was standing on the bridge that was covered in debris, and looking over the edge, that Draco almost thought he would jump. He would certainly not live that one.

As the slytherin stepped forward, his head snapped towards him, and his eyes bore into him.
Draco couldn't tell what he was about to say or do. Whatever it was he was ready for it. If he killed him, right there, right then, it would be a honourable way to die. If he spoke and thanked him, it would be, finally, a chance to move on from their troubled past.

"Why did you do that?" Harry's voice was hoarse from crying as well as dying, he supposed.

Draco looked at him almost fondly.

"I'm serious, Malfoy. Did you want to claim some glory for yourself after seeing that you were on the wrong side of the battle?" Harry fumed.

Unable to make words anymore, Draco shook his head, feeling the heat rise to his face and neck.

"Why on earth did you suddenly decide to help, there were many people in the room to lend me a wand."
"I didn't need you" Harry's voice was bitter and words chosen to cause maximum pain. Draco felt ashamed and now wished to fling himself off the bridge.

Harry must have read him like an open book for the first time in his life, and softened a little as he watched Draco stare out at the drop beside them.

"Malfoy, I- I'm sorry, I just don't understand why-"

Quickly getting over the shock of hearing Potter apologise, Draco didn't let him finish.

"Just because I was forced to become one of them doesn't mean I want to be one of them!" he blurted out, raising his voice, listening to it echo around them.

Harry stared at him, but all words were lost.

Draco continued, his voice breaking with sobs.
"I was forced! Forced to become one of them! Forced to find a way to kill Dumbledore so that I could stay alive and keep my mother safe! Forced to let them into the castle!"
Draco stopped for a choked sob.
"Forced to become his servant!"

Harry bit his lip, watching the wreck of a man in front of him. This wasn't Malfoy, this was Draco, the real person behind the pureblood righteous façade of every day Hogwarts life.

"I didn't tell them it was you! Did I? Back at the Manor! Because when it came to it, I didn't want you, Granger and Weasley to die! I wanted you to succeed in defeating the one who I was too weak to defeat!"

Draco staggered for breath.

"And you repaid the debt when you saved me from that fiendfyre! You should've let me burn, but you didn't! I'm sure as hell, Voldemort would've let me burn without even batting an eyelid."

Harry was staring at him intently now. He didn't know what to feel anymore. Draco was a new person.

"And now I'm free. Free from the monster that threatened my family. Free from the demands and the dread of having to carry out his work on innocent people!"

"So sorry if I disappointed you, Potter, by not being the villain you thought I was, but I was never who you thought I was. I am glad the world is free from him! And if you think I deserve a death sentence for simply protecting myself and my family from death then go on, kill me!"

Draco stood up straight, breathing deeply and closing his eyes, awaiting Harry to do something, anything, kill him, shout at him... Kiss him.

He opened his eyes, and Harry was closer to him.

"Draco. "

He blinked, every inch of his body was frozen, from his previously quivering lips, to the single tear on his cheek. He was afraid to move.
Harry reached up and brushed the tear away with his soft thumb.

Draco didn't breathe. He'd never been so close to him. He smelt of peppermint and treacle tarts, and the slightest of singed parchment. How could he still smell so good after all that fighting and dying?

"You haven't disappointed me in the slightest. And yet you haven't surprised me either."

Why did Harry have to talk in riddles.

"Thank you, Draco" Harry smiled at him, an alien feeling spreading through Draco's chest. A warmth. He blinked back more tears. In a spur of the moment action he threw his arms around a taken aback Harry Potter and cried on his shoulder.

Harry smiled again, wrapping his arms around the blonde's small waist. He really wasn't surprised. In fact, it felt like it was all meant to be, at last.