• Harry Potter One Shots• (request open)

We Can Do Better • Draco Malfoy (Part One)

Anna never felt like she had anyone. She supposed that's always what drew her and Draco together: loneliness. She was a Slytherin, pureblood at that, and was in the same situation as Draco: under immense pressure from their parents to exceed their expectations. Anna wanted to rebel; she wanted to run, ditch outdated pureblood ideas and be happy. She realized how wrong the lies her parents had jammed into her head were when she befriended Hermione Granger, first year.

Lucius and Narcissa and Anna's parents had always dreamed of Draco and Anna marrying. They had it all planned out: a way to continue their pureblood lineage. Of course, they were over the moon when the two came home for the summer holiday following their fourth year with the announcement they were dating.

Anna and Draco had been together for two years now, two years that she had put aside her dreams to ditch her family's dark side and run. She loved Draco, and knew deep down Draco was good; but, she knew how much Draco valued his father's opinion and approval, knowing that he'd do anything to satisfy Lucius.

So, Anna set aside her contrary beliefs. She still spoke with Hermione, but secretly. She didn't want to choose between her close friend and her boyfriend, whom even before they had began dating was a good friend since birth.

Draco had suspicions of Anna's beliefs, snarling his nose every time he saw her snickering with Hermione around a corner. He noticed how they two quickly separated upon Draco's arrival. He knew that they were good friends, and tried to ignore it. What he didn't know, is he'd let his true feelings fly time and after time curled up under dark green silk sheets in his bedroom. After shot after shot of fire whiskey, he'd revealed to Anna countless times how he felt blood purity was unfair, how Hermione was an outstanding witch. Morning always came and he never remembered.

Anna never told Draco what he'd said. She never revealed her true beliefs. She felt as if it would be easier to keep her mouth shut and to live the life her parents had always dreamed for her, that she'd dreamed of as well. She wanted to spend the rest of with Draco, he was the love of her life - she knew that from a young age. Her conscious still clung onto her like a prisoner's chains.

It was only after she'd watched Hermione fight for years along side Harry and Ron she decided to tell Draco. Anna longed to fight for good. Her mother and father were some of Voldemort's most loyal followers, while she longed to see his death. She'd been spending the last few weeks replaying the conversation in her head, trying to find a way to tell him.

Her worst fear came reality when her love proudly displayed his dark mark on his forearm. He knew how Anna had previously felt, but she hadn't mentioned it in years - not at all since they'd been officially dating. "Look!" He said, as if he was a child showing its most prized possession at show and tell.

Anna noticed how his voice broke, along with her heart. Was he really happy? Was the break in his voice the result of a dry mouth or of disbelief he'd actually pledged his allegiance to Voldemort?

"Why?" She whispered, not sure if she'd actually even said it out loud. She had. Draco heard her loud and clear and his face fell.

"Ann-" he began, stepping towards his girlfriend, his mother's engagement ring heavy in his pocket. He felt as if he was going to make this commitment to Voldemort, he might as well make the commitment to Anna they'd always dreamed of.

"I'm so disappointed in you. You're better than this." Anna growled, her eyes locked on his forearm. Draco's jaw clenched. He closed the gap between them, grabbing Anna's arms forcefully.

"Is this not what you wanted?" He said slowly, darkly. Anna shook her head.

"It's wrong, Draco. He's evil." Tears began streaming down her cheeks, "you're not evil." She cried, shaking her head.

"Anna, we're supposed to get married. This is our legacy. We're supposed to carry on the Malfoy name-" he said, his grip growing tighter on arm arms.

"We can do that without following Voldemort." She hissed. Draco shook her in his hands as he grew angrier, wanting to live a long and happy life with Anna regardless of what it took. He can't say he didn't see this coming, especially after she befriended Hermione.

"They'll kill you, Ann. You'll be marked a blood traitor, you'll be erased from your family line. We won't be able to be together." He almost yelled, shaking her still. Tears were forming in his own grey eyes.

"Stop it!" She screamed, sobbing. "You're hurting me."

Draco's hands instantly fell from her arms as if he'd touched something hot; the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Anna, physically or emotionally. At this point, he didn't know which way she was referring too.

The two stood quietly for a moment. "I can't do this, Draco. I can't bring children into a world like this. I will not have them grow up like we did-"

"We can do better." Draco suggested, fiddling with the ring in his pocket. Before this argument, he was sure of her answer. Now, not so much.

"You've already proven we can't." She hissed, looking down at his arm. "We're done. Goodbye Draco."