Semper In Pectore Meo - Drarry (Sequel to "Small Accidents, New Beginnings")

Chapter XXI - Walk of Death

3rd POV

As Harry entered the Forbidden Forest, he started walking slower, dread and fear crawling into his skin and making him slowly come to the realisation that this was it.

He had to die, he knew that, there was no way around it.

The tears in his eyes didn't stop falling as he walked deeper into the forest, his heart clenching as he passed by the trail he and Draco had to walk through to get to their secret place.

Draco.. he was going to leave Draco. And he didn't get to say goodbye...

Why would he? He didn't know this was coming, because he always thought it was a matter of him or Voldemort dying, so finding out that was a lie, and he had to die no matter the outcome, really took him by surprise.

He wasn't scared of death. Afterall, he had spent his entire life with death peeking through his door, just waiting for it to take him, but until recently, he used to have no solid reason to fight hard to stay.

Sure, there were Ron and Hermione, but they had each other, and they were strong.
He knew that, no matter how hard it was, they'd pull through it together.

But now there was Draco, the love of his life, the man who Harry would do anything to protect.

And this was basically what it was, right? By sacrificing himself, he would save the world, and therefore protect Draco too.

But he couldn't help but mourn all the life he had planned ahead for the two, living together, getting married, having a family...

Harry sighed and looked at the sky, dark with clouds and scary, no stars in sight, and there wouldn't be any, it was daytime still.

A part of him hoped he'd see his parents, Dumbledore, Remus...

A thought struck his head, and he patted his jean pockets to try to find something.

"There it is.." He whispered, pulling out the resurrection stone.

Soon, figures started appearing around him, and he felt a sob escape him as he saw everyone he lost standing around him.

"M-Mom? Dad?" He gasped and the figures of Lily and James Potter smiled at him.

"W-What do I do?" Harry asked helplessly, and his mother stepped forward.

"You know what you have to do, sweetheart." Lily said, in a soft voice that made Harry let out another sob, and he slowly nodded.

"We're so proud of you, Harry." James said, and Harry wanted to hug them, but he knew they weren't really there, so he couldn't.

He took another look around, Lily, James, Dumbledore, Remus, Fred, Tonks, even Snape... and Narcissa, who gave him a kind smile, grateful that he took care of her son.

"Thank you.." he whispered to all of them, before dropping the stone, tapping his bracelet and waiting a few seconds before feeling it warm up for the last time, then making his way to where Voldemort would be, this time with a newfound determination.

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"Harry Potter.. is dead!" Voldemort shouted, his voice echoing as he laughed in triumph.

Draco felt his heart stop in that moment, as he looked up to see Hagrid carrying Harry's body in his arms.

"No.." Draco whispered under his breath, unbelieving. He tapped his bracelet repeatedly, but it wouldn't warm up anymore, it wouldn't even respond to his touches, and he looked around, trying to find something, anything, that would tell him this wasn't real.

He was frozen to the spot, his eyes locked on Harry's body, wishing, praying he'd wake up and tell him this was just a bad dream, but as everyone around him seemed to be grieving the dead of the one who was supposed to save them, Draco rushed forward without thinking.

"No! N-No he can't be!" He cried out, and Voldemort silenced him.

"Stupid boy.. betraying me, and for what? Just to see your precious Potter die." Voldemort spat, a hint of mockery in his voice, he was enjoying this.

Arthur Weasley was the one who pulled him back so he wouldn't do anything out of anger, and Draco just started back at Harry's body and sobbed.

"Draco." He heard a voice saying, and found himself looking at his father, who was holding out his hand. "Draco, come." Lucius said, and Draco let out a dry laugh, shaking his head in disbelief as he stood beside the Weasleys instead.

Molly wrapped her arm around Draco's shoulders and Hermione took his hand as she and Ron stared at Harry's body, not wanting to believe it either.

Lucius lowered his hand and looked at Draco with an unreadable expression, but somewhere in his eyes he could almost see desperation, and worry.

Draco barely paid attention as Neville stepped forward, giving a speech while Voldemort laughed at him. But as he finished it and pulled the sword of Gryffindor off the sorting hat he was holding, everyone looked in shock, and soon a thud was heard where Harry jumped from Hagrid's arms and cast a spell at Nagini.

"Harry!" Draco cried and ran to him.

Harry took him in his arms as they ran together, dodging Voldemort's spells and fighting alongside each other. "H-How..?" Draco tried to ask but Harry silenced him with a kiss.

"Later." He promised. "We have to kill the snake!" Harry shouted to his friends as he approached them, and everyone got ready to do fight.

Harry and Draco got separated again as Harry insisted he had to be the one to put an end to this, leaving Draco and the others to kill Nagini while he faced Voldemort himself in the final battle.

After watching Neville kill Nagini using the sword of Gryffindor, getting rid of the last Horcrux, Draco ran to find Harry.

Meanwhile, Harry had his wand, well, Draco's wand, pointed at Voldemort, Voldemort had the elder wand pointed at him, and they were both giving their everything in this last duel, knowing this was it, light or dark, good or bad, Harry or Voldemort.

"You can't win!" Voldemort shouted, and as Harry saw Draco running to get to him, he could only smirk at the man who had haunted him his entire life.

"I already did." He said, and his spell override Voldemort's, sending him to the ground as he slowly turned to pieces.

Harry stumbled on his feet, exhaustion filling his body as he watched his worst nightmare disappear in front of him, replaced soon by his best dream.

"Draco..." He whispered and felt arms wrap around him tightly.

"Harry..." Draco sobbed, and they fell to the ground, crying in each other arms as they heard in the distance the sound of the mixed celebrations for what they won, and the mourning for all it cost.