From the Stars to the Stars → Draco Malfoy

xxxi. Cygnus

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     How does one become a Myth?

     Was the one question people tend to wonder.

     Different legends would have different answers for that; Icarus would tell them to fly, let the sun burn their wings as they watch the world turned golden even when the Gods made them the match; Medusa would scoff, telling them to let the deities turn their beauty into this monstrous ugliness in the name of power; or maybe Hera herself would give them a side-eye, while telling them to marry the King of Gods–then watch as he betrays them, as he hurt them, as he turned them into this bitter and spiteful creature that they couldn't even recognise anymore.

     Draco Malfoy never really understood why Orion did not want to become a Tribrid. Yes, she said it herself how painful it would be to become one, painful than death, was what the words Orion used to describe it. But, wasn't that what everyone wanted? To become a Myth; a legend that people talk about in a thousand years from now on?

     But, the way Orion described her loathing to even think of becoming one, it was uncanny. However, that wasn't the reason why Draco Malfoy offered his help, Draco never offered his service to anyone; it wasn't the thought of someone thinking they would rather die than becoming something they were supposed to be that made Draco decide to help. It was how terrified and panicked she looked for the thought of disappointing her–dead–parents. Draco might say, for as much as he wanted on how he loathed the Mikaelson girl, but, when she stood in front of him, trying to sound and act nonchalant to mask the fact that she was afraid, Draco couldn't help but offer his service.

     That was the day Draco Malfoy learned what empathy might feel like.

     This was the same girl who wouldn't hesitate to burn the whole building to the ground just because someone talked bad about her family. If something could terrify her that badly, Draco could only assume this–whatever it was–was her worst nightmare; it wasn't how her father might regret his sacrifice like her boggart was in the Third Year; it was to let her parents' sacrifice on her go to waste; it was to become something her parents tried so hard to prevent her to become. A monster.

     Tragedy.

     Tragedy was the answer to how one becomes a Myth. In every book about Myths that Draco had ever read, it all started with a tragedy, no matter how small or how big. It all started and ended with a tragedy, not all of them ended up becoming a hero, though Draco Malfoy never really believed in heroes and villains, they're all made up versions of someone inside of a fool's head. The same heroes some praised, could be the villains in other's stories and none of it made any sense.

     Everyone wanted to be a Myth, but no one wanted to taste the bittersweet of tragedy.

     "Draco?" Pansy called him, her fingers brushed his to catch his attention.

     Draco immediately darted his gaze to the raven-haired girl in front of him, drawing his hand away from hers before putting down his cup of coffee as he hummed in an answer.

     "Are you listening to me?" Pansy asked, furrowing her brows as she began to study the blond guy sitting in front of her.

     Another hum of an answer was let out by Draco. "This coffee is shit," he abruptly said, jolting his chin towards the cup of coffee that he had just set down. "This lemon meringue is also shit."

     "Well, you should've tried the strawberry pie instead," Pansy passed him the plate of strawberry pie that was barely touched by her since the time they sat.