I'm Sorry (A Draco Malfoy Redemption Story)

Alternate Ending (Part 1)

A/N:- I recently attended a class and one of our assignments was to create an alternate ending of your favourite book. I made an alternate ending for Order of the Phoenix. It is not my favourite book but I wanted to write a Dramione story and this was the best chance I got so I took it. Also, the first four paragraphs are from the book so you all get an idea of where I am starting. I am also really inspired by Love and Hate: A Dramione Fanfiction by Queen of Hogwarts so I decided to put my own twist into it. This is the link to her story - https://www.wattpad.com/story/56134982-love-and-hate-a-dramione

"Bet Dumbledore wishes he could've got rid of Trelawney for good," said Ron, now munching on his fourteenth Frog. "Mind you, the whole subject is useless if you ask me, Firenze isn't a lot better..." "How can you say that?" Hermione demanded. "After we've just found out that there are real prophecies?"

Harry's heart began to race. He had not told Ron, Hermione, or anyone else what the prophecy had contained. Neville had told them it had smashed while Harry was pulling him up the steps in the Death Room, and Harry had not yet corrected this impression. He was not ready to see their expressions when he told them that he must be either murderer or victim, there was no other way...

"It is a pity it broke," said Hermione quietly, shaking her head. "Yeah, it is," said Ron. "Still, at least You-Know-Who never found out what was in it either — where are you two going?" he added, looking both surprised and disappointed as Harry and Hermione stood up. "Er — Hagrid's," lied Harry. "You know, he just got back and I promised I'd go down and see him and tell him how you are...." "Oh, all right then," said Ron grumpily, looking out of the dormitory window at the patch of bright blue sky beyond. "Wish I could come . . ." "Say hello to him for me!" called Ron, as Harry and Hermione proceeded down the ward. "And ask him what's happening about . . . about his little friend!" Harry gave a wave of his hand to show he had heard and understood as he left the dormitory.

The castle seemed very quiet even for a Sunday. Everybody was clearly out in the sunny grounds, enjoying the end of their exams and the prospect of the last few days of term unhampered by studying or homework. Harry and Hermione walked slowly along the deserted corridor, peering out of windows as he went. He could see people messing around in the air over the Quidditch pitch and a couple of students swimming in the lake, accompanied by the giant squid. They were finding it hard at the moment to decide whether he wanted to be with people or not. Whenever he was in the company he wanted to get away, and whenever he was alone, he wanted company.

Harry and Hermione had just descended the last marble step into the entrance hall when Malfoy emerged from a door on the right that Harry knew led down to the Slytherin common room. Harry stopped dead; so, did Malfoy.

For a few moments, the only sounds were the shouts, laughter, and splashes drifting into the hall from the grounds through the open front doors. Malfoy glanced around. Then he looked back at Harry and Hermione and said, "I'm sorry for everything." Both raised their eyebrows at him in disbelief. "You want me to believe that, Malfoy. You bullied us for years, your father was trying to kill me a few days ago and you want me to believe that you are sorry." Harry said.

Malfoy looked guiltier than both of them had ever seen him. If they even had seen him guilty. He felt a kind of detached satisfaction at the sight of his pale, pointed face contorted with guilt. "I know about the battle of the department of mysteries. I know he tried to kill you and that's when I started to think about it. The more I thought about it the more it seems like bullshit to me. I know sorry doesn't fix anything and I am not even expecting you to forgive me.

I grew up with my father telling me that muggle-borns didn't deserve magic and that purebloods who favour them are traitors and are disowned." He said glancing at Hermione once or twice during the entire speech, then continued "I was always taught not to show emotions and the ancient pureblood families believed that allowing your son to show emotions would make him weak. All the time, he used to tell me stories about the Weasley family and many other purebloods who were labelled blood traitors or were disowned. I always felt sorry for them but couldn't say anything.

Before I came to Hogwarts, my father told me about how you defeated the dark lord when you were just a kid and how you were really bad and could hurt me if I didn't befriend you. I blindly followed what he told me. When you didn't take my offer about being friends, my dad told me to keep an eye on you and I did. I saw how you three had fun together and to be honest I was jealous of that because I didn't have any friends. The only people I knew were my family or treated me like their boss. That is one of the reasons I bullied you all the time.