Dramione: The Kill Task

Prologue

[Draco]

20/08/96

"For your first act as a death eater, crucio her," says the Dark Lord. I look down upon some mudblood's muggle mother. Dressed in rags like a house elf she cowers at my feet.

"Please, please help me. I'm begging you, give mercy. You don't have to, please," the woman whines. 

"Crucio," the dark curse slowly crawls through me so I feel every ounce of its bleak nature. Dark magic is no stranger but this is easily the darkest curse I've used. Every time I feel the magic seep a little deeper into my body, and leak another drop into my soul. 

Her screams fill my ears but I don't end it. I let her screams continue as the darkness fills me with an unforgiving sense of cold, but I can use that to my advantage. Letting the cold numb me to the feeling of dark magic. Taking my mind off of the tainting of my soul.

"Avada Kedavra," says the Dark Lord ending the tiresome screams of the flailing women. "I have your next task. This one will be considerably harder than the others," the Dark Lord says. Finally, I need something to challenge me. I have so much more potential. I bet he's going to get me to perform my first kill.  

"I welcome the challenge, my Lord."

"Good, because you are going to kill Dumbledore for me," says the Dark Lord. There's no way I'm expected to kill the so-called greatest wizard of our time. Even the Dark Lord's scared to face him. Let alone someone who hasn't graduated yet.

You know what, fuck it. How hard can it be? That old oaf isn't in his right mind anymore anyway. I'll just have to be cunning, everyone has a weakness. It's a matter of how well they conceal it.

"You have until school ends to complete this. If you fail-"

"I won't fail you, my lord," I cut him off.

"Then you don't have to worry about me killing you. Dismissed."

I walk out with confidence that falls off like a mask as soon as I've apparated back to my room in Malfoy manor.

What have I gotten myself into?

29/06/97

I loiter behind a pillar, waiting for him to walk past. Being completely concealed from his view also means I can't see when he comes, my only clue of his arrival will be his ignorant footsteps. We go home tomorrow, it's now or never, and never isn't an option.

I listen for anything else that could give away his arrival but the only sound in the corridor is the breeze from an open window. Not even my breath disturbs the quiet, too much rides on this moment to breathe.

My lungs start to burn after a while but still, I can't breathe. I won't breathe. There can be no sign I'm here at all. This can't go wrong, or I'm going to die, I should have done this sooner, I have no backup plan, why would I wait so long, what if he doesn't show up, what if he finds out I'm here, oh merlins beard why did I wait so long to do this, I should have done this ages ago. I need air, but if I gasp and give away my position it could ruin everything.

My heart races trying to pump the little oxygen I have left around my body. My lungs yearn for me to give them more. But I can't, he'll hear me.

I feel lightheaded and slide down the pillar. Fuck, I'm dead for this. I'm going to die tomorrow. I'd guess I'm dead right now if not for my racing heartbeat, I'm not even breathing.

"Draco? Are you ok?" someone says. I look up into Potter's eyes standing over me full of pity. How did I give away my position? Fucking hell what now. I let myself gasp in much-needed air. He came, he's here, I can work with this. I breathe a few times until I can even them to a somewhat normal pace even if it's laboured. My heart's still racing but that's to be expected. I need to play this off. With one last deep breath, I flip an invisible switch calming my face and smirking. Maybe he'll think my heavy breathing is only recovering from my act.