WITHOUT YOU [draco malfoy fanfiction]

54. flames

A/N: The artwork does not belong to me. Credits to the rightful owner

Sirius had no idea about what he was going to do after he got kicked out quite brutally from the room his cousin's son was occupying. There were a million thoughts running wild inside him. Was Narcissa speaking the truth? She was, he knew. Narcissa was too proud to be a liar. Did it matter? He only went in there on Dumbledore's insistence after all. Did it matter that the boy he hated so much until now was now lying very close to death because he took a curse for him? 

Lucius was dead now, he could take the boy under his wing, save him from walking on the path of becoming a Death Eater like his father. But, Sirius realised that Draco was already far from that path, today was the greatest proof of it.

 He came across Harry sitting next to the cot of Neville Longbottom.

"How's he?" Sirius asked

"Nothing serious. Madam Pomfrey gave him dreamless sleep, he should be good when he wakes up"

"And you?"

"I'm alright, Sirius. I'm so glad no one's from our side has gotten hurt".

"Draco-

"He isn't on our side Sirius! You know that. They are Malfoys, always on their own sides. You were the one who told me that after third year. They must have had some ulterior motives that is the only reason they fought for us today. Two of them are dead, I think it's a win for us. The Malfoy line has ended with that ferret".

Sirius winced. He remembered the same words being spewed so many years ago by the Order, but with his name instead of Draco. He remembered being mistrusted and mistreated all because he carried the name 'Black'.

"Harry, how did your and Malfoy's rivalry begin?"

"I denied his friendship".

"He tried to befriend you?" Sirius raised an eyebrow

"Oh Yes!" Harry laughed a malicious laugh; one Sirius had never thought Harry was capable of. "He tried it so many times during the first year. Honestly it felt like the git was forced! He kept telling me how he could teach me the ways of the wizarding world and how his influence would help me flourish. What a load of dung! Ron told me he was just after me because of my fame and thank Merlin I listened to him, knowing Malfoy now of course he had to be right. Can you imagine? Me and Malfoy? mates?"

Oh but Sirius could imagine. How easy it would have been for Harry if he had Draco as a guide in the wizarding world, if he had Narcissa as a guide. Because that is what it was, wasn't it? Narcissa persuading a young Draco to befriend Harry Potter, Sirius' godson to ensure he was safe. He knew how Lucius must have been convinced under the guise to fame, but Sirius knew Narcissa enough to know that she would never chase fame, she had that in buckets already.

Sirius had hated his family for tormenting him when he was sorted into Gryffindor, but he realised it too late that Sirius had started discriminating against the green and silver robes as well. He had treated Reggie so callously when he was sorted into Slytherin. His own little brother, Merlin! He failed to accept that not everyone who was upset with their surrounding abandoned it or had the courage to fight against it. He sighed, he didn't know how to right his wrongs and inside he was scared that it was a little too late.

"Harry" he called the boy he considered his son and placed a hand on his shoulder, the boy looked up at him with such trust that Sirius felt heavy with the burden and responsibility of doing right by him. "The Malfoys stood by our side today. Draco has taken a curse for me and is lying in the hospital wing for it, Narcissa has single-handedly slayed about half the death-eater force that was present today, she has handicapped her own sister and has lost her husband"