Two Sides of the Serpent // Draco Malfoy

Chapter Thirty-Six: A Final Farewell

Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the castle through the towering doors, their faces pale and eyes hollow from the weight of what they had just done. There was no need for words between us as our eyes met briefly. We all shared the same exhaustion, the same grief. They nodded toward me and Draco as they passed by, their footsteps heavy as they made their way toward the Great Hall.

Draco and I followed them at a slower pace, stopping at the threshold of the Great Hall. Inside the hall, it was silent. The trio scanned over the bodies that lined down the wall, blankets covering their bodies and allowing them their final rest. Slowly moving down the aisle, they each silently paid their respects. It was an unbearable sadness, seeing all the young lives lost in such a way.

As we watched, we saw Ron reunite with his family; although, it wasn't at all what any of us anticipated. He fell to his knees, his trembling hands reaching out to the body laid sprawled on the floor. His family surrounded him, their collective grief was devastating. They had lost their father-- Arthur Weasley had fallen in the fight.

Draco and I stood frozen, our hands linked in an unspoken gesture of comfort. I couldn't look away, watching the Weasley's gather together, their sobs and pain filling the air. It was too heartbreaking, too real to process.

Harry stood in the center of the hall, watching Ron and his family mourn the loss of their father. His eyes scanned through the dead, the injured, and the mourning. His grief was quiet but still very much real. I could see the rage, guilt, and overwhelming despair in his eyes. It swirled inside him like a storm ready to unleash its power.

Professor McGonagall noticed him, her eyes filled with sorrow. She walked toward Harry slowly, wanting to offer some needed comfort in this unbearable situation. Her face was stained with dirt and tears, yet still compassionate. Before she could reach Harry, he promptly turned and rushed from the hall.

The hall felt colder without Harry's presence, as though his leaving had taken with it whatever fragile hope had remained. The air was thick with mourning. Those still alive moved quietly, gathering around their fallen friends and family, paying their respects to the dead. The surviving professors were helping where they could, offering what small comforts they had left to give.

I looked over at Draco, his face unreadable, but his eyes-- the faint flicker of sorrow there-- told me everything. This war had taken its toll on everyone, even him.

For a long moment, we stood there, caught in the silence of grief.

I limped forward into the Great Hall, my footsteps slow and uneven. Each step sent a dull throb through my injured arm, but I pushed the pain aside, my focus on the Weasleys huddled together in their grief. I approached quietly, stopping a short distance away, my heart aching for them. My gaze drifted to Bill and Fleur, standing off to the side, their faces pale and eyes red from tears. My eyes met theirs, a silent exchange of shared sorrow, my eyes reflecting the sympathy I felt for them.

Hermione, still standing beside Ron's kneeling form, suddenly looked around the hall, her eyes scanning the faces and bodies. When she realized someone was missing, her brow furrowed with concern. "Where's Harry?" she asked softly, her voice thick with worry as she turned to me.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure. I saw him leave the hall, but I don't know where he went."

Ron, his eyes hollow and swollen from tears, stood to his feet, wiping at his face. "I need... I need a moment," he muttered, his voice cracking.

Hermione, Draco and I all followed Ron outside of the Great Hall. The air in the corridor was colder and more quiet. Walking further away from the hall, Draco was the first to break the silence.