Harry Potter Oneshots

Now or Never

Summary: Voldemort orders Draco to kill Harry Potter. Draco just wishes he was a kid back at Hogwarts again.

___

     "Hey, it's going to be okay," Harry says, but Draco knows it's not and it never will be again. Tears are beginning to blur his vision, clouding his view of Harry's face. He wishes they could be back at Hogwarts again, when all he had to worry about was getting his father's attention, winning the house cup, beating Potter at Quidditch, and, oh god, Potter.

     He wipes his tears and glances at Harry, who he hates for being remarkably calm despite the wand against his chest— Draco's wand, as if he knew he was going to die on this day. As if he knew Draco would be the one to kill him.

     They both know time is running out. Voldemort had only given them a few minutes and if Harry is still alive and well (as well as anyone can be while tied up), Draco's family will be killed and Draco tortured for an eternity— an action both of them don't want.

     Draco doesn't understand. Since when has Potter given a shit about him? He's never looked Draco's way during classes, Hogwarts, or even during their Quidditch matches. He could have escaped at any given moment during his time of capture and not looked back. What did it matter if Draco was captured? It served Draco right for all those years of teasing Potter about his dead parents when now his own parents' lives are on the line. There was a time when Draco perhaps would boast about not hesitating to kill Potter if it were for the Dark Lord, but now that the time has come, he is hesitating. Hesitating because if the Chosen One is dead, then who will save the rest of the world? Draco certainly can't. Not after killing Potter.

     And yet, Potter is still staring at Draco calmly, waiting for Draco to utter the incantation to kill him. 

     "Hey, I'm the supposed 'Chosen One.'  Who says I'll go down today? I survived the Avada Kedavra spell when I was one. Who says I won't do it again?" Potter says. If words are supposed to be reassuring, then they have the opposite effect. 

     "You idiot! The chances of surviving the spell are close to none! No one besides you has survived it! With you dead, how will everyone else feel? Weasley, Granger, and all the other wizards will be devastated! What will I even tell them?" Draco can feel the tears begin to rise once again, and tries his hardest to stop them. Tears aren't necessary in order to gain power, and he has been taught by his father to never cry in front of others especially.

     "It's okay. They'll understand." Potter manages a small smile. Draco hates that smile. He hates him, hates the world, hates Voldemort for putting him in this situation in the first place when he's still considered a child.

     "He's near," Potter whispers, loud enough for only Draco to hear. His wand is still pointed at the messy-haired, glasses-rimmed boy. "It's now or never."

     But Draco doesn't want to kill Potter. Doesn't want to become a murderer like his parents. He just wants to be a normal wizard, living in a normal house, with a normal family who loves him. 

     It's funny how the things he wants most are things he can never receive.

     Footsteps are approaching, and tears are beginning to stream down his face once again. He takes one last look at Potter's face because he knows that this moment will haunt his memories forever, and utters the incantation.

     The room is filled with green light, and the house is quiet, aside from the sounds of Draco's sobs.