What Happens After Dark - Drarry

𝟚𝟡

New word count: 2.1k
Date (re)published: November 29th, 2020
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Harry was watching from underneath his invisibility cloak in the Astronomy Tower. It didn't matter that he had been stunned by Dumbledore, because he was sure that he wouldn't have been able to move even without it, due to the shock of the whole situation.

Draco was standing there, after having disappeared for a short while, holding his wand up to Dumbledore. Tears were cascading down the blond's face, illuminating his pale skin in the small candlelight, which was the only thing besides the moon that was keeping them from falling into the deep darkness.

It was an abnormally dark night, and it appeared that the stars had hidden, like they had known what was going to happen.

The words that Draco spoke didn't make any sense, and he was babbling in incoherent sentences. The locution of his speak sounded broken, like chunks of ice falling from a great glacier, slowly and sporadically into the dark water below.

"I have to," Draco was whispering, finally composed enough to speak the right way, though his voice was quiet and feeble. Draco was breaking; or maybe he was already broken. He was falling to pieces right in front of Harry, who couldn't so much as lift a finger. Draco looked as if he didn't want to be sentient anymore, as if he was ready to morph into the shadows and disappear.

Eyes glued to the scene, Harry held his breath as he waited to see what happened next.

"You don't have to do this, Draco," Dumbledore susurrated, the bellowing echo of his shallow footsteps ringing in Harry's ears as the Headmaster stepped towards the blond. "You know that, I'm sure of it."

Snape whisked into the room unannounced, and Harry waited for him to stop this madness. To push Draco, take his wand. To expelliarmus him, for goodness sake; Harry knew how to do that, and he would if he could just get to his bloody wand. However, Snape did no such thing to end it. He just stood, standing next to Draco with an oddly regretful gaze as he stared at his higher-up. Harry felt inebriated and dizzy with fear, terrified for everyone except for Snape. And except for himself.

"I have to," Draco shook his head. "If I don't he'll come after my family. I can't lose my mother," his voice faded, and Harry felt a pang to his heart as he awaited the fateful moment that he was able to jump up and save the day; or maybe by then it would be too late.

Dumbledore furrowed his brow. "You have a choice-"

"I have no choice!" Draco's sobbed. He disarmed Dumbledore in one fell swoop. His arm was shaking and his eyes were heavy with waves of somber sadness and fearful trepidation.

"You always have a choice." Harry marveled at Dumbledore's composure in a moment like this one. "I just hope you make the right one."

Draco's features stiffened, and he slowly lowered his wand.

"Make sure to remove the immobulus from Harry," Dumbledore whispered, nodding to Snape.

A wave of relief flooded Harry's system as Draco stepped back, apparently finished with his attempt. He stared at Dumbledore from below the cloak, the man he'd almost lost.

It happened in a flash, Snape stepping forward, whispering, "Avada Kedavra", and killing Dumbledore in an instant. His body fell from the tower, right out of the window and onto the ground below. Shock rippled through Harry's mind, and he saw it reflected on Draco's face. He tried to scream, but couldn't, as he was still frozen stiff. Hatred was next, coming in like a tidal wave and drowning all of Harry's senses out in its path.

There was a big whoosh of robes as Snape left the Astronomy Tower, traipsing down the stairs in a grief-filled manor.

Draco cried silently, looking around the room as if he could somehow see Harry if he tried hard enough. The Slytherin accioed Harry's invisibility cloak. It flew into his arms, and Harry was revealed.