TIME

XVIII

Hagrid carried Harry back to the castle, sobbing and sniffling and running his fingers over Harry's face every so often.

The courtyard was destroyed. Rubble lay everywhere, and bright red blood was mixed with dusty stone. A line of Death Eaters stood at the entrance, and they parted for Voldemort, Narcissa and Hagrid.

Neville Longbottom came limping out. He was injured and crestfallen, and, when he noticed Harry in Hagrid's arms, he screamed.

An army of students flooded the other side of the courtyard, and almost every single one of them screamed when they saw Harry's body.

Draco was one of the last ones to exit the destroyed castle and, when he saw Hagrid, his face collapsed with grief. He lined up with the students.

"Harry Potter... is dead!" Shrieked Voldemort, and the Death Eaters all cheered. "You may come join us now... Draco?"

Everyone turned to stare at the boy in question. He glanced around uneasily.

"Draco!" Lucius cried."Come here!"

"Draco," Narcissa murmured. Her baby was alive and safe.

Draco glanced around again and stood still.

Neville began limping towards Voldemort. The Death Eaters laughed, and Voldemort said:

"Well, we were expecting better, but..."

Neville stopped short. He looked around, at his fellow students, at the broken castle, at himself. He shuddered, and spoke. He told of how Harry hadn't died in vain, and how they would keep fighting for him, and how he had killed Nagini, the last Horcrux, and how he would rather die than live in a world where Voldemort wins.

And just when he was pulling out the sword of Gryffindor, Harry leaped from Hagrid's arms.

In a flash, Draco was running towards him with his wand outstretched. He tore across the courtyard, legs and arms flapping, and it seemed like he was flying.

"POTTER!" He screamed, and, when Harry turned to look at him, he threw his wand.

Harry caught it, looked at it, glanced at Draco, nodded, and fired a curse at Voldemort.

And all Hell broke loose.

No one could believe it. Draco Malfoy, Death Eater and sworn enemy of Harry Potter, had sacrificed his wand to save his nemesis's life.

Narcissa looked at her son, then- truly looked at him- and saw a fierce resilience and fire burning within him. He turned to look at her, then spun on his heel and ran into the castle.

Draco, her beautiful little dragon. The most curious boy in the world. The boy who didn't have a choice. The boy who shone, like a present, in the moment where it all could've ended.

Her eyes snapped to the scene before her. Harry Potter, bearing her son's wand, was slowly defeating Voldemort. She nodded once to herself, reached for Lucius's hand, and walked away.