For The Greater Good (A Draco Malfoy Story)

Aftermath

        Dried blood coated the lower half of my face as bruises covered the upper half on my cheek. My lower lip smarted, as the cut on the swollen skin began to seal with the crusted blood and scab over. It was times like these where I thanked my lucky stars that I healed faster than the average person. Pulling my shirt up, I was met with the sight of more dark bruises coloring my skin around my ribs. I looked like utter shit.

The blood was extensive so there was no way of going back into bed like this, or going anywhere for that matter. I gingerly stripped off my clothes and stepping into the shower to wash away the residue of the nightmare. Could it even be classified as a nightmare? As the memory of what just happened came back to me, so did the man's threat about my mother.

Images of what the Death Eater would be doing to my mother took over my mind instantly. Suddenly feeling light-headed, I leaned on the shower wall for support. The blackness surrounding that Death Eater rivaled that of even Draco's. It was like he was cloaked in it. The thought of Draco made my head ache even more. Was he really a part of these cruel people now? Would he start doing the same to others? Breathing became an impossibility as the shock finally settled into my bones. I couldn't take it anymore. Oxygen escaped me and I begged for its return, feeling my ribs protest with the rapid movement of my chest as I gasped for air. My hands latched around the locket around my throat, yearning for its instantaneous comfort. And sure enough, the rustic yet cool surface of the necklace soothed me enough to regain my control over my breathing.

A moment later, when I was finally clean of blood and shock, I got out of the shower and put new pajamas on, wincing the entire time. How was I supposed to sleep like this? How was I supposed to sleep at all knowing what could happen if I did? Slipping my shoes on, I went down to the common room and left slowly.

The walk to the Astronomy Tower was agonizing. There wasn't a place better to clear my head. With every step I took, I bit back pain, reopening the wound on my lip. Damn whoever made these stairs! The metallic taste of blood was in my mouth as I sat down by the railing in the tower that overlooked the Black Lake and most of the castle. I leaned my back against the wall at the edge and looked out from the slits the railings created. My attention was fixated on the stars when a shuffling sound came from next to me. I willed myself not to make any sudden movements or else the pain would get worse.

A pale figure stepped into the moonlight. Malfoy.

The moonlight hit my face so he got a full view of how bloody awful I looked. His eyes got as wide as the moon as he looked at every inch of my body. "What in the bloody hell happened to you?" he blurted incredulously. All I could manage was a dismissive wave of my hand.

"Long story."

He looked at me with discerning eyes, as if weighing his options before pulling a chair over so he sat in front of me. I couldn't help but snort.

"I have time," he said gruffly, crossing his arms and sitting back. "Tell me, which bloke did you provoke this time? Who did this to you?" The teasing smirk didn't match with the concerned eyes.

"A Death Eater," I looked at him, waiting for some sort of reaction though I wasn't sure what. And sure enough, all amusement drained from his face and he sat forward.

"In the castle? How? How did he get in?"

"He was in my dreams," I winced as I shifted my body a fraction. I proceeded to describe the entire dream to him, I don't know why, but I did. He listened with rapt attention, a grave twist to his mouth. The whole duration of my explanation, I watched him and knew that what Harry thought and what I had figured out was true. He was one of them. "Draco?" He looked at me oddly, we were both unused to me calling him by his first name, with no sneer following it. "When did you get it?"

"Get what?"

I nodded towards his arm and when I looked at him, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. Since I found out, the hate had slowly turned into what could now be pity. I felt pity for this young man whose life was just starting, whose impressionability was taken advantage of. He was my age and he was marked for death. "The mark."

Draco tensed, his hands clenching into fists as he looked away from me. "I-I don't know what you mean."

"Draco...I know what you are."

"No, you don't!" he snapped, turning towards me and leaning closer. "You know nothing about me, Alvers."

"You're right, I don't."

"You're bloody well right -- wait what?"

"I don't know anything about you, Draco. Except that you're a Death Eater," he opened his mouth to reply fiercely but I cut him off. "And I don't hate you for it." He looked at me as if I had three heads and five noses.

"What do you mean you don't hate me for it? You've hated me from the minute you met me and now that you know the one thing that you have a right to hate me for, you don't hate me?"

I shook my head and winced, every muscle in my body was throbbing. "You probably didn't join willingly considering you're not walking around here boasting and looking like you won a million galleons. You're wasting away, Draco. I...I can see the darkness that's in you and I can see what it's doing to you. I don't know you Draco, but I do know that you're just a kid like me, getting dragged into the horrors of this world. How can I hate you for that?" He stared at me for a few moments, but I could see the tension release from his skin as he slumped forward and clutched his head in his hands. I watched the muted colors around him pulse and fight for control until a new color emerged, a clear metallic gold. It overpowered the muddy blue and that alone gave me a sign that there was hope for him yet.

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore," he whispered, running his hands through his hair and tugging at it.