For The Greater Good (A Draco Malfoy Story)

Times of War

        I guess it was bound to happen. They were bound to come after my family. I mean, they already took my father away. Why not finish the job? This was all I could think about as I made my way back to Hogwarts. By the time I had reached my dorm, the sun was rising over the horizon and the sky bloomed with colors and activity. No point in sleeping now. Quickly dressing in my uniform, I made my way downstairs and out of the portrait hole.

"Why must you always be so early?" The Fat Lady huffed in irritation and fluffed her hair as I blew past her. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep last night a secret from Gabriel. It wasn't right anyways so I went down to the dungeons where the Slytherin common room stood. I leaned against the stone wall, he would have to come out sooner or later. I tried to stay in the present but as usual I couldn't stop my mind from drifting towards unwanted subjects. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that last night's dream wasn't a dream after all. It was a vision.

Great. Another thing to put me on Voldemort's list, I groaned internally. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like being a Muggle. All I would have to worry about is finishing school with good marks, getting a job and paying my rent. I'd be able to visit my parents every so often without worrying about what lurked in the shadows. I would be able to feel confident in my mother's safety. The most excitement I would have in my life is probably falling in love with a nice, normal Muggle boy. We'd get married and have kids with two Muggle cars and a freshly mown lawn. I'd have a small garden of hydrangeas and spend my afternoons with the other mothers in the neighborhood, sipping tea and exchanging bits of gossip over biscuits.

But the magic was worth it. It was worth it, seeing all these wonders and miracles that Muggles were oblivious to. No matter the cost of this gift, I was forever blessed and I'd do well to remember that.

"This seems to be the fifth time I've asked you what you're doing here, Alvers. You just can't seem to stay away."

A smile touched my lips despite myself. "Seems that way, doesn't it? Hold on, why the hell are you out of bed?"

Draco flinched, his face twisting into a grimace as he adjusted his black blazer. He was wearing his suit again. The dark color against his skin made him look even more like a ghost. "I needed to take care of something..."

"Draco, please start taking care of yourself. This has gone on long enough. Another incident like last time and you'll be dead instead of in the hospital." My feet moved me forward and my hand rested on his arm, as if I needed to touch him to make sure my message got through to him. He ducked his head and beyond the colors, I could see the world on his shoulders. I could see the weight of what he carried with him this past year. Then, his head snapped up and the dark blue color around him grew until it was overwhelming. I realized that this particular color made an appearance every time he tried to tell me something he couldn't or whenever fear diluted his system. He was scared.

"Stay in your room tonight. Lock the door and don't come out into the halls no matter what you hear. Alright? Promise me."

"Draco, what's going on --"

"Promise me, Rose," he grabbed me by the shoulders, gripping me and sending jolts of shock through me from the intensity in his gaze. He never called me by my first name before. "Stay in your room."

"I-I promise, Draco. What's happening tonight?"

His touch softened until it dropped completely and I saw the dark blue grow stronger. "I can't tell you. I'm so sorry. I don't have a choice," he whispered. Draco turned his back on me and began to leave.

"Wait! Draco!"

I looked at his frozen back and goosebumps rose on my arm. Something was going to happen tonight, something that would change it all and make or break all of our lives. And this boy, who was only a foot soldier, was going to be in the line of fire, ready to fall for a cause he didn't want to be a part of. I don't know what possessed me to do it. Maybe it was the underlying danger he promised or maybe the fact that there was a chance I wouldn't see him again. Either way, I moved towards him and he seemed to know what we were both after because when we collided, he held me like a life raft out in the middle of the ocean. We embraced right there in the hall, our arms tight around each other even though, just a few months ago, we had been perfect enemies. Well this was war.

I could feel his cool breath against the top of my head as he buried his head in my hair and whispered against it, "Forgive me." And with one word, and one small kiss upon the top of my brow, he was gone.

And in times of war, the line between enemies and friends become blurred.

During our encounter, I had completely forgotten about Gabriel. He appeared behind me shortly after Draco left and I took the time to quickly explain to him the events of last night and the warning Draco relayed to me. There was no way I was going to leave Gabriel alone tonight, and I knew he felt the same. But first, we needed to tell the others.

We arrived to the Great Hall in time to see Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting at the Gryffindor table, their heads bent in discussion and a gravity weighing on their shoulders. I sat down and immediately tuned into the conversation.

"Dumbledore said we're going to find one of them tonight. He wants me to come with him. Oh, Rose. Glad you're here. As I was saying, Dumbledore and I will be out tonight so if anything happens while we're gone, assemble the D.A. and stand at the ready," Harry spoke with an urgency that blended into excitement. Fear clenched my heart. It really was happening tonight.

"You'll be careful, right?" I asked, biting my lip. He nodded and looked at all of us. Our food was forgotten and we just sat in solemn silence until the bell rang. We grabbed our bags and went to our first period, Herbology. Classes went by normally but I knew we were all out of it. Afterwards, the trio and I changed out of our uniforms and anxiously waited in the common room. I tugged at the hem of my sweater, all this waiting wasn't doing anyone any good.

No sooner had I finished that thought then the sun began to set and Harry stood and regarded us all. The time had come.

"Guys, you should know...whatever Malfoy is planning...it's going to happen tonight," I said.

My friends all exchanged glances and I found feel the tension growing in the air. With Dumbledore and Harry gone, the D.A. and the teachers were our only hope.

"Ron, Hermione, Rose, gather the D.A. Here, take the map too so you know whats going on. Stay close to each other and be safe," Harry relayed his orders like a true general and us, the loyal soldiers obeyed willingly. Hermione took the map and I took his D.A. coin. Before he could leave, we all embraced.

"Be careful, okay?" I whispered in his ear. He just nodded and pulled away.

"Stay safe, mate," Ron grimaced. With that, Harry left the common room and Hermione opened the map. He went all the way to Dumbledore's office then poof, they were gone.

"It's time," I said, taking the coin and alerting the D.A. with a nervous twist in my gut. We waited out in the hall but in the end no one came besides Luna and Neville. They looked at us confused.

"What's going on? Where's Harry?" Neville asked. We explained to him the parts that we could.

"How about we just patrol the corridors. If something happens we'll alert the teachers," Hermione suggested.

"Alright, Hermione, you and Luna patrol near Snape's office in the dungeons. Ron, you and Neville patrol on the seventh floor near the Room of Requirement. I'll be around in the halls, alright? Everyone stay close together and be careful," I looked out one of the archways built in the hall, where the sky was exposed. Nightfall was steadily approaching. "Go, all of you. I'll be with Gabriel." As they all left to their stations, I hurried to the Slytherin common room and felt a relief course through me at the sight of my brother standing by the portrait hole.

"Gabriel!"

"Rosie! I was just about to come find you. It's happening, isn't it?"