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She could hear the victory celebrations from below. But around her, there was only silence.
Draconia Malfoy sat in an abandoned classroom, behind a desk. There were no decorations, only rows and rows of desks. A ticking clock on the wall indicated that she had been there for about 20 minutes.
She was alone. Even her parents had been taken away, along with the rest of the Death Eaters. They were probably down in the dungeons. She didn’t know for sure. She could walk out of this classroom, but she didn’t want to think about what would happen if she did.
Really, she didn’t want to think at all.
But she knew why she was here. He had pointed at her when the remaining Death Eaters had been rounded up. He had said something to McGonagall, and she had escorted her here. The two had not exchanged a word, and then she was gone. Probably celebrating as well.
Eventually, Draconia slouched forward and put her head on her arms. If she closed her eyes, she could pretend she was back in class. Dozing off while some teacher rambled on, not paying attention. She had gotten quite used to sleeping in class during her sixth year.
But those thoughts were broken up by a single pair of footsteps. And she knew who they belonged to. The footsteps stopped, and then the door to the classroom opened. Draconia kept her head down. She didn’t want to look at him. Even when he pulled over another chair and sat across the desk, she didn’t look up.
It wasn’t because she was embarrassed. Okay, maybe a little. She remembered his arms around her as they pointed the Elder Wand at the Dark Lord. But there was a deeper reason she couldn’t look him in the eye.
“Where’s the Elder Wand?” She was beating around the bush, but she couldn’t help it.
“It’s in Dumbledore’s office. I repaired my old wand. I’ll be using that instead.”
That was like him, she thought as she continued to keep her head down.
“Is Granger alright? Weasley?”
“Hermione is fine. But as for Ron...”
He hesitated for a bit, then continued.
“Fred died. Ron’s with the rest of his family. Hermione’s with him.”
“In that way?”
“In that way.”
Another period of silence.
“Who else died?”
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“……………yes.”
He told her. He told her everyone. People who she didn’t know. People who she did. Lupin had been a good teacher. And she knew that there were probably others that he didn’t know about even now. So much destruction and death, and all because of…
Eventually, he finished. The seconds ticked by, and Draconia couldn’t take it any longer. She’d have to say the words that had burned in her mind ever since she was escorted here.
She raised her head up, but didn’t look at him. Her eyes bored holes into the desk.
“I did something unforgivable to you. I plan to spend the rest of my life atoning for it.”
He jolted a little. Draconia ignored the gesture.
“From the bottom of my heart. I am truly, truly sorry.”
“Draconia. I don’t need your apology.”
Draconia could only shake her head.
“You’re right. No apology can take back what I’ve done. I’m not asking to be forgiven.
You should just forget about me. Go mourn Fred. I’m sure Ginny would be happy if you confessed to her.”
“I don’t care about what you’ve done, Draconia-“
“HOW CAN YOU NOT CARE?!”
She raised her head, eyes flashing. He looked tired, but was giving a small, worn-out smile. That smile made her heart throb, but it didn’t stop her eyes from watering.
“I brought the Death Eaters into this school. I served the Dark Lord! I wasn’t forced into it, Harry, I chose to serve him.
I may not have killed Dumbledore, but I made you suffer so much because of my arrogance, my ignorance, my pettiness. And even before he returned, how can you forgive what I did before that? To Hagrid? To Granger?
Maybe the Dark Lord was the leader, but that’s no excuse for what I’ve done, Harry!
I can never be forgiven!”
She couldn’t stand to look at him anymore. His smile was too painful now. As she looked back down, she could feel her whole body shaking.
“What we did against the Dark Lord? That was just a fluke. Nothing more. You should just go. Leave me.”
She waited for him to go. But he didn’t. He scooted forward and placed his hands on the desk. Even if they weren’t looking at each, she could tell that their faces were at the same level.
“I was there.” He spoke quietly.
“What are you talking about?”
“That night in the astronomy tower. I was there, under my cloak. Dumbledore froze me before he talked to you. I watched the whole thing.
Dumbledore was the greatest wizard of the age. And what was the last thing he tried to do at the end of his life? He tried to save you, Draconia. Not leave you like you’re telling me to do.”
“He failed.”
“He said you weren’t a murderer. Did you murder anyone since that night?”
It wasn’t a rhetorical question. He really wanted to know.
“No.” She said quietly.
“Then he didn’t fail.”
“I did all sorts of other crimes.”
Harry nodded quietly.
“I can’t say I forgive you for all of them. And I can’t forgive you on behalf of others you’ve wronged. I am still angry with you, and I can’t do anything about that.
But Draconia…that doesn’t change the fact that I love you.”
She froze up. She knew, of course. There’s no way they could have defeated the Dark Lord otherwise. But to hear him say it…
Draconia looked up. He was still smiling. But small tears started to dribble down his cheeks too.
“You’re so hopeless…” She murmured.
“You’re so hopeless. And stupid. And your hair is still a mess.”
He reached up and touched it.
“And because you’re so hopeless and stupid, someone needs to keep watch over you.”
Harry nodded.
“I’d like for you to come with me.” He says.
“What? Why?”
“I haven’t been to the banquet. I don’t think I want to be there. I’ve had enough of crowds and staring for ten lifetimes.
But people will expect me there. And I want everyone to see you with me.”
“They’ll hate me for being there. And they’ll hate you for bringing me.”
“If they hate you more than they admire me, after what I just did…”
Harry closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
“Then they’re my enemies too, Draconia. But they won’t.”
He moved his hand towards her. She let him take it, and they stood up.
It wasn’t not awkward.
When Harry entered the Great Hall, he was greeted with a storm of applause and cheers. Which lasted all of five seconds before they saw whose hand he was holding. At that point, Draconia could have heard a mouse squeak. She tried to pull away, but Harry squeezed her hand harder and drew her closer to him.
The two of them found a spot at the Gryffindor long table and sat down, finally letting go of each other’s hands. As they did so, the murmuring began. Draconia didn’t know what to do. Should she ignore them? Beg forgiveness from them like she did with Harry?
She blindly shoved some food on her plate without even looking at it while she tried to think. But before she could decide, someone stood over the two of them.
“Potter. Miss Malfoy.”
It was Professor McGonagall. She wasn’t wearing her hat, and there was a white bandage wrapped over her right eye. Draconia couldn’t help but stare.
“Oh, don’t worry about me. It’ll recover in a few weeks, maybe a month. I received something similar in Pahang…”
McGonagall coughed and focused her eye on Potter.
“Well, never mind my past memories. I just want to warn you, Potter.”
“About her?” For perhaps the first time in his life, Harry Potter glared at the head of his house.
“I can’t believe what you said about Severus.”
Potter blinked at the digression.
“I was completely fooled. But I will admit that when I think about it again, there were clues about his true allegiance. We did cooperate occasionally against the other Death Eaters. However, there will be those who refuse to believe it.”
“I saw his memories in the Pensieve.”
“No one else has." McGonagall shooked her head. "I’ll have to look at those memories myself later. But even if the whole world saw them, there will be those who will claim the memories are fake. There will be people who refuse to accept that the killer of Albus Dumbledore could be anything but a Death Eater.”
This time, she looked over at Draconia.
“Some people are upset about what you said about Severus for everyone to hear. Combine that with your decision to court Miss Malfoy, and there will be people who will be suspicious of you and your true allegiances. That you killed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named just to take his place. Or that Miss Malfoy used the Imperius Curse or a love potion on you.
Wild theories brew in times of chaos. And killing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named does not mean that the chaos is over. People will worry about the Death Eater at your side.”
“Like you?” Harry snapped.
“No. Not like me. Not at all.”
She sighed and leaned back into her chair in a way that was very unlike Minerva McGonagall.
“We just ended a war that lasted for three years. I’d also like to end a war that has lasted for over a thousand years. Between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Years of taunting, pranks, curses, that in a way culminated…in this.”
She waved one hand at the heaps of rubble and broken windows that still remained in the Great Hall.
“So no, Potter. Anything that symbolizes a union between the two houses meets my full approval. And…I think you two will be good for each other. When I think about it again, there were clues about that as well.
It is just...make sure about this, Potter. This will not be an easy road with her.”
"The hardest road, Professor, is the one without her."
Draconia shivered at those words. Even Harry seemed a bit embarassed. McGonagall gave a soft smile.
"I would give twenty points to Gryffindor if that mattered now. Well done, Potter."
The smile faded, and she leaned forward a bit.
“There will be those who will want Miss Malfoy to be arrested and thrown into Azkaban for being a Death Eater.” McGonagall continued. “Some of those people are in this very room. But for the sake of peace, I’m willing to help you make sure that doesn’t happen.”
With that, she stood up.
“We can meet again tomorrow in my office to discuss a legal and publicity strategy. Shall we meet at 11 in the morning? I have people I need to get in touch with. And I know you do today. Both of you.”
The two of them nodded, and McGonagall turned to leave.
“Professor McGonagall!” Draconia called out. “Thank you.”
McGonagall looked at her for a moment.
“You’re still a Hogwarts student. That matters far more than your house.”
And with that, she turned away. No one else disturbed the two of them during their meal. They left shortly.
An hour later, the two of them sat on the floor of the Owlery. The only sound there was the rustling of feathers and hoots by owls who knew nothing of what transpired. Somehow, a spell had blown open part of the wall. It was a bit chilly this late at night, but that didn’t erase the view of the ground below.
A large white tent sat in the courtyard. The Weasleys and Hermione were still there. They had talked with them.
“They didn’t forgive me.” She said.
“Not right away.” He murmured. “But they will. They said you were brave. And you were.”
Draconia let out a little snort in response.
“I was jealous of her, you know.”
“Hermione?”
“Ginny. Remember the Valentine? In your second year?”
“I’d rather not remember that.” Harry chuckled and looked away.
“She was bold enough to speak up then, even as a little first year.” Malfoy murmurs. “And Granger too, I suppose. For always being close to you. And even Cho…”
She shakes her head.
“I’m still annoyed you asked her first, you know.”
Harry sighed and put an arm around her shoulder.
“I was stupid. You already said I was stupid. You’ve said that many, many times. And we did have a good dance in the end, I think?”
“You didn’t step on my toes, so there was that.”
The two of them spent some time, talking about various memories together. Many were bad. A few were good. None were forgotten. But eventually, they fell silent.
“I suppose it isn’t over.” She said.
“What isn’t?”
Draconia stood up and walked closer to the window.
“In the stories, the great dragon or evil wizard is defeated and that’s the end. But it’s not the end. We still have to rebuild everything. There is the question of what to do with the Death Eaters. And I…”
She looked outside.
“I’ll have to begin fighting for my freedom.”
“We’ll have to begin fighting for your freedom.” Harry said. “And we’ll win this fight. Just like we won against Voldemort.”
Draconia stiffened a bit at hearing the name, but she nodded.
“Ginny had the courage to talk to you as a first-year.” She said. “I suppose I should have the same level of courage to say it now.”
She held her hand out to him, palm down.
“I love you, Harry Potter.”
He stood up and took her hand, then embraced her. With no other sound than the owls, the two stood there in the moonlight.
“You won’t stop crying.” Draconia sniffled. “I suppose I’ll have to take care of a hopeless person like you.”
“You’re crying just as hard.”
“Shut up.”