Regret

Chapter thirty-one

Footsteps sound outside the Castle and everyone starts filing out. I get up, with Draco protesting. I ignore him and head outside, my side throbbing horribly. Voldemort is standing on one side, his entire army behind him.

"Who is that Hagrid's carrying?" Ginny asks, her voice trembling "Neville, who is it?"

"Harry Potter is dead!"

"No! No!" Ginny screams and lunges forward before Mr. Weasley stops her. It's as if once again my heart has been ripped out. My knees buckle under me, it's all Draco can do to keep me upright, and tears start sliding down of their own accord.

"Silence!" Voldemort yells at Ginny "Stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead, from this day forth, you put your faith in me." He turns around to his followers and yells once again "Harry Potter is dead."

"And now is the time to declare yourself." He goes on "Come forward and join us or die." He waits and then Lucius Malfoy says "Draco."

I look at Draco, a look of pure disgust on his face. "Draco." Lucius says again, desperation in his voice.

"Draco, come." Narcissa says softly. To my absolute horror, Draco looks at me apologetically and drops my hand, walking over to his parents. I'm stunned. I look over at him, rage bubbling inside of me. I see his mum whisper something in his ear, and his eyes widen slightly.

Neville walks up in front of Voldemort and he says "Well, I must say I'd hoped for better." And the Death Eaters laugh "And who might you be, young man?"

"Neville Longbottom." The Death Eaters laugh again, while I'm still glaring at Draco.

"Well, Neville I'm sure we can find a place for you in our ranks." Voldemort replies.

"I'd like to say something." Neville says, interrupting Voldemort

"Well, Neville I'm sure we'd all be fascinated with what you have to say." He says, annoyed.

"Doesn't matter that Harry's gone." Neville starts.

"Stand down Neville." Seamus says from somewhere behind me.

"People die every day." Neville continues "Friends, family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us. In here." He says, placing his hand on his chest. Hot tears sting my eyes. "So's Percy, Tonks, all of them. They didn't die in vain." He says and turns back to Voldemort "But you will. Cause you're wrong. Harry's heart did beat for us. For all of us." And then he draws the sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting hat.

That is also when I almost fall, because Harry snaps out of Hagrid's arms, very much alive. He runs, and at that moment I see another person move. I look over to the other side and Draco is running too, a wand in his hand.

"Potter, catch." And he throws Harry a wand. Relief floods me.

"Traitor! Avada Kedavra." Bellatrix's shrill voice splits the air, and for a second I can't put together what's going on.

And then I see a green flash, and my boyfriend fall to the ground. Everything stops, as if in slow motion. I scream, and push against Sirius and my dad, who are both holding me back.

I run over to where he is. I gather him in my arms and stroke his cheek "No. Draco. Please no. You promised." And I start sobbing.

The over-whelming love I felt a few hours ago, is now replaced with soul-crushing, blindingly harsh pain in my chest. I can't breathe. I can't think. This is it, there's nothing anymore.

"How tragic. Star-crossed lovers. One of them dead." Voldemort says, and I lay Draco's body down, lunging for him.

That's when Sirius drags me away, his arms crushing me.