Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Seventh Year // Chapter 18

"I'm so sorry, Freddie. I'm so bleeding sorry!" I sobbed into the air around me. "If only I'd given Voldemort the fucking information he wanted ... if only I hadn't been so bleeding set on winning this war. If only I could bring you back ..." I winced as my tears fell onto some open cuts on my hands, but continued to sob harder than before. 

"Lorrinda?" Neville's voice called from the stairs, followed by running footsteps. "Baby?" I glanced over to see him standing there, breathing hard. 

"He's gone, Nevy ... Freddie is gone." I cried looking back out at the ruins. I don't remember him sitting down, but he did cause the next thing I knew he was wrapping an arm around me and pulling me back from the ledge a little bit. I felt his head go into the crook of my neck and his hand wrap around to the back of my head, making me instantly fall into him. I must've sobbed into him for a solid hour before there was a commotion outside. Neville took my hand tightly as we walked outside, watching as Voldemort started leading his army to the castle. 

"Neville, who is that?" Ginny's small voice came from behind. "Who is Hagrid carrying?" I watched eagerly as they approached. Hagrid was indeed carrying someone, but who it was ... was impossible to make out. Eventually, they reached the courtyard and Voldemort got up onto a small pile of rocks. 

"Harry Potter is dead!" he shouted. 

"No! NOOOO!" Ginny screamed, starting to run forward. I quickly reached forward and yanked her back, pulling her into my chest. 

"Stupid girl," Voldemort remarked. "Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth,  you put your faith ... in me." 

"Over my dead body," I heard Ginny mumble.

"Shhh. Shhh. Don't jinx yourself Gin-Gin." I whispered rubbing her head, sending an awful glare at Voldemort. 

"HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!" he shouted again, raising his hands in victory. "He-he-he! And now is the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us ... or die." 

The silence after that was deafening. Nobody even breathed, as they didn't know what to do. I just held onto Ginny tighter and Neville squeezed my hand harder. 

"Draco!" a voice suddenly demanded from the other side. I glanced over to see Lucius standing with Narcissa. I scanned to see Draco in the back of the crowd near some of the Professors, he looked stunned. "Oh, Draco."

"Draco ... come." his mother said looking over at him. I could vividly see the last part of Draco's heartbreak at his mother's call. Blaise who was standing beside him tried to grab his arm but Draco shook him off. I watched as Draco, nearly in tears, walked through the crowd and into the opening between the two sides. 

"Malfoy!" I called causing him to look over. "Only you can write your ending, don't let them decide for you." Draco lightly nodded and continued on his way over. I could tell he didn't want to be on their side, on his side, but the love he had for his mother was overpowering. The part that made me feel the sorriest for him was when Voldemort had the bright idea to wrap Draco in a hug. 

"Well done, Draco," he said. Draco walked over to his mother defeated as Voldemort called out to the crowd again, looking for people to come to his side. That's when Neville moved forward, inching towards him. 

"Neville ... what the -"

"Shh, I've got this love," he whispered back. As Neville limped forward Voldemort let out a chuckle. 

"Ah, well, I must say I'd hoped for better." the death eaters laughed, and Bellatrix squealed in glee as she watched me watch my love "turn to the bad side", "And who might you be, young man?"