Saving Draco

chapter fifty-eight

Tala. The Battle of Hogwarts.

      "Come forward and join us...or die." The Dark Lord threatened.

      The only sound that could be heard for miles were Ginny's loud sobs along with Hermione and Ron's, each of them struggling to break free from people's grasps to hold them back.

      My heart pounded hard in my chest like someone begging at a closed door to answer. And the tension had become overwhelming in my throat, too afraid to move or make a single sound. Draco snuck glances at me as I silently cried and looked helplessly at Harry's lifeless body, squeezing my hand once more.

      From the moment I met Harry, I knew him as a cheater. A cheater who used the Half-Blood Prince book in Slughorn's class to be a top student, and a cheater who had cheated death once when he was a child. And so I prayed silently and hoped he would cheat once more.

We were both so similar, we've always been the same, we both always pushed through and fought, he has to be alive.

He has to.

He was the Boy Who Lived after all, right?

      But moments passed and he still laid lifeless in Hagrid's arms, causing my now aching heart sinking again, drowning, wishing it was numb again because the thought of him not breathing pained me.

      On the other side, Lucius and Narcissa motioned for Draco to come over. And he flinched, having a battle with himself as everyone watched intently on what he'd do.

  I wish I had a reason to stay.

      I knew this was the sign.

      I promised Draco I'd never leave his side again, and no matter what choice he made I would have followed. But I didn't want our lives to be full of fear and hiding in the shadows anymore, I wanted to stay.

I wanted him to stay.

      But before I could even do anything, Draco had already decided for himself. He held my hand tighter and took a step closer to me. He finally had the side he never had as an option to begin with, choosing a choice that he was finally able to pick for himself. I didn't even have to tell him to stay, he chose this on his own.

       Draco was now The Boy Who Had a Choice.

      And so he kept his gaze fixed firmly on his parents as he stood his ground, letting them know that this isn't the life he wanted for himself — for us.

      Maybe I was too far, maybe the debris, sweat, and tears had clouded my vision. But for a moment, I swore I saw Narcissa's lips curve up into a smile, as if proud of Draco and proud of me for being a reason that he stayed.

      I squeezed Draco's hand back reassuringly, I was so proud of him. And so he squeezed my hand back too, telling me the same silently.

      Everyone was then left speechless once Neville began to limp forward, carrying the dusty sorting hat in his hand.

      "And who is this?" The Dark Lord hissed condescendingly.

      "Neville Longbottom." Neville said fiercely.

      "Ah!" The Dark Lord sighed amusingly, "the son of those pesky aurors. You're a pureblood, aren't you my boy?"

      "So what if I am?" Neville spat as he struggled to his feet, unarmed and unprotected.

      "You show great spirit and bravery, and you come from a noble line. Very well, Neville Longbottom, you shall have a place in our ranks. You will make a very valuable Death--"