The Ultimate Sacrifice // Promises
Title: The Ultimate Sacrifice
Summary: The Final Battle is approaching, and Harry must ask Draco to make the ultimate sacrifice. AU, 7th year fic. HBP does not exist, except for the Horcruxes.
Chapter Summary: Harry and Draco make the strongest commitments to each other as their world continues to crumble around them.
Rating: M+
Genre(s): Angst/Tragedy, Romance, Alternate Universe
Warnings: Violence, Adult Language, Character Death, Under 18
Characters: Draco, Harry, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Other, Ron, Voldemort, Narcissa, Lucius, Bellatrix, Blaise Zabini, Dean, Seamus, Harry/Draco, Millicent, Pansy
Disclaimer: Not mine. Not at all. (Don't I wish!)
A/N: Part one of three. Unbeta'd.
The two Seekers stood at the edge of the lake in the gray dawn light, wrapped in a desperate embrace. They were Seekers, yes, even in these troubled times; clinging to their titles as they clung to each other, as memories of a more carefree time.
"Dray, look at me," Harry said softly. Slowly, unwillingly, Draco lifted his head, staring at Harry with pain-filled eyes. "No, don't be like that - you're strong, you can do this, you'll be alright."
"This isn't right!" he choked out, his voice cracking. "It shouldn't have to be this way. It should be me! You've given too much already. I don't want to lose you!"
"It's the only way," Harry whispered, pulling Draco closer. "I'm the last Horcrux. If you don't- If you can't- He'll always be able to come back."
"I won't do it - I can't. There has to be another way!" he cried, tortured, clinging to Harry. "It's-"
"Shh," he said, placing a finger across Draco's lips. "You know it's the only way, Dray. You're the only one who loves me enough to do it."
"But, Harry-" Draco subsided, seeing even through his haze of tears that Harry's emerald eyes were
dulled by the same mist.
With a gasp each held the other tighter, instinctively, knowing what each was asking, and what the answer must be for both.
* * * * *
Closing his eyes tightly Draco spoke, knowing there was no going back. "Yes."
Harry looked at him in disbelief, raising his tearstained face from Draco's shoulder. "Yes?"
He opened his eyes, revealing determined, steely-gray orbs. "Yes, I'll do it. If- When you kill Voldemort, I will kill you." A pause, and a deep breath. "Have you ever thought about- you know, how you'd like to go?"
Harry sighed. "I've always had nightmares of a rushing green light and a high, cold laugh," he said, staring across the lake. Smiling sadly, he whispered, "I've thought of it every day since first year when I learned he was after me." He looked directly at Draco and said, "Avada Kedavra."
Draco nodded slowly. "It's fitting, I guess," he said, trying to smile. "Poetic, in a way." He made a face. "Ugh, don't tell anyone I said that."
Harry laughed softly. "Don't worry. I'll never tell a soul."
They stood holding each other silently until the sky began to turn blue and the sun itself could be seen. Harry was the first to break the spell.
"Come on, we should get back before they miss us."
Holding hands they walked slowly back to the castle, across the dew-covered fields. Draco held back
when they reached the stone steps.
"Dray? What is it?"
"I was just thinking. Once we walk in there-" he shook his head ruefully. "Everything's changed, isn't it?"
"We're still the same," Harry said softly. "You've just promised to- to do whatever it takes to save the world, Dray. I will always love you," he said steadily, "and nothing can ever change that."
He kissed Draco gently on the lips, picked him up - ignoring his surprised protests - and carried him bridal style up the steps and into the Great Hall. The remaining students, who were all members of the DA, sat at one table now, as there were so few of them. Many of them started to ask questions about this unusual entrance, but Harry wasn’t done yet. The Hall fell silent as Harry placed Draco at the end of the table and began to speak.
* * * * *
“In light of what you’ve just seen, and considering the terrible things happening beyond these four walls, I’m sure that many of you have questions you’d like to ask. But I have to say that I have a more important question to ask. Yes, me - not the sodding Boy-Who-Lived,” he scowled. The table laughed, as expected, but he soon held up his hands in a plea for silence. “I, Harry James Potter, have just one question to ask.” Turning to his lover he dropped to one knee, pulling a box out of his pocket as he did so. “Draco Lucius Malfoy, will you marry me?”
Draco felt his eyes fill with tears again as he reached out and opened the white velvet box. Inside were two sparkling silver bands, which flashed sky blue if the light caught them in a certain way. His breath caught in his throat; he opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come.
Harry chuckled nervously. “Norwegian silver. Special order, custom fit; the best in the world. They match your eyes... Oh, Dray, say something!”
In response, Draco took the box from him. Harry paled, but Draco just smiled. He offered the box to Harry, holding out his left hand. “Well?” he asked softly.
Harry let out a whoop and jumped to his feet. He slid the ring onto Draco’s finger and barely gave him time to return the gesture before spinning him around and kissing him soundly.
“Oi, you two, get a room!” called Ron.
“Naw, ‘s alright, that was bloody hot,” said Seamus, unable to take his eyes off them.
Draco growled, only half playfully. “Back off, Finnegan, and go find your own man. This one’s mine.”
“No, he’s right, that was really… wow. That was really hot,” said Hermione, her eyes glazed.
Ron goggled at her, spluttering incoherently.
Harry laughed, “Thanks, ‘Mione, I love you too. Now, if you’re back to normal, I think Ron could use a little mouth-to-mouth over there.”
Everyone laughed as she blushed, but she leaned over anyways and kissed him.
“Don’t forget to breathe,” said Draco, amused.
They came up for air then, and glared at Draco as everyone laughed again.
“Well, now that that’s out of the way,” said Harry, “can we eat? I’m starved!”
As he and Draco were sitting down, Madam Rosmerta stumbled through the double doors, pure terror in her eyes. Harry tensed immediately, standing up again as the rest of the room froze.
“The Death Eaters,” she gasped. “They’ve... taken Hogsmeade. Voldemort- oh! It’s too-” She fainted in a heap, just missing the edge of the table as she fell. Madam Pomfrey jumped up and began attending to her.
“Right then. This changes things. You all know what you have to do? Good,” said Harry, looking around the table proudly. He glanced at the staff table, nodding at Dumbledore stiffly - it was no secret that the Order had been slowly picked off by the Death Eaters, once again. “Come on, we’ve got a job to do.”
Squaring his shoulders, Harry took Draco by the hand, and together they led the grim procession of students towards what would be the battle of their lives.
Promises Sacrifice Eulogy
Summary: The Final Battle is approaching, and Harry must ask Draco to make the ultimate sacrifice. AU, 7th year fic. HBP does not exist, except for the Horcruxes.
Chapter Summary: Harry and Draco make the strongest commitments to each other as their world continues to crumble around them.
Rating: M+
Genre(s): Angst/Tragedy, Romance, Alternate Universe
Warnings: Violence, Adult Language, Character Death, Under 18
Characters: Draco, Harry, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Other, Ron, Voldemort, Narcissa, Lucius, Bellatrix, Blaise Zabini, Dean, Seamus, Harry/Draco, Millicent, Pansy
Disclaimer: Not mine. Not at all. (Don't I wish!)
A/N: Part one of three. Unbeta'd.
The two Seekers stood at the edge of the lake in the gray dawn light, wrapped in a desperate embrace. They were Seekers, yes, even in these troubled times; clinging to their titles as they clung to each other, as memories of a more carefree time.
"Dray, look at me," Harry said softly. Slowly, unwillingly, Draco lifted his head, staring at Harry with pain-filled eyes. "No, don't be like that - you're strong, you can do this, you'll be alright."
"This isn't right!" he choked out, his voice cracking. "It shouldn't have to be this way. It should be me! You've given too much already. I don't want to lose you!"
"It's the only way," Harry whispered, pulling Draco closer. "I'm the last Horcrux. If you don't- If you can't- He'll always be able to come back."
"I won't do it - I can't. There has to be another way!" he cried, tortured, clinging to Harry. "It's-"
"Shh," he said, placing a finger across Draco's lips. "You know it's the only way, Dray. You're the only one who loves me enough to do it."
"But, Harry-" Draco subsided, seeing even through his haze of tears that Harry's emerald eyes were
dulled by the same mist.
With a gasp each held the other tighter, instinctively, knowing what each was asking, and what the answer must be for both.
* * * * *
Closing his eyes tightly Draco spoke, knowing there was no going back. "Yes."
Harry looked at him in disbelief, raising his tearstained face from Draco's shoulder. "Yes?"
He opened his eyes, revealing determined, steely-gray orbs. "Yes, I'll do it. If- When you kill Voldemort, I will kill you." A pause, and a deep breath. "Have you ever thought about- you know, how you'd like to go?"
Harry sighed. "I've always had nightmares of a rushing green light and a high, cold laugh," he said, staring across the lake. Smiling sadly, he whispered, "I've thought of it every day since first year when I learned he was after me." He looked directly at Draco and said, "Avada Kedavra."
Draco nodded slowly. "It's fitting, I guess," he said, trying to smile. "Poetic, in a way." He made a face. "Ugh, don't tell anyone I said that."
Harry laughed softly. "Don't worry. I'll never tell a soul."
They stood holding each other silently until the sky began to turn blue and the sun itself could be seen. Harry was the first to break the spell.
"Come on, we should get back before they miss us."
Holding hands they walked slowly back to the castle, across the dew-covered fields. Draco held back
when they reached the stone steps.
"Dray? What is it?"
"I was just thinking. Once we walk in there-" he shook his head ruefully. "Everything's changed, isn't it?"
"We're still the same," Harry said softly. "You've just promised to- to do whatever it takes to save the world, Dray. I will always love you," he said steadily, "and nothing can ever change that."
He kissed Draco gently on the lips, picked him up - ignoring his surprised protests - and carried him bridal style up the steps and into the Great Hall. The remaining students, who were all members of the DA, sat at one table now, as there were so few of them. Many of them started to ask questions about this unusual entrance, but Harry wasn’t done yet. The Hall fell silent as Harry placed Draco at the end of the table and began to speak.
* * * * *
“In light of what you’ve just seen, and considering the terrible things happening beyond these four walls, I’m sure that many of you have questions you’d like to ask. But I have to say that I have a more important question to ask. Yes, me - not the sodding Boy-Who-Lived,” he scowled. The table laughed, as expected, but he soon held up his hands in a plea for silence. “I, Harry James Potter, have just one question to ask.” Turning to his lover he dropped to one knee, pulling a box out of his pocket as he did so. “Draco Lucius Malfoy, will you marry me?”
Draco felt his eyes fill with tears again as he reached out and opened the white velvet box. Inside were two sparkling silver bands, which flashed sky blue if the light caught them in a certain way. His breath caught in his throat; he opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come.
Harry chuckled nervously. “Norwegian silver. Special order, custom fit; the best in the world. They match your eyes... Oh, Dray, say something!”
In response, Draco took the box from him. Harry paled, but Draco just smiled. He offered the box to Harry, holding out his left hand. “Well?” he asked softly.
Harry let out a whoop and jumped to his feet. He slid the ring onto Draco’s finger and barely gave him time to return the gesture before spinning him around and kissing him soundly.
“Oi, you two, get a room!” called Ron.
“Naw, ‘s alright, that was bloody hot,” said Seamus, unable to take his eyes off them.
Draco growled, only half playfully. “Back off, Finnegan, and go find your own man. This one’s mine.”
“No, he’s right, that was really… wow. That was really hot,” said Hermione, her eyes glazed.
Ron goggled at her, spluttering incoherently.
Harry laughed, “Thanks, ‘Mione, I love you too. Now, if you’re back to normal, I think Ron could use a little mouth-to-mouth over there.”
Everyone laughed as she blushed, but she leaned over anyways and kissed him.
“Don’t forget to breathe,” said Draco, amused.
They came up for air then, and glared at Draco as everyone laughed again.
“Well, now that that’s out of the way,” said Harry, “can we eat? I’m starved!”
As he and Draco were sitting down, Madam Rosmerta stumbled through the double doors, pure terror in her eyes. Harry tensed immediately, standing up again as the rest of the room froze.
“The Death Eaters,” she gasped. “They’ve... taken Hogsmeade. Voldemort- oh! It’s too-” She fainted in a heap, just missing the edge of the table as she fell. Madam Pomfrey jumped up and began attending to her.
“Right then. This changes things. You all know what you have to do? Good,” said Harry, looking around the table proudly. He glanced at the staff table, nodding at Dumbledore stiffly - it was no secret that the Order had been slowly picked off by the Death Eaters, once again. “Come on, we’ve got a job to do.”
Squaring his shoulders, Harry took Draco by the hand, and together they led the grim procession of students towards what would be the battle of their lives.
Promises Sacrifice Eulogy