Hero

Draco faithfully followed Harry's trail until he passed the tapestry that concealed the young hero, unaware that a vision had overtaken him and effectively froze the boy to the spot defenseless. He continued on his way, a blast echoing beneath him. His heart hammered and pondered whether that was his old side or new, and if Harry was involved. Harry's words rang in his mind... He wanted to hide, with all his might. But something drove him on to find the brunette, if only to confirm he was still alive.

*~*~*

Harry came to, the echo of Voldemort and Lucius' conversation echoing around his brain, even as he resumed his hunt for Hermione and Ron. They had to get to the Shrieking Shack. Voldemort was there...and so was Nagini. They had to kill the snake, a suspected horcrux.

'My Lord, my son...'

'Perhaps he has decided to befriend Harry Potter?'

'No-never...'

Harry snapped his thoughts back to the narrow corridor, the irony not lost on him that Lucius' son did just that. Or tried to. He came to the hidden exit and peeked his head out, only to see the rubble and the body of Fred, with Ron clutching him. His heart gave a powerful wrench as he fell to his knees just outside the hidden hall, keening his pain. Green eyes met watery blue of the youngest Weasley son. The vision had slowed him down too much, and here was a casualty from it...

*~*~*

Draco had no clue where Harry went, but each time he looked out of a busted window or breach in the wall, all he saw was a shroud of darkness punctuated by streams, clouds, jets and beams of colored light from the battle below. He couldn't see anyone clearly enough, but fervently hoped Harry was not caught among the fallen. He ventured on, his feet growing heavy with each corridor he transversed. Harry said he'd find him. But Draco knew he had to find Harry first, or risk seeing him laid out, a victim of a Death Eater curse. He didn't know what he could do to prevent something like that from happening, but a very un-Slytherin like courage welled up in him from the desire to help bring Harry's promise to fruition.

He reached the second floor, avoiding the clusters of battles until he found an alcove that provided enough shelter. He bunched up his singed robes to cover his pale skin and huddled in the darkness to wait until the hall just a floor below, cleared. He was marked as a Death Eater, and despite Harry's private claim of protection, the side of Light wouldn't hesitate to take him down; nor would his former allies. They'd kill him as surely as any Order member, save one, would.

*~*~*

Harry and Hermione crouched behind the plank that blocked the tunnel's exit into the Shack; they left Ron with Percy and Fred's body, and listening to the events unfold with the one-time headmaster, former potions Master. Both young adults froze in shock after the conversation between the Dark Lord and Severus Snape ended with an attack from Nagini; they stared at the dying spy. After the dark Lord left, Harry crept close, the misty silver of extracted memories clouding into a fog around Harry.

"Take...it. Take it..." Snape gasped. He braced himself as memories flooded across his eyes. The grief he felt for his adopted family and the death they just suffered melted away in the wave of poignant emotion once Lily materialized as a child, and Snape along side.

Moments later, or hours, maybe years and decades, Harry couldn't be sure. He lifted his eyes from the dead man and looked at one half of his best friends. Hermione stared back, shocked at the grim determination in Harry's face and the shadows that haunted his eyes once the memories faded. He knew what he had to do. The memories made it perfectly clear. And by no means could he let Hermione know the path his destiny laid.

A voice, amplified by magic, rolled across the expanse of Hogwarts and the surrounding land. Voldemort made his demand, and gave the defenders an hour reprieve. Harry just hopped it was enough time to do what he had to do...before he embraced his fate. He turned away from the dead Potions Master and plunged back into the tunnel that lead to Hogwarts.

*~*~*

Draco cried out involuntarily as his former Lord's voice echoed across his body and in his mind. He clutched his head and bit back another scream.

'Harry, hurry...' he silently pleaded.

Once the voice echoed to silence, he made the journey achingly slow back into the great hall, just in time for Harry and Hermione to come charging in with mud clinging to their robes and denims, dodging the dead and dying being moved indoors. Whether they were on the lawns fighting or coming back from a hurried task, Draco didn't know. But something was different in Harry, he could tell by the body language he's perfected reading over the last seven years. Something happened... He scanned the hall and saw many of his former classmates covered in conjured white cloths, Harry stopping his charge to kneel between a pair that were still in death. Draco swallowed, knowing full well that everyone tonight would lose someone dear. And he bit back a bitter cry knowing that among the current victims were people that meant something to Harry.

Slowly he stepped closer, willing the black haired boy to look up. He did, as if by Draco's unspoken plea. The blonde nearly tripped in surprise. Harry looked at Draco, who had keeled down with him and stared back at the Gryffindor with everything he could muster. A tear fell to the floor in front of Harry and Draco wished with all his pureblood status that he could take the place of these two that Harry cried for, if only to prevent more tears from falling. Harry nodded once to the Malfoy heir. He pulled the white cloth over a man that Draco recognized with a jolt. It was their third year Defense instructor, professor Lupin. Next to him was a woman, and another painful shock registered as he recognized his own blood. Nymphadora Tonks carried into death the regal features of his Black heritage that he shared with his now deceased cousin. He looked back at Harry and clenched his jaw against a fresh wave of tears, once more making his silent wish. Harry noted the struggle in the blonde, but he was resolute. He couldn't do anything for the dead...but there was someone living that he had to try and redeem.

*~*~*

Draco understood the nod and stood up after looking back into the Golden Boy's face; Harry a moment behind him. He strode towards the doors and heard Harry's pants and ragged robe swish behind him. A voice rang out, Draco recognized as the muggleborn.

"Harry!"

The brunette turned and stared at the shocked girl and shook his head. He knew her scandalized look was from his departure of the hall with their once mutual enemy. His eyes conveying all he needed to say, even if his headshake didn't. Draco resumed his stride with Harry a pace behind him, rounding corners until they came to a partly closed door that had singe marks but still relatively hung intact. Pushing the door open, he waited for Harry to enter before following. He closed the door and leaned against it, his head bowed to hide the fear that flitted across his face at what he was about to confess to the world's last hope of survival.

"Harry..."

A/N: I'm debating in putting an epilogue after this is over, mainly to connect this preslash into full smutty, post war slash. I will spoil a bit here. I plan to stay faithful to the sacrifice and final battle, but I do plan to tweak dialog and reasoning accordingly, all towards the main pair. Tootles.