Confessions

Confessions

"I know it won't make a difference, but I have to say this. If I don't, I think I may go insane."

Draco Malfoy sighed. He ran his hand through his blonde hair and, with a deep breath, continued speaking.

"I never really hated you, Harry. I was hurt that you didn't want to be my friend. You rejected me and I retaliated. Normally, I might have gotten over it, but I was jealous. You had great friends who really cared about you and everybody loved you. You had everything I wanted. On top of that, you were the hero. I tried making you look bad every chance I could, but I always wound up making a fool of myself."

Draco crossed over to a nearby tree. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he smiled. He slid down until he was in a sitting position and he rested his arms on his knees.

"I know you thought I wanted to be like my father and follow in his footsteps, but you're wrong. My father was not a good man. I grew up in fear of him. The first couple of years you knew me, I always obeyed my father. But it was out of fear. Not respect or love or admiration. Fear. A fear so deep it made my blood run cold. I was afraid of what he would do to me if I didn't listen to him; didn't obey everything he said."

Draco paused for a moment, appearing to be lost in a memory. Then he grinned.

"He died during the war, you know. Nobody knows what killed him. They think maybe there was a midnight raid on the manor. But that wasn't it. I know what really happened. It was me. I killed him. My own father. I would do it again if I had the chance. I don't regret it. Not at all. Mother seemed upset by his death, but I know she was secretly relieved. I could see it in her eyes. He never treated her the way she deserved to be treated. She's better off now."

Draco stood up and crossed back over to where he had been standing a moment earlier.

"I don't know how you managed to do it, but you did. You finally killed Vold-um, Voldemort. You never had a problem saying his name, did you? Anyway, I don't think he will be coming back this time. The Ministry has made sure of that. Sure, there will always be others; others who think they can continue his work. Be the next Dark Lord. I don't think they'll try to do anything for a while, though. They'll lay low. But when the time comes, they'll be taken care of. I don't think things will get as bad. I don't think it's possible."

Draco put his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. He chewed on his lower lip and then began speaking again.

"You've made the world a better place. A place where you don't have to constantly live in fear. A place where you can raise children and not fear that you will have to be the one to see them buried. Thank you," he whispered, looking up. Unshed tears filled his eyes as he read the stone in front of him.

Harry James Potter
1980-1998
Hero and savior of the wizarding world
You'll always be alive in our hearts

"We'll miss you," he said with one last glance. He turned and walked out of the graveyard, passing tombstone after tombstone of those who lost their lives in the war that defeated the Dark Lord.