Cry Salvation

Didn't Kill Him

I didn't kill him, the man reasoned with himself as he watched two of his former classmates whispering a few feet away from him. But he stayed in his hiding place until they passed.

Draco Malfoy had honestly never felt more alone. Lord Voldemort and his followers - the Death Eaters, mostly - were after him for not going through with is assignment and killing Albus Dumbledore, but he knew he could not find refuge in those who were against Voldemort also. He could not find refuge, because they hated him also. For all he knew, they wanted him dead too. Snape had told him to run and hide, as he tried to talk some sense in to the Lord Voldemort, but he only barely got away. Snape was unscathed, even after his attempt to save Draco, but only because he was the one who had killed Dumbledore. Draco thought of those months he could have, and should have, just killed Dumbledore but didn't, and felt a pang of regret. He had failed at his assignment, as everyone knew he would. His own mother didn't believe in him, because she made an Unbreakable Vow with Snape to protect him, and as eventually happened, complete the task if Draco could not.

Draco couldn't find it in himself to kill. Well, he couldn't find it in himself to kill Dumbledore at least. He felt he might be able to redeem himself in Lord Voldemort's eyes if he killed Harry "the Chosen One" Potter, but he could never find Potter alone. He had be secretly following Potter for two weeks, but he was always surrounded by either the Mudblood, Weasley, or that girlfriend of his, Ginny. Sometimes he felt he should just expose himself to let himself be killed, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't face death without a fight and exposing himself would be giving up the fight. He was a Malfoy, damn it, and he would act like one until the end.

And the end must have been getting closer, for him at least. The Death Eaters couldn't be far behind him or would eventually find him and kill him. A chill ran through him as he thought of the ways the Death Eaters were taught to kill. He prayed it was quick, like the Avada Kedavra.

He watched in silence as the friends - all four of them - entered a building in which he could not see. He realized that the building must be the headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix and have the Fidelius Charm placed upon it. He sighed and wanted a little ways until he reached the bench he had been sleeping on. He was in Muggle London and could not afford to use magic... Magic might attract those he would rather stay away to him even if he made him warm for one night... He fingered his wand in his cloak pocket before laying on the grass on the bench and pulling his Invisibility cloak over himself.

Hermione Granger placed around the bedroom she shared with Ginny Weasley. I have to do something! she thought furiously.

She forced herself to stop pacing and looked outside the window again. The dark was all that stared back at her, the soft noise of Muggle London and the empty street in front of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. He had been out there! But where is he now? She scanned the nearby area again. Nothing. No one. He must have Apparated, she reasoned, but I didn't hear him. She groaned in frustrated.

She saw been seeing him in the shadows, following them whenever he could, but she never told anyone. She knew who he was the first time she saw him: Draco Malfoy. Even though Harry confirms Snape killed Dumbledore and Dumbledore said Draco could have killed him through out the year, but did not. Harry even said he was lowering Draco was lowering his wand when the Death Eaters came in... No one really believed Draco's alliance actually might not be with the Death Eaters anyway. "Did he run with Snape that night instead of facing the consequences?" They asked out loud whenever that night was brought up (which was not often), but no one could answer. No one truly knew what Draco Malfoy was thinking... or where he was. But Hermione had knew.

She hadn't said a bloody word to anyone and now she hadn't seemed Draco following them for days. She felt guilty and awkward wondering if he was alive or not. She had been trying to catch him in the act tonight, but every time she looked behind them, no one was there. She knew she had to tell the others... but she dreaded it. She didn't know what they would say if she asked them to help her find Draco Malfoy, who had watched Dumbledore without doing anything. To his defense, he might have been killed on the spot if he had done something, but still... no one was in the mood to be understanding or merciful today. The only reason Hermione herself was looking to help him was because she knew he might be able to help them.... with his knowledge of Lord Voldemort, Snape, and the Dark Arts.

She always couldn't forget the fact Harry said Dumbledore offered him salvation, a refuge, when he didn't kill him at first. Harry says, with reluctance, that Draco looked on the verge of accepting it when the Death Eaters came in. Maybe there is more to Draco Malfoy then his surname.

She grabbed her traveling cloak and headed out alone in search of this mystery man without telling anyone she was leaving.