I'll Always Love You

PROLOGUE

"Draco, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." Draco Malfoy cradled Harry Potter in his arms, tears streaming down his dirty face.

"Don't leave me, Harry," Draco whispered, voice cracking. "I love you so much."

Harry slowly lifted his right hand and placed it firmly into Draco's left hand, squeezing it tightly. He gave Draco a weak smile, and that's when Draco started to sob.

"Oh, Dray...don't cry," Harry pleaded. "You know I can't watch you cry."

"I'm sorry, Harry. But I can't help it," Draco cried. "Don't you leave me - you can't. You can't!"

"I don't have a choice," Harry croaked. "I'm dying, Dray."

"No, you're not," Draco insisted. He really wanted to believe Harry wasn't dying. "You're not dying. You can finish this. You can destroy Voldemort. You can do it, Harry. I know you can."

"I'm really sorry," Harry said. "I never wanted to hurt you...I love you." He paused. "We'll be together forever soon, Dray. But you have to live on. You have to fight Voldemort and kill him for me. Please...I was always too weak to kill him, but you can, Dray. You can kill Voldemort."

Draco shook his head violently. "No, don't say you're weak, Harry! You're not weak! You're stronger than I am! Remember when you saved me from committing suicide? You're not weak, Harry. Don't you ever believe that. You're the strongest person I know...that's one of the many reasons why I fell in love with you."

Harry's breathing was slowing down rapidly. He kept closing his eyes but Draco would shake hard him until he woke up.

Draco stared around at the scene. The battle field. He looked up at the sky and saw dark storm clouds above them. Down on the ground, there was dirt and mud all around. He could hear people screaming and shouting. Saw lots of dead bodies scattered on the ground - many of whom Draco knew personally. Houses nearby had been destroyed.

Draco shivered, but he continued to cradle Harry. Draco was kneeling down in the mud with Harry in his arms. Harry was bleeding in the stomach. Earlier Draco had tried a number of healing spells hoping one of them would save Harry. But none of them worked.

"Draco?" Harry said suddenly, opening his eyes.

"What, Harry?"

Harry fumbled around in his robe pockets with a trembling hand until he pulled something out. It was small, round, and shiny.

"I want you to have this, Dray." He gently placed the object into Draco's hands. Draco stared down at it.

"It's your ring," Draco breathed.

Harry nodded. "It's my gift to you, Draco. My gift of our love. Every time you look at this ring, you will be reminded of me. Please don't forget me."

"How could I forget you, Harry? I don't need a silly little ring to remember you."

Harry stared at Draco with sorrow in his eyes. "Just keep it."

Draco nodded and placed it on his middle finger on his left hand.

Harry looked at the ring. "Perfect. It's perfect on you." He smiled at Draco who tried to smile back but couldn't. They were silent for a few minutes. To Draco, it seemed like an eternity. Finally, Harry spoke one last time. "I'm leaving you, now, Dray. I have to go. I'll always love you and I'll be waiting for you."

Draco shook his head. "No! No, Harry! You can't leave me!" He was shouted and sobbing so hard that he could feel his heart breaking. As Harry closed his eyes, Draco shook Harry's body violently, but Harry didn't open up his eyes. "Don't leave me, Harry! Don't you leave me! I need you! I love you!"

* * * * *

"I love you, Harry! Please don't leave me!"

"Draco? Are you alright?"

Draco jolted upwards in his bed. His eyes fluttered open. He heard knocking on the door.

"Who is it?" Draco asked nervously. He was panting loudly and sweat was pouring down his body.

"It's me, Hermione...I heard you screaming in your sleep, I just wanted to know if you were alright."

Draco nodded slowly, then realized that she couldn't see him. "Yes, I'm fine...just another nightmare."

"Are you sure? Do you want to talk?"

"No, go back to bed. I'm okay."

Draco heard Hermione sigh and then footsteps told him she was gone. Draco groaned and slid back under the covers. It had been almost a year since Harry died, he should be over it by now. But for some reason, he couldn't let go. He couldn't move on with his life, which was why he found himself dead-beat broke, living on the streets, and finally asking - no, more like begging - Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to take him in, of all people!

Hermione and Ron, Harry's two best friends. The two people Draco despised more than anyone, with the possible exceptions of his father and Voldemort.

Well at least they could have civilized conversations now, unlike in school when they would always be getting into fights and arguments, usually it was him who started them.

And living with Hermione and Ron wasn't so bad, at least Ron made enough money to actually support himself, his wife, and buy a decent home, unlike that ruddy Burrow place he grew up in.

Of course, Draco had always hated being dependent on others for living support. He was an independent individual, so it really cramped his style when he lost his job and became broke, and especially being forced to leave his home - the Malfoy Manor which had been in his family for years.

His father would have been most definitely not pleased, but of course his father was dead now. Draco himself killed Lucius during the battle, after Lucius had tried to attack Harry. Draco turned against his father in a rage and killed him, saving Harry. But he couldn't save Harry a second time.

As Draco thought of his dream, he stared down at the ring which was still on his finger. He never took it off. Not once. Even showered with it and slept with it on. It was an odd sort of ring, looked very old. It had specks of emerald green - the color of Harry's eyes - it had specks of black and gold and silver as well. It was very shiny and on the inside, there was engraved lettering that read Harry & Draco Forever.

As Draco thought of Harry, he began to do something he hadn't done since Harry's death - burst into tears. He cried himself to sleep and longed for the day when he could return into Harry's arms and be with the one he loved more than life itself.