The Love That Harry Couldn't Return
Hogwarts courtyard. Late afternoon.
Dracaena spotted Harry sitting alone on a stone bench. As usual, she approached him with her familiar mischievous smile.
Dracaena: Oh, stupid Potter! Alone again? Hahahaha!
Harry: Dracaena, stop, okay?
Dracaena: Oh? What's wrong? Hahaha!
Harry: Listen... there's something I need to tell you.
Dracaena: Hm? What is it?
Harry: I always knew you loved me. But... I can't love you back.
Dracaena's smile disappeared.
Dracaena: ...What?
Harry: I'm sorry. I just can't return your feelings.
Dracaena: W-What are you talking about? Is it because I tease you?
Harry: No.
Dracaena: Then... you love someone else, Harry?
Harry: ...
Dracaena: Who is it?
Harry: I can't say.
Dracaena: Harry, please! Who is she? Is it Ginny? Cho? Someone else?
Her voice began trembling.
Dracaena: I can be better! I can change! If you don't like how I behave, I'll stop teasing you! If you want me to be more affectionate, I can do that too!
Harry: Dracaena...
Dracaena: Just tell me what you want! Please!
Harry lowered his eyes.
Harry: I'm sorry. I really am. But I couldn't love you.
Dracaena's eyes filled with tears.
Dracaena: Harry... please...
She grabbed his hands.
Dracaena: I can do better. I promise! Please don't leave me, okay? I love you. I really love you. I'll do anything!
Harry: I'm sorry, Dracaena.
Dracaena: HARRY, NO! NO, NO, NO, NOOOOO!
She suddenly threw her arms around him, hugging him desperately.
Dracaena: PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! I LOVE YOU! PLEASE! I'LL DO ANYTHING! JUST DON'T GO!
Harry remained silent.
Then, slowly, he released her arms.
Harry: I'm sorry...
He turned around and walked away.
Dracaena: ...
She stood motionless, watching his back disappear.
Dracaena: Harry...?
Her knees suddenly gave way.
Dracaena: Ah...
She fell onto the cold stone pavement.
Dracaena: My... love?
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Dracaena: Why...?
She looked at the place where Harry had been standing just moments ago.
Dracaena: How could this happen...?
She pressed both hands against her chest, desperately trying to contain the pain.
Dracaena: I loved you so much...
But there was no answer.
Only the fading footsteps of the boy she loved.
And for the first time, Dracaena Malfoy wished she had never fallen in love.
@MasaruKiongozi@Keyofdestiny5@SiegeJt@HarryDraconia@Malfoid@Drifler7 I love this take. I feel like the typical dynamic between a friend and their ex-partner is you never go there, but cho and masaru both loved Cedric and there's a sense of mutual understanding and respect here
@AzratemES Wow you overdelivered with this one. The entire thing was amazing, but the emotional weight of the last 15 minutes was something else. Excellently done
@Drifler7 Ahhh I love it! At first I thought Harry was out with Dumbledore destroying horcruxes but turns out he was getting hammered ๐ looking forward to the rest of the series!