Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns the characters. I own the plot.
Forgiveness
Chapter One: Bitter Memories
With the low mutterings of the pub and the quiet tinkling of a Celtic drinking song, he took one last swig of the rich alcoholic beverage in his hand. It didn't dull the pressure behind his eyes and it didn't lower the pain in his heart, but the smooth refreshing drink brought momentary peace to his soul, no matter how intoxicating or unhealthy.
"Get me another one," he growled, slamming the back onto the bar.
A beautiful girl with enticing green eyes and long blond hair, who normally an enchanting smile, frowned and looked at the man warily. "I think you've had enough for one night."
"I said get me another one, damnit!" he bellowed. She narrowed her eyes, but took the glass and refilled it quickly, then stormed off in a huff.
"Never listens…" he muttered, bringing the mug of liquor to his lips. He let the rich, fiery drink trickle down his throat and pollute his body. Then he bitterly laid his head on the bar, letting it consume him.
For the past month, this had been his life. Coming to the bar every day and drinking himself through his misery, then sleeping it off during the day. His bitter past was too much to handle and he didn't want to think about it anymore. But as the toxic drink polluted his mind, his eyes closed and unwanted memories came flooding back…
"Hurry up, damnit!" Lucius Malfoy snarled. "They'll be here any second, Narcissa. If you don't hussy up, our lives could be over."
"No, your life would be over." His wife mumbled, shoving the last bit of her belongings in a bag. Then she sighed as she placed a lock of long blond hair out of her eyes and behind her ears.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, Lucious." She told him. "I'm ready. Where's Draco?"
"No, tell me what you said." He growled, taking her arm roughly.
"I said that your life would be over, not ours." The fear rising in her voice and she glared at her husband. "I have nothing to hide form, nothing to hide."
"So you would be willing to sacrifice me, your bloody husband?" he spat viciously.
"No, I… I'm just tired, Lucius." She said, tears spilling over her cheeks. "I'm tired of running and hiding all the time. It's not the way I wanted to live my life."
He released her and took a step back. Sobs shook her shoulders and she fell to the floor.
"You're right. You shouldn't have to live like this." He said. She didn't see him pulling his wand from his robes and she didn't see his countenance suddenly change.
"You were a problem to the Dark Lord from the start!" he yelled shoving her onto her back. "Always complaining and falling behind, unwilling to cooperate, a constant hindrance…"
"Lucius, I'm sorry, I…" she stammered.
"But you're right. Now neither of us will have to live with this problem anymore. Avada Kedavera!"
Instantly, a red spell shot out of his wand, hitting her directly in the heart. She fell backwards without a sound. Narcissa Black Malfoy was dead.
"She always was such a nuisance." He muttered.
"No." said a voice behind Lucius. He turned to see Potter and Weasley standing in the doorway.
"Well, well, well. I guess it was only a matter of time before you found me." He said, pointing his wand at them. "But you should know I won't go down without a fight."
"We're not here to kill you, Malfoy." Harry said. "Only to offer you freedom. Give up your allegiance or you leave us no choice."
"Turn my back on my Lord? Never." He said determinedly.
"Very well, then." Ron said, also raising his wand. But all was stunned silent as another voice echoed through the room.
"What the hell is your problem, you crazy bastard!"
Everyone turned to see Draco, like they'd never seen him before. He was heart broken, crying and only half dressed. His bag was on the floor beside him, but he was shirtless, and wand in hand. Standing in the doorway he stood firmly, he glared hatefully at his father.
"Do not raise your voice at me, Draco. Now aim your wand at them. We must finish this once and for all." Luciys told his son.
"Oh, we'll finish it all right." Draco said, stepping forward and swinging his fist. Lucius fell on his back, dropping his wand. He looked up at his son, not daring to believe.
"How dare you, Draco. I'm your father!"
"Like hell you are!" Draco yelled, near hysterics. "You're no father to me. You're just a crazy old nut, following around the lunatic Voldemort. "He's dead, father! Why can't you just let it go?"
"He's my Lord, Draco. And yours. We'll serve him forever." He said sternly.
"You're mad, father! I never have and I never will." Draco tried to sound harsh, but there were still tears in his eyes when his voice broke. "How could you? How could you kill my mother?"
"She left me no choice, Draco. She was always in the way."
"And what about me? Was I just in the way? And when you got tired of me, were you just going to kill me off too?"
"No, I always hoped you would join me. But with your current attitude, I might change my mind." He said bitterly, rising to his feet.
"Damn you, father." Draco mumbled through his tears. "Now I didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice."
"Draco, what are you doing?" Lucius began looking around frantically for his wand as he looked incredulously at what his son was about to do.
"If you want to be with Voldemort so much, you can join him in hell."
"Draco, no, stop!"
"Avada Kedavera!"
With hatred and anger emanating from his eyes, a jet of red shot out of his wand, instantly killing his father.
Then, with Harry and Ron still on-looing in disbelief, Draco fell to the floor, sobbing bitter tears of anguish, resentment and pain…
These were the memories that would haunt him forever.
As he took another long swig of his drink, he breathed relief, waiting for the numbness to take him…
"Harry's lucky I like him." muttered Cho Chang, as she stepped into the Scottish bar. She easily spotted the platinum haired boy… man. He was sitting at the bar, sprawled in his chair, drink in hand. He had indeed changed from boy to man since she had last seen him. Much taller, she could see a definite physical growth even with him sitting in a chair, just from the first glance.
No matter his physical growth, he knew of his mental depression. As a member of the Order, she knew the real truth about his past. It was publicly reported that Lucius had gone mad and killed his wife, then killed himself. But Cho knew that the story was only partially true. And yet, she was unafraid of the task at hand. She felt an overwhelming sense of calmness instead of great uneasiness.
She stood in the doorway, trying to gather her courage to move towards him, but her feet remained planted, due to the rapid beating of her heart and the fluttering in her stomach. She remembered the last time she ha dspoen with Draco Malfoy, a somewhat refreshing memory of her last day at Hogwarts…
"Come to bid me farewell, Chang?"
A seventeen year old Cho Chang turned around to smirk at him. The blond Slytherin boy with a familiar snarl was looking at her, sitting on the bench at Kings Crossing.
"What makes you think I'd bid you any kind of farewell, let alone a tearful one?" Cho spat.
"Well, then perhaps you'll be looking for Potter to bid him a tearful farewell."
"Again, why would his be anymore tearful than yours? I hold him in no higher rank than you."
This comment caused Draco Malfoy to smile. "Well, you've obviously changed. You used to be an emotional mess over Potter."
"That show how very little you know about me, Malfoy." Then she turned and began to walk away.
"I was only concerned for your well being, Chang." He called after her, and without meaning to, she paused.
"I'm proud of you for looking past the prat that Potter is. He never appreciated you for what you're really worth." He said softly, taking a step towards her.
It should have been compliment, but it only seemed to anger her. She suddenly whirled around and yelled, "What the hell do you know about my worth?"
He surprised her by reaching out and moving and stray strand of her long black hair and tucking it behind her ear to reveal icy blue eyes. He placed a hand tenderly on her face and leaning in, he whispered, "You are an amazingly bright young woman. You have a good heart. And such beauty would never have been over looked by me."
No clever or witty retort would come to mind now. For this man, known to be hateful, rude and heartless, was now praising her, speaking and touching her gently. Needlesss to say, Cho was speechless. Why was this Slytherin git suddenly being nice to her?
"Have a good summer, Cho Chang. I hope that someday our paths cross once more." Then he walked away and out of her life, never to return…
Little did she know that they would. Their paths were now crossing again. And it was Cho's duty to make sure Draco got home safely tonight. So she took a deep breath to calm her seething nerves, and took a step towards the Slytherin Prince.
Finally finding the overwhelming numbness he constantly was searching for from his drinks, he finished the last of it and almost nodded off into his drunken state of mind. He growled as he stood, throwing some gold coins on the bar. "See you tomorrow, Pat."
Then he whirled around.
Standing before him was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Her hand was up in the sir as if she'd meant to tap him on the shoulder. She had long silky black hair, delicate features and creamy porcelain skin. Her eyes stood out the most. They were icy hot – blue, piercing and intense – Draco felt like he was drowning in their depths, and still in his drunken stupor, he was rendered speechless.
"Hello, Draco." She said, and his heart melted. Her sweet sounding voice was strangely familiar, and yet so different.
"Are you an angel?" Draco asked, reaching up his hand and cupping her face gently. "Have you come to heal my haunted soul? To forgive my sins and take me to heaven?"
"To err is human, but to forgive is divine." She simply said.
"Ah, you speak wise words, angel." Draco said, leaning in. "But lets see what else that mouth of yours can do."
And then he kissed her.
Draco instantly felt its healing powers. He could almost taste of her goodness in her cleansing kiss. All his past heartache, bitter memories, unforgivable actions – all of them were swept from his memory and all Draco knew was this angel's kiss.
She didn't touch him, but her mouth, ever sweet and responsive encouraged him. As he moved his hand from her face to her neck, he felt her relax under the shivers of her smooth skin. He ran his fingers through the darkness of her hear, then running them gently down the side of her sleeved arm. When his hand finally met with the small of her back, her pulled her against his body, amazed at how perfectly she fit in his arms, how warm her clothed body felt against his cold soul, how her presence and her very kiss made him feel whole again, completely free – almost forgiven.
Suddenly, as he moved to deepen the kiss once more, darkness overcame his mind and everything went black.
"Bloody hell." Cho whispered as her eyes fluttered open. Draco has passed out on the floor and left Cho standing in blissful amazement.
What had just happened? Draco Malfoy, the cold and heartless Slytherin, ha he just kissed her?
It was obvious to Cho that he was drunk off his rocker, the moment he nearly fell out of his chair to leave. She was going to try to talk to him without making, and eventually take him back to the lodge. Then he was touching her and calling her angel, which only disturbed her. But when he had kissed her…
She had immediately meant to pull away, but his kiss was so sad, so full of despair and regret, and it hurt her sensitive heart. She wanted nothing more than to take away his anger, all his past memories, ease his pain even in the slightest, if she could. She figured in letting him kiss her, somehow that would help.
Her heart, however, told her otherwise. The moment his angry silver eyes locked with hers, the second his fingers gently caressed her face, the instant his lips touched hers… her heart began pounding madly, and all her senses were whirling. How this man with no could heart at all, make hers beat so unusually fast? How could he make her breathing so uneasy and her lips tingle?
How the hell are you going to get him off the floor? Said the realistic side of her mind.
"Need some help, Chang?"
Cho was suddenly shaken from her distracting thoughts as she turned to see who had spoken. Instantly she smiled.
"Blaise Zambini. What are you doing here?"
He only smiled back. The dark haired and dark eyed Slytherin who was charming and not-so-heartless, greeted her with a hug.
"Ron asked me to come and keep an eye on Draco as he drinks his life away." He explained. "He knows Draco doesn't listen to anyone."
"Well, apparently Harry feels the same way, but he doesn't underestimate the gift of a woman." Cho smirked.
"So Harry sent you?" Blaise said. "And how exactly are you going to manage this?"
Instantly, Cho grew solemn. "My little brother just died, and Harry sent me to his cottage, so I could get away from the world and mourn."
Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Cho, you're an only child."
"You see Blaise, I know that, and you know that," Cho smiled as she pointed to the drunken mess of a man on the floor, "but he doesn't."
"You and those Phoenix people think you're so clever." Blaise rolled his eyes.
"Hey, you're one of those Phoenix people, too." Cho said, shoving him playfully.
"Yeah, but I don't think I'm clever. I know it."
"At least you're not too humble." Cho now rolled her eyes.
"Never." Blaise laughed. "Now do you want me to help you carry this big lug out of here?"
"That would be great. Thanks, Blaise." She said as he picked up the drunken body of Draco Malfoy.
"And hey, what was that little kiss about?" he teased.
"He's drunk, Blaise." Chosaid as an excuse because she didn't want to talk about it just yet.
"Yeah, so?"
"So he's an emotional mess right now. I didn't want to do anything drastic or upset him. That wouldn't make my job any easier."
"So you're here to help him piece back together his broken life?"
Cho nodded. "Exactly."
"Well, if there's anyone who can heal a tortured soul, it's you." Blaise said in a firm, quiet voice.
Cho raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Don't take offence, Cho, it's a compliment." Blaise tried to explain. "Harry's right, women have more insight in these matters than men do. You are a beautiful, sensitive and caring young woman. I think you're just the kind of person to heal Draco."
Cho couldn't answer, so she only nodded.
"Especially if you keep kissing him like that." Blaise muttered, loud enough for Cho to hear.
Her jaw dropped. "What!"
"I'm not joking, Cho." Blaise said in half a laugh. "Maybe if you could find a way, not to lead him on, but to help him feel loved… kisses like that would bring any man out of depression."
Cho smirked. "You know for being a man, you're pretty insightful."
"Yeah, it comes with the good looks." He joked.
"Just keep walking, Zambini. You carry the drunk, I'll come up with the Master Plan." Cho chuckled.
"Yes, ma'am."
As Cho followed him, something was whispering to Cho that Blaise was right. No matter how drunk Draco was and no matter how apprehensive she was, that kiss had been exquisite, almost surreal. And that scared her, more than she was willing to admit.
A/N: Okay, first off, no flames please. I am not shipping this couple, I actually had never thought of it before. It was just an idea that came to me. Let's just call it lack of someone else to put him with, all right? This is a sequel to my other story "Reunited" and I just felt so bad with what happened to Draco, I had to give him some sort of chance for happiness, but I couldn't think of anyone. So Cho was my last option. (I don't like making original characters for the Trio's era.) I can accept constructive criticism, but not review just to say "omg how can you put cho with draco! that's just wrong! draco belongs with ginny/hermione/someone else!111!one! you whore, this story sucks!" Okay? I love reviews, not flamers. Thanks.
But it seems to work out really well. I like where this story is heading. I'd love to hear from you. So please review and let me know. Many thanks and many hugs!