The Final Sunset
Here I go again. Another Boxcar Racer song-fic. I'm not obsessed, honest. I was just listening to the song one afternoon when it was heaps hot and a storyline to go with the lyrics appeared in my head. So, I began writing and here we are.
Disclaimer: The lyrics to Elevator by Boxcar Racer and all things related to Harry Potter do not belong to me, and I'm not making money off this, etc etc.
Ah, yeah…slight angst and um, tads of suicide in this, so if you don't want to read it, don't. But review anyway and tell me you didn't read it. Seriously. Reviews in any shape or form are good.
On with the song fic.
Draco POVDraco had always liked sunsets.
Even when he was young, no matter what, he would run to the nearest window when the darkness began to gather to watch the sun's final move for the day. The sky lit up in a private colour display just for him, then the colours would slowly change and the glowing orange orb would sink into nothingness.
That changed when he came to Hogwarts. He couldn't watch the sunset from his dorm in the underground territory of the serpents.
But despite that, Hogwarts was his home. He felt safe here, loved, protected. Not like that place. He hated going back there. Not this time. Never again.
He felt like he knew the castle. In fact, the castle felt like a friend. The only true friend he had, or would ever have.
But not tonight. As a last effort, Draco asked for help. He wandered the familiar corridors, looking for something, anything that could help him. And nothing came.
The building turned its back, ignored my callSo he found himself sitting on the wide expanse of the Astronomy Tower, watching a truly magnificent sunset. The sky glowed in its rainbow of gold and orange, slowly turning into dusty pink and higher up, a deep blue. The light reflected off Draco's white blonde hair, making it glow. Twin pools of mercury glittered at the darkening treetops in the distance.
And he smiled as he bathed in this final sunset.
He would miss this. He knew he would. But it was a small price to pay to escape his hell that followed him everywhere.
Leaning forwards, Draco could see cold grey cement far below. The colour brought back such a strong rush of memories that he was overwhelmed by them. Closing his eyes, he could hear yelps of pain. Broken, dry sobs, as never ending tears were cried. The shouts. But most of all, he could see the eyes. Cold, grey, and uncaring.
"What have I told you Draco? Has NOTHING of my teachings sunken into your brain?"
A thud, so clear in his memory, Draco could almost feel the stinging pain on his cheek all over again.
"No." he whispered. "Not again. Not now. You won't ruin this for me."
He shook his head clear and turned back to the cold greyness. "You ruined my life, Father." He murmured. "But I will not let you ruin my death."
The concrete looks too thin to break my fallIt seemed strange to him that this was how it was going to be. That it would end here, now.
Some would say It was weakness. Stupid, cowardly, selfish. Draco saw it as an act of strength. Weak all his life, according to his father, and he was taking the strongest action of all. He would prove Lucius wrong.
Briefly, he pondered the reactions of the rest of the school.
The Slytherins…well, it was hard to say. His 'friends' would grieve for the appropriate time, and in the appropriate way, but after some time, they would move on easily. The rest of the house might be surprised, but honestly, they had never mattered to him.
The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs would be bewildered, wondering why Draco Malfoy, the one who had everything, would throw everything away. He snorted at the thought.
The Gryffindors, well, most likely they would hold a small parade to celebrate. All of them hated him, especially the Golden Trio.
The sunset stretched across this night time sceneDraco got to his feet, and closed his eyes against the rays of light spilling gently against the castle.
The last warmth of the day began to slip away slowly, and he breathed in the last of the light, the warmth, the life.
He loved sunsets.
Opening his eyes, he tilted his head back to observe the silver stars appearing in the sea of blue above. They mirrored into his own silver eyes, making them shine a beautiful, unnatural glow. It was a shame that no one would be able to see them.
He returned his gaze to the grounds, bathed in orange and gold and all the other colours this final sunset had.
At this moment, everything was beautiful.
He smiled and leapt lightly off the edge.
I counted people as I neared the street belowIt was a beautiful evening to die.
WhoaBelow…
Whoa
Harry's POV"Thanks fer spendin' yer Saturday here Harry, I appreciate it." Hagrid grinned at him.
"It's alright Hagrid, it was fun." Harry smiled back, ignoring the low growls of hunger in his stomach. Hagrid really needed to cook something other than his rock cakes.
"I'll walk yer to the castle. Can't be too careful nowdays." Hagrid commented, and Harry agreed.
They left the hut and started up the sloping lawns towards the castle.
I saw it all, I saw it all go downHarry was looking up at the sky, coloured beautifully with an assortment of colours and dotted with stars. His gaze slid over the blanket of blue and silver dots, and fell onto the utmost tower of the castle. Was it his imagination, or could he see a silhouette up there? There was definitely a darker shadow than usual…
Before Harry could think any more of it, it moved. He watched the shadow begin falling down the Astronomy Tower, and everything seemed to slow.
Squinting, Harry realised it was a human.
The shadow grew as he approached the groundThe light from the dazzling sunset illuminated everything, the silently and seemingly slowly falling body and the castle, shining in the various colours.
The sunset stretched across this night time scene
"HAGRID!" Harry screamed, grabbing his arm and pulling him to face the castle. "SOMEONE FELL OFF THE TOWER!"
Hagrid looked for what Harry could see, and sure enough, quickly spotted the shadow that was falling through the air, obvious against the castle wall.
With a roar of panic, Hagrid took off across the grounds, perhaps in an attempt to be there to catch the body, but Harry knew it was too late. The shadow was definite now, human shaped, and it was becoming dangerously close to the softly rippling grass of the grounds. Hagrid was running as fast as he could, and Harry hurried after him. Harry realised as he ran that he didn't want to see this. He closed his eyes.
I turned away as he came near the street belowThere was a soft thud, as if someone had punched a pillow. Sickened, Harry ran as fast as he could to catch up with Hagrid.
He arrived not long after Hagrid did, and came to a halt at his side to view the sight in front of them.
Draco Malfoy, a crumpled heap on the ground, the blood from his body staining the soft green grass around him. His white blonde hair had streaks of deep red blood through it, and his eyes were closed, a peaceful expression on his face.
"M-Malfoy?" Harry whispered, moving forwards and kneeling cautiously beside his rival.
No answer. No movement. He wasn't breathing.
"Harry." Hagrid said shakily. "I…I think he's dead."
WhoaBelow…
Whoa
Below…
The funeral was the next day, at sunset. Students and teachers alike formed a long line leading from the front steps of the castle down to the lake. Harry was right next to the lake, in his invisibility cloak. Looking around, realised he couldn't see the infamous Malfoy Senior anywhere.
They watched in silence as the elegant white coffin was carried from the castle to the lake. Nearly everyone was crying. A few threw blood red roses onto the coffin as it passed.
Let's forget this all, move onLet's forget this all, move on
Let's forget this all, move on
It finally reached its destination at the lake. There was a group of trees that shaded students when they needed shade on hot days. The coffin was directed towards these, as a grave was waiting there, beneath the cool green leaves.
As the coffin was lowered and covered, and everyone gathered for the eulogy, Harry stood slightly apart from everyone else, gazing at the sky. The pinks and golds and oranges shone down on Hogwarts like nothing remarkable had even happened, and in the deep blue, silver stars were shining more brightly than ever before.
Let's forget this all, move onLet's forget this all, move on
Let's forget this all, move on
Long after everyone had gone back to the castle to mourn, Harry was still outside. He knelt beside the grave, and observed the gravestone, made of purest white marble. It had his date of birth and his date of death, and his full name.
Harry took out his wand and carefully began carving into the marble right at the base.
Malfoy. May the sunsets of heaven warm your soul more than the ones here did, you arrogant git. Potter
Let's forget this all, move on…