Draco's POV:

It's been a year to the day sense the second wizarding war. So many thoughts are running through my head. Why did it all have to happen? Why did I let it happen? Why did I let him turn me into a bloody Death Eater? I was a coward, that's why. I only protected myself. And now what has become of me? Living off my family fortune. I don't even deserve it. I'm the reason my father is in Azkiban. The reason my mother killed herself. I couldn't take knowing what my father had done. She couldn't take that I had betrayed him. Now I just lounge around, drinking my life away, just to stop the blasted voices that run through my head. The voices of people begging me to save them. Begging for me to end their life or set them free. I can still hear the Granger girl's screams from when my aunt tourtured her relentlessly. As she did unspeakable things to her and carved that filthy word into her arm. That same word I had called her so many times before. Merlin knows that she didn't deserve that. And yet, I stood by and let it happen. In my own home no less.

Harry has tried many times to get me to talk to her. So that I know she forgave me. I have still yet to even find the courage to put down the bottle of fire whiskey I have been nursing sense the early morning. Today is not only a bad day. Today the worst day sense the war. Today is the day everything comes back to me.

I stood up from my spot on my chair and stumbled out of my now vacant house. I had set all the house elves free and to work at Hogwarts the night before. As I stand in front of the once glorious manner, I feel my blood boil with rage at the memories that resides in those walls. I take out my wand and point it at the horrid reminder of all that I hate, and set it ablaze. I sit on the ground outside the gates, unable to much else in my drunken state, and watch it crumble to the ground.

Hours go by before it is compleyely gone and soon the sun begins to set. I swallow the last of my bottle and stumble to the nearest pub and floo to the Burrow, where I know everyone will be on this awful night.

As I appear in the living room of the red headed family's home, my legs betray me and knees buckle as I fall onto something, or rather someone. Molly Weasley has her arms wrapped around me and is calling for the rest of the bunch to help her. I feel myself being lifted up and being placed on the couch as the motherly figure talks to me softly. "Draco darling, are you ok? What is it? What has gotten you so worked up? "

Her voice is so soft and caring. Suddenly I can't help the tears that begin to cascade down my cheeks. I feel my lip quiver and she pulls me into a firm hug as a sob racks my entire body. "I-I did it. I b-burnt i-it down. Th-there's n-nothing l-left." I stutter out.

I hear her gasp softly as she pulls away and looks in my eyes. "Draco, what did you do? What did you burn down?" By now the rest of the lot is by her side.

Hemione is sat next to me with concern in her eyes as she holds my hand gently in hers. I look at our hands for a moment and collect myself.  "The manner. I-I burnt down the manner. I set the house elves free and burnt it to the ground. I couldn't stand it anymore!" I scream. "I couldn't take the pain of knowing what happened in there! Of knowing who died in there! Of who was tourtured!"

I flinch as I feel Hermione's hand leave mine only to be placed gently on my cheek. I heard a small whimper escape my mouth as I look into her golden-brown eyes. She is so beautiful. How can she even be here next to me, trying to comfort me no less, after everything I have done to her. I watched as she smiled softly. "So you think I'm beautiful?"

I can feel my face go red in embarrassment before realization sinks in. "Get out of my head witch!" I stand and stumble a few steps back. "Damn it. Why does anyone ever let me drink?" I mumble more to myself. But I can tell the rest of them heard me. I don't bother looking back at them. Not even when I hear someone running after me. I make my way to the floor and grab some floo powder before stopping. "I'm sorry to have bothered you all." And then I left. Not giving any of them time to say anything.

I decided to make my way to a flat that I had purchased a few months back in muggle London. As I open the door and walk in, I have only one thing on my mind. Removing this bloody mark. I make my way over to the kitchen and pull out one of the knifes with a determination I have never experienced before. Maybe if its gone, then I can start over. Maybe I can be more noble. Be someone deserving of their kindness. I grab a rag and bite down on it, as more tears stream down my face, before carving into the coloured flesh. Not stopping till there is nothing left of the blasted thing. Placing the knife in the sink, I take no more than two steps before collapsing to the ground. Barely hearing the footsteps before everything fades to nothingness.

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Hermione's POV:

I was with Ginny when we heard her mum call for help. Without thinking twice, we sprinted down the stared to find Draco on the couch a blubbering mess. The boys we're on either side of Molly so I sat next to Draco and held his hand gently. It's the best thing I thought I could do while he was in the state he was in. He is so broken. I thought and slowly peaked into his mind. He was out of his mind and wasn't expecting his thoughts to suddenly turn to me. Needless to say, I didn't mean to scare him off as I did. As soon as he left, I sprinted after him only to be sucked to an unknown muggles building.

I watched carefully as he made his way up the stairs. I followed silently and keep to the shadows. He went into one of the rooms with a dark grey door that had a silver plack with the number 7 on it. I waited a moment outside to see if he was coming back out. After about 10 minutes, I concluded he wasn't and made my way to the door.

As I open the door however, I saw him collapsed on the floor in a pool of his own blood. I rushed to his side and tried to stop the bleeding with a black rag before calling the muggle hospital. Within 15 minutes the paramedics busted into the room and started to carry him down the stairs. I rode with him in the ambulance, to the hospital, and paced in the waiting room till a doctor came to retrieve me. It didn't take long for one to arrive and I rushed over to him.

"How is he, please? Is he ok?" I was on the brink of tears but the doctor placed a calming hand on my shoulder.

"He is fine Mrs. Malfoy. He is stable. He has lost a lot of blood however, and he will have quite the scar on his arm. Nevertheless he will have full control over his hand, so no worries. We would like, however, to keep him here for a couple days for observation. If that's ok with you." I let out a small sigh of relief and nodded, not having the heart to correct him on my name.

"May I see him please?" I winced at the desperation in my voice but the doctor simply nodded, seeming not to have noticed, and led me to Draco's room.

"He is still unconscious." His voice was low. As to not wake Draco I presume. "His blood alcohol level was alarmingly high and he seems to be extremely malnourished, not to mention sleep deprived." I place a hand over my mouth and muffled a sob as I saw his frail body laying on the stiff looking bed. He looks worse than I saw at the burrow. No doubt because of a glammer charm. "Have you noticed any strange behavior lately?"

I nodded. "He has been so depressed the passed year. The worst anyone has ever seen him. He normally would never let you see his pain. He wont talk about it though. I know, however, what has gotten him this way." I looked down. I should have know he would do something like this. He hated that damn mark. He couldn't stand to think about that part of his life. All that it it stood for, and reminded him of. This being the anniversary of that blasted war definitely wasn't helping him move on. "I should have been with him." I whispered as the tears made their way down my cheeks silently. "I could have stopped him."

"There is nothing you could have done. He seemed pretty addiment towards getting whatever was on his arm off. It appears to have worked too. There I nothing recognizable of it left. " he paused. "Perhaps you can persuade him to talk to a psychologist. There are plenty here at the hospital." I shook my head and laughed half heartedly.

"He won't talk to anyone. He will just sulk silently in the corner, until everyone has gone, and then drink till he blacks out." I stated dryly. And it was completely true. He refused to even look at me before today. Harry is the only one to have helped him.

The doctor nodded seeming to understand and began to walk away. "If you need anything, just find me or one of the nurses." I nodded and sat next to Draco's bed. I'm so sorry Draco. I should have went in after you sooner. Maybe I could have stopped you from carving into yourself.