A/N: Old fic that I just noticed wasn't formatted correctly, so I'm reformatting it here.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. The characters are JKR's, and the song, "Measure of a Man" belongs to Clay Aiken
If one day, you discover him
Broken down, he's lost everything
No cars, no fancy clothes to make him what he is not
The woman at his side is all that he's got
She saw him hunched down in a clearing in the forests of Albania, trying to block out the pain that surrounded him. He had taken over the body of another, trying to regain everything he had lost. She came to him, and held him quietly, giving him a comforting smile. He stood then, and walked slowly, her hand in his.
Why do you ask him
Move heaven and earth
To prove his love has worth
He returned to her after failing, knowing that the rebuke would come soon. All he had ever done was for her, and they both knew it.
"The second
failure," she said quietly. She didn't torture him. She didn't
need to. The look on her face was torture enough. "Don't let me
down again."
Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
When it's down to the wire
Would he give his life up
To be all he can
Is that, is that, is that How you measure a man
She waited for a long time, remembering the days of old in school. Then, she had desired conquest, having the world wrapped around her finger. She had told him of her dream. He hadn't hesitated to drop everything for what she wanted, and her wish became his life.
If by chance all he had to give you
Was three words, wrapped around your finger
Would that be deep enough
At the end of every day
And how will you ever know
If a man is what he says
Why do you ask him
Move heaven and earth
To prove his love has worth
The next time he came, he was with another- a follower. He explained that there was a way to regain his power- a dangerous, possibly fatal way.
"Do it," she said quietly. "If you really love me." They both understood the threat for what it was.
Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
When it's down to the wire
Would he give his life up
To be all he can Is that, is that, is that
How you measure a man
They met together the next time in the house of his father, now owned by a follower of his. This time, he stood easily and spoke in firm tones. He told her that he could and would do anything for her, no matter what happened. She nodded, but soon felt uneasy with using him. It was a feeling that had never passed through her before. Her next order didn't carry the same weight that the others had.
He never gives up
Lets go of his dreams
His world goes around you In wonder it seems
Is that how you know
Is that what it means
The next time she saw him, his head was bowed in shame. He had failed, and knew the consequences. But this time, instead of frowning, she smiled and held him close.
"I don't need any proof," she whispered. "Be yourself and fulfill your own dreams."
And as she kissed him, he felt at once whole.
Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
Will he be your anchor
When the dark unfolds
Will he always love you
The best that he knows
Would he give his life up
To be all he can
Is that, is that, is that
How you measure a man