Battered, but Not Broken
She couldn't believe who was standing there in the doorway. Bloodied and panting, he asked in his most easily recognizable drawl, "Is this 7 Grimmauld Place?"
"To you it isn't." Harry replied. Aurora looked between the two of them. This is not how it was supposed to be, but of course war complicates the lives of the young.
"Will you help me?" his voice strained to remain steady. "Please."
"Why do you care? So you can bring your Death Eater friends here to destroy us?" Harry snarled, closing the door on the figure.
"Please…" his hand dropped from the doorframe and they watched as he fell to the ground. No one moved; all were unsure if this was only a rouse. Aurora moved and lifted his head into her lap. He was unconscious, most likely from the shock of his blood loss, she mentally noted.
She looked into to Harry's face, which was twisted with disgust. "He is badly wounded. Help me carry him."
"You want us to bring that per- that thing in here?" Harry scoffed, as Ron pointed in disbelief hardly uttering a complete word.
"He's in need of shelter and is badly wounded. What's the problem?"
"That's Draco Malfoy."
"Hermione, will you help me?"
"Come on Ron." She cradled his head like Aurora had as Ron lifted his legs from the ground. Aurora watched as they climbed the stairs. She walked quietly past Harry, who stood holding the door open.
"Harry, today you just threw everything that Dumbledore has taught you away. He would be very disappointed in you." She followed Ron and Hermione's trail without a backwards glance.
You're a failure. You don't belong here, but out of mercy I permit you to live… for now. Don't you forget that young master Malfoy. Flashes of red eyes glittered through his mind like lightening. Every muscle of his body tightened as his heart felt as though someone held it in his hand, and gave it a good squeeze. He uttered not a sound, yet every fiber of his being screamed in protest. He couldn't stand it any longer, his body thrashed and fought until suddenly he felt hands touching his face.
"NO!" he yelled, knocking over whomever is was touching him as he sat up straight in the bed he'd lain in. He looked upon the room to see a figure strewn across the room; she supported herself on the cold floorboards on one elbow. He could not see her face because her hair in disarray, shielding her face. "Uh, are you alright?"
Before she could reply, the room was suddenly filled with witches and wizards with their wands pointing in his direction. Molly Weasley busied herself by helping the young woman to her feet. "Are you alright, dear?" she cooed.
"What did you do to her?" Harry demanded of him. The young Weasley girl looked up at Harry, disappointment plainly written on her face.
"Harry, give him sometime to explain himself." Remus Lupin stepped forward placing a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Malfoy, please explain to us what that noise was."
"Well-I-wha-" he didn't know what to say. The room just seemed to spin, making him cover his face with his hands.
"It looked as though he were having a nightmare." The young woman stepped from the nurturing touch of Mrs. Weasley. Draco lifted his face from his hands, peering at the woman. "I was trying to gently wake him and that's when he yelled 'NO!' and accidentally pushed me, then I fell to the floor." Her hair still covered her face as she spoke with her head hanging low, yet he voice sounded so very familiar.
"Now with that cleared up, can we eat now?" Ron interjected. Most of the crowd laughed, releasing the tension that hung about in the room. Hermione elbowed him in the stomach. "Oomph, that hurt, 'Mione!"
"Oh, come on then, let's get all of you fed!" Molly moved everyone out of the room, as Harry, Lupin, Hermione, and the young woman stayed in the room.
With the door shut, Lupin crossed the room and sat on the bed of which Draco sat. The room was silent as Lupin gathered his thoughts. No one moved an inch; all that could be heard was the crackling of the fire in the hearth. "It seems, Mr. Malfoy, that we are at an impasse. I could ask you some of the questions that we are all thinking but I think that it is best that we do that when you are healed and given some time to think. I have lain out a robe for your use, the clothes you are in now don't look like they are in any condition to be worn." He looked at Harry. "I'll stay here while Ms. Fidelus cares for him and he can change. I'll be down soon, have yourselves some supper."
Reluctantly Harry followed Hermione out the door, as Aurora busied herself by finding her healer's kit. Draco quickly checked his pocket, Ah! Draco you're an idiot. Of course the first thing they would confiscate. "I'll return your wand to you when you've explained how you've come to find this place." Lupin said, sitting by the fire.
"Mr. Lupin, I'm going to bring some food up for him. He needs his strength before the healing process to begin." She had her hand on the doorknob, but Draco's voice stopped her.
"Aurora, is that you?" he asked incredulous. She slowly turned, her hair framing her face, a somber smile played upon her lips. She quickly left the room.
"She came here a while ago." Lupin said, calling Draco's attention back to him. "All your questions will eventually be answered, but that is something you're going to have to ask her." Lupin eyed the silver-haired young man. "How are you feeling?"
"A bit sore." To Lupin's eyes, that was merely an understatement. Draco sat stiffly in the bed provided; he slowly looked around the dusty room. The dankness made everything still.
"So what sent you here?"
"I needed somewhere safe to be."
"Who knows you're here? You do know that you being here puts us all at peril?" Lupin stated, forwardly.
"I can't return to my family home…" he paused, "Obviously, you know that there is a lot at play here. I am a sort of liaison." He sighed. The door opened and Aurora returned with a tray of soup and bread.
"Draco, have some supper then we can continue our discourse once you are healed." Lupin looked to Aurora, "Would you like to eat something with the others?"
"No, I am comfortable here." She smiled and set the tray across Draco's lap. She looked up at him, unsure to smile. She looked away and tucked her waves behind her ear.
She heard Draco gasp from where he sat and looked at him inquisitively. "Did I do that to you?" he asked.
She walked to the dusty mirror on the wall, and used the sleeve of her jumper to generate a clean spot. On her lightly bronzed cheek, was a red mark, which was now forming a bruise. She touched the bruise lightly, and smirked back at Draco from the reflection. She pulled out her wand and performed a quick concealing charm. "What are you talking about Draco, there's nothing there."
He sat mouth agape, bread embedded to his tongue. He gulped down the serving, "Aurora, what happened? You're supposed to be dead!"
She took a deep breath. "Where do I begin?" she looked to Lupin.
"Tell him only what you feel comfortable saying. Try your best."
Walking to the bed, she sat next to him, "You remember what happened to my parents and you know the news about me, is that correct?" Draco nodded, "Sometime after my parents sent me to Durmstrang, under the orders of the Dark Lord, they started to notice a particular interest in me that was not quite innocent. This would be around your third year, if you can remember. But they started to fall out of favor with the Dark Lord once they asked about my fate, as a precaution they approached- at the time Headmaster Dumbledore- and placed me under his care. They were killed." She stared into the fire, "It was a dangerous game to play," she looked into Draco's eyes, "but he saved my life. He was able to place a decoy and it was killed. Or to everyone else, went missing. I was sent to the Salem Witches' Institute in America, hidden under an alias I studied under a contact there that was in touch with both Dumbledore and Professor Lupin, here. When I heard about his death," Draco cringed, "I came home. It was my time to help Dumbledore's dream, no more hiding."
"Heh." Draco looked bewildered.
"Are you finished eating?" she asked.
"Huh, oh yes."
She took the tray from him and placed it on the desk next to her healer's kit. "Now if you can lay back for me, I'm going to get started on those wounds of yours."
"Now that you're all cleaned up and ready, I think its time that we consult the rest of the Order to see what is to be done." Lupin squeezed Draco's shoulder, and ducked out of the room.
Aurora followed suit, but stopped and gave Draco a reassuring smile. "Its good to see you."
"I don't believe a word of it." Harry sat with his arms crossed and shook his head. The rest of the table dwellers sat quietly pondering the words that Draco had just spoken. The silence ensued as everyone continued to look amongst one another. Harry continued to stare at Draco in disbelief.
"Believe what you want, Potter, but that is the whole and complete truth of the matter." Draco sneered back at him. He was so exhausted physically, and almost fully drained of the will to keep going. This is not what his last year in school was supposed to be like! The war had changed everything for them. Draco sighed, running his hands through his hair and fell to rest on the back of the chair in front of him. He hung his head, running scenarios through his mind. What could bring down the Dark Lord? This thought made him think about his last moments with his Father before coming here. 'Son, this could affect the tide of the War. All we need to do is give the other side a bit of the upper hand.' 'Father, what makes you think that they would believe anything I say?' 'Oh, nothing a little Veritaserum couldn't fix. But I trust that you showing up on their doorstep would in still a little good faith in the hearts of the Muggle-loving Wizards.' 'Doorstep?' Draco thought, confused. 'I know the secret hiding place of the people who call themselves, the Order of the Phoenix.' Good faith, HA! Draco chuckled to himself. He looked up and meting eyes with Aurora, thought, That does change things a bit doesn't she?
"How long has Lucius known of our safe house?" Molly Weasley spoke, breaking the silence.
"To my understanding, years."
"How can we believe that he was being merciful? For all we know, Death Eaters aren't just lurking outside?" Harry slammed his fist on the table.
"Honestly, Potter. I thought that you would want to take a moment to take full advantage of this situation. My life is in your hands. But do you want the blood of the Wizarding World on your hands?" Draco implied. Harry answered him with a black look.
It was at this moment that Lupin finally spoke, "I believe that everyone just needs to take a deep breath." He smiled at the inhabitants of the room. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, considering the impact of this information you can understand our hesitancy at making a quick decision. How long is your father willing to wait for an answer?"
Draco shrugged, " Who knows? The tides change everyday, sometimes minutes. I can give you a couple of days before he gets impatient. But with the Dark Lord at the Manor, its becoming increasingly difficult to keep our loyalties," He shot a look at Harry, "concealed. I'm sure you are aware of this powerful use of Occulumency… so you can imagine how difficult it is to keep a clear conscience."
Aurora shuddered and Harry looked at the table, intently.
"Alright, I think we can all agree that some time to contemplate this new plan of action can be useful. We will talk of it no more until the second day…?" he looked at Draco.
"I can give you that. " Draco nodded.
Everyone stood up and left the room, whispering to each other and some thinking nothing of it at all. Harry and his two best friends walked to the exit and gave an accusing glance at Draco. Draco, still standing with his hands upon the back of the chair, sighed. Aurora slowly stood up, walked to his side. "Draco, I-"
"Aurora, aren't you coming?" Harry peered back into the room, expectantly.
"Give me a minute." She smiled at him; he stalked off in search of his two friends. "Draco, I want you to know that I understand how hard this really must be for you… you know, coming here to a place that is filled with people that hated people like you family." Gesturing to the rest of the house. "I don't believe that you could have done what Harry so accuses you of. There are some choices in life that are not exactly plain as day, easy to decisions to be made." She placed her hand comfortingly on his, and smiled at him.
He looked back her, his face expressionless, save for his eyes that looked so dull and lifeless that it cause Aurora to catch her breath in her throat. He sidled away from her, and ran his hands through his hair, he whistled, "Well, this all has diverting, hasn't it, Gory Rory?" he laughed, walking towards the foyer.
Aurora looked at him incredulously, her cheeks turning a bronzed rose.
Draco tossed an amused glance behind him. "I may be battered, Rory… but I am not broken." And he was gone. Aurora slumped down into a chair, jaw still agape but he facial expression soon changed. Her eyes were warm terracotta, stony and angry at the same time, and only once her anger had died down did she lightly laugh to herself and join the Golden Trio.