Here you go, the first chapter of my new story.

Chapter 1 – A Nightmare Relived

"Mummy?"

The library door slammed shut, the dangerous sound betraying them as it echoed off the walls of the dark, unlighted corridor. Daphne cringed, knowing that if anyone – anyone – had heard the sound, and caught them, it would have been her fault, since she was the one who let herself be startled by her daughter's voice and let the heavy door slam behind her.

That would be the last time she would let her guard down. For a second, she debated with herself on whether or not it would be imperative to use her wand to light their way. She decided she wouldn't need any light, thankful for the three years she had to familiarize herself with every nook and cranny of Malfoy Manor, making it easier for her to navigate herself around the mansion, even with her eyes closed.

She ran swiftly, quietly to the turn at the end of the hallway, swiftly and quietly enough that no one would notice that the two of them were even there. No on lingered around that part of the manor, anyway – unless he had already sent someone to come after her and her daughter. No portraits would rat out on them, either. There was only one magical portrait in the entire house, of her husband's deceased grandparents, and that one portrait was on the other far end of the manor.

Daphne wondered when she and her family would finally have their own portrait done – or if they would even get the chance, at all. Her husband's best friend was a talented painter, and had been offering to do their portrait for a long time now.

Unfortunately, Draco couldn't stay with his family for any long periods of time nowadays, and so only part of the painting was completed.

There was an alcove near the corner where she turned, an inconspicuous alcove facing a wide window, looking out to the spectacularly manicured gardens. She wondered again if she would once more get a laugh out of Draco's fruitless search for their daughter, not knowing that his little girl was just hiding in the alcove, for there was a lever on the wall that enabled it to spin around to enclose the hollowed-out side.

She sat down on the chair that was on the spinning platform. Securing her baby girl on her lap, Daphne reached for the lever, and pulled it down without a sound. The safety of the alcove would provide her time and space to think of an escape plan. She searched her extensive knowledge of the manor ground for the safest passage out.

"Mummy?"

She looked down at her daughter's small face, a face that mirrored Dapohne's own, from the raven locks, the green eyes, and the pale skin, down to the full, naturally red lips. The little girl's face incidentally mirrored the expression on Daphne's face, as well, an expression of fear and worry.

"Sweetie, we have to be quiet," Daphne warned, noting that her daughter's second call for her attention had been louder than the first one. "All right?"

The three-year-old raised her index finger to her lips, assuring her mother that she understood. She was quite smart for her age, something Daphne and Draco were very proud of.

"Mummy…Daddy?" she whispered in her high, wind chime voice. Draco had already been gone for almost a week, and his daughter wasn't used to not being able to see him for that long. She wrapped her tiny fist around a lock of her mother's hair, just like what she always did when she needed comfort. Daphne instinctively cradled her daughter to her chest, stroking her cheek.

"Daddy's not her right now," Daphne whispered back. "We'll see him soon, I promise. But we have to be very quiet, darling. We have to be very quiet."

The plan in Daphne's head locked into place. The second floor nursery had a passageway under the crib, directly above a shed where Draco kept his Quidditch gear. The shed, in turn, had a trapdoor (that only the handprint of a Malfoy by blood could open) with a ladder beneath, which would take them underground. They could climb up the next ladder and end up in the middle of Narcissa's garden maze, which Daphne also knew by heart. At the end of the maze, there was a gate, leading out of Malfoy Manor's grounds. As soon as she was off ground and out of the wards of Malfoy Manor, she could Apparate directly to the top doorstep of 12 Grimmauld Place, which she was allowed to enter, as its Secret Keeper, Harry Potter, had already told her of its location, after her husband's secret meeting with the Order a week ago.

They'll help me keep my daughter safe, Daphne reassured herself.

"Promise Mummy that you'll be very quiet, sweetie?" she requested of her daughter. She got a nod in response.

"You won't make any sound?"

Another nod came.

"Pinky swear?" Daphne stuck out her finger. An impatient look crossed her daughter's face, but the little girl locked her pinky with her mother's, eventually.

Daphne gave a sad sigh, on the verge of tears. "You know that I love you, right?" she asked in a shaky voice. "And your daddy loves you, too?"

"How much do you love me, Mummy?"

She hadn't been expecting that question. Now, she was scared to answer it. Why was her little three-year-old girl asking that? Why was she asking that at a time like this? Was it just one of the silly things children said? Or did she ask because she wanted to make sure, one last time? Did she know as well as Daphne did that something might happen, and it might not be pleasant?

So, first, Daphne laid a tender kiss on her daughter's forehead, letting her lips linger close to the warm skin for a silent moment. She felt the little arms wrap around her neck, returning her embrace.

"I love you more than anything I've ever loved, my darling."

"I love you like that, too, Mummy. And Daddy, too."

"What about Grandmama and your grandfather?"

The little girl in Daphne's arms shrugged. "Them, too, of course."

Daphne pressed her cheek to her daughter's. "Everything will be just fine, my love. We'll be with Daddy and Grandmama and Grandfather again, soon. You want to see them, right?"

"Yes, Mummy."

"Then you have to be quiet. That's all I'm asking. And you have to follow my instructions carefully, do you understand, sweetheart?"

"Yes, Mummy."

Daphne closed her eyes. She was so, so very tired.

She placed both her hands on her daughter's small face, balancing the little girl on her lap.

"Won't you give Mummy a kiss, then?"

The little girl placed a soft kiss on her mummy's cheek, and then on her lips.

Daphne smiled for the first time since they left the library, ever since she found out. "Thank you for that. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Daphne reached for another lever, looked both directions from the alcove, and ran, still as quiet and as swift as before. She reached the nursery in record time, their daughter – the one she and Draco had the greatest love in the world for – still safe in her arms.

She twisted the doorknob with a pale hand, the other keeping her daughter's head down on her shoulder. The little girl had already closed her eyes, not wanting to see any more of the darkness that enveloped them.

And it was good that she did, because the sight that welcomed them into the nursery was not pleasant, at all.

Daphne's clouded green eyes laid on her husband and father-in-law. Both pale, blond men were on the floor, huddled together, badly bruised and tied up. A masked, hooded Death Eater snatched the cloth they had forced into Draco's mouth to stop him from shouting.

"Daphne –"

That was all Draco could make out, before Daphne heard the terrible, hissing voice of the wizard – or rather – the murderer – she was taught to respect, but had grown to hate. He was really more of a monster than of a man. Daphne didn't believe that any man could ever inflict anything as inhumane upon his fellow human beings as the monster in front of her had for most of his life, blackmailing others to do the same, like he had done to her husband.

"Hello, Daphne," Lord Voldemort hissed. Daphne cradled her daughter in her arms, fearing what was about to come, as the Dark Lord raised his right arm, holding Draco Malfoy's wand. She cushioned the little girl's head as best she could, while still keeping her daughter from seeing the painful sight in front of her.

For a moment, Daphne's emerald orbs swept past Lord Voldemort, his raised arm with Draco's wand in it, his pale, terrifying face, and his thin white lips, which were moving. Daphne could make out an incantation, but she couldn't and didn't want to hear what Voldemort was saying. Now,s he was sure that all she wanted to do was look at her husband's bruised but still beautiful face, and comfort her only beloved daughter, who was still quiet, but shivering in her arms.

The last thought that swept through her mind was I love you, directed to both her husband and daughter. Daphne was a trained Legilimens, and she hoped Draco hadn't been practicing Occlumency when she tried breaking into his defense with that one, single, endearing thought. At least he'd know. At least, for one last time, he would know. He would be reassured of it, and hopefully, he'd tell their daughter, too.

And at the same moment, the curse hit her. There was a loud cackle, and a deafening yell. There was a child's cry, too.

And then it was all gone.

Draco Malfoy tried fruitlessly to crawl to his wife. Voldemort rolled his slit-like, red eyes at Draco's pathetic attempts. He flicked his wand – or, rather, Draco's wand – lazily, releasing his former ally from his binds.

He reached his daughter first, cradling her, keeping her eyes away from glimpsing on her mother's dead body. Tears fell on his shoulder. He felt his daughter crying. She knew her mother was dead. She had seen it happen. The damage had already been done.

"Ssh, ssh," Draco repeated. He comforted his daughter, although he was the one who need comforting the most.

He couldn't believe that just like that, it would all be over.

And it was all over.

It was all over for Daphne Greengrass-Malfoy.

And her husband couldn't even have done anything to stop it.

Wow, I think I'm nervous. I really do hope I get a positive response from this.

Thanks for reading!

Cheska. :)