2. Chapter
Daphne jumped up from the couch when Draco came out of the fireplace, followed by a few other Death Eaters.
"In the kitchen !", he ordered hectically, moving ahead of them.
Daphne's eyebrows rose in confusion while she followed him. "What the -"
Draco, who obviously hadn't noticed she was there until now, looked at her with the most serious expression she had ever seen on him.
"We failed again."
And then her eyes darted to Graham Montague and Adrian Pucey who were putting an unconscious Theo on the kitchen table.
"Theo", she gasped, clutching a hand over her mouth.
"You might want to help him, he's bleeding out."
Daphne nearly jumped at the sound of the voice and spun around. Warrington was leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe.
Snapping out of her shock she hurried over to Theo, examining his injuries. There was a large slash in his thigh and blood was flowing out of it.
"Draco – Healing Potion, top drawer in the bathroom", she ordered, finally beginning to function. Draco nodded and ran out of the room.
"Graham, bring me my wand – it's on the living room table. Adrian, help me stop his bleeding", she reached for a towel on the nearby kitchen counter and pressed it on the wound.
"I hope you know what you're doing", Adrian said sceptically.
She gave him a stern look. "I'm a Healer."
Montague came running back into the kitchen, her wand in his hand. Draco followed a second later.
Daphne took her wand and immediately began mumbling a few spells.
"Keep pressing on the wound", she said to Adrian before adressing Draco, "Make him swallow the potion."
"I bet you like to swallow", Warrington whispered in her ear, making her jump again.
"Montague, get Warrington out of here", she ordered, ignoring his comment, "and the rest as well, please. Draco, Adrian, you stay here – I need your help."
"Is – is there something I can do ?", a voice asked quietly. Daphne turned her head and looked straight into the eyes of Theo's father. She hadn't even noticed he was here. She gave him a hard look.
"You should've kept him from becoming a Death Eater in the first place", she said coldly, "But it's a bit late for that now, isn't it ? You better wait with the others in the living room."
Nott Senior flinched, something he never did. But then he nodded and left the room.
"Well, that was harsh", commented Adrian, but neither Daphne nor Draco paid attention to him.
20 minutes and a dozen Healing Charms later their work was finally done.
"Get him into bed, please", she said to Draco while she washed her blood covered hands in the sink, "Thanks for your help, guys."
Draco levitated his friend out of the kitchen and Adrian threw the blood soaked towel into the trash can, then quickly left the room.
Daphne braced her hands against the counter and closed her eyes for a moment.
She'd nearly lost Theo. Had they brought him in a minute later there would've been nothing she could have done for him.
A single tear made its way down her cheek, her body beginning to shake. She tried to compose herself but it was no use – more and more tears threatened to spill over.
Suddenly she felt someone stepping up behind her, hot breath tickling her neck. Her eyes flew open while the rest of her body froze.
When she felt lips moving across her neck she spun around, her eyes wide, and looked directly in the ones belonging to Warrington.
She wanted to sidestep him, but he had her caged against the counter, his body coming closer to hers, a smug grin on his face.
"You seem distraught", he said, smirking even more when her breathing began to hitch.
"Get away from me", she snapped, bringing her hands up to push against his chest.
"Stop fighting me, Daphne", the smirk vanished and he grabbed her wrists roughly, "I'll have you in the end. You know I will."
"You better let go of her and step away before I hex you into oblivion, you fucking bastard."
Daphne and Warrington jumped, their heads spinning toward the door.
Draco stood mere three meters away from them, his face hard and cold. Daphne hadn't seen him this angry for a very long time.
"Didn't know you had a thing for her", Warrington scoffed, nevertheless obeying.
"I don't", Draco answered, "But she's with one of my best friends – so you better leave her alone. And now get lost."
"This isn't finished", Warrington hissed before storming out of the kitchen. They heard him enter the fireplace and say "Knockturn Alley".
"You okay ?", Draco asked concerned.
"I'm fine", Daphne answered and let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in, "I just – I loathe him so much."
"Understandable."
"Thank you, again", Daphne said and smiled at him, "For everything you did today."
"You're welcome. Listen, I have to leave, I'm meeting Blaise in about half an hour", he ran his hands through his hair and then sighed, "This mission was far more important than any we had during the last couple of months. And Theo was in charge – I don't think his punishment is over yet."
Daphne shook her head in disbelieve.
"He nearly died", she choked, "I – I can't do this any longer. Tell Blaise to hurry. Whatever it takes."
"I will."
Without another word he turned and left.
Daphne stood in the kitchen, her face blank. Then, suddenly, she sank to the floor and began crying hysterically.
When Draco stepped out of Daphne's and Theo's fireplace the next morning, he nearly got hit in the head by a flying vase.
"What the hell ?!", he exclaimed, shocked. His eyes immediately fell on Theo whose expression was similar to Draco's. On the other side of the room stood Daphne, seething with rage, searching frantically for another object to throw.
"Bloody hell, woman !", Theo screamed when she threw a coffee cup at him. He ducked and the cup hit the wall, shattering into hundreds of pieces.
Draco rolled his eyes and with a simple wave of his wand both of his friends were thrown onto the couch.
"Hey !", they exclaimed in unison, trying to get up, which of course didn't work.
"Care to explain what's going on here ?", he asked calmly. Daphne snorted and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"My girlfriend here ist trying to kill me !", Theo shouted, staring angrily at her.
"Well, one should think you'd already be used to someone trying to kill you", she spat at him.
"That's what this is about ?", Theo asked incredulously.
"As much as I'd love to watch the two of you being at each other's throats", Draco interrupted their argument impatiently, "I'm here for a reason. The Dark Lord wants to have a meeting this evening." - he paused - "And he wants Daphne to come, too. I'm sorry."
Daphne's face had become ashen whereas Theo looked like he was about to throw up. It pained Draco to see his friends like this.
"I really am sorry", he said again, running a hand through his hair.
"I need some fresh air", Theo choked, "Lift the spell."
Draco did as he was told and Theo fled the room in an instant, banging the front door loudly behind him.
"He's going to punish me for Theo's failure, isn't he ?", Daphne whispered, staring up at him with wide eyes. Draco couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze but nodded.
"I – I talked to Blaise", he said, "He's at the Headquarters right now, discussing everything with the Order."
"Thank you", Daphne smiled weakly, "Well, I guess I see you tonight then ?"
"Yeah."
Daphne was shaking with fear by the time the Dark Lord entered the Great Hall. Since Hogwarts was now under his control he used the castle as a residence.
Theo grabbed her hand end entwined his fingers with hers.
"Don't show them your fear", he whispered in her ear, "It'll be over soon. I'm so sorry, love. I'm sorry."
Voldemort sat down on a throne that stood where once Dumbledore's seat had been. He held up his hand and immediately everyone went quiet.
"My faithful followers", the Dark Lord began, "First of all, I have good news to tell you. Harry Potter has been seen just a few miles from here. I've already sent more Snatchers out to find him – which is only a matter of time now."
A couple of Death Eaters began to murmur to the person next to them or nodded in appreciation.
Again Voldemort raised his hand and in an instant the hall was silent again.
"Miss Greengrass", his eyes found hers, a strange smirk on his lips, "Step forward."
Daphne swallowed and with one last glance at Theo she let go of his hand and stepped in the middle of the room. She found Draco's eyes across the hall but then turned her gaze up to where Voldemort was sitting.
"For those of you who don't know", he said toward his Death Eaters, "Miss Daphne Greengrass here is Theodore's girlfriend – and a very talented Healer from what I've heard."
He looked at her with such an intense gaze that she was sure he'd use Legilimens on her any second. Then he drew out his wand and Daphne immediately flinched and searched for Theo's eyes. Voldemort smirked and a few Death Eaters began to laugh. He waved his wand but instead of hitting Daphne with a curse he levitated something through the air and let it fall to the floor next to her.
Daphne shrieked when she recognized it was the corpse of a young man about her age and took several steps back. Theo turned his hand into fists. It took all his selfcontrol to not run toward Daphne and take her in his arms, protecting her from the laughs of the Death Eaters and the humiliation she had to endure because of him.
"Take a closer look", Voldemort drawled, "Do you know him ?"
Daphne gulped and slowly approached the dead body. The face was familiar. It took her several moments before it hit her. He had been in her year at Hogwarts. A Ravenclaw.
"Terry Boot", she said out loud.
"Indeed", said Voldemort, "Rabastan caught him in Diagon Alley. And it didn't take much torture to break him – really, it was quite pathetic."
The Death Eaters laughed once again.
"Mr. Boot here let it slip that a few members of the Order will be in Godric's Hollow tomorrow", Voldemort continued when the laughter had died down, "And since our beloved Theodore had quite some trouble fulfilling his tasks, I thought he could use your help. Miss Greengrass, I want you to accompany my men tomorrow – and kill Kingsley Shacklebolt."
Daphne didn't even have time to realize what she had just heard, when Theo stepped forward.
"No !", he shouted, "Please – she doesn't know how to fight ! She's never been in a battle before !"
"You dare to object the Dark Lord ?!", screeched Bellatrix, emerging from the crowd of Death Eaters.
"Stop it, Bella", Voldemort said and then turned his attention to Theo, "I don't tolerate your behavior, Theodore."
And before Theo could even react, Voldemort aimed his wand at Daphne and said "Crucio!"
Daphne screamed in agony as her legs gave way due to the pain.
"Daphne !", Theo shouted and rushed to her side, dropping on his knees next to her.
A moment later it was over. Daphne had tears in her eyes and gasped for breath while Theo was holding her in his arms.
"So what is your answer, Miss Greengrass ?", Voldemort asked as though he was inviting her for tea, "Of course I could send your sister instead, if you'd rather-"
"No !", Daphne gasped, "I'll do it."
"Wonderful", Voldemort exclaimed, "You are dismissed now."
Theo helped his girlfriend to her feet and led her out of the Great Hall.
"I'm so sorry, love", he murmured all the way down to the gate, "This is all my fault."
Before they reached it Draco hurried past them and in one swift, unnoticed movement shoved a piece of parchment into Daphne's free hand.