A/N: I'm back! I'm again so so so sorry for this chapter being so late, but my beta disappeared and I had exams and life just caught up with me in general! I'm back now and I will continue writing and posting, albeit not too often, mostly depending on how my schoolwork is going. This one is dark and I think I need to put in a trigger warning because this chapter is pretty graphic in terms of violence and death. Hope you enjoy though!

It was the day before the start of winter holidays and Lacey couldn't be more excited to be going home. She had already packed her trunk, and could hardly concentrate in any of her classes in anticipation for the next day. She had politely declined Narcissa's invitation to stay at the manor over the holidays even though she knew they'd be disappointed. She also hated leaving Draco alone, especially after what she had heard from her various housemates about his family.

After a DA meeting, Lacey and Hermione spent their remaining time at Hogwarts trying to complete their homework. Both girls were going to stay with their muggle families and knew there wouldn't be any time to do magical homework.

"Do you have any plans for Christmas, Hermione?" Asked Lacey as she dipped her quill for the hundredth time that evening.

"My parents have got a ski trip planned… not really my thing though. I'd rather be sitting by the fireplace with a good book. What about you?"

"I'm probably going to visit my grandparents and maybe go to London for the New Year. Honestly, I'll just be happy to be home," sighed Lacey. "What about you, Harry?"

"Ron and I are spending Christmas at Grimmauld Place, with Sunffles," Harry answered excitedly, nearly tipping over his inkbottle.

After another half hour of homework, Lacey went upstairs. She wanted a good night's rest before the train ride, as she was sure that her parents would have something big planned for her homecoming.

The next morning, Lacey woke up early, ready for the Hogwarts Express. Trunk packed and letter in her robes, she went down for breakfast. She noticed a strange absence of red hair at the table in the Great Hall.

"Where's Ginny?" she asked Hermione. "…And Ron and Fred and George, and Harry, for that matter?"

"Harry owled me and said there was a family emergency. Something to do with The Order," Hermione whispered.

"I hope it's nothing too serious…" she said.

As she was walking towards the train platform in Hogsmeade, it seemed as if no one was staying at the school for the holidays. Lacey purposely ducked every time she saw Hermione, not wanting to have to sit with her on the train ride into London – she had much more important things to do. She searched the sea of heads looking for that unique platinum hair. When she finally caught a glimpse of Draco and pushed through the crowd to get closer to him.

"Want to sit together?" she asked cautiously.

"Fine," he answered emotionlessly, barely bothering to turn to look at her.

He was definitely angry with her and he had to visualize his father's disappointment before he could speak.

They boarded the train, and found an empty compartment near the end of one of the last cars. They sat down on opposite sides of each other and closed the door so no one would bother asking why they were sitting together.

No one said anything for a few minutes, allowing tension to be built upon the awkward silence. Lacey shiftily rubbed her hands together, looking down at the floor near her feet as Draco's hostility took over the compartment.

"I'm sorry," Lacey blurted out, "I feel simply horrid leaving you alone for the holidays, I know how much you were looking forward to spending some time together."

"You mean you were looking forward to spending time with me," Draco spat.

He tried giving her his worst glare.

"… So I've decided to come and stay at the manor for a few days after the New Year," she finished.

Draco's stiff demeanour softened a little, and even though he didn't smile, Lacey knew she had made him happy. She couldn't help but grin at him. She may have just considerably shortened her time with her family, but she really wanted to spend some time with Draco outside of school, where they could just be themselves and not worry about what everyone else thought.

Where he doesn't have to make a show of being a self-absorbed git all the time, thought Lacey.

"So why do you want to spend the holidays with those muggles anyway?" Draco asked, his face full of confusion, doubled with a lingering trace of his earlier coldness.

Lacey sighed. "Well Draco, even if they are muggles, they are still my family. I spent 15 years with them. You should get that," she replied.

Draco shrugged.

Although he'd never be able to understand her love for those muggles, he understood the concept of family very well. Even though his father could be a little cold and status obsessed, his mother shallow and superficial, Draco knew that both his parents would do anything for him.

"… And I can't wait to go to King's Cross to see the Christmas tree and watch muggle films and – "

"Doesn't sound like much fun," scoffed Draco.

"You should try it sometime," she giggled.

He scrunched his face up in disgust.

When they arrived at King's Cross station they hauled their luggage down to platform 9 and ¾, and parted ways.

"Well, I'll see you in a week or so. Happy Christmas!" said Draco.

He grabbed his trunk and began walking away.

"I'll miss you. Happy Christmas," Lacey suddenly said, and grabbed his arm.

She turned to him and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. He stood there, dumbfounded for about a minute. Lacey flashed him a smile and grabbed the handle of her trunk before grabbing the letter – her portkey.

Lacey opened her eyes, and she was in her old room. At once, she knew something was wrong. The air was thick with smoke, and filling Lacey's airways as it threatened to choke her. There was a deadly silence in the house, other than an unusual crackling of a rather loud…

Fire. The house was on fire.

Frantically, she ran out of her room into her sister's. She found it empty. She then ran to her parents' room, and finding no one there, assumed they had left the house. She ran to the staircase, when she heard agonizing screams coming from below. Lacey recognized the voices… She scrambled down the stairs, following the source of the screaming.

Lacey's heart pounded against her chest, and she started to feel lightheaded.

If I get down in time, maybe –

She heard people shouting, but the familiar voices were melting into the sound of the flames.

She heard spells being cast, although she couldn't make out what they were over the crackling of the flames.

She ran into the room where she had heard the screams coming from, dreading what she would see. She got there just in time to see a fading green light and hear a pop of disapparition.

It was then she saw the bodies. In the middle of the room, her family lay slumped in a pile, ghastly expressions forever imprinted on their faces. Her mother looked almost peaceful if not for the wetness on her cheeks or the way her body was twisted at an unnatural angle. Her little sister laid unmoving between their parents, her eyes were wide open staring blankly into Lacey's, her mouth open in a silent scream. And her father, unlike his wife and daughter who had no outward injuries, was covered in blood and wounds. His arms encircled his wife and daughter. Her father had died protecting them, even though he knew they had no chance. Her mother and sister were huddled together, drawing strength from each other for the last time. For a moment she couldn't breathe, she was sure this was nothing but a horrible nightmare, but the smoke didn't vanish and the bodies still laid there unmoving staring at her with their blank eyes, accusing her. She was too late.

"No…" she choked out.

There was blood everywhere, covering everything in close proximity. Lacey screamed, and fell to the floor. She shook her mother in desperation, trying to wake her, to see if her wounds could be healed – but she knew it was a lost cause.

She crawled over and hugged the body of her little sister, cradling her in her arms. Her eyes began to fill with tears, whether it was from the smoke or from the devastation she felt. The gravity of what had happened hit her with full force. They were gone – truly gone.

The room became warmer as Lacey sat there crying. Her eyes began to sting, and it was becoming increasingly hard for her to breathe. She heard a crash from the next room. The house was coming down, and it wouldn't be long before the ceiling caved in.

She took one last look at her little sister, lying lifeless on the floor. Tears flowed unceasingly down her face but she knew she had to get out before the house collapsed. Her survival instincts took over as she rushed back to her room and fumbled with the letter. Her hands faltered as she thought of going back to try to get her family's bodies out of the fire. She heard something pop behind her, and assumed the floor was about to give way underneath her. She felt a familiar tug behind her navel – but she hadn't opened the letter.

Almost immediately, she found herself sprawled on the floor in a large room. Draco, who was sitting on a bed, didn't look up at the sound of her apparition.

"I knew you couldn't stay away for long," he scoffed.

He turned, and immediately stopped snickering when he saw her.


Draco was frozen. He had no idea what to do. He cursed himself for sitting still when he finally realized what was going on. Draco rushed over to Lacey and started to check for injuries. Her clothing was soaked in fresh blood, and she was shaking violently. Her breathing was shallow and labored.

Finding no signs of injury, he asked, "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. He noticed she smelled like smoke, and her hair was slightly burnt, as were the fringes of her clothing.

"Lace, what happened?" he asked, surprising himself with the concern in his voice

"I–I went home, and e–everything was wrong," she choked out, "I head screaming and I went downstairs and I saw my family… They-they were…"

At that point she began to sob uncontrollably.

Her family was murdered right in front of her.

They were just Muggles, he thought to himself.

Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her into his arms and she buried her face in his chest.