Shell Cottage.

"Shall I call him now?" inquired Lucius Malfoy, rolling his sleeve up. Bellatrix dropped Darcy and shook her head slowly, the glimmer of the Sword of Gryffindor visible in the Potter's peripheral vision.

"No," whispered Bellatrix strangely and she got down on her knees before Darcy. "You piece of filth – you've been in my Gringotts vault, haven't you?"

Darcy very slowly shook her head.

"What else have you taken?" Bellatrix snapped and Darcy began to cry again, shaking her head furiously.

"Nothing, I swear," gasped Darcy. "It's a fake."

"A fake?" snorted Bellatrix. "A likely story –"

"I – I have an idea," Lucius cut in and Bellatrix jumped to her feet, holding up her wand in one hand and her knife in the other. She looked eager to hurt someone, but Lucius held his long, thin hand up and Bellatrix frowned. "Th – the goblin. He'll know if the sword is fake or not."

Bellatrix sent Draco Malfoy to fetch the goblin and Darcy looked around carefully, not sure where all the prisoners were coming from. But sure enough, Draco returned with a small goblin, who looked extremely familiar. Darcy's eyes widened at the thought – he was the one who had shown both her and Harry to their Gringotts vault their first years.

Darcy watched from the corner of her eye as Bellatrix scooped up the sword and got down in the goblin's face and sneered, holding her knife up, which was already covered in blood. The goblin – Griphook- seemed very brave and did not flinch, even when Bellatrix sliced a cut in his cheek.

"Is this the true sword?" she hissed, shoving the glimmering sword in his face.

"No," Griphook replied calmly and Bellatrix's eyes widened. "It is a fake."

Darcy held her breath and felt her heart pounding inside of her. Why was he lying? Darcy knew it was the real sword – it destroyed a Horcrux! "Are you sure?" Bellatrix seemed almost desperate. "Quite sure?"

"Yes," nodded Griphook again.

"Good," she sighed, standing up and slicing another, deeper cut into Griphook's face. He didn't keep his calm expression – instead, he cried out and dropped to Bellatrix's feet, holding his face in his hands. "And now we call the Dark Lord! And – we can dispose of the Mudblood."

Darcy had never moved so quickly before in her life. She pushed herself towards Hermione and held the younger witch tightly, expecting someone to attack them both, but all she heard was someone scream, "NOOOOOO!" Darcy raised an eyebrow and looked up to see Ron running into the big, empty room, followed by Harry and Lupin. "Expelliarmus!" He had pointed someone's wand at Bellatrix and her wand went flying into the air. Harry caught it gracefully.

"Stupefy!" cried Harry, flicking his wrist towards Lucius Malfoy. The older man was hurled back into a mantelpiece, collapsing.

There was a hand that pulled at Darcy's hair and she whimpered, being pulled away from Hermione. Bellatrix had grabbed Hermione and knocked her in the head, causing her to lose consciousness. With a knife to Hermione's throat, Darcy fell to the ground again in pain, crying. "Hermione!" she sobbed.

"Drop your wands!" Bellatrix shouted and the three men did what she said immediately. "Or we'll see just how filthy her blood really is."

Lupin's eyes found Darcy on the ground, blood spilled all around her. She was looking up at Hermione, her hand covering her shoulder, bloodstained. Lupin felt sick to his stomach and all the blood drained from his face. He felt anger surge through him – Bellatrix had humiliated Darcy by cutting open those scars. By convincing her that Lupin wasn't a good man. By convincing her he was dangerous.

"Draco, pick their wands up," she instructed her nephew and Draco stepped forward slowly, scanning the room and meeting everyone's eyes. He went to collect everyone's wands, but stopped and stood up after they all heard a squeaking noise. Darcy looked around and then hesitantly, up at the ceiling. Everyone froze, making sure they weren't just hearing things. She looked up just in time to see the beautiful and huge chandelier shake and then begin to fall from the ceiling and aiming to land on Bellatrix.

Bellatrix dropped Hermione and dove aside. Darcy's legs worked automatically and she suddenly regained super-human like strength just long enough to grab Hermione's hand and pull her out of the way before the chandelier dropped. She collapsed on the ground again and felt out of breath, unable to move for a few moments. Draco had dropped all the wands, covering his bloody face and crying out.

Ron ran over to Hermione and Darcy and Darcy handed her off to him. "Are you alright?" Ron asked quickly, looking at Darcy's shoulder and then feeling the urge to throw up on the spot. His knees weakened, but he looked directly into Darcy's eyes, not at her shoulder.

"I'll be fine – take her!" Darcy shouted with a green, sickly colored face.

"Come on," Ron said, holding Hermione, but offering Darcy his hand. She took it gratefully and stood up, her knees wobbly and shaky. "We aren't leaving you here to die."

Darcy, holding Ron's hand, ran as fast as she could (which wasn't fast at all) over to Lupin. She fell into his arms and he held her tightly as she closed her eyes for what seemed like forever and then opened them slowly. Her blood was staining his clothing, but he didn't seem to mind or notice. When she opened her eyes again, a new surprise hit her hard.

"Dobby?" she breathed.

The elf was standing in the middle of the group of friends. Harry was already holding tightly to his hand, waiting to leave the Manor.

Dobby had snapped his fingers and Narcissa's wand flew out of her hand and into Lupin's. He pocketed it, most likely saving it for Darcy since she was wandless. Griphook was also with the group, still holding the Sword of Gryffindor and Darcy's breathing was getting slower and slower with each second.

Everything seemed like it was underwater. Darcy couldn't hear anyone speaking to her and she couldn't understand what anyone was saying. She felt Lupin take her hand and she touched Dobby's arm as they all spun and began to Disapparate. Darcy had no idea where they were going, but she felt Lupin's grip around her body tighten. It felt horrible – it was like he was squeezing all the blood out of her shoulder. It hurt so badly…

Darcy's body hit land. It felt like sand and when she opened her eyes, she was staring straight up at the dark blue sky, littered with stars. She could hear ocean waves crashing against rocks and she was so close to just closing her eyes and escaping this horrible pain forever. She closed her eyes, noticing that Lupin's warm arms were not around her, keeping her safe…

"Darcy – Darcy, open your eyes –" Someone was slapping at her face and she moaned. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Lupin, but shook her head, unable to keep focused. She could hardly see him anyway through the darkness. "Please, keep your eyes open – don't leave me –"

"I'm here," she whispered painfully. "Remus… I –"

"You're going to be okay… Look at me, Darcy… Look at me."

Darcy shook her head and then ceased moving. He touched her chest – she was definitely still breathing and still alive. Her heart beat was slow and he groaned, too frustrated to think. Lupin sighed in relief and looked around. It was almost a relief to be back at Shell Cottage, but then again, he would rather have been at his own home or at the Burrow, where it was homey and comfortable. Where it was safe. He touched her cold hands and sighed, lightly touching the skin around her bleeding shoulder.

He knew that he couldn't waste his time thinking or just looking at her, so he lifted Darcy into his arms. He thought that she was going to be heavier, but remembering that she had basically been starving for a few months, she was lighter than what was healthy. He carried her a few feet towards the cottage until running into Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dobby.

"Darcy?" Hermione squeaked, but Darcy could not and did not respond. She hung limp in Lupin's arms, pale as a ghost. Lupin looked at Hermione, making sure she was not too injured. Ron seemed to be taking good care of her at the moment.

"She fainted," Lupin explained. Seeing a bloody mass in his peripheral vision, he had to do a double take. Dobby was lying in Harry's arms, staring right up at him with his tennis ball eyes. "What…? Harry –"

Harry help up a small, blood stained knife and then dropped it in the sand. He was kneeling, hovered over Dobby's body and visibly crying.

"Get her inside," sniffed Harry, wiping his eyes. Lupin stuttered, unsure of how to handle Dobby's death. "Do it!" Harry raised his voice considerably and it echoed throughout Lupin's ears.

Lupin watched Darcy sleep, waiting for her to wake up. Fleur had taken such good care of her and was so calm; there was no way Lupin could have treated Darcy's wounds in the state he was in.

His eyes did not leave the bloodstained bandages. This was his entire fault. He was convinced of it. How badly he wanted to erase her memory. He wanted to erase himself from her mind. It would make everything so much easier on her; because he was a werewolf and everyone knew they were together at one point or another, Voldemort's army was going to be rougher on her.

However, he wasn't sure if he could do the proper spell. He knew how to erase a complete memory, but he didn't know if he could erase one person from several memories. Was that even possible?

Lupin shook his head. How could he think that? He loved Darcy, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Why would he think about erasing himself from Darcy's memory? He'd have to live his life knowing that she wouldn't remember him. That was more painful than anything. But then again, he could erase her from his mind, too, right?

There was a soft moan and Darcy breathed out lightly. Her eyes fluttered open and she was staring up at a ceiling.

She was in a bed, but she had no idea whose bed it was and all she could hear the damn ocean. Where was she? Not the Weasleys'. She wasn't at the Malfoy Manor. If she was there, she'd be in a cell. She wouldn't even be alive. She wasn't anywhere bad… right? Maybe she was dead. Yes, she was dead and now she was in Heaven. Darcy tried to move. No, no, no. Cringing, she sighed. She still felt pain – she couldn't be in Heaven.

Darcy touched her right shoulder and noticed that it was bandaged up excellently and she wasn't fighting so hard to stay awake anymore. Throwing the blankets off of her painfully, hands touched her arm and attempted to lay her back down. Darcy gasped and reached out to punch whoever was touching her, but a simple voice calmed her down instantly.

"Darcy, it's me," said Lupin's voice. She squinted her eyes to the side of the bed and could only make out his shadow. He flicked his wrist and a flame appeared at the end of his wand. He lit a candle and it gave a lot of light to the room. "It's late. Are you alright?"

"Where is everyone? Where are we? Are we safe?" she asked, quite panicked. Darcy laid back down and Lupin did not chuckle at her confusion. Instead, he was very serious and stared at her with dull eyes. "What happened?"

"This is Shell Cottage," Lupin explained. "Bill and Fleur live here. I came here when I left to look for you and Ron was here, too. When he left you guys, he came here. As of right now, everyone is asleep. Along with you four and me, Dean, Luna, and Griphook are here. It's nearly four in the morning."

"Hermione -?"

"Hermione is fine. She regained consciousness a little while ago," Lupin assured her. "Here, drink some hot cocoa. I know you like it. You're probably sick of watered down tea, hm?" Waving his wand again, he heated up a mug of hot cocoa and handed it to Darcy. She drank it slowly and looked about the room. When she finished, she handed it back to Lupin and he put it on the bedside table.

"What about Dobby? Is he still here? He saved us," breathed Darcy, losing her breath quickly. She was trying so very hard to remember what happened before she fainted, but it was so much to remember. "He – we Disapparated – right? From… Malfoy…"

Lupin opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. "Dobby didn't make it, Darcy," he cleared his throat. "Bellatrix's knife Disapparated with us and – and it – it got him right here." Lupin put his hand on his stomach and Darcy felt tears well up in her eyes. "He died a very brave death, Darcy."

Darcy pursed her lips in disbelief, but she knew that Lupin would not joke about something like that. "I – I never got to thank him. Oh, that's… horrible…"

"He knew you were grateful." Lupin paused and put his hand on Darcy's, attempting to reassure her. "There was nothing you could do about it."

"How's Harry?"

"He's fine," Lupin smiled sweetly. She really cared about her brother and he admired that loving quality in her. "He's okay."

Darcy looked away and licked her lips. She sniffled and blinked back tears, sighing in relief. So Harry was fine and not too beat up. She was glad she took most of the pain because seeing Harry in the state she was in would have killed her. "Thank you," she sighed, looking to Lupin again. "For saving me."

"I didn't do much," Lupin blushed, pulling his hand away from Darcy's. "I – I was impressed. Harry and Ron were so very brave and I… well, I wasn't. I was too – afraid – seeing you the way you were… I was too afraid."

"I thought you were brave."

Lupin sighed heavily and stood up. Darcy whimpered his name, not wanting him to leave her, and he froze. Lupin shook his head and sat down on the bed. Darcy moved over slightly, making room for him to stay seated and he thought hard. "When I saw your shoulder – I – I didn't know what to do. I was so scared for you. And you fainted… I thought you were going to die."

"I didn't want you to see," whispered Darcy, reaching up and touching his face. "I wish you didn't have to see."

Lupin was quiet and he touched the hand caressing his face. His hand was warm and it made her feel a thousand times better.

"Lie down with me, won't you?"

Lupin paused, unsure of what to do, but Darcy moved over more and Lupin took his shoes off, climbing under the blankets and lying down beside her. They did not touch, but were very close together. "Darcy," Lupin said under his breath. He enjoyed saying her name, just as she enjoyed hearing it. He heard her sniff and he touched her cheek, wiping her tears away. She laughed weakly at herself and pushed her red hair out of her face. "Darcy, why are you crying?"

It was a valid question. There were so many things going on at once – so many problems and worries and he wanted to know why Darcy was crying. What was she worrying about? Darcy looked up at Lupin and their noses touched. His hot breath tickled her lips. "I'm just so happy," she breathed. "I'm so happy you're here. I didn't think I was ever going to see you again. I'm so happy."

The candle burning on the bedside table lit up half of Darcy's face and kept the other half in the shadows. He counted the freckles on the one side of her face. "I'm so glad I found you," he whispered. "I was – so worried – about you." He was getting choked up. He was embarrassing himself. He was supposed to be the strong one!

"I was scared that if the world knew about us, the Death Eaters would track you down and try to get information from you. I was scared they were going to target you first and maybe… possibly… hurt you in some way," Darcy continued. "That's why I left you. Dumbledore told us not to tell anyone. It was just supposed to be us four. I didn't want to leave you. Honest."

"I know, Darcy." Lupin began to stroke her hair, tucking it behind her ear and Darcy closed her eyes, so happy to have Lupin near her yet again.

"I was so mean to you," cried Darcy, not wanting to wake anyone else. "So cruel to you for nothing and keeping you in the dark. I was angry at myself for not being with you and for some reason, I took all my anger out on you because you were the only one there willing to listen."

He continued to stroke her hair, shushing her and rubbing his nose slightly against her's.

"I'm leading these kids to their death." Her voice shook. "I don't know what I'm doing, but I pretend. I want them to think I know what we're doing so they think we stand a chance. But I know that we don't. We're only four kids and You-Know-Who has an entire army. I try to act strong around them all, but at night, I cry myself to sleep because I know that I'll be the responsible if – when – they die."

Lupin listened to her carefully, fully aware of what she was saying. She had told him something similar before over a chess match. He had never really understood how scared she was; Darcy always seemed so brave and she always put up a strong façade. Of course, she was strong, but she was only a child. She could only be so strong. He also knew that she had absolutely no one to talk to. How could she say these things to Harry or Ron or Hermione? She couldn't. There was no way.

"I'm not as strong as everyone makes me out to be. Dumbledore seemed to think me some – some – powerful, intelligent witch, but that's not me," she said. "It's an act. All an act. I'm weak and clueless. I'm not as strong as I was when you first met me. I've softened up."

"No one is ever as strong as they pretend to be."

Darcy bit her lip. "Do you still like me? After all I've done to you and everyone else?"

Lupin nodded and smiled. "I still like you."