CHAPTER 21
When she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was how much her head hurt. It took her a couple seconds to start feeling the pain from her busted lips. She waited until her eyes got used to the darkness surrounding her. As her pupils dilated, she started seeing the objects around her. She was lying in a bed, in an elegant, spacious room. As her eyes travelled around the room, she spotted a divan in on of the corners. Someone sat there, staring at her. Lola froze in fear when she recognized his silvery eyes. Draco had his knees against his chest, and his head was tilted to one side, his right cheek resting on his knee. She didn't move, too scared to say anything. He stretched his legs to get up, very slowly. Lola felt her sweater to find her wand, but, obviously, someone had removed it from there already. As Draco approached, she felt around for anything she could use as a weapon, but found nothing. 'Nevermind', she thought, 'I'll rip his fucking eyes out'. She did nothing of a sort, though. Guessing her intentions, Draco stopped at a prudent distance of the bed.
-She's awake –he said, loud enough for whoever was outside the room to hear.
Lola only took her eyes off Draco when the other figure entered the room. Severus looked down at her without saying a word. She couldn't help baring her teeth at him, and her wounded lips cracked and started bleeding. He opened his mouth, but before he got any chance to speak at all, she threw herself at him. Draco caught her by the waist right in time to avoid her from scratching Snape's eyes out. Severus laughed when she elbowed Draco in the stomach hard enough to make him lose his breath. With one flick of his wand, Lola was petrified. Trying her hardest to break the spell and move, the only motion she was able to perform was bleeding from her lips.
-Feisty, isn't she? –Severus smiled at Draco.
Draco groaned, as he held his stomach. Lola was now sure that, if she hadn't been petrified, she would have thrown up all over the place. Severus looked exactly the same now than when they had been sharing the lab, working together, enjoying each other's company. And to think that, all along, that bastard had been just lying.
-I can't stay for much longer –he spoke softly.
-So, the plan is still the same? –Draco asked him.
-Yes. Do you know –he turned to talk to Lola- that your friends were captured and somehow managed to escape?
Even though she couldn't speak, her pupils widened in amazement. She didn't care so much about her death now that she knew there was still hope for Harry, Ron and Hermione.
-That's right. I'm going to break the spell now, but if you attack us I'll petrify you again, is that clear?
He flicked his wand in front of her and she felt a tingling sensation all over as her body regained mobility. She clenched her teeth.
-You like moving targets better, is that it? –she barked.
-You are seriously disappointing me, Lola –he chuckled-. I thought you were the brightest witch at Hogwarts.
-Fuck you! –she cried- You bastard, you killed Dumbledore, how could you?!
-I did kill Dumbledore –he nodded.
-It's not what you think –Draco interfered.
-Shut up! –she snapped at the blond.
-He's right, Lola, Dumbledore was already dying.
-What?
-He was dying and he was quite aware of the mission the Dark Lord had graced Draco with.
Lola looked at Draco, who seemed to her just a blurry reflection of what he had looked like in the beginning of the year. His cold eyes travelled from her to Severus and back at her.
-What mission?
-I… I was supposed to kill Dumbledore. But I couldn't do it. He knew I wouldn't do it. He knew it all along, the bastard.
-Why didn't you? –she asked.
-How…? He was… -Draco choked on his own words- I never liked him, okay? He was just another arrogant muggle-lover with too much power on his hands.
-Then why didn't you kill him? –she insisted.
-Because, I couldn't, alright! –he screamed.
-Enough. That's all you have to know, Lola –Snape cut Draco off.
-So –she squinted a little bit-, what side are you supposed to be on?
-What do you think? –Severus tilted his head aside- Surely all these emotions are blurring your cleverness.
-So, all along, you were…?
-Yes, I was a double spy. Dumbledore knew. And he made me spare Draco his murder. Everything went according to plan. Except for one thing –he glanced at Draco.
-What thing? –Lola asked, confused.
-I'm taking that son of a bitch down –Draco muttered-. He promised my father to protect us if we were all by his side. Even though he fought for the Dark Lord for many years, they left him to rot in Azkaban. He killed himself this morning.
-I'm… Sorry –Lola whispered.
-I'm not. There was nothing good left in him. He did the only honourable thing he could do. But I'm making that bastard pay, whatever it takes me. Even if that means I'll have to fight alongside Potter.
Lola did not say anything, but she wished Harry could have heard that, wherever he was. Surely, that would have boosted his spirits up. Severus broke the tense silence between them all.
-I have to go now.
Draco nodded, but Lola gave Snape a questioning look. She was still too confused to understand what was going on. As the Potions master and Draco shook hands with a ceremonious air, she had a horrible premonition.
-Where are you going? –she asked, a hint of fear too noticeable in her voice.
Severus sighed and, after directing a meaningful look at Draco, the blond left the room. When he turned around to face Lola, he realized how short she was. How small, next to him, how young. And how stupid he had been to play with her feelings like that, even if it had been in a completely unconscious manner. He mumbled a sortilege to heal the wounds on her lips.
-That's better –he smiled forcefully.
-Is this why you pushed me away? –she ignored his last comment.
-Lola –he sighed exasperated-, I cannot think of anything else than my mission. There's nothing else for me. I'm sorry you can't understand that, hopefully you will one day.
-I'm sorry I made things harder –Lola looked down at her feet, ashamed.
-Everything happens for a reason, Lola. Now I do believe that your interfering with all this has had a purpose.
-What purpose? Nothing's gonna change. I'm not stupid, Severus, you're risking your life every fucking minute!
-It's not ME we're talking about here, Lola –he looked at the door for a second.
-What about Draco? –she quickly snapped.
-You changed his point of view.
-No, I didn't! –she threw her hands in the air- He just wants revenge for his father!
-His father died today. He saved you yesterday. There IS a difference, Lola. By changing Draco's course of action, you may have spared him a horrible ending.
-But… I didn't do anything.
-You were there. At the right time. You made him question his beliefs, everything he had been taught. Now he's going to do what's correct. I wish I had done the same when I was his age, Lola. We probably wouldn't be in this situation now.
-Severus… -she took one step towards him but he suddenly cringed.
She stopped, as he grabbed his left arm and clenched his teeth. A knock on the door was heard, harsh. Lola shook her head and tried to stop him.
-No, you can't go, it's too da-
-Get her to Hogwarts now –he hissed at Draco before disappearing.
-Come on, now –Draco ignored the pain in his left forearm and threw a black cloak at Lola- Put it on, and for fuck's sake, try to act like a pureblood.
-What the hell is this for? –she put the cloak on hurriedly, as Draco handed her her wand back.
-We're going to Borgin and Burkes.
Before she had the time to reply back, he clutched her hand and made her disappear with him. They appeared in a dark street Lola had never been in before. Draco made sure she had the hood of the cloak on before walking in, just in case. As he opened the door, she took a deep breath in and walked in the store straight as a pin, trying to imitate Draco's arrogant movements. She saw an old man approach them and Draco, ignoring the pain in his left arm, dragged her all the way into the end of the store, where an old closet was.
-May I ask who your escort is, sir? –the old man asked suspiciously.
As Draco turned around with a deliberately slow motion, the man's face changed, afraid now of the stupid boldness in his words. Draco's icy eyes burnt the man's in indignation. Once he had gone away, Draco opened the closet's door and motioned for Lola to get in. She stared at him as if he was nuts, but ended up obeying. Right after stepping in, he closed the door behind him. Lola couldn't see anything.
-Draco, what is this thing?
-It's how we made it into Hogwarts… That time.
She heard him mutter something under his breath and felt a sensation which resembled quite a lot the one she got when she disappeared. When she opened her eyes though, everything was still black. Draco pushed the door open and then she knew where she was: in the Necessity Room, at Hogwarts. Draco grabbed her arm to make her step out of the closet and immediately proceeded to burn the whole thing down with magic. She watched, controlling the fire so it wouldn't extend. Once Draco made sure the device could never be used again, he dragged her out of the room and started running downstairs, guiding himself by the increasing noises they heard. Lola followed, disorientated. Suddenly, they ran into someone.
-Neville! –she screamed.
-Lola, what the hell?! –he screamed right back at her and hugged her as tight as he could.
-What's going on? –Draco asked.
-We're getting ready, they're coming, everyone is –he blinked at Draco- Malfoy!
-Quick as usual, Longbottom –Draco snapped.
-Neville, it's not what you think, he's with us, he's on our side! –Lola nodded exasperatedly at Neville.
Neville eyed Draco up and down and then looked at Lola, as if he was trying to see if she was under any specific charm.
-Neville, there's no time to explain, trust me please.
-Alright then –he guided them where everyone else was.
Professor McGonagall was giving instructions to teachers, students, ghosts and any other living creature she could find. Lola watched her for a second, wondering what she was to do. A red blur caught her attention and she couldn't help but squealing when she recognized Ginny. She yelled her name and the red head shot her eyes wide open at her before hug-attacking her.
-Thank God you're alright! Mom and Dad are desperate! They'll be here in a minute. What happened? Where did those bastards take you?
-Gin, I can't explain right now-
-Malfoy!!! –one scream was heard over all the ruckus.
Another one followed, and then another one. When Lola turned around, several wands were being pointed at Draco, although no one had been able yet to cast any spell. The blond looked at them all with scorn dripping from his smirk.
-Don't! Don't do anything, he's with us! –she started lowering all the wands pointing at him.
-Are you totally and completely insane?!
Lola recognized the voice as Harry's. He approached her, red in the face. She had never seen him so angry. His eyes travelled from her to Draco and back at her. Before she got any chance to talk, Draco did:
-Think about it, Potter. If I was by HIS side I'd have been summoned by now.
-Unless he had sent you –Harry spat.
-Fine, then –Draco pulled up the sleeve of his black sweater in one harsh movement.
Some people gasped at the sight of his Dark Mark. At first, Lola thought it was moving. Then, she realized it was just boiling, as if acid has been dropped all over it. That was what happened when you didn't obey your master's orders, she guessed. Harry seemed pleased with the image.
-Any funny business I will kill you myself.
-Like you had the slightest chance, Potter –Draco smirked at Harry. Surprisingly enough, Harry smirked back.
-They're here! –a voice yelled, from outside the room.
Everyone shared nervous looks and, for a moment, silence filled the room, as if everyone was wishing the others as much good luck as it was possible. Lola held her wand out, ready for the battle. 'What the heck', she though, 'if we're gonna die, we'll take as many with us as we can'. Her pulse was steady as the first screams of pain were heard.