Secret Love; My Escape
Chapter 21: Single word ran through my mind...
I didn't get to speak to Malfoy again before the proverbial shit hit the proverbial fan the next night... And let me tell you, it really did. The door to my dorm room burst open, scaring me out of a dead sleep. The clock beside me red 2:32am.
"Rosalie! Rosalie get up" I heard Draco's voice in the darkness. A figure was pacing up and down the room, agitated about something.
"Draco?" I muttered, confused, reaching for my wand. Suddenly his hands were on my shoulders.
"Rosalie, we have to warn everyone" His voice was strained, urgent.
"What the hell is going on?" I heard Riley exclaim. "What the is he doing here?"
"Lumos" I muttered. The room lit up with weak light. "Draco... Draco what's going on?" I asked, staring into his blue eyes.
"Roe what the fuck is he doing here?" Ginny had her wand out, only hers was pointed at Draco. She'd taken a defensive stand beside her bed, ready to hex him if needed. This confused me for a moment but I ignored her.
"Draco what's happened"
"Blaise fixed the cabinet. He knew I was failing on purpose so he fixed it instead" He swallowed. "They're on their way Rosalie. They're all coming here tonight. Merlin why didn't I just destroy the fucking thing? Why didn't I –"
My stomach turned to ice. "How many?" I demanded, throwing my legs out of bed.
"Enough" He replied.
I turned to the confused, and on edge, Riley and Ginny.
"Riley" I barked. "Go and wake Harry and Ron. Tell them Death Eaters are coming" She hesitated as I turned to Ginny.
"Why are we trusting him?" Ginny snapped before I could say anything.
"Ginny. Now isn't the time, please" I gasped. "Just trust me... go get Hermione. Tell her the same thing"
Both girls stared at me and I could tell an internal debate was going through them. I knew why. Who would trust Malfoy? Why would they listen to me trusting Malfoy? He was still a Death Eater in their eyes.
"Please... If you don't trust me, trust Rosalie" Draco burst out. "There are so many coming"
"Dumbledore's army coins" Ginny snapped out of it. "I'll go and tell Hermione to use them. We need help before the Order arrives" She threw herself out of bed and out the door.
"Riley..." Was all I said, before she too ran from the room.
I turned to Draco and was engulfed by his arms.
"We need to go" I muttered. "McGonagall can help you... Dumbledore can help you" I pressed my lips to his and then took his hand.
We ran down the girls staircase. "How'd you even get in here?" I asked as we ran.
"Bribed the fat lady... the staircase proved more difficult... I ended up stunning it to get up it" He said as he yanked me through the common room.
"That's what all the guys do" I muttered.
"I'm going to ignore that" He hissed as we ran.
We skidded to a halt in front of McGonagall's office door and hammered on it as hard as we could. A light went on it after a minute and then it swung wide open to reveal the Professor in a tartan robe.
"What on earth is this?" She gasped. "Do you students know what time – "
"Professor! There are Death Eaters coming to the castle..." I interrupted her.
"They're coming now, lots of them" Draco nodded his head vigorously.
"How do you..."
"It was my mission" Draco cut her off. "I was going to fail except Blaise Zabini continued with it. He called to them tonight. I swear to you I didn't want this... I swear I was going to the Order to seek protection..." His voice cracked and I grabbed his hand.
A look of surprise flickered over McGonagall's face.
"Mr Malfoy, what do you mean your mission?"
"Professor, he can't say. Voldemort would know... Draco had to fix the cabinet on the seventh floor. There's a second one that leads right to it. That's how they're getting in" I explained for him. McGonagall's surprised expression returned.
"And how do you know this if he can't tell you?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I guessed right" I shrugged. "Please Professor... we have to hurry" I gasped.
She glanced from me to Draco again.
"Miss Vanderbilt, you are to take Mr Malfoy to Professor Dumbledore. The password is 'Pepper Imps'. Don't stop for anything. You tell him exactly what you told me" I nodded. "I will send a patronus to the Order, they will be here within a matter of time"
I clutched Draco's hand tightly and pulled him from the office.
We ran through the quiet castle.
"ROSALIE!" I heard someone yell out my name. I skidded and turned. Ernie MacMillan was standing with a group of the Hufflepuffs that were part of the Order. "We got a message... where are you going with him?"
"Dumbledore... Ernie go and find Hermione. Tell her to be ready and waiting on the seventh floor. Be ready to fight, Ernie" I swallowed, realising I was sending them into danger. I glanced at their faces, realising that it could be the last time I ever saw them.
"Come on" Draco tugged on my hand and I turned around and ran again.
"Pepper Imps" I yelled the password and the statue revealed the staircase. Somewhere in the distance I heard some screaming and bangs.
My stomach tightened as we hammered on the door.
"Master Malfoy, Miss Vanderbilt. How nice of you to drop by" Dumbledore smiled at us when the door swung inward.
"Sir there are Death Eaters coming... they're here" Draco gasped as we fell into the room.
"Yes Master Malfoy, I know" He nodded and sat back down behind his desk. "The Order are on their way as we speak... what I need to talk to YOU about Draco is the Order, more specifically joining it" He sat down behind the desk. I remained standing, as did Draco. How the old coote knew this, I'd never understand but right now my mind was on him helping us.
"Professor please we need to get back there and help!" I exclaimed.
"All in good time. The Order should be here now. Everyone will be fine" Dumbledore waved his hand. My mind spun.
How could he be so damn relaxed when his castle was being attacked!
"Master Malfoy, do you want to join the Order?" He asked Draco, motioning to the seat. Neither of us moved.
"I do sir" Draco nodded. "But I don't want to fight. My whole life has been about this war. I don't want to fight for him and I don't want to fight against him. I just... want to live my life" He picked up my hand when he said this and I almost smiled.
"Well. I'm sure Miss Vanderbilt here has filled you in on some of what we need to do..." A rumble cut him off and I gritted my teeth.
"Sir, we have to go and help" I said, urging him to get in and save us all.
"Master Malfoy cannot fight against the people he is turning his back on" Dumbledore gave me a pointed look.
"But I can" I yelled at him.
"Then go, if you must" Dumbledore nodded.
Draco's clutch on my hand tightened. "Please, don't go..." He murmured, pulling me into him and knotting his hand in my hair. For a split second I almost didn't move... But then I remembered who was fighting.
My baby sister. The one I had to protect by default. My family.
"She's my sister" I muttered. I kissed him lightly. "I'll be back. I promise" I ripped myself away from him and disappeared back out the door.
I didn't have to go far before I found two Death Eaters laughing gleefully. They were kicking over the suits of armour. I hung back in the shadows.
"Which way to the old cootes office?"
"I dunno... Malfoy was meant to meet us to show us the way... do you reckon it's – "
"STUPEFY!" I screamed, pointing my wand at them before they could do anything. "SEPTEMSEMPRA!" I hissed at the other one. Blood spurted from the long gashes that sliced over his body. I almost felt bad seeing as how he would probably die.
I didn't spend too much time on the guy I'd possibly killed and ran through the corridors. I just followed the loud bangs and yelling. I found the source of the rumbling when I tripped over bits of wall that had been blasted apart.
"ROSALIE!" I heard someone scream. I ducked in time to feel the heat of a spell shoot past me. I sent a few stunning spells over my shoulder and ducked behind a chunk of wall. Riley skidded beside me a moment later.
I wrapped my arms around her and gripped her tightly. "Oh my god you're ok!" I breathed.
"Yeah. Thanks to you... what the fuck are you doing though?" She slapped my shoulder hard and scowled at me. "Draco Malfoy?"
"You don't understand and now isn't the time to explain. Just trust me when I say he's changed" I pleaded with her.
"Get fucked he's changed. He's a Malfoy, Rosalie. A fucking MALFOY!" She slapped me again. I shoved her away from me as a red jet of light hit the space between us. I looked up and saw Zambini's father standing over us with his wand out.
"Oh look, both Vanderbilts...Where's the third?" He smirked.
"Behind you" I heard Avery yell. A blue jet of light hit Mr Zabini and he froze, falling forward onto us. I shoved Riley out of the way and he hit the wall with a sickening crack. Blood pooled out from under his face and I shuddered.
"Avery!" Riley exclaimed. "She's been seeing Malfoy... Draco Malfoy"
"Drop it Riles I know" Avery held up her hand. "Where is the ferret?" She asked.
"With Dumbledore, asking for Protection" I answered her.
"YOU FUCKING LEFT HIM WITH DUMBLEDORE!" Riley shrieked.
"Who's with Dumbledore?" Harry asked, coming up behind us.
"MALFOY!" Riley shrieked again. "Rosalie's been seeing him behind our backs. Apparently he's changed" She screwed up her face. I'd never seen her this mad. Riley was the most placid person I knew, nothing really ever aggravated her. She was the sweet one out of us but right now I was terrified of her.
"What the fuck Rosalie! You KNOW he's a Death Eater" Harry wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's waist and glared at me.
"He's NOT. I SWEAR TO YOU!" I yelled at them. "He's changed. He doesn't want to fight"
A loud bang scattered us and I legged it further up the staircase. I stepped over someone and screamed. "FRED!" I dropped to my knees. His face was relaxed, peaceful like he'd gone into a deep sleep and was having good dreams. My stomach stopped and I pulled him into my lap. "Evernate... EVERNATE!" I pointed my wand at him. He glowed purple for a second before his eyes opened. I breathed out a huge sigh of relief and held him close.
"Avery?"
"No, I'm Roe... You're ok, thank FUCK you're ok" I hugged him tightly. Someone screaming made me jump to my feet and take off running again. I still had to find Hermione and Ginny.
I ran, I don't know where I was running to but suddenly I was cornered by three Death Eaters. Two with masks the other I didn't recognise.
A single word ran through my mind...
Fuck.
Plea's Note:
Wow I don't think we've had a cliff hanger before.
Until next time m'dears... review for me. Xoxo
Plea