a/n abditory; a safe repository for valuables, a hiding place.

The Unity of Opposites

Chapter Thirty Nine

Abditory

The phone rang and the two policemen looked at each other, the youngest having a rather anticipating look on his face, the older looking bored to even extend his hand and pick it up. He rolled his chair to his partner's desk where the phone was, pridefully looking at his reflection in the glassed door. ''Dovedale's emergency line, how can I help you?'' he wiped off an invisible stain on his spotless uniform, proudly watching the sewed police emblem on his shirt.

''Scotty, Scotty - ''

''Mom!'' his face fell, wishing it was an actual emergency call and finally see some action. ''How many times have I told you not to call me at work?'' he rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the fellow older policeman, who laughed. ''I'll see you in,'' he looked at the clock behind him and his eyes widened, ''eleven hours.'' he cursed his luck, knowing how hard it was to be on the night shift, but he didn't want to complain, being a policeman was his dream job.

''No, no Scotty, listen to me - '' his mother's agonized voice stopped him from ending the phone call.

''Mom, you are keeping the line occupied and someone who might be in danger - ''

''There is light in the forest!'' she yelled through the phone and he closed his eyes in defeat. ''There is a bright light, and - and there is something like a dome falling down - ''

''Were you reading UFO's stories again?'' he whispered, watching the older policeman narrowing his eyes.

''Scotty, I am seeing it right now!'' she yelled again, by he heard her voice breaking through the phone. He wondered if there is a storm coming, and looked outside the window to see a clear sky.

''It's almost summer mom, maybe some kids are having fun!'' the older policeman knocked the desk twice, making him meet his eyes. He waved his hand, telling him to end the call. Scotty nodded and sighed. ''I'll see you tomorrow evening at six!''

ΛVΛ

He could hear someone mumbling, but his voice was in great distance and he didn't want to concentrate yet. He was feeling dizzy, cold, weak. The magic he performed earlier was still vibrating his chest, making him want to stop breathing. His head was pounding - a strong headache that could easily be jealous of every hangover he ever had, made his stomach turn into a tight knot. He thanked the darkness of the room, but cursed the heat.

The need to rub his head overtook his whole body and he tried to move his arm only to feel it stretching. He yelled, hurting more and more with every move - he opened his eyes and turned his head, only to see his arm extended in the air, wrist inside ironed cuffs. Panic took him over, remembering how weak he was when he confronted Nehone - he cursed and looked his other arm in the same fate. He cursed again, and again. All his muscles were hurt and sore - his legs were kneeling against the heavy marble, his torso naked - he couldn't remember how he captured him. They fought, more than he intended to, but Draco's magic had worn off when he unspell the house. ''Granger.'' he mumbled her last name when the dizziness started to fade away and the need to see her well and alive filled his panicking mind.

He rose his head, slowly moving his eyes around the big room. Empty frames, heavy vintage furnitures decorating every corner, a huge cold fireplace with a portrait above, broken windows and glasses spread everywhere on the floor. ''Granger.'' he called her again, but he couldn't realize his low voice, as his ears were blowing. The image of Nehone jumping out of the house and running towards him came to his mind - they fought in the front yard of the house, but how did he end up like this?

A shine made his eyes close. ''You woke up.'' Nehone said, never turning around to see the captured man. ''That's nice.'' he sighed and turned a page of the old book. ''I needed someone to talk to.'' his voice was coloured with sadness, a bit anger too. ''I really did.'' he sighed again, running his fingers along the written words Primis Lamia wrote. Draco smirked. He had a burn on his left cheek and blood was still running down his ear, which was burned too. He knew he might have never heard of Bombarda before.

''Where is Granger.'' his croaky voice sounded louder, forcing himself to look far away from his bragging senses and start talking to the psychotic git in front of him. Guessing Granger might have already done it, he too needed to store some evidential guilt, just in case there is a court.

He didn't see it at the time, but Damien smiled in a way that might hurt his burned cheek. ''Over there.'' he waved his head, never letting his eyes gone from the saved Stone.

Draco had to blink for some time to let his eyes focus on her unconscious body a bit far away from him - he couldn't see much, her extended arm, her head resting on top of it, some bruises on her face, it was enough to make him mad. He protested, feeling the chains stretch more and more with every action, ''Fuck!'' he yelled and Damien finally looked at him. He smirked and walked towards her, pushing away her motionless arm with his foot. ''Don't touch her!'' he warned him with his old famous volumed voice, watching his ill-intentioned smirk widen.

''Desperate, aren't we?'' hungry eyes roared on her cold flesh, ''Quite rude of her to not wake up.'' he knelt and put a hand on her senseless face, pulling her towards him and hearing Draco's yells as he started to protest again. He shushed him, placing her head next to his. ''The chains will rip off your arms if you keep moving.'' he dreadfully smiled and let Hermione fall again, hitting her head on the hard marble. He shrugged and watched him tightening his jaw.

''Free her.'' he ordered through clenched teeth, hearing him laugh - an actual laugh, a nasty one, the kind people make when they know what they are capable of. Dark shirt was dressing his upper body, sleeves were pulled upwards, preparing his hands for work. He stood still in front of her lying body, his hand rose to wipe a trace of blood that was falling down his neck, making him feel disgusted. He looked at his fingers, how much he hated the warmth of his own blood, the heat of the burn, the never ending adrenaline in his heart.

His eyes rose to meet Draco Malfoy, captured after a decent fight, now be kneeling in his living room, arms reminding the christian sin, a life waiting to be taken away for the things he wanted. ''Why should I?'' his hand found a handkerchief in one of his pockets, the initials DS were sewed in silver thread. He placed it against his ear, putting as much pressure as necessary to stop the bleeding. ''Why should I consider your say, when you came empty handed.'' he looked at his blood on the white fabric and throw it in the fireplace, along with several broken wands. Damien walked back to the tall stand with the Stone on it, placing a hand on the holder and watching it shine more. A lovely smile curled his lips, knowing he will get what he needed - he had to, he worked too hard to stand here.

A cracky sound echoed in the room and Damien sighed. He watched the holder turn into a million pieces that faded away like dust and rushed to grab a new holder to cover the greatness his eyes witnessing. That holder was his last - he didn't have time to waste, he didn't have time to lose to them both. He opened the book again, this time making sure Draco was watching him.

''I didn't.'' he said, ''I didn't come empty handed.'' the shine in Damien's eyes could easily match the Stone's. ''If you free her I will tell you what you wish to find.'' he promised and watched him offer a wicked smile again. He took a step closer to Draco, then another and another, until he stood perfectly still in front of him, hands deep inside his pockets, eyes stuck in his in an alarming salacious way. ''Free her.'' he ordered and Damien left to stare at him.

He was prisoned and yet he thought he can order his wishes - so much like his father, he thought, ''Why do you bother with her?'' he seriously asked, watching Draco's eyes narrowing in a way that was familiar - yes, so much like Lucius. He felt the need to tell him about it, to brag about his brief relationship with the mighty Lucius Malfoy, but he will not give him the satisfaction.

Long blond eyelashes around light blue, almost grey eyes made the similarity burden with uniqueness. God, how much he loathed that bastard, and his offspring in the matter. ''Why do you bother with Johey.'' Draco spoke and watched his lips pressed together. In a sudden move, but not that unexpectedly, he took his hand off his pocket, running it across his face and cutting him just under the left eyebrow with a sharp bent bladed jack knife. Draco made no sound, now feeling the warm blood run down his face, covering his one side all the way down to his collarbone and chest. The sound of drops coloured the space between them, as the two men left to stare at each other, one wishing to have heard the slightest protest, the second knowing how much satisfaction his bother will give him.

''Do not speak his name.'' he warned and ran the blade across his face again, letting it follow the traces of blood. ''You are not worthy to speak his name.'' he whispered and took his other hand off his pocket to trace his torso, until his fingers found one of his healed wounds. ''What do we have here.'' he asked, lowering to see the huge new tissued wound. He leaned closer to his strong body, one by one finding all the sworded cuts he had and tracing them with his jack knife or fingers. Draco tightened his abs, feeling his left side hurting - he had forgotten about the fall when they battled. ''Delicate job.'' he looked up at Draco's hard features.

''You would know.'' he challenged him with his eyes and Damien placed his hands on his sides, pinching the hurting side of his body, waiting with a smile to hear the smallest discomfort - when that didn't come, he pressed the blade on his neck, turned his hand into a tight fist and punched Draco's ribs with all his power, finally seeing him expressing painful feelings. He smiled and grabbed his nape, pressing his forehead against his.

''Yes, yes, I would know.'' Damien met his eyes, smiling at himself with pride, liking the red coloured sclera of his left eye. His hand put some pressure on his nape, breathing in and out his expensive scent. ''How did you unspell my house.'' he whispered and licked his cheek, tasting his hot blood.

''My house you mean.'' Draco rose his brow, some blood found exit. He smirked at Damien's fallen face. ''You didn't know, did you.'' he laughed, feeling his chest hurt. Damien slapped him, but only heard him laughing harder. ''What did you expect Stoharier?'' he rose a brow at the calling of his actual last name, ''Horation was not a fool to leave everything he owned to his son's murderer.'' the smile on his face was not leaving and Damien moved away, cutting him again, watching his lips pressed together.

''You are lying.'' he whispered, running the blade again to the opened wound.

Draco tightened his jaw, not wanting to let any sound out and feed his ego, ''Every galleon, every real estate, every vault and house, every piece of land, it's mine.'' he talked through clenched teeth, and felt his fist in his sides, hitting him multiple times like he was a punching bag. ''I own everything.'' he said with watery eyes.

''You're lying!'' he yelled and grabbed his jack knife tighter, cutting him across his collarbones.

''A tree farm in France and a house, bit smaller than this one, is all your worth.'' he provoked him more, knowing he will break at some point, ''Isn't that all you ever wanted?'' he mocked him and felt the blade against his neck.

''You're lying! You're lying! You're lying!'' he yelled and grabbed the back of his hair. ''You nuttered knob!'' his grip tightened, pulling his head backwards, ''I can kill you right this second - ''

''But you won't.'' he jeered, shaking his head. Damien loosened his grip, allowing him to lower his head. ''I have what you want. Free her and I will help you.'' he looked at him straight in the eye, waiting for him to accept - but Damien started to laugh and pushed Draco's head away from him.

''She gave me the very same words.'' he rolled his eyes and left, carefully walking away from the blood stains on the marbled floors, not wanting to step on his disgusted redness. He looked at his bent blade and admired the way its sharpness cut his strong flesh. The need to kill him overtook his body and mind, but he knew better than that. He will keep him alive, for now, cutting every single inch of his body, repeatedly, slowly, until her eyes open and see his guts falling. A smile curled his lips wanting to speed time and hear her screams. ''It is nauseating how much she loves you.'' he stood next to a covered with sheet sofa, spitting on the cold iron, and cleaning it from the Malfoy blood. He walked passed her, never thinking of checking if she was well or not. ''Do not try and fool me. You are not interested in me.'' he fixed his dark shirt, trying not to look offended from the statement. He considered himself to be rather interested.

''But I am.'' Draco confessed and he looked at him over his shoulder, his hands still holding the jack knife. ''I have spent my precious time in the lack of yours, trying to understand how you think, act, how you behave - '' his voice broke and he started to feel weird.

''What did you find?'' he asked when he turned around, the point of the blade was running circles around his index finger. In his eyes, there was a desire, a need, a powerful obsession to know how others see him.

''Insanity.''

Damien laughed. ''You made it sound like there is a cure for me, a hope.'' he sighed and watched Draco frown. ''Try twisted, rings better in my ears.'' his hand rose to fix his black silk hair. He was a bit sweaty from the warm weather, that slowly started to cool down. With the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione lying cold on the floor. How rude of her to still be lying there and not watching how he was treating her boyfriend. He smiled to himself and looked at Draco. ''I will kill her last, deal?'' the smirk on his face glowed the whole room, almost reminding the Stone he had stolen.

Draco protested again, feeling his arms stretching - he yelled and his head fell, watching the blood on his body and slacks - this pair was new. He shook his head, telling himself he will survive to see another pair of handmade suit and hear her comments about his shoes and socks, making him laugh and wrap his arms around her, kissing her - he felt a tear ran down his cheek and cold sweat on his forehead, shivering his whole might. He rose his eyes to see her unconscious body - how could he help her if he is chained, how could he protect her like this, he asked himself and looked at his cuffed arms.

He needed to find a way to free himself, quickly - with the corner of his eye, he saw his blazer and shirt, but his eyes closed in defeat remembering Nehone breaking his wand. He watched him standing in front of the book, his eyes filled with anger, his one hand crumpled a page, ripping it off. Draco knew what he wanted, and he knew how to end it too - he cursed under his breath - ''Why am I chained?'' he asked at once, knowing it would be faster if he annoys him.

''Wasn't I?'' he spoke with cold eyes this time, almost reminding of a dead man.

''You killed people - ''

''I had a goal!'' he yelled, flaring nostrils spit smoke. ''And I would do anything to succeed it!'' he grabbed his jack knife again, fastly walking towards Draco.

''And how did that work for you?'' he rushed to speak in time, watching him narrow his eyes. ''Allured by Warlock to - ''

''Allured?''

''- steal an untamed power you hardly understand - ''

''Please.'' he snorted, his eyes narrowing at the accusation. ''It did not need me to get stolen.'' he looked at his feet, some drops of blood made his facial expression change at once. ''Your Ministry is a hole of traitors.'' he rushed to find a sheet and clean his shoe, ''I just took what I needed before you fall.'' the hate in his voice made Draco's brows almost touch each other, as the words made sense between dizziness and slowly fading away mind. ''Disharmony, Draco Malfoy, is the perfect allure, not Warlock.'' he fixed his shirt, taking a big breath.

The weak laughter made Damien sigh. ''Then don't pretend - '' he mumbled, starting to lose the straight-thinking advantage.

''When paranoia turns to anger, anger turns to violence, entire communities tear themselves apart, for what? Ruling?'' he asked him, referring to Warlock and his obsession with the Heather's Stones, waiting for an answer than never came, as Draco's lips curled and he laughed.

''Do not pretend - '' he swallowed, tasting blood, ''Do not pretend you did all this for your boyfriend when you are thirsty for the galleons in the family.'' he mimicked his eyes and this time screamed when he cut him. His head fell down, watching the small blood lake he created. ''You are the allured one, you caused the disharmony - ''

''Stop talking.'' he grabbed his face, pulling it closer to him. ''You and your father talked too much for your own good.'' he dangerously looked at the heir, desperately trying to understand what Malfoys had that he don't. He could say he felt jealous of them, more when he was younger now only feeling anger and hate. ''Your father promised my galleons back as well, but for a different reason, which, it sads me to admit, I still haven't figured it out yet.''

''You feared him.'' Draco swallowed hard again, ''It is well.'' he nodded with a lot of effort, ''Lot of people did.''

''Please, as if I would be feared of a child.'' he laughed, ''Tell me, did you mourn him?'' a smile placed on his face as he searched his eyes for what he thought was an answer, ''Did you seek him beyond the veil of the living beings?'' he whispered and pushed down one side of his cut skin, watching the inside with curiosity, ''Did you blame yourself?''

''I have learned to live with the consequences of my missings.'' he tried hard to keep a straight face, tightening his jaw and feeling the pain vibrating his whole torso more and more with every passing second.

Damien smiled, making his stomach twist, ''Same gaze, same words, prestige and aura, but yet so very different, so very unique.'' his eyes practically licked the familiar face, ''Is it she who brings the difference in you, or was she just the gift you earned because you changed?'' the venom in his voice made his heart beat fasten than before and searched her - she was still unconscious. Her frowned face made him want to go to her and hide her in his arms.

His jaw tightened more, he fucking hated that asshole, ''Free me from these chains and I will tell you.'' he warned only to feel the them stretching more - he yelled and closed his eyes, sweat starting to fall from his forehead, making Damien laugh.

''There he is!'' the excitement in his eyes made him shiver, ''The Lucius in you!'' he put both hands on his shoulders, admiring the kneeling man in front of him, noticing the similarities with his cousin Silas. ''The very same line he spoke to me when I met him.'' he nodded once too many times, waiting even for the smallest reaction, ''When I killed him.'' he confessed, but Draco only looked at him with hurtful eyes. He licked his bloody lips, ''You knew?''

Draco nodded, ''Yes.'' he held his breath, not wanting to believe he was feeling tears in his eyes. ''My father never had a heart problem.'' his anger started to boil inside of him - but he didn't know if it was anger or his actual blood finding exits. He ran his thumb across the base of his ring. In a strange way, he needed to remember his father, he needed to keep his face in his mind. He started to feel dizzier than before, his eyes felt heavy, his hearing seemed to be damaged -

''Knowledge.'' Damien nodded, offering a sad smile, ''Your father considered it to be greater than the power of magic itself! Did he ever tell you?'' he tried to use a mocking tone on his voice but failed. ''I can move mountains with knowledge!'' he succeeded the resemblance in his voice, making Draco frown. ''He taught you well.''

Draco looked at him - he didn't know if it was from the dizziness, he didn't know if he had to be wrung of all his blood to finally see the whole picture, but it hit him now and the weakest smile decorated his bloody face. ''Your father didn't.'' he pushed his luck, understand that Damien Nehone never had a certain family - he could have killed anyone who worked with the Time Turner research, but chose the people resembling to the person he never met, his mother, ''Your mother either.'' he said and smiled as his once nasty, wicked eyes looked empty at him for more than a second. He took a step back, the expressionless eyes never letting his, and threw the jack knife in the air, making it spin three or maybe four times and returning to his hand like an axe - a sharper than any sword axe, with dark blade, heavy, as the veins on his hands popped out when he grabbed it, long core. Draco's eyes widened, and before he could realize what had happened, he rose the axe with both hands, landing it on Draco's right arm, almost splitting it off.

He started to yell, deafing screams that made even birds fly away from their spots in the trees sounded for more than a minute, as blood popped out the opened wound, covering his face and contributing to the growing of the red lake under him. ''Told you you speak too much.'' he smirked at himself, not noticing the silver lines around Draco's family ring. He started to laugh, grabbing with his free hand his nape, making him meet his eyes. ''I will take what you lo - ''

''Drop it.'' Hermione's voice sounded broken and he rose a brow, turning around to see her stand with one of the wands he owned.

''No!'' Draco shouted, only to feel the axe cutting him somewhere on his side, making him yell again. ''Leave!'' he said between pain doses and she cried, feeling his pain her own.

''Welcome! Welcome!'' Damien threw his arms in the air, laughing at her weak stage. He shook his head, multiple times, half of his mind wanting to applaud the strength of her soul, the other half wanting to wrap his hands around her neck and kill her right this instance. ''Let me take a wand too, it would be much easier - ''

''Drop it.'' she said again, breathing in and out fast, trying to keep her mind from disappearing as Draco was starting to lose his senses.

''I applaud your heroism, I really do, but baby girl look at yourself, you cannot defeat - where is Calluna?'' he asked her and she smiled, raising her bare hand with the Stone in it. ''No.'' he gripped the axe tighter, taking wide steps towards her. ''I'll kill him if you do anything stupid - ''

''Free him - ''

''You fucking bitch!'' he yelled and ran towards her, throwing the axe aside, which returned to its previous shape.

''Immobulus!'' she pointed at him, slowing him down, but she wasn't strong enough to make it last longer than some seconds and she knew it. ''Episkey!'' she pointed at Draco's arm who started to yell again as tissue started to reappear - she needed dittany, ''Ferula!'' she pointed the wand to Draco again and bandages started to cover his arm - she made a move to grab the axe, but Damien's hand curled around her ankle, stopping her.

He pulled her down, hitting her chin. She made a groaned sound, and he rushed to find his place on top of her. ''You cannot save him!'' he grabbed the wand from her hands and broke it, throwing it away. ''Haven't I warned you?'' he gripped her face and made her look at Draco's bleeding body. ''You will watch me. You will watch me!'' he yelled and put his fingers in her mouth, pulling her tongue out.

''Stop.'' Draco's weak now voice sounded like a whisper and he looked at Hermione's desperate eyes. ''I need her - no, she is -'' he mumbled and felt his eyes heavy.

''Depulso!'' they heard a familiar voice coming somewhere from behind them and Damien's body threw in the air, ungainly landing some inches away from Draco.

''Confringo!'' another familiar voice sounded and Draco's chains broken, his almost senseless body fell on the floor, hitting his head and making the cut under his eyebrow bleed again.

''Draco!'' she yelled and started to crawl, ''No!'' she yelled again, watching Damien pulling him up from his hair and pushing her away with his feet.

''Kingsley!'' Damien called and smiled at the motionless body of Draco. ''You brought help, yes?'' he whispered in his ear, ''I have something that belongs to you!'' he spoke in almost singing voice, ''Accio.'' he extended his free arm, grabbing the jack knife. He smiled at her, but she left to stare at Draco's empty eyes. ''Kingsley!'' he called him with a fading patience, his feet bounced once like a spoiled little kid.

''Trade?'' the Minister walked from the shadows, holding Calluna in one hand, extended the other in surrender. He nodded to him, pointed at the Stone he wasn't that stupid to hold bare handed.

''You just couldn't let it go, could you.'' he looked at him from head to toe, his eyes searching to find a wand. ''I only needed to reset my time! Nothing more!'' he yelled and took some steps back, dragging Draco with him.

''We all know what you did - ''

''He should have given me what I wanted! Nothing would have happened if he just gave me what I wanted - ''

''Here.'' Kingsley pointed at the Stone, ''I am giving you Calluna. Let Draco be.'' he nodded, taking small steps towards them. Damien laughed - a gravelly laughter filled with distressing, loathsome energy vibrated everyone's ears. ''You don't need him - ''

''I need him more than you know!''

''He is dying!'' Hermione yelled in frustration and Damien frowned. He looked at him, then her - that grisly, noxious bitch! If it wasn't for her, Draco Malfoy would be still alive and in search of the rest of the book. He pushed him away and she rushed to go to him, only to be grabbed from the neck, two firm hands choking her without a reason to let go. Ill-fated eyes were stuck to hers. She tried to fight back, she scratched his face, the back of his hands as veins popped out -

''You don't.'' he said through clenched teeth, watching her eyes pop out. Tears fell down her cheeks and she knelt, his arms extended following her body, having no will to lower his body for the lack of hers - a single gunshot sounded. Blood spots covered her face and her eyes widened, watching the hole in the middle of his forehead. His dead body fell on top of her and she struggled to move her legs and push him off her, coughing hard, almost barfing and taking deep breaths. She closed her watery eyes, watching the tall body of Steele in front of her, the gun still in his hands, now resting on his sides.

He was breathing hard too, slowly starting to realize who was lying half-dead on the floor some inches away from Hermione. She crawled to him, her ears still blowing from the gunshot, putting one hand on his neck to find the weakest pulse. ''No.'' she said and gave him small slaps on his cheek. ''No, no, no.'' she yelled and pinched one of his opened wounds, making him open his eyes at once. ''Draco!'' she called him and his eyes met her.

''Hello love.'' he mumbled and his lips curled ever the slightest, giving in the urge to close his eyes. He was tired.

''Draco look at me! No, please, look at me!'' she screamed, caressing his bleeding face, her skirt covered in blood, but she cared little about it, her only goal was to keep him awake and alive and -

''You are so beautiful.'' he whispered, raising his good arm and placing on top of hers. She cried, starting to lose that bond they shared as his soul started to travel to the distant land of the dead. ''So beautiful.'' his eyes opened only to close again.

''You are fine, you are going to be fine - look at me!'' she ordered and forced himself to open his eyes and see her for one last time.

''What else should I do.'' his eyes stuck in her face, letting out his final breath. The burning pain he was feeling, and so did she, faded away to a chilling numbness. Black spots filled the edges of her vision, and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat, alone, breaking heartbeat by heartbeat. Her breathing came in ragged, swallow gasps - she could hear talkings, voices of people that will never be as important as he.

''No!'' she yelled, not feeling him anymore. ''No!'' she cried, caressing his face, ''No! You are going to be fine, Draco please!'' she yelled, the two men looking at him in shock. ''Do something!'' she ordered them, police sirens wailing from a great distance. ''Anything!'' she yelled and let out a groan as her whole body started to be in pain and cold, freezing waves circulated her limbs and going straight to her heart.

''He is gone.'' Steele said and watched her eyes looking at him with hate and hurt. ''We have to leave - ''

''I am not leaving him!'' she screamed, curling her arm around his bleeding torso, rocking her body. ''He will be alright, everything is going to be alright.'' she said with shaking voice.

Steele walked to her, grabbing her arm and she protested, taking it back. ''We have to leave Hermione!'' sirens were sounded closer and closer by the minute. ''Now!'' he pulled her off him, and she fought back.

''Leave me alone!'' she fell on her knees and crawled next to him, ''Do something! Don't stand there! Help him!'' she yelled at Kingsley, who shook his head.

''He is gone.'' he repeated Steele's words and looked at him. ''Take her away - ''

''Koody!'' she yelled his elf's name, ''Koody!'' she yelled again and the elf appeared with a frown on his face that soon turned to shock. ''Bring Blaise Zabini!'' she ordered him and he awkwardly threaded the t-shirt he wore around his fingers. ''Now!'' she yelled again and the elf gone in the blink of an eye. She caressed his face, nodding too many times, ''You are alright, we are alright - '' she stopped talking. She held her breath - the book of Primis Lamia was standing open on top of the tall table. She looked at Kingsley, who was holding the Stone inside a piece of fabric from his robes. He frowned. ''Festina Lente.'' she cast and everything around her froze - everything except her. Sirens were no longer wailed, he wasn't bleeding anymore, even the dust stopped lining around her. She had a chance - a small, weak chance.

She stood up and looked the room - if this is the house Damien lived, this is the house his father lived. ''Accio!'' she yelled and extended her hand in time to grab the epinephrine injection Theophile De Stoharier own. She looked at it and wished to God this works. ''Dimittere.'' she cast and knelt next to Draco's dead body again.

''What - '' Steele's voice sounded, but she had already opened the shot pushing it directly to his heart.

ΛVΛ

Bright light bathed the room he woke up in. It was an angelic one, a warm one. The kind he used to run away from like a vampire the summer days of his school-free years. He frowned. He had never believed he wouldn't be bothered with a light like so. It was warming his face, but he wasn't feeling warm, he wasn't even feeling thirsty. He should have been, because he couldn't remember when was the last time he drink something.

He wasn't home - all around him there were familiar items, not his, someone's he used to know - for all he knew he might not be in his beloved Britain. These architecture sculptured walls were not noticed in his house that Granger called a Manor, okay, it was a Manor, but it was still a home. Where is Granger? Last time he checked she was with him - he had just asked her out for dinner wanting to finally feel like a real couple and show her off. He was hungry, but now he wasn't.

Perfectly dressed in suit body made him frown - surely he wasn't going to wear a suit for their first ever date. His eyes looked around him - he had been here before, he was in his castle in France, well, his grandfather's castle. His face fell. He was the only Malfoy left, wasn't he. Why was he here and without Granger - ''Draco?'' a much familiar voice sounded and he turned around to see brighter than before light. He closed his eyes. There was a summery, morning breeze in the air, making the curtains around the opened doors of the veranda to play along with it. ''Son?'' he heard again and he opened his eyes, the light didn't bother him this time. He felt the need to catch his breath, but he wasn't breathing.

He walked towards the opened doors, somehow knowing who will he meet, knowing what will he see. Lucius left the glass of firewhiskey somewhere and stood up, covering the bright light with his tall body, almost creating a halo around him. ''What are you doing here?'' he asked his son, but Draco didn't know. ''I am having an early firewhiskey before bed. The ball reception was never ending this evening.'' he nodded to him and Draco took another step towards him, not knowing why he was drown to that place.

''Is this a dream?'' he asked him, trying to feel panic, but failed. ''Am I - did I die?'' he asked, watching the expression on his father's face never changing. No, he couldn't have died - if he had died, Haydes would have been somewhere in the back waving at him, or at least some gates to welcome him in the underworld - ''I am dead!'' he realized, feeling the scene too familiar for his likes.

''Nonsense. I worked hard enough to make sure you don't.'' his father smirked, ''Look at you, a whole man!'' he breathed in pridefully, ''Where is the young boy who loved Quiddtich too much to go to sleep without hearing who won the World Cup.'' he smiled at the sweet memory, making Draco smile as well.

''I still love Quiddtich.'' he confessed and his face fell, realizing he will not play again. ''What is this place?''

''Does it matter?''

''I did this to you, father.'' Draco talked the thing that was troubling his mind for a long, long time.

''You?'' he frowned, ''Who spoke those words to you?'' he asked and took some steps towards his son. ''Draconis you have done nothing wrong. Anything at all.'' the reassuring in his voice made him remember a different time in his life - one he was a young boy, running to his father whenever he was back from work, an innocent time, a much simpler one. ''My fate sealed by my hands, not yours.''

''Wouldn't it better if you talked to me?'' Draco asked and shook his head, thinking he was hearing Granger's voice.

''No.'' he said after some time. ''Your job is to be better than me and your grandfather.'' he stopped talking, knowing he shouldn't say nothing more. He took the glass of firewhiskey in his hand. The light sheered and Lucius looked around him, the scene starting to fade away like blowing dust. ''It is good having you here, but your time has yet to come.''

''I am here, I feel it - '' his lips fell apart, forgetting what he had to say. He frowned, watching his father walking away from Draco, a smile on his face, a calmness in his eyes, but no regrets. ''Father.'' he called him, wishing to memorize this face and not the one in the casket, ''Father!'' he called him again, his hands turning to fists, finally breathing hard, his heartbeat fasten by the minute. ''Dad!'' he yelled and he turned around, the smile widened on his face. ''I love her.''

''I know.'' he said with the most casual voice he owned and smiled again as Hermione's voice sounded like a vibrating echo, ''Have you read the letter I wrote you?'' he asked only to see Draco looking around confused, ''Are you waiting the sun to set from the East?''

''Breath Draco, breath!''