Chapter 26
"Do you find it easier to communicate this way?" Draco thought in his head. He was doing a surveillance mission in muggle London.
"Yes, I told you once before that I trust you, Draco" Neville answered, "Don't mind what happened before. I get cranky when I take a hit."
When the returned to Grimmauld Place, there was silence between the two. If they were not talking about missions and their plans, they rarely spoke. Severus took over making breakfast that morning when they received word from Harry. He didn't write anything again this time, but a symbol came floating down towards them. Neville's face turned white again.
"What's wrong" Draco asked out loud, "Where is that symbol from?"
"St. Mungo's" Mad-Eye answered, "It's a bold move. It doesn't make sense."
"To force someone's hand." Severus answered honestly. It wasn't really his place to answer.
"St. Mungo's is a Wizarding Hospital. The Dark Lord has mostly been attacking muggles recently. I guess in a wizarding place, we don't have to worry about hiding it from muggles."
"It's late, I'll go and check things out." Neville spoke, "I'll be back. I promise not to move forward with anything until we have a plan. Alastor can come up with one while you wait."
"Wait Neville, let me come with you." Draco called out, "We shouldn't be alone"
Neville's first instinct was to reject the offer, but Draco wasn't wrong, "Alright, lets go, but I think you need a disguise."
Neville tapped his wand on Draco's shoulder, and his hair grew darker and his face shape changed. Although if someone were to look closely, they could still see Draco's features. Neville and Draco walked along the street until they came to haunted looking red brick department store called Purge and Dowse. Ltd. When they walked in, it turned into the lobby of St. Mungo's. Neville took the stairs to the fourth floor instead of the elevator. The door was labelled Psychiatric Care Wing. Draco simply followed Neville into the wing where a man and a woman who looked like Neville were walking around. They hardly seemed to notice Neville at all, "Are those your parents?"
"Yes, they are" Neville said refusing to say more, but he entered Draco's thoughts, "Don't tell anyone please."
"What happened?" Draco thought.
Neville's face was stone cold when he answered the question with his thoughts, "Bellatrix Lestrange tortured them with the Cruciatus Curse until they lost their minds."
"I'm sorry, my aunt is horrible. Ron blew her up." Draco responded. Neville's eyes widened and then softened. Draco asked out loud, "Are you going to stay here for a few days?"
Neville nodded. When a healer walked past them, Neville put his arm around Draco and smiled flirtatiously at him. Draco tried to smile back, but it was awkward. His height made him feel different. Then Draco nearly jumped when Neville's arm casually slipped around Draco's waist. He could see a Healer blush as she looked away from them. Neville's thoughts interrupted Draco's, "I know this is uncomfortable and strange. Just bear with it for now"
"It's alright," Draco thought back, "Do you communicate with everyone like this?"
"Normally, I can talk to them in person," Neville admitted, "Aside from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, I've never talked about my parents. They only know because they met them when Arthur was injured."
Neville closed his mind when he didn't want to talk anymore. Draco understood that there were somethings that he wanted to keep private. If he had grown up with the Gryffindors, the last thing he wanted to talk about was his family. It was his worst regret that he couldn't have stood up to them from the beginning, but his parents would have probably been killed that much sooner. All of this fighting needed to stop, and Draco felt partially responsible for it.
Anger and resentment were the underlying causes for Draco's animosity towards the Gryffindors. Gregory knew more than anyone that what he hated wasn't the actual people, but their camaraderie. Vincent was always with Gregory and Draco, but they both knew that Vincent actually believed in their causes. Still a loose end was loose end when the Malfoys began to turn towards the end. The Dark Lord began killing anyone connected to them. Neville said that he wasn't Draco's friend, but from the way he was acting, Draco had a feeling that he was arguing with himself. Draco had long considered himself Neville's friend, and he would die first before he allowed anything to happen to Neville's parents. Again the guilt came from realizing that the person responsible for their condition was also, his family. His family, and him included had hurt a lot of people.
Now that he decided for himself which side he was on, he hoped that he could wipe some of that away. In any case, he was sick and tired of losing the people he cared about. Neville and Draco stayed in a guest room at St. Mungo's for nearly a week. There was no sign of attack yet, but Neville's tension grew and grew each day. They had almost decided to leave when someone unusual walked into their ward. The Healer interrupted them, but the intruder killed the Healer. Draco grabbed two sleeping potions, and Neville poured them into his parents' mouths. Neville whispered a silent apology to his parents as he hid them in a closet. The Dreamless sleep should by them enough time before they started to wander around. Neville and Draco cast the disillusioned spell on themselves and cut all the lights in the ward.
"Can you see who it is?" Draco entered Neville's thoughts.
"No, not yet" Neville answered, "but I think he killed another Healer."
"I think there's only one." Draco thought, but paused, "it doesn't mean we should rush him."
"Lockhart just died." Neville saw a body fall to the ground.
"Who?"
"He was the DADA teacher during our second year. The girls all fancied him, but he fancied Harry." Neville commented, "Well it was probably better that way for him."
"Don't say that. We should wish for the best in people." Draco thought back.
"Harry must have really rubbed off on you." Neville responded. The silent interaction between Neville and Draco was intimate. It was a safe place that both of them could let their guard down. He didn't want to admit it, but Neville had long since considered Draco his friend too. When whoever it was peaked into their room, Neville and Draco crouched down to avoid being seen. Draco's eyes widened when he saw who it was. It was Theodore Nott, and then another man who Draco had recognized from when he was young approached, "Did you find them?"
"No, they must have escaped. They can disapparated from into the lobby, but not beyond. We can catch them there." Nott said.
"Block the entrance to the hospital. Do not let anyone enter or leave. Kill all that are unnecessary." The other man ordered. Nott only nodded before they both disapparated. Neville and Draco let out a sigh of relief when they left, but Neville was fumbling around in his robes for the coin. Draco crossed the room and reached into Neville's pocket and pulled it out.
"Thanks" Neville muttered slightly embarrassed. Neville contacted Mad-Eye, and then stood up, "Let's go."
"We should ward the place first do you have more of that plant that only lets your me in?" Draco asked, not bothering with Occlumency this time. Neville pulled out a pod, and had it grow over the door. He covered their wands with the pulp, and they disapparated to the front. To try and avoid detection, he and Draco hid behind a wall. Draco conjured a mirror to help them see around the corner. Nott and the other Death Eater were faced off with the St. Mungo's security. There were at least ten dead bodies on the ground, but they were outnumbered. After that they left, Neville and Draco ran back up to the 4th floor and freed Neville's parents, "What do you want to do now?"
"We have to move them." Neville said calmly, but his face fell slightly, "I don't really know where we can move them to."
"We can take them to France tonight, Neville. I know they have their hands full with all those kids, but I don't really have another option." Draco offered.
"Thank you," Neville didn't know what else to say.
Draco and Neville apparated both his parents to Draco's home in France. Mrs. Weasley threw her arms around Draco, tears flowing from her eyes. Charlie had to look away too in order to hide his own emotions. Draco's own tears mimicked hers, "Mrs. Weasley, I'm sorry I couldn't protect him."
"Don't be sorry, he loved you. You will always be a part of our family, Draco." Mrs. Weasley collected herself, "Now, what would you like to eat?"
"Oh, that's alright. We brought Neville's parents. St. Mungo's was attacked, and we believe that they are being targeted." Draco answered honestly. Despite his best intentions, Mrs. Weasley wouldn't let them leave without a meal.
Neville looked around at the beautiful French villa where his parents would be staying, "This is your house?"
"Yeah, we never really used it because Father and Mother were so busy." Draco answered, "But, it safe and that's what matters."
"Well, are you staying the night" Gregory walked in after just putting the younger children down to sleep.
"No, but is she awake? I'd like to see her." Draco asked. Neville smiled a gentle smile for the first time in a while. Gregory led them up the nursery where little Mione Zabini was wailing her head off in her crib. Draco couldn't help but rush over to pick her up. She curled up in Draco's arms and fell asleep instantly, "Ron and I wanted to adopt her, but we would have probably had to fight off Harry and Severus for her."
"You can adopt her if you want. Take a claim on her before them, she clearly loves you." Gregory smiled.
"Perhaps after the war," Draco said slightly wistfully, "I want there to be peace first."
"You could adopt her first, and then this house would also be hers. Talk to Kingsley Shaklebolt, he can help push it through." Mrs. Weasley interrupted, "Add her to the Malfoy registry."
"If you want, I could go with you." Neville offered, "You are a Father now, Draco. You have an even more compelling reason to survive."