Previously
Draco,
Didn't think the Mudblood got rid of me that, easily did you? I have your little muggles where it all started. Tick Tock, you have 24 hours. Come alone.
Now…
"Crap" I muttered loudly as the others stared at me in shock.
"Who are they talking about, who is it?" Blaise asked blankly as I watched Hermione stared into space. We had to do something; we couldn't leave it this time.
"It's got to be Rodolphus, we found… there were bits of Lucius and Greyback there. They've taken Aiden and Harley; those are the muggles who saved Hermione." I replied quietly, still watching Hermione as I spoke. I knew she would be blaming herself for all of this, but she couldn't get too upset.
"We have to go; we have to save them." She blurted suddenly as if someone had pressed play and shot her mind into action.
"WE are not going anywhere. You are staying right here; I am going alone." I snapped folding the note and popping it in my back pocket. Hermione's eyes flared with anger.
"Oh hell no. You can't go alone!" Hermione snapped back to me as the others watched us argue, not daring to intervene. I took Hermione by each arm and stared straight into her beautiful brown eyes.
"It's too dangerous for you to go, if anything happens, you'll kill Harley and Aiden too. I've dealt with death eaters before." I replied softly trying to let her know that I was doing what was best for her. She looked at me as if searching my soul and I could tell she was hoping to change my mind.
"Look what happened last time, if anything happens to you, I'll fall apart, I can't risk what I'd do without you." She said softly, her hand brushing against my cheek.
"We're wasting time. I have to go; they don't deserve what's happening. Harry, Blaise stay with Hermione. I will send for help if I need it, please keep her calm." I muttered looking away from Hermione, I knew if I stared at her for too long, I'd cave but I couldn't.
"Draco, this is not a good plan." Blaise said carefully, as the whole room watched me in shock. I knew it wasn't a good idea and I knew I probably was in danger, but I had to help them.
"Blaise we both know what they'll do if I don't go alone." I replied bluntly feeling my heart sink knowing Aiden and Harley might not make it out either way. Blaise nodded and closed his eyes signalling to the others that there was no point arguing we both knew I was right.
"Blaise a quick word?" I said quickly knowing Hermione was still glaring at me as Harry tried to calm her down and Ron glanced at me curiously. Blaise nodded and followed me back out the portrait hole watching my reactions carefully.
"Draco…"
"Blaise, promise me what I'm about to tell you, you won't tell Hermione, you can tell the others but don't upset Hermione please." I muttered cutting across him quickly feeling the urgency in the beat of my heart.
"Of course, mate, what is it?" Blaise replied without missing a beat.
"Blaise, I don't know If I can come back from this. I don't know what I'm walking into, but I have to accept that I might not come back…"
"Drake…" Blaise interjected trying to stop me from saying the words we'd both been thinking.
"Blaise please, just listen. If I don't come back, there's a few things I need you to do ok?" Blaise nodded as I breathed deeply before continuing.
"Firstly, look after Hermione, make sure you find a cure for her. She'll fall apart, I know she will but just keep her safe and find a way to solve this stupid curse. Make sure Scorpius knows I love him, he's my world, and I wouldn't have left his if I had any choice. In the future, whenever they're ready let them know its ok to move on, I want them to move on." I couldn't look at him as I spoke, and the words felt heavy in my throat. The truth was I didn't know what I was running into and I couldn't leave without making sure someone knew.
"Don't come after me in a few hours with full back up if you don't hear anything." I added raising my eyebrows to check that Blaise had the hint, if they cursed me to check no one was coming I had to know I'd told them not to come. Blaise nodded formally letting me know he had the message loud and clear.
"I'm glad you're my best friend Blaise, I would never have made it this far without you. Thank you, for everything." I added pulling him in for a hug. He squeezed me tightly as if taking it in one last time. This felt like a goodbye and all I can do is hope that it wouldn't be.
"Try to come back to us Draco. I know its not your choice but just try please." Blaise added patting me on the back before turning to head back inside.
"I can't come back in Blaise; I have to go. I'm not saying goodbye." I added levelling with him and although I could see the disappointment in his eyes, he knew it was hard enough as it is.
Staring at each other for a couple of seconds before nodding and parting ways, each of us hoping it wouldn't be the last time.
Slipping out of the castle and across the grounds I tried to keep my mind off of Hermione who would be freaking out right now. As I strolled past the cheerful students leaving exams or studying frantically for their next exam, I couldn't help but feel robbed of the opportunity to enjoy the freedom that some of them felt. I wondered if I'd ever feel free from this.
******Hermione's childhood home*****
Staring up at the house the images of the fateful night Hermione's parents had been killed. That's where all of this had started, and I guess that's where all of this had to end. I watched as the curtains flickered and I knew they were waiting for me. Taking I deep breath I pulled my ring off of my finger and pocketed it before making my way inside. That way my mother couldn't jump to me like she had last time. This was about keeping everyone else safe and I didn't care if that meant sacrificing myself. It was my actions that had started this, my betrayal that had triggered the anger they felt so it was me that could help them.
The moment I stepped through the door, it slammed behind me and I was thrown against it. My vision was blurred as a potion was poured down my throat causing me to choke slightly. Stepping back, I saw my father standing above me. I looked at him blankly, he was supposed to be dead.
"Shocked to see me son?" Lucius hissed his silver eyes looking slightly crazed.
"I thought you were dead." I replied before I could stop myself. Instantly I knew that he'd given me veritaserum, clearly, he wanted a few answers. I had guessed he'd do something like this. He and Rodolphus always had thought alike.
"Yes, well that little mudblood of yours did kill the others, I realised what was happening and got out of there but not before she took a few bits of me with her, no matter." He growled his silky voice sending a shiver down my spine as he glanced down at me.
"She's cursed…" I replied through gritted teeth trying with all my strength to prevent myself from speaking.
"Oh, I know, the phoenix curse, rare but possible. How did she get it?" He added seemingly enjoying watching me fight against myself.
"I… I used dark magic to heal her and take her memories of our son… when it was reversed, and her body was hit with too many spells the curse formed on her emotions." I growled filling with anger as I knew it was hopeless to fight the truth serum.
"Did you come alone? You didn't bring the ticking time bomb?" He added watching me carefully.
"No, I'm alone." I replied grateful for at least one of my answers.
"Do you have others coming?" He added smirking as he thought he'd tricked me.
"I told them not to." I replied again being careful to pick my words.
"Good little blood traitor right let's get started then. Follow me." He waved his wand and I felt a weight lift off my chest that I hadn't even noticed before. Getting up I followed him, my heart pounding against my chest. Up the stairs and into the bedroom that was opposite the one Hermione had been into my heart broke seeing Aiden and Harley. Aiden was bloody and unconscious, tied to a chair with his head hanging against his chest. Harley was struggling, also tired to a chair but she froze when she saw me.
"mmmrmmr?" Her voice scrambled against the tape magically binding her mouth. The more she struggled the tighter her bindings were getting. My father had his wand pressed firmly at my throat.
"Your little friends?" Lucius smirked as he sent a cruciatus curse at Harley who writhed in pain.
"Stop! Harley, it's ok." I ran over but felt myself launched sideways so I hit the drawers and landed next to Harley, blood running from a cut on my head. Harley looked exhausted as the curse was finally lifted and I knew she had no idea what was going on. Tears rolled down her face as she looked at me, weak on the floor.
"Do they know the truth about you?" Lucius chuckled as he waved his wand and Aiden was forced back into consciousness. Blinking a few times, he too started to struggle against his bonds.
"No" I replied through gritted teeth, I'd tried to protect them from this. Magic would scar them.
"Well go one son, tell them what you are." I glared at him before I looked at Aiden and Harley not knowing how they would take this news.
"I'm a wizard, He's using magic against you." I said watching as confusion filled their faces.
"Good, now that that's out of the way, let's discuss, I want answers from you son. If I don't like an answer, I'll hurt them, understood?" I nodded sending each of them a sympathetic look knowing he'd torture them either way.
"Tell the truth about why you saved the mudblood and what happened next." Dread filled me, last time my father had taken me he knew I'd lied about Scorpius' death and that I was close to Hermione but now he'd know everything.
"I saved her because I loved her. I got her to safety and Blaise took Scorpius. They raised him and I turned against the dark side. I fed information to the order and fought against the death eaters during the war." I replied sighing as though tired with the conversation. Aiden and Harley's eyes widened. I could tell they didn't understand what I was saying but they knew it wasn't what he wanted to hear. A flick of his wand and Harley writhed causing Aiden to glare at me as he fought against his bonds.
"And how did you meet these two?" Lucius hissed clearly furious with the extent to which I had betrayed them.
"They saved Hermione. They're good people." I added trying to make up for the torture they were going through. Another flick of the wand and Aiden writhed in pain.
"You disgust me." Lucius growled and for once I saw what a fickle man he was.
"This is pointless." I replied earning another glare from all three of the others in the room. Lucius flicked his wand and Aiden's bonds fell. Imperio He muttered swiftly, and Aiden's eyes glazed over.
"Attack him" Lucius added smirking as Aiden blindly came over, his fist smashing into my cheek.
********Hermione's P.O.V******
"I have to go, please let me go!" I snapped feeling anger burning in me as the others had kept me locked in the common room for over an hour. They were taking turns and right now Blaise was keeping track of me. I needed to get to Draco, he couldn't fight them on his own. Aiden and Harley had done so much for me I needed to help them.
"Hermione, you can't go in there it's too dangerous." Blaise replied calmly placing a hand on my shoulder which I quickly pushed off. Bouncing Scorpius on my hip I tried not to lose it completely. His little face relaxed me slightly but not enough to stop me from going.
"I don't care, I won't hurt him. I need to save him." I replied feeling in my heart it was what I had to do.
"No Hermione." Blaise replied bluntly clearly holding on to whatever Draco had told him before he left. Kissing Scorpius on the head I popped Scorpius into his play pen and cast wandless magic to keep him entertained and safe. Flicking around I muttered, Petrificus Totalus. Blaise's eyes look frantic as his body froze and he dropped to the floor with a thud.
"I'm sorry." I muttered as I popped a pillow under his head and finally left. I ran towards Draco knowing in my heart he was hurt.
*****My childhood home****
I barely took a second to glance up at the house I'd loved so much before silently slipping in.
"The death eaters will rise again and avenge our master!" Lucius Malfoy's voice shocked me, clearly, he hadn't died like everybody thought. Carefully making my way up the stairs it didn't take long for Lucius to find me. The top stair creaked, and we were face to face in seconds. He stepped back and scowled slightly when he realised it was me.
"I thought no one would follow you." Lucius hissed as he dragged me into the room where Draco was leaning weakly against the drawers blood dripping down his bruised face. His eyes looked pained as he saw it was me. Aiden and Harley were struggled trying to escape from the chairs they were tied to, each covered in injuries. They were all being tortured or being forced to torture each other.
"I was sure she wouldn't." Draco replied softly gasping for air as he spoke. He seemed to have no choice but to tell the truth. His eyes met mine and I could see the sorrow as he looked at me.
"Well, I guess this could work for me, all I have to do is set off this ticking time bomb and she'll do the rest for me." Lucius said smirking as he shoved me into the room.
"Oh, this works very well, make the golden girl a murdered of muggles and see the hatred the wizarding world gets. That's how you start an army, hatred breeds hatred." Lucius chuckled. I looked across to Draco who was shifting to get closer to me.
My body writhed as the cruciatous curse rippled through me. I kept my eyes fixed on Draco who seemed to be fighting his way towards me as Lucius' malicious laugh echoed through the room. I could see the worry in Draco's eyes as we both knew what would happen if this continued.
"I suppose cruciatous isn't life endangering enough for us is it?" Lucius hissed picking me up by my hair as Harley screamed and tossing me back down in the centre of the room. Draco seemed to have some sort of weight holding him down as his arms shook as he edged closer once more. I tried to focus on my breathing and convincing myself I was ok; it was all I could do. The panic was rising in my body, but I fought as hard as I could to control myself.
"I will continue the work of my lord and I will not make the mistakes he made. This war will be over before it begins." Lucius cackled loudly his voice maddened. He pointed his wand directly at me.
Sectumsempra he hissed and the room moved in slow motion. I watched as the spell hurtled towards me as Draco managed to fight the spell holding him down. He leapt in front of me and the spell hit him square in the chest as he fell limp in front of me. I screamed as his breath shallowed in seconds blood pouring from hundreds of cuts appearing all over him. I looked down at my hands and saw an orange glow emanating from them.
"It was always going to be me." Draco gasped before his eyes flickered shut.
"Draco!" I cried holding his limp chest against my face. I couldn't stop the curse for much longer. I could feel a burning inside of me.
"If I'd known it was that easy…" Lucius' silky voice sent me over the edge. As the explosion expanded from my body, I kept my mind on Draco, Harley and Aiden. They deserved more.
*****END OF CHAP*****
Thanks for reading! This one is a bit longer for you all! More coming ssoon and nearly at the end! Stay safe lovelies xoxo
