Author's Note: TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER- Minor Character Death, Imprisonment, and violence. Proceed with caution.
Shout out to TigerAndDaisy for being my beta!
Draco stormed into Malfoy Manor, ignoring the guard who had picked him up at the station to prevent him from running. He dropped his trunk in the Entrance Hall, disregarding the curses from the low-level Death Eater, before finding his parents in the drawing room with Bellatrix.
"Draco! You're home!" his aunt cooed.
He pushed her waiting arms away and walked straight to his mother. "They took Luna."
Narcissa's impassive features didn't give anything away as she looked up from her embroidery. "Who, my dragon?"
"I don't know! Some Death Eaters!"
"Watch your tone!" Bella spat.
"Do. NOT. Speak to my son that way," Lucius seethed.
Bellatrix cackled, giving Lucius a dirty look. "I will speak to my blood traitor nephew any way I please! Especially after his mudblood cunt broke into my in-law's familial estate!"
Draco's head shot up. "What?"
The mad woman glared. "Oh, don't act like you don't already know. At least the Order didn't find anything." She smiled manically. "Except the other end of my wand."
He felt like the air left his lungs as Bellatrix glared at him. When had the Order gone to Lestrange Estate? Was Hermione with them? What had happened? Were they searching for…
Bella cackled again before taking a staggering step towards him. He blinked, raising his Occlumency shields just as she moved into his face. "Oh, ho, ho. Little drakey didn't know how his mean, dirty mudblood was searching for something. It was so very rude of her and the Order to break in on my birthday."
Draco gritted his teeth, struggling to restrain himself and not give in to her taunts.
"Such a pity that I didn't get to do more damage to her. Really should have left her scarred or battered… AH!"
A flame of rage clouded his mind as he lunged forward and jammed his wand into Bellatrix's neck. She was clearly not taking his threat seriously as she continued to cackle and taunt him while he pushed her up against the wall.
"Are you going to kill me, Draco?"
"Draco," Narcissa quietly admonished while placing a hand on his shoulder.
The blond let out three consecutive puffs of air through his nose before stepping back. He kept his grip tight on his wand while keeping a menacing eye on Bellatrix as he stomped out of the room. Draco practically ran up the staircase to his old bedroom, ignoring his mother's pleas for him to stop. He slammed the door in her face, sealing the room before breaking down. His arms wrapped around his legs protectively as he sunk to the floor and buried his face in his knees.
Hermione had been there. She had gone on a dangerous mission, and Bellatrix went after her. Were they possibly searching for the Horcruxes? Did Bellatrix know about them, and that's why they searched the Lestrange Estate? Bella didn't have a personal connection to the property if that were the case. She hated her husband and didn't shed a tear when he was killed, albeit accidentally, by Harry. If anything… Bellatrix would have hidden it somewhere secure, not sentimental.
"Draco! Open the door this instant, or I will have your father break it down!"
He wiped his nose and then stood on shaky legs to make his way across the room. He slowly let down the wards before pulling open the door. His mother was standing on the opposite side, looking positively irate as she pushed past him.
"Please close the door. We need to talk," she ordered.
Draco didn't argue this time and did as she instructed. He patiently watched as Narcissa threw up some privacy charms before checking the room for any signs of tampering spell work. Once she was satisfied with her sweep, she gestured for them to sit on his bed.
"I know you have questions, and honestly, it's shocking the Daily Prophet kept it quiet," she murmured.
"What are you talking about, mother?"
Narcissa sighed. "A couple of things. First, Bella wasn't wrong. The Order did stage a mission to raid the Lestrange Estate. It was on the first of October."
Draco blinked. October?! That was over two months ago. His mind began to wander and concoct logical explanations for why nothing was reported. Perhaps Voldemort didn't want the general populace to know that the Order was still alive and at large. His thoughts were interrupted by his mother continuing.
"Second, the next mission they went on was on Halloween."
"What did they do?" Draco asked
More importantly, what did Hermione do?
"They broke into Gringotts with the help of a curse breaker. I believe you might know Mr. Bill Weasley?" Narcissa revealed.
Draco gasped. "That's impossible."
Narcissa let out a mirthless laugh. "Well your friends made it possible. They broke into the Lestrange vault and took out an object that made the Dark Lord… He's furious, Draco." She eyed him for a moment, finding his silence to be suspicious. "You know what it is they took, don't you?"
He sucked in a breath, refusing to answer.
"Don't," Narcissa insisted. "Keep your Occlumency up while you are home. I don't know how he will retaliate, but you can't be caught unaware."
Draco nodded. "Yes, mother."
She stood up and moved to remove the charms from the door. Before she did, Narcissa shook her head, a hint of a grin on her face as she looked back at Draco. "Miss Granger is quite the fierce and clever witch. There aren't many people I know who would walk into what was considered the safest place in the Wizarding World, Polyjuiced as my sister, and then break out on the back of a dragon."
Draco looked up; his mouth parted open in awe. "She did that?"
"Yes," Narcissa breathed out. "I… I sincerely hope one day it is possible for the two of you to be together."
"I love her, mother," Draco whispered.
"I know, my dragon," Narcissa said.
"You know, I was at Bill's wedding. Hermione and I were dancing inside the tent when the Death Eaters attacked the Burrow."
Narcissa turned back around, looking at her son with wide, frightened eyes. "You were?"
"Someone from inside the Ministry warned us with a Patronus they were coming, but right before that… Hermione and I decided we were going to run away together after graduation." He paused when he heard his mother suck in a sharp breath. "Originally, if all this didn't happen as it did, we planned it all out in fifth year that we were going to portkey to Egypt, but the night of the wedding made us realize we didn't want to wait that long or go through the Ministry to approve the request. So, we decided we would Apparate to France."
"I take it that didn't happen," his mother stated.
"No… Snape grabbed me," Draco answered.
Narcissa didn't say anything and simply stared at her son. Draco couldn't entirely read her expression. If he had to guess, his mother looked… hurt by the knowledge and somewhat flabbergasted. "You would marry her? Just like that?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "I've known Hermione since I was 11. We've been dating since the Yule Ball in fourth year."
His mother's eyes widened. "That long? I had no idea."
"We kept it hidden most of the time. Not even Harry and Ron knew, but I suspect they had some idea and chose to ignore it," Draco chuckled.
Narcissa nodded but still didn't say anything. She lowered the privacy charms before opening the door and leaving Draco alone on his bed. He looked out his bedroom balcony, seeing the shimmering magic of the force field keeping him inside the Manor, before letting out a frustrated breath. Draco cast a Tempus charm and saw that it was only eight in the evening.
Why couldn't this day be over already?
He plopped back onto the mattress and stared at the canopy ceiling. He only had to survive 12 days until Christmas and then nine more days until he would be put back on the train to Hogwarts. It was entirely doable.
If I don't try to murder someone first.
Draco didn't come out of his room for the first five days. He had to sweet-talk Mini into bringing him meals to his room, and he had a private bathroom. There was no reason for him to come out and socialize. It wasn't until his mother came and got him on the sixth day of his self-imposed isolation that Draco was forced to dress in formal robes and join them at the table for dinner.
"I don't see why I have to be here," Draco complained as his mother dragged him down the staircase towards the formal dining room. His father was dressed similarly, waiting outside to take Narcissa's arm and escort her into the room.
"Because your presence has been requested," Lucius informed him. "I'm only going to explain this once. Keep your head down, and don't speak unless spoken to directly."
Draco almost staggered back from the warning when he squared his shoulders and narrowed his gaze. "I understand, father."
Lucius nodded. "Good. If you can manage to quell your horrible Gryffindor attitude, then we might all just survive."
Draco only waited for a beat after his parents crossed the threshold before he too stepped foot inside the room. There he saw Bellatrix and Rabastan sitting at the table. Theo and Nott Senior were seated opposite them while Voldemort and his snake lounged at the head of the table once more.
"Ah! Young Draco," the Dark Lord greeted before pointing a long, bony finger at an empty seat. "You can sit next to your classmate."
Draco kept his head bowed and sat himself where he was ordered to. He pretended not to notice the sneer Theo shot his way as the house elves moved about to serve the first course of the evening. Draco's remained glued to his plate as the conversation around him blurred into white noise. He slowly and methodically ate the food presented to him, hoping he didn't need the bezoar hidden at the bottom of his trunk back in his room, when the door suddenly burst open. Everyone turned to find Snape making an entrance before sitting at the empty seat next to Draco and across from Lucius.
"My apologies for my tardiness," Snape said.
"No matter," Voldemort waved off. "I take it the prisoners are being well attended to by Scabior?"
Prisoners? Now that got Draco's attention. He perked up slightly as his body zinged with anticipation at Snape's response.
The Headmaster bowed his head. "They are secured in the dungeon, my lord."
"And… is our newest addition feeling… right at home?"
A cackle followed by a snort from Bellatrix at the sarcasm in Voldemort's voice.
"Yes, my lord," Snape answered succinctly.
Draco felt like all the air had left his lungs as he processed the information. Voldemort was keeping people prisoner in the dungeons at Malfoy Manor. He wondered how many and who all was down there. Hope bloomed in his chest with the thought of Luna possibly being brought there and at the idea of sneaking down to free her, maybe even free all the captives.
"What say you, young Draco? Are you finding the course changes at Hogwarts to be… enlightening?" Voldemort's chilling voice caused him to mentally tighten his shield as he looked up and met his deep sunken red eyes.
"Illuminating," Draco answered in a flat tone.
A slow, evil smile crept up the side of the Dark Lord's face before he let out a small chuckle. "Excellent. Lucius, you must be so proud of your son finally showing promise."
It was empty praise, meant to remind the Malfoy family that Draco was indeed a failure and still considered a blood traitor. That the only reason he was still alive was because of his Prophecy.
"The Carrows are making great progress, My Lord. Narcissa and I are beyond pleased," Lucius replied. He kept his chin tilted towards the table and his body leaned slightly forward instead of proud and straight to demonstrate a more humble posture.
Draco did not pay any attention to the rest of the meal until he was told that he could be excused. He made a show of leaving the room and walking towards his bedroom, but as soon as he was out of sight, he ducked down another hallway that he knew contained a secret passageway to the kitchens. Draco pulled on the iron curl around the wall-mounted candle holder, causing a spot in the wall behind the metal knight to pop out. He slipped inside and shut the hidden entrance before lighting his wand and following the tight tunnel to his destination.
The passage had him exiting from a trap door inside the large pantry that the elves used to preserve dried goods and potion ingredients. After replacing the rug that covered the entrance, Draco slowly crept over to the door that would open to the main kitchen. Peaking outside, he saw that the room was dimed and cleaned after having to serve such an extensive service to the Manor guests. Draco didn't get far into the room when he heard the pop of apparition from one of the elves.
"Does young master require anything?" Mini asked tentatively.
Draco turned around to face her. "Who watches the prisoners in the dungeons?"
Mini wrung her hands nervously. "Mini does not like them. They's mean to mistress and say such awful things."
He knelt in front of Mini. "Who watches them? Do you know their names?"
The elf shook her head. "It depends. Most come from that Big Bad Wolfman!"
Greyback.
"And, do you need to feed them when they are on duty?" Draco inquired.
Mini shook her head. "Ungrateful little buggers they all. Always throwing trays ats me and the other elves."
Draco chuckled. "How would you like to exact a little revenge on them tonight? You haven't fed them yet, right?"
Mini shook her head. "Theys get dinner around 10 or 11."
He smirked. "Excellent. Listen very carefully, but this is what I want you to do, Mini."
Draco leaned down and whispered his plan to the elf. It was a simple but effective tactic he took from his own book. At least he knew it would work.
When he was done, Mini pulled back with large, round eyes looking at him with glee and delight. "Oh! That shows them!"
"You go get the tray ready, and I'll grab the Sleeping Draught from the pantry."
Mini bowed. "Yes, Master Draco."
When the food was prepared, Draco uncorked the vial and poured the potion over the chicken, potatoes, and veggies. He might have gone a bit overboard, but he wanted to ensure that whoever was on duty tonight was utterly knocked out and wouldn't have any recollection of Draco sneaking in. Draco handed the tray back to Mini when he was done before following behind her silently.
As soon as they went down the hallway to where the dungeon's entrance was kept, Draco pressed himself into a hidden alcove and waited for Mini to hand off the food.
"Oi! You mangy creature! It's about time!" he heard the guard hiss. A few more beats later, there was the distinct sound of the fork scraping against the porcelain plate. Not long after that, he heard the dish clatter to the ground, followed by the thump of a body. He smirked before pushing off the wall and passing the knocked-out Death Eater.
Just like when Harry and Ron drugged Crabbe and Goyle in second year.
"Mini, I need you to come get me if anyone else comes down here or he wakes up, okay?" Draco asked her.
Mini nodded her head emphatically. "Yous can count on Mini, Master Draco."
He gulped before taking the keys off the Death Eater and opening the barred door. Draco stepped cautiously down the stairs before lighting his wand to look around.
"Hello?" he called out into the damp, cold room.
"Draco?" came Luna's soft, broken voice.
He took off at a run towards it, where he found her shivering in a small cell. Her arms were desperately clutching her knees to her chest, making herself as small as possible to preserve her body heat. Draco fell to the ground, his free hand wrapping around the dirty bars as he pressed his face towards her. "Oh, Merlin. Luna."
Through the light of his wand, he could see her bruised face turn to face him. Her blank expression morphed into a small smile when she saw him. "It is you," she whispered.
Draco quickly rattled for the keys and began unlocking her cell. "Come on," he said hurriedly. "I'm getting you out of here."
Luna slowly sat up, her arms shaking and struggling to support her weight, when another voice called out, "Draco? Son? Is that you?"
He froze in his movements and waved his wand over to the opposite cell. Draco gasped when the face became clear. "Uncle Ted!"
"Aye," the man nodded. "What are you doing here? Last we heard, you were taken to Hogwarts."
"Is someone here?" an older and more gravelly voice asked.
"Will all of you shut it? I'm trying to sleep!" another voice snapped. Draco waved his wand towards the noises, his shock only increasing as he came across the sunken and malnourished form of Ollivander, the wand maker, and a Goblin from Gringotts.
"Mr. Ollivander! Have… have you been here the whole time?" Draco asked. He felt horror and sympathy crash over him as he realized that Mr. Ollivander had gone missing at the start of his sixth year. With it being almost Christmas, that meant he had to have been kept in this cell for over a year and a half.
The old wandmaker nodded.
"But… why…"
"You ask too many questions," the Goblin hissed. "Either get us out of here or leave us all to die in peace."
"Draco," Ted interjected. "How did you get past the guard?"
"Sleeping draught. He should be out for another hour or so," he replied.
"Good plan," Ted complimented. "Did you find where they kept our wands?"
Draco's face dropped. "No. I didn't see anything like that."
Ted had a grim expression on his face as he contemplated what to do when Ollivander piped up, "We won't get far without wands."
"What about the elves?" Luna asked. "Can't you call for Dobby to help, Draco?"
His eyes widened. "I can try." He paused for a moment and then said, "Dobby!"
Nothing happened. Draco let out a frustrated breath before facing Luna again. Just like he suspected, she had a disappointed look on her face.
"It's probably because we're not on school property," she speculated.
Draco chewed his bottom lip. "Do you think I could side along all of you? We'd have to get beyond the wards to avoid Splinching, but… that could be an option."
Ted looked between Luna, Ollivander, and the Goblin before nodding his head. "Worth a shot. Honestly, anything is better than this cell."
"Alright," Draco agreed. "Give me a minute to…."
"Expelliarmus!" Draco's wand flew out of his hand into the waiting grasp of his father.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Lucius growled. He yanked his son by the scruff of his neck and began dragging Draco out of the cell.
"Get off," Draco fought as he watched the hope leave all the captive's faces the further he was taken away from them.
"Keep struggling, and I'll petrify you," Lucius warned.
Draco had no room or strength for the argument as his father pulled him up the stairs and down the hallway to his bedroom. Lucius threw him inside like a ragdoll before slamming the door shut.
"How could you be so stupid!?"
Draco glared back from his spot on the floor, meeting the menacing expression that adorned his father's face for the first time since being caught.
"You cannot save them, Draco. Trying anything like that will only result in all our deaths. The Dark Lord is being merciful to us for now, but pull something like that again, and he will Avada you without a second thought!"
"Like you fucking care," Draco seethed, coming to his feet.
He didn't remain standing long as the swing of Lucius' cane smacked Draco up the side of the head, leaving a gash in his right temple. Draco fell to the floor, clutching his face as his body hit the hardwood once more.
"You may be content to throw your life away, but I will NOT have you force your mother and myself to make the same sacrifice," he hissed.
Father and son froze, glowering at one another in their impasse. Draco was so mad he wanted to spit in Lucius' face. He desired to lunge and tackle the man to the ground while pounding his fist into his stupid, aristocratic face.
Lucius' lip curled up in a sneer before he rose to an imposing height. He pulled his robes over his shoulders and pocketed Draco's wand. "I'll give this to Severus for safekeeping. You can have it back when you get back to school since you have proven you can't be trusted with it."
Still clutching the side of his face, Draco pushed himself back up and screamed, "You fucking coward! I hate you! And I hope… when you die… that you die knowing that your body and soul will rot in whatever hell you deserve."
Lucius paused only for a moment, his shoulders falling before he flicked the bedroom door open and then closed it again. Draco's good eye widened as he heard the lock click into place and watched a magical shield form over the wood. He limped towards it, his hand shooting back from the handle as if it had burned him.
"Someone will be by to address your wounds," Lucius' voice said through the ward. "You will not come out unless escorted or told to do so."
Not caring that the door would zap him back, Draco pounded his fist on the frame and cursed his father's name as his dragon hide boots stalked down the hallway.
December 25, 1997, Malfoy Manor
Draco had not left his room in a week. All meals were brought to him by Mini, who had not been able to look him in the eye or utter a single word to him (probably at the command of his father). His ankle had healed within a day, but the right side of his head now sported a thin scar from where the fangs of the silver snake head on his father's cane had scratched the delicate skin. It ran from his temple to the top of his cheek and curved along his right eye like a crescent moon. The Dittany had healed it so that it was pale and clean instead of the faded red scar that ran across his chest, which he received from Dolohov in the Department of Mysteries in fifth year.
He touched his temple, briefly wondering what Hermione would say when she saw it. A ghost of a smile crept up when he pictured holding her in a conjured bed in the Room of Requirement. She would trail kisses along the scar, whispering into the marred skin how much she loved him and how brave he was to protect her.
"I'll always protect you," he'd whisper into your curls.
Hermione brought her hand up to cup his cheek. "You are everything to me, Draco Malfoy."
Draco turned his head to kiss the inside of her wrist, feeling her pulse under his touch. "If I could give you the world, I would."
"I don't need the world," she retorted before pushing herself up so that her face was only a breath away from him. "I just need you."
The sound of someone pounding at his door pulled Draco out of his musings. He quickly raised his Occlumency shields as his mother and father entered his bedroom.
"Draco, darling? Are you ready?" his mother asked.
He looked in the bathroom mirror with a dead expression as he adjusted the bow tie around his neck. He grabbed the outer robe to complete the ensemble and made his way out of the bathroom. "Yes," he said stoically.
It was Christmas, and for whatever reason, the Dark Lord had requested (meaning demanded) that the Malfoys host a grand celebration for all who had been instrumental to his success so far. Draco had hoped he could hide in his room and ignore the ball below him, but no. Apparently, the Dark Lord had requested (meaning ordered) his attendance.
Draco refused to look Lucius in the eye as he escorted his mother down the stairs. The closer they got to the ballroom, the louder the string quartet became. He tightened his shields one more time to hide the anxiety that had rapidly built in his chest. Just as he was about to reach the threshold, Draco heard Lucius hiss something over his shoulder about making sure Draco behaved, or he would be Imperioed into doing so.
He rolled his eyes before entering the grandeur ballroom. The sounds of people's chatter, the music, and the dancing would have been overstimulating to him had he not had his protection in place. Draco did a quick sweep of the room to see that so many Ministry officials and foreign dignitaries were conversing over champaign flutes or glasses of firewhiskey.
"Mr. Malfoy," Draco heard a voice from off to the side. He turned his head to glower at the person who interrupted him when he realized he wasn't being addressed. Blaise Zabini, dressed in the finest Italian fabric you could find, bowed his head towards Lucius while Daphne Greengrass gave him a short yet polite curtsy.
"You know the plan," Lucius warned in a tone so low that Draco almost missed it.
Plan for what?
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy," Daphne answered. She dropped the skirt of her dress and took light steps to stand on Draco's left while Blaise flanked him on the right.
Draco rolled his eyes again. "Of course, I would get a babysitter this evening."
Blaise snorted. "It's nothing personal."
"We're just keeping you from doing anything too… Gryffindor," Daphne said cheekily.
Draco crossed his arms and leaned against one of the Greek-style columns. "You think I'm stupid enough to just march up to You-Know-Who and try and off him?"
Blaise shrugged. "Wouldn't put it past you to try."
Draco raised an eyebrow at him before turning towards Daphne. "I get why you're helping me-" he turned back to Blaise- "But what's in it for you?"
The Slytherin's mouth formed a thin line, and he shook his head, refusing to meet Draco's gaze. From the corner of Draco's eye, he could have sworn that Blaise turned down one of his sleeves, pulling it so that it thoroughly covered his wrist, but Daphne cleared her throat.
"Did you get a chance to go Christmas shopping in Diagon with Narcissa?" she asked.
At first listen, Draco thought she was being daft. Of course, he wasn't allowed outside the Manor and was now kept under a ward without a wand. But then his senses began to tingle, and he realized that Daphne was speaking in a way that wouldn't arouse suspicion to the eavesdroppers around them.
"No," Draco answered. "She took care of that before I returned home from school."
"Such a pity. There's been a lot of… changes recently, and I wanted to know what you thought of some of the new shops." Daphne's eyes moved back and forth from him to the dance floor. The waltz playing had just ended and would be clearing off so that others could take the stage for the next tune.
Catching her drift, Draco nodded his head and offered her his hand. "Could I entertain you for a dance, Miss Greengrass?"
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy," she replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Draco guided her out towards the midway point of the floor and placed his right hand on her waist before holding her hand in his left hand. She put her right arm on his shoulder and waited patiently for Draco to lead her to the start of the tune.
As soon as the slow music began, Draco and Daphne moved to the beat of the song and followed the direction of the rest of the graceful dancers. When he felt confident that they wouldn't be overheard, Draco leaned in close and whispered, "What do you know?"
Daphne really was a true Slytherin, for her face gave nothing away as Draco spun her around. When she turned back to Draco, he saw a hint of worry and fear in her eyes.
"Shortly after… Gringotts… All the Weasleys were rounded up for questioning to see if they were involved in the… incident," she explained.
Draco nodded. "How did they keep that out of the news? Even the Potterwatch…"
"Don't say that name here," Daphne warned in a hushed tone. "The Dark Lord threatened all the press that if they even printed a hint of what happened, he would destroy them. The only one who didn't take the warning was Xenophilius Lovegood."
He felt his body stiffen at the mention of Luna's father, his uncle. Was that why they took Luna?
Daphne could see the unasked question lingering behind his eyes and inclined her head. "Yes, he sold out his daughter to save his own skin."
Rage built up in his chest, unintentionally causing him to clench his fist around her waist.
"Ouch, Draco!" Daphne hissed. "Not so rough."
"Sorry," he murmured before guiding her into a turn. "Is there anything else?"
Daphne sighed. "The Weasleys were released, but they had to go into hiding. I haven't heard from Fred since he sent me a letter telling me that he and George were closing the shop."
"Oh, Merlin."
"Before the takeover, I found my mother's will that left me her trust account. My father lied to me about the vault being empty, so I left and took Astoria to our Grandparents. Fred was helping me prepare for a Wizengamont hearing that would, hopefully, grant me full custody of Astoria, but that was put to a halt when the Ministry fell," Daphne revealed.
"Is she here tonight?" Draco asked.
Daphne shook her head. "No, thankfully. Astoria is with my Grandparents and will be staying there through the holiday."
"Then why are you here?" Draco asked.
He could tell the song was winding down and that he most likely wouldn't get a chance to be this blunt in his questioning the rest of the night.
Daphne looked up at him, her striking green eyes piercing through him as she fought to maintain her composure. "To keep you alive," she whispered before letting go and bowing to him. Draco at least had the social etiquette to return her bow and escort her off the floor where she left him with Blaise. The dark-skinned wizard handed him a glass of water with a smirk on his face.
"Learn something?"
Draco rolled his eyes and took a sip. "Any reason you didn't hand me alcohol?"
"Doesn't mix well with Occlumency," he said.
He leaned against the wall and slowly sipped his drink when Aurora Runcorn walked up to him. "Blaise, Draco," she greeted before dipping into a curtsy and narrowing her eyes at the blond. "Care to have a dance?"
Draco would have blanched at her if his mental shields had not been in place. "Of course, Miss Runcorn."
Draco took her hand and led her out to the same spot he took Daphne before guiding her through the motions of the fox trot they were performing. Aurora didn't take long to reveal her real motivation for why she had asked to get Draco alone.
"Have you heard from him?"
Draco gulped. "Who?"
She let out a frustrated huff. "Ron."
He couldn't repress the smirk that formed across his face. So, this was the secret girlfriend Ron had kept during fifth year. It was entirely ironic to Draco that Ron would fall in love with someone in the house that he so vehemently despised, and it would seem Aurora never got over her feelings for Draco's best friend.
"Don't look at me like that," she warned.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco teased.
"I'm worried about him," she admitted.
Draco's smirk fell off his face as he heard the despair in her voice.
"Me too," Draco said. "You could do more, you know. To help him."
Aurora stopped herself from shaking her head and bit her lip. "I can't."
"You don't have to fight back, but you could help support us," Draco whispered. "If I remember correctly, you are an amazing cook."
She blushed. "So?"
"So, you could help feed students who are practically staying in the Room of Requirement full time," Draco said. "I think you know Dobby and Winky fairly well."
She fixed him with a hard stare before nodding her head. "I guess… as long as it doesn't endanger my siblings. I could do that."
Draco had a hint of a grin curve up the side of his face when the dance ended. He bowed to Aurora and escorted her off the floor before she left him next to Blaise once more. "Just think about it," he told her before she was called away by her stepmother. He watched Aurora flinch as the disagreeable woman quietly berated her before grabbing her arm and pulling her to the opposite end of the ballroom.
"Belladonna is a nasty piece of work. I pity whoever marries into that family for getting that woman as a mother-in-law," Blaise commented before flagging down a tray for a refill of his glass.
"Don't you think you've had enough?" Draco snipped.
Blaise shrugged. "One more firewhiskey won't hurt me. I'm still sharp enough to stop you from doing anything crazy."
Draco rolled his eyes and ignored the Slytherin as he sulked up against the column once more. That was pretty much how he spent the rest of the night, glowering at the audience while Voldemort held court like the King he pretended to be. About half an hour to midnight, when he could finally be free of all this pomp and circumstance, the Dark Lord himself made his presence known by calling the room to order. Conversations immediately stopped as he took center stage and rotated around the ballroom to ensure everyone was paying attention.
"My friends… family… and… new acquaintances," Voldemort drawled. "Thank you for your attendance tonight. It was… a most enjoyable evening."
A round of applause resounded through the room before he gave a flourish of his hand towards a group standing off to the side. Draco peered around the audience to see that Voldemort was pointing towards three individuals.
"Tonight, I have a special treat for all of you. For all their efforts in the Muggleborn Registration movement, I'd like to take a moment first to recognize Delores Umbridge, Albert Runcorn, and one of my closest followers, Corban Yaxley. These three have ensured our vision has been a success, and as such, I wanted them to provide a… demonstration of sorts. So, everyone understands the importance of this work."
Draco felt his body go cold as the room erupted into excited murmurs. Off to the right, two Death Eaters were dragging a man into the ballroom, chains rattling off his wrist and ankles when he was thrown to the floor. Draco stopped breathing when he saw that it was Ted Tonks.
His shields dropped, and a sharp pressure on his shoulder caused him to look away. Blaise held him back, preventing Draco from running out onto the floor.
"It's what they want. Don't do it," the Slytherin hissed in his ear when Umbridge cleared her throat.
"Edward Noah Tonks. You have been brought before this tribunal on charges of possessing a wand and stealing magic which does not belong to you…."
"I haven't stolen anything! I am a wizard!"
Yaxley walked forward and kicked Ted in the stomach, causing him to cry out in agony. Umbridge continued her declaration as if the interruption had not occurred.
"As such, the most fitting punishment for such a crime is death."
Draco opened his mouth to scream out, to stop whatever was about to happen from happening, but the words did not come. Everything around him became clouded and blurred like he was underwater and watching events play out in slow motion.
"You made me do it," he heard Blaise hiss. "Walk out of here and into the parlor. Do not draw attention to yourself."
He wanted to tell Blaise where exactly he could shove his wand, but his mind couldn't fight the command. There was a drive, a pulse that wasn't there before forcing Draco to follow the instructions. As he exited the room, Draco realized the reason why. Blaise had placed him under the Imperius curse, forcing Draco to obey and not try and save his Uncle Ted. His back was to the execution, but that didn't completely stop him from seeing the flash of green light reflected out of his peripheral vision, nor did it drown out the crowd from jeering and celebrating another Muggleborn death.
His legs moved methodically down the hall and into the parlor room not far from the ballroom. As soon as he was inside, he froze in place and waited for the next order. Draco heard the door shut behind him before he saw Blaise and Daphne come into view.
"Do you think we can release him?" she asked.
"Did you silence the room?" Blaise inquired.
"No," Daphne sighed. She moved her wand in a circular motion before nodding her head at Blaise.
"Alright. Draco… Don't try and punch me, or I'll put you back under… got it?"
"Yes," he ground out while fighting the dizziness that started to set in from his unfocused vision. Blaise flicked his wand, and suddenly it was like the hold over Draco had released. His mental shields had dropped entirely, and his body fell to the ground as the weight of what had just happened washed over him. He let out a gut-chilling scream while allowing the grief and guilt to crush him.
He could have saved him.
Draco could have gotten Ted and everyone else out and saved him!
But now… Ted was dead. He was sentenced to death in front of people who didn't mourn his life… that, instead, cheered for his demise and didn't question whether this was the right thing to do.
"Should we do something?" Daphne whispered.
"No," Blaise responded with a shake of his head. "Let him get it out."
Draco's sobs violently shook his body as he screamed and cried into the carpet. He had failed… so many people.
He failed Ted.
He failed Harry, Ron, Sirius, and Remus.
Arthur, Molly, Fred, George…
He failed Hermione.
The last one caused another moan of anguish to pass through his lips. "Why?"
Draco knew his voice sounded strangled and hoarse, but it was clear that Blaise and Daphne heard him. They looked between one another before turning back to him with sympathetic expressions.
"Because the Dark Lord would have killed you too if you tried to intervene," Daphne eventually said.
"I could…" Draco tried to say, but Blaise cut him off.
"You couldn't have done anything. Ted Tonks was marked for death the moment Bellatrix brought him here." He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in as Draco began to calm down. "It would have been a waste of your life had you tried."
"Fuck you," Draco spat.
"Think about Hermione!" Daphne yelled, causing Draco to stop. The blonde Slytherin had crouched next to him, a pure enraged look on her face as she pushed his fringe to the side so that he had a full view of her. "Think about Harry and Ron. Do you really think they want you to throw yourself at the first thing that will kill you? Or do you think they would rather have you back in their arms… alive!"
Her emphasis on the last word made Draco take in a staggering breath before letting it back out. He allowed Daphne to help set himself up against the back of a chair. She handed him a handkerchief to wipe his face and nose. The grandfather clock in the parlor began chiming, indicating the time was midnight and that Christmas had finally passed. Draco looked up and stared at the eloquent timepiece, his eyes following the second hand around the clock's circumference.
"I think he's back," Daphne said.
"Good," Blaise said. "We should have the house elf bring him back to his room."
The next thing Draco heard was the pop of apparition before he felt Mini's hand's light but firm grip. He allowed his body to be forced through the pull before his body let out a loud THUNK after hitting the floor of his bedroom.
"Master Draco should go to bed," Mini said quietly.
He didn't say anything but nodded to indicate he was listening to the elf. Slowly, he crawled off the floor and lay across his bed. His body felt exhausted, yet his mind was wired and spewing one million thoughts that he couldn't expel. He didn't know how long he stared into the darkness before his eyes finally closed. Draco must have been going crazy, or he was delusional, for the only thing that made him feel slightly at peace was imagining Hermione's voice in his ears, telling him what he needed to hear.
I'm so sorry.
"It's okay, Draco. There wasn't anything you do."
I love you.
"I love you. So much it hurts."
Merry Christmas, Hermione.
December 25, 1997, Grimmauld Place
Christmas at Grimmauld was far from the usual jovial affair that it had been in the past, but Remus tried his best to distract everyone. He decorated headquarters and made those who were staying there full time feel welcomed in the holiday spirit.
Hermione was currently curled up in a chair, holding the book they took from Bathilda Bagshot's house in her lap while she watched Harry, Ron, Dean, and Colin fuss over the ancient TV that Sirius had purchased for the home. They were currently trying to figure out a VCR and a tape so that they could watch a movie.
"Muggle technology is beyond complicated," Ron complained.
"Come now, it's not that hard," Dean retorted. He was leaning against the wall, tangled in cords that he was trying to connect so that the picture would show.
"They should at least color coordinate the back. Try red, yellow, then white," Harry suggested.
All five boys shouted in delight as the static on the screen disappeared and turned back, indicating the VCR was connected properly.
"Alright! Now, put it in! Come on!" Colin demanded impatiently.
"Okay, okay," Harry waved the young Gryffindor off. He carefully slid the black object in and waited a moment as the VCR began to play the movie.
Hermione had a slight grin on her face as she saw the familiar blue letters displayed across the screen before the fanfare music started to play.
A long time ago in a Galaxy far, far away…
As she watched the introduction credits to A New Hope roll across the screen, she couldn't help but fiddle with the engagement ring on her left finger, wondering how Draco would react to watching Star Wars for the first time. Her mind, whether she wanted it to or not, always went back to Draco and what he could be doing. Was he spending the holiday alone at Hogwarts? Did his parents force him to return to the Manor? There was no way to know for sure. She'd noticed that Sirius had taken to hiding more information from her, probably to keep her from breaking into Hogwarts to go after him. Her heart broke every single day they were apart, but she pushed on… for him.
"You alright, Hermione?" Ron asked just as the credit finished.
She hadn't realized that tears had started to flow down her face. Hermione reached up and quickly swiped them away. "Fine, sorry."
The boys nodded at her before turning back to the movie, completely enthralled by the science fiction and special effects playing out before them.
Hermione was watching the screen but not really paying attention as her mind went back to thinking about Draco. She pictured sitting on his lap in this very chair, his arms around her in a protective embrace as he asked her questions about the different scenes. It would have been the perfect way to spend the holiday.
One day.
She promised herself. She promised for him.
Merry Christmas, Draco.