Truly Alone
That's it then. I'm dead. I know I'm dead. I look down at my chest expecting to see a great gaping hole or something. There's nothing. No mark, no hole, no nothing. I look up to see my father's face, contorted and confused. I'm not dead. He falls to his knees and then face first into the floor. Behind him my mother is standing, wand raised and wide-eyed.
"Mother…?" I ask quietly. Her face is twisted in sadness, wracking sobs errupting from her mouth. Her hands are trembling badly and she drops her wand suddenly, as though it's on fire.
"I… I… I… killed him." Her voice is that of a frightened child, she looks at me pleadingly. "He was going to… I couldn't let him. You're my only son…" Her words are jumbled. I drop my own wand and run to her, stepping over the body of my dead father. I embrace her tightly and she sobs into my shoulder. "He's dead… he's dead… he's dead." She repeats the words over and over again as if she can't believe it actually happened.
"Shhh…" I hush her gentley. "You saved my life, mother. You saved me." I try to console her with my voice with my hugs. I cannot help the tears from flowing over my cheeks. Oh god, she does love me… all these years… my mother loves me. Hermione stands back to let us have our moment. My mother and I cry together for a long time, sinking to the floor and holding each other.
"My son, oh my son. I love you." I shut my eyes tight never wanting to let go of her. I stroke her hair and squeeze her as tightly as I dare, considering her fragile frame. Then her form goes rigid and she looks at me in horror. "The Death Eaters… they'll find out… what will they do? Lucius was one of His best supporters… they'll kill you, and me. What are we going to do?" Her face is pale and she's shaking badly, I take her hands in mine and try to still them.
"It'll be alright. Everything will be alright."
"All these years… and I could never really hold you." I look to Hermione and she comes over and takes my mother's arm. Together we lift her off the floor and begin to head towards the door. Hermione stoops to collect both our wands then nods in the direction of Eldora and Marissa.
"What about them?" She asks solemnly. I shake my head slowly.
"We'll call the proper authorities once we get to a safer place. They'll be taken care of." My tone is grim and I feel no compassion for them whatsoever. My father is dead and my mother barely has her sanity. All these years under the Imperius curse… how did she survive? Surely a torture like that would drive someone insane. Only her will to save me could bring her out of it and now… Hermione reaches over and squeezes my hand.
"We should go back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore will be able to help us." She speaks the words softly as though someone might try to stop us.
"How will we get there?" I look to her and she looks at my mother.
"If she could apparate us outside the grounds… it would be close enough to call for help. I nod slowly and turn to my mother.
"Mother…" I start slowly trying to catch her gaze, she looks at me as though she's not really seeing me. "Mother, we need you to apparate us all back to Hogwarts. We can get you help there." Her left eye twitches slightly but she nods and grabs onto both mine and Hermione's upper arm. We grasp her for support and just to make sure. I feel that nauseating sensation of being pulled through a tube and then we are back in front of Hogwarts. Hogwarts, a sanctuary we left barely hours ago.
"I'll go for help." Hermione gives me a reassuring look and begins to dart up the path.
"Hermione!" I call after her. She stops and turns. "Just bring Dumbledore. I don't anyone else to see her like… like this." She nods and continues up the way. My mother's knees buckle and I can barely keep her up so I help her to the ground cradling her in my lap. Her expression is blank and her breathing is ragged. I stroke her hair and whisper words of love and encouragement.
"I'm here mother, noone can hurt you now." I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand.
"Draco…" her voice is a hoarse whisper and I have to lean down to hear her. "I always wanted to… to tell you… how… p…pp… proud I am… of you." My lip trembles as I catch the wheeze in her voice.
"There will be lots of time to tell me, mother. We have lots of time now that he's gone. He can't hurt you anymore. I'll protect you." My words come out in a weak moan. I bend down and kiss her forehead. She can barely lift her hand to stroke my cheek. I hold it there tightly, cherishing her touch.
"You're so handsome… and so strong. You've always been so strong…" She inhales deeply and I can see the pain on her face. "You will always be my son… and I… will always… love you…" Her breath comes in short gasps now.
"Mother… mother please. I don't want to lose you again. Please don't leave me again… I love you… please… mommy…" My voice is a mourning wail.
"Be strong… Draco. I'll never leave… you…" Her last breath eases out of her body and her head lolls back against my knee. I squeeze her hand and shake her gentley.
"Mother…? Mother! MOTHER!" I shake her harder, the tears blurring my vision. "NOOO! DON'T YOU LEAVE ME! MOTHER PLEASE! I NEED YOU! I NEED YOU! PLEASE!" I shake her but she doesn't come back. I continue to sob uncontrollably until someones hands are pulling me up off the ground. Her hand falls from mine I turn to face Hermione tears running down her cheeks. I go to her and she wraps her arms around me, stroking my hair and whispering to me softly. Out of the corner of my blurred vision I see the tall form of Dumbledore stooping to take my mother in his arms. My whole body is wracked with sobs, my very soul aches.
"Mother…" I cry into Hermione's shoulder.
"She's gone, Draco… She's gone." I don't want to believe her I want to yell and scream and tell her she's wrong but my strength and will are gone. Now I truly have nothing. As Hermione strokes my hair gentley the realization hits me. Now, I am truly alone.
