Chapter 33. Run

On the count of three, everybody ran in separate directions towards their port keys hidden throughout the land surrounding the Burrow, with Remus and Tonks escorting Harry to his. Each of them had to brave the fire circling the house, jumping over it fearlessly. The group had dispersed so rapidly the death eaters didn't know which direction to go, Astrid could hear the whooshing of their smokey plumes over head as she legged it through the high wall of wheat. Everly clutched tightly to her chest, the child's screechy cries silenced by her swaddle, Astrid felt awful but it was necessary to not be tracked through the growth.

Her bare feet hurt from the jagged ground, rocks and twigs cutting up the skin underneath. She could feel someone following her, but she couldn't hear them… Astrid hardly wanted to stop and turn to take a look. Her heart beat faster and faster as she pushed her way through the field and into the swamp just beyond, her feet now splashing through the swamp land. She stopped to gather her bearings, searching for a large willow tree along the skyline, her port key was under it, in the form of an old boot. She just had to find the tree first.

A splash behind her alerted her to another's presence. With laboured breathing she set off in a spring once again, completely guessing her direction, she was stopped in her tracks however when a pillar of smoke landed in front of her behind the reeds. Astrid felt for her wand, it wasn't there, then she remembered she left in her trunk when she realised her dress didn't have pockets, how foolish! What a fool she'll look asking Dumbledore for another. She backed up, looking around for somewhere, anywhere to hide, but there was nothing. With deep breaths she contemplated running again, but then she saw them, the figure emerging from the reeds.

He was instantly recognisable from his long blonde hair, his blue eyes shone in the moonlight. It was Lucius, her Lucius. But he was different… somehow. He was visibly slimmer, paler. He was tired looking, with large bags under his eyes. Almost a ghost of his former self.

"Astrid," His voice cracked as he called out to her. "Astrid it's me." He held out his hand to her, but she only took a step back. It pained him, but he understood after everything that just transpired at the house. He took a step towards her, his cane behind him, his free hand outstretched peacefully. "Astrid I'm not going to hurt you."

"Please… don't come any closer," Astrid choked as she stroked the bundle against her chest.

"Is that her?" Lucius asked softly, he swallowed hard and nodded to the sage green parcel. He spotted the E knitted on the back and his heart fluttered. "Is that Everly?"

"Yes," coughed Astrid, she looked down at her daughter, pulling the swaddle slightly away from her face to make sure she could breathe, the baby gurgled small cries.

"May I… hold her?" Lucius asked, stepping forward. Astrids legs trembled as Lucius advanced on her, she wanted him to meet their child so badly, hold her so badly, but not like this, not here. A small part of her was worried, what if he took her? What if he stole Everly away and left her in the swamp alone?

Astrid shook her head no lightly.

"Astrid, please," Lucius pleaded, his eyes were honest, pained, he was close enough to see the fear in hers now… but also the pain, hurt and love. Stabbing his cane into the ground so it stood up right he held both arms out now, towards his daughter. "Please let me hold her, my daughter,"

Astrid didn't fight back when he put his hands around the infant, peeling her off Astrid's chest he held the baby to his black robes, a light hand stroking the back of her little blonde head. A lump grew in Astrid's throat as she watched Lucius delicately handle the child, his child. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, she held back a sob.

"She's perfect," Lucius whispered against Everly's head as he placed a small kiss upon the settling child, his eyes wandered up to Astrid. "Just like her mother." A small smile played on his lips.

Astrid couldn't hold herself back anymore, she jumped forward at Lucius, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his chest. "Lucius," She sobbed his name into him as he wrapped one arm around her, caressing her cold skin softly. "I have missed you," She whispered against him.

"And I you my love,"

Astrid gathered herself and reached up for her baby, Lucius obliged, handing his daughter to her mother, who cradled the baby gently in her arms. The blonde man reached a delicate hand up to Astrid's face, rubbing away her tears with his thumb and tucking a stray blonde wave behind her ear.

"I wish we could stay like this, forever, the three of us," Lucius sighed, kissing the top of her head and wrapping both of his girls in his arms.

"We can, you just… you just have to come with me," Astrid told him breathily.

"I can't darling, I want to but I can't… Draco… he needs me," Lucius choked sadly.

"Severus is protecting Draco, but me and Everly… we need you Lucius,"

"Severus," Lucius breathed, he looked away distastefully. "I hear he's been quite the… comfort, in my absence… stepping up to replace me,"

"What? No," Astrid gasped, "I swear Lucius, you're not being replaced,"

Lucius released Astrid from his embrace and took a step back, raising a hand to his mouth he rubbed his jaw angrily.

"The Dark Lord saw it, saw him… with his hands on you, his hands holding my child." Lucius muttered darkly.

"Lucius no, I am loyal to you," Astrid sobbed, pain irradiated from her heart, sending painful pulses through her veins, she pressed her free hand to her chest, and tried to steady her breathing as she got more and more worked up. "Severus… he… kissed me… but Lucius… I… I slapped him!" She panted. Lucius sneered at her words.

"If what you say is true, then let me see, show me Severus," Lucius proposed, grasping his cane and pulling it out of it's hold in the mud, he slipped out his wand, pointed it at his beloved and muttered "Legilimens,"

Severus kissing Astrid, a harsh slap. The two of them sitting on the sofa, chatting. Astrid being thrown against a wall by Severus. Severus holding Everly, carrying her about the castle as if she was his own. Astrid in the hospital wing, pain, pushing, Severus is there in the background, his back turned. Astrid dancing with Severus at the Yule ball.

Lucius pulled out of her mind; he couldn't take anymore, turning away he let out a large yell of frustration and he kicked at the swamp water below him.

"You may be innocent in all this Astrid, but he is not, he is trying to take you from me, replace me!" He shouted roughly. Astrid approached him cautiously, she had never seen him so angry, so out of control. She pressed a delicate soft hand to his face, which he covered with his own rough calloused one.

"No one can replace you, no one Lucius, I love you, I love you so, so, much," Astrid admitted for the first time out loud. Lucius' face scrunched up as she tried to keep tears of his own from falling, but they did anyway, salty tears escaped his eyes, running down pale tired skin.

"I have waited so long to hear you say those words," Lucius choked, he took her hand off his cheek and pressed her fingers to his lips gently. Sadly there tender moment was interrupted by plumes of black smoke overhead. Astrid jumped away from Lucius, backing up she eyed the smoke, following it carefully until it landed by Lucius' side.

"I see you found her Luci," Bellatrix whispered in his ear. "Now, show the Dark Lord your commitment and kill her." She sneered. Astrid backed up further, her bare feet splashing in the swamp water as she carefully took steps back one at a time.

"What of the child?" Lucius swallowed, "She could be-"

"Raise your wand, and kill the bitch, or I will," Bellatrix threatened. Lucius stared at Astrid intensely, and in her mind, she heard his words echo through her head as if he was talking directly into her.

"Run"

Astrid didn't need to be told twice, turning she ran through the reeds, separating them with one hand and tightly holding Everly to her chest with the other. She ran and ran, flashes of green and red lighting up the long reeds around her, it reminded her of her escape at the Manor, but this time she didn't have Dobby to help her. She ran and ran, her heart threatening to end it all as she overexerted herself.

Then she spotted it, there it is! The tree. It wasn't far, she pushed through the pain in her chest and the stinging in her feet and eventually climbed through thick reeds to arrive at the large willow tree. The boot, where was it? Ah! There! She spied it, hidden in the grass by the trunk and immediately leapt to it, but not before an orange flash hit her in the hip painfully, making her cry out desperately. Despite the pain she grabbed the portkey and held onto Everly with all her might. She felt as if she was being sucked and spun, then just a moment later she was no longer under a willow tree in a swamp, she was now laid out, blurry eyed and bleeding out on the floor of Dumbledore's office.