Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to HP. It all belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Inc., Warner Bros., and any other entities involved.
While Harry was taking care of Draco, Ginny focused on other practical matters, such as revenge. After she assured herself that Harry had gotten Draco back, she sent a curse towards the flying carpet. It started to unravel at a fast rate, and its course veered enough that it crashed into a tree.
The twins dropped to the ground. Ginny immediately Stupefied them.
She was so angry; she cast a mean bat bogey hex on them. She proceeded to give them boils and cuts and was warming up to casting Crucio on them, when her wand was seized by Ron.
Ron was shouting at her, "What's the matter, Ginny? Calm down!"
"What the twins did was awful, but if you torture them you will be just like You-know-who, dispensing justice by your own hand; seeking revenge for revenge's sake!"
"Let Tonks take them to the Ministry and interrogate them. If they were acting under You-know-who's orders, then they will go to Azkaban."
"Don't make it harder on Mother. Can you imagine what she'll feel when she finds out about this? Just let them go. Draco is safe, we are safe."
Ron's reminder of what her mother would think instantly sobered Ginny. She cast a contemptuous glare at the twins and motioned for Tonks to approach. She said, "Please take them to the Ministry, Tonks."
She gingerly approached a dead wyvern and curiously looked at its collar. Wincing, she stooped and cast a severing charm. She gathered the collar and stood up, intently inspecting it.
She was muttering under her breath, "I wonder if this is how Tom did it? That bloody psycho is smarter than I thought."
Ginny turned toward Tonks and asked her, "If I have blood, is there a spell that can tell me whose blood is it?"
Tonks replied, "Yes, there is one which is used by forensic Aurors. Just point to the blood and say Bluterkennung. It was a spell developed by German wizards."
Ginny did just that and glowing letters appeared in the air, reading: "Draco S. Malfoy."
Ginny scowled and told the others, "Harry told us that in their adventure to save Tonks' parents Draco was hurt and lost a lot of blood. Obviously You-know-who followed Draco's elegant way to circumvent the wards. He used his blood and put it in a collar around the beasts, so they could bypass wards designed to prevent access to anyone not of Malfoy blood."
Ron asked, "That explains the wyverns, but what about the helicopter and the Muggles flying it?"
Ginny replied fuming, "I bet the bastards also wore collars with Draco's blood in them."
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When Narcissa fell unconscious, luck was not on her side. Her house elf, Proxy, reacted too late and although she managed to cushion her fall somewhat, Narcissa suffered broken bones, including her spinal chord.
The potion used to regrow bones was usually ineffective in case of spinal injuries. Currently she was in the Infirmary, under the watchful eyes of Madame Pomphrey. The nurse, after casting several diagnostic charms, turned to speak to Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, who had been told of the accident.
"Minerva, Mrs. Malfoy's health is deteriorating rapidly. It seems as if her magic core has sustained an immense damage. I can detect no foreign spells on her. Whatever happened, it seems she caused it."
"In selected cases of severe core depletion, the persons got better when they were moved to their ancestral lands, or were near close relatives. I think we should move Narcissa to the Manor and inform Draco of what happened."
McGonagall snorted and said disdainfully, "We don't have the time or resources to move her to the Manor. She'll have to get better on her own. At any rate, that'll be one Death Eater less to watch for."
Pomphrey was astonished, "But, how can you say that, Minerva?"
McGonagall answered, "The Malfoys are not our concern, Poppy, it is the children of Hogwarts we should care about. I say good riddance to her kind, it is enough that we are treating her!"
Pomphrey called for the house elf Winky and told her to get the Headmaster. McGonagall huffed and left to make her rounds.
Presently the Headmaster appeared, and after the irate nurse related her diagnosis and the possible cure, Dumbledore answered, "I'm afraid Minerva is right, Poppy. The staff is occupied elsewhere and we do not have the time or luxury to get Narcissa to the Manor."
Pomphrey replied, "Then at least alert Draco of his mother's condition."
Albus countered, "I will do so first thing tomorrow, but now I have urgent business in the Ministry, something appears to have gone horribly wrong. Thank you for your concern, Poppy, but in this war we must choose our battles carefully. Only the children of Hogwarts are worth the effort, I fear."
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When the house elves transported Draco and Harry to the Heir's Room, they quickly put Draco on a couch. Harry told them to get a Healer, any Healer, if necessary go to Hogwarts and get Madame Pomphrey herself. He was very concerned about Draco, he had a deathly pallor and had difficulty breathing.
Harry paced to and fro in the room, muttering to himself, when he observed that the paintings suddenly started disappearing. The walls were becoming blank and he watched incredulously as the door shimmered and vanished.
He was at a loss as to what was happening, until he remembered he was in the Heir's Room, where the needs of the Heir were met. If the master of the Manor were to die without leaving an Heir, the room would surely disappear.
Startled by this realization, he turned to watch Draco. He noticed his unmoving chest and his blue lips and he knew deepest despair.
He cursed Dumbledore and his unremitting orders to prepare for battle. Following his advice, he had abandoned the idea of learning Healing charms, as he secretly yearned to do. It would seem the Savior of the Wizarding World was not required to heal, only to fight and destroy.
He thought despairingly of Draco, his gentle flirtation, his courage facing Voldemort. Although he wore Bellatrix's outer appearance, Harry would never forget the cast of her shoulders, the grim mouth set in determination and the fierce sparkle in her eyes. He wished he had never let Draco down and broken their incipient relationship.
He swore that he would give everything to have Draco back; he would be his lover if he still wanted to pursue a relationship.
Yet there was a nagging voice in the back of his head that kept saying things like "Draco is not safe with you. It's better that you leave him alone. You should be with Ginny." Interestingly the voice sounded just like Hermione with her bossy undertones.
That voice was so insistent, it was maddening. He felt torn in two, with his instincts telling him to do one thing and his conscience advising the opposite. It was unnerving and wearying, and if he thought about this in depth, he got a pounding headache.
Still, he swore to be with Draco once again, if only he lived.
But now he would never know that. He'd never see again Draco's smirk and hear his drawling voice. He cursed Dumbledore anew for forcing him to walk a sterile path leading to death and murder.
Then he remembered that although he did not know any healing spells, he'd learned CPR techniques one summer at the insistence of the Dursleys.
He walked determinedly towards Draco, sat down and started doing what he had grudgingly learned only to appease his infuriatingly narrow-minded relatives.
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Narcissa was a consummate Slytherin, she wasn't known as the Slytherin Princess for nothing. She had survived her ruthless husband due to her cunning.
She knew that Draco was extremely stubborn. That, his temper and pride were traits he inherited from Lucius. Fortunately he wasn't as cruel or prejudiced as his father.
She knew that once Draco decided to do something, he would carry it through, even if it meant his death. She also knew that Draco was fiercely protective of his loved ones. There were very few people who could claim to have a place in Draco Malfoy's heart, but those few he cherished more than his life. He would never hurt them or allow them to be hurt if he could prevent it.
So she formulated her plan, grabbed Draco's hand and started walking towards the Light.
Draco, startled, stopped and looked at Narcissa. "What are you doing, Mother?"
"If you are determined to die, Dragon, then I will go with you. As I told you, there's nothing in that world left for me without you." Her blue orbs intently watched her son's grey eyes.
Draco saw his mother's face and knew she was telling the truth. If he answered the summons of the Light, his mother would also go with him, away from this place, wherever it was, and would also die.
Even if he was weary and exhausted the thought of contributing to his mother's death in any way appalled him. He thought about his options.
Seeing her son undecided, Narcissa decided to give him a little push in the right direction, her direction.
"There would also be no home for me to come back to, my Son. If you die, the wards around the Manor will fall and Voldemort will undoubtedly go there and try to conquer it. Harry, Ginny, Andromeda and their friends will be forced to fight their way out. There would be no place for me there."
Draco looked thoroughly horrified, and Narcissa knew she had won this battle.
"You've convinced me, Mother, I will go back," said Draco in an exhausted tone that saddened Narcissa.
"Cheer up, Son. As I've told you, if things with Harry don't work out, there is also Miss Weasley or someone new. You will find a suitable partner, and the Malfoy line will be assured of continuity. You will restore glory to the family's name, and you will force the rabble to look up to you with the respect and awe you deserve."
"After you were born, you were so perfect I wanted you to have little brothers and sisters. I prevailed upon Lucius to have more children. Unfortunately, I never could carry another baby to term. Watching you grow reconciled me to this fate."
Draco offered a shy smile that lifted Narcissa's spirits; but just then, she felt a strong pull and with a sickening feeling realized what it meant.
She said somberly to Draco, "However, you will have to do this without me, for I fear the Light is calling me, and I'm forced to answer its relentless summons."
She dropped his hand and started moving backwards toward the Light. She tried to soothe Draco, while lonely teardrops crossed her fair features.
"I'm sorry we won't have more time to be a proper family without your father, my Little Lord, but know that I've always been proud of you. You managed to survive Lucius's crazy temper and protect me when you could. You've always taken care of your friends. I'm sure you'll find someone worthy of you with whom you will spend your life. I die happy knowing that my spell to protect you and the Manor worked and you are still alive."
"You will manage to defeat the Dark Lord. You will find happiness, for surely I'll be with you in some form, always."
Draco looked to his mother, crying, and tried to walk towards her, but he found he couldn't. There was an irresistible force that was calling him, pulling him away from the Light.
He stared at his mother, his vision blurred by his tears, as she lifted her hands towards him for the last time. She turned to the Light and walked up to it. Then Narcissa Malfoy embraced it, and died.
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Harry had managed to bring Draco back from the brink of death, he had applied pressure to Draco's chest and breathed in his mouth for a minute without results, and he thought, "Come on Malfoy, come back. Please come back, Draco. God, I miss you, I need you. Please, oh please."
Then he noticed Draco gasping and laboriously breathing and his spirits soared. At that moment the door reappeared and Ginny barged in, shouting, "What's up Harry? I came here and there was no door and it suddenly appeared, what happened?"
Harry ran to her and embraced her, saying, "Draco stopped breathing, Ginny, and the room started to disappear, but then I used CPR and now he is back, thank Merlin!"
After twirling Ginny around a few times for good measure, Harry put her down and both of them approached the patient on the couch. Suddenly a house elf appeared and started banging his head against the wall, wailing for his Master to forgive him.
Harry ordered the elf to stop and asked him what the matter was. The elf answered, "I gone to Hogwarts as Harry Potter orders, and Missus McGonny says the Healer cannot come, they needs her there. I fails in bringing back the Healer as Master Harry say. I is bad elf!"
Harry asked, "Did you tell her that Draco was hurt and we needed Madame Pomphrey?"
The house elf started banging his head against the floor, saying "I tells her Master Malfoy is dying, and she mutter 'Good riddance,' and does tells me to get out!"
Harry was mystified, "She must have been confused. Surely she wouldn't deny help to a student."
"Anyhow, then you'd better go to St. Mungo's and get the Healer that treats the Malfoys."
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After Healer Mary McGregor had come to the Manor and treated Draco for his injuries and depleted magical level, Harry and Ginny transfigured some chairs into beds and laid down, exhausted from the day's happenings.
Ron and Hermione came back. Eventually Ron went to the Ministry of Magic and returned with the news that the interrogation of the twins appeared to reveal that Moody had used Imperio on them, later they had been ordered to capture Draco and bring him to Voldemort.
It was in the late afternoon that an irate Potions Master floo'ed to the Manor, demanding to see Draco. When he learned about Draco's condition, he was devastated. Harry observed that Snape appeared anguished and in pain even before he knew of the attack.
He finally told them that Narcissa had collapsed on the stairs, been injured and taken to the Infirmary and had died there.
Harry and Ginny were saddened and worried about the effect of the news on Draco. It was a few days ago that he had gained control over his life and now he suffered the devastating death of the only parent that cared about him.
Severus was barely containing his fury at his colleagues. Winky overheard the conversations between Pomphrey, McGonagall and Dumbledore. Following Dobby's stern instructions she had gone to the Potions Master and informed him of Narcissa's accident and plight but when he reached the Infirmary it was too late, Narcissa had just died. He was appalled at the wanton disregard for human life exhibited by the head of Gryffindor and the Headmaster. He was so angry that he seriously considered going to Voldemort and offering him free entrance to Hogwarts. He wanted to see the old coot's surprised face as he encountered Voldemort and died.
He had always had deep feelings for Narcissa, for a moment in their school years it had seemed as if they would get together, but then the incessant taunting and pranks of the Marauders had taken their toll on Severus's social standing and his incipient relationship with Narcissa Black. He'd watched in despair as Narcissa was wooed and finally chose Lucius Malfoy.
Feeling like he had nothing worthwhile to live for, he had gone to the Dark Lord and offered him his allegiance. It wasn't until a year later that he realized what a fool he'd been, and in despair turned to the Headmaster and offered to spy for him.
He knew Dumbledore used him ruthlessly, but this was the only way he could remain relatively free and try to protect Narcissa and her son from danger. From the first moment he saw a newly born Draco, he had felt the deep urge to protect her little Dragon, mixed with a bittersweet reflection on what might have been if only they had gotten together.
So he tried to be the best godfather for Draco that he could. Subtly he offered quiet support and guidance to make Draco see that there was a better path than the one offered by Lucius. He'd watched with growing horror as Draco started to spout Lucius's brand of pureblood politics. It wasn't until years later that he realized Draco was literally forced to act this way. He realized that Draco and Narcissa were chained irretrievably to Lucius, his hostages.
During the last year, watching Draco slowly make his own choices, befriending the Gryffindors, he felt proud of his godson. It was with despair that he learned about Lucius's escape from Azkaban. He waited with bated breath for Draco to call him looking for refuge, until he realized that Draco would choose a more subtle, Slytherin approach to the Lucius problem.
But now, Narcissa was dead, and a big part of his heart and soul died with her. Only Draco and his safety kept him here.
Dumbledore had not come back from the Ministry. Apparently the fool Minister could not deal with the problems alone and needed Albus every step of the way.
Severus had gone to the Manor to apprise Draco of the news before the old coot told him, and to offer his allegiance to his godson's cause. He could no longer work for such callous persons as Dumbledore and McGonagall proved to be.
Then he learned of the attack on the Manor. Draco had been a hairbreadth's away from being whisked to Voldemort's lair, and it was only Potter's quick thinking that had saved him from the Dark Lord's clutches. His broken ribs had been mended, and the Dark Arts spell cast by the twin had been reversed.
Draco would wake up very soon, and Severus dreaded the moment when he would tell his godson that his mother was dead.
Harry, Ginny and Severus stayed in the Room that night, watching over Draco. Thus it was that on the night of his mother's death, Draco was accompanied by the three persons he loved most in the world.
Draco had vicious nightmares. In them, either the missile destroyed the Manor, or the wyverns managed to kill Harry and Ginny; he was near despair when he felt the comforting presence of his mother's company, and though she did not appear or speak, Draco felt her near him nonetheless. Her presence soothed his dreams and reminded him that he had triumphed. The Manor remained somewhat intact, and his friends were alive; he didn't know if the twins had managed to bring him to Voldemort's presence. He found he didn't care, he still missed his mother, and he knew he would always miss her. Draco could only hope that the hurt would become bearable with time. It was then that Draco resolved to bring his mother back, to undo her death, if it destroyed him; and what he wanted, he eventually got.
As he was nearing consciousness, he recalled the conversation with his mother, and how close to death he'd been, how weary he was with his situation. It was then he made a choice. A major source of irritation in his life was Harry's continuous denial of any attraction he may feel towards Draco, or having succumbed to the temptation, trying to stay away from any relationship with Draco.
He knew that recently that attitude had been created by Hermione's meddling, but he reminded himself that the denial had been taking place for months now, and was something entirely Harry. He knew he could not push him for a relationship. He also knew that Harry would fight tooth and nail to stay away from any commitment to him.
Draco had nearly died. He decided to enjoy life while he could and desist of pursuing any relationship with Harry.
He opened his eyes and noticed Harry watching him. He smiled brightly at him; then he noticed Ginny and his face lit up. He motioned for her to sit near him. Ginny got close and could see the sparkle in Draco's eyes. Draco sat up and slowly he approached her. Ginny felt sure that Draco was going to kiss her.
When Ginny had been certain that Draco was going to be kidnapped and brought before Lord Voldemort, she'd felt such aching loss that she was surprised. She realized she was going to miss Draco much more than an acquaintance or friend. He had become a strong focus of Ginny's affections. His dark charisma, his looks, his concern for his friends, his unexpected bravery, all these traits endeared him to her.
Most of all she sensed the childhood that Draco had been robbed of, the masks he wore and those he sought to shed. She wanted to discover that side of Draco with him; she wanted to be with him when he matured. She yearned to be his equal.
So when Draco kissed her, she felt like coming home. She didn't care that Harry was in the room. The fact is, Harry had cheated on her, he felt it was his duty to be with her, and she wanted to be with someone who considered it fun to be with her. Anyway Harry would have found out about it, it was better that he discover it now.
Ginny felt like Autumn to Draco, the smell of crisp Autumn nights, the calming darkness of the gardens in the nighttime, the softness of summer rain; the sweetness of vanilla ice cream at Fortescue's; the wild longing of a Hogwarts night spent away from his father's prying eyes. Ginny's kiss felt like all this to Draco, and he felt alive.
For once, he did not care what Harry thought. Let him find love on his own, and let that person deal with Harry Potter's irresolute side and procrastination.
Severus Snape observed this with a keen eye, he could not help but notice Potter's stricken look as he bolted from the room. At any rate, it was high time that Draco found a little happiness, and that Weasley girl ought to prove equal to his godson's fiery character.
Harry ran out of the room, feeling as if he had been kicked in the stomach. Still, his inner voice chortled with glee:
"This is what you wanted, no? Draco away from you."
"No, how could they do this to me!"
"But isn't it worse what you did to them? Stringing them along in the hope that they could catch your attention, and forever keeping them on their toes, withholding your total affection?"
"I was going to stay with Draco!"
"Were you really? Or was it only a thought born of despair? Confess that when Draco woke up, you intended to keep the 'only friends' attitude!"
"I can't be gay; the Wizarding World would not accept me!"
"OK, keep your straight virginity, the point is moot now, because you have lost Draco forever."
Harry was so distraught that he didn't notice Ron and Hermione until she put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Harry, what's the matter? How is Draco? It is imperative that we talk with him."
Harry replied, "I'm fine. What do you want with Draco?"
It was Ron who replied, "We need to tell him that the Manor is surrounded by tanks!"
Tbc
AN: The dynamics of the New Golden Trio will not stay like this, they will change notably.