Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to J.K. Rowling.
I know. I'm skipping over stuff. But keep this in mind: if one pokes through another's mind, more often than not, the more traumatic stuff will be either supressed or the person has chosen to forget, or the brain has chosen to omit minor details and less significant events. That's how the human mind works.
Anyway, this chapter is where things get real. So, sit back, grab a drink, and enjoy.
Love,
Avoline.
Draco stood in the door of the Shell Shack, staring at the ocean. So much had happened in only a few days. His mind kept running circles around itself.
They took Luna.
She's safe now.
Aunt Bella tortured Hermione.
She's safe, too.
The manor is in ruins.
It can be repaired.
I was almost caught by the Dark Lord.
I got away. I'm safe again.
Dobby saved us all.
Aunt Bella killed him.
He sighed. He had never meant to be so mean to the elf when he was younger. He was only immitating his father. Yet the elf chose to safe his life, when he had every reason to leave him there to die.
Now he's dead.
At least Snape is alive.
"You okay?" He turned to see Fleur Delacour ("It's Weasley now. Get that strait!") staring at him. He looked at the floor, avoiding her gaze.
"Just thinking about what all has happened," he muttered. "I'm starting to feel like a jinx." She put an arm on his shoulder.
"You're not a jinx," she soothed.
"Then why is it everytime I turn around, everyone I care about dies," he whispered.
"Draco?" He looked up to see Hermione standing on the landing of the next floor. He made his way up the stairs. "We plan on going to Bellatrix's vault in Gringots. You think you could help us get in?"
"I'm not sure how much help I would be, but I sure as hell can try," he offered.
"All she'll really need is some pointers on how to act more like Bellatrix," Ron piped in.
"Kinda hard to act like her," Draco scoffed. "She's fucking insane."
"We know," Harry intoned. "But what does Hermione have to do to act like her without actually being insane?"
"Always talk with an insulting tone," Draco instructed. "When you're ready for a fight, which Aunt Bella always is, lean forward from the waist a bit. Keep your hair in your eyes and try to act like you're always pissed off."
"Seriously," she exclaimed. "How do you suppose I act pissed off at all times?" He smirked.
"Try and remember how you felt before you punched me in the nose," he pointed out.
How could I have forgotten about the Thieve's Downfall AND the Gemino charm?
Draco was pressed against a wall, avoided the hexes being thrown at him and the trio. They had been double crossed by Griphook. They had the next horcrux, at least. Now they had to content with the Magical Police and a dragon.
"Reducto!" Hermione had a plan. She always had a plan. She ran into the corridor that held the LeStrange vaults, then rand and jumped on the back of the dragon. Draco, Ron, and Harry stared, mouth gaping.
"Well, come on," she shouted. They exchanged glances before joining her. She broke the dragon's chains, and the four of them held on as the dragon climbed up, towards the small light above them. Draco threw a silent shielding charm over them as the creature crashed into the chandelier, then through the glass dome, before coming to rest on the roof. Draco turned his wand to the animal's tail.
"Flipendo!" He clutched to the spines as the dragon took flight.
They flew for a good hour before dismounting into a river and swimming to shore.
"He knows," Harry informed as they climbed a near-by hill. "You-Know-Who. He knows we're looking for the horcruxs, and he's angry."
"How do you know that," Draco questioned, reaching for Hermione's bag to grab a change of clothes.
"I saw him," Harry answered.
"You let him in," Hermione almost screeched. "Harry, you can't do that!"
"Sometimes I can't help it, Hermione," Harry snapped.
"Nevermind, what did you see?"
Draco never thought he would have to go back to Hogwarts as long as he lived. Yet here he was, about to go to Hogsmead and sneak into the place that had become a second home to him. He dreaded seeing his godfather. Surely Snape knew that Draco had turned his back on the Dark Lord. Now they were about to sneak into to the castle to look for the murderous bastard.
But Hogsmead had been warded. Alarms went off as soon as they apparated. The four of them ran through the village, trying to find refuge. Their salvation came at the hand of a familiar looking man at the Hog's Head.
He waited. They were in the castle, thanks to Alberforth Dumbledor. They had followed Neville through a secret passageway. Many of the student weren't happy to see Draco at all, but they softened a bit when they found out than he had been helping the trio. Now he stood, waiting for the signal to go in the Great Hall and confront his godfather.
He heard the collective gasp, and he, as well as the small group of Order members, started forward. The large wooden doors opened, and he saw Snape standing in the middle of the huge room, staring at Harry. Draco began to wish that he had altered his appearance somehow. He was sure that Snape could see his white-blond hair amongst the crowd of red-heads and black-heads.
No one expected McGonagall to step forward and face Snape herself. She fought with more valor than anyone Draco had ever seen.
A true Gryffindor.
Snape fled, leaving everyone with a sense of relief. Draco couldn't help but smile, knowing that the school would be returned to it's former glory once everything was over.
"Time to find a horcrux," Harry called as he passed the taller man.