-1Chapter eleven:
That's Where She Lies Broken Inside
Inside his neighbor's house, it was eerily silent. Lifting his wand, he called softly, "Alohamora." The lock clicked and he silently let himself in.
Draco paused in the threshold, listening intently. His eyes searched the room, but he stilled at the sight of blood. Drops of it, leading out of the hallway to the front door. Then it went into the living room only to cross and go to the kitchen.
With a sickening dread, Draco decided to go to the kitchen first. It wasn't long, before he heard someone crying.
Oh god, he thought and was standing in the entrance to the kitchen. He first saw Charlie, the man Serena had told him about.
A wave of nausea hit him at the sight of so much blood. Please don't let it be hers, he begged. Next to Charlie, was Serena's mother. She appeared fine, with no physical injuries besides the bruise on her cheek and a vague bruise from around her neck. But she was alive, he could see that even from where he stood.
Looking further into the kitchen, Draco's breath caught at the sight of Serena. She sat near the far end, her body curled into a ball as she rocked herself back and forth.
He could hear her choking sobs as they escaped her. Her breath hitched and a moan would escape her. "Serena," he called her name gently.
Her head jerked up, her eyes rimmed with tears, her face stained with blood and tears. He could see the bruise darkening her swollen cheek. If the man wasn't dead, Draco would have killed him with his bare hands.
"D-Draco," she whispered, her hand reaching up to rub her puffy eyes. Her bottom lip was swollen and chapped. When she straightened, he saw the mark around her neck, and he felt his entire body turn cold.
"Oh god Serena," he whispered hoarsely. He hadn't been able to help her. She had to fight this man who had attacked her once before all alone. She had to survive another night of horror without anyone there to help her.
She looked so fragile as she stood there, her body leaning against the counter for support. Her bottom lip quivered, and then suddenly she was in his arms. He didn't even remember crossing the room to reach her. But suddenly his arms were around her, and he was holding her against him with a desperation that scared him.
"I'm so sorry," he said against the side of her head. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you."
He felt her hands latch onto his shirt, her nails digging into his skin, as she clung to him. "Oh Draco," she cried, her voice wavering. "He- he came back. He- I found my mom like this, and- and then he was here and-" her breath hitched and a wail of pain and fear tore from her throat.
His grip around her tightened, and he let her cry into his embrace, until she was weak and tired. And then he lifted her, when her legs could no longer hold her up. And with great care he carried her out of the kitchen.
He took her away from the pain and fear, and left it behind. When they were back in his home, he shut and locked the door.
"It's going to be okay Serena," he promised her. He carried her through his house, down the hallway and into his bedroom.
At his bed, he gently laid her down. With great care he pulled back the blankets and sheets. Sitting down beside her, he reached out with one hand to cup her swollen cheek.
It angered him to see her harmed. To see her hurting. Easing her up, Draco gently took her shirt off. The frail fabric was covered in blood, and he did not wish for her to wake to such a state.
He was careful, when he help her out of her jeans, her socks and her shoes. When she was dressed in only in her underwear, he helped her dress in one of his shirts.
Leaving her for a moment, he went to his bathroom, and grabbed a few of his potions, and went back to her side. Sitting back down, he pulled his wand free from his pocket. He cast a simple cleaning spell, removing any blood that lingered on her skin.
Draco uncorked the potion that helped heal cuts and abrasions. With gentle hands, he poured some of it in his hands, before he set the bottle aside.
Serena's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly at him. "Draco," she murmured. He smiled in return. With gentle hands, he massaged the potion on her cheek, the back and front of her head. He was careful with the bruises around her neck, and the scrapes on her hands and knees.
He checked her over, making sure he didn't miss one, before he uncorked the next bottle. "Drink this," he instructed. "It will help you sleep."
Helping her sit up, he tilted the vile to her lips, and she swallowed grudgingly. "Good," he said softly. He set that bottle aside as well. Getting up, he moved to pull the blankets over her.
"Draco," she called out fearfully, when he had turned to leave. Turning back, he looked back at her. "Don't leave me."
Going back to her side, he touched her forehead. "I wont be far," he told her. She grabbed his hand, startling him. "Stay with me, please," she begged.
She wouldn't let his hand go, so Draco gave up on arguing. Lying down next to her, Draco leaned back against the headboard of his bed, and Serena curled up next to him.
Even as she fell asleep, with her face pressed against his thigh, her hand never let his go.
----
Serena woke to the feel of the sun touching her cheek. Opening her eyes, she was first alerted to the sense of someone next to her.
Looking up, Serena found Draco sitting next to her on the bed. His back was against the headboard, his chin resting against his collar bone.
His hand brushed across her spine and she smiled at the comfort. "Draco," she whispered and he hummed beneath his breath, but he didn't wake. "Lay down with me."
She hadn't expected a reply, but suddenly he was scooting down the bed next to her. She moved back to give him room on the bed. When he finally laid on his back next to her, she quickly curled up at his side.
Briefly she slept, in and out of consciousness. But when Draco stirred, she felt him tense at her side.
He tried to move away, but she moved her arm to drape it across his chest. She snuggled even closer, enjoying the warmth of his body next to her.
She heard him sigh and then suddenly he was holding the hand that she had used to keep him close, last night and this morning. He kissed the top of her head and the act of kindness brought tears to her eyes.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to keep her breathing appear normal. She didn't want this moment to end. Not right away at least.
"I wont let anything ever happen to you again," he murmured to the top of her head. "I promise."
Her eyes opened on their own violation. Lifting her head, she looked at him. She expected him to pull away from her, shy away like he had yesterday. But instead, with his other hand, he brushed away the stray tears that had fallen.
Reaching up with her own hand, Serena held his hand against her cheek, and just stared at him. She didn't want to think about what had happened last night. She didn't want to ever have to think about it.
But she could see the sadness in his eyes and knew why it was there. "Draco," she began to speak, but he shook his head. "It's all right Serena," he replied. "If you ever choose to tell me about it, I want you to do so when you're ready."
Serena smiled at him, smiling through her tears and then suddenly she was crying. She buried her face in his chest. A sob that seemed to shake her entire body, tore its way from her throat.
"I was so scared," she cried into his shirt. "I never want to feel like that again."
Draco nodded, his arms tightening around her, so that she was pressed firmly against him. "I promise, you wont," he said fiercely. "He's dead and I made sure you're mother was taken to the hospital."
"Thank you, thank you for everything Draco," she said tiredly, as her tears began to dry.
"Serena, I just-, don't ever feel guilty for what happened last night," he told her. "You were defending yourself and there is nothing wrong with that. Living with that guilt can destroy you."
Serena lifted her watery gaze to his. "You sound as if- like someone had to tell you the same thing," she said and she touched the side of his face. There was a deep sadness that lingered in his eyes. One she knew she would see in her own gaze if she were to look in a mirror.
"When I was seventeen, I killed my father," Draco spoke softly, his features torn with grief. "Harry told me, that I had only been protecting him. But in fact, I had been protecting myself. I had felt selfish, and guilt tore me apart. But Harry told me there was nothing wrong with wanting to survive. It only meant I was human."
"Draco," she murmured.
"He destroyed our family, killed my mother, not physically, but emotionally. He caused her death. And then he tried to hurt the only friend I ever had," he felt like a runaway train. The words were flowing from him like a busted dam and there was nothing to fix the leak now.
"I'm sorry," he said gravely, knowing this wasn't what she needed. To bare his problems along with her own. "Are you hungry, can I get you any food?" He tried to free himself from her hold, but her grip tightened, holding onto him as if for dear life.
"Please," she begged him. "Tell me more."
He looked at her, and saw that she wanted to know. So instead of refusing, he nodded. "There isn't a whole lot to tell," he tried to tell her. "I don't care," she replied. "I just want to get to know you, the real you."
----
It was strange for her to say something like that. Like she knew he hid the truth from everyone.
Lowering his gaze, he stared at the hand that held his. It was so much smaller than his, and he realized how small and fragile she was. She was just a kid, and already she'd faced worst battles than he had in his entire life.
And I thought I had it bad, he thought. At least I had had a mother who cared about my well being.
"I loved my mother," he said. "And I admired my father, at first. Before things had gone bad."
He sighed. He didn't feel comfortable talking about this. He'd never told a soul. Hadn't wanted to speak about his misgivings. When he had been a kid he had to appear like he had it all. But in fact he had nothing.
"When I was in school, I was a real prat," he continued. "I made everyone feel like they were the dirt beneath my shoe, that I was better. But I only did that, so that they wouldn't see how small and insignificant I felt."
Draco looked at her, wanted to see what she thought of him. He really wanted to know what she was thinking. But her expression was adamant. Her beautiful eyes, so big and blue stared at him, waiting, eager to hear more.
But he knew she was only eager to avoid her own tragedy. But he understood. He had had seven years of isolation to avoid his own, it was only fair he gave her the same amount of time.
Reluctantly, he spoke of his past, speaking about his years at home, at Hogwarts. That when he was at home, he longed to return to school, so that he could avoid the hell his life was spiraling into.
"I've done horrible things," he admitted. "I've hurt people, like Charlie has hurt you. But then one day, I realized what I had become, what I had lost, and what little I had gained by making my father's mistakes.
"I went to Harry and despite all reasons, he believed me when I said I wanted out. His friends didn't believe me, but he did."
Here he hesitated, his heart tearing as he thought about the events coming. "I told him that there was going to be an attack, and that he and his friends would need to be prepared," he started again. He spoke carefully, as he remembered that night. "My father was there. He had been furious with what I had done, and he went after the only friends I had."
"And you killed him," Serena spoke quietly. Draco nodded and was started when she hugged him, her arms wrapping him in a tight embrace. "Draco, you're not a bad person," she whispered, her voice straining against building emotions. "People do things, even bad things, to make it seem like we have a normal life. We lie, we cheat, we steal. You may have been mean, and cruel, but only because that was all you knew."
She lifted her gave from his chest, and he saw that she was crying. "You shouldn't be punished for a mistake. You atoned for them," she continued to defend him. Just like Harry continued to defend him. "You proved that with me. You took me in, helped me, healed me, and cared for me, when you could have easily tossed me out."
Her words, lessoned the pain in his heart, and it brought a small smile to his face. Gently, he kissed the top of her head. "Thank you Serena," he murmured to the top of her head.
He held her close. They didn't speak, as she drifted off to sleep. Her injuries were healing fast and he was grateful, that they wouldn't be there long to remind her of that terrible night.
"I'll make sure nothing bad will ever happen to you again," he told her while she slept. And he meant it. He would find a way, some way to make sure she lived the rest of her life without that fear again. So that she could live a normal, healthy life, filled with laughs.
Because he loved seeing her smile, and loved to hear the sound of her laugh.
They were both rare, but very beautiful. "Everything will be okay, I promise," he added, and brushed back her bangs from her forehead.
Draco shifted on the bed some, getting comfortable, and was pleased to see Serena automatically snuggle closer to him. Closing his eyes, he silently drifted off to sleep, a smile still lingering on his lips.