CHAPTER TWENTYTHREE
She grabbed at his hand, missing by barely an inch as she fell. Draco looked horrified as she dropped through the air towards the flames. A scream escaped her lips.
Was this it?
The heat intensified as she neared it, plummeting to her death. Her hands reached upwards towards Draco as he screamed her name over the roaring of the flames. It was so hot she felt like her clothing was on fire, her skin was melting. This was worse than being crucioed.
Her life seemed to flash before her eyes. It was mildly pleasant, bullies in school, a doting father and brothers, riches, friends who she could count on. It bothered her that she always seemed to be well cared for, despite what she thought. She found that she was ungrateful, and expected things to always happen her way.
Then a warm hand wrapped around her own, yanking her from her death, the flames hot on her back, and into the air. She felt the impact of a wall, and the groans of her friends. Opening her eyes she gasped as fresh cool air filled her lungs.
Draco pounced on her, his hands hovering over her as he spoke a million miles per second.
"Ev? Angel? Are you alright? Are you burned, how do you feel? Angel? Can you hear me?" he asked her frantically. When she nodded he engulfed her in a tight hug, pushing the air out of her lungs.
She coughed, patting him on the back. "Draco, let go." His arms retreated but lingered on her arms as he gazed at her worriedly. Harry marched up to him, covered in soot and looking a little singed. He pulled Draco into the air by his collar.
"You dropped her!" Harry snarled.
"It was an accident!" Draco snapped. "I went after her, which is more than you did."
Harry's jaw tightened, his free fist curling in the tale tale sign that he wanted to hit Draco. Evangeline rose to her feet, unsteadily as a wave of dizziness hit her, placing herself in Harry's way.
"Harry, Draco saved me. It wasn't his fault, the Fiendfyre threw a chair at me," she said. "It dazed me and I let go."
Harry glanced at her, his green eyes untrusting. Slowly he let go of Draco, grinding his jaw together.
"Don't think that I trust you," Harry hissed, "you're still a coward."
Draco sneered at Harry, but Evangeline pushed them apart. The castle shook as they stared each other down. Screams filled the air and flashes of light reflected off their faces.
"Enough. We still have a Horcrux to destroy, or are we going to spend all night fighting like a pair of little girls?" she asked. "By the time we're finished Voldemort will have stormed the castle." Harry and Draco stepped away from each other, still glaring. Ron handed the diadem to her. Evangeline stared blankly at him.
"Your turn, Ev. Everyone else has done it," he said, pressing a basilisk fang into her palm. She stared at the diadem, and then slowly put it on the ground and got to her knees. Glancing up at her friends, they nodded to her. Raising the basilisk fang in the air with both her hands, she stabbed the diadem with all her might.
A thick bloodlike substance, began leaking from it. Evangeline stared at it. The diadem vibrated violently and broke apart on the floor. Harry shut his eyes tightly, seemingly becoming ill as a faint scream echoed from the shattered diadem.
Her heart sank. Harry's connection to Voldemort-
"Ev?" Draco asked, putting a hand on her shoulder as she stared sadly at Harry.
She opened her mouth to tell him that she was fine, but stopped as a series of yells filled the corridor, and the sound of dueling. She stood, stepping over Goyle's fainted form and watched as Death Eater's came into view. They were battling Fred and his older brother, Percy. She dashed forward, followed by Harry, Ron and Hermione to help.
Flashes of light crisscrossed through the air, the man dueling Percy hood slipped revealing his face-
"Hello Minister!" bellowed Percy as he shot a jinx at Thicknesse which caused him to drop his wand. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"
"You're joking, Perce!" shouted Fred as the Death Eater he was dueling dropped to the ground from three separate Stunning Spells. The Minister was on the ground writhing as he turned into some weird form of sea urchin. Fred looked at Percy with glee.
"You actually are joking, Perce . . . I don't think I've heard you joke since you were-"
The air exploded. They were all grouped together, Evangeline's grip on Draco's hand was deathlike, as the air seemed to still and safety within reach. Then the world exploded and Evangeline felt her body flying through the air, her grip on Draco lost, as screams were all around her. She hit something hard, and more weight was added on top of her as everything went dark.
oOo
She was buried under heavy rubble from the Castle. She could hear screaming, and see the faint lights of curses, jinxes, and stunners flashing in the distance. It was the cold air that had woken her, telling her that the side of the castle had been blown apart.
A pain in her lower legs suggested that she was pinned, the hot pulsing of liquid down her face and body told her that she was bleeding, badly. Her vision was sketchy, perfect one moment, blurred the next.
Then a high cold voice filled the air and Evangeline had to force herself from screaming, it sounded like he was right next to her.
"You have fought, valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery," he said. Evangeline shuddered as a giant spider crossed her line of sight, its great body digging in the wreckage, most likely smelling her blood. "Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste."
The spider was getting closer. Evangeline searched for her wand, finding it just out of her reach. She reached for it as the spider clicked and came nearer, its pincher's opening and closing. She tried pulling her legs out from beneath the great block of rock they were pinned under, her vision blurring. The tips of her fingers ghosted her wand.
"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."
The spider hesitated, but decided that she was just to close and weak to be left. It reared on the stone pinning her legs, looking like it wanted to scream with triumph as it came closer to her. A whimper escaped her throat.
She was not going to die by spider! Especially after surviving Fiendfyre. It raised itself for the kill as the tips of her fingers pulled her wand closer.
"Reducto!" a voice yelled. The spider shuddered and then, exploded. Its slimy insides sprayed everywhere, especially on her. Evangeline spluttered as the green slime coated her body. Rocks were moved and then someone was at her side.
"Evangeline!"
"Jason?" she said bewildered. "How did you get here?" He gave her a cheeky grin.
"Joined the Order back when you enrolled here," said. "Hold still . . . Wingardium Leviosa!"
The rock pinning her legs lifted into the air, Jason grabbed her legs and moved them from out of beneath it before it settled back on the floor. He picked up the other rocks lying on her and sat her up, looking over her wounds.
"Jeez, Eva. Can you never stay out of trouble?"
"I think its stalking me," she replied as he helped her to stand. He laughed. Her legs were incredibly sore and bruised. Her jeans were ripped, and soaked in blood. Which was her own. "So is dad here? And Nathan?" she asked wincing as they walked down the wrecked corridor.
The bangs and screams were gone, leaving the air eerily silent. Jason seemed to hesitate before answering.
"Eva, dad was fighting with a Death Eater, more ganged up on him-"
"Jace, what are you saying?" she asked, limping along.
"Eva, dad didn't make it."
"What?"
Jason pulled her into a hug, pulling her head tightly against his chest. She wanted to cry, to scream at him. He had to be joking. He had to. She never really got along with her father, but he was always there. He couldn't be dead. She pulled away from him.
"You're lying, Jace."
The serious look on his face said it all. Her legs seemed to struggle under her weight, and she was gasping for air. It couldn't be! She wanted so much . . . to make amends with her father, get to know him better, have him be there when she got married-
But now he was gone? Dead? Her whole being shuddered as she realized the lost hopes and dreams could never be hers. Michael and her father-
NO.
NO.
NO.
Her heart felled like it was being ripped from her, hot angry tears flooded down her cheeks. Who else had died? Harry? Hermione? Ron? Oh, sweet Merlin, not Draco? Neville or Luna? Suddenly finding strength in herself she took off running.
"EV!" Jason called out as she blindly ran. She stumbled over fallen pillars, and broken rock, her salty tears mixing with the dirt, blood and sweat on her face. Why did it feel like her world was being torn apart? Why did she feel so cheated?
Her feet came to a halt, at the doors of the Great Hall. The heavy wooden doors, falling apart as weeping families gathered beyond in the hall, where the glass windows were shattered, and the dead lay. She didn't see her friends as she resolutely walked past them. She didn't see the Weasley family gathered around the body of their son, brother, and shining light in their life. She didn't see Remus and Tonks, cold battered bodies on the floor. She didn't see Draco standing with her elder brother, Nathan, watching over the broken body of her father, Nicodemus.
Falling to her knees she let out a whimper as she gathered the front of his robes in her hands, bringing her head down to rest on his chest as she sobbed. His flesh was cold, as her hand touched the skin of his cheek, his eyes shut eternally to the world. He looked so peaceful in death, like he was dreaming. A long gash ran along the other side of his face, his left arm bent in the most oddest of angles.
"No . ." she murmured through her body wracking sobs. "I never- why . . . you can't leave me!" She moaned.
"Eva-" Nathan said. She ignored him.
"I never meant anything . . . you were supposed to be there . . . don't leave . . ."
Her sobs rose into wails, as she gasped for breath. One of her brothers tried to pry her from their fathers robes. But she held on with all her might.
"No! You can't take him!" she all but screamed. Her grip became iron tight, as they became more forceful. "No! No! No! No!"
And then, gently her name was called. She looked up through tearful eyes to see Draco's gray ones staring back at her, as he crouched opposite from her. He stood and walked around to her, his strong but gentle hands, uncurling hers from her fathers robes. Her eyes never leaving his as he pulled her away and wrapped her in his arms.
But her father-
A sob escaped her throat once more and she beat her fists against his chest. Instead of stopping her, he pinned her to him in an embrace, folding her arms in between them as she cried pitifully. It was hopeless.
Her father was dead. One of her brothers was dead. She was surrounded by the dead. They were surrounded by Voldemort's followers, they were hopelessly outnumbered.
She sat in Draco's firm embrace, stilling her tears, and listening to his heartbeat. He was there. She would be alright. The pain in her body was growing as her adrenaline faded, but she didn't care. She didn't care that her right leg felt like it had been shattered. Draco placed a kiss on her head, as Jason and Nathan stood by watching. Their own faces full of grief and tears.
Evangeline realized that this wasn't her own grief to bear. They were feeling what she was feeling. They were her brothers. Shame washed through her.
"I'm sorry-"
"Hush, Angel," Draco said. "You don't need to say anything."
Pressing her lips together, she didn't finish. It wasn't important.
Her eyes landed on Neville, who stood not far from them, blood running down his face as a worried looking Luna tried to clean it up. Neville's eyes were soft as he watched her worry over him. And then his hand rose up to Luna's pale but dirtied cheek. The blond Ravenclaw paused at his touch, her worried eyes wide. Then Neville leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.
Evangeline averted her eyes at the tender moment. Feeling like she was invading their privacy. Slowly she pulled away from Draco, who had dried blood running down his face under his nose, which looked broken.
"What happened?" she asked alarmed. He looked at her seriously, his eyes darting to each of her injuries, and then finally brushing her tangled dark hair away from her face.
"After the wall exploded, and Fred's death-" Evangeline gasped in horror, "-I tried looking for you, but couldn't find you. Potter and his gang started to get upset that they couldn't find you, got angry and then the spiders came, Weasley screamed like a little girl and they went running."
"But when I woke up- I could see clearly, I wasn't buried all the way," she said with a frown. Draco looked at her sheepishly and and bit ashamed.
"I did find you, and began to dig you out. But then a Death Eater showed up and started to attack me," he explained with a scowl. "I fought with him, and the bloody bastard managed to get me all the way down the hall and a flight or two when I realized it. . . my wand flew out of my hand and I tried to-" Draco cleared his throat with a cough, hiding his discomfort, " 'tell' the Death Eater that I was on his side when out of nowhere he went down, and I was punched in the face." His face darkened. "It was Weasley. When I come to, your brother, Nathan is shaking me, asking where you are-"
"You left me?" she said with a deathly glare. He avoided looking at her.
"I didn't have much choice!"
"I woke up, and a spider tried to eat me!"
His mouth hung open, his face, if it was any more possible, paled.
"I didn't mean to- I am so sorry, if I'd known I would have-"
She began to smile and his stopped, his pale brows knitting together. Then he scowled at her in annoyance.
"It's not funny, Angel. You look half dead on your feet, now is not the time to be making a mockery of me."
She pressed her dry lips to his, and pulled back with a chastened look.
"I know, I'm sorry, but you looked so . . . humorous." Then she looked back at her father with a sad face, her chest tugging with emotion. Pulling away from Draco, she scrawled to his side and pulled the blanket up over his face. "I can't look at him, not now."
Nathan nodded, as Jason whipped his face with a tattered sleeve.
"When did you bury, Micheal?" she asked softly.
"We didn't," Nathan replied with a gruff voice, trying not to cry. "Voldemort fed him to his snake."
"How do you know?" she asked, feeling ill. Nathan nodded his head at Draco.
"He told us."
Evangeline sat staring at her brothers. Then rising up, through the pain in her leg, she limped over to them and wrapped her arms around Nathan's torso. He hugged her back tightly, lifting her into the air, and holding her like she might disappear again.
"I'm sorry, Nat," she whispered into his robes. "I never meant for it to happen like this." She meant it too. She never meant for their mother to die, or their father to throw himself into his work. She never meant to be difficult when it came to listening to them, even though they were trying to help. She never meant for any of it.
"Don't talk like that, Eva. It's not your fault, it never was," he scolded her. "Try not to run away again, though. Even if that stupid idiot of a brother is helping you."
"Hey!" Jason said gruffly, looking miffed.
Evangeline pulled away and took Draco's arm as he supported her. Somewhat timidly Hermione approached them, her wide chocolate brown eyes, full of tears, kept flickering to Draco and then her. Ron stood not far behind her.
"Ev, I'm sorry-"
"You don't need to apologize-"
"Harry's gone to Voldemort."
Draco stiffened next to her. Evangeline nodded mutely.
"I knew he would," she said softly. Hermione gave her a puzzled, grief riddled look. "I knew Harry was a Horcrux, and I think, he's known that for a long time."
She glanced at Draco. He looked shocked, and sad, even if Harry was his enemy. But now, all they could do was wait.
So . . . I would've updated sooner, but the day I was going to write this chapter, the computer decided to rebel (die) and I was stuck with pen and paper (my hand hurts). So, after thinking about what I was going to write (which I was super excited about) I've basically finished this story. Although I have yet to finish typing it up (i.e. I'm really lazy), plus I don't want it to end! I've started to watch all the movies and somehow, Evangeline is in them. The last movie, I pictured Evangeline standing there with Draco and their son (that's how bad it is). But I love it.
Okay, so I know Draco has gone off the book and movie version, but I couldn't stop myself. He's turned into such a good person that I didn't want Evangeline to be with a total wimp for nothing (he still is a coward), because she is just too amazing of a person. She deserves someone that, how to I put it? "He's no fun at all, and she is, they complete each other" yeah, I paraphrased. So in the end, Draco isn't going to be quite like the movie or book version of himself, I'm sorry. I just can't write him out as a total and complete blithering wussie.
And of course, Neville and Luna, so epically cute! I know it wasn't much, but I would feel weird having Ev 'peeping tom'ing on their love life. They're too pure.
And to my reviewers:
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: :) I am indeed improving the suspense with cliffhangers, it almost makes me feel . . . evil!
The Mysterious E: Thank you! It was one of my harder chapters to write, it took so flipping long to write it.
TheElegantFaerie: What did you think? I know it wasn't much but, I knew once you'd suggested it, that I NEEDED to put some Neville and Luna in here. :)
WulfLuvr22: Don't worry, I got this. I will try to update, a lot more.
Just one randomgirl: yay! Awesome! Thank you so much!
SilverHeart . Death'sEyes . IceSpy: I know. I didn't realize it until now, but I wish that Ev was really a real character in the Harry Potter series. She's just so real now.
Trying to Put Pen to Paper: DON'T DIE! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO DIE! YOU STILL HAVE TO FINISH THE STORY . . . and then you may die. Just kidding.
indigofrisbee: I'm glad your back(HUGE-MONGUS HUG), and by the way, I love your story.
Okay, no more dying people. I don't think the hospitals can take it (although they secretly love it). Enjoy your summers (even if its really, really, really, hot) and eat lots of ice cream . . . actually, no ice cream. It's bad for the legs, Lincoln knew it, that's why they got to him (can anyone guess what movie that line is from?).
~Ciao