Chapter Thirty-Seven
Everything We Wait For
"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant" Robert Louis Stevenson
"Hurry up," hissed Ron but there was no malice in his voice as he spoke. Instead, it sounded like fear and awe. "We've only got an hour until all the shit starts up again and we need to get this done".
We were standing in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, an extremely unlikely trio, on our way to the Chamber of Secrets to rid ourselves of a horcrux. I had no idea if it was the last one or just how many Harry and Ron had managed to destroy over the past year but Ron seemed eager to complete this so I assumed they must, at the very least, be close to the finish line.
"I'm thinking," said Draco, frowning and staring closely at the scratch mark on the silver tap. "I haven't had much practise recently".
"Did you have to speak it much at Malfoy Manor?" I whispered, unsure why I was whispering in the first place but it felt fitting for the situation.
"The Dark Lord never knew I spoke parseltongue, we didn't exactly chat, my au...Bellatrix taught me until it became more than something I had a vague inclination for but rather a second language", he cocked his head this way and that, staring at the marking on the tap and unconsciously rubbing his left arm which had been bothering him for hours now. Voldemort constantly summoning followers had taken its toll on Malfoy and the longer he ignored the call, the more pronounced his burning mark became. On our journey here, he had smashed several window panes out of sheer frustration and agony. "She told me to keep it a secret so that I could gather information for her and I could understand what Voldemort was saying at all times, it became a way of keeping myself alive and was even more useful when you were in my care".
I blushed slightly and pointedly avoided Ron's glare, which was trained on me at Draco's words, by moving my head so my hair fell in front of my face shielding it from his penetrating eyes.
Draco began to hiss, slowly at first and then louder and more confidently and sure enough the chamber began to open slowly; we took an involuntary step backwards.
"You've been down here before?" He said to me with awe in his voice as the chamber creaked to life behind us.
I shook my head "I was petrified and in hospital when Harry came down here to get Ginny".
I could see he was curious to see what lay under the school, "I know I shouldn't say this but I can't wait to see it".
"Come on then", said Ron gruffly striding forward and leading the way when the Chamber had ceased to move. Draco made me walk in front of him and I could hear his breath getting shallow with excitement. I understood to a certain extent why he was excited, he had spent years growing up in a house where Voldemort and all of his "achievements" had been revered. The Chamber of Secrets belonged in the bedtime stories Malfoy would have heard as a young child and now here it was coming to life before his eyes.
We walked in relative silence, with Draco grabbing my hand occasionally to help me down the slippery slopes in certain sections.
"It stinks", said Ron and his voice echoed back through the tunnel we were walking through, reverberating and bouncing off the walls until we were surrounded by it.
"There's a dead basilisk down here and has been down here for several years, I suppose that would make it stink", I said matter-of-factly.
"Good point", said Ron and I smiled slightly in secret at the camaraderie that had developed even briefly now that we were facing something so unknown.
"It's so quiet", whispered Draco. "You wouldn't even know anyone was upstairs". I took a moment to let Draco's words sink in and I tried to strain my ear for any sign of life but none came; all I could hear was our own footsteps. I figured that even in the midst of battle all sound would die down here.
"We better not forget it though", said Ron and his tone was normal, friendly even and I turned to Draco with my eyebrows raised to which he grinned in return.
I was tired, bone weary by now. We'd hardly slept, we'd been fighting for what felt like hours, the sky had remained dark so it was almost impossible to know what time of day it was and we had sixty minutes before everything started again. I constantly had to search deep inside myself and find the will to keep going but my resolve and strength was ebbing away little by little, like the waves on the sand.
"We're here", said Ron as he stepped into a large room that seemed to stretch for miles.
"Oh", I said in surprise as I noticed the giant basilisk skin lying along the floor all the way up to the head of the chamber.
"That's disgusting", said Draco, walking over to it wrinkling his nose but his eyes were sparkling as if he had finally realised a childhood dream.
"We need a fang", said Ron moving forward towards the top of the chamber to retrieve one. I followed him with my wand out, frightened and used to being on guard at all times.
"There", I whispered pointing but too overwhelmed to go any further.
"I'll get it", said Ron moving forwards with an outstretched hand.
"Stop", came Draco's voice from behind us. "You can't just pick it up with your bare hand, don't you guys know anything", he admonished us both and stared at me, "I expected better from you".
"I've never taken a fang out of a basilisk head before, what a stupid thing to even suggest", I whispered irritated and forgetting for a moment where I was.
"Maybe you'll get detention", said Ron sniggering slightly and I couldn't help but join in. A withering glare from Draco told us both to get a grip.
Draco tutted, shaking his head, before moving forwards and trying to determine how to remove the fang carefully without any of the venom touching his skin.
"Is this all of them?" I whispered to Ron as we both stared, captivated at Draco.
"This is the last one, apart from Nagini", said Ron all previous rules about not telling me anything forgotten.
"The snake is a horcrux? All that time in Malfoy Manor...I never even thought..." I trailed off.
"We had a cup from Helga Hufflepuff, actually could have used some of your useless trivia from Hogwarts: A History at least you would have appreciated the fact that most of the horcruxes had a story and history behind them. Anyway, we destroyed the cup earlier today with fiendfyre, never knew that could destroy horcruxes".
I nodded beside him watching as Draco transfigured a piece of basilisk skin into a glove which moulded around his hand perfectly and allowed him to dislodge the fang. I couldn't believe how often I consciously forgot what a talented wizard Draco was, and extremely powerful to boot. His skills at Occlumency and parseltongue alone had kept me and himself alive all of this time.
"Okay, where is the diadem?" said Draco holding the fang delicately. "And which of you is going to do this?"
"Do you want to do it Malfoy?" said Ron addressing Draco with the most sincere expression I'd seen grace his face in a very long time.
"What?" Draco whispered, eyeing Ron suspiciously as if waiting for the catch.
"I've destroyed two horcruxes now and I've lost a lot of people in this war but I know you've lost a way of life, an entire family and everything you had previously lived for. Maybe it's battle or maybe it's concussion but I'm starting to realise what you've give up and what you've decided to fight for".
Draco's face betrayed no emotion but I watched as he blinked several times, the only signal that he was out of his comfort zone and completely blindsided. He nodded eventually and seemed to open his mouth as if to speak before snapping it shut again. He took the diadem carefully from Ron without attempting to speak again.
"We're going to stand back and the only advice I'll give you is once you stab it something will come out and you will have to stab it again, they don't die easy and whatever you see remember it's a lie, don't fall into its trap", said Ron pulling me back with him to stand against the wall.
Draco took a deep breath and without another moment's hesitation he plunged the fang into the large jewel on the front of the diadem. Immediately, we were all knocked off our feet and blown backwards my head smacking off the wall behind me as I was slammed against it. Lucius Malfoy's image and voice filled the room.
"What a disappointment", he boomed, his features swirling around like a hurricane leaving Malfoy standing in the middle.
"Draco it isn't real", I tried to scream but my voice kept getting lost in the wind and I was still seeing stars from having hit my head so hard.
I thought I saw Draco almost smirk, as if this was such a poor attempt at frightening him, he raised his hand and went to plunge the fang in a second time but Lucius was not finished.
"You killed her Draco, you killed your own mother. The only woman who ever loved you purely and she is dead because of you. She is not the only woman you killed, your own precious mudblood is dead too and all at your hand".
Draco's hand stilled and the colour drained from his face.
"How could you ever think you were good enough for her? How could you ever think that you would keep her safe? You led her to her death Draco just as you let your own mother die protecting you, selfish, pathetic boy that you are", Lucius' voice was powerful and it reminded me of the howler so many months ago.
"No", screamed Draco covering his ears, his agony tortured my soul, I had never seen him so bereft. "You're lying".
"Granger's dead, her body is cold, all life has left her and it's all your fault".
"Draco", I tried again to scream and to move forward but Ron pulled me back, roaring at me to be heard, "You have to let him do it, he has to realise himself".
"She died and you did nothing, you brought her to this moment", screamed Lucius bearing down on Draco now who was steadily getting back to his feet, the tortured expression turning to one of fury.
"Stop!" Draco screamed suddenly raising his hand and plunging the fang in a second time. Lucius screeched and the noise shattered the diadem completely.
The silence was deafening after all of that and I remained on the floor beside Ron for several seconds before he quite literally pulled me to my feet.
I walked shakily over to Draco who was lying on his back breathing heavily.
"Come here", he said raising his hand as I walked over.
I put my hand in his and he pulled me onto the floor and wrapped his arms around me, "That was a little bit hellish", he said into my hair before releasing me again and getting to his feet.
"Thank you for that", said Draco finally, looking at Ron.
"Did you really kill him?" said Ron and I was surprised by the question and opened my mouth to speak but Malfoy got there before me.
"Yes", he said simply shrugging his shoulders.
"I'll never understand you or probably ever like you very much but killing your own father to stand up for what is right is commendable and something no son should ever have to experience and I'll always respect that", said Ron.
"Now what", I said sighing.
"We re-join Harry and find out what we do next", said Ron turning to go with one last look at Draco before leading the way out of the chamber.
Draco grabbed my arm before I could walk away from him, "Don't die okay, I've got plans for us".
"I could say the same thing to you", I said kissing his cheek. "You didn't kill your mother and you didn't lead me here, I came of my own free will and I'm right where I need to be. Now, let's go". I followed Ron out of chamber but not before I notice the look of gratitude on Draco's face at my words. I knew then that he would always need reassurance that I loved him and that I had come willingly into this mess, he hadn't dragged me. In time, wounds would heal but neither of us would ever forget and so doubt would haunt Draco forever.
We walked in silence; frightened almost at what we would find when we emerged. Bodies would be piling up as they were collected and gathered in the great hall and I dreaded to think who we had already lost.
I climbed out of the chamber and as Draco appeared behind me the chamber closed itself and we watched it behind sombre expressions.
"One more?" I turned to Ron who smiled slightly at me.
"One more, let's find Harry", he replied walking quickly out of the bathroom.
We walked through the school and came to a halt at what was left of the doors of the great hall, I tried to take in the carnage before me but it was hard. I felt like my mind was on lockdown in order to protect itself and I couldn't register all of the bodies in my head.
I saw Lupin, Tonks, Padma Patil with her sister Parvati crying over her, Fred, Terry Boot, Colin Creavey, the list was endless. I saw Harry sitting a little way apart from the Weasley's who were all gathered around Fred's body, he looked up at our arrival.
"Any of your lot here?" I asked Draco never taking my eyes from Harry's face.
"I'd imagine their bodies will have been left outside, I might go and have a look", said Draco squeezing my arm. "Go over to Harry and find out what we're going to do next, I don't need you to come with me".
"Are you saying goodbye?"
"In a way, but not to them, just to a life that has died", he said smiling slightly and moving away.
I went over to where Ron and Harry were sitting on the wooden benches in the Great Hall.
"What happens now?"
"He's going to give himself up", said Ron and I could hear the anger in his voice.
"You are?" I whispered in shock and stared at Harry as if seeing him for the first time. He seemed calm and resigned, ready to go and I noticed he was twirling a snitch inside his hands.
"I have to", he said sighing.
"No you don't", said Ron rounding on him, terrified of losing someone else. My heart swelled slightly for Ron in that moment, finally realising what was important.
"I think he does", I said sighing heavily and continuing before Ron could open his mouth. "I think he does have to do this. This is so much bigger than all of us and really it all comes down to Harry, he's doing this to save all of us and I don't see any other way. Can't you see his mind is made up?"
"Doesn't mean I have to be okay with it", Ron grumbled, conceding after several seconds.
We waited while Harry said goodbye to Ginny and then we walked him out of the great hall and into the courtyard. People watched us walking together and knew where Harry was going, they stared and some even yelled words of encouragement and I could see the relief as they came to the conclusion that this was nearly over.
We walked past Draco who was kneeling next to a few bodies over to the side of the courtyard and when we reached the bridge, we watched as Harry walked away from us turning the snitch over and over in his hands.
"Harry, wait", I said running over to him. He turned back to me sadly and I threw my arms around his neck, whispering in his ear. "Know that you are not really alone in this. None of us are ever really alone".
I kissed his cheek and then held his face in my hands for one final time before letting him go and turning back towards Ron.
"You think he can do it?" Ron whispered when I came back to his side, not noticing that Draco was watching us intently.
"I know that he can", I whispered back, allowing Ron to take my hand and squeeze it lightly before dropping it again.
"What happens now?" said Ron.
"Now?" I said turning back and seeing Draco watching us. "Now, we wait".
"The worst is over", said Ron sighing defeatedly as I walked away from him and towards Draco whispering to myself as I went.
"No, the worst is yet to come".