A/N: Yes, these chapters are shorter than normal. This is simply the way they're working out with me still stopping them in logical places.
XxXxX - separations between parts of the story or points of view
blahblahblahblah - thoughts/Flashback
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Bellatrix's actions were terrifyingly swift; she had all three Gryffindors floating in front of her before even being in sight of the parlor.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron entered the room first, bouncing together, the helpless puppets of Bellatrix's mobilicorpus. Narcissa gasped audibly, swooning and barely catching herself by leaning heavily onto the arms of her chair. Lucius' eyes bulged so comically he actually looked like a cartoon in danger of his eyes popping right out of their sockets like pierced balloons.
"No!" Draco shouted, moving more quickly than it seemed possible he could have even registered the scene in front of him. The blond would have rushed forward, his wand was already raised, but his father physically held him back. It looked as if Lucius Malfoy was more than content to allow his sister-in-law handle his unwanted guests, probably believing this would rid him of a whole host of the problems plaguing his person. He didn't get the chance to egg her on however. Before the taller man could move to act, despite his son's heart-wrenching screams, his wife beat him to it.
"Petrificus totalus." Narcissa's spell hit her sister full in the chest, Bellatrix's face frozen in a look of pure, unadulterated, shock. Silently, Narcissa flicked her wand and moved Bellatrix down the hall, and into the kitchen. Moving her shaking wand hand to point at Harry, Hermione, and Ron, Narcissa fiercely and pointedly set them loose. "Finite incantatem!"
Lucius shoved his son aside and flew at his wife. "Have you lost your mind woman?! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" He roared.
"He is our son, Lucius. Our son." Tear filled eyes met Lucius' dancing ones. "When did our unquestioning obedience to the Dark Lord supercede the duty we have to Draco? The love of a parent should come above everything else, above our own lives. If saving our one and only son, our son and his…" she tripped over the word. "…his family means going against all that I've known then it is done. Parents are not meant to bury their children. Never." Lucius just laid unseeing eyes upon her, unbelieving, not registering what she was saying. "Lucius," she continued. "I will not do anything to hurt our son so grievously. And I will die before I let you or do anything that ensures his own death. If protecting the Golden Boy keeps my son in my arms for even a second longer then so be it, I will protect him. If doing everything that is in my power to maintain my child's happiness means I have to betray all that I've ever known and even the Dark Lord himself, at the cost of my own life, then I am dead as I stand before you. For I can not betray my child, Lucius. I will not."
Everyone was silent. No one seemed to so much as breathe while Lucius absorbed his wife's words. Slowly, as if through quicksand, the man raised a trembling hand to cover his face. The gravity of the situation hit the whole room with that gesture. If Lucius turned over Harry, Hermione, and Ron then Draco would follow. Lucius would be the death of them all if that was the route he chose. Or, if the father understood Narcissa's reasoning then they might actually get out of this alive. Even if they did manage to get back to Hogwarts though, Lucius' and Narcissa's lives would be forfeit. Bellatrix was too strong a witch to be spelled into silence forever, nor could any holes in her memory or orders to maintain silence keep the secret of the Malfoy's involvement from her Master's own probing mind. Lucius suddenly rose his head sharply, the picturesque Malfoy confidence and yes, arrogance, etched in every line of his face.
"If this is to be the way of things, then we shall just have to do it properly. I will use every remaining breath in my body to make my son," and his eyes fell on the ruffled form of Harry on the floor. "-and his family, safe."
A bigger smile than any of the trio members had ever seen on Lucius' normally grave visage broke out over his face as Narcissa hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek.
"Father-," Draco began, but Lucius cut him off.
"There isn't time. We must move without delay if you four are to get back to Hogwarts unscathed. Bellatrix's arrival is almost certainly preceding an arrival by more Death Eaters for a meeting sooner rather than later, she only comes to this place under her master's orders." With that, Lucius strode purposefully across the room until he was in front of the trio members. Draco tensed but his concern was unwarranted. Without any further to-do, Lucius hauled both Harry and Hermione up by the crooks of their arms, exhibiting a surprising amount of strength for a man as willowy as himself.
"Draco," the older blonde turned to lock eyes with his heir.
"Father."
"Quickly. Get them upstairs to your room; use the floo in your room to escape. Get them through first so that you can cast a chilling spell directly following your own departure. If the fireplace is still warm then your whereabouts will be painfully obvious to searching parties. Quickly now, go!"
Narcissa began ushering Hermione, Ron and Harry up the stairs but Draco stopped. The colour drained from his face as he looked at his parents.
"Come with us!" he said vehemently.
"We can't, darling." Narcissa responded. "We have to stay here to do our best to make sure you aren't followed. Bellatrix will be free momentarily it is unlikely that your father and I will be able to overpower her in time to stop her apparating. The others will be here in a matter of minutes to chase you down."
"But, you'll be killed." Draco's voice hitched on sobs as he clutched at his mother's hand, halfway up the stairs but unable to look anywhere but at the parlor below.
"And if we are, it will be with the knowledge that our son is alive because of it." Lucius looked serenely at his son. "Go, Draco," the man repeated. "You have your own family to care for now. One day you'll understand."
At the mention of Harry, Draco seemed to unfreeze. He nodded, tears now streaming down his face. The last thing he heard before his parents disappeared from his view as he stumblingly climbed the staircase was his mother's whispered "I love you."