Author's Note
I cannot emphasize how sorry I am that these updates are months apart. I just finished exams and school for the summer so I will make sure I dedicate more of my time to finishing this story. Again I have NOT given up and I greatly appreciate the supporful, loyal readers who've stuck by me through Beauty and the Beast.
Previously on Hideaway
"Why would she specifically put the word kidnapped in parentheses?"
"Like what? The kidnapped women are not actually kidnapped?"
"You!" Hermione breathed feel sick to her stomach as the women smiled and circled her like a prey before predator. "You're the one behind all this?"
"My daughter." the women corrected as if she were a school teacher
"Ara Malfoy is apart of Lestrange's plan not mine." the women began.
The small box he had discovered underneath the tub during the first disappearance released some type of gas. Perhaps a memory or sleeping gas.
"Adelia George was just found! One of the goblins also just reported Rogana Havelore missing."
"Lestrange, prepare the rest of your ingredients and have your affairs in order, Ara Malfoy's execution will be held in two days."
In the last 24 hours Harry had not had a wink of sleep. He had re-interrogated all the kidnapped women and confirmed his theory that they all became extremely panicked and defensive when his legilimency strayed from strictly their activities during their missing time periods. He had decided as the Head of the Auror Department that they would hold off on the surprise raid of the Durmstrang till he was able to obtain all the necessary information.
Quickly but also thoroughly he intended to recover Draco, Hermione and Ara from their imprisonment before it was too late.
Within the last 24 hours of constant work, Rogana Havelore had been found and interrogated. The Gringotts worker claimed to be severely ill and her memory confirmed this. However Harry anticipated this recurrent pattern. If Harry understood Hermione's letter correctly the 'kidnapped' women from the auror office, the department of transportation, Hogwarts, St. Mungos and Gringotts were not to be trusted.
Harry's caution extended to placing aurors in each department as discreetly as possible. With Rogana Havelore's re-appearance, came Lory Waters from Azkaban's disappearance. Harry was prepared for this and had Blaise ready to tail her and report back if he discovered anything of importance.
As he prepared the auror department for the surprise raid on Durmstrang, he surveyed his team closely. Harry felt comfortable and confident with his team but there was this nagging gut feeling that something was terribly wrong. It was particularly because of the moles everywhere. He noticed every single odd behaviour in the office and grew suspicious of it. Only a small group of aurors knew as much as he did and he was wary to open this circle.
Harry's secretary handed him the transportation logs that contained all communications in and out of the ministry. He scanned them over carefully, his brow creasing when he reached one particular office in the auror department. This office had the most floo use with Durmstrang. And to his surprise the office didn't belong to London McCusker who was the woman who had disappeared from this department. Instead it belonged to Terry Boot. Hermione's highly recommended team member and his trusted friend?
Harry raised his head and quickly spotted Terry in deep conversation with a group of newer aurors. Harry watched as Terry lead them to the lift for their orientation into the department. He felt a familiar feeling he often had back in his old Hogwarts scheming days as he took Terry's timely absence to scope his office.
He calmly entered Terry's office and locked the door before investigating. There was nothing unusual about Terry's office. Papers were strewn everywhere, empty coffee mugs dumped here and there and folders piled in stacks in corners of the room. Harry sat down in Terry's chair and scanned the room from what would likely be Terry's perspective. Both pairs of drawers on either side of him contained nothing out of the ordinary. But there was a fifth drawer his shin crashed into when he attempted to stretch out his legs. He knelt down to inspect the drawer further and wasn't surprised to find it locked. Terry wasn't very creative with his locks as it opened easily to an alohomora spell.
A fifth locked drawer was not suspicious to Harry. He himself had locked drawers in his office. It was the contents of the fifth drawer that left him astounded. At least a dozen of the cube boxes that were found at the crime scene when Valentina Simmons first disappeared were stashed away. Hermione's team had concluded that the box must have released a type of gas to render the victim unconscious or have memory loss. Only one had been found at the scene. How could Terry have found 11 more? Underneath the boxes was a black cloak and a file.
Harry opened the case file and saw that it was a missing person report for Parilla Bentoe who was a Daily Prophet writer. The day she disappeared looked very familiar to Harry. He placed the file on the desk next to Terry's desk calendar and flipped back to the day she disappeared. The day she went missing was the day of the acromantula attack at Hogwarts.
That day, the most pressing and concerning question that remained unsolved was; how did someone sneak this massive herd of acromantula into the school undetected? Now Harry flipped urgently through Parilla's file and the time she was last seen was hours before the attack.
What were the chances that somebody had placed an Imperius curse on her to lower the wards at Hogwarts. Only a powerful wizard could maintain an Imperius curse and channel their magic through her to lower the wards.
Harry felt dread fill him as realization dawned on him. Why did Terry Boot have possession of this case file, 11 more boxes that released an unknown gas and a cloak. A cloak, he was sure could be identified by Percy Weasley as he was the one who witnessed a cloaked man taking Thalia Gordon from her room.
It all seemed to come together now. It was Terry who was with him when they were reviewing the security footage at Azkaban Control Centre. He had been the one who reviewed it and must have deleted evidence of Lory Waters releasing the dementors.
He promptly exited Terry's office, the cloak hidden within his own just as a harried wizard summoned him over to his cubicle.
"Potter, Zabini has reported back urgently." the wizard said excitedly. Harry hurried over to join him in his smelly little cubicle.
"Potter, it's Blaise. I managed to follow Lory Waters and she lead me straight the Durmstrang. I think we should proceed with the raid before sun sets. I've spotted Draco and Hermione and they're dressed in red. In pureblood history that's the color associated with execution." Blaise said in hushed, panicked tones. "I'm going to stake out around Durmstrang but if there's any indication of the execution taking place, I'm going in."
And just like that Blaise dispatched. "Zabini no! Do NOT go in alone!" But he was long gone and Harry felt a cold bucket of fear he hadn't felt in a very long time.
"Wilkins I need Percy Weasley to my office now. Send for Terry Boot to wait for me in his office and assemble the aurors who will be joining for the raid. We leave in an hour."
Red. The color of blood, murder, guilt, sin and death. Or at least that's what most people think. But in the dark, vicious and morbid pureblood history, red was associated with execution. All punishable by death were adorned in red. The bloodiest red that could be found. Father always said it made the prisoners anticipate it more deeply and profoundly. All his ancestors had likely forced muggles, muggle borns and other shameful abominations in wizarding history into the shameful red at some point in time.
And now, irony could not be more present, he was dressed in blood red slacks and a crisp red suit. Hermione had been given a long, red off the shoulder dress that fit tightly with a slit for her legs as it extended to the ground. Growing up in a dark pureblood house, he completely understood the methods in which captors toyed with their prisoners minds to make the impending doom more painful. It was their mindset and in their nature. Understanding why they were being tortured the way they were was another kind of excruciating mindplay. In addition to the blood red attire, was the sentimentality. The feeling of last moments. This feeling was perhaps one of the most agonizing forms of torture. It was this in mind that he watched as Hermione cradled a peacefully sleeping Ara. She too was dressed in a blood red dress with ruffles and flowers that made her look like a little cupcake.
"The red makes both your skin look even paler." Hermione murmured stroking Ara's hair softly. She tore her eyes from their daughter as she raised her stunning brown eyes to search for his. "Do you want to hold her?"
"No." Draco said leaning his head against the stone cold wall.
"Draco, this is one of the last moments we're going to get with Ara. We should make the most of it. We haven't seen her in weeks and we're probably going to be dead by the end of the night, these are our last moments - "
"Don't you think I know that?" he bursted. "Don't you think I know that this is it? That this is the final countdown? Look around you Mya, our final 'moments' are in a cold prison cell where we've been assaulted, raped, tortured and beaten. Excuse me if it doesn't seem like much reason for celebration." he snapped.
Hermione was silent for a while as she soothed the fretting Ara. "They're not ideal conditions Draco. But what part of this is? I don't know if it's fear that's got you like this or stress but I can promise you I'm feeling all of that too." she snapped back. Draco pried his eyes open and felt a twinge of guilt as he saw Hermione's pale, hollow face.
"Do you know why Valentina pranced in here and handed us our red attire and made us look all fresh and dapper? Well it's not because of her big fat generous heart, let me tell you that. It's because in pureblood history, red is associated with execution. And why do you think that vile woman came in here and handed us back our baby? She's toying with us, she wants us to know that this is the last moment we'll have with Ara and that feeling, that indescribable feeling of helplessness is what she's striving for. I will not allow myself feel those things by holding Ara because that would be handing her the satisfaction of knowing she won." Draco heaved standing to meet Hermione's softened gaze.
"She will not win Draco. We have a card up our sleeve that repeats history in a way she won't see coming. Our plan will work Draco it has to. I have to believe it will." Hermione said softly, pressing Ara closer. Draco resigned himself as he took deep breaths to regain his composure.
He then walked over to Hermione and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He peered down at Ara who was oblivious to all the destruction and danger around her. "You know I'm not letting you do it alone right?"
Hermione leant her head back and tucked into the crook of his neck. "I bet your stubborn ass you wouldn't."
"This is very sweet, truly I'm touched. Now turn for a last day picture!" a chirpy voice quipped from behind. Draco felt his insides churn with hate as they turned to see Valentina happily waving a camera around. Lestrange, Krum and every other 'kidnapped' women were standing behind her watching eerily.
Draco scowled at the camera giving them a very rude gesture making Hermione hiss at him in warning.
"Smile, or I kill you on the spot now." Valentina said threateningly as she took the picture of the reluctantly smiling family. "Time to break up this happy family."
In an instant Draco was torn from Hermione and Ara as Krum and the healer Adelia George gripped his arms tightly on either side. Ara was wrenched from Hermione by Lestrange making him flashback painfully to their capture in the elevator. Another form of torture.
"The day has come." Lestrange said in a raspy voice that was almost emotional and bittersweet and made Draco want to blanch even more.
They were lead out of the cells for what was surely the last time in their life and dragged upstairs to the tower where Hermione had described Ara was kept. Draco took in the corridors of Durmstrang and simply couldn't imagine being a student here. They moved like perfectly trained robot, soldier hybrids who had lifeless souls. He was fortunate his mother had insisted he go to Hogwarts, for there he grew to have a soul worth saving.
When they reached the tower, the candles were the only thing that illuminated the room. Draco and Hermione were both bound tightly to chairs that were facing each other with an altar in between them. Ara was handed to Krum who looked as though it were a dreaded chore to hold the child. Ara chose just then to spit up all over Krum's neatly pressed shirt.
"That's my girl!" Draco said proudly watching with delight as Krum stormed off in anger to clean up. It was then that he felt the emotions he was trying in vain to hold back come crashing down. Would Ara be a quidditch star at Hogwarts and play seeker like him? Or would she be just as brilliant and resilient as her mother? Would she be Gryffindor or Slytherin or God forbid Hufflepuff? Would she become a prefect then head girl like her parents? And who would take care of her when they were gone? Who would walk her down the aisle? Would she know the real reason she was an orphan?
"Bring in the other vermin." Lestrange said in the same raspy, almost emotional voice.
Draco was shocked to see Molly Weasley dragged inside by London McCusker the auror who was supposed to be there as backup that night and Thalia Gordon from the transportation department.
"Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione cried, her eyes filling with tears as Mrs. Weasley was forced to kneel on the first step directly below the altar. Mrs. Weasley was dressed in a simple red dress with belle sleeves. Red.
"She's been silenced." Lestrange intercut. "Now...I understand your all very confused by this. But this is something I've put a lot of effort and passion into." Draco felt disgusted as Lestrange rambled on like it was his most passionate hobby.
"Tonight I shall perform a ritual to resurrect my Bella." Lestrange sighed closing his eyes as if reminiscing.
"Bellatrix?" Hermione shrieked. "You can't bring anyone back from the dead. No magic, no amount of power can bring back the dead."
Draco felt the slightest urge to chuckle at Hermione's sudden textbook personality switch. But he knew she was right. Lestrange was crazy to think he could perform any loony ritual to resurrect Bellatrix.
"She's better off in death than she ever was when she was living." Draco said staring at his crazed uncle. He moved to strike him but Hermione anxiously intercepted.
"So this is the big plan you were rambling about? Ara's apart of your plan, this plan, and is some sacrifice in your ritual?" Hermione said scrunching her nose.
"It's not that confusing you stupid mudblood bitch." Lestrange sneered.
"Whatever loony source you got this ritual from is lying. There is no force strong enough to bring her back." Hermione said straining forward in her chair as if this could make Lestrange understand.
"Oh you think so? Well what if I told you that the source I retrieved the ritual from was from one of poor old dead Dumbledore's personal library?" Lestrange said a manic grin spreading across his face.
"I'd tell you that you're dumber than you look." Draco scoffed regarding his uncle with even more hatred.
"What? You don't think Dumbledore is capable of experiencing grief? Grief and guilt for his dead squib sister so overwhelming and consuming that he would search for any spell to reverse it?" Lestrange questioned clasping his hands behind his back.
"He was smarter than that." Hermione protested. But there was a hint of doubt in her voice as she eyed the ancient looking book Lestrange clutched in his hands.
"Nobody is smart when they're so guilt and grief ridden all they want to do is die. Not even you, despite how intelligent people perceive you to be." Lestrange said plainly.
"I am finished with this childish discussion. I don't give two mandrakes if the pair of you question the liability of this ritual. I suppose seeing Bella in the flesh will be evidence enough for you. The rest of you link hands and surround the altar." Lestrange barked. The 'kidnapped' moved and formed the circle around the altar, leaving Hermione and Draco out as they began chanting softly.
"This is rubbish. Utter complete rubbish. Your wasting your time." Draco said shaking his head in resentment. "She's dead and she should stay dead."
Lestrange ignored him and pulled a box of ashes from his coat and held it tenderly in his hands as if he were presenting a kind with a sacred, desired gift.
"First a fire must be lit at the centre from the wood that my nephew so kindly fetched for me during our little encounter." with a flick of his wrist the fire was burning brightly in the middle. "Then we present the ashes of the witch or wizard to be resurrected." Lestrange said as if reciting from a cookbook.
As the women continued chanting, Lestrange sprinkled what Draco presumed to be his dear auntie Bella's ashes in a circle on the altar. He then withdrew his wand like a sword from its sheath.
"Now we need assistance from a strong force on the other side to push her to us as we pull. There is no more powerful force than Lord Voldemort." Lestrange breathed as he drew out a second box with what he thought was Voldemort's ashes. But both Draco and Hermione knew that it was actually Tom Riddle Senior's ashes. And if by some curse, Lestrange's ritual wasn't half as bull as it sounded like it would not work as Tom Riddle Senior was a muggle.
Lestrange proceeded to sprinkle the ashes in a wider circle around Bellatrix's as the women continued chanting a spell with a single line repeatedly. As the fire crackled almost eagerly and hungrily with the second bout of ashes, Lestrange turned to lay eyes on Mrs. Weasley.
"No!" Hermione yelled. But her cries were drowned as the women's chanting became louder.
"Balance. Equilibrium. A trade of one life for another. Now a sacrifice of one life for Bellatrix's. The life that ended hers will take her place. The life that made the decision to terminate another living person from this world. The life that took her from me!" Lestrange shouted his voice straining with restrained grief. He moved jerkily to stand behind Mrs. Weasley on the steps of the altar.
Mrs. Weasley was crying as she turned her gaze towards Hermione and gave her an encouraging, loving look that promised things would be alright even in given circumstances. Then to Draco's surprise she turned her gaze towards him and raised her chin almost proudly. Her warm eyes locked with his and he understood her completely. Every single rude, immoral thing he'd ever done to her family was weighing on his shoulders more prominently than ever. She turned her gaze forward again as the chanting grew even louder.
Lestrange moved forward and in one clean motion, he slit her throat and blood poured out of her neck like a tumbling waterfall. Her eyes begged for mercy as she raised her head in agony, her silent screams filling the air. Hermione was sobbing as she turned her head away unable to bare it any longer. Draco too felt her death in a way he never imagined he would. He continued to watch, urging her with his eyes to leave, to move on.
Lestrange levitated a vial to collect her blood as he moved around her to reach the altar. Mrs. Weasley toppled over like a falling tree as she crashed onto the steps of the altar, lifeless. Her eyes shone empty as they stared into nothingness. Lestrange drizzled the blood in a wider circle than Tom Riddle Senior's.
Lestrange stepped back as if he were observing his work thus far. He wiped his brow as he brandished his wand in determination. "Alas we've reached the final part. The last key to resurrecting my Bella."
He motioned with his finger for another woman to move forward with Ara and Draco felt fear trickle down his spine as the moment they'd been waiting for approached.
"The final sacrifice. Bellatrix had a guilty soul filled with death, pain and sorrow. To pay for her guilt a pure and innocent life must be sacrificed. A lamb. Ara my beautiful girl," Lestrange whispered raising a crying Ara above his head as if he were worshiping her. "Thank you."
"She loved you!" Hermione shouted. "Despite her faults, Bellatrix knew loyalty. She was loyal to Voldemort and her family and you. She loved you and she...she wouldn't want this. She would want to die faithfully and dutifully to Voldemort. Don't you want to give her that pleasure?"
Lestrange lowered Ara above the fire but stopped her descent as he glared hard at the fire. "I'm a selfish man. I will deny her that pleasure for my own."
"You loved her too. You loved her and it's because you love her that you need to let her go." she said loudly over the women's incessant chanting. Her tone softened making Draco question her sanity as she continued. "Rodolphus, Bellatrix is dead. No spell, charm or ritual can bring back the dead. She is in a...different place now and she'll find peace. You are grieving and it's making you think irrationally. There is nothing you can do to bring her back. If you truly loved her you would let her go."
Lestrange was taking heaving breaths now as his arms that held Ara so precariously were shaking. Draco felt cold fear like he'd never felt before as he watched sweat form on his uncle's brow. His arms trembled so evidently, Draco feared he'd unintentionally drop Ara into the fire.
"I CAN'T!" Lestrange bellowed his arms shaking violently. "I have to bring her back, I need her, I can't lose her!"
"She won't come back even if you killed everyone in the wizarding world. She's gone Rudolphus and you have to let her go. For your sake and for hers, you have to let her go!" Hermione said loudly over the impatiently roaring fire that singed Ara's back, making her cry even louder.
"I just need to see her face one more time. I need to touch her, smell her, feel and see her one last time. That red headed bitch took that from me. I didn't get to see her or her body. Did you know that? They arrested me right away and burned her body. I was deprived of my right to see my deceased wife in Azkaban. Despite my continuous pleas and demands for empathy, they refused to show me my wife one last time before they made the decision to burn her!" Lestrange screamed, his throat raw and all the veins on his forehead and neck pulsing. The veins on his arms strained as they held Ara in their slippery grip.
Draco's heart slammed against his rib cage as he gripped the arms of his chairs anxiously, praying for him to understand. How Hermione could have so much compassion towards a man who'd caused nothing but pain for them, he would never comprehend.
"Rodolphus please, hear me. The sun will rise every morning even though she's gone. Just like it will set again in the evening. The Earth will still orbit the sun even though she's gone. The Earth will still spin elliptically even though she's gone. You don't need her, you want her. You will survive without her. You can exist without her once you let yourself let her go." Hermione said panic tingling in her voice as they watched Lestrange's arms dip towards the fire as he cradled Ara.
Lestrange let out a howl like a tortured animal as he thrashed his head backwards and dropped Ara beside Mrs. Weasley. Tears were streaming down his eyes as he screamed, his back arched and his sorrowful face gleaming towards the ceiling as if he were inviting the greater evils to sweep in and end him.
He was shamelessly sobbing as he waved his wands to unbind Draco and Hermione, motioning angrily for the women to stop chanting. Draco sweeped Ara up in his arms, crushing her to his chest. Hermione was crying as she gripped them both tightly.
The door suddenly swung open as the women in red entered, her eyes scoping the room over her glasses. Rita Skeeter had that judging look on her face like she always did, even when they were children. Draco held Ara tightly as Hermione moved slightly in front of him, all the while holding his hand firmly.
"Well I see the ritual didn't go as planned." she quipped nudging Mrs. Weasley's body with her heeled toe.
"You stay the hell away from her." Hermione snapped her eyes burning like embers in a fire.
"What happened Lestrange? A sudden change of heart?" Rita asked twirling her wand carelessly as she eyed the dying fire and the 'kidnapped' women regarding Lestrange with annoyance for wasting their time. Lestrange however remained silent as he stared blankly at the dying fire.
"Let us go. You said Ara was apart of Lestrange's plan not yours." Draco said making Rita turn her eagle eyes over to the small family huddled in red.
"Ah yes, but now you know my plans. And you know I plan to rule the wizarding world with a regime of higher standards. And I think it would be much more prudent to eliminate the smartest asset the other side will have as well as one of their best aurors." Rita said shining her pearly white teeth at them. "I also loathe both of you so I think I shall begin with killing my child in your arms so I can relish in your despair."
"My child." Hermione fired angrily as she squeezed Draco's hand. He didn't have to ask for an explanation. If she was going to attempt on Ara's life, they would continue their plan as they'd planned.
Rita easily moved Ara out of Draco's tight grip and onto the fireless altar as her wand poised to kill.
"Please," Draco said not caring that fear was trickling into his voice. They were so close to escaping. It was supposed to be over.
"This mudblood blackmailed me and used me over the course of her pathetic life. And you are a disgrace to the pureblood society. How dare you galavant off with this mudblood, make your own abomination and still feel you have the right to wear the Malfoy name." Rita spat snidely as she moved to dig her wand into Ara's soft flesh. She motioned for the rest of the 'kidnapped' women who so strongly believed in her new regime, to move beside her and aim their wands to kill.
"We shall all kill this baby together but save the parents so they can live with this traumatizing experience for the rest of their lives." with a lazy flick, Draco and Hermione's clothes changed to black. "Mourning clothes."
"Please Rita." Draco said raising a single arm, keeping the other wrapped around Hermione. "We'll do anything." he said hoarsely, feeling his hope deflate.
Rita seemed to consider it as she imagined all the things she could force them to do. She lifted her wand off of Ara, smiling happily at the pair. "No."
Then there was green light.
My life had never been normal. It had always been danger, adventure and mystery. Nothing had ever been perfectly normal. And I didn't expect it to start being normal now. There was a big storm that was about to brew. But there was also something else coming, something big. I could just feel it. Besides the odd quiet the death eaters were leading, something bigger was coming our way, but we didn't know what.
Something bigger than me or Draco. Something that would rock our whole world and take an upturn for the better or worse.
I had always known what self sacrifice was. I'd seen Harry do it one too many times in his childhood and now manhood. I too, knew what was worth dying for. Some things were more important than my whole life. There were many people I would die for, Draco being number one.
I had also always known what had to be done for the greater good and for those I loved and wanted to protect. I had gone to the worst to protect my parents during the second war. I had risked my life being Harry's friend through school and when we hunted horcruxes. I had risked without a doubt, becoming involved with Draco.
And I wouldn't take back any of it.
But this was more, this was bigger and more than my whole life. I would do anything, name it and it was yours.
Draco and I had talked and we had always decided that this was the outcome we were willing to pursue if it meant forever. But not for us. This was bigger than both of our lives.
We had decided nothing we would ever do was more important than this. That we would readily lay down our lives if it meant saving this.
But if we couldn't save this, if we failed, more would be lost than you would ever know.
But I refused to think like that. I was ready to die for what I loved again, and doing it one more time, really wasn't that much more.
If anything, it was more worth it. Everything I fought for, lead to this, and no death eaters would take this away.
Draco and I knew what was at stake, and we would not let anything harm what we had. Even if it meant dying in the process.
Some things were worth dying for. And this was definitely one of them.
Hermione. Hermione had come into my life like a wrecking ball. She was the one persistent pest who challenged me, questioned me and my beliefs and made me look at my life. She made me question whether this was the life I wanted to live and if this was the man I wanted to become. She opened my eyes to a world, a life I never understood before. It was like I was drowning, and she gave me air. Like I was choking on self hatred and she gave me peace. Like I was blind but suddenly I could see, like I was searching for purpose and meaning in life and she was the lighthouse saving me. Always saving me. She rescued me from my own darkness, my own beastly state. And now I'd failed her. I swore I'd protect her with every piece of me, that I'd shield her from all this darkness still present and overtaking our world. The one job I was tasked with that really, truly mattered...I'd failed. And that is my deepest regret.
I'd be a fool not to fear death. Even Harry freaking Potter was afraid to die. He told me so himself (albeit when he was a little tipsy). I in all honesty am terrified beyond my wits to die. Death is the one thing on this world that nobody knows for certain, nobody understands completely. That moment where you're on the brink of death, when death has you in his hand, cold blooded fear consumes you. Dying is terrifying, but dying for someone you love? Simple.
Hermione and I had planned this and talked it to death (haha I'm funny even when dying), and we knew with certainty what we were going to do. Courageous Mya didn't need to worry that I'd back out at the last minute, or let fear cloud our plan, all because dying for someone you love just so they could live to see another day was something even a selfish Slytherin like me can do.
I've made a lot of poor choices in my life. Terrible, immoral choices that will haunt me even in death. But making this choice, this fully conscious decision to sacrifice myself for this one life? Was the single best choice I'd ever made. Above all the horrid things I'd done in my life, this sacrifice eases my regretful heart.
Therefore yes, I am dreadfully terrified to die but I will not hesitate with a shred of fear to die for someone I love.
As the dozens of blinding green light flashed like well shot arrows towards Ara, Hermione leapt in front of the first few. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she inhaled fearfully. This was the moment, where their plan was in the final stages. The final stage was to execute the sacrificial protection Lily placed on Harry. Hermione would jump in front of Ara and Draco refused to let Hermione die alone so he would jump in front of her, despite her protests. The shots would kill them both and place a double protection on Ara similar to Harry. Then afterwards, none could harm Ara.
It seemed perfect when they first devised it in their cold dank cell what seemed like ages ago. Hermione's love for Ara was pure, as was Draco's for Hermione. This created a doubly powerful protection for Ara.
Out of her peripheral vision, she saw hoards of aurors, Harry in the lead trooping in, firing spells but the killing curses were already shot. She was deeply annoyed to see Draco jump in front of her as the green lights were inches away.
He reached his pale hand back for hers and she gripped it tightly waiting for the continuous shots but none came.
"Father!" Draco said in shock as he knelt down beside Lucius who was laying lifeless on the floor.
Ginny's arms were suddenly around hers, crushing her tightly against her. Oh dear Merlin, Ginny had had the baby! Hermione's temporary joy disappeared when Ginny spotted her mother. Hermione would never get the image of Ginny laying down next to her mother and holding her cold hand as she sobbed out of her memory.
Everything was a blur as she moved to pick up Ara. Harry had seen Mrs. Weasley and was doing his best not to break down as he ordered aurors to round up all the 'kidnapped' women and Rita. Hermione moved to stand over Draco's hunched form as he was holding Lucius' hand. She rested a hand on his shoulder before kneeling down beside him and lightly touching Lucius' chest.
"He...he jumped in front of me." Draco said quietly. "Lucius Malfoy sacrificed himself."
Hermione leaned her head against his shoulder as a lone tear leaked from her eye. It seemed her tear ducts were exhausted. "He loved you. All the wretched things Lucius Malfoy did to you, in the end he chose to save you."
And they stayed like that hunched on the floor of the tower for a long time.
5 hours later
"Your father lived as a coward but died as a hero." Harry said solemnly as they sat back in the comfort of their home. Hermione felt at peace after cleaning Ara up and tucking her into bed. She had showered quickly and joined the congregation back in their living room.
"Do you remember when he was acting so strangely at the hospital?" Harry said when Draco remained silent. "It was because he saw Adelia George, your healer. She seemed familiar to him but he couldn't quite place her face. Then a few days ago he realized that she used to be a death eater in Voldemort's inner circle and notified me straight away. This helped me convict her as a criminal and we were almost able to catch her and have full access to her memories when she escaped."
Draco still remained silent so Harry turned towards Hermione who had moved to sit on the arm of the sofa next to Draco.
"Any casualties?" Hermione asked biting her nails anxiously.
Harry awkwardly looked down at his lukewarm tea before looking back up to meet her eyes. "Terry. Terry was a traitor. He was one of those believers in Rita's regime and was leaking intel, destroying evidence all along. He got here a few minutes ahead of us and killed Blaise who had managed to open the door of the tower undetected and was about to disarm Rita when she was about to kill Ara."
"Terry Boot? On my team?" Hermione said bewildered. "That little son of a bitch, I trusted him! He was…he was a friend and a colleague and -"
"He's dead too." Harry said talking to his cup. "He tried to escape when he saw us and with all the chaos he was killed."
"How're the Weasleys?" Hermione asked hugging herself. The room suddenly felt a lot colder even with the blazing fire.
"Ginny is still laying next to Molly, holding her hand. The others arrived shortly after they were notified." Harry said wiping his eyes.
"Go be with them." Hermione said walking Harry to the door. She hugged her best friend tightly, inhaling the scent of him again. "Thank you for bringing us back home."
"Always," Harry smiled lightly.
3 weeks later
"The Wizengamot deems you guilty and sentences you to lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban." the judge said. "And now if you please,"
Draco sat still in his seat in the courtroom, the only thing grounding him to this world was Hermione's hand in his. He watched as Rita was lead towards them, her face contorted with rage and disgust.
She looked much less confident and proud without her cosmetics and pompous wardrobe. He heard Hermione sharply intake a breath beside him as she stood directly in front of them. They rose to meet her and he couldn't even bring himself to glare at her. His loathing was beyond basic, common anger. It was an uncontrollable rage and if he even allowed himself to fall into it, he feared he'd murder her right there and then in the courtroom.
"As requested, we will be testing to see if the sacrificial protection charm worked as a result of Lucius' death." the judge said motioning for the guards to guide her hand to touch each of them.
This would ultimately tell him whether his father's love was pure enough for the charm to work. If not, Draco would rather he be dead. Then he would know for certain Rita would never be able to touch his family again.
He stood completely rigid and tense as Rita's long, no longer taloned finger came to rest upon his shoulder. She shrieked in pain as she recoiled the finger as quickly as possible. He closed his eyes and for the first time since that night, he allowed a single tear to fall for his father.
2 years later
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Scorpius! Happy Birthday to you!"
Scorpius clapped his pudgy hands happily as he sat between his mother's legs.
"I want to blow the candles for Scorpy!" Ara cried scooching forward in her light blue dress. Her pigtails bounced as she bobbed down to whisper to Scorpius. "Scorp since you're only 1 I'll do it for you." she said blowing the candles out. She beamed looking very pleased with herself.
After serving cake and opening gifts, Hermione leant against the banister rubbing her belly in slow circles as she watched Ara explain her favourite game to her many cousins.
Scorpius was already sleeping in the transportable cot next to her. Scorpius was the easy baby, he rarely ever cried and seemed to love sleep. She hoped his good behaviour would continue in the future, particularly when Hogwarts began.
After the court ruling for Rita, Krum and the other women, Draco as well as herself suffered severe post traumatic stress.
After many painful wizarding therapy sessions which were very different from muggle therapy, they found their footing again. That's when they tried for another baby and had Scorpius. Wizarding therapy forced them to use a pensive to record their memories, relive it and then discuss.
She often had vivid nightmares from her time in imprisonment, one she even aimed her wand threateningly at Draco thinking he was Krum. She wasn't able to engage in any sexual activity till Scorpius. Draco had more flashbacks during the day. At sudden moments, he'd grab the arms of the chair and relive some of their worst experiences.
Things worked out, when one fell, the other was there to pick them back up.
She felt arms snake around her waist and rest on her stomach. A year ago she would have wrenched herself away and drawn out her wand. She placed her hands atop of Draco's and sighed.
"This baby is going to be a troublemaker." Hermione promised watching as Ara bossily told James off for cheating. Draco chuckled and rubbed slow circles. "I've had more morning sickness with this one than either of the other two."
"I want to visit my father's grave, and I would like if you came with me." Draco said suddenly.
Hermione turned so she was fully facing him and cupped his face in her hands. He hadn't visited his father's grave once since the funeral. Draco still had trouble believing his father's love was pure enough for the charm to work trifold.
"I'll go anywhere you go."
13 years later
"Scorpius will you quit teasing your sister about being a prefect? We are so proud of Ara." Hermione chided as they reached Kings Cross Station at quarter to 11.
"Ara takes after her parents becoming a prefect in 5th year, you just watch she'll become head girl in a few years." Draco said absolutely glowing with pride.
"Yeah she's so much like you guys she got sorted into Ravenclaw." Scorpius scoffed pulling out his trunk and owl. "Mum did you remember to sign the permission form for Hogsmeade? Third years get to go."
"Yes Scorp it's in your trunk like I told you last night." Hermione said irritably as she helped Lyra grab her cat and trunk.
Together the family walked through the barrier for Platform 9 ¾. Draco ruffled Scorpius' hair and one arm hugged him. "You be good this year young man. If I get one more letter home saying you've blown something else up in the Great Hall I'll let your mother send you a howler. And trust me mate you won't like that."
Scorpius grinned up at his parents, the mischievous glint in his eyes shining brightly. He quickly pecked his mother and father before dashing off to greet his friends, his sandy blond hair darting between the trolleys.
"That boy is the reason I'm starting to get grey hair." Hermione said shaking her head fondly as she watched him leave.
"Dad do I have permission to dock as many points from Gryffindor as I'd like if Scorpy misbehaves?" Ara asked eagerly. Draco smirked down at her and hugged her closely.
"Go ahead my dear, I'm still rooting for Slytherin." Draco said grinning crookedly at Hermione. Ara moved to hug Hermione tightly who was feeling particularly emotional today.
"Aw mum don't cry again!" Ara said wiping a tear from Hermione's eye before it fell.
"The last of my babies will be off at school today." Hermione said sniffling as she straightened Ara's prefect badge. "Have a good term Ara."
They watched as she pushed her trolley off when a tall dark haired Slytherin boy with a prefect badge sauntered up next to her. He placed his arm around her shoulder and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"OI!" Draco bellowed. "You there!" he said watching as Ara and the boy turned around laughing before darting into the crowd, slipping out of Draco's grasp. Draco frowned disapprovingly after them crossing his arms angrily.
"Oh calm yourself," Hermione said rolling her eyes. "It's not like you were God's right hand angel in 5th year." The corner of Draco's mouth quirked upwards.
"Oh Lyra, have a good term and remember to complete your homework before you run off to quidditch practice. You can find a career with your studies far more easily than you can with quidditch. And please don't fly too high, you know it gives me anxiety." Hermione said wagging her finger at Lyra sternly. She hugged her tightly, showering her face with kisses.
"Ignore your mum, she's all hormones today. I bet my life they're going to recruit you to play for your house first year. You'll be the first 1st year to be on the team since Potter." Draco said a little bitterly. He hugged Lyra too kissing her head softly. "I'm counting on you to be a Slytherin. All my other children have disappointed me."
Hermione elbowed Draco hard in the stomach and kneeled to wipe some food off of Lyra's face. "We will be thrilled for whichever house you're sorted into. Now you better go before the train pulls off without you. Write us won't you love?"
Lyra smiled happily at them before bustling off and onto the train. Hermione sighed as she leaned into Draco's arms waving at the train as it chugged off.
"She's a definite Slytherin." Hermione said warily. "I saw her hiding cards up her sleeve the other day when she was playing with Ara and Scorpy."
Draco grinned as he winked at Lyra who was pressing her face against the glass pane of the window. "She's the best chaser I've seen in ages. She'll give James and Scorpius a run for their money."
"Scorpius nearly dropped my crystal ornament when he was practicing his seeker skills the other day!" Hermione accused glaring at her husband. "I wonder how he got ahold of that."
"Haven't the slightest idea." Draco said kissing her lightly on the head.
They waved and smiled as the train travelled out of sight.
Author's Note
Wowie. Okay so I'm super happy to wrap this story up I think it ended rather nicely and timely. I didn't want to drag it on too long.
I have to thank anyone who's stuck by it, through the unreasonably long update periods. And a special thanks to anyone who has read Beauty and the Beast AND read Hideaway. I can't express how happy y'all make me.
Drop me a quick review on your thoughts on the ending. And let me know if you've read both BAB and HA, I'm just curious :)
Love you all!