Chapter 5
Every time Draco closed his eyes to sleep, he was greeted by nightmares of his sin against Marie. Sometimes he saw things from her point of view which forced him to stare up at a version of himself he did not recognize. Other nights all he could see was her face, distorted and crying. This one had been particularly disturbing, enough so that Draco woke up crying himself. He sat up in bed covered in sweat and pulled his knees close to his chest, rocking himself down off of another panic attack.
There was a light knock on his bedroom door and it creaked opened slowly. "Honey, may I come in?" his mother Narcissa asked softly. She waited for his response; Draco only managed to utter an 'mmhmm'.
Narcissa was wrapped up in her long dark night robes with her blonde hair in a messy braid. Draco hadn't bothered to look at the time; he remained staring straight ahead. She climbed into bed with him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, cradling him as he continued to rock back and forth. "I heard you screaming again," she explained, resting her head on top of his. She could feel just how hard he was breathing. "You're going to make yourself sick if you don't calm down, love."
"H-how can I c-calm down?" Draco was shaking now. "I've destroyed her. It's all my fault…"
Narcissa began rubbing his back. "Sshh, darling, it wasn't you. You didn't know what you were doing." Her fingernails lightly made circles up and down his back.
"I could have fought back." Draco lowered his head and focused on his mother's comforting touch. "I could have done more for her."
"And they would have killed you." She flatly stated. "You were under a curse. You're going to feel guilty but the way you are responding right now shows me that you are still my caring boy. You would never have done that willingly, sweetheart."
Draco pulled from her embrace and turned to face her. She shifted her weight and they sat on the bed for a moment in silence. "Do you remember when I first told you and Father about her?"
Narcissa nodded. "Of course… I had never seen you so happy before."
"Literally the day before I was told about these plans, I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend. I fancied her since day one, and it took me nearly seven years to ask her. We were going to be so perfect together…" his voice trailed off mid-story and he began fidgeting with the bed sheets. "Maybe a few years from now I would have even bought her the biggest diamond I could afford…"
"You can still do all those things." Narcissa knew it wasn't very likely, but she hated to hear him in such pain. She cursed her husband, every Death Eater she knew, and especially the Dark One.
He look at her in anger. "How?! Those dreams are dead and I will never be able to make it up to her. Stop patronizing me, Mother." His eyes began to swell again.
"They aren't going to win; evil is never triumphant. Even if she casts you aside for good in a romantic sense, you can protect her and be there for her in other ways." She had lowered her voice. "They won't have to curse you if you act like you're complying."
Draco thought about what his mother was hinting. "So just lie to them? You know He can sniff that out!"
Narcissa shook her head. "When you go to see her tomorrow, why don't you ask the other person she is with just how to do it." She winked and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "I love you, Draco. Get some sleep, you have a long day ahead of you."
Marie had been on edge ever since Lucius announced that Draco would return for her. She had her wand on her person and even had stolen a small blade from the kitchen, unbeknownst to Severus. Marie was pacing back in forth in the middle of the living room, waiting for the fireplace to start rumbling. Severus was attempting to enjoy his coffee, casually glancing up at her every time he flipped a page in the Daily Prophet. "And what exactly are you going to do once he arrives?"
"What do you think? I'm going to kill him." She said coldly.
"No you aren't."
"Would you like to find out?"
"It's not in your nature. Now stop being ridiculous."
Marie grumbled under her breath and continued pacing. Of course she would never take another life for the hell of it, but she was ready to fight back this time. When the fireplace began to emit that familiar roaring sound, she turned and faced it, bracing herself with legs slightly apart and bent, and her hands ready to draw both her wand and the knife. Severus set down the paper and reached for his wand too, expecting the boy to be under Voldemort's control once more.
Before the smoke cleared and anyone could tell whether or not it was an 'Imperio'd' Draco, Marie had rushed forward, tackling him to the ground. He began shouting in confusion and her in anger. Marie was swinging her arms wildly, trying to make any connection. She landed a few punches to his chest and face. Draco swung back out of pure instinct, also making contact with her upper torso.
"Marie, wait, stop!" he yelled at her. She got in another punch to the face before drawing her wand. Marie shouted a spell similar to the one Draco used on her and he became pinned to the ground. Sliding the point under his chin, she searched his eyes for the same glazed effect.
"Expelliarmus!" Severus disarmed Marie; she had almost forgotten that he was present as well. "Get off of him." The older man continued to point his wand at her.
Marie ignored his orders and drew the blade instead. "This doesn't concern you Professor." She growled and held it against Draco's throat so close that it nicked the skin and blood slowly pooled.
"Marie, please! I can explain!" Draco cried out. "I'm not cursed! It's really me!"
"How dare you come back here! I hate you!" Marie spat, looking down at him. "I should do it! For everything you've done to me!" But she couldn't work up the courage to press on further with the blade. Marie watched him whimper beneath her with a sick satisfaction; she did not plan on taking it this far in the beginning but the very sight of him made her blood boil. When she looked at Draco she could see just how much of Lucius was within him.
"ENOUGH!" Severus yelled so loudly that it broke Marie's trance and caused her to flinch. "Accio!" He was able to pull the knife from her hand and it flew onto the floor out of her reach. It sliced her palm as it left her grasp. "Everte Statum!" Marie yelped in surprise as she was then flung off of Draco and clear across the living room, landing on her back.
Severus lifted the pinning charm on Draco first and healed any cuts and bruises he had. He helped the younger man up and had him sit on the couch. When Severus walked over to Marie, she was still on her back and breathing heavily. The wind had been knocked out of her. Severus bent down and grabbed her hand, sealing the wound he accidentally created. "Get up." He guided Marie to the couch as well, forcing them to sit next to each other. Severus sat directly in front of them on the coffee table. "Who wants to speak first?"
Marie's hands balled into fists as she rested them on her knees, remaining silent. Draco looked sideways at her. "I'll go first, I guess, but sir you don't have to do this. I only came here to apologize, that's all."
"If she is going to stay here, then this needs to be dealt with for everyone's mental health – even mine." Severus was exhausted and did not want to be playing the role of a moderator. "Go on."
"I planned out what I was going to say to you for weeks now, but it still doesn't sound right," Draco began, fully facing her. Marie refused to look in his direction but he continued speaking. "How I treated you at school was unforgiveable and you never received an explanation. The day I ended our friendship I did it because I found out about the plans to hurt you." Marie felt a pang in her chest.
"This has been in the works since the beginning of the year?" she softened up and looked at Severus for confirmation, hoping that Draco was lying to make himself look better in her eyes. It wouldn't exactly be unlike him.
"I wanted to try and distance myself from you because I knew my father would use our friendship against us. I suppose in the end it didn't do us any good and all I managed to do was cause you pain. As for what happened the last time I saw you… I have no idea how to make things right. Yes, I was under the Imperius Curse, but I don't see that as an excuse. I was too weak to fight it, but my mind was intact, watching it all unfold. I was saying and doing things I would never do…" Draco continued to spill his insides.
Marie folded her arms and finally looked at him. She hadn't sat next to him this long for nearly a year now. "You're never going to understand what all of this has done to me – not just that night, but all of it."
"I want to start over." He admitted desperately.
"That's not an option." Marie shook her head. Severus had decided to give them privacy now that she had settled down. He left for the kitchen to brew some tea. Their conversation was going places he did not want to be a part of.
Draco was unsure of how to proceed in their conversation and so he cautiously reached for her hand instead. Marie noticed and watched his fingers slowly envelope her own. He ran his thumb over the back of it, recalling how her skin was always so smooth. She still felt like tearing him apart, but deep down she knew that the curse was an Unforgiveable for a reason. "I can't say that I forgive you, but I'm glad to know that you didn't mean it."
"Never." He looked into her eyes and they held a quiet gaze.
"I um, I had to stop, well…" Marie looked down. "Y'know…" She pointed towards her belly.
Draco swallowed hard. His other fear was whether or not he was actually successful. "I didn't expect you to keep it."
"I would have been an awful mother, anyway." Marie cringed at the idea of children.
"I think you would make an outstanding mother." Draco smiled at her. They were interrupted when Severus returned with a kettle and some tea cups. He placed the tray next to him and took a seat on the table once more. They quickly broke contact and looked at Severus with red faces.
"I'm not going to ask." He passed out the cups and began filling them. After sipping from his own cup, he addressed Draco first. "Have you thought about how you will avoid another curse?" The mood in the room became tense once more.
"I, well, I was hoping you could tell me that. My mother says that there's a way to lie to Him without His knowledge." Draco shifted uncomfortably.
Severus nodded. "She's a very smart woman, your mother. Never was quite sure what she saw in your father," he muttered while taking another drink. "How do you think we have survived this long?" Draco only shrugged. "This is exactly why they should have let me teach Defense Against the Dark Arts…" he sighed, exasperated. "Occlumency is a way for a person to block another from entering their mind and thoughts. You can either have a blank slate, or create your own false memories. With the proper training, we can create these false images of you and her together."
"Professor!" Marie was embarrassed. She didn't like the idea of them creating a false fantasy with her at the center of it.
Severus rolled his eyes. "He's going to have to prove that he's followed his orders. If his memories are only a blank wall that will be suspicious." He turned back to Draco. "All you will have to do is recreate the same memory from that one night, but by altering the time of day, your clothing, the color of her shirt, location of the house, various small details, you should be able to pull this off."
"And you believe I can learn this in a short amount of time?" Draco was eager to get started. "I'd do anything to help her."
"It's not easy. What I have learned in over a decade you will need in a few weeks. If you are committed and give each lesson every ounce of energy you have, you will be better off." Severus set his cup down. "Whenever you are not in a session with me, I'm sure your mother would be able to help you as well."
"It sounds like a good skill to have, Draco. Professor, can I learn it as well?" Marie was extremely curious.
"I've never taught two people at once, but you must take this seriously." He warned.
Draco and Marie exchanged glances. "We'll do it."