A/N : Sia 'Elastic Heart'
Lord Voldemort had been making a battle strategy with his top death eaters. Draco took this time to talk with his mother.
He found her standing in their manor library, moving and replacing different books.
Draco knew his mother hardly did rearranging, so this was obviously something to help keep her mind off off the things that were going on in her home.
Once she caught the presence of her son, she placed one more book onto the shelf.
"Draco." she turned and held out her arms for him.
He strolled over and pressed his body against hers, wrapping her in a warm embrace. "Mother."
She leaned back, running her fingers through his hair, "My sweet boy."
Draco shook his head, "I failed, mother."
"No. You didn't. You have decency in your mind and soul, my love. You didn't fail."
Draco loved his mother. She was a strong, independent woman, but ever since she and Lucius had listened to Bellatrix and her incessant ranting over allowing the Dark Lord to stay with them, her fire had dwindled into a very small flame.
"Mother I need to talk with you... About something important."
He could feel his mothers heart start to race beneath her chest, and she squeezed him a bit tighter, "Alright."
Narcissa mutely cast a silencing and locking charm over the library.
"Come." she motioned them to a nearby table and chairs.
"What I am about to tell you, may come as a shock."
Narcissa nodded and gestured for him to go on.
"Do you recall Hermione Granger? The girl I always...fussed about?"
"I do." she stated calmly.
"I...Well...In December. I came back in time... From the future, and I was asked to do something. To save her life." he said finally.
Narcissa raised her eyebrows, "Draco...are you in love with Miss Granger?"
Draco's eyes cast upon Narcissa's right hand. She was wearing the moonstone ring. It was interesting that she was wearing it, because she never had.
"Fate." the sound of Theodore's voice ran through his mind.
Her eyes followed suit, "You marry her?"
He nodded solemnly, "I've seen all the memories. I...I've got to save her. I've got to make sure she survives this." He took a long pause before continuing, "Mother. Bellatrix kills her."
Narcissa wasn't surprised. Her sister would kill anyone she could get her hands on.
"Well, we will have to make sure this won't happen." she said, clasping his hands tightly in hers. "Go on now, tell me about your future together."
Narcissa watched at the way the passion spilled from Draco's mouth. She admired the love that escaped from his lips. Reaching out and taking his hands into her own, she rubbed her thumbs over the tops of his hands. He continued to tell her of his future tale, and she watched how his eyes lit up whenever Hermione's name was spoken.
She knew what this love was, as she, too fell in love long ago with her husband.
"I don't know what to do, exactly." he finally muttered.
"Do what you must, my son. But I beg of you, stay alive."
Draco's ears perked at this, "Wh-what? No telling me to end it or to stop the nonsense?"
"I am your mother. Why would I do that? You're clearly in love. Draco, I regret what you have had to go through. This whole thing." she waved her hand strangely around her head, "Seeing that you're capable of love in such a harsh time, and following your heart, just goes to show your true colors."
Draco nodded, unbelieving that his mother was really saying these words.
At that moment, Narcissa slid the ring from her middle finger, and dropped into Draco's fist.
"Keep this, and when things are right again, tell her."
"Tell her what?"
"That you love her."
Draco gripped the ring a little tighter, and thanked his mother.
Suddenly a banging sounded off on the library door. "Cissy!"
Draco cringed at the voice. Narcissa kissed the top of her son's head and made her way over, taking the charms away.
"Bella?" she greeted as she opened the door.
"The Dark Lord has sent out Snatchers to find Potter, the mudblood and the weasel." She eyed around her sister to her nephew. "Know anything boy?"
"No I don't." he said aloud, but then thought to himself, "not like I'd tell you anyway, you stupid bitch."
Narcissa smiled tightly, "Anything else, Bella?"
She sneered and licked her teeth, eying Draco once more, "Want to help me torture the two best friends, when they're captured?"
Narcissa moved into Bellatrix's line of sight. "My son and I were having a conversation, so if we're through here, I would like to get back to it."
"You're no fun." Bellatrix spat and swept herself away chanting, "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!"
"She's still on about that?" Draco asked his mother, with a grimacing expression.
"Yes. Unfortunately. I quite liked him, you know?"
"Really?" he asked, surprised at his mothers secret. She cast the charms into place once more.
"Yes, he was a good man. I had to give up a lot of things for our family, Draco. But I still admired from afar."
"Does father know?"
"Oh, my dear boy. There are many things your father doesn't know."
"What about your sister, Andromeda?"
At this, Narcissa sat down again, beside her son.
"Dromeda and I were the best of friends growing up. She was, and I'm quite sure, she still is, a brilliant witch. But, she married the wrong blood, and, our family shunned her."
Draco's grasp on the ring was surely drawing blood now.
"Draco, the ones who matter are here and alive, which are me and you and your father. We'd never shun you for your love of someone, don't think twice of that. Your father may need time to get used to it, but you're his only son... He would and does love you unconditionally."
Anger rose like bile within him, and he knew for sure now that blood was drawn from the ring, due to the dribbles on the table.
"Then why did he make me get this?" he pointed at his arm with the mark.
"Because we wanted you to survive." Her hand landed on his shoulder, "We just want you to survive."
After the wands were put away from lighting the sky, taking away the darkness of the wretched Dark Mark, Theodore's eyes landed on the frizzy haired lioness.
"Granger Danger!"
Hermione didn't hear the call.
"Hermione!" he yelled once more, and she turned.
"Theo!" Hermione raced over to the man, and held him close, then closely examining him.
"How are you? You're fine? You're okay?" she asked fawning over him like a mother to a hurt child.
Theo managed a grin, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. What the fuck happened?" he asked, although he already knew the answer. He looked over to the levitating body of Albus Dumbledore.
"I...I'm not entirely sure right now... But I think Harry may know. But listen, Theo. I have to go." she tugged at the lapels of his blazer.
"What? Where are you going?" he searched her scared face.
"I can't tell you. But, stay safe, alright? And... Draco... Tell him... Just tell him that I care for him."
"I can come with you? We can..." Theo started to remember everything that was supposed to happen. He had been so caught up with being sick, it all fled his mind.
Hermione shook her head, and ran her fingers over her thick mane, "No. You can't. I wish you could... But you can't."
Theo nodded and pulled her into a tightened hug, "You better stay safe, you hear me?" Hermione began to cry lightly as she nodded against his chest.
"I will. I love you, Theo."
Theo bit in his bottom lip before kissing the top of her head. "Love you too, wee one. I'll see you, alright?"
"Yes. Stay safe." and then she was gone, disappearing into the crowd.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" Theo charged from outside, into the castle, and down to the dungeons on the search for his mate.
XXX
Draco sat quietly in the library with his mother, as they often did these days and his arm began tingling with heat. His expression told his mother exactly what from.
"Guess we need to go see what The Dark Lord needs..." Draco said hesitantly.
Narcissa nodded and beckoned him to the door.
The Death Eaters gathered round the table, and Voldemort sat at the head, a spot once occupied by Draco's father. After a few minutes or so, a tall, familiar, dark-headed man entered through the doors.
"Severus, I was beginning to worry you lost your way. Come, we've saved you a seat." Voldemort called, piercing his red eyes toward him. "You bring news, I trust?"
"It will happen, Saturday next, at nightfall."
"I heard differently, my lord." Yaxley interrupted, "Dawlish the Auror has let slip that the Potter boy will not be moved until the thirtieth of this month. The day before he turns seventeen."
"This is a false trail." Snape suggested plainly, now interrupting Yaxley. "The Auror office no longer plays any part on the protection of Harry Potter. The ones who are closest to him believe that we have infiltrated the Ministry."
"Well they got that right, haven't they?"
A few snickers and chuckles filled the air.
Draco bore his eyes into the center of the table, clenching his jaw. "This is fucking ridiculous." he thought.
"What say you, Pius?" Voldemort moved his gaze to the man at the other end of the table.
"One hears many things my lord, whether the truth is among them is not clear." Pius glanced up from the snake that was lingering beside his feet.
"Heh, spoken like a true politician. You will be most useful, Pius." moving his attention back to Severus, "Where will he be taken, the boy?"
"To a safe house." "Most likely the home of someone in the Order. I am told it's been given every manner of protection possible. Once there, it will be impractical to attack."
"I want to kill the boy!" Bellatrix called.
Suddenly a scream came from the halls.
"Wormtail! Keep our guest quiet!" Voldemort demanded.
"Yes my lord! Right away my lord!"
Voldemort returned his attention to his favorite faithful servant, "As inspired I am from your bloodlust, Bellatrix, I must be the one to kill the boy."
Bellatrix licked her lips and bowed her head in shameful understanding.
Draco shot her a look of repulsiveness.
"But I face an unfortunate complication. My wand and Potter's share the same core. We are able to wound one another but nothing of fatality. They are in some ways, twins."
The Dark Lord rose from his chair and snaked behind the row of chairs to his left.
"If I am to kill him, I must do it with another's wand."
"Come, surely one of you would like the honor?" He stopped short behind The Malfoy Family. He bent down beside Lucius. Draco shuddered, the feeling of chills covered his spine.
"Lucius."
"My lord?" Malfoy senior replied, not looking directly at the dark wizard.
"I require your wand."
Lucius took it from his cloak pocket and handed it over reluctantly.
"The core?"
"Dr-dragon heartstring, m-my lord."
"Tsk." He broke the holster of the wand and tossed it back to the table before Lucius and then summoned in a floating body.
Draco flinched when he saw who it was.
Severus cringed vaguely.
"For those of you that don't know...this is Charity Burbage who, until recently taught at Hogwarts. Her speciality was Muggle Studies. She would, if given her way, have us mate with them."
The crowd of black cloaks groaned in disgust.
"S-Severus, please... We're friends." Charity croaked in desperation.
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted as Miss Burbage's body fell limply onto the table. "Nagini, dinner."
The snake slid onto the table and began to feed. Draco silently was wishing to be anywhere but here as his mother yearned to grasp his hand beneath the table.