The Broken Blonde

Chapter Ninety-Four

As I opened my mouth to say something another explosion sounded from behind us followed by a gust of rubble and dirt, I stumbled back into Draco, his hands sheltering my eyes as I stood close wafting my arms so I was able to see. Once the dust settled, I turned to him and waited as he wiped his eyes, I didn't really know what to say since I felt like I've been begging for him to admit something the entire time I've been with him but now he finally has I wasn't able to fully believe it. I shook my head and brushed myself down knowing now wasn't the place to talk, I at least wanted to make it out alive, so with that I motioned for him to follow me down the corridor.

I could tell he was frustrated by my silence; he didn't like not knowing and he made that very clear. I hurried quickly down some spiral stairs but felt him pull me back halfway down, I spun around and looked up at him to see his eyes furrowed and lips in a curl. I sighed and glanced around gesturing that now wasn't the time to force answers out of me, tugging on my arm for him to carry on but it was no use.

"Are you coming or not?" I yelled my frustration taking the better of me, I couldn't bare being here any longer than we had to, the endless amounts of screams and cries were becoming too much as if it was warning us of what was about to come but by the looks of it Draco didn't seem to get the hint.

"Forget about what I said, you clearly couldnt care less about it" He spat as he looked down at me in pity, I could tell what he said was replaying in his head almost tormenting him for giving it up but to presume I didn't care was baffling since all I've ever done is care not knowing if I was wasting my time or not.

"I cared too much, and you know that but the moment you let slip one thing that could indicate that the feelings mutual you deny it. Don't take me as a fool Draco, not now." My heart pumped with irritation wanting nothing more than to slap some sense into him and I was close to it, my expression doing it for me, I grabbed his arm and tugged it with force to get his attention back to me instead of avoiding it.

"You're in your own world half the time Ceradwin, don't let it get to your head." His glare trailed me from head to toe sending a sharp shiver throughout my body, his eyes were so easy to get lost in and they've been like that ever since the first time I looked into them and he knew that, it was the one things that I both loved and hated him for. Though I knew better this time, I stormed up a few steps and leaned towards him, his face inches away from mine practically breathing on his nose as I narrowed my eyes.

"You deny, all you do is deny, but you can't deny the fact you've saved me countless times from a fate you have threatened me with. Why? Because you're afraid Draco, you're afraid that if you do admit anything to me, you'll be the one who gets denied." My whisper gritted through my teeth as I leaned in closer making him back up into the wall, the more I spoke the more taken back he was knowing that what I was saying was the truth, he was just good at covering it.

I didn't break my stare until I noticed that my lip began to quiver with a mixture of frustration and desperation, he still isn't able to grasp that he was right, I couldn't care less but he was looking at it from the wrong side. It was his guard I didn't care about, if he just let it down for a second maybe he'd be able to realise how draining it is to watch him constantly reject what he felt. I looked down in defeat and faintly shook my head as I proceeded to hurry down the stairs not being able to look back until I felt his hand clutch my shoulder tight pulling me back.

"You have fought valiantly, but every drop of magical blood spilt is a terrible waste, I therefore demand my forces to retreat" I jolted throwing my hands over my ears and crouched down as a sharp whisper slithered through my ears piercing them with every word it spoke, it was Voldemort's. "Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself, join me in the forbidden forest and confront your fate" I squirmed as the voice caused me physical pain to listen to, as I glanced up to Draco, he too had his ears covered firmly with his hands shutting his eyes tight.

Finally, the voice left leaving me breathing heavily as I tried to calm myself down my hand still blocking out any noise that tried to pass through. I hesitantly lowered them and caught my breath my hands shaking slightly, I slowly muffled my head into Dracos chest who was just as shaken up as I was and just stood in silence since it now felt like a blessing to hear nothing. My eyes watered from the discomfort and with one blink a single tear trickled down my face landing onto Dracos shirt, I wanted to go as far away from this place as possible with the only person I truly cared for. He placed his hand firmly on my head holding it close to his chest as I gradually caught my breath and parted from him.

We made our way down the rest of the stairs in silence hearing the screaming come to an end and the cries become more prominent, one particularly close. As we reached the bottom few steps my eyes were immediately drawn to the long blonde hair that hovered above the floor slightly laying on top of something, I could immediately tell exactly who it was even if I was halfway down the corridor, Luna. Her timid cries could be heard the closer we got, my hands began to sweat as my pace increased pulling myself around the corner following the long strands of hair to guide me. The horrible feeling in my gut being confirmed as my eyes met with somebody you wouldn't be able to make out if it weren't for who laid broken on top of her.

"Black" Draco muttered quietly to himself assuring me I wasn't seeing things, I stood frozen and numb as my eyes gradually welled up making my vision blurred. Lunas head arose looking helplessly at me, she looked as if she'd been crying for days on end her blue eyes now bloodshot and fogged the skin around them puffy and a bright shade of pink. It was only when her lip trembled and another tear fell when I collapsed next to her, the water in my eyes reaching their full capacity.

"Its okay, its- its going to be okay" I murmured silently trying to mask my cries as Luna wheeped into my shoulder stroking her head gently, I felt her tears soak through my jumper as her high-pitched cries were like arrows being shot through my ears. They were agonising but something about them were strangely calming, it was like they cried for me. I sat on the cold cobbled floor refusing to even take a glimpse of Isabella knowing I wouldn't be able to keep myself together and it felt like I had to for Lunas sake. I kept my breathing steady, my chest expanding consistently as I dropped one of my hands from Lunas head in exhaustion.

Thats when it brushed against something colder than the stone floor I sat on, I fumbled hysterically picking up Isabellas hand and holding tight as my only attempt to feel as if she was still with me. Her skin was as cold as ice, nothing like it had been when I last saw her, it was limp and delicate and moved lifelessly as I squeezed it hoping she'd squeeze back, but I felt nothing. I hid my head on top of Lunas shoulder and sank it deep into her hair closing my eyes tight wanting it all to be a dream but the longer I sat there the more it hit me that she was gone.

When she finally parted from me and was drained of tears she glanced down and reached over for Isabellas other hand holding it firmly between hers, she paused her face now emotionless and then began to mumble something silently holding her hand to her chest. I couldn't bare looking down so instead kept my eyes on Luna waiting for another tear to drop down her pale cheek like it did mine, I reached over and caressed her face wiping it away with my thumb giving her a faint smile to help myself more than anything. I couldn't fully process anything at the moment, perhaps everything became too overwhelming I started to block it out.

"We have to go Y/n, we can't stay here" Draco spoke gently as he tugged on my shoulder, I didn't move instead sat not wanting to let go of Isabellas hand knowing once I did, I wouldn't ever be able to again. Thats when I felt his hand wrap around my arm brining me to my feet, I turned slowly not lifting my eyes off the ground as I stared at his shoes. The only thing I was able to hear being my own breathing, he then pulled me into an embrace my head once again falling weakly against his chest as I closed my eyes still clinging onto the cold sensation that lurked on my hand.

"What about Luna-" I whispered looking back at her sat on her knees moving Isabellas hair out of her face, a part of me knew we had to leave, we had no choice if we wanted to get out of here alive but I knew if I left without her it'd hurt me even more.

"Go, please. I'll stay, I can't leave her" Luna said as she glanced up at us both, her quiet voice quivered but I could tell she was insistent gesturing towards the archway next to the great hall. I stood hesitant to move but was ushered along by Draco who pulled me away, I exchanged one last glance with Luna who gave me a weak but reassuring smile and I finally forced myself to look at Isabella. Her body rested limp next to the stairs; bits of rubble mattered in her hair as her wand laid broken into two pieces besides her a few inches from her hand. Though her face never changed it was still as it was when I awoke to it that morning, I kept telling myself she was just at rest as if shes deep in her dreams although this time, she won't ever wake up.