The Broken Blonde

Chapter Ninety-Five

Draco practically dragged me through the halls at a pace that clearly indicated how eager he was to leave making me scramble on behind him, everything felt blurred and slowed delaying the cries and crashes that crammed my brain trying its best to block everything out. Bits of stone fell from the ceiling followed by gusts of soot and dirt, everywhere I looked was nothing but old ruins the only things left being the outline of where everything should be. All the people who were once displayed proudly in the paintings had fled elsewhere leaving them just be that of a plain background that now were discoloured and scratched, only a few left hanging.

I hadn't much time to look since he pulled me quickly around every corner bracing myself out of instinct, I had my hand sheltering my head and squinted my eyes in hope that the next corner we turned would be the exit. We must have been getting close since we heard a cluster of people nearby and watched as sparks shot straight past us, Draco turned and gestured for us to keep low so we wouldn't be spotted. Too distracted by the sounds I didn't really hear what he said but nodded anyway preparing myself as we hurried around the corner.

As we did, we crossed path with two cloaked people in masks heading towards the great hall presumably going against what Voldemort said wanting to cause more harm; if that was even possible. For a moment I wasn't sure if they were going to go for us instead but the second they glanced at Draco they aimed their wands back at the doors and proceeded, I looked over to Draco expecting him to do something but saw that his wand was aimed at the floor as he dodged another stone that fell from the pillar above looking as if he was just going to go straight past them.

I panicked, I couldn't watch them destroy more peoples lives like they already have to many others so with that I raised my wand towards them and muttered a spell making them both get launched back into an already cracked cobbled wall. "What the hell are you doing?" Draco shouted as he glanced back at me now picking up his pace, I ignored him and shot again disarming one while the other muttered a spell at me followed quickly by bright green sparks. I leapt over them closing one eye in dread but watched as it just about missed my foot, out of the corner of my eye I saw sparks shoot over to the remaining death eater but knew that this time I wasn't the one doing it.

I looked over to see Dracos head turned, his wand raised behind him gripping it tightly, his expression twisted with both resentment and exhaustion. I broke into a run catching up to him as I done a double take behind me checking that they were both still on the floor before we hurried around another corner. I was so out of breath, my vision fogged with the dust muffling my surroundings, so I was only able to make out minor details making everything seem dreamlike, everything was going so quick that my mind wasn't able to catch up, it all felt so surreal. I balanced myself of the wall one hand clutching the brick whilst the other laid gently on my chest feeling my heart beating rapidly, I felt Dracos stare from behind and adjusted myself so I was now facing him.

We both looked as exhausted as each other, our eyes narrow and bloodshot, hair mattered with dirt and faces scattered with cuts and bruises showing through the patches of ash. We took a moment just staring at each other realising how awful we not only looked but felt, I knew he was thinking the same as me by the way he looked at me, it felt strangely familiar, we were both apart of all of this yet somehow managed to escape it all. He finally broke out of the stare and fluttered his eyes patting himself down before he motioned for me follow, although his expression was stern it didn't mask how afraid he was, we've came that to losing each other there wasn't a point in hiding it anymore.

I trailed closely behind him but came to a sudden halt as I heard a mass of cries all coming from inside the great hall, I tried telling myself to just ignore them and carry on otherwise I'll never get out of here but the more I zoned in on them the worse they got practically forcing me to stop. I ushered for Draco to come back as I gently pushed the door open the slightest amount and peered inside, what I saw was nothing but a war zone, the entire hall now being a hospital ward filled with enough patients to fill up four. My eyes gradually scanned the entire room only just clicking how many people this has actually affected, how many people risked their lives while we just cowered away.

That was when my eyes landed on a small group of people who were all wheeping into each others shoulders while one ginger headed boy was on his knees in pieces, I glanced over to who he was resting against and laying limp next to him was his other half, his twin. Mrs Weasley had her head buried into Mr Weasleys shoulder while a tall boy stood next to him with his head bowed, it was Blaise. Confused, I glanced back at Draco gesturing towards Blaise, he too peered inside and was instantly taken back by how many people laid lifelessly on the floor. Though when Blaise moved his leg slightly now looking up at the ceiling his hand grasping his mouth it hit me that someone else laid next to Fred.

I gasped my eyes welling up as I saw her dark hair draped gently on the floor beside her, it was Madalina. I stumbled back, backing away quickly from the door my eyes becoming more submerged in tears the further I got, I thought I'd never get a chance to see her again but when I finally do, she too fell victim to the man I've been working for. I began chanting to myself not believing that this was all real eventually hitting the wall behind me, I looked up at Draco who now got the wave of reality processing that he too has lost someone that was close to him. Both Madalina and Draco grew up together and she was often the one to prevent him from taking things too far, she was basically a sister figure to him, and I couldn't imagine how he felt right now.

Though I wasn't able to fully process it, I forced myself to push everything to the back of my head and avoid the rush of grief that was on the brim of breaking me and instead I walked back up to Draco who was now stood motionless staring at the door. I reached up for his shoulder and lightly brushed against it but he jolted shoving my hand away as he turned his back to me, he forced his head to look up brushing his hands through his hair aggressively as his breathing got heavier. Though just as I opened my mouth to speak, I heard a voice echo down the corridor.

"Draco?" Both our heads turned as the womans voice spoke his name softly, recognising it immediately as Narcissas, she was stood in the archway of the main entrance trembling slightly, her eyes wide with fear and desperation. It took a moment before she realised it was us, her arms falling weakly to her side, I knew how much Draco meant to her and the fact she came alone indicates shes spent the battle trying to find her son grasping onto the last bit of hope she had left thats he wasn't dead.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she came quickly towards us stopping abruptly as she reached him, she clutched the side of his arms tight as she examined him, her eyes glassy almost transparent in disbelief that her son stood before her. She then pulled him in close wrapping her arms around him tightly placing one of her hands gently on his head as he lowered it onto her shoulder, she held him firmly not wanting to let him go scared that she'd be left without him again. "You're alive" She whispered assuring herself she had her son back, she then pulled away as he dug his head deeper into her shoulder sensing that something was wrong.

I watched as Draco fell limp to his mothers touch giving into her completely knowing she was there to comfort him, his head drooped looking at the ground as he stood before her. Narcissa raised her hand and softly caressed his cheek raising his head up towards her so she was able to see his face, his eyes were just as glassy as his mothers but was instead filled with guilt and regret. Knowing all this time she stood helplessly, watching as her son was forced to do a task no boy should do as payment for his fathers cowardness made her feel like shes failed as a mother and now seeing that Draco wasn't able to handle it anymore made it even worse.

"Its Madalina. She's dead" I spoke timidly my voice trembling as I glanced down at the floor trying to hold back my tears, Narcissa looked up at me her face dropping instantly as my words shot through her. She didn't hesitate to pull Draco back into an embrace realising everything hes been through, tears dripped silently down my cheek landing on the cold cobbled floor but as another one fell Narcissas hand came into view. She had it open offering me it as her other wrapped around Draco, I glanced up at her and smiled faintly as I took it, her grip instantly putting my trembling hand at ease.

"Cissy, what a lovely surprise" I jolted, my heart sank, and my body went tense, I raised my head hesitantly recognising the high pitched tone as that of Bellatrix LeStrange.