Keeping a Promise

Chapter 16

Draco's POV

I looked at the bottle that was on my nightside table. The whole fifth of Firewhiskey had only survived for an hour within my grasp. I closed my eyes, and Courtney flashed behind the lids. What would she think of the situation now? I know that she told me that I had to do whatever it took to stay alive, but is this what she had in mind? She knew that I had to marry a pureblood witch, but I don't think she realized that I had to procreate as well. Would this cause a strain on our relationship when we finally were able to be together?

"Draco," Lila's voice sounded heartbroken.

I looked over at her with a sigh. "Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

I half laughed. Was I okay? My father had beaten me my whole life. My mother allowed us to stay with a man that she was dangerously in love with. I had to witness my mother being mistreated. The love of my life had to be someone that was considered a blood traitor. I was forced to marry someone else other than her, forced to cheat on her. Then, we created a new life together.

"I am most certainly not okay," I sat up on my elbows. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "No, but I'm worried about you, Draco. All you've done is drink since we found out about the baby."

"Well, what else am I going to do?"

"I know this isn't ideal, but I do want you to be alive to see this child. If we're forced into this, then I don't want this child to be even more fucked up than we are."

She did have a point. I looked back over at the bottle that had held me so close for the past two weeks. I reached over and tossed it into the trash. I was most definitely not going to let this child suffer more because I'm a selfish prick.

"Where's Mitch and Micah?" I asked after seeing the reflief in her eyes.

"You rang," Mitch said as he came into the room with his brother on his heels.

I sighed as they sat on the couch across from my bed. "I'm sorry, mates."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Micah said, reassuringly. "We were all forced into this. No one said it was going to be easy. Fuck."

"Besides," Mitch said, "You're not the only one anymore."

I shook my head. "Shit. Sorry, man"

Lila started wiping at her eyes. "This is so far from what should actually be happening right now. We should not be getting ready to have babies right now. I should be with Mitch and not Draco."

Mitch jumped up and pulled her into his arms because she had started sobbing uncontrollably. I looked away from them and down at the floor. We were supposed to be at our respective schools, enjoying our last years before adulthood. Instead, we were thrown into adulthood and ripped from our freedom. I had the urge to go for a walk, but the entire manor was on lock down since Harry Potter got away. Of which, I didn't even know about until I was summoned downstairs to hold wands. Wands of all things! I absolutely had no idea what was going on, and the next thing I knew, Harry was grabbing the wands from my hands. I had been too shocked to even draw my wand. I couldn't take my eyes off the crying Hermione, who was bleeding down her arm. My auntie had been allowed to torture again. I grabbed the wand that I had hastily thrown to my side on the bed. It felt wrong, but I had no other choice. Harry had grabbed mine in the process. Everything was just a shit show. 

"Draco," called Micah. "You need to tell us what Helena was going on about, mate. Remember from dinner? She kept talking about a love curse and Courtney. I know you said that Courtney was alive, but what is going on?" 

I sighed and put the wand back in my pocket. "Courtney has been given a mission from Albus Dumbledore. She didn't know what it was at first, but she soon discovered that it was a love cycle. In this cycle, our souls always fall in love. I always die because I join the wrong side, and she always marries her best mate. Helena found a love cycle curse in the hall of prophesies when we went to the Ministry. It was the cycle. It is actually a curse and will take some strong magic to break." 

"So," Mitch said, pulling slightly away from Lila. "You have to stay alive? That will break this curse?" 

I nodded. "Something powerful has to break it. I know Dumbledore said that Courtney was the only one that could break it, but I can't help but doubt that she's stronger than this centuries long curse." 

"Oh, Draco," Lila said and stretched her hand to me. "I know things are going to turn out the way that they're supposed to," she paused to smile as I took her hand in mine. "You're going to be with Courtney. Forever." 

There was a knock at the door. A house elf came inside and bowed. "Dinner is ready." 

Lila and I walked hand in hand down the staircase and towards the dinning room. We had to make it seem like we were happy with our arrangement every moment of everyday. I let go of her hand to walk around the table to my usual seat, which was next to Blaise. He came into the room looking like he hadn't slept in over a week. 

"Well," You-Know-Who called as he swaggered into the room. "We have two causes of celebration today! First, congratulations is in order to another happy couple," he beamed down the table. "Blaise and Pansy have conceived the second child." 

We all raised a glass in Blaise and Pansy's direction. She had looked like she had been crying for hours on end. My heart actually reached out to her for the first time ever. 

"Next," he said as a smile curled around his lips. "I have a surprise for some fine gentlemen: a long-term career! Draco, Blaise, Mitch, and Micah. You all have been chosen to be the heads of each house at Hogwarts. I figured that each of you will need permanent jobs since you all will be bringing new life into the world. Mitch and Micah, you might not have been successful just yet, but I have faith in each of you." 

I shared a smirk with Blaise. We were going back to Hogwarts and away from this Hell on earth.