(1) 𝐍𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄 | d. m

Chapter thirty

Everything felt so surreal. Like a nightmare I felt I'd never wake up from. Draco, who was once on the opposite side of the waging war, was now urging to end this fight with his aunt. I held a tight grasp around my wand, which had been carved out of juniper, and seemed a perfect fit between my index finger and my annualry. I was scared, close to petrified, yet I somehow found the courage to keep on fighting. It felt like the only thing to do, and who was to say I wouldn't already be dead hadn't Draco come to see me again?

"I'm crushed it has come to this, sister", Bellatrix's voice made its way into my ear, blocking out any other sound. Despite the meaning of her words, she was smiling excessively, while I was holding my breath trying to keep up a good front. I knew she was only trying to psyche her sister and nephew out, but I couldn't help feeling like her derision and intimidation only made Draco more uncertain about his decision to switch sides. She was, after all, someone who had been able to persuade Draco into doing things by threatening him and his parents. Who was to say that he wouldn't just hesitate about it all, and go back to the dark side? Despite us literally fighting a common enemy, I couldn't take away from the feeling that he was, deep down, too scared to go through with it. Too traumatised by his past life to be able to stand up to the person who had participated in the torturing of me. Or maybe I was just being too distrusting.

The fight seemed to never end, in fact, it went on for what felt like forever. We were casting spells and curses, ducking the once thrown back at us, all the while, I was praying that it would be over soon. That me and Draco would leave the duel unscathed and safe from any harm caused by the Bellatrix or any of the other Death Eaters. That we would be able to start anew, somewhere away from all this trauma and turmoil caused by our respective families. However, I would soon come to find, that such a life was still far out of reach.

"So am I, Bella. But you of all people know that family's important, and you've become a bigger threat towards mine". Narcissa's voice was calm, but I knew that underneath it all, she was struggling to keep a brave face. In fact, all of this, was probably too much for her to handle. She was giving up  her relationship with her sister, to protect her son and his friend. She was risking everything, and I realised that.

"The Dark Lord won't be too pleased when he hears of your betrayal. I wouldn't make myself too comfortable just yet, if I were you. In fact, I'm going to tell him myself, and I'll earn my place once... Once I've killed your sons little girlfriend". Her insane and confident demeanour suddenly changed into something more sinister and dramatic, making me fear her even more. She wasn't fooling around, I could tell. No, she was as serious about it as the next thing. I felt a worrying shiver run up and down my spine as I fought Scabior off for what I hoped to be the very last time. I had seemingly run out of breathe and felt my whole body quacking out of exhaustion. I knew that not many people wanted me alive and that she could kill me any second, without hesitating. I also knew that, up until a few minutes ago, Narcissa was on the same side as her. So who was to say she wouldn't just give me up? It was Draco she was protecting, after all. Not me. Besides, I had only brought  trouble and pain to their family, especially Draco. Maybe they were better off if I were gone.

"NO!", screamed Draco and I felt my heart skip a beat. "I won't let you!", he took a deep breath as the duelling stopped momentarily. "I won't let you hurt her!". He raised his wand again, shaking from the fear that I knew ran deep inside him. He was protecting me. Defending me, like he hadn't done before when I expected him to. Bellatrix resumed her cackling laugh, as if it was all a joke to her. As if she was confident enough to know that he wouldn't go through with it. She gesticulated for the rest of the Death Eaters to lower their wands, as she started pacing confidently about the room. "So..." She stepped forward, until she was up in Draco's face. "You would risk your life... for this... half-blood?". Draco stared in front of him, but tried not to focus on her taunting eyes. He was clearly afraid, and his body language revealed it all. "Now, why is that? Hmm?", she did her best impression of a school girl giggling, only to have her face return to its original, serious state.

"Because I-", Draco spoke so quietly and unconfidently that I couldn't hear the end of his sentence. I knew he had a hard time telling people of his true feelings, especially in such a pressing situation as this, yet a part of me hoped he would reveal himself. And if not now – when? His eyes were filled with tears that formed like crystals as they fell down his dried out cheeks. I felt incredibly sorry for him, and I wanted nothing more than to shield him from the pain I knew he was experiencing.

"What's that? We can't hear you, sweetheart", she said, in a sing-song voice, waiting for him to reply.

"Because I love her".

I had never before heard such beautiful words leave his mouth, yet in a way that made me feel like I wished he hadn't said them at all. I knew he was probably only saying it to get us all out of this situation, but I wanted it to be the truth of what he felt.

"Naaaw, that's so sweet!", Bellatrix grinned with her hands making motions that only made her appear more crazed and insidious. Then her face turned all the more serious, as she pretended to be sorry. "But I'm afraid it's not enough".

"What?!", Draco expressed worryingly, the tears forming a deep ocean in his eyes, and before he could say something else, Bellatrix turned to me once more. She raised her wand, and before I knew it, everything was black. The last thing I had seen before my eyes closed and I was enwrapped in complete darkness, was her menacing eyes, looking deep into my soul.

I'm dead, I thought. She killed me!

***

Draco

I don't quite know what happened next. I guess I must've lost consciousness for a hot second, because when I opened my eyes again, Bellatrix and her evil army was gone. In an instance, everything had changed, and I believed it to finally be over. I thought that maybe, she had knocked me to the ground with the wisp of her wand and that she had decided that killing me  wasn't worth it. I guess the hope that they'd leave us alone, got the best of me, because that wasn't the case.

When I woke up on the cold wooden floor, I felt dizzy. It took me a good few seconds to get on my feet, and I don't know what I expected. All I know is, I didn't anticipate... that.

Her body was cold. It was like all life had been drained from her at once. She wasn't moving. She was just laying there, perfectly motionless and without any sign that she was still alive. Without any sign that she ever was. The shock of it all sent me falling to my knees, and I had to drag myself across the floor to get to her. She was as beautiful as ever, her shoulder-length hair spread out evenly and her fair skin looking perfectly imperfect. Although she was lifeless and stiff, I could feel my heart beating for the both of us. I loved her, and I would continue to do so for the rest of my miserable life.

"You're fine", I said, sobbing so hard that my eyes burned.

"You're gonna be fine".