Chapter 46

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Chapter 46: A promise she intended to keep

Others began to spill out of the castle. Luna, Seamus, Cho, Arthur Weasley, Ron and Hermione... Hermione drew a sharp breath and she, Ron and Merielle met each other's eyes, as if they knew exactly what was  going on. This caused those around them to sense that something was wrong.

"What's going on here, Neville?" Arthur Weasley asked, his voice still scratchy. Neville began to speak, then faltered and glanced slightly at Ginny as if he couldn't bear to speak it aloud. Voldemort's procession reached them. A cruel glint was in his scarlet eyes. Their eyes drifted to Hagrid and what lay in his arms.

"No...NO!" Screamed Ginny, her cry echoing over the grounds. She rushed for Voldemort, but Arthur held his daughter tightly as she struggled. "NO!"

"SILENCE!" thundered Voldemort as he pointed his wand to the sky with a crack. "Stupid girl. You cry for that?" He addressed them all, his voice loud and clear.

"Harry Potter is dead! From this day forth, you put your faith in me, or suffer the consequences. Now is the time to declare yourself." He waited expectantly, but nobody moved a bone. That is, until:

"Draco," hissed Lucius Malfoy. All eyes swivelled to face the blond boy. Against her will, Merielle felt her heart thundering. Draco hesitated.

"Come, Draco...don't be stupid," his father muttered. Merielle swallowed. Half of her wanted to tell him to stay, tell him that it would be alright. But how could she after everything? She had given him so many chances to go with her. To escape Voldemort and make the right choice. But each time, he'd refused, choosing to go with Voldemort. How could she ask him to stay, only for him to leave her and join Voldemort, like all the times before? How many times was she going to let him break her heart?

Besides, they were over. He said so himself. She had no obligation to him. The whole point of the breakup was so that they could go their separate ways without caring about the other. Draco slightly turned his head to look at her. Their eyes met. Grey to brown. Brown to grey. Waiting.

Or saying goodbye? Saying that this was where they finally separated? Merielle parted her lips, but no sound came out.

"Draco..." This was from Narcissa Malfoy. Her tone was quiet but firm. Draco gave Merielle a slight tilt of his head.

Then he slowly walked forwards, away from the side of light and into darkness.

Merielle watched as Voldemort embraced Draco, who then went to stand with his parents, head bowed and eyes averted from the hateful glares. Merielle felt her own hate billow out. Sharp, burning hate. How dare he. How dare he stand there whilst Harry's dead body lay mere metres away. How dare he shy away like the coward he was  whilst others risked themselves, their loved ones and everything they had to fight for a better world. She thought of George, who would now always feel like half of him was gone. She thought of Molly, afraid for her family but still bravely sending them into battle. She thought of Ginny, so strong and true even after seeing both her brother and her true love's dead bodies. She thought of Hermione, Obliviating her own parents' memories of her and sending them away to the bottom of the world just to keep them safe. She thought of Teddy Lupin, who had lost both his parents in one night and would never see them again.

And all of this caused a black hatred towards the blond. Then surprise and sheer shock took over when Neville stepped forwards to raucous, mocking laughter from Bellatrix and Voldemort's Dark Army.

"Well, I must say I'd hoped for better. Is this truly the best Hogwarts has to offer?" Voldemort smirked, "And who might you be, young man?"

"Neville Longbottom."

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