Book 2: Of Iron & Gold

3: In the Willow Trees, Beyond the Darkness

A/N: This is the first chapter that will be in the POV of Draco! A reminder that this book is mixed up between the POVs of Grier and Draco, so keep that in mind while reading (:

Also, Pansy and Blaise are Death Eaters because I think it'll bring a nice dynamic for Draco and will help manifest even more character growth.

Enjoy!

Hogwarts had gone to shit.

Watching the clouds wisp by in a tantalizing array of greys and whites solidified the lack of life that trailed in our imminent arrival to Platform 9 ¾. The train was somber with silence and an air of nervousness.

I couldn't stop thinking about her. About Grier.

The girl I loved and cherished with every fiber of my hardened soul. She thawed the bitter cold that had once wrapped around my heart.

Yet, she was far away: in the hands of Voldemort - where I could not touch her.

Save her.

"Draco, sweetie, I was talking to you," said a horrifyingly yippy voice, which was followed by the snap of fingers in front of my face.

Leashing my temper, I hissed, "Pansy, I swear to Merlin that I will bite off your fucking fingers if they come any closer to me."

A glimmer of mischief shone in her eyes as the slim light leaking from the overcast sky reflected her brown orbs. "Bite me all you like," she said, seduction lacing her tone.

"No."

Damn my father for forcing me to linger with the pure-bloods who worshipped the Dark Lord. Damn the Parkinsons.

Damn me for not being able to save Grier.

I felt a hopeless sense of defeat. That I could have done something to save her. Fight for her, but it all happened too fast.

Not a day had gone by where my thoughts roamed something other than Grier and how to seamlessly break her out.

My worst fear was Voldemort's hands on her, torturing her with his promises of glory and something far worse. I feared that some of the Death Eaters would take advantage of a woman in the prison beneath the stone floors.

I saw red with the possibility.

The week following Dumbledore's untimely death, the Wizarding World had swirled into a whirlpool of change... destructive change.

Death Eaters had assumed control of the Ministry of Magic and Snape had declared himself the interim headmaster of Hogwarts.

In every corner, Voldemort lingered, waiting to strike.

"Draco, love, are you okay?" Teemed Pansy as her clammy fingers wrapped around my forearm. 

I growled, "Pansy, I will beat the shit out of you if you touch me one more time." Before she could muster another word, I moved to sit at an empty booth. One where I could glance out the window and dread the moment we arrived.

Each night, I had awoken with the look of fear that bloomed in her turquoise irises as she whispered those last words through the bond.

I had to save her because I couldn't live without her.

I had to make sure that the Dark Mark never mauled her skin like the scar that wrapped around her body like a snake. Treacherous anger coursed through me like hellfire burned beneath at the thought of his dangerous hands on her.

Touching her. Hurting her. Delving into her pain. Breaking her.

With my head in my hands, I waited to arrive at our destination, and my world to open up beneath me and swallow me whole.