This Bitter Earth

TWENTY

Hey, remember how I said the chapters were going to get shorter as we got closer to the end? Well, I sure am glad y'all like liars because here is another long one for you.

I would like to pledge my eternal love and gratitude to Bree for betaing this chapter and also say thank you to Tina and Ella who told me to go dark when I wasn't sure. I know, me having a moral crisis, can you believe it?

Just a head's up, the nuclear waste is strong in this one. Might want to put on a hazmat suit.

Soundtrack- "All This Time" by ellis and "Sweet Hell" by Maiah Manser

TWENTY

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He had half a mind to march straight down the drive and break the front doors from their hinges. It was his house now, after all; Draco could do as he pleased. But as he neared, he realized that was a stupid, foolish plan. He blamed the idea on spending too much time with Gryffindors.

He was here to get his mother away from the Dark Lord, not to start a fight he was sure to lose. He hoped his mother wouldn't argue about leaving. If she did, well... she didn't have a wand to defend herself and the imperius curse had nearly worked getting Granger out of the castle last year.

And if he saw Bellatrix this time... he thought Crookshanks might like the idea of the sectumsempra curse slicing that foul bitch open. He certainly did.

Draco slunk through the woods until he got to a tree he knew all too well and walked over the shallow grave underneath it. He stopped at the edge of the property line.

He knew what lay for him beyond it. Knew who and what were waiting on him.

And he wanted to go back.

He could turn around right now and apparate back to the coast. He could go back to the cottage, back into his girl's arms and hear her tell him how proud of him she was for turning around. Sure, he'd take a tongue lashing from her after, but then he could give her one of his own to make up for how he acted this morning. Draco stood at the edge of the grounds and could just make out the Manor cutting a striking slice against the white sky.

No sun today, but no storm clouds either; they were just pale and grey. Dead. The sky had been clear when he left this morning, bright and blue and shining. He would go back. He would.

Hope was a foolish thing, but if it had kept Granger and her friends alive, maybe... it could do something for him.

His chest tightened, forcing breaths in and out too quickly. Draco did as he was taught. By his mother.

He had to try. Draco closed his eyes.

He hoped she was unharmed.

One.

He hoped she was alive.

Two.

He really hoped she didn't still hate him.

Three.

He tightened his fist and then opened it. The silver Malfoy ring sat in the middle of his palm.

Draco's hands shook as he slipped it on his finger.

.

Hermione had taken all of thirty seconds to stare at the open door and let the shock of Draco leaving silence everything else in her head. Then the creature in her chest started roaring and the blood rushed back into her head, blocking out Harry's voice asking if she was okay and if she wanted to sit down.