This Bitter Earth

TWENTY TWO

AN: Hello again, dear readers. Ready for an update? Yay! Everyone say thank you to the wonderful Bree for betaing this for me and dealing with me over the past... six months(?) while I freaked out about everything. She is a saint.

I won't keep you much longer, but there is a note at the end of the chapter as a thank you to everyone who has come back to read this story.

In case you need a refresher of where we left off... Draco left Shell Cottage after finding out Lucius had died and Narcissa was taken to their island, but it has been moved. Hermione finished brewing the polyjuice potion and fell out with Ron over her relationship with Draco. Draco returned and things got rocky between him and Hermione. In order to get her forgiveness, Draco promised to help the trio and he and Hermione "reconcile".

Hermione leaves with Harry to break into Gringotts and they get the cup leaving the diadem and Nagini as the last known horcruxes. Draco and Ron break into the Ministry as a distraction and free the Muggleborns imprisoned there. It does not go well and Draco leaves Ron, presumably to die, but Ron still shows up to the rendezvous point. Hermione doesn't want to, but eventually concedes to go with Harry and Ron to Hogwarts even though Draco still hadn't arrived...

CW: This chapter contains violence and blood, including violence against children. Reader discretion advised.

Soundtrack- "Make This Go On Forever" by Hahlweg and "Bitter and Sick" by One Two

TWENTY TWO

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"Move—your—" Draco grabbed the back of Mundungus Fletcher's coat and shoved him forward. "ASS!"

This was taking too long and wasn't going nearly as well as he would have hoped. Maybe Weaselbee hadn't been so useless after all because most Muggleborns fled at the sight of Draco before he could even tell them he was here to fucking help them.

But the ginger prick was probably already dead and there was no use crying over spilt blood. Especially Weasley's. Actually the thought of it made Draco smile a little.

But then glass came raining down on him and Fletcher cowered down, trying to protect his head.

Draco saw the missing finger on his hairy hand and swallowed down the bile that was prickling in the back of his throat before pushing the little man forward again. "MOVE!"

"Where ya takin' me?" Fletcher panted as Draco pulled him a few yards forward and then crouched behind an overturned desk that had flown out of one of the office windows.

Draco lifted his head over the side to see a group of Muggleborns running for the fireplaces at the other end of the atrium. From his vantage point, he could see what they could not. A Ministry guard had his wand up, heading towards them.

Draco had to fight back the crucio curse that was screaming to be let out. He felt it simmering under his mark and forced the first spell that came to his mind out instead.

The snake shot out of the end of his wand and landed in front of the guard. It struck out, attaching itself to the man's neck. He dropped his wand, pulling at it and screaming in terror.

Draco smirked.The snake wasn't venomous.

Well, not very venomous.

He'd live.

And so would the Muggleborns. Draco watched them disappear into the green flames. Once they were out they weren't his concern anymore.

"Get ready to move," Draco growled.

"Oh bleedin' 'ell," Fletcher whispered and wiped sweat from his forehead only for another rivulet to slide down in between his drooping eyes.

"Do you want to stay here?" Draco snapped. Fletcher shook his head, jowls quivering with the movement. "Didn't think so. On my command."