It can never be the same

Chapter 22

It was a determined anger that had pushed her into action; that had fueled the chase after Draco. It was her anger that drove her crucial decisions - but if she didn't have anger to cloud her judgment and consume her being, then that left room for overthinking and fear to rule over her mind. Her anger could be her weakness but it could also be a source of her strength, her anxiety, however, could only ever be her downfall.

As soon as she had seen the malicious look on Bellatrix's face, she had frozen. It was only for a second, but it was a second that cost her. The destination that she had been picturing clearly slipped away as her mind went blank, her heart squeezed, and her muscles tensed.

For all her talk of being ready for a fight, the biggest battle that she had ever been in had been just last year in the Department of Mysteries. And she had been shaking for a while after that fight, especially since someone she knew and cared for had died during the battle. Being ready to defend herself and those she cared about did not exclude her from feeling fear.

They were in the process of apparating away, the flames that were moving closer should not have reached them. Yet, she still felt heat lick at the side closest to Bellatrix. The destination that she was thinking of earlier changed to a different one as the first inkling of pain registered.

And then they were gone.

She landed heavily on her feet, stumbling a bit before a hand tightened around her own, preventing her from toppling over. She took a ragged breath and looked up only to blink at the number of eyes that were staring back at her. It would seem that she had brought them back to Hogwarts, more specifically to the hospital wing.

"You!" an outraged voice cried out.

She wasn't too sure who it was since she was still getting a hold of her bearings, plus she felt lightheaded. Several people pulled out their wands and pointed them at her - no, not at her - at Draco and his mother. Unfortunately, that was also the exact moment that she remembered that her side had just been burned. The stinging that she felt was unbearable; it was too much, too much, but still, she gritted her teeth and took a step in front of Draco.

It still felt like the flames were burning her side, in fact, it felt like her whole body was on fire, but she would be damned if she let anything happen to Draco.

She attempted to speak but only a pained groan came out.

"Y/n!" Hermione called out in alarm.

She tried to take a step forward but stopped when Y/n finally spoke, mustering up what she hoped was a glare and directed it at the people pointing their wands at them.

"Nobody touches him," she said.

Her vision was swimming but she could just make out the shocked expressions on everyone's faces.

"Or her," she added on, referring to Draco's mother.

She attempted to pull her wand out, despite the fact that she was swaying on the spot, but she ended up grunting when she moved. Draco wrapped an arm around her uninjured side and hovered close behind her.

"But, he was with them! He left with him!" Ron protested.

"But he wasn't with them, was he, Y/n?" Luna asked.

Harry, who had been watching her with a mix of a worried and pensive gaze, finally spoke up.

"Dumbledore - " his voice cracked. "He spoke to you about still helping you out. He knew you were a death eater all along, didn't he?"

He had addressed Draco and suddenly she was reminded of the fact that, technically, she and Harry were still in the middle of a fight. It all seemed so insignificant after everything they had just gone through - plus the excruciating pain prevented her from thinking too deeply about their fight.