The Emerald Manor

Chapter 39

A brilliant stream of green light filled the space between Cora and the men. The brilliance of the spell blinded Cora as her body failed; her limbs pooling in a pile on the ground.

The field cleared allowing Cora to see. Dolohov's body lay on the ground, unmoving. A sigh of relief escaped her. But is it was quickly replaced with renewed panic, remembering the other man. She could barely feel her fingers or toes. The physical, mental, and magical exhaustion wreaked havoc throughout her body.

Aimless red sparks sputtered out of her wand that was stuck in her hand. She was frozen, unable to unwrap her fingers from around it. Her muscles spasmed throughout her body, there was no warmth remaining, she was cold. Her eyes were focused on the man, she felt as though she might vomit.

He was striding closer to Cora. His steps were paced without urgency, his wand drawn focused on her. It was almost as though he was enjoying the slow crawl up to Cora. Like a werewolf stalking its victim.

Cora surrendered to her circumstances as she reached out for Draco's hand. She clenched his hand tangling her fingers in his, trying to ground herself. His hand didn't feel cold to her touch, probably because her own gone numb with fear.

Her grip on Draco's hand was desperate and steadfast. She took slow, deep sedative breaths. Cora refused to die in fear. Silent tears pricked the corner of her eyes. They did not fall, pooling there. She squared her shoulders and held her head high.

The man's tall frame was above her; she could smell him. There was a pungent smell of wet, singed fur. It made Cora want to gag. She could feel his eyes trained on her; she refused to look up to meet his gaze. Instead of staring down at Draco, all her focus on him. Hoping when this was over, she might see him again.

Her no-maj parents believed in a God and Heaven. Cora, especially after joining the magical world, didn't know what she believed. But all she could do in that moment was hope that there was something after. Something that would let her be with Draco again. At that moment, tears slid down her face. No noise escaping her.

She heard him, his maniacal laughter just inches from her ears. Invading her body, raising the mental defenses she put up. She could feel his hot breath on her face, still she refused to look at him.

"Are you scared?" He whispered the wicked threat in her ear.

Cora mustered her strength and turned, spitting in his face. "No."

An amused chuckle snaked through his body as he wiped her spit off his face. He brought his wand tip to the hollow at the base of her throat and held it there for a long time.

He skimmed it along her throat, resting it at the bottom of her chin. Forcing her face to look up at his. "I think you lie." A gnarled smile returning to his face.

"Go fuck yourself!"

In one motion the man slapped his hand across Cora's face. She yelled in pain, a welt forming on her cheek. His face was inches from hers. He hissed at her. "You're worthless."

Cora blinked the tears away from the slap. Surveying the familiar features of the man. With him being this close there was something about him that was familiar. Her eyes widen, knowing who he may be.

The man's smile twisted in on itself assessing Cora's face. "That fear. It's mine. Remember it. I own you." His eyes flitted down to her locket and then back to her eyes with a sneer.

His threat radiated throughout Cora's body.

"Until next time big sister."

With a chuckle and a pop, the man disapparated.

Abrupt, deep breaths slipped from Cora's mouth. She was on the verge of hyperventilating when she forced everything to slow down. Once her breathing was less erratic; her thoughts flooded back to what he said.

Until next time big sister.

Robert, that was Robert. He's alive. He's......he's a wizard. But why? How did he find me? Why, why is he doing this? Cora looked down brought back to the present seeing Draco's body, her hand still holding his.

She laid her body on top of his chest. Refusing to let go of his hand. She sobbed into him, tears covering her face and him. Her free hand cupped his face.

"Draco." Her sobs got louder. "Draco. Please. Please don't leave me. I need you."

She pressed her lips to his.

"I love you."

Her sobs slowed; she moved an ear to his lips. It was faint but she could feel air passing through his mouth.

"He's breathing! Draco. Draco can you hear me?" Cora was frantic, realizing Draco wasn't dead. Not yet anyways.

He didn't respond to her voice or any of her touches. Cora was huddled up on the ground next to him. She didn't know what to do. She was still too weak to do magic, let alone apparate the two of them.

She was confident that if she didn't get Draco to a healer soon, he would die. Cora willed herself to her feet. She tried casting a levitation charm on Draco, but it failed. She had one option. She had to try to apparate her and Draco to St. Mungo's. There was no one else. If she didn't at least try he would die.

She couldn't apparate with them on the ground. She had to try to get Draco in a standing position to give them a better chance at a successful apparition. She squatted down next to his body, curling her hands under his shoulders.

She tried to lift him but fell over, tumbling him and her to the ground.

"Fuck!" She slammed her palms on the ground. "Ok let's try something else."

She squatted down again with her back to his head. She reached behind her grabbing his hands pulling him forward into a seated position. She crouched lower pulling his arms over her shoulders, wrapping his wrists in front of the hollow of her throat.

She leaned forward at her waist as much as she could, trying to prop most of Draco's body weight on her back. She inhaled deeply as she stood, unfurling at her knees. Draco was heavy, but if she could maintain her balance.

She was standing with her feet flat and her back hunched but had Draco squarely on top of her. In between her hands and Draco's at the bottom of her throat she clutched her wand.

"If there was a God or something out there. Please. Please help me."

Cora closed her eyes. Her mind and determination set on St. Mungo's. She kept repeating it out loud.

"St. Mungo's. St. Mungo's. St. Mungo's."

She turned her body with Draco's. There was a loud pop, both of them vanishingfrom the Greenway.