Long Live the Mafia Prince - A Drarry Fanfiction

Part 028

The seconds after I sent my signal to the aurors breaking into the castle went by in slow-motion. Standing there, looking down at Draco for what should be the last time, a wave of thoughts crashed into my head and disappeared at the same time. Feeling so much, let so little, I couldn't do anything but stay frozen in my stance. Something heavy yet empty filled up my chest.

As I watched the tears raining down from Draco's smiling eyes, someone, I don't remember who, kicked into the room. The moment the door was busted open, everything started to fly by. I can only recall flashes and blurred cuts of what could've been hours.

Draco's wand being tucked into an auror's pocket from the mess on the floor, more people filing into the room, everyone yelling with wands raised on aim, Draco picking himself off the ground while barely keeping balance, spells being muttered, more aurors coming up the stairs, Draco being dragged away, seeing the last of his tears dry on his pale cheeks...

Then, for a split moment, I was alone in the tower.

As the chaos and burn drained out down the staircase, I slowly walked to Draco's bed and sat on it, my legs giving out. The bloody sheets under me, the sounds of battle in the distance, and the air stiff in place, I just sat. Nothing could dare cross my mind in those few seconds, not a little buzz in my heart. I think I would've left my own body if Ron didn't come for me.

With him, I left Draco's bedroom, closing the door on the way.

/////

I stare at the ceiling, how white it is, how plain it is. My hands folded on my stomach, still in the same clothes as four hours ago, I feel myself breathing.

I think I asked to go home. I think Granger let me. I think Ron offered to go with me. I think I declined. I think I came straight here, onto my bed, when I got home. I think I've been here for hours.

The thing is, I don't remember. I keep forgetting and finding myself in places, drifting and dazing. It's hard to say why. I guess I should be processing, but that's not what I'm doing while becoming detached from reality. In fact, I may almost be trying not to process, to not think at all. Thinking, remembering, understanding what happened in the past six or so hours is something I might never do.

My mouth dry, I swallow, my lips pressing into each other. Somehow, as if I just discovered my physical form, I feel a fuzzy tingle. It's soft and warm, perhaps slightly moist with enough pressure to come as a shock. My lips parting again, I blink at the flashes.

His hands holding me, his breath gliding down my skin, his lips gently grazing over mine-

I hear a knock in the living room.

Bolting up, I rush to the owl at the window. My head spins as I untie the letter from the owl's leg. The moment my hands leave the animal, it silently flies away. I slam the windows shut and rip open the envelope.

From the Ministry, the letter seems rushed and stressed.

In the office. Now.

-H. G.

/////

"I'm here for Hermione Granger?" I say.

The Front couldn't answer before someone stormed down the hall towards me. Her hair up in a mess with bags under her eyes, Granger seems just as rushed and stressed as her letter.

"Follow me." Granger says, immediately turning on her heels.

I blink, but do as told. "What's going on? Did something go wrong?".

Granger snaps around in my face. "How did you manage to actually talk to this man?".

I blink again at her unstably annoyed tone. "Sorry?".

"WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT YOU?".

"I don't- We're talking about Draco?" I say, taken aback.

Granger sighs and slows down to a stop. She leans on the wall, massaging her eyes. "I tried, Dean tried, Ron tried, everyone tried. He'll talk to no one.".

I nod slowly, also sighing. I can see what's coming as Granger looks at me.

"All he has said to any of us since he got here is 'I'll talk to Harry Potter.'." Granger says.

"Right." I say, dropping my gaze to the ground.

Granger picks herself off the wall and starts walking again, next to me this time. "I know you don't want to do this.".

I glance at her. "Does it matter?".

She dips her head down. "I'm sorry.".

I scoff, knowing negativity won't help things. "Since when did you apologize?".

/////

File in hand, I walk up to the interrogation room. The auror standing at the door pulls it open for me, and I enter with a slow breath in and out.

In the dim room, empty but a desk and two chairs facing each other, Draco sits, a small pendant light glowing on his face. He seems tired, even more so than a few hours ago, more so than ever. With dark circles, his eyes no longer shimmer. As I walk to the chair in front of him, Draco flashes a faint smile.

"You haven't gotten yourself together at all, have you?" Draco says, his voice raspy and dull, the elegant and alluring undertones gone.

I don't make eye contact, flipping through my file. "I have some questions for you. Can you answer them for me?".

"I guess it's not protocol to ease into that part?" Draco says, leaning back in his seat, "Almost started to think it was.".

Sitting straight, I stare at him. "Can you answer my questions?".

He stares back. "I could.".

"You could?" I say.

"And I will," Draco says, "if you answer mine, too.".

"I'm not obligated to.".

"Same for me.".

I sigh. "Fine.".

He flashes a smile again "Great. I'll let you go first.".

My nails dig into my palm under the desk. I know we don't have another choice but for me to be in this room, but it doesn't change the fact that it's unfortunate.

"You are here for the theft of the painting 'La vie', the kidnapping of two aurors, and the murder of Lucius Malfoy. Are you aware?" I say, as mono-toned as I possibly can.

"Yes." Draco says.

I nod. "We know of-".

"You're breaking the rules.".

"What rule-".

Draco leans off his chair and onto the desk. "It's my turn.".

I swallow a burning lump in my chest. "Go ahead.".

With a grin, he starts. "Long live the Mafia Prince, you said, right? Very dramatic, very emotional, very fitting to say before you spare me. I liked it.".

"That's not a question." I say, barely keeping my voice stedy.

"I'm getting there." Draco says, "In fact, speaking of sparing me, what was the reason? That's my turn's question, why didn't you kill me?".

I wanted to, and really have grabbed that silky collar of his many times. Surprisingly, even though I feel like I lost every time my intrusive thoughts take over, the impulse keeps coming back, this time possibly the strongest ever. "For the same reason you didn't kill me.".

Draco scoffs. "I'm not sure what you mean.".

"I mean you kept me alive to feel something," I say through gritted teeth, "and I kept you alive to make you feel, too. Feel pain, suffer.".