Inferno | Draco Malfoy

087 | Duty Calls

Draco tightly squeezes my hand, not wanting to let me go, and not wanting me to let go of him.

June 30th.

And I hardly slept last night. I stayed up, tossing and turning in my bed before giving up completely to write to my cousin.

I received a letter from my parents this morning; they're still worried about me. Nonetheless, they had briefly explained to me what the plan would be. I feel as if I'm hiding a secret from everybody, even Draco. He's oblivious to the fact that Snape will carry out his task if he can't manage it, thank goodness for the Unbreakable Vow, this task should've never fallen into the hands of a sixteen-year-old. Of course, he's aware of the Vow, he just doesn't know and doesn't want to know what was promised. My friends know about this task, though they have no clue as to when it will take place. The reason why I didn't tell any of them is because I knew they would be safe, most of their parents are Death Eaters. If they weren't safe, I wouldn't hesitate to tell them.

Draco squeezes my hand once more, feeding his trepidation and fear that he can not express any further. It's all in his face, the absolute guilt of betraying his school, his second home.

We're in the Room of Requirement, waiting for the antique clock to become eleven. And we stand together, hand in hand, wands at the ready in case of any mishaps.

The boy too had hardly slept last night, his under eyes were dark, and he looked so tired. His eyes lost all the blue they held, and now, they were completely grey; it was as if light could not pass through his dark eyes, like he had given up on hope and become aware of the reality that he could not be saved from this cruel life.

I'm certain I can hear his heartbeat amidst this silence, or perhaps that's my own heartbeat thudding in my ears, I couldn't tell, and I couldn't care. We were both unnerved, and we both knew that, despite the brave faces we tried to steel on our faces, the truth was nearing. I had told myself that I wouldn't care much about today; it was only the death of my Headmaster. And I don't care, it is only the death of him, it's Draco that my heart races for. If at any point, he got hurt, I knew I would have a heart attack.

"One more minute." Draco squeezed my hand for the third time; his whisper was strained, almost like his restricted heart.

I turned to look at the clock and I started to count down with it, the ticking sound seemed to be slower than my heart. "Are you ready?" I whisper back, feeling breathless myself.

He doesn't say anything, nodding his head just the littlest bit, giving me a mixture of emotions to show that he is and isn't ready for it all at once.

There's a strong wind that only seems to fight harder as it rattles the cabinet - a disruption to nature. Then, by itself, the lock to the cabinet started to slowly unwind, emitting a thick black smoke that could consume a whole being; it smelt like pipe smoke, and I had to hold the urge to cough.

I could feel my body entering flight-or-fight mode as my heart proposed the threat of busting open my ribcage. And I contemplate it for a little before letting go of Draco's hand as my hand starts to sweat immensely.

The cabinet doors only open wider, and wider, until the dark curly hair and the same manic eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange meet mine. She smiles, humming slightly as she shuts her eyes to inhale the air - like one does when ending a voyage, though her case is that she's not foreign, this is the place where she grew up and she's familiar with it. Likewise, some of the other Death Eaters seem to recognise the place as they step away from the cabinet, approaching us.