When The Devil Falls | Draco Malfoy x Tom Riddle

Chapter 35 | Safe is with you ; Home is with you

Previously on When The Devil Falls -

Using what little strength he had left, Draco staggered to his feet, his body shaking with a combination of pain and fear. With bloody hands, he reached for his wand from Snape's cloak; The older wizard had taken it from Draco when he had him pinned to the wall, summoning the strength to cast a Patronus charm. The silvery form of a Thestral burst from the tip of his wand, its ghostly presence filling the room with an eerie light.With the message sent, Draco collapsed onto the bed with Snape's unconscious form on the flo, his body racked with sobs.

In the midst of Draco's cries, the air crackled with magic as Marvolo apparated inside Severus' quarters. The Dark Lord's eyes, usually filled with a calculating edge, softened with a rare display of concern as he saw Draco's tears. Anger simmered beneath the surface, a tempest ready to unleash its fury upon those who dared to harm what was his.

"Draco," Marvolo's voice, typically commanding, now held a rare gentleness as he hurried to Draco's side. Kneeling beside him, Marvolo's touch was gentle as he brushed aside Draco's disheveled hair, his heart heavy with the weight of Draco's pain.

"What happened here? Who dared to do this to you?" Marvolo's voice carried a quiet fury, his eyes flashing with a fierce protectiveness for Draco.

With trembling hands, Draco recounted the horrors of Snape's assault, the words tumbling from his lips like shards of broken glass. Marvolo listened in a silence more menacing than any threat, his jaw set in a rigid line as he absorbed Draco's voice.

As Draco's sobs filled the air, Marvolo's resolve hardened into steel. "I will deal with Severus accordingly," he vowed, his voice resonating with a quiet fury that sent shivers down Draco's spine.

"I killed him. I am sorry," Draco whispered, tears streaming down his face, his gaze filled with fear and remorse.

"Whatever are you sorry for?" Marvolo's voice was firm, his eyes locking onto Draco's with unwavering support.

Marvolo's expression softened with understanding. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he assured Draco, lifting him into his arms with gentle strength. "You have only defended yourself."

With a flick of his wand, Marvolo enveloped them in a cocoon of magic, whisking them away from the scene of Draco's torment in a swirl of shadows and light.

When they arrived in a secluded room within The Chamber of Secrets in Hogwarts, Marvolo laid Draco down on a plush velvet chaise, his touch tender as he wiped away the remnants of tears that stained Draco's cheeks. Gazing into Draco's eyes, Marvolo's voice, once filled with fury, softened into a melody of reassurance.

"Drink this," said the Dark Lord, bringing a vial of Dreamless Sleep to Draco's lips who drank it without question, his body still shaking.

"Rest now, my love," Marvolo murmured, his words a soothing balm against the wounds of the past. "I am here, and I will not let anyone harm you ever again."

As Draco drifted into sporadic sleep, cradled within Marvolo's arms knowing that no power in the world would be able to harm him there. The Dark Lord's mind, however, seethed with conflicting emotions. Anger coursed through him like a raging inferno, fueled by the knowledge of Snape's vile actions and the sad realization that he had not been the one to exact punishment upon the traitorous Death Eater. Yet, beneath the surface of his wrath, a sense of pride swelled within him, a fierce admiration for Draco's courage in defending himself against the traitor and killing him for his actions.