Two Sides of the Serpent // Draco Malfoy

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Ashes of the Past

The silence between us was heavy as we left what was left of Malfoy Manor. With a solemn glance back at the ruins, Draco straightened his spine. Turning to me, he held out his arm signaling our departure. I wrapped my arm in his and before I knew it, we disapperated far from the estate. Neither of us spoke, just the shuffle of our footsteps trudging through the overgrown grass accompanied us.

I looked over at him, his eyes set dead ahead. His face was paled, reflecting the horrors he had witnessed. I knew better to press him for details, at least not here. Not now. Walking for what felt like hours, the sky began to darken.

Soon, we stumbled across a body of water. Our hearts both jumped clear out of our chests. The dehydration was blistering, my mouth a painful desert of dried crevices against my tongue and dried skin peeling from my lips. We quickened our pace towards it, and once we arrived, we dropped to our knees. Sticking our cupped hands desperately into it and slurped the liquid from our fingers.

Feeling the fresh water slide down my throat brought a peace I hadn't known in some time. I had felt more alive as my body received what it had been craving. Draco took in his reflection on the waters surface, his features illuminated by the moons silver light. Dunking his hands in once more, he vigorously rubbed them together along with his face to wash off the soot and blood that had stained his skin.

Once he had felt revived, he took a look around the surrounding area. His voice was course from the prolonged inhalation of smoke, "We will stay here for the night. Figure out the rest of the plan tomorrow."

He then started to strip off his jacket and shirt, dipping them into the chilled water and scrubbing with his knuckles, attempting to cleanse them of the same affect. As he pulled his shirt free from his shoulders, it was hard to miss the bruising and wounds he wore underneath. I knew that he was fragile right now, and any touch could potentially break him entirely.

He continued to scrub his clothes clean, following tossing them over a nearby branch in order to dry. After he finished, he sat beside me on the bank overlooking the moons reflection casted across the surface. We sat silently, but it couldn't last forever.

"What happened, Draco?" I finally asked, my voice soft, but firm enough to let him know that I needed to hear the truth.

He said nothing, his eyes fixed on the water watching as the waves lapped over each other. The memories hard to relive and explain. But after some time, he turned to me, heartbreak in his eyes.

"My father.." he began, his voice cracking just slightly from the weight of his emotion. "He... he refused something. Denied Him." His fingers clenched into fists as he spoke, his knuckles white. "The Dark Lord gave him an order; one last test of loyalty, I suppose. But my father... he couldn't do it. For the first time in his life, he said no. He chose us. He chose to save our family."

I listened attentively, my heart aching for him.

With a sigh, he continued. "The Dark Lord sent them after us. For him."

I felt my heart clench as I listened. I couldn't imagine the terror that must have filled the Manor. Voldemort's wrath was legendary, and his punishment always swift and brutal.

"They came in the night. Bellatrix, Greyback... the others." Draco swallowed, his voice faltering. "My mother came to wake me but they.." His voice began to trail, his jaw tensed. "She tried to protect me but they killed her. My father too. And then... they set fire to the house. Watched it burn. Bellatrix laughed the entire time."

My heart sank, the sound of her wicked laughter rang in my ears. I placed a hand on his shoulder, offering some comfort but tears welled up in his eyes.