The Other Potter (Draco Malfoy Endgame)

The Truth Comes Out

Chapter 23

In the following weeks, the pain and emotional stress started to weigh more and more on Alexis. Draco watched as she started to eat less and less. A change in her weight began to show to anyone paying attention.

Alexis was fighting closing herself off but she couldn't stop seeing her father's death even as she went about the normal activities. She couldn't admit the depth of the pain she felt. She was in constant agony and nothing seemed to cut through the despair she felt.

She sat at the final Quidditch game with Draco not even seeing what was happening in front of her. She watched instead her father's face falling and his eyes staring up at her unseeing. She knew she was going to be sick and she got up running down the tower trying to get away. She ran and ran, maybe if she ran far enough she could outrun the pain. The pain of knowing her father's death was looming ever closer, the pain of Draco's torture, and Mattheo joining his father and becoming someone he never wanted to be.

She found herself in the Astronomy Tower staring out at the peace and serenity of nature in front of her. The tears fell uncontrollably as Draco came up calmly next to her. "Darling, I know you've been spiraling. What can I do to help?"

Alexis turned her tear-filled eyes towards him, "Just hold me, please. I need to feel like I'm not alone. I can't stop seeing him. Dying over and over and I can't stop it Draco. It's a fixed point, it hasn't changed. Not once since it started. I can't save him."

He pulled her close and held her tight as she sobbed into his chest. He ran his hand through her hair as the tears stung his own eyes. He needed to find a way to calm the storm inside her.

Her tears slowly came to a stop and she looked up at Draco, "I don't know how to stop the pain Draco. I just want the pain to stop." He lifted her up into his arms and carried her back to his room. He helped her change into one of his shirts and laid her on the bed. He brushed his hand through her hair moving it away from her face.

"I can't take away the pain but we could make you forget for a while." She nodded and pulled his face to hers. She did forget as they lost themselves in each other for hours. Draco never pushed her, letting her lead how their interaction went. He was happy just to be with her, that out of every guy she could have chosen she had picked him.

As they lay their bodies entwined Alexis ran her hands through his hair, "What is it about you that calms me? No matter how many times I feel like I'm drowning in all of this you're always there pulling me out of the depths of my grief."

"Darling I care about you, more than even I understand. I want to help you with everything but I feel like I'm doing it with my hands tied behind my back. You told me you're adopted but not who your parents were. I know about your visions and the pain you're in. I won't push you to tell me anything until you're ready."

She sighed kissing his cheek, "I want to tell you everything, I do really. I just don't know how. I'm afraid of what you're going to think once you know the whole truth. I already trusted one person that I think was a mistake now, what if I make another mistake? I know you wouldn't betray me on purpose but what if they force it out of you?"

She sat up on the edge of the bed putting her face in her hands. Draco wrapped his arms around her, "I can't promise someone might try to get me to tell your secrets but I will protect you until my dying breath."

She turned kissing him and wrapping her legs around him, "I'm a Potter, Draco. I'm Harry's sister. Dumbledore separated us and Sirius Black raised me. Dumbledore told me there was a prophecy from centuries ago that he thinks is about me. How my choices will decide how the coming war will go. No one alive even knows the actual words of the prophecy just the vague concept of it. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm terrified of every choice and what it could mean."

Draco just stared at her dumbfounded, "Potter, you're a Potter. That explains why I never thought you looked like a Black. The green eyes, I should have known. It's weird but it doesn't change how I feel. Alexis, I've felt drawn to you from that first day on the platform. We can figure out the prophecy thing together. There has to be a record of it somewhere. I'll help you in any way I can."

He placed his hands on her face and kissed her softly. "I didn't want to push you into anything darling but I can't hold back how I feel, I love you, Alexis Potter. You are the air in my lungs and the only reason I have to keep fighting. I would die to keep the Dark Lord from you or anyone else who would hurt you. I would choose you every time."

She smiled as tears stung her eyes, "I love you Draco. Just do me a favor don't die for me. I couldn't live with myself if you died because of me. It's bad enough knowing I'm part of the reason you get tortured."

Draco pulled her in and they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms for the first night in a long time Alexis dreamt of a beautiful future with no interruption from terrifying visions.

With their O.W.Ls just a week away they all kept their heads buried in their books. The pressure to do well was piling on by the day and everyone in their year was feeling it. Draco and Alexis studied hard together to make sure Draco passed. Time seemed to be sped up as the last week flew by and they watched as they watched the group of witches and wizards arrive who would be giving the exams. They all felt terrified for the next morning when the tests would begin.

The next morning the students waited outside the Great Hall for the first written exam. The charms exam was all about wand motion, and which spell was best for each situation. Alexis tried her best not to overthink each question as she worked her way through each question. By the end, she felt pretty good about the results. The couple went to lunch and talked about which questions had given them trouble but he felt like he had achieved a pretty good grade.

Alexis performed fantastically at her practical execution exam. She performed each spell to perfection. The rest of the week continued with no issues as she continued to ace exam after exam. Draco did his best and felt like he was performing better than he ever expected to.

Then during the last exam for History of Magic when Harry fell asleep. Alexis was so invested in her exam that his dream bled into her mind and took hold before she could block him out. Voldemort had Sirius, he was torturing him. They were in a massive room filled with thousands of orbs of light. Sirius collapsed to the ground writhing in agony as Voldemort cast Crucio on him.

Alexis' eyes came back into focus as Harry hit the floor screaming and holding his head. One of the exam givers rushed over and carted him off to the hospital. The rest of the exam was a waste of time for Alexis. She couldn't even focus on the words on the page. They just floated around in completely confusing patterns.

Alexis ran out as soon as the time ran out on the hourglass. She ran to the hospital looking for Harry not realizing that Draco and the Gryffindors were right being her. They ran into Harry coming back towards them.

"Harry!" She shouted as she ran into his arms. "What do we do, we have to get to him, now."

"We can't use the floo network, Umbridge has closed them except for the one in her office," Harry told her frustration building in them both.

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt but maybe we could take this into that classroom and everyone else can get filled in on what's going on," Hermione suggested trying to diffuse the situation. They all agreed, after they closed the door Harry explained what he had seen and that they had to go save Sirius.

"But Harry we don't even know if this is real, Dumbledore said You-Know-Who could send you false images once he knew your minds were connected. What better way to draw you out than to make you think he has someone you care about?" Hermione told them trying to be the voice of reason.

"But..." Harry started but Alexis interrupted, "No she's right Harry, we need to make sure. You guys go and use Umbridge's fireplace and check in at home. Draco and I will go find a way to get there if it is true. We will meet down at Hagrid's hut as soon as possible."

"Alexis we can't trust him," Harry said pulling her off the the side. "I trust Draco with my life Harry. This isn't an option. He's my dad and if I want Draco with me he's coming. End of discussion."

After a bit of arguing, everyone finally agreed and they split off going their separate ways. "What about brooms?" Draco suggested as they took off following Alexis. "No, we don't have enough for everyone. I have an idea but it's not going to be fun."