The Abuser

Only Children After All

So wake me up when it's all over, when I'm wiser and I'm older. All this time I was finding myself, and I didn't know I was lost. I tried carrying the weight of the world, but I only have two hands. Hope I get the chance to travel the world, but I don't have any plans. Wish that I could stay forever this young; not afraid to close my eyes. Life's a game made for everyone, and love is a prize.

- Wake Me Up by Avicii

...........

"Like it hot, scum?"

I scream as a scarlet and orange billow of flame engulfs the wardrobe before me, blinking back tears of agony as Draco pulls me to my feet. He lifts me over his shoulder, ignoring the blood from my leg that is beginning to pour down his pants. We stumble through the smoke, our skin starting to blister from the heat as Draco seizes the stunned Goyle by his arm and begins to drag him through the rubble.

"Where's Harry?" I choke, coughing as a cloud of black smoke engulfs us.

"I don't know! I don't know!" Draco rasps. "I need to get you out of here—I know he's your friend, but you are my top priority!"

He stumbles forward, dropping Goyle and almost crawling back for him. I wriggle free from his grasp, wincing at the agonizing pains in my leg as I stand. Draco isn't exactly what anyone could call muscle-bound—the weight of two fully grown people is obviously far too much for him. "I can walk! Get Goyle and let's go!" I gasp, hauling my injured leg forward with Draco hot on my heels.

A flaming dragon explodes into a million burning fires behind us, and I can sense that the hem of my sweeping robe is up in flames. Ahead of us, a shrill scream rings out, chilling my bones to the core.

"Crabbe—oh Merlin... Vincent isn't with us!" Draco stumbles to a halt, sweat running down his soot-blackened cheeks as his eyes fill with tears. "You don't think—could that have been Vincent?"

I seize his hand, dragging him onwards. "I don't know—I don't know. We just need to keep going, the door has to be somewhere up ahead!" The blood on my leg is actually almost boiling from the heat. We careen around a tall pile of desks, and right into the waiting arms of a glowing wall of fire.

"Up here!" Draco yells, panting as he tries to pull Goyle up the mountain of smoldering desks. Adrenalin must be helping him, for the sheer determination with which he scales the teetering pile almost takes my breath away. I begin to scramble up after him, biting my lip viciously against the agony in my legs. Clinging on as tight as I can, I fumble for my wand in my cloak pocket.

"Aguamenti!" I shriek, but the jet of water evaporates on contact with the air. My eyes widen as a gust of hot air blows over us. I look up, my mouth falling open at the sight of three dark figures circling over us on brooms.

Harry swoops down; making a grab for Draco's outstretched hand. Draco, however, is keeping a hug-like hold on Goyle, and the weight proves too much for Harry. Draco only weighs 127, but I can assume that the larger boy might be over 200.

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU HARRY!"

I gasp as strong arms wrap around my chest, jerking me into the air.

"Wotcher, sweetheart." Ron and Hermione hold me tight as I pant for breath, tears rolling down my cheeks. Ron angles the broom downward, yanking Goyle out of Draco's protective grip and giving Harry the opportunity to pull Draco up behind him.

I shriek as a fiery chimera bears down upon us, nearly tumbling from my best friend's grip as we swerve.

"The door! Get to the door! The door!" Draco is screaming, holding onto Harry in terror. I look back, trying to relive my mind at the sight of him. Suddenly, Harry drops like a stone.