daughter of wands (d.m)

LVI

I sprint down the hallway, my legs aching as I push them to the limit. I hear Bellatrix laugh behind me, her voice ringing through the corridor and bouncing off the walls.

To my surprise, Snape is at my side, his long black cloak flowing as he moves alongside me, keeping pace.

The other Death Eaters aren't far behind, trying to catch up as we race to the Astronomy tower.

The walls feel like they're closing in, my vision blurring and my throat burning with fire as we round the corner and Snape reaches out for the door.

He thrusts it open and slips inside before any of us can follow him. He shuts it tightly, my hands unable to pry at it.

I pound my fists on the wood but nothing works.

"Professor Snape! Professor!" I shout, not caring who can hear me.

"Shut it!" Belltrix calls. I immediately double over in pain, screaming as the cruciatus curse courses through my veins, no one here to protect me from her vicious streak of power.

I roll to my back as she stops, her dark frame above me as I avoid her gaze and stare at the ceiling. I pause as her black boot steps gently on my throat, pushing the heel into my collarbone.

"I will not let you ruin this night for me, because your little boyfriend decided to protect you." Her voice is patronizing, like I'm a child being scolding for throwing a tantrum. "Do we understand each other?"

I nod, her foot pressing down one last time before moving.

A Death Eater chuckles next to her, "At least she didn't blast you this time, huh?"

She fakes a frown, "No... She's too worried about her wittle Draco."

They both laugh, stepping over me and opening the door without a problem. I stand quickly, catching my breath and staying close behind them as we enter.

The hallway is dark, the steps to the tower almost impossible to see in the dim light. Draco's voice cries faintly in the distance, Dumbledore's somber tone following.

I hike up the stairs two at a time, Draco getting louder with each passing second.

"I have to kill you..." He says, almost in a whisper. "Or he's going to kill us."

Just as he finishes, we come to a halt, Bellatrix putting her hands out to stop us.

"Well... look what we have here," She states, my body pressing against her forearm as my eyes lock with Draco's.

His wand is extended toward Dumbledore, the two of them separated by only a few feet. Bellatrix begins to step forward, my instincts pushing me to Draco's side.

I snake my arm around his, my head resting on his shoulder as he stands rigid and statuesque. I feel him relax slightly with my touch, but he knows what he has to do.

"Well done Draco," Bellatrix coos as she slithers up to the other side of him.

His jacket is wet from tears as I pull my lips to his ears, "You don't have to do this, you can stop now."

"Good evening Bellatrix, I think introductions are in order, don't you?" I hear Dumbledore state calmly, my back to him as I cling to Draco.

She smiles, "Would love to Albus, but I'm afraid we're on a bit of a tight schedule."

The room is eerily silent, my eyes shut tightly as I wait for something to happen. If I wasn't holding onto Draco's neck, I would fall over from fear, my legs jello.

He jolts in my arms as Bellatrix shouts, "Do it!"

"He doesn't have the stomach, just like his father... Let me finish him my own way."  Greyback chimes in, cracking his knuckles.

I swallow hard, the tension building.

"No!" Bellatrix cries. "The Dark Lord was clear... The boy was to do it."

Her voice is thick with hate as our eyes meet, her top lip snarled up in disgust as she spits her words out at me. She believes I'm the reason Draco has turned soft, if it wasn't me, Dumbledore would be dead right now.

She saunters over to his side, pushing a piece of sweaty blonde hair behind his ear.

"This is your moment," She whispers in his ear, her voice as smooth as honey. "Do it. Go on Draco, now!"

Draco begins to shake, pushing me away so I fall into Greyback, my feet slipping as I tumble onto the wood floor. His eyes well with tears as the words form on his lips, begging to be said.

My mouth drops open, a single droplet falling down Draco's cheek as he prepares for what he's about to do. I crinkle my face up and cover my eyes, when a strong voice says,

"No."

Draco immediately drops his wand and spins around, Snape standing confidently behind him. No one says a word, not even Bellatrix as the tower falls so quiet you could heard a pin drop.

We all wait with baited breath as Snape takes Draco's place, my legs scrambling as I grab Draco, wrapping him in my arms and holding tightly.

"I did it," He whispers into my hair, his hot breath fanning onto my neck. "I disarmed him."

"Fantastic," I exhale, sniffling against his thick suit, begging my legs to carry us out of the room and away from all the madness.

Yaxley whacks Draco in the shoulder, the two of us untangling. Draco grips my hand with such a strong force I'm sure the circulation has been cut off.

"I love you," I mouth, unable to hold it in as I gaze into his grey eyes, rimmed with red from crying, his lips shaking slightly.

He nods gently, "I love you."

"Severus," Dumbledore states, pulling us back to reality.

Bellatrix shivers with anticipation, her eyes darting between the two men.

"Please," He says, almost pleading.

I watch as Snape's wand lurches forward, a blue light shining from the tip as he utters,

"Avada Kedavra."

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