Entranced (Draco Malfoy)

•thirty-three•

Dumbledore is dead. Susan is dead. Megan is a Death Eater. Professor Snape killed the headmaster. The same four sentences whirl through Dove Taylor's mind like an unstoppable curse. She can't breathe, she can't do anything. She killed Fenrir Greyback. Her shoulders wrack with silent sobs. She failed. 

Draco Malfoy sits beside her, the two holding hands to give each other some comfort. Professor McGonagall sits in front of them, Professor Sprout and Professor Slughorn nearby. Harry Potter has a blanket loosely wrapped around him, staring blankly at the fireplace. 

Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sit near each other, whispering quietly. Hannah Abbott and Ernie MacMillan aren't too far from their Hufflepuff friend, keeping an eye on her while also comforting each other. 

"What happened to Blaise?" Dove asks hoarsely, gaining everyone's attention. "And Megan?"

It's only been mere hours since everything happened. The school is in mourning. How could Dumbledore be dead? She did everything right! How could Susan, sweet Susan, be dead? How could Megan be working for the Dark Lord? And how in the bloody hell could Professor Snape kill the headmaster?

"They ran off with Severus," Professor McGonagall says, sounding sad. "I tried to stop them, but it didn't work." 

She sounds defeated. The room echoes with defeat.

"If we'd told you sooner," Dove starts, voice crackling painfully.

"None of you could have expected this," the Transfiguration professor interrupts swiftly. "The two of you did all you could."

"What now?" Draco asks, hopeless. "We did all we could, and Dumbledore still died. Susan is dead. Megan is a Death Eater, Blaise got away, and so did Snape. The Dark Lord will take control now." 

A grim silence overtakes the room. The door to Professor McGonagall's office opens, the Weasley family walking in, Lorraine and David Taylor following. After a moment, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks join them. 

Lorraine and David Taylor are quick to go to their kids, Lorraine wrapping her arms around Draco, David immediately pulling Dove into him. 

"I'm so sorry, my loves," Lorraine whispers, sounding choked up herself. "I'm so proud of both of you."

"Was it true?" Harry asks suddenly, moving his watery gaze from the fire to the younger couple. "What you said about getting married. You only said it to protect us, didn't you?"

Uneasily, Draco responds, "Yes. We didn't get married. We knew if we told the three of you what was really going on that it would not only put you in danger but it would make you paranoid throughout the entire year. We didn't like lying, but we had to do it."

"The note made it make sense," Hermione admits. "When it said Dove Malfoy, and then the two of you said you were married, there wasn't anything we could say against you." 

"We'd only been dating a few months then," Dove reminisces. "I'm surprised you believed us."

"You two are clearly meant for each other," Harry mutters, unhappy.

"We've been talking," David suddenly says, his face uneasy, "We think the two of you need to go into hiding. After everything, the Dark Lord is not going to forgive. He will continue to hunt for you until He has you, and we won't let that happen."

"Where would we go?" Dove asks in surprise. "We hid from Hogwarts for six months. What are we supposed to do? Hide forever?"

"Not forever," Professor Sprout interjects lightly. 

"We don't know that," Draco sticks up for his girlfriend. 

Hermione, Ron, and Harry exchange a look but stay quiet. They're already plotting to go away to hunt for Horcruxes. They'd invite the couple, but they know it would put the two in more danger than they need.

"I don't want to leave you," Dove snaps to her parents, but it's clear she's just afraid. "I've lost Cedric, Susan, and Megan in the span of two years. Cedric's death was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. I can't lose the two of you, too." 

"Fleur and I have purchased a cottage that's safe," Bill Weasley suddenly says, causing everyone to look at him. "You two can stay with us. It's on the beach, and there's a nice garden. Your parents can visit anytime they want." 

"Would Fleur be okay with that?" Dove asks tentatively, looking at Draco.

"I'm sure she would," Bill assures her. 

She sighs, leaning into Draco, "What do you think?"

"It's safe, they can visit, and we can stay updated on everything," he murmurs. "We can't stay with your parents anymore, my love. It would put them in needless danger. I think this is a good idea, and the only one we will like."

"Okay," she mutters, looking up at Bill. "We accept. Thank you."

"What about Hogwarts?" Hannah brings up, shooting a worried look at the professors. 

Professor McGonagall looks troubled, "I fear our school will be taken over. There isn't much we can do about that."

"They're winning," Harry says angrily. "Why do they get to win? My life has been in danger literally every year! And we do everything we can this year to win, and we lose. How is that fair?" 

"It's not, Mr. Potter. It's not fair at all," Professor Sprout cuts in grimly.

"Sometimes the darkness has to overwhelm you before you get to see the light," Dove says, voice tinged with grief. "We'll see the light eventually."

But will they really? Will the light ever come back? Dove keeps her troubled thoughts to herself, exchanging a worried look with her boyfriend. How do they win now? It feels like everything is lost, and she doesn't know how to find it all again. 

At least she still has her Draco. That's all she needs.

A/N:

Hi! After chapter thirty-four, we will be going into the final stretch. I hope (fingers crossed) the final chapter of this book will be chapter fifty or forty-five. I still can't believe how wrong I was when I said at around chapter nineteen that there would only be ten or less chapters left. I will try my hardest to update every day, but that can't always be possible, so expect the book to be done (at the absolute latest) by Halloween. 

Also, we are currently at number NINE of over 25 THOUSAND Draco Malfoy stories. That's crazy! 

Thank you all SO much for your support! I am so, so grateful for it. 

xoxo, Alyson :)