Henrietta Potter And The Slytherin Child - (A 'Henrietta Potter' sequel) || D.M

70 - Message In A Blanket

I hovered outside Albus's bedroom, brushing my fingertips tentatively against the shut door as I closed my eyes and imagined him on the other side, perhaps packing his trunk for school, or even just sat sulking on the end of his bed.

Anything. I'd do anything for him to still be in there.

"Etta?"

I looked up to see Draco standing at the end of the hallway. He looked as broken as I felt.

"It feels like he's died," I sobbed, leaning my forehead against the door, squeezing my eyes shut in agony.

"Don't." Draco said fiercely as his face crumpled and fell. "Don't say that."

Tears rolled down my cheeks, which surprised me because I didn't think I could possibly have any more left to shed.

Draco swiftly strode down the hallway, his hands roughly coaxing me back from the door as he turned me around and enveloped me in his arms.

"We've got to have faith, Etta," Draco implored, his voice softening, stroking my hair as I sobbed into his chest, "we've got to believe they're going to find a way."

"I want to, I want to so much," I wept, "I just don't think I have the strength anymore, Draco."

His arms tightened around me as he pulled me closer to him. "Then let me be strong for the both of us, Etta. Let me be your rock."

I lifted my head, looking up into Draco's warm grey eyes. They widened slightly before he quickly lifted a hand to brush away the tears from my face. "Don't cry, my love. We'll get them back, I promise."

"I love you so much," I whispered, my emotions making my voice tremble.

"And I love you too, Potter," he murmured, before planting his lips firmly on mine. He broke away to rest his forehead down against my own, sighing heavily. "Come on, we should call it a night and get some rest."

I nodded, although I was terrified about going to sleep - terrified that it meant I was giving up.

"Let me just..." I muttered, pulling back, beckoning my head towards Albus's room.

Understanding, Draco nodded. He dipped his head to plant a brief kiss on my forehead before disappearing into our bedroom.

Taking a deep breath, I placed a hand tentatively on the door handle of Albus's room. Pushing it down, I slowly entered.

It was just as how he'd left it.

A great big fucking mess.

I lowered myself down heavily on the end of his bed, remembering the last time I was sat there. I had given Albus my blanket before he so callously tossed it out of the window. I realised I had never gone down to retrieve it.

Suddenly feeling desperate to hold it, I stood up, about to head for the door. But out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar patterned piece of material on Albus's bedside table.

It was my blanket.

He had rescued it! He had actually rescued my blanket!

My heart hammering, I hurried over to it, grabbing it desperately in my hands and bringing it up to my face, revelling in the feel of it against my cheeks.

Help me, Mum, I thought, as I inhaled the soft scent of the only gift she ever got to give me, my tears cascading down into it. Help me find my son.

As I moved it away from my face, I could see that it had some kind of mark on it. Frowning, I shook it open to get a better look at it.

My heart stilled.

"DRACO!" I screamed once I had eventually found my voice. "COME HERE... QUICK!"

There was a loud bang as the door flew open, Draco practically falling through in his desperation to get to me.

"What? What is it?" He demanded frantically; worry etched over his features.

Tearing my eyes away from the blanket, I looked up at him, my heart hammering so fast.

"It's- it's a message," I said in disbelief, "a message from Albus."

Draco skidded across the room towards me as I held up the blanket. We both stared at it, wide eyed in mutual astonishment, reading the words scrawled across it.

Mum. Help. Godric's Hollow. 31/10/81.

"That date..." Draco breathed.

"...was my parents' last day on earth," I finished for him. "This must be where she has taken them. To the day when her father first fell."

Draco's eyes met mine, hope finally sparking between us.

"This is it," I said, my heart filling with joy, "our beautiful, wonderful boys have found a way to reach us!"

I watched as relief flooded Draco's face, and his arms flew around me as he pressed his lips ardently against my temple.

"I knew it," he gasped, cupping my face in his hands, his eyes dancing with happiness, "I knew they would come through for us eventually."

Laughing, I leant up to catch my lips in his, kissing him softly and sweetly before pulling back and looking excitedly into his eyes.

"Come on, Draco." I breathed, a newfound determination flowing through my veins. "Let's go and get our boys back."

*****

It had changed, Godric's Hollow. It had changed a lot.

"Is it just me or are there more Muggles about?" Ron queried as we walked through the now greatly expanded town.

"It's become quite popular as a weekend break," Hermione said, matter-of-factly. "Ethel says she and Ernest come here often to escape the craziness of the city."

"I can see why - look at the thatched roofs. And is that a farmers' market?" Draco muttered, nodding distastefully towards a busy crowd on the green.

"The fact that he even knows what a farmer's market is..." I heard Ron mutter to Hermione as they walked behind us. "...Muggle-obsessed, I tell ya."

I glanced back over my shoulder, throwing Ron a sharp look. Did he really think this was the time to be winding up my boyfriend?

Draco, however, had not seemed to have heard. Either that or he was just choosing to ignore him.

"How are you holding up, Potter?" he murmured quietly into my ear as he squeezed my hand.

I shrugged - I honestly didn't have the words. We were in the place where my parents were murdered. Where our sons were somehow lost in time.

Draco let go of my hand to instead curl his arm tightly around my middle, pulling me into his side. "I'm here, remember," he reassured me for the millionth time, "we are in this together this time, okay?"

And I knew. I knew he was referring to the time when I walked alone to my death all those years ago at Hogwarts.

"I know," I whispered, my lips tugging into a small smile which I knew could not yet reach my eyes.

We continued to walk until the spot where my parent's house once stood came into view. I froze at the sight of it, my heart hammering noisily against my chest. The others stopped around me, all keeping a respectful silence.

"Etta," Hermione said gently, and I reluctantly broke myself away from Draco to face her. "It's time."

I looked back at Draco, who nodded and pulled the Time-Turner from his pocket.

As he held it out in front of him, Ron, Hermione, and I gathered round, all four of us joining hands, watching as it spun in Draco's palm.

Draco looked at me, our eyes never leaving one another as his fingers clasped tightly around mine, feeling the world around us spinning crazily, sending us back in time – back, hopefully, to our sons.

*****