Blackbird

13 | Take These Sunken Eyes

Draco was staring blankly at the wall when the first rays of sunlight started to creep around the edges of the curtains. 

He'd drifted off for a couple hours some time in the early morning, but he was awake again now. He had been for a while. He blinked and rubbed his eyes.

Sunrise.

Harry.

He leapt out of bed, threw on some clothes, and ran down the stairs.

Ron and Hermione were talking quietly in the kitchen, enormous mugs of coffee in their hands. Hermione held a third mug out to him.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Ron asked, running a tired hand over his face.

Draco shook his head.

"Ready to go?" Ron asked.

Draco nodded. "Whenever you are," he managed to rasp, taking a gulp of scalding coffee and setting the mug down.

"I want to come, too!"

The three adults turned to the doorway.

"Oh, I don't think..." Hermione started.

"I WANNA COME! I WANT MY MOM! I WANNA SEE HARRY!"

"Thomas, it's not..."

"No!" The boy shrieked. "No no no! I'm coming!"

Draco knelt and took the young boy's hands, trying to explain. "Ron and I will be back soon. Hermione and Jenkins will take care of you, okay?"

The house elf nodded vigorously. Hermione was barely keeping it together, but she gave the boy a smile.

"Jenkins will make you some breakfast and I'll be back soon, I promise."

"But I wanna come with you! I wanna see Harry!"

"I know, Tommy," Draco sighed, "but I need you to wait just a little longer. I'll be back to get you as soon as I can."

Those pleading eyes will be the death of his mother, Draco thought.

He squeezed his own shut and looked away, unable to withstand the pleading in them much longer before he knew he'd give in. And he couldn't give in. They had no idea what they would be walking into.

Draco stood abruptly and held out a hand to Weasley, immediately Apparating them both to Wolf's Hollow.

"Wow," Ron commented when they landed on the porch.

Draco wasted no time taking in the sight of the old house. He ran inside and bolted down the stairs, with Ron on his heels. He quickly unlocked the barred door with a Spell and pushed his way into the dark room below the house.

The flickering torches illuminated Lorcan's body, in human form, first, as he was nearest the door, and Draco could see that he was clearly dead, blood pooled gruesomely under his body, his eyes open and unseeing.

Ron gasped. "Harry."

Draco followed his gaze and his eyes finally landed on his fiancé. Harry was sprawled on his stomach in the middle of the room, his body covered in bite marks, bruises, dirt, and blood. His left leg was a broken and bloody mess.

With a strangled sob, Draco rushed to his side. He carefully turned him over and began to cry in relief when he saw his chest rise and fall on its own.

He was breathing. He was alive. One arm was stretched out awkwardly, and Draco's gaze followed it to a pale slender hand that was clasped firmly in Harry's.