𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 {a Draco Malfoy story}

chapter thirty-eight

Rose

     The walk through the halls of the school had to have been the most nerve-wracking thing I'd ever experienced. Just after Snape killed Dumbledore, Draco and I held each other and followed the rest of the Death Eaters through the castle, tears falling down both our faces. 

     Bellatrix jumped onto the tables in the Great Hall and one by one began kicking and breaking every plate and glass. She performed a spell that broke the windows down and a gust of wind came. Draco stood back momentarily to watch the Great Hall in which he had spent so many hours over the past years break down. The wind was blowing through both our hair as I put a hand on his shoulder, hoping for it to provide some kind of relief. 

     He nodded and we continued out of the castle. The grass was covered in droplets of rain and the sky was stained with a large, green skull symbolizing death. 

     "He's dead. He's actually dead."

     Draco looked at me and unlike before, he didn't try to mask his sadness. "He's dead."

     Bellatrix ran past us, screaming. "Hagrid! Hello!" She shouted a spell and set Hagrid's hut to flames. Over the crackling of the wood and hay being burnt by the fire, I heard Harry's weak voice scream.

     "Snape!"

     I turned around to see what was happening, and saw Harry limping towards Snape yelling spells that the Professor simply repelled. 

     "He trusted you!" Harry screamed. 

     Draco noticed my sudden stop and pulled my hand. "What are you..." 

     He saw Harry and Snape began to duel, and then put his hand on my lower back as he turned me around so that we could follow the rest of the Death Eaters. "But... Harry... he's..."

     "Rose, really, we need to go."

     "I can't just leave him!"

     "Yes, you can. Now let's go -"

     "I am not leaving Harry here while he attempts to fight with Snape, Draco He'll get hurt.." I got out of Draco's grasp so that I could run to Harry and Professor Snape, but I could barely get 10 steps in when Draco held onto my wrist. 

     "Rosalind Esparay, listen to me!" He yelled. 

     For the first time ever, Draco had actually raised his voice at me. I backed away at first, but then he looked as though he realized what he had done. 

     "My apologies, I didn't mean to yell at you. But, Rose, we have to get back."

     As much as I didn't want to leave Harry, I knew Draco was right. I tied my hair back as we continued down into the forbidden forest, and then out of sight from anybody within the castle.

     I wasn't even able to see Dumbledore's body.

+++

Draco

     I know this is selfish, but I was honestly just glad it wasn't me. I could notice Rose's bottom lip quivering ever since, but all I could do was hold her and hope she knew that I felt the same way.

     I just needed to be strong for a little longer. For her.

     "Take my hand, I don't think you're strong enough to apparate right now," I said, lending out my hand for her to take. The streams of tears had dried and stained her face and her eyes were red and puffed up. "It's ok. We're ok. Let's just get you home for now."