Living Death

- chapter twenty seven

The darkness of Knockturn Alley was as scary now as it was to your eleven-year-old self. You recalled walking with your parents and the Malfoys down the many twisting passageways often enough. Draco holding your hand tight in his as you both feared the forbidding place. His hand had that same tight grip now as it did back then. He leaned into you as you walked hand in hand through the dimly lit passageway, following Snape and the others.

"I'm sorry" his soft voice whispered just beside your ear. You didn't need him to clarify what he was apologising for. You knew what he meant.

On the surface, he was apologising for not being able to see you again. He was called to the Manor before he even had a chance to tell you, but he was also apologising for everything else. For not spending more time with you when he had it. For being branded with the dark mark. For bringing you into harms way purely because of your connection to him. And most importantly, for being in love with you. He was starting to think perhaps he should've let Fred Weasley or Cormac McLaggen try their chances with you.

You squeezed his hand and pulled it closer to your side as he rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand as if hearing his thoughts. Snape had informed everyone involved as to the plan and now it was down to you to master Occlumency. You watched as his parents, Bellatrix and Snape stepped into the otherwise empty Borgin and Burkes and suddenly hesitated, a wave of panic overcoming you, looking up at the peeling paintwork of the wretched door.

"Y/N" Draco looked at your concerned expression and moved in front of you, holding both of your hands in his as he looked into your eyes. "It's going to be okay.. I know you can do this.. I'm right here with you" He smiled a sad but reassuring smile, squeezing your hands slightly.

You nodded a little as he raised his hand to your face and rubbed his thumb slowly over your cheek, leaning in and softly kissing your forehead before lacing your fingers with his once again, leading you into the store.

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"We can't be here Harry.. we'll get ourselves killed" Hermione spoke in a hushed voice as they climbed onto the roof at the back of Borgin and Burkes, Ron helping her up after Harry.

"We have to find out what is going on" Harry helped pull her up onto the slate roofing, reaching for Ron once she was safely up. "They're not exactly all gathered in there to browse for furniture are they?"

"You can't possibly expect us to gain anything from this" Hermione shook her head and peered into the dimly lit store through the arch window. "If we get caught then-"

"We won't get caught" Harry reassured her and climbed closer to the window to get a better view, his eyes locking on you.

The trio had left Hogwarts to begin hunting Horcruxes and had been investigating Mundungus Fletcher's movements when they had spotted you, along with the others entering Knockturn Alley, Harry insisting it was important for them to investigate.

"She's not hiding anymore which means something has changed or this was always planned" Harry hummed lowly.

"The last time any of us saw her was when I saw her coming out of the Room of Requirement.." Hermione chewed on her lip as she watched through the window intently "Something far darker is going on, Voldemort has to be involved some way or another"

She focused more on the view, watching as you clung onto Draco's arm "Something's wrong.. she looks worried."

"You think!? She's surrounded by a bunch of Deatheaters in the creepiest shop there is!" Ron shook his head a little in disbelief, peering over Hermione's shoulder into the dimly lit shop.

"I mean she looks more than content clinging onto Malfoy, I hardly think she's afraid of a few Deatheaters" Harry interrupted, shaking his head "Malfoy's most likely one himself by now"