Left Behind 2: Illusions (A Dramione Romance)

Returning

Draco sat, book in hand staring at the place where he mentor had been standing only moments before and fought against the overwhelming desire to just lay back down on the cool ground and sleep.

You can't, he scolded himself. You have to get back to her.

Draco inhaled carefully groaning at the pain the motion involved. 

Draco bit his lip against the pain and set the book down beside himself before turning to try and get up to his knees. The twist tore flesh that had been knitting back together and his eyes watered..

"Merlin," Draco ground through is teeth and let out a whine at the pain. Fighting against the stars that threated at the peripheral of his vision Draco picked the book back up, took hold of his wand and apparated to his front gates.

He landed hard on his knees on the grass the jarring of the impact had pain screaming through him and those stars gave way to darkness which threatened the edge of his vision. 

Draco bit the inside of his cheek and fought to stay conscious.

He tasted blood in his mouth.

His head felt dizzy.

Letting go of the book for a moment Draco rubbed his face with his good hand.

"You can do this," he told himself.

You have to do this.

The looming silhouette of his families manor seemed more intimidating than ever before.

It had been so long since it felt like home.

Draco cast a spell levitating his book. He wasn't about to walk in through the front door with it in hand so he sent the book up to his window ledge. The last thing he needed was for anyone to know that he was planning on making passages in the house. 

He could only imagine that conversation:

"Why do you have a book on passages"

"Oh no reason, just trying to make sure the woman I am supposed to hate but secretly love can have a safe place to hide in case anything happens to me or I'm not there to protect her."

Draco rolled his eyes at his own thoughts.

No, he didn't need the dark Lord, or anyone else, asking about what books he was reading.

Gritting his teeth Draco used his good arm to push himself up off the ground. 

This is almost as bad as a cruciatus curse, he thought.

Yeah, except you're going to have to deal with it for days as it heals, Draco dreaded the thought and he shoved it aside then gripped his wand tightly in his hand and apparated into his mansion, not trusting his feet to walk considering one leg was burned and the other ached something fierce.

He landed in the main hall where Voldemort was sitting waiting for him as he hadn't moved the entire time Draco had been gone.  He was draped over the throne of a chair, completely nonchalant.

Voldemort looked smug and satisfied.

Bellatrix on the other hand looked different than when Draco had left. Her wild hair was just a little more messy than usual and her lipstick was smeared.

Oh Merlin, thought Draco as he realized they had likely just finished having sex. Disgust rolled through him and it took everything in Draco's power not to sneer in revolt at his aunt.

"Draco," said the Dark Lord. "You look rather ruffled," he said gesturing to Draco's disheveled appearance.

Understatement of the year, snapped Draco mentally. He had no idea what he looked like but 'rather ruffled' was bullshit.

Half his clothes were burnt away and he was battered and bloodly.

With serious effort Draco gained control of his temper and spoke calmly and respectfully:

"The order showed up."

"What?!" the Dark Lord stood throwing the chair backwards. 

Bellatrix backed away several feet her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them wildly as if she would be uncertain who's side to take should violence ensue.

"Your package was delivered," said Draco holding up his good hand in self-defence. The last thing he wanted was to have Voldemort begin taking failure out on him again. He remembered the last time.  

The pain of it was still unpleasantly fresh in his mind and even though he was in agony the thought of adding Voldemort's Crutiatus on top of it was bone chilling.

"And Blackthorn apparated away with it when the order arrived."

"Leaving you on your own?" The Dark Lord looked Draco up and down a second time. This time Voldemort seemed to  actually take Draco's full appearance in, assessing him with his dark unsettling eyes. When he was finished examining Draco like an insect under a microscope Voldemort raised his chin.

"And here you are..." A smile pulled up one side of Voldemort's mouth.

"Yes," answered Draco. "A little worse for the wear, but happy to have completed the errand for you successfully my lord." 

Draco gave a small bow to try and emphasize his dedication. Pain raced through him at the movement and Draco fell to his knee. He caught himself with his good hand so it seemed like a full genuflection instead of just falling over. 

Draco supposed it didn't matter either way. The Dark Lord would be equally happy to see him grovel as to see him in pain.

"That's a good boy Draco," said Bellatrix her voice breathy. "I'm so proud of you."

I never want you to be proud of me, he thought back. Not anymore, not after what you've done.

"Thank you ant Bella," he said instead.

"You should go clean up," said Voldemort. "And rest..." he smiled sending chills down Draco's spine. "Now that I know that your father's aptitude for failure has not been passed down to you, I plan on sending you out on more errands."

"You honor me, my lord," Draco said finding the strength to push himself back up into a standing position while every part of him screamed against it. 

The Dark Lord smiled and Bellatrix eased towards him like a cat draping herself across his shoulder.

Draco forced a smile at them both and apparated to the one place he wanted to be:

With Hermione.

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Thanks very much for reading, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'll see you all on monday. Till then leave some love if you enjoyed this. Next chapter...Has some moments. ;)