Marked ⁂ Draco Malfoy ⁂

Battle of Hogwarts: Choice

The clean up had begun at the school with those who were left. Draco had left wordlessly to go help Harry and Ron near the front entrance, but when I tried to stop him I was just given an 'Ill meet you later.' I had no idea when or where that was supposed to happen, but decided to leave it. I'm sure I'd at least see him at dinner.

I was a little bothered by it all, but we had just been put through the works for the last nearly year. I know I've had my moments so maybe he heard something from Snape that hurt. Draco had a closer relationship with him than I think I did so I guess I wouldn't have any answers until later.

I helped clean up the great hall with Luna, Cho, Hermione and Zara. Most of it was intact, but it has been used as an infirmary since the fighting had gotten close to the main courtyard. We were cleaning up all the make shift cots and stretchers.

There was a fair amount of blood, but Hermione mostly dealt with that. She had even made jokes that her parents had been dentists so the blood didn't bother her. She seemed to get a small laugh out of it, but I could see it had upset her. I'm sure she missed her parents dearly, but they wouldn't even recognize her or remember anything anymore.

I wished I would have at least had parents that liked me. Not that they would ever remember me anyways, but I wish I would have had a lease some good memory with them. Something just to remember them other than as people that just made some bad choices, but it just wasn't there. I was just not going to have a good memory of them ever and that's something I'd just have to live without.

I was fixing the glass window in the great hall when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Lucius look down to me. He looked quite calm and frankly I'm not sure I'd ever seen him like this.

"Narcissa and I need to head back to the ministry to make sure all is in order." Lucius said softly as he looked down at me. "Can you and Draco take the cabinet and come back this evening?"

"The vanishing cabinet kind of got incinerated." I said unfortunately.

"No matter." He said rubbing my back with a gentle hand. "The train will be shuttling those who wish to leave first thing in the morning. Well meet you both at the station."

"Thank you Lucius." I said with a soft smile.

"I'm sure Narcissa has already spoke to you, but you are welcomed into our home as if you were our own." He said kindly and I smiled genuinely back. "I can't even imagine how hard it was to do what you did, but it was the right thing."

I felt choked up so I just pressed my lips together and nodded. He sensed my emotions and he actually pulled me into a hug. He was once of the most uptight and serious individuals I had ever met in my entire life, but he was always different around family. He was always different around Draco and Narcissa and I even remembered that from when I was younger and we'd take vacation with them.

It was odd to be seeing him be so kind to me now. Not that he was ever mean, aggressive, or anything harsh like that, but it was heart warming. To be left without a family and so quickly swept up willingly by another.

"You have done so much for Draco and we could never thank you enough." He said pulling back from the hug as he held my shoulders. "Any sensible parents would have been so proud of you and what you 5 just did. I'm proud of you Aurora."

I once again started sobbing and he hugged me again. I covered my face and tried to stop myself from crying because I'm sure people were staring at me. I wiped my eyes as he looked down at me I'm sure checking to see if I was okay.

"Thank you, I'm sorry." I said laughing at how ridiculous I was being.

"You don't need to apologize, it's been quite a few days, if not longer for you." He said laughing softly himself. "Well I'll leave you too it, I'll see you both at the train tomorrow morning."