The Deeper you Dig, The Darker it Gets

85.

This chapter is dedicated to the beautiful and talented Helen McCrory. We all love you so much, rest easy angel.

Song of the Chapter: Can You Hold Me by NF (feat. Britt Nicole)

Malory's POV

      Snape wrote Harry's name beside the mention of the Resurrection Stone. That could mean a lot of things; He was hoping to find it himself and give it to Harry, which seems unlikely. Or Harry is trying to find it, that seems like a more logical answer.

     I don't know what he's planning on using it for, probably something that doesn't matter. Either way, I need to get it first. If I had more time I'd try to find it all on my own, but I don't. If I'm going to get it before he does, I need to know everything Harry knows.

               "We're going back to Hogwarts."

     Aary, Blaise, and Draco all look up at me with wide eyes.

          "Are you mad?" Blaise scoffs. "That is the last place we should be right now."

               "Well we have to go back eventually, that's where this ends." I snap.

      Blaise straightens his posture and avoids eye contact. He glances over at Aary, who is staring directly at me.

        "Your choice," I sigh. "We can wait around picking our fingers or go there now."

      Draco gets up from his chair and starts walking towards me. I feel my body flinch slightly as he attempts to take my hand but I still let him do so.

           "Mal," He says softly. "I know you want this to be over, all of us do. But what happens when everyone sees that we're back? And what about your dad, he's probably going to have you killed-"

            "He's not the one that's going to kill me." I mumble under my breath.

                     Draco takes a step back. "What?"

       I huff while running my fingers through my hair. "Nothing, you're right."

      When I look up I instantly see his eyes staring back at me, glass covers them like a barrier. I keep my facial expression blank to try and hide everything going on inside my head but he knows something's up, he's trying to search for the problem.

         "We can leave in the morning, that way we have some time to plan this all out."

        "No, we should go at night," Aary blurts out. "Tomorrow night, that's when the Death Eaters are going to be invading the school."

                 I tilt my head at her, confused. "How do you know that?"

       She nods her head in the direction of the dining table where a small piece of parchment lays. As soon as I reach out to grab it, Draco pulls it from my hands. I still manage to read it out of the corner of my eye.

Draco,

     I don't know where you are but I hope this message finds you. The Death Eaters are heading to Hogwarts tomorrow evening in hopes of finding Harry Potter, and in hopes of finding you and your friends.

     I saw what you four did here the last time you visited the manor, your allegiance has changed. No matter how dark your surroundings are, you always seem to find the light. I know you want to fix this, I want the same.

     But Draco, this is not your fight. Going back to Hogwarts is only going to bring more pain into your soul. You don't always need to be brave, baby. It's okay to run from this.

        I love you, stay safe for me please.

                   Mum

       Draco's jaw clenches harder as he gets to the bottom of the note but he doesn't let any of his emotions through. Instead, he crumbles the parchment into a ball and throws it back onto the dining table.

            "Tomorrow night, then." He mutters.

Draco's POV

      The second I light the end of my cigarette I hear the back door open behind me. Malory's footsteps slowly approach.

             "Are you okay?" She asks, softly.

         I let out a small chuckle, smoke exiting my mouth as I do so. "I should be asking you that."

      I wait for her to respond but she stays quiet while looking out at the quiet streets ahead. Right when I offer her the cigarette she takes it.

        "Your mum's right, you know." She says while inhaling. "You don't have to do this, this isn't your fight. It's not Blaise and Aary's either."

        I push off of the ledge gently and turn to her with disbelief. "What, so now you don't want us to come?"

           She rubs her eyes aggressively. "You're not listening to what I'm saying-"

                    "I'm listening, Malory." I cut her off. "It's just bullshit."

      When I raise my voice slightly I can tell it puts her on edge. Her grip on the railing tightens and she raises the cigarette to her mouth a second time.

               "You know it's true, that's why you're being like this." She mumbles.

       The heat from my chest starts growing and fills my head. She speaks so carelessly, like this is just a game we're participating in. But the second I turn her towards me and look into her eyes, I see so much pain. It's always there, every time I look at her. Sometimes it's just lingering and other times it's showing itself intensely; now is one of those times.

        "It's just-" She struggles to speak. "If something happens, if I have to do something-"

                     "Do what?" I ask, still with an angry tone.

         She swallows hard. "I don't know, it's just hypothetical."

         "Well stop with that shit," I hiss. "The four of us have been through everything together. Aary lost her dad, I fucking killed Dumbledore. Remember when Snape died and then you tried to kill yourself? The three of us had to watch that. So whatever you think is going to happen that's too terrible for us to witness, you're wrong."

        Guilt overtakes her as the words spill out of my mouth, which I instantly regret. I wait for some sort of a response, anything to fill the silence.

      My hands cup themselves around both sides of her face. "What are you keeping from me?"

       A tear falls down her cheek and lands on my thumb. She tries to wipe it away but I don't let her move.

                 "Malory," I weep. "Why do you always shut me out?"

        Her lips begin to quiver but she bites down on them, forcing them to stop moving. And just when I think she's about to respond, she pushes my hands away from her face and presses her body into mine. At first, I'm taken by surprise. I can't remember the last time I've hugged her.

                  "Don't let go." She whispers.