Under the Willow Tree | Draco Malfoy

chapter 70: under the willow tree

Lorelei Jones | 6th Year

The world was splintered, shattered, totally changed now.

Even if Enzo was a terrible person — and Blaise had been the one to take his life, not her — Lorelei couldn't help the crashing waves of blame that threatened to drown her. His hatred for her led to his demise.

Lorelei was so sick of all of the hatred in their world.

Her heart remained broken and lost and yet guiltily grateful as she stumbled away from the crime scene with Luna. They walked away as if nothing had happened because they had to. The screams of shouted curses and broken cries reached her ears in muted booms. Muffled and loud all at once.

Time moved slowly as they stumbled through the school to find their friends.

Was Draco okay?

Was Theo?

Did they find Nagini?

What if all was already lost?

Lorelei swallowed her cries and finally pushed on the doors to exit the school. Lorelei threw her hand up, expecting to be blinded by the bright light of the sun, but time had been slipping past them and it was now dusk. The last hint of day was slipping away, and Lorelei despised the chill in the air that reminded her of empty breaths and terrifying dreams.

Her mind only continued to crumble when she saw what was happening before the school. Harry Potter lied limp in Hagrid's arms and Voldemort was trying coax Draco to join him. Lorelei wished their view wasn't so good. From up on the steps before the school, they could see every horrific second of this encounter.

Something about seeing Lucius beckoning Draco forward while gripping onto Narcissa's arm tightly made all of the chaos in her mind click into place. Before, her thoughts were spiraling, chaotic, and uncontrollable. But now, her thoughts were focused.

Draco Draco Draco, Lorelei thought, over and over. She needed to get to him. She needed to protect him. Nothing else mattered.

Draco shook his head at Voldemort and straightened his posture. He looked strong, he looked sure of himself, but his eyes darted off to the side after doing so, searching.

Lorelei smiled when she realized he was looking for her. Like she was a siren, his gaze was drawn to her, and he smiled blissfully when he found she had already found him.

//

Lorelei had joined Draco's side, knowing they were close, so close now. Everyone else had completed their task, and everything was riding on Lorelei and Draco's ability to kill Nagini.

They both shivered imperceptibly when they eyed the enormous snake, but Draco gripped Lorelei's fingers, and she squeezed his back. It was the gentle reminder that no matter what happened, they would do it together.

Now, they just needed to wait for the right moment.

And it came, when Neville screamed at the death eaters, taunting them, distracting them.

Then suddenly, Harry Potter was alive again.

Draco and Lorelei ran towards Nagini while Harry chased Voldemort down. Neither of them had any idea how to kill Nagini, but they promised they would do it. However, before Lorelei and Draco could think of the best way to kill Nagini, she turned and lunged at them, jaws unhinged.

Lorelei's scream pierced the air, and she wordlessly shot a spell to knock Nagini back a few steps. It was an unintentional thing, but somehow, Lorelei sent Nagini flinging backwards at the same moment that Neville Longbottom had squared up to kill her with the sword of Gryffindor.