The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

152. A Reckoning

"We can't just leave him here," Andre said, letting out a sigh of frustration as he was now repeating the same argument he had stated five times already since Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the mirror.

"Then what do you want us to do?" Blaise snapped. "Take him with us?"

"At this point, why not?" Dioleh said irritably. As Blaise opened his mouth to protest indignantly, Dioleh interrupted, "Oh, come on, Blaise. You saw where they're staying. It's in the middle of the woods somewhere. How far do you really think Malfoy can get?"

"Besides," Imani added. "What other options do we really have?" Blaise leaned forward, rubbing his forehead hard as he let out a frustrated groan.

Sitting back up, he snapped, "Fine! Whatever. Take him with us. But when he betrays us again, don't cry to me."

Letting out another frustrated groan, he got to his feet and stormed away as Dioleh sighed, "Blaise!" Once he was gone, she let out another sigh.

Before any of them had a moment to process what had just happened, a shocked voice gasped, "Dioleh?" While Imani and Andre instantly looked towards where Draco had appeared in the doorway, Dioleh blinked, unmoving for a moment as another sigh left her lips.

"Now this," she muttered wearily. "Hi, Draco." She still hadn't looked at him.

"Y-You're alive?" he said in shock. He hadn't moved since he spotted her.

"Snape's spell malfunctioned," Dioleh explained tiredly. She still hadn't looked at him. "I was never dead. I just didn't bother to correct the Death Eaters when they carried the news back to their boss."

"But-" he began.

"We should..." Andre began, getting to his feet awkwardly. Also standing, Imani interlaced her fingers with his and the two disappeared up the stairs. Dioleh leaned forward, her head in her hands as Draco's soft footsteps approached her.

"Dioleh," Draco said gently.

"Please, stop," Dioleh said quietly. Lowering her hands, she said, "I don't know how to do this, Draco. I don't know how to talk to you anymore."

"I know I made mistakes," Draco said.

"Mistakes?!" Dioleh cried, jumping to her feet and rounding on him. Her eyes were wide with fury. Draco averted his gaze. Striding towards him, Dioleh snapped, "A mistake is forgetting to pack a swimsuit when you're to go on holiday. You consciously chose to lie to me and to - to say all of those things to me. You chose to hurt me, Draco."

"I know," he whispered. "And believe me, I've regretted it every day since."

"If you'd have regretted it, you would've spoken to me!" Dioleh yelled, fixing him again with her angry gaze.

"Dioleh, I'm sorry," Draco said, taking a step towards her. "I'm so sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was doing what was best for you and my family. I know now that I was a coward."

"Are, you mean," Dioleh snapped.

"Yes, I am a coward," Draco admitted. "That's why I left. I can't be that person anymore. I refuse to be that person anymore."

"Yeah, well, forgive me if I don't take you at your word," Dioleh retorted sarcastically. "You saved Imani and that is the only reason we're not tossing you out on the street. Unfortunately, we can't really just let you go either."

"So what, I'm your prisoner now?" Draco scoffed.

"We don't know what else to do with you!" Dioleh shouted back. "I don't like it any more than you do but if you leave, you either die or betray us. We have no other options!"

"You could trust me!" Draco retorted. "I left my family, my life, and the Dark Lord himself to save Imani in some twisted idea that if I saved her, I could finally forgive myself for killing you and yet here you are! Alive and well in front of me!"

"So, what? If you knew I was alive you would have just left her there to die?!" Dioleh snapped back.

"No!" Draco shouted. "But everything I have done has been for the people I care about, including you, including Blaise, and now you're holding me captive! I was a coward and misguided but none of that warrants this!"

"Fine," Dioleh snapped. "If that's what you really want, we can erase your memory and make you leave. Good luck surviving."

As she turned to leave, he retorted, "No, I just...Dioleh I was already trapped once. I don't want to be trapped again."

Dioleh sighed, turning back to face him as she said, "Look, you're not really being held captive. That's a bit dramatic, but we need you to not ask about what we're doing. We're keeping you alive until you're not in danger anymore."

"All right," Draco sighed.

"Stay here," Dioleh said, turning back towards the stairs. Upon reaching the landing, Dioleh went into Andre's room to find Imani and Blaise with him.

"So?" Imani said, looking up.

"We need to figure out when we leave," Dioleh said. "To meet up with the others."

"I say tomorrow," Andre said. "There's no reason to wait."

"You have the locket still?" Blaise asked. Dioleh nodded, pulling the necklace from under her shirt. Origionally Blaise had been holding onto it, but they had quickly discovered that it seemed to effect his mood. For some reason, Dioleh was always left unaffected.

"So, everyone pack your bags. We leave first thing in the morning," Dioleh said. "Imani, you can borrow some of my things." Kissing Andre's cheek, Imani got to her feet and followed after Dioleh to her room. Shutting the door behind her, Dioleh said, "Use whatever you like. There's a washroom through there if you want to freshen up." Without a word, Imani disappeared through the door.