golden ; a draco malfoy fanfiction

sixty eight

elodie phillips

I woke up with a dull sensation ringing in my arm. It trickled down into my hands and pulsed through my fingertips.

It burned like a match was lit on each of my fingernails.

It shot up my arm, causing me to wince in pain.

"Fuck," I winced, grabbing onto it.

Draco lay beside me, tossing and turning in his sleep. I grabbed his arm, feeling his dark mark. It was hot to touch, and my hand quickly jerked back. 

"Draco," I whispered, shaking him awake. It saddened me to think that he was so used to this pain that it didn't wake him anymore.

Tears stained my eyes as the pain increased, this time louder and fuller.

Draco's eyes finally fluttered open, and he rolled his eyes as his hand clasped on his arm.

"Don't bother packing things," he groaned, his voice tinted with a morning rasp. "We can work with what's at the manor."

Voldemort was calling everyone to the manor. My hand clasped around Draco's, and he closed his eyes.

"I love you," he whispered, squeezing my hand tight as our bodies became air.

"I love you too," I spoke, but my reply become lost in the wind as we twisted and turned. I watched the small valleys, now filled with sprouting colors of green, as Draco and I traveled.

Apparating was no longer a fascination of mine. I used to enjoy twisting through the air, but now I was haunted by the taunting screams of the destination.

Our feet tapped the cold concrete of the Malfoy Manor. Death eaters were all around us, running and yelling in triumph.

The pain in my arm finally faded away, and I let out a breath of relief.

"I need Draco Malfoy and Elodie Phillips!" a harsh voice split through the chaos.

"What's going on?" I asked a death eater who was running by. He was younger than most, probably in his twenties.

"Snatchers think they found those kids that are running around. Harry Potter," he replied, a smile spread across his face, his voice filled with breathy excitement.

I looked at Draco, and I knew that both of our hearts fell into our stomachs.

Or at least mine did.

"Let's go," Draco urged. We broke into a brisk walk, a breeze waving through my hair as we charged through the crowd.

Finally, we made it to the large and lifeless living room. Three people lay on their knees, their necks viciously grabbed by snatchers, whose hair ratted in knots and teeth shone a pale yellow.

Chills shot down my spine at the sight. I immediately recognized them as Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Ron and Hermione looked like how I've always known them, but Harry's face was swelled to the brim, with his eyes like swollen tennis balls.

I didn't show this in my expression, and I kept a calm demeanor.

Lucius Malfoy bent down by Draco as we stood in front of the trio.

"Is this the boy, Miss Phillips?" he seethed, venom spilling from his lips.

"I- I can't be sure," I stuttered, my eyes running over the three of them. Their eyes looked back at me, pleading.

Pleading for mercy.

I had all of the power in the world right now. I could end this needless battle. I could confirm that this was them, and everything would be over.

But that wasn't me.

I may be tinted with a mark of villains, but I couldn't allow it to make me one.

"Take a closer look," Lucius pestered, his voice becoming more nervous as he spoke. "Now."

"I'm looking!" I snapped, leaning down.

I was now at eye level with Harry Potter. Through the narrow slits of his swollen eyes, I saw a glint of the infamous emerald green.

I tried to talk to him with my eyes. I tried to explain the mark that tinted my bare arm. I watched as Ron and Hermione scanned it, their faces filling with increasing panic.

Harry, I tried to communicate. This wasn't my choice. Allow me to prove it to you.

Please.

"It's not him," I concluded, dusting my legs as I stood up.

"Are you sure?" Lucius asked, raising an eyebrow. "You used to be friends with the boy, you could be lying for all we know!"

He received the approving clamor of the other death eaters, all of them waiting to band against me.

"No, Lucius," I started, my voice slow and sarcastic. "I'm not stupid." The death eaters chuckled. I found it pathetic how easily they were influenced.

"You think Harry Potter is going to run around without a disguise?" I continued, walking closer to the pale blonde man. "Yes, I was friends with him, so I know that he always thinks things through. It's not him."

"Take them to the cellar anyways," Bellatrix sneered, observing them up and down. "Except, I want the girl."

My heart plummeted at the thought of what Bellatrix could do, especially since she knew Hermione's muggle-born status.

Hermione's eyes fleeted to mine, crying for help.

"Do you have something to tell us, Elodie?" Bellatrix cooed, her wily hair whipping over her shoulder.

I gulped nervously.

"No."

I am so sorry, Hermione, but it's every woman for themselves.

As I turned around to head upstairs to my room, I heard the blood-curling shrieks of Hermione Granger. My walk suddenly broke into a sprint.

And I ran.

Down the hall.

Up the stairs.

A sharp right.

And into the bathroom where I hunched over the toilet. I wiped my mouth, out of breath and trembling.

As if he were summoned, I felt the cold hands of Draco Malfoy pull my hair behind my shoulders and rub my back.

"There was nothing you could have done, Lola," he reassured as I continued to throw up. I felt nothing but shame and guilt.

I knew how this game worked, but I didn't want to play it anymore.

Loud footsteps sounded from outside the door, and I cleaned my face quickly, pushing myself to stand.

"Woah, Lola, slow down," Draco called, his arms reaching for me as I rushed to the door.

I swung it open, and looked down onto the main level, watching people of all ages running. They were yelling shouts of triumph, breaking out their wands as they disappeared into a cloud of black smoke.

"Draco, come look at this."

He peered over my shoulder, his arms wrapped around my waist, and watched the same chaos I did.

"So this is it," he sighed in defeat.

And he was right. This was it.

This was war.