Trail of broken hearts and slimy snakes

32

We apperated out of the manor and back to the alley behind the apartment I had been staying at. We stood outside for a moment, just watching each other. No tension or awkwardness in the air, just admiring each other, taking in each others scent, basking in what we haven't had for awhile, each other. My foot began moving before my brain could think and I charged forward into Draco's arms. It was like he knew what I was doing before I did because his arms opened the second I took my first step. I crashed into him and he grabbed me tightly, squeezing me against his body like I was a piece of him that he was trying to mold back together. I began sobbing uncontrollably, grabbing onto his shirt tightly and screaming. I had found Draco but at what cost? My mother died. Draco almost died. I died and some how came back, but I felt different. There was a burning in my chest all the time. A rage boiling inside that wouldn't settle. I couldn't breath through it as my lungs were being smothered by the smoke. My heart fueled the flames with each beat. My skin crawled with heat. I screamed louder into his chest, feeling my throat turn raw. He was hurrying his face in my hair and stroking my back trying to shush me but all I could hear was my blood pumping through my veins. Then, it clicked. It was like something snapped in place and I stopped screaming. I took a step away from Draco and looked up at him, studying his pale gray eyes. I was going to kill Voldemort. No matter what it took. He had to die.
"Kat?" Draco whispered.
I still just stared at him, but all I could see was Voldemorts face as he stood over me, hissing some spell to make my belly swell, causing the worst pain in my life. Then I turned my head slowly to the back door of the apartment and remembered who was waiting inside. Then I looked back to Draco and my knees shook for a moment. Our daughter was inside and Voldemort wanted to take her from me, from us. I squeezed my hands into fists and took a deep breath.
"He has to die." I whispered.
"I know." Draco breathed.
We stared at each other for a moment, knowing what we had to do but not wanting to do it. His face softened as he looked past me to the door.
"Is she.."
"Yes. She's in there. She needs to meet her father." I softened my stance and relaxed my fists, realizing what was about to happen.
I grabbed Draco by the hand and began leading him into the apartment. We stepped inside and the warmth hit my face and caused my stress to melt for a moment. It smelled of pumpkin and cinnamon inside and I could hear hermoine humming a song. I smiled up at Draco and I could feel his hands shaking. I took a step forward but Draco stood in place like he was cemented to the floor. I looked back at him and his face was pale and his eyes were huge.
"Hey." I whispered. "It's ok love."
He swallowed hard before slightly nodding. He finally took a step and I began leading him again, into the kitchen. We stepped into the room and hermoine was standing at the sink washing dishes. She turned a little as we walked in and softly smiled.
"Well, looks like Lyra has a visitor." She said softly.
"Where is she?" I asked, dropping Draco's hand and stepping forward.
"She's laying down, I'll go get her."
Hermoine walked past us, slowing down as she passed Draco and smiling at him. Draco just nodded to her, his eyes still large and skin flushed.
"Are you ok?" I asked.
"I just- this happened so fast. I'm not sure I'm ready to be a father. I haven't even found myself yet. I don't even know if I want kids." Draco stated.
"Draco.." I furrowed my brows. "I know it's scary and I know it's sudden, but she's here now and she's perfect. She's a piece of us both and she's beautiful. She needs her father, Draco she's going to need you-"
"But what if i turn out like my father?! What if I fuck her up like my father fucked me up?!" He barked, gripping the chair in front of him so hard his knuckles turned white.
"Draco. You're not fucked up. There is nothing wrong with you.." I tried to console him.
"YOU DONT KNOW WHAT HE PUT ME THROUGH. you don't know- you can't-" his voice cracked as he spun on his heels and punched the wall so hard I'm surprised it didn't crack.
I jumped at the sound and sudden movement. I clenched my fists and held my breath. I stepped towards him and gently placed my hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at me and I could see panic and despair in his face.
"Look at me. If you're fucked up then so am I. My father beat me and- and did things a father should never do to their daughters when the lights were out. My mother was the only reason I survived him and now she's gone. My father destroyed me. Thanks to him I have nightmares almost every night. Every time Blaise called me Darling I wanted to scratch his eyes out because that's what my father called me. Any time you raise your voice to me or anyone else for that matter, I want to crumble to the floor. My father fucked me up so deep that I have scars that will NEVER go away, but that little girl, that precious baby, who has done nothing wrong, who didn't even ask to be born or brought into this shitty world, she deserves parents who love her, she deserves people in her corner. I REFUSE to be my father. I'm going to give her what I never had. If you're not ready then fine, you can go, but I'm not giving up on her." I spat back.
Draco just blinked at me for a moment before he slowly raised his hand to my face and wiped a tear I hadn't even noticed was on my cheek. Then he grabbed me and pulled me into him, holding me tightly to his chest.
"Kat. I'm not leaving you... and I'm not leaving her. You're right. We can't.. we won't be our parents. I love you, I love you so much that some days it's hard to breath because it feels like there's no room for anything else besides you. Lyra is half of me and half of you, meaning I will love her just as much as I love you. We have to kill him because if we don't they will never stop looking for us and I will not let them take you or Lyra from me. I will burn this world down before I let that happen." He said.
Hermoine walked in with a bundle of blankets in her arm. She was smiling down and humming. Draco let go of me and I felt his body tense. I walked over to hermoine and held out my arms, taking Lyra against my chest. I felt her tiny body curl up against me and I could see her small eye lashes as they fluttered open and her gray eyes blinked up at me. I turned towards Draco and watched as his eyes fell to her. She let out a small squeak as she yawned and stretched out in my arms. She looked up to Draco as he stepped closer to us and she smiled. In that moment I saw Draco's face morph from panic to wonder and love. He stepped even closer until we were almost squishing her between us. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from my chest.
"She's-"
"Beautiful?" I interrupted him.
"Perfect." He whispered.
I smiled, feeling my heart melt at the scene in front of me. Hermoine hugged me and smiled, then headed off to her room, leaving the three of us alone.
"She needs us Draco. She needs her parents." I whispered.
"I will do whatever it takes to keep you two safe." He said sternly as he finally ripped his gaze away from her and turned it towards me.
"You're not fighting this alone. I will be by your side." I said.
"No. If we both die, they will find her and take her." He barked.
"Then you stay and I will fight. I have to kill him. I want to see his last breath leave his body. I want to feel his blood on my hands." I growled.
"...fine. But you're not going alone. I will be with you every step. That just means we can't die." He sighed.
"Like you said to me, I will burn this world down to keep her safe, so make sure you're out of the way." I spat.
He blinked at me for a moment, then I realized I had flames tickling my fingers, begging to be set free. I clenched my fists and took a deep breath. I stopped the flames from escaping my fingers but the fire, the rage inside of me refused to go down. It was time to end all of this. It was time to kill Voldemort.