4.1 | Draconian ✓

34 | silencio

A/N

Just out of curiosity, I'm interested to know how many of you there are. Are you a first-time reader or a rereader?

x Noelle

  

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3 4

s i l e n c i o

Silences target.

WHEN DRACO APPARATED back, he barely had the time to set Ginny down before Hermione rushed up to him. "Thank Merlin you're safe!" she whispered and hugged him. When she pulled back, she kept one hand on his jacket, as though reluctant to let go of him entirely.

Not that he was complaining. She was always expressive and affectionate. He secretly liked that, envied her even, because he didn't have the courage to do the same. Things like these had always made him uncomfortable.

But with her, it became easier.

Draco cast a swift glance around and, when he realised that no one else was in the living room, reached down to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. "Where're the others?"

She quickly updated him on the situation. Blaise had already returned with Pansy, and Luna had used side-along apparition to bring her back. "They've brought the rescued members back to the Order," she added. "'Dromeda went along with them too. I've been waiting for you, Theo and George."

"They're not back yet?"

"No." Hermione glanced at Ginny, who lay in a motionless heap on the floor. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine." He levitated Ginny over to the bed in the guest room and headed back out. "I should get Theo – "

The words were barely past his lips when the sounds of apparition made both Draco and Hermione whirl around. George stumbled in, supporting a battered Theo who walked with a bad limp, crimson blood streaking down one side of his face. Hermione gasped, rushing into the kitchen to get the healing potions while Draco immediately stepped forward to support Theo on his other side.

"What happened?"

"Oh, you know," Theo shrugged, "we had a tea party with the Dark Lord. Ate biscuits and fruitcake and all. Had a bloody lovely time."

If Theo wasn't in such a bad shape, Draco would've seriously considered hexing him.

"The Death-Eaters couldn't see where we were, because Theo had put Disillusionment charms on the both of us," George explained, setting Theo down on the armchair. "So they destroyed the building. Theo here pushed me out of the way and got himself hurt instead."

Theo rolled his eyes at George, before lurching forward to cough out a mouthful of blood on the floor. "Seems like the Weasley family owes a lot to a bunch of Slytherins – "

"Oh, Ginny!" George's eyes widened and he turned to Draco. "Did you – "

"Guest room."

While George disappeared to check on his sister, Hermione returned with a tray of potions in one hand, levitating a basin of water with the other. Draco watched her with silent pride. She'd truly become adept at magic again. He watched as she cleaned Theo's wounds, bound his sprained ankle with a Ferula and ordered him to drink some blood-replenishing potions.