In The End

Chapter 41 - Safe At Last

Eliza landed with a thump on a hard-wood floor. She dusted herself off and looked around. She was back at Malfoy Manor. Before she could take a look around, she heard the warping sound of the apparition behind her, and flew around to see Draco and his parents.

"Draco!" She said, relieved that he was safe.

"Eliza!" He said, walking to her and pulling her into an embrace.

There was silence as they hugged each other, happy to be alive.

"Draco? What is the meaning of this?" Lucius asked angrily.

Draco instinctively pulled away from Eliza and looked at his father.

"Now, Lucius, calm down. Our son is in love." Narcissa said cautiously as she placed herself between father and son.

"No! I will not be calm! My son is in love with a filthy mudblood traitor who betrayed the Dark Lord and didn't deserve our hospitality!" He shouted angrily, pushing Narcissa out of the way.

"Father, please! Eliza's different!" Draco said desperately.

"NO! She is a MUDBLOOD! Now move out of the way so I can dispose of her immediately! He shouted, raising his new wand.

"NO FATHER!" Draco shouted angrily, slapping the wand out of his hand.

Lucius stood in astonishment at his son's defiance.

"Listen to me-"

"NO! You listen to ME! I love her and there is nothing you can do about it! This pureblood nonsense is bullshit and I refuse to follow Voldemort's regime any longer! If you can't see that you've put our lives in danger by turning the Malfoys into deatheaters, then it's your own problem! And if you can't accept Eliza for who she is, then you'll have to disown me as your son!" Draco shouted furiously at his father.

For a few moments, Eliza could only hear Draco's heavy breathing as Lucius stood before them, utterly flabbergasted, until finally, he spoke.

"Then I disown you." He said emotionlessly, before turning away and looking at Narcissa.

"What about you? Are you betraying me as well?" He asked his wife.

"I will not disown my son for something as petty as blood status." Narcissa said, walking slowly towards Draco and Eliza.

"Fine! Leave then! And don't come back!" Lucius said angrily, before storming off into another room.

Narcissa let out a sigh and turned to face the young couple.

"Right, you two need to get away from here. Far away. Draco, apparate yourself and Eliza to a place your father doesn't know about, and owl me when think it safe." Narcissa said seriously.

"But what about you, mother?" Draco asked.

"I'll be alright. I think I'll stay with Andromeda for a while." She said, smiling weakly.

"Very well. I love you, mother. Thank you." He said, pulling Narcissa into a hug.

"I love you too Draco." She said, a single tear escaping from her eye as she hugged her son.

"Thank you for everything Mrs Malfoy. I'm so sorry I'm the causing so many problems." Eliza said sadly.

"Oh no, dear. None of this is your fault. I'm glad that you're the lucky girl my Draco fell for. He needed some perspective other than his father's. I'm sure Lucius will come around eventually. Just keep my Draco safe, alright?" She said sweetly.

"Of course." Eliza smiled sadly, grabbing Draco's hand.

"Goodbye, mother." Draco said, before apparating himself and Eliza away.

Eliza and Draco landed in a heap, holding onto each other. Eliza felt the shock of snow on her hair. Looking around, she saw nothing but forest.

"Where are we?" She asked Draco, who was now lying beside her.

"We are in the Black Forest in Germany. I came here once with my mother when my father was going to deatheater meetings before we joined. Father didn't know about it. He thought we were at our holiday cottage in Prague." He said, slowly sitting up.

He had almost forgotten about the burns on his hands which he had sustained from the fiendfire that killed Goyle mere hours ago. He had a run-in with Yaxley too. If only his father could have seen one of his trusted colleagues kicking his son in the ribs a few times before running off to be with the Dark Lord.

Eliza got up a lot faster. She began walking around and examining the beautiful landscape. What she wouldn't do for a drawing pad and pencils.

"There's a place called Baden-Baden not too far from here. If we walk we might be able to make it by morning." Draco said.

"What? Why would we walk?" Eliza asked, confused.

"I, uh, I'm slightly injured so I don't think I'll be able to apparate safely for a day or two." Draco said calmly, trying to force himself to get up.

"Merlin's beard, where did you get hurt?" Eliza asked, rushing to his side, before ripping his shirt open.

She was shocked to see deep purple bruises against Draco's pale skin. She ran her hand slowly over them.

"Mgrh." Draco grunted.

"Does it hurt?" She asked gently.

"A bit." He said honestly.

"Oh Draco, I think you broke a rib. We have to get you to a hospital." She said.

"A hospital? As in, a muggle hospital?" He asked.

"Of course. These aren't magical injuries. They can help you." Eliza said.

Draco took a moment to consider everything.

"Alright." He shrugged.

"Now I just need to perfect apparition and I'll take you there." Eliza said.

Draco just nodded and lay back down.

After about an hour, Eliza finally managed to successfully apparate herself into the town and back to Draco, before taking his hand and apparating him to the hospital.

Draco was surprised by the efficiency and success of the doctors there, and felt comforted by the warm hospital room his lay in, with Eliza by his side.

After a few days, Eliza had received an owl from Luna telling her that Voldemort was dead and it was safe to come home. Part of her didn't want to go back home and hear about all the people she once knew that were now dead.

She didn't want to go back to Hogwarts and relive the horrors she had experienced a few days before. All that she really wanted was to be alone with Draco for a little, and then meet up with her father at some point.

Of course the other part of her was relieved beyond explanation. All the violence and horror that Voldemort had introduced to the Wizarding World would finally be put to rest. Finally she'd be able to get a good night's sleep and wake up without wondering if she'd die that day. Finally she'd be able to be with Draco openly. Finally, she'd be able to breathe...