The Malfoy's Secret [Draco Malfoy fanfic]

Chapter 23

I don't own any of the characters apart from Melanie Malfoy. All of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
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I could hear the faint whooshing of the cabinet. To my left, was a very nervous Draco Malfoy. Ever since our fight in this room at the beginning of the year, we had out pretty much all our time and energy into repairing the cabinet. I wasn't much help in the beginning; I'll out my hands up and admit it, because I didn't want this day to come. When I realised how much Draco was struggling though, I did everything I could to help.

I look over to Draco again. He looked I'll and tired, but a look of terror had settled itself in his eyes. I reached across and squeezed his hand, sending him a small smile in the process. He returned it half-heartedly and then turned hhis attention back to the cabinet.

"Who did you invite?" I asked him wearily. Draco hadn't talked much to anyone in the last two days, not even me. When someone did talk to him he tended to snap at them to leave him alone. Since we tested the cabinet ourselves, he had been on edge. He was regretting this decision as much as me now.

"Aunt Bella, Yaxley and Fenrir Greyback. I didn't invite too many just in case we bump into anybody. It could turn into a battle if anymore get involved." he explained. His voice was soft, only just above a whisper. The room became silent as the cabinet let out a thud, alerting us that our 'back-up' had arrived.

"Well, if it isn't my favourite niece and nephew," Aunt Bella cackled as she climbed out of the cabinet. I gave her a small smile before turning my attention back to the Death Eaters coming out of the door. Yaxley and Greyback were stood behind Aunt Bella, but another four people emerged after them. The last one, Alecto Carrow, shut the door and turned to sneer at me.

I looked to Draco, in a state of shock, just to make sure I wasn't imagining the extra people that had just joined us. His face, however, mirrored the shock that was showing on mine. Aunt Bella looked between the two of us before prodding us in the backs with her wand. I shook my head and turned my attention to the annoyed witch stood in front of me.

"I thought only three of you were coming?" Draco asked the group as I opened my mouth to ask the same question. Aunt Bella, Yaxley and Greyback looked behind them, as though noticing the other four for the first time.

"Well you invited us to come, referring to us as back-up, am I correct?" Greyback asked, although it came out as a snarl. I recoiled slightly and moved towards Draco, who had edged closer to me in a protective stance. Greyback just let out a howl of laughter before continuing, "So, we thought we'd being back-up as well. Can't be too careful."

"You got a problem with us being here Malfoy?" Amycus asked. I looked to Draco to find out which one of us he was talking to. I didn't get an answer, but Draco came and stood even closer to me in a protective stance. I was even more confused now, but a quick glance around the group gave me an answer. All the Death Eaters were sending threatening looks my way, except for Greyback, who was staring at me hungrily.

"No, of course not." Draco's voice was cold as he addressed Amycus, who looked taken aback by his tone. "We better get going; otherwise they'll be back before we even get there." He started walking, pulling me along, keeping a firm hold on my wrist. We reached the door and I started to open it when I realised no one had followed us.

"How do you know they're not back already?" Rowle asked us, maliciously.

"Well, considering we sent out the message as soon as Dumbledore left his study, I think we're pretty safe, or is there some sort of problem?" I retorted smoothly. He stared at me clearly shocked at how I'd talked to him. I sent him a smirk, before opening the door and checking to see if anyone was coming.

I nudged Draco lightly in the ribs to get his attention before shutting the door again, "We have a problem."

He looked around in a panic, thinking something had just happened to me. I rolled my eyes and quickly hit him again before pointing to the door I'd just closed.

"The Wealseys and Longbottom are outside. They must have known something was going to happen," I stopped as an idea popped into my head. "Do you have any of the Weasley products left that I gave to you?"

"Yeah, I do. You throw out the powder and I'll lead everyone out. Okay?" I nodded, suddenly feeling very sick. Draco glanced over his shoulder and then pulled me into a tight hug. "Promise me you won't put yourself in any danger or get killed please."

I chuckled nervously, nodding my head against his chest. It was only then that I realised that this could turn into a battle. I felt a weight drop down into my pocket and pulled away from Draco. It was now or never.

As soon as the small stone left my hand, the whole corridor was engulfed in a thick, black smoke. I heard a muffled shriek from outside and felt guilty for having to do this to the three stood outside. Before I could begin to process my guilt, a hand grabbed my wrist and dragged me down the corridor. I had a strong sense of déjà vu right now...

"Where are we going?" Aunt Bella asked. I opened my mouth to answer but was cut off by Yaxley who was stood next to my right shoulder. I hasn't realised how close he was and jumped at the sound of his voice.

"His study! It'll be the biggest surprise for him, go and set off the Dark Mark on the Astronomy Tower and make yourself useful Amycus!"

As we turned the corner, four spells flew towards us. A red light flew inches from my left arm. I heard another spell being shouted out, but before I even saw it, I felt a strong grip on my waist. Draco pulled us both behind a suit of armour away from the fight that was starting.

"Stupefy!" Amycus yelled from the entrance to the Astronomy Tower. I heard a thud as the man's body hit the floor and walked away from my hiding spot. "Well, if it isn't Kingsley Shacklebolt. Stay away from my sister!"

"Is the Mark up?" Greyback asked.

"Yeah, let's get going."

The group started walking casually towards Dumbledore's office, looking like they hadn't just broken in, but like they had been invited into the castle. A few minutes later, sounds of another battle carried to where me and Draco were standing. I was brought back to my senses and I quickly led Draco towards the doorway Amycus had just walked away from.

"We'll wait in the tower for him. That way we won't be under pressure from everyone else."

Slowly, we started to sneak up the stairs. Draco stopped midway up to cast a certain spell over the entrance. Don't even bother asking what it was, I didn't want to waste my breathe on a question like that right now.

Even though I've been here for a year, I suddenly felt like I was trespassing. Every step I took made me feel like I had a weight crushing in on my ribs. Draco was oblivious to this, instead he was trying to get us to our destination even quicker.

A couple of steps from the top, my legs came to a sudden stop. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get them to move. Draco realised what had happened before my brain had chance to process it or I could open my mouth to try and get an explanation out for him.

"You don't have to do it. I'll do it; you don't even have to watch if you don't want to. The others won't know because they wouldn't listen to us. Just wait outside the door and if you hear anyone coming, run through."

I looked into his eyes, seeing the desperation, nervousness, dread and worry; all of the things that shouldn't be present in his grey eyes. In that split second, my decision was made and it seemed easy now. "No, I'm coming in."

I turned to open the door to the actual tower when I goth voices which sparked my curiosity. I leaned forward, and instead, placed my ear against the door to see if I could hear who the voices belonged to. Dumbledore was definitely there and...Potter?

"Expelliarmus!"

Dumbledore's wand flew up into the air and arched over its owners head before falling off the side of the railing and disappearing into the darkness surrounding us all. His face, however, showed no sign of panic as he looked across to the pair of us.

"Good evening, Draco, Melanie." Draco stepped forwards looking around to see if anywhere was occupying this small space with us. I saw his eyes fall upon the second upon the second broom and I looked around as well.

I could hear Draco and Dumbledore talking but my eyes were glued onto the small bit of denim that I could see against the wall. I could feel a pair of eyes on me and looked up to where Potter's eyes would be. I sent him an apologetic smile, hoping he realised I didn't want to do this. I knew how much this would affect him especially.

"Yeah," Draco panted. "Right under your nose and you never realised!"

"Drake..." I said softly. He turned to look at me with confusion laced into his features. "You don't need to be like that. So arrogant," I explained when he looked confused even more.

"Don't worry Melanie. Your brother had a point," he said turning back to Draco. "Ingenious. Yet...forgive me...where are they now? You seem unsupported."

"They wouldn't listen to us and went in the opposite direction. I think they met some more of your guard though. We just...need to get...a job done," I explained, nervously swallowing at the end. I don't think I could deal with the pressure of what this mission is bringing me.

"Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy," Dumbledore said softly, looking to Draco, clearly knowing there was no way I'd be able to do it without going through a nervous breakdown first.

Silence suffocated us in the small room. Draco made no move to raise his wand higher or to say the spell. He just stood there staring at Dumbledore, who was now...smiling?

"Draco. Draco, you are no killer."

"How do you know?" Draco replied. I scoffed and quickly tried to cover it with a cough. Both of them seemed to notice though and Dumbledore turned his smile to me, while Draco's flushed face was glaring daggers at me.

"Well look at you! We've tried two other plans that have failed miserably. When you thought they'd killed the other two students you nearly had a heart attack. Especially when it was Weasley, you tried to brush it off like it was nothing. I knew though, I knew what it was doing to you!" I screamed out, running to stand in front of Draco.

A muffled yell came from he depths of the castle below us. Everyone stiffened and glanced at the door as if that was going to give us the answers we do desperately needed.

"Perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone." Dumbledore suggested. "You don't really need help...I have no wand at the moment...I can't defend myself." I knew that he was trying to help Draco, but he wouldn't do anything. "You're afraid to act."

"I'm not afraid!" snarled Draco. I hit him on the arm again, warning him not to act that way towards our headmaster. I don't care if he wasn't going to be here in an hour or so, he still deserved respect until his dying moments.

"I don't think you will kill me Draco. Killing is not nearly as easy as the innocent believe. So tell me, Melanie, how did you smuggle your friends in? It seems to have taken you a long time to do so."

"Through the vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement," I swallowed, feeling like I was going to throw up at any moment. I heard Dumbledore let out a sigh before closing his eyes.

"There's a pair I take it?"

"Yeah, it's in Borgin and Burkes. Me and Cho used it earlier in the year and me and Draco got into a fight the same day that broke it. We've been working on it all year to fix it. Although, I did even more damage to it at one point..." I trailed off, thinking back to the blackness closing in around me on that horrible day.

"What do you mean Melanie?" Dumbledore prompted.

"We got into a fight about the poisoned mead that we left you in the middle of the night. I shouted something that angered her and she ran off to the vanishing cabinet wanting to get away from me. Only it wasn't properly fixed so it almost killed her," I could see tears forming in Draco's eyes. By the sound of his voice while he told that story, he clearly blamed himself.

"It was a stupid move from me that nearly ruined the mission, but it was hard work fixing it anyway. There were many times when we felt like we'd never be able to do it."

"And that's when you resorted to crude and badly judged measures, like the cursed necklace and the poisoned mead..."

"Well you didn't realise who was behind it all, did you?" sneered Draco, clearly growing impatient by the small talk. I, on the other hand, was finding this was relaxing my nerves a whole lot.

"As a matter of fact, I did," said Dumbledore. "I didn't know about Melanie, but you I was sure about."

"Why didn't you stop me then?" Draco demanded, his temper rising now.

"I tried Draco. Professor Snape has been keeping watch over you on my orders-"

"He hasn't been doing it on your orders, he promised my mother-"

"Of course that is what he would tell you, Draco, but-"

"He's a double agent, you stupid old man, he isn't working for you, you just think he is!" Draco shouted, finally losing his patience and raising his wand again.

"You're wrong Drake," my voice came out so soft that I struggled to hear it myself.

"You don't know anything Mel!" he shouted turning on me. If there's something I hate about Draco it's his arrogance, he thinks he knows everything, when for once, he doesn't. I could see the strands of my hair turning red, but did nothing to stop it.

"No, Draco, you don't!" I yelled, finally snapping. "Have you ever actually talked to Snape? No! I have, I know the truth, but even if I told you, you wouldn't accept it! You never even tried to listen to me, we wouldn't have to be stood here right now if you'd listened to me!"

I was seething, but apparently, that's something me and Draco have in common. He'd completely turned his attention away from Dumbledore and was solely focused on me.

"There has to be a way out of this! We shouldn't have to be worrying about completing missions for him at our age, we could be asleep in our dorms right now, never having to even think about something that bad. Surely, Dumbledore could do something to help!"

Draco looked at me dumbfounded for a few seconds longer before turning to Dumbledore. I could tell he was embarrassed about having a fight with me in front of him, but he was curious to whether or not he had something to say on the matter. Another bang echoed around us as this happened, making Draco jump slightly.

"There is little time, one way or another. So let us discuss your options."

"My options!" Draco shouted, his voice getting higher the longer he talked. "I'm standing here with a wand - I'm about to kill you -"

"My dear boy, let us have no more pretence about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first Disarmed me, you would not have stopped to have this pleasant chat about ways and means."

"That was Mel, not me," he pointed out, while receiving an annoyed look from me. "We haven't got any options! I've got to do this! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family! As long as Mel doesn't have to do it, I'll feel much better," he had paled considerably during his little speech and I understood why. I went to stand next to him, putting a reassuring arm around his waist in a sort of hug.

"I can help you both Draco..." Dumbledore spoke softly to him, but made sure the meaning of his words were clear, even to Draco who was in the middle of an internal debate.

"No, you can't," Draco said, his whole body was shaking uncontrollably. "Nobody can. He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I've got no choice."

"We can hide your whole family Draco, more completely than you can imagine. I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban, but when the time comes we can protect him as well. Come to the right side Draco, you are no killer..."

"But I got this far didn't I?" Draco said slowly. I sighed, shaking my head, ware aliasing what he was about to say. "They thought-"

"It doesn't matter what they thought Drake! We can be safe, he can protect us, we won't have to be scared anymore." he just continued to stare at Dumbledore. He made no move to reply to me but I could see him very slowly moving his wand arm down. "Please Drake."

My last plead seemed to have helped him make up his mind. Just as he went to lower his wand though, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. The next thing I knew I'd been thrown against the wall. At least what I thought was the wall...

The other Death Eaters had finally come to join us. I could hear them all exchanging 'pleasantries' with Dumbledore but all I could focus on was why I hadn't actually hit the stone like I had expected. I looked down and saw the small patch of denim again, and everything clicked into place.

I moved slowly away from Potter hoping to not make it obvious there was a person stood behind me. "I'm sorry," I whispered softly to him, hoping this time he really did realise I meant for everything and not just flattening him against the wall even further.

I heard the door hit the wall again and turned to see Snape stood in the doorway, which spiked my curiosity even further. I wonder what he was doing up here...

"Severus..." a soft voice pleaded. It took me a moment to realise the sound had come out of Dumbledore. I've never felt so frightened in my life. That one word, it scared me more than the Dark Lord himself. It meant that everything was going to change.

Snape was staring at Dumbledore and I could see hatred etched into the lines in his hard face. I'd talked to Snape on many occasions and he had never said that he'd hated Dumbledore, he'd told me the exact opposite. It was clear to me he was acting, but the look still looked wrong to me.

"Severus...please..."

Snape lifted his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore's heart.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"NO!"

But I was too late. The jet of green light shot out of the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in his chest. I watched as Dumbledore was blasted off his feet and into the air: for a split second it seemed as if he was just suspended in the air underneath the shining green skull, before he fell slowly backwards, like a giant rag doll, over the battlements and out of sight.
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:'( I didn't want to have to write this chapter, but I guess it was going to happen at some point. You might have realised that a lot of the speech and some of the paragraphs (like the last one) are taken pretty much directly out of the book (depending on how obsessed you are). I just thought it would work better with the actual story in it than me making it up.

It is obviously adapted in some places so Mel is involved but the end of this chapter is pretty much Draco, how he feels and what can be done to help him especially. I hope you like it though, only 2 more chapters left :( I have said that the last updates will be taking place on Mondays but I wanted to get this one up early (cos I'm so good)

Remember to vote and comment, I like to know what you guys think. Maybe even follow me? If you're feeling especially nice.

C x