Optionless with Draco Malfoy

47. Periculum

Juliette

I ignored the duels going on around me. I was ready to run at full force to whoever had killed her. Whoever murdered my aunt.

Aunt Myra laid limply on the ground, her eyes closed. I began to sprint forward, but Draco pulled me back tightly. I got a better look at the Death Eater who killed her. It was Yaxley. He looked at me and smirked. I wanted nothing more than to curse him and torture him until he was dead. I wanted him to suffer. 

I screamed at Draco to let go of me as tears poured down my cheeks. "Draco, let go of me! Get the hell off of me! I am going to kill him! I hope he suffers in hell!" I was screaming and crying, trying to escape Draco's embrace as Yaxley laughed. He watched as I panicked in Draco's arms and then Apparated out of sight. "No! No! Malfoy, how could you let him get away?" I yelled furiously as him. He still had his arms around me forcefully, stubbornly not willing to let go.

I continued to try to escape his arms, but my tears didn't let me see a single thing. Eventually, I stopped resisting his embrace. 

"She's dead," I said quietly and softly. He heard my voice and loosened his grip on me, but still held me closely.

"Juliette, I need you to stay calm. People are shooting spells everywhere, you can't just run through there and not get hit!"

"I don't care! Let me get hit then!" I said panting. "I want to see her. Let me see her!" I demanded. The tears had temporarily stopped coming out of my eyes. 

"You're being unreasonable. I can't just let you run off. Do you see all of the duels happening, Juliette?"

I stared into Draco's eyes. "Let go of me," I said, calmly, but confidently. 

He took a long look at me and then released me from his arms. He stared at me, cluelessly, unsure of what my next move was going to be.

I stood still for a few moments and then bolted across the courtyard. Spells were being flown in my direction, but I either didn't bother to block them, or I would cast a weak shielding spell. I ran to my aunt's body. I knelt down and looked at her, staring at her limp body. Tears began to stream down my face again. 

I then took her hand which still felt warm. "Aunt Myra... I thought we made promises to see each other again," I hoped that she would open her mouth and tell me it was all going to be OK.

I looked up into the sky and wiped my tears. "You fought a good battle. Wasn't that what you wanted? If you were going to die, it had to be from a duel, right? You can't be dead... open your eyes and tell me that I'll survive this battle. Because without you, I don't know how much more good is left inside of me... please," I clasped my hand over my mouth and tried to wipe away my tears, but more kept streaming down.

I hadn't noticed, but Draco was defending spells being cased nearby us. "Thank you for helping me out the of the hole that I dug myself into. You died doing what you love... fighting to see a change in something that's wrong," I wiped my eyes again and held her hand tighter and kissed it. "You can rest now... I love you," I took her wand and stood up in tears. The battle isn't over.

-------------------------------------------------------

I helped Draco fend a few more people off as we made our way towards this wall where we'd be safe temporarily.

"I-I-I have to go find Neville Longbottom," I stammered to Draco.

"OK, I'll come with you," he replied.

"N-no I think it's best you stay here. Look at you, you single handle protected me and you from so many people... thank you," I added. "Look at the people duelling here, they need your help. I'll find you after."