Unplanned Liars • Draco Malfoy

24. Thanks, Draco

Once we reached the Astronomy Tower, Snape did it quickly.

He pushed the door open and I ran behind him. I quickly tried to absorb the scene. Draco was standing there, paler than ever, his hand shaking furiously. Behind him four Death Eaters, including the Carrows and Greyback, and finally Dumbledore opposite all of them, against the barrer, looking extremely sick, especially in the greenish light of the Mark.

"We've got a problem, Snape," Amycus Carrow said as Snape joined them, while I was standing in the door motionless, "the boy doesn't seem able..."

"Severus..."

I turned my head abruptly. It was Dumbledore, pleading. Snape went forward and roughly pushed Draco out of the way. He gazed at Dumbledore for a moment.

"Severus... Please..."

I stood there, still frozen.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light shot from Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest. I covered my mouth in shock.

It has happened.

Dumbledore was blasted into the air and then fell off the tower, out of sight.

"Out of here, quickly," Snape ordered. I didn't need him to say it twice. He seized Draco by the scruff of his neck and forced him through the door first, causing me to step aside.

As we all ran back into the fight, Snape shouted, "It's over, time to go!"

We were running and running, occasionally repelling spells. I saw that we lost the Carrows and Greyback on the way and now it was only Snape, Draco and me. We reached the grounds untouched, but then I heard this familiar voice behind us shouting, "Stupefy!"

Potter.

I turned my head. Jet of red light soared past Snape's head.

"Run, both of you!" Snape shouted to us and we obeyed, while he remained where he was. Right before we reached the gates, I turned my head. Potter raised his wand.

"Cruc..."

But Snape repelled the spell, knocking Potter backwards off his feet. We were finally behind the gates when I heard someone yell, "Incendio!" and an explosive bang. Then I saw a huge fire - Hagrid's cabin.

I wanted to see what was going on, but Draco grabbed my arm and we Disapparated before I could register it. Next thing I knew, I was sitting in the armchair in the living room of the Malfoy Manor, sipping on Calming Draught Cepheus had brought. Narcissa didn't ask anything, she was glad to see us alive. I was shaking, because the reality of what happened came to me. It's not normal to see someone being murdered...

And was Draco safe? The task has been completed, but not by him...He did everything he could to make it happen, but in the end...

As I reminded myself of that, I sipped on the Calming Draught again. It seemed to have no effect on Draco, who was shivering and crying, and not even trying to stop it.

"Cepheus has to go to school and take our things," I managed to say. "We won't be able to get them tomorrow."

Narcissa nodded.

"You heard her, Cepheus."

The elf bowed and disappeared. Narcissa only asked where the others were as she tried to comfort Draco. I was about to open my mouth to reply, when the main entrance opened with a bang.

And what happened later was just one big mayhem. Bellatrix, Greyback, two Carrows, Snape and some more Death Eaters entered to the room. Bellatrix looked overjoyed and with wild gestures she started to explain what happened to Narcissa. Snape was shushing her and Greyback gave few grunts. But my eyes were only for Draco and he looked paler than ever, and he was still crying.

Nobody except for me and Narcissa gave him any attention, because they were trying to handle Bellatrix's excitement. Narcissa hugged him.

"Then who killed him?" she asked finally.

"I did," Snape replied as calmly as though he's just killed a fly.

This was the only moment I took my eyes off of Draco, gaping at Snape instead. He didn't look bothered at all.

"Severus," Narcissa breathed out.

"Oh yeah," Bellatrix groaned and rolled her eyes, "Snapey had to add himself to the thing."

This time Snape's nostrils flared.

"Wasn't it you who asked me to teach..."

"She's my job! Only mine!" Bellatrix burst out, not letting him finish. "She wouldn't be able to repel a single spell if it weren't for me!"

I don't know what frightened me more: Snape's calmness about killing Dumbledore or Bellatrix's burst of anger. The same moment Cepheus came back, levitating our trunks.

"Go upstairs," Narcissa told us quietly. I've never wanted to go to bed more, so I didn't even hesitate.

On the other hand, all the worst thoughts started to pop up in my head.

What was going to happen, now that Dumbledore was dead? I haven't thought about that before since I deeply believed Draco would get out of this...

But now?

Did this mean war? Did this mean Voldemort was going to take over for good?

I was woken up from my trance as Draco grabbed my hand when we reached the door of "my" room.

"Aurora," he gulped, "somebody else is dead. I stepped over the body and..." he broke down again and I shushed him as I felt my eyes getting wet.

"It's over, let's not talk about it."

"No, it's not over," he shook his head, his voice shattering my heart. "Nothing is over until he shows up here."

"Don't think about it now," I said as I couldn't think of any better words of comfort. I was devastated myself.

"I-I'm sorry for bringing you to all this in the first place," he looked down.

I stared at him. This had to be the first time I heard him say sorry. And I knew it was sincere.

"Don't act all responsible now. Don't talk at all. You need sleep. We all do," I said quickly, pushing him towards his room.

Now I was even more scared. Thanks, Draco.