Desolation Row | A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 24

We were nicely settled into our new house and nearly four weeks after moving in, Draco and I decided to visit Elisa. Having memorised her address while still at Hogwarts, I realised how much I was missing my best friend. And I had so much to tell her. Just as I was packing my trunk, I heard a soft tap on the window. I looked up and saw a tawny owl sat on the window ledge, a letter clamped in its beak. I waved my wand at the window and the owl came flying in, deposited the letter on the bed and swiftly flew out again. I slowly lifted up the envelope, confusion taking me over. I didn't recognise the handwriting at all. Turning over the envelope, I pressed my thumb beneath the sealed flap and pulled the letter out, reading it to myself.

Ophelia,

I seriously hope this gets to you because otherwise, I've just fucked everything up.
I need you to keep an eye on Elisa. Harry's going on a trip that Dumbledore sent him on and Hermione and I are joining him but Elisa cannot come. I need to keep her safe.

After Dumbledore died, Elisa ended up in the Hospital Wing. She was fine, Madam Pomfrey made sure she was okay. But the reason I can't let her come with us is that... Madam Pomfrey told me that she's pregnant.

Ophelia, you're the only person I trust to look after her when I can't. I know I don't get on with Malfoy but you're her best friend, I couldn't think of anyone else who knows her better than me.

Please. Promise me you'll try and look after her and our child if you can.

Ron

I sat down heavily on my bed. Elisa, only 16, was pregnant and she didn't even know. I didn't know how I was going to deal with this. For now, I needed to get ready. With a hearty sigh, I stood up and put the letter back in the envelope, stowing it away in my trunk and waving my wand at the window to close it. As I shut my trunk, I sighed again, my mind still racing with what I now knew. I didn't even know whether or not to tell Draco. For now, I needed to put it out of my mind and not worry too deeply. I enchanted my trunk and headed down the stairs, dropping my trunk at the bottom of it and smiling at Draco. I had only just reached the bottom of the stairs when a knock sounded at the door. Draco and I shared a look of confusion before he hurried to see who it was.
"Professor," I heard Draco greet politely and I looked up, seeing Draco wander back in, followed by Snape.
"Professor," I too greeted gravely, bristling as I remembered the past two times Snape had been here - neither had been good.
Just as I realised I had forgotten to grab Buchanan and Duchess' baskets from upstairs, I sidled away from the conversation that had struck up between my boyfriend and my ex-professor and hurried up the stairs, both of my cats in my wake as I pushed open the door to the bedroom. Taking up each basket under my arm I made my way back down the stairs. Just as I went to move into the living room I heard Draco's voice.
"But I don't want her to leave me, I don't want her to think I'm going to turn out like my father, I... I love her."
One of the baskets slipped out from under my arm and I made no effort to catch it as I stood frozen in shock. I should have tried to catch it. It clattered loudly to the floor, alerting both Snape and Draco of my presence. Snape swept out of the room as a pinkish hue crept across Draco's cheekbones. Gathering up the basket, I wandered into the living room and sat next to my boyfriend.
"Draco... I'm n-never go-going to l-leave you, and I d-don't th-think y-you're go-going to turn o-out l-like y-your fa-father. Draco, I love you."
With a smile, Draco pressed a kiss to my head, whispering a small sound of gratitude before pulling away. We stood up together and made our way out into the hallway where Snape was preparing himself to apparate. Draco lifted up his trunk and I slid Duchess' basket on top of it, proceeding to lift up my own trunk and placed Buchanan's basket atop it. Duchess then leapt up into her basket, taking Draco by surprise and Buchanan then followed, jumping into his own basket. Once Draco and I had successfully balanced our luggage and cats in our arms, the three of us apparated to the address I had myself memorise while still at Hogwarts. I looked up at the apartment complex and smiled. We were here. Pressing the buzzer to number 39 I sighed happily and waited for Elisa to answer the phone.
"Hello?" came Elisa's scared voice through the intercom.
"El? I-it's m-me." I breathed.
"Ophelia? Wh-what was the first potion ingredient I bought you for Christmas in our sixth year?"
I closed my eyes and thought back to that day on the Hogwarts Express.
"Ac-acroman-mantula Ven-venom."
I heard Elisa sigh happily and then the door unlocked. We hurried up the stairs and I knocked on the door of number 39. Just then, it flew open and I launched myself on the young girl who pulled open the door, placing my trunk and Buchanan on the floor. Snape and Draco stepped around us as I clung to Elisa as if my life depended upon it.
"I've mis-missed you." I whispered and Elisa nodded, pulling away.
I saw tears forming in Elisa's eyes and I wiped away my own.
"I'm s-so sor-sorry." I whispered and Elisa shook her head.
"It's not your fault," she said, placing her hands either side of my face. "don't ever think that."
I gave her a soft smile and she nodded resolutely as if my smile meant everything. We headed into the living room where Draco and Snape were stood making awkward conversation, the former letting the cats out of their baskets to stretch their legs.
"I best leave," announced Snape and within seconds he had apparated, the last syllables of Elisa's muttered retort apparating with him.
We sat ourselves down on the sofa and I turned to face Elisa.
"How's R-Ron? And... and did you see Madeleine and Edward during the battle?" I asked quietly and she shook her head, collapsing from her chair onto the sofa.
"You're siblings, they're fine. We've talked and I made sure they're okay but Ron... I... I haven't seen him... since Bill and Fleur's wedding on the 1st when... when the Death Eaters attacked and we... we found out that Scrimgeour was murdered."
My jaw dropped and my eyes shifted to Draco.
"D-death eat-eaters attacked the wed-wedding?" I asked incredulously and Elisa nodded sadly.
I noticed something else in her sad nod, something only a best friend noticed. I noticed the way her hands involuntarily fluttered to her belly whenever she was nervous, the way her gaze dropped whenever she wasn't talking and I thought back to Ron's letter. I smiled to myself.
"I wonder," I thought as we slipped into happier conversation.