Dirty Mouth, Dirty Blood [h.g]

fifty three

53

Then

Draco slowly pulled back the curtain, his sister not even turning around. "Ri-Ri?" He asked slowly. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No," she mused, "I got over myself an hour or so ago. I am, however, still analyzing your actions."

"You're taking after our Godfather just a bit too much for my liking," Draco chuckled, stilling when Carina did not share in his amusement.

"You would do to learn from him. Your emotions are too easily read on your face. You won't get anywhere like that."

"And I can never tell what you're thinking," Draco shot back, suddenly affronted.

"That's exactly what I aim for," Carina challenged, "I only reveal what I want to."

"You're twelve years old!" Draco yelled.

"So are you," Carina answered calmly, "so stop trying to alienate me."

"Sorry," Draco muttered, "truce?"

"Truce." Carina said with a smile, and Draco walked over, laying his head in her lap. She ran her fingers through his light tresses, humming with delight.

"Am I really that easy to read?" Draco asked after a moment, sounding quite vulnerable.

"Yes," Carina murmured, "but it's nice. It means you have nothing to hide."

"And you do?" Draco asked incredulously.

"More than you know."

Now

"You loved him?" Ron asked after a moment of silence.

"Snape?" Carina asked, still staring straight ahead.

"Yeah."

"I guess I did." Carina mused. "I'm the first to admit that he wasn't a very good person. He was an ass to his students, and he tortured people for no reason. But he was my Godfather, you know? I couldn't help but love him."

As the four were walking, Voldemort's voice rang out once more. "I will give you a one hour reprise to mourn your dead."

Nothing more was said, and the four traded looks.

"That was actually... nice?" Ron asked, and Hermione shrugged.

"Maybe he's looking for a different tactic. Either way, don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Muggle expression?" Carina asked, not comprehending the words.

"Basically it means not to question when something good happens, and to just go with it," Hermione explained patiently.

"I see," Carina nodded. "Very well, then. We shall see who have fallen."

They walked into the Great Hall, and Carina barely managed to contain a gasp. So many had fallen—the war had taken so many lives.

Carina reached out, clutching Harry as tightly as she could. Her fingers were digging into his arm, but her eyes were focused on one sight and one sight only.

"Harry... we have a child."

"What?" Harry asked, staring at her as if she had grown another head.

Carina pointed meekly at the bodies of Remus and Tonks, lying hand in hand.

"We're the Godparents, Harry. We're going to raise their son."

Carina couldn't seem to feel anything at all. It was like her body had gone numb.

Harry and Ron went over to the body of Fred Weasley, and as much as she wanted to pay her respects to him, she couldn't tear her eyes away from Professor Lupin.

"You okay?" Hermione asked softly.

"What do you think?" Carina snapped, before relaxing her tensed shoulders. "Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry."

"Three apologies in one sentences," Hermione teased weakly, "I never thought I'd see the day."

"I didn't get to say goodbye," Carina whispered, leaning heavily on Hermione.

"I know, love, I know," Hermione cooed, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend.

"I'm going to go find Harry," Carina said meekly. "Go see your friends."

Hermione nodded, shooting Carina a trademarked sympathetic smile, and went over to join the Weasleys.

"I love you, Granger." Carina said, just in case it was the last time she ever got to see Hermione's face,

"Love you too, Malfoy."

And with that, Carina set her jaw, exiting the hall in search of one Harry Potter.