When You're Strange: Never Forget {Harry Potter}

Chapter Ten: Future Plans.

Snape's POV

My body aches as I make my way down the halls of the Malfoy Manor. I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in who know's when. It's finally starting to take a toll on my body. Getting up in the morning has become more and more difficult.

Alice - My own flesh and blood, all that's left of my family, besides young Aaron - is rotting away in Azkaban, and here I am, on my way to the kitchen to get a warm meal for myself. When I pass mirrors, I can barely look myself in the eyes anymore. I'm just disgusted with myself.

I let out a sigh as I hear a low chatter coming from the kitchen, meaning I'll have to be around other people in order to get food around here. I was hoping I'd be up earlier than everyone else.

I swing the kitchen door open and the room falls silent,

"Good morning Severus," One of the newest Death Eater members speaks up, his voice practically trembling with fear.

I just glance at him and give him a cold look before continuing on my way to the pantry. The man and Thorfinn Rowle quickly head out of the kitchen. Thorfinn has been around long enough to know better.

With a flick of my wand, I start making a bowl of porridge. I take a seat at the kitchen table, even though it's a small table that's only used by house elves on special occasions. I just need a place to rest.

But my peaceful quiet does not last long.

The kitchen door swings open and in rushes a very concerned looking Narcissa Malfoy.

"There you are, Severus," She hisses, closing the kitchen door behind her and locking it with a point of her wand.

She rushes over to the kitchen table and takes a seat opposite of me, though I do take notice of the look of disgust at the sight of the elves' table. I can only imagine what is sending Narcissa into this much of a fluster. She's usually the most collected one of the Malfoy family. She's always busy keeping the Malfoy name in good terms.

"I need your advice," She explains, speaking in a hushed and frantic tone.

"What is it?" I groan, rubbing my tired face, not wanting to hear of more problems on top of my own.

All that she's going to say is going to go simply in one ear and out the other, as most of what people say to me now days does.

"It's Draco," She starts, catching my attention. But if it involves young Draco, perhaps I'll give it a listen. I've been worried about him as of lately, "Last night after returning from his watch, he fell right to sleep. I heard some voices coming from his room, so I went to check on him. It turns out to be just him talking in his sleep, but it's what he was saying that has me so deeply distraught," She tells me, speaking at a very rapid speed.

If Draco's dreams were anything like mine, I'm sure he hasn't been sleeping all that soundly either. But at least I know I have the privacy with my disturbing nightmares.

"What was he saying?" I ask, looking up at her with curiosity.

"He kept saying 'Alice' over and over," She whispers, barely loud enough for me to hear. I can see the fear in her eyes. "You don't think he's still... in love with her, do you?" She asks, her voice trembling.

That's what Narcissa fears the most. That someone will come along and destroy her family that she's worked so hard for. That's why she was so supportive with sending Alice away. She didn't want someone who could put Draco in danger anywhere near her son.

"Narcissa, you have to understand how close Draco and Alice were. Even if they didn't love each other romantically, they were inseparable growing up. I'm sure there is some hurt in Draco about Alice." I try to make Narcissa understand.