Sapphire (Lazuli Book #3) - Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter Nineteen

I wasn't sure how long we had been flying for, but eventually the flat rolling hills of southern England turned into the sharp mountains of the north. Great lakes swept out beneath us, and I admired the reflection of the dragon swooping over it, with four human figures that were tiny in comparison clinging on for dear life. Even Ron, who was known for being the tallest of all my brothers, was no more than a speck on the Ironbelly's side, insignificant and unnoticeable. Perfect for not being detected.

We soared through the clouds and I giggled as the wind whipped through my hair. Hermione had grown more confident as the flight continued, and was now able to join the rest of us in admiring the world below. It was peculiar - how we could be so high and the world could look so normal. From height, there were no signs of the destruction that the Dark Lord and his followers had caused, but to think it wasn't there was foolish. My heart caught in my chest as we flew over a graveyard about half-way through our journey, where a large group of people dressed all in black were gathered around four graves. They were clearly wizards from their clothing - muggles didn't wear black and white striped tights to funerals. The coffins within the graves were small, and I found myself gasping as I realised that they must belong to children. I clenched my fists as I added another thing the Dark Lord would pay for to my extensive list.

Eventually, the day was turning to evening, and a sudden chill came into the air. I daren't move to tighten my cloak around me, and began to shiver. I wasn't alone - Hermione had gone pale and Ron's teeth were chattering. Then, the dragon suddenly dropped, before steadying itself and flying on.

"We're dropping!" Harry exclaimed, looking around frantically at the dangerous mountains just ahead. If we fell on those, it would mean certain death.

"I say we jump!" Ron stammered, finding it hard to speak properly with his chattering teeth. "When?" I shouted back, looking at the vast lake beneath us and knowing that we would have to jump soon so not to be smashed to pieces on the hard mountains.

"Now!" Harry shouted suddenly, letting go of the dragon and falling down to the lake below. Ron and Hermione followed, leaving me alone and clinging to the creature. I shut my eyes, felt the thrum of the beast's heart against my cheek one more time, and then let go.

It seemed like I was falling for an eternity. I felt weightless in the passage of time between releasing the dragon and hitting the water, like I was made of nothing. I was not flesh or blood or bone, I was merely a spirit in the wind, blowing this way and that way, feeling nothing. I felt clean and elated, although for what reason I wasn't sure.

Then I hit the water, and rather than washing away my sins as water is supposed to, it merely brought them all back to me and covered me in them, like a bird caught in an oil spill, and I was me again.

The water was freezing, colder even than the air above us. It took me a few moments to react, to prise my eyes open and survey the surroundings. The lake was dark - I could hardly see much except for a few patches of weed on the bottom of the lake and a school of grey fish darting past. I looked over my shoulder and saw Ron and Hermione a few metres away, holding hands as they swam upwards towards the surface, through which I could see the light of the rising moon. But Harry, where was he?

Panic rose up in me as I finally found him, struggling as if against some invisible bonds. I recognised the blank expression on his face even in the dimness - Harry was connected to the Dark Lord.

I swam through the water towards him, even though my lungs were hurting as I went longer and longer without breath. But I had to get to Harry, to help him to the surface. He was thrashing about as if he weren't in control of his own body, so I swam faster. I opened my mouth, trying to scream his name, but instead it was filled only with cold water. Come on Juliet, I forced myself onwards, you have to save him.