Closer to Love | Draco Malfoy [4]

Chapter 24 ~ Farewell to the Wise and the Lover

"We need to get you to Madam Pomfrey!" Harry said as soon as we landed back in the Astronomy Tower.

"No," Dumbledore stopped him. "Severus. Severus is who I need. Go get him and tell him what happened."

We nodded and dashed for the door. But we heard clicking sounds come from the door. Dumbledore headed for the balcony as we hid under the spiral stairs. There was a hole where we could see above us. We saw Dumbledore and then another figure.

"Good evening, Draco," he said.

I gasped. "No," I said to myself, letting the tears fall instead of choking them back. What was he doing?

"What brings you here on this fine evening?" Dumbledore asked him.

"I think you already know," he replied.

Dumbledore shot him a sympathetic look. "Draco, you are no assassin."

"How do you know what I am?" he spat out. "I've done things that would shock you."

"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return she'd bear a cursed necklace to me? Replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison? Forgive me, Draco. I cannot help feeling these actions are so weak."

"He trusted me to do this! I was chosen!" Draco rolled up his left sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark.

My heart sank. I shook my head in disbelief. How did I not notice the mark on his arm before?

Harry held me close to him. "Shh, it's alright, Max."

"Then I shall make it easy for you." We heard Dumbledore say when we looked up at him.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco shouted.

Dumbledore watched as his wand flew out of his hand. "Very good. Very good." The doors opened and closed again. "You're not alone. There are others. How?"

"The Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement," Draco replied. "I've been mending it."

"Let me guess. It has a sister. A twin."

"In Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage."

"Draco, years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please, let me help you."

"I don't want your help!" Draco snapped, fighting back tears. "Don't you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you." He was now crying. "Or he's going to kill me." He paused for a moment. "He's going to kill her. He's going to take her away from me. I can't lose Max, not now."

"I can't lose you, either, Draco," I whispered back, barely audible for him to hear.

"Well, look what we have here," Bellatrix said. She had Fenrir Greyback, followed by a few other Death Eaters that I didn't recognize.

"Good evening, Bellatrix," Dumbledore greeted her. "I think introductions are in order, don't you?"

"Love to, Albus, but I'm afraid we're all on a bit of a tight schedule. Do it, Draco!"

"He doesn't have the guts to do it. Just like his father," Fenrir commented.

"Go on, Draco! Now!"

"No," a voice came from behind them. Snape.

"Severus. Please," Dumbledore begged him.

"Avada Kedavra!" A green light hit Dumbledore, causing him to fall off the Astronomy Tower and down to his death.

No. No. Snape killed him. Snape killed Dumbledore. This wasn't happening. None of this was happening right now. There was no way that Dumbledore was--

BOOM!

"What was that?" I asked my brother.

"They're attacking the castle," he replied. "There's more of them."

We watched as the others came down the stairs. I attempted to run for Draco, but Harry stopped me, covering my mouth with his hand. Once they were gone, we ran after them.

The entire castle was filled with Death Eaters and students and teachers fighting against each other. There was no sign of Snape and Draco anywhere. This was what he meant when he asked me to stay in the Gryffindor Tower tonight. He was letting the Death Eaters in the castle. They wanted to kill Dumbledore and they also wanted to capture Harry and I. But I had to see him. One last time. Just one more time before he left with Bellatrix and Snape. I had to feel his kiss, his touch.

"There they are!" a Death Eater shouted, pointing at me and Harry.

"Stupefy!" I yelled, pointing my wand at him.

"Come on! I see Snape going out of the castle!"

Harry ran after him, with me following behind him. We followed them through the Forbidden Forest and ended at Hagrid's Hut. While Harry was after Snape, I was after Draco.

"Draco!" I said while still crying my eyes out.

He came running up to me, pulling me into his arms. "Max, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all of this. For lying to you--" He began to cry as well.

I just shook my head, silencing him by pressing my finger against his lips. "I understand why you did it."

He took my hand and pulled it away from his lips. "I have to go with Snape."

"What? No. No, please, Draco, don't--"

"I have to, Max. I have to do this."

"No. I can't lose you. Not now, Draco. I don't want you to die like Cedric did."

"I won't die. I promise. I'll see you soon, okay?" He slammed my lips onto his, not letting me go. Our lips stayed in lock for a minute until Snape called Draco's name. "I'll write to you. Stay safe for me. I'm not letting you go. You'll always have my heart, Max Potter."

With that, he left with Snape and the other Death Eaters, leaving me there to cry in Harry's arms.

*******

That was why he spent most of his time around the Room of Requirement. I should've known that was why he cancelled our date. He was fixing that stupid cabinet so the other Death Eaters could come here. I should've known then. I didn't see the Dark Mark on his arm the night of Slughorn's Christmas party. He must've used a spell to cover it up. It was completely obvious. I knew he was one of them. But I was blinded by my feelings for him to see what was really going on.

I sat on the couch in the Gryffindor Common Room with Harry, staring into the fire with red, swollen, wet eyes. "You were right. You were right the entire time. He was a Death Eater. Voldemort did give him a mission and now he's gone, Harry."

My twin looked at me with a sympathetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, Max."

"Saying sorry isn't going to bring him back. He's gone." I began to cry again, turning around so that I was facing Harry. "You know what's crazy about all of this? Despite all of the things he did, I still want to be with him." I sniffled and wiped my eyes. "You don't actually think he's gone for good, do you?"

He shook his head. "No, Max. Draco really cares about you. He would never leave like that for good."

I sniffled, wiping my eyes. "Can you stay down here with me tonight?"

"Of course," he answered, letting me rest my head on his shoulder. "Things will get better. I promise."

I didn't say anything after that. I was already asleep, my dreams consisting of Draco and only Draco.

A/N: OMG SO SAD! One more chapter, and then I'll be done with this book!

What did you think? Are you sad that this book is almost over?

Comment, vote, raise a wand for Dumbledore. Bye!

-A