The Battle is Over, but the Pain Just Started (Dramione)

Chapter Twenty-four

   Lucious Malfoy regarded Draco and I with a sickening smile. His hair was matted and dirty, his face caked with mush and grime. His eyes, usually stormy and mysterious, we're crazed and darting around the room with rapid intensity. I gulped as I tucked the key into my pocket.

   "Did you take out the guards?" he asks quickly, his forehead beading with sweat as he stared out the door.

   "Yes, father," Draco says, taking a step forward, regarding his father with silent awe. I looked on with heartbroken eyes at their interaction. Draco hadn't seen his father and months, and he looked like he wasn't going to give him the time of day. I bit my lip to keep from breaking into a sob.

   "And the Dementors didn't sense you!? All protocol was followed!?"

   "Yes."

   Lucious visibly relaxed, his shoulders slumping as Draco took a cautious step forward. He didn't embrace him, but instead pulled out a fresh pair of clothes from his suit coat and placed them on the small, rickety bed. He stepped back quickly, waiting for his father's approval. I stood awkwardly, rubbing my hands together as the chill from the Dementors began seeping through my bones.

   "Come here, girl," Lucious beckoned me, reaching out his hand. I took a nervous step forward, shuffling until I was coming toward him. I came closer and closer, then got right underneath his nose.

   For a moment, I saw gratitude flash through his clouded eyes, but it was gone in a millisecond. I felt something burn and slap me across the face. I fell to the ground, clutching my cheek at the force where he hit my jaw, and tears sprung to my eyes despite my better judgement. My cheek blazed hot, and I sent a terrified look at Draco, still clutching my cheek. His face was red with anger, but he said nothing and looked away.

   "Don't ever say anything about this encounter, or you will get more than a slap," he said in a low, menacing voice.

   I gulped down the cries that grew in my throat, and got up hastily, brushing off my jeans and giving him a tight nod. My cheek was still stinging, and I knew that he'd hit me so hard that there was at least going to be a bruise left there. Draco glared at his father after spotting my cheek, his fist clenched but staying silent.

   "Now," he said, "Did you bring it?"

   Draco pulled the velvet box out from his suit pocket, and held up the Time Turner for his father to see. Another surge of frustration and betrayal surged through me, and I found myself once again feeling a repulsion for Draco Malfoy.

   "What are we doing with it father?" Draco asked, licking his lips.

   Before he had even answered the question, there was a loud bang on the door, and a group of Wizards bounded into the room. Lucious recoiled against the wall like an animal, and Draco took a step back, clutching the Time Turner to his chest.

   "Stupefy!" A voice from under a cloak yelled. Draco flew back against the wall, dropping the Time Turner as another cloaked Wizard picked it up with ease.

   "Sectum Sempre!" the voice said again as Lucious Malfoy was hit. Without a wand to defend himself, he took the hit with full force and started to writhe with pain as blood pored out of him in several lesions. Draco looked terrified, backing against the wall. I felt a rough hand grab my arm.

   I hyperventilated, thinking it would be Blake or another Death Eater coming to kidnap me again, but instantly relaxed as the hand was warm, and I spotted the slightest bit of twisting scars peeking out on the man's forearm.

   Ron.

   Harry removed his cloak and glared at Draco, his eyes bearing  into his skull. Draco gulped, stepping away and pulling out his wand with a shaky hand.

   "You don't have to do this, Malfoy," he said, stepping forward and raising his hands with caution. Draco was paler than usual, and retreated to the corner where his father lay amongst the rubble.

   "You don't know what I have to do Potter!" he spat, looking at me again, and his stormy eyes cleared for a moment.

   I stepped forward, despite Ron's protests, and looked him in the eye. "He's right," I say as Draco's lips began to quiver, "You can leave this all behind, come with us and leave him where he deserves to be."

   I touch a hand to my bruised cheek and looked at where Lucious lay, unconscious and bleeding.

   "Hermione, I'm sorry," Draco said, running an agitated hand through his hair, "This is all my fault, I shouldn't have, I couldn't-"

   He took a step towards me, and his eyes shattered as I took a step back. Draco had hurt me, I couldn't look past it. His face purpled, and he smashed his lips together to keep from crying. He skidded back to the wall like a drunk, and bent down to touch his father's shoulder, raising his wand high.

   "No," I breath.

   "My father won't give up. Hogwarts is next. Get yourselves out while you still can."

    My eyes widened, and within a second, he was gone.

A/N

Oof. The plot thickens.

- Sarah