Downward Spiral - Draco Malfoy

Chapter Thirty Eight

Draco Malfoy POV

Chaos.

It was everywhere.

I was dodging spells left and right, up and down, and sideways. As I ran through the war between Harry and his noble warriors against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, I paid no one any mind. I didn't come here to hurt anyone. I came here to get my bloody wand back.

Stupid Potter just had to disarm me and take my wand with him before he left Malfoy Manor with his two goons, leaving us alone to deal with a very angry Voldemort.

I came to take back what's rightfully mine.

As I passed through the demolished hallways searching for Potter angrily, all while swerving past dying people around me in a haze, I was suddenly yanked to the side before a spell could shoot me square in the chest.

I frantically whipped my head around to the side to identify who had just saved my life, and my eyes widened at the sight of Blaise Zabini, Gregory Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson, all gazing at me with intricate facial expressions: it was like they were angry with me (as they should be), and yet still cared for me. Blaise's grip was still on my arm, and I awkwardly shrugged him off.

"What're you doing?" I asked weakly.

Blaise's nostrils flared as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Saving your sorry arse."

"Yeah, but why? After all the things I'd done, why're you helping me?" I pressed, my vision landing interrogatively on Pansy and Goyle.

"I've been nothing but a dick to you two," I paused as Pansy winced and Goyle pursed his lips, and I looked back at Blaise. "And I've betrayed your trust."

Pansy stepped forward cautiously, and jumped slightly at the sound of someone screaming in agony in the distance.

"Whether or not you've been a pain in the arse, Draco - we're still your friends. And we know there is no way you willingly became a Death Eater." Pansy spoke reassuringly, for once actually not getting on my nerves, and I immediately felt guilty for all the times I'd tormented her.

She didn't deserve this from me. I internally groaned at how soft-hearted I'd gotten these days.

"You didn't have a choice, mate." Goyle huffed as he awkwardly shuffled his feet.

Blaise nodded at me. "Just tell us what we can do to help you get out of this mess."

I stuck my tongue against the inside of my cheek, and thought about it for a second, before a thought crossed my mind and I frowned.

"Where're Daphne and Theo?" I implored.

"They went looking for Dina." Pansy replied.

I shook my head vigorously. "No, no it's pointless. Dina's not here."

Blaise furrowed his brows perplexedly. "What d'you mean she's not here? You mean she didn't come here with you and the other Death Eaters?"

I licked my dry lips agitatedly. "No, I sent her to New Orleans against her will."

"You what?" Pansy exclaimed in disbelief.

"It was the only way I could ensure that she'd stay safe from him!" I snapped defensively as I acknowledged their judgemental expressions.

Blaise sighed and held the bridge of his nose in frustration, before throwing his arms in the air and asked sternly, "Okay, okay then I'm sure Daph and Theo will be joining us shortly, so in the meantime, what do you want us to do?"