WHAT YOU DO TO ME | Draco Malfoy

Year Seven - Part Ten

We spent a week recovering and planning our next moves. Almost everything was set for us to leave together, just the four of us, when Clara came up with a plan of her own that put a wrench in things.

"Dean and I have decided to go back to Hogwarts with Luna." Clara said with determination.

My jaw dropped as I processed what she was saying, "Are you mad?"

"Not at all." She scowled, "We want to help. Luna told us all about the operation that Neville Longbottom has been running. He could use more people."

"It's not safe for you there. I won't allow it." I frowned. "You should be staying here and recovering."

"You're not Mum." Clara argued. The words stung the both of us as she said them and we both blinked back tears. We both missed her terribly and hadn't properly grieved for our loss.

"Yeah, well Mum is likely dead, so someone has to step up in our family." I responded rather harshly, "You're only fifteen. I can't have you going off on your own like that."

"I won't be on my own. Dean will be there. And Luna." She assured me.

I shook my head and took a long sip of my tea. It had gone cold sitting here while I argued with my sister, "I'll go with you." I decided finally.

"But what about Harry?" She asked. "And Ron and Hermione?"

"Our plan had one too many people involved for it to work anyway." I sighed, "I'll let them know now. They do want to be leaving soon." The chair legs scraped against the stone floor as I pushed back against the table. I stood up and wandered the house until I found Hermione who was getting dressed in a black dress she had borrowed from Fleur.

"It's almost time, isn't it?" I asked as I sat down on the bed.

Hermione nodded nervously, but then realized my change in behavior and focused on me, "What's wrong, Liv?"

"I can't go with you." I said quietly, "My sister wants to join the resistance at Hogwarts, and I can't leave her now, knowing she won't be safe here. She's the only family I've got left."

Hermione smiled softly and sat down on the bed next to me. She put a hand on my arm comfortingly, "Dean told Ron and me their plan last night. We kind of assumed this would happen."

"You did?" I laughed. "You should have told me."

Hermione joined in my laughter, but only for a moment, "Yeah, we planned for it just in case. You and your sister have a strong bond. You fight constantly, but it's because you care about one another. You just got her back and you don't want to lose her."

I grinned, "You sure do know a lot about sibling dynamics considering you're an only child, Hermione."

"We all grew up with the Weasleys, I think I learned a thing or two about sibling dynamics." She chuckled as she stood up, "Come on, we need to find the others. They're waiting." We walked out to the garden, past where Dobby had been buried and saw Ron and Harry waiting with Griphook.

"Ready?" Harry asked.

"Olivia's not coming." Hermione told them. They both frowned and nodded. It appeared that everyone knew before I did that I would not be joining them for this next task. Hermione pulled out a flask of polyjuice potion and stuck a long, black hair into it. She drank the potion and we all watched in horror as she transformed into Bellatrix Lestrange. "Well, how do I look?" Hermione's sweet voice came out of Bellatrix's terrifying frame.

"Hideous." Harry said with a grimace. Ron had transformed his appearance too, but not as extreme. Just by changing his hair, including facial hair, he became nearly unrecognizable. I looked between my three friends and got teary-eyed. I wanted to go with them, but I genuinely could not leave my sister. Not after what we had been through this year. Harry looked over and noticed that I was crying and gave me a soft smile. "You'll be alright, yeah?" He asked me.