The Dark Legacy (a drarry story)

Chapter XXXVI

Bellatrix disappeared into the sky when she saw the last Death Eater left collapse limply onto the ground. Her face showed a maniac panic, and as her face turned white, she disappeared in a black cloud.

Dobby came running up to Harry.

"Mister Potter!" He cried, and attempted to rouse him by grabbing onto his leg and shaking it. He grabbed his arm and shook it some more, and finally Harry closed his eyes, and looked down at Dobby.

"What happened?" Harry looked so perplexed, and his face was pale and gaunt.

"Dobby does not know, sir. Mister Potter just stood there frozen. Mister Malfoy defended you from the last Death Eater and then the one named Lestrange disappeared."

Harry looked over at the collapsed Death Eater. He walked over there slowly, each step getting more dreaded. "Are they.. dead?"

"Dobby does not know, sir,"

He crouched down slowly with a slight tremor, his two fingers placed on the side of his neck.

"I..I can't find a pulse," Harry stammered, and removed his hand slowly. He swallowed nervously as his hand traveled up to their face.

He gripped the edge of their mask, and peeled it off to find the deceased face of Lucius Malfoy.

***

Harry looked down at him with a sense of dread. "Can you apparate again, Dobby?" Harry asked, his voice catching.

Dobby nodded, and Harry stood up from his crouched position, stiffly walking over to Draco. He scooped him up gently in his sullen arms, Draco limp and unconscious, dangling from his arms.

He carried Draco over to Dobby, tears forming in his emerald eyes. He brushed Draco's hair away from his closed eyes, and kissed his forehead.

"Let's go home, Draco."

***

With a stomach churning, twirling sensation, Harry and Dobby apparated into the entry of the Great Hall. Harry caressed Draco gingerly in his arms, limp and still unconscious. His face was pasty, pastier than before, and his back was arched backwards, indigo hair falling toward the floor. His eyes were slightly open through his blonde eyelashes, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Blood poured out of the gash across his chest, and it spread all over Harry, who was stained red with Draco's blood.

There was a collective gasp and sudden chatter of excitement mixed with hysteria throughout the Great Hall as Harry and Dobby stood in the entranceway. Hushed students from across the hall pointed at Draco to their friends, whispering "Who is that?"

Madam Pomfrey rushed down to attend to them. Harry set Draco gently on the floor and stroked his hair back as Madam Pomfrey muttered an inaudible healing spell.

Harry looked up from Draco to see Hermione and Ron rushing toward him, followed by Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore.
"Harry!" Hermione cried in relief as she hugged him tightly. "What happened to Draco?"

Harry let go of Hermione, reaching for Draco's hand as angry and panicked tears formed in his eyes. "Lucius. He- he tortured him. The Cruciatus curse," he looked up at her, clenching his jaw.

"Lucius Malfoy used the Criciatus curse on his own son? Highly unbelievable," Professor Snape said doubtedly, and Harry glared at him in disbelief.

"Lucius Malfoy has been beating him his whole life," Harry spat at him. "Being so close to the Malfoys, you'd think that you'd be aware of that. But it doesn't matter now," his voice cracked and he faded to a whisper.

Professor Snape's gaze drifted over Harry and rested on Draco, and Harry thought he saw something in his eyes... was it perhaps pity, or concern? Harry simply couldn't tell; perhaps Snape felt his guilt of ignorance. Professor Dumbledore crouched down next to Draco as his wound began closing, and Harry remembered something.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, there's something else, too."

"What is it, Harry?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

Harry paused. "...Professor Umbridge was there, sir, at Malfoy Manor. She's working for Voldemort," He said, and Dumbledore looked up quizzically.

"You don't believe me, do you sir?" Harry looked crestfallen and hurt, but Dumbledore shook his head.

"Of course I believe you Harry, I was suspecting she was behind it, but she works for the Minister of Magic and their pride and appearance is more important than the words of two fifteen year olds. I'll do what I can, Harry, but Ministry affairs are quite finicky."

Harry nodded solemnly, and Dumbledore reached for Draco's other hand as he waved a spell over him to levitate him up. Harry looked up at Professor Dumbledore in confusion and immediate relief but exhaustion washed over him.

"I think it would be more appropriate to get him to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore said as he nodded grimly back at Dobby, who blushed shyly in embarrassment. "You did us all an enormous deed, Dobby. Thank you," Dumbledore said as he apparated with everyone to the Hospital Wing.

When they appeared in the hospital wing, Madam Promfrey and Dumbledore levitated Draco onto the hospital bed. They covered him with a white blanket, making sure he was warm and as comfy as possible. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dobby stood at the foot of the bed, while Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape hung a little farther back, keeping one eye on them as the discussed the matter at hand.

Harry inched up closer to Draco after Madam Pomfrey was done with tending to him, and sat in a chair that appeared next to him as he held his hand.

Ron and Hermione followed suit, sitting on the empty bed on the other side of Draco, facing Harry. "Harry," Hermione said with a tone of concern, "what happened to your head?" She stood up and walked over to him with a cloth, dabbing blood dripping from his forehead.

"I hadn't even noticed," Harry said, wincing. "I was focused on Draco."

"It's really deep, Harry. It's still bleeding. I'll call Madam Pomfrey back," Hermione paled, walking hurriedly to Madam Pomfrey.

"I'm so glad you guys are okay. Bloody hell, Harry, how did you escape?" Ron enthused, and Harry shrugged.

"It's a long story Ron, I'll tell you in the morning."

Ron nodded in agreement. "Sounds good, mate. Pomfrey's coming over now, so Hermione and I have to wait in the hallway. Hope you get better," Ron added, and joined up with Hermione to wait in the hallway. As they were closing the doors, they saw Harry sit next to an awakening Draco, who leaned up and caressed the seeping gash on Harry's forehead.