Something Golden

69.

"You need to listen to me mate." Theo says as he tugs at my arm. "You're stronger than this, you can fight it. Just fucking fight back!" He's been screaming those same words over and over ever since I was given the orders. The second we apparated he's been trying to drag me away from the small cottage and as much as I want to listen to him my feet keeping moving forward.

Just as I'm reaching the door he steps in front of me, his hands firmly gripping my shoulders. "Mate you need to fight this because if you go in there and you-" His voice catching. "Please." He whispers. "I know what you asked me to do but I- you're my fucking brother Draco. I can't kill you."

If you truly care about me you would do it Theo.

My hand wraps around his left wrist and twists causing the bone to snap. He lets out a small gasp of pain and as he clutches down onto his arm, I shove him aside and kick down the door. The first person I see is the eldest Weasley, he immediately jumps up to his feet and approaches me. Idiot. As he's asking for an update Theo rushes in, shouting for him to back away but he's too late. My hand is already clutched onto his throat, crushing down on his trachea. His wife, Fleur, let's out a horrified shriek as she enters the room.

"Stop!" She shrieks. "What are you doing?! You're killing him!"

Quickly, everyone begins flooding the room to see what's going on. Theo informs them that this isn't me, that I'm under an imperio and tells them the orders I was given. He's instructing them all to stay back, to not intervene. Meanwhile, the eldest Weasley's face is turning a shade of purple as he swats and scratches at my face, attempting to fight me off but I'm stronger. His eyes are just beginning to roll back and his arms falling limp to his side when Weaslebee steps forward. He can die, I wouldn't mind that. I'd also then have a valid excuse as to why I killed him but Theo pushes him away. Irritating.

My fingers dig further into his neck, I jolt it to the side and then I feel it, the bones in his neck snapping. I release my hold and his body drops to the ground, Fleur practically throws herself overtop her now dead husband's body and I feel no remorse but also waves of guilt. I didn't want to do that. I didn't know him but I didn't want to kill him. He didn't deserve it and she didn't deserve to witness it.

"Draco?" I hear her soft voice call out. Turning to my left I see her, she's at the bottom of the stairs and her eyes are glued onto the body in the center of the room.

"Get the fuck back Granger!" Theo yells. "He's not-you can't be here right now!"

Then I see him, fucking Potter. Before I can even register what I'm doing I'm stood just a few feet from him, Granger being the only thing between us.

Please Hermione, please move out of the way. Don't do this to me. Don't make me do this to you.

"Draco." She says again, resting her hand on my cheek. "Draco it's me. I know you're in there."

I'm here Hermione. I'm right here.

"Push through it, rebuild the walls, kick him out of your head." She tells me.

I'm trying. I'm fucking trying.

"I love you and I know that you love me too. You wouldn't hurt me, you wouldn't kill me."

I do. Gods I do. I love you but I can't control it, I can't make it stop.

"Draco plea-"

My knife is at her throat, my left forearm slamming against her chest, her back pinned against the wall.

"I love you." Her voice strained. "I love you Draco."

The blade digs further into her skin and I can see the blood beginning to spill out. She's not fighting, she's not even attempting to push me away. She's fully trusting me not to do this, to not kill her and I love and hate her for it. I'm kicking, clawing, screaming at the walls that have me contained but nothing is giving. I'm sorting, burying, laying bricks down but they don't hold, the imperio is too strong. I'm putting all of my strength and energy into combating it but I'm weak, I'm too damn weak.

Her hand raises, meeting my cheek again. Her thumb brushes along my cheek just like I often do to her and she whispers "You could never hurt me Draco. It's okay."

No. Don't fucking say that! It's not okay, none of this is okay and it's my fault! All of this is my fault. If I had just stayed away, if I had walked away and left you alone. People are dead because of me and now the girl I love is about to join them and I'm useless once again. All I ever wanted was to protect her, to keep her from harm but this entire time the only person who was ever truly going to hurt her was me and now here I am, the edge of my blade against her neck and she's just standing there. She's telling me she loves me and that it's okay.

"Stop!" Theo commands as I feel the tip of his wand press against my temple. My head turns to look at him, his eyes are narrowed as he fights back the tears that are trying to force their way out. "Let her go Draco, let her go or I'll-"

Yes. Please Theo. Please do it.

"What are you doing?" Granger asks.

His hand is shaking but he keeps a solid stance. "It's what he wanted Granger." He tells her. "The night he told me about the horcruxes, the order, he asked two things of me."

"And one involves killing him?!"

"Yes." He chokes out.

"Put your wand down Theo!" She shouts.

He shakes his head. "He said to keep you safe. This is me keeping you safe. You have to understand. This is what he wanted."

Yes.

"No!" She argues. "We can break him out of it! We can-"

"Can what?! He's already killed one of you and you're currently bleeding out all over his hand! He doesn't want to do this Granger!"

I'm ready. Do it.

Suddenly, I'm tackled to the ground, my knife falling out of my hand. Looking up, I see Potter on top of me. This is disgusting but I'm grateful. I can't kill him, the orders were to bring him back alive. He has me pinned down but he's small and barely has any muscle, I can overpower him.

"Cut this shit out Malfoy!" He demands. What a pep talk. "Stop this now or I swear I'm going to-" He's cut off when I slide one of my other knives out and drive it into his bicep. I probably could have stopped that one from happening but oh well, he'll live. Pushing him off of me I spot Weaslebee charging straight for me. Well, it was terrible knowing you Weasley, see you on the other side.

I'm just about to meet him halfway, my knife ready in my hand when I feel something stab into my left shoulder blade. With my occlumency down I feel the full weight of the pain. Dropping down onto my knees, I attempt to reach around and grab it but every movement causes it to hurt more.

"I'm sorry." Granger says as she steps in front of me. "You're going to be okay." She raises her wand, points it at me and says "Stupefy." Every muscle in my body stiffens, every joint locking. My head slams into the floor as I fall back and my vision goes dark.