Never • The Lost Daughter | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 96 - The Battle of Hogwarts • The Piece Inside Her

The Death Eaters were slowly leaving the school and the rest of the students that were left in the Great Hall were now gathering the dead bodies. There were hundreds of injured and hundreds of dead. Amongst them, there was Remus and Tonks. Their bodies were laid in front of me, their hands almost touching.

I didn't cry. I couldn't cry. The greatest tragedies are ones that die in silence. I left the Hall and Draco followed me.

I sat next to the ruins and buried my eyes in my feet.

"Annie..." said Draco and sat next to me. "I am sorry..." he said. "I'm terribly sorry."

"Draco," I muttered. "There is even more. I have to do something. I have to find a way to do something..." I said.

I explained everything. Without looking at him.

When I was done, I raised my eyes to his.

"Okay. Everything is okay. We just have to find a way to undo the spell. Take this part of his soul out of you. There surely must be a way."

I looked at him with a stiff jaw.

Draco's eyes closed slowly and let out some silent tears. He stood.

"No," he said.

"Draco..."

"No!" he repeated. "This has gone way too far. You're not doing this! You are not doing this to yourself. There must be another way."

"Every way would kill me," I said. "It's done! As long as I live, Voldemort will remain alive!"

"Well, then don't do it! I will not let you do it! I will not lose you. I would rather have Voldemort ruling this world."

I stood up and ran up to him to kiss him. I let my hands close around his neck and messed up his hair, just like I always used to do when we were younger. It was the one sign that he didn't care about much when he was kissing me.

"I am going to miss you," I said and cried. "I love you."

"Don't do this to me, Annalise. I love you. I won't be able to stand a second without you. Don't do this," he shook his head.

"Draco!" I said and looked in his eyes. "Draco, look at me," I said. Draco stopped avoiding to look at me. "We will meet again. One day we will meet again. And until that happens, I want you to know that I will never leave you. I'll always be beside you. I will never leave you alone. Never!"

Draco closed me in his arms and I could feel his heart beating near my chest.

"Never?" he whispered.

"Never..."

"Anne!"

We broke the embrace. I turned back and looked at Harry who was coming down the stairs. Beside him, there was Hermione and Ron.

"You know, right?" I heard his voice in my head.

"I know," I said.

I had read his thoughts. Harry had just found out he was a Horcrux himself.

"We always knew..."

"What?" he gasped.

I walked up to him and touched his hand so that he could see in my mind and see my mother's story.

"That's why we could read each other's minds. We are the same thing," I said.

Harry gasped. "What will you do?"

"I will find a way so he can kill me as well," I answered and gave him a bitter smile. "Maybe I'll imperio him, maybe it's just as easy."

Harry was tearing behind the glassed himself. He embraced me.