Never • The Lost Daughter | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 99 - Astronomy Tower Once Again

NINETEEN YEARS LATER

I woke up soaking in sweat and tears. It was another nightmare, the fifth one in a row. The torturing dream again. I shook up and I woke Draco with my screams. 

"FATHER! FATHER, NO!"

"Anne! Anne!" he said. His voice was rather calm, I guess he had gone used to my screams. He took me in his arms in an instant. "It was just a dream, just a dream. Shhh..." he said. We laid back down still in each other's arms. "Was it the same as last time?" he asked.

"This time he was doing it to you," I answered.

"Don't worry about it, baby..." he said. "He is gone now," he said. It surprised me that nearly after twenty years, I still needed someone to remind me that Voldemort was dead.

We stayed there for long and tried to fall asleep again. I knew neither of us did. On the bedside table, I could see our clock ticking. It was nearly morning and I could see the sky taking a brighter color from our window.

"We have to wake Scorpius soon. It will be his first day in Hogwarts today," he said and tried to sit up.

"Let him sleep a bit more. He had a rough night. I feel terrible and guilty..."

It was only last night that we had told him.

"He couldn't leave for Hogwarts without knowing," answered Draco. I heard his voice and it was weaker this time. There was some sadness, some bitterness hovering between us and we would both cry if I didn't stand.

I wore my nightgown, which was still lying on the carpet thanks to Draco's efforts last night. I walked to the balcony and the chill of the morning breeze made the hair on my back stand. I looked out and imagined I was looking outside the Astronomy Tower once again.

Draco was standing behind me. "Do you ever miss the Astronomy Tower?" he asked as if he had known what I was thinking.

"Sometimes more than others," I said. "I would like to see it for one last time, you know," I said.

"We can arrange that, baby. Anything you want," he said and tied his hands around my waste. I could feel his head placed on my back. I could feel that he was listening to my heartbeat. "Don't go to the Ministry today..." he begged. "I can call the hospital and say I won't go to work today. You can tell them you are sick."

"Tomorrow, Draco. Maybe tomorrow. I have a meeting with the President, today," I answered but I have to admit I was tempted to cancel everything for a day in bed with Draco.

"Tomorrow," he said and kissed the back of my neck. "Let's wake Scorpius up," he walked back into our room.

I looked at my naked hand. The word Traitress carved on my forearm by Bellatrix Lestrange was still there. The ones on my legs had been healed a long time ago with some help from Phoenix but I told him to leave this one. It was a reminder.

As I was dressing up, I felt dizzy. Draco was beside me as well, buttoning a shirt, when he heard me gasp. He turned around and saw me fall so he reached for me. I didn't faint. Just fell down.

"Are you okay?"

"I feel better now. I can stand," I answered and tried to look like this hadn't even happened.

"Are you sure?" he asked. My mouth was forced to a line.

I walked to Scorpius' room to wake him but I didn't find him there. His bed was made and the room was curiously tidy. I wandered around the house to find him. He was nowhere to be found on the third floor. Soon I found him reading at the library. The light next to him was still on; I guess he had stayed up all night reading a book and hadn't even noticed it was daytime.