𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 | draco malfoy [6]

𝐗𝐗. HELPLESS

There it sat, as real and prominent as it had been the few hours ago I had seen it. I felt Harry squeeze my shoulder gently, and I put one of my hands on top of his, nodding a little. I was grateful that he chose to be supportive instead of saying I told you so.

"I shall make it easy for you," Dumbledore raised his hands in surrender, but Draco quickly raised his wand anyways.

"Expelliarmus!" He called, and Dumbledore's wand went flying out of his hand.

Beside me, Harry raised his wand, aiming at Draco through the hole where the rings were, prepared to attack if anything went bad.

Don't hurt him, I glared at Harry.

I won't do anything if he doesn't, he glared back.

Biting my lip nervously, I looked back up at Draco. His hand was shaking, and I could see him fighting back tears.

"Very good, very good," Dumbledore nodded. The door Draco had entered through opened again, and Harry and I looked behind us. "You're not alone. There are others. How?"

"The Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement. I've been mending it." Draco said. I shook my head, wishing he hadn't gone down that path.

"Let me guess," Dumbledore continued, as Harry and I backed away from the rings. "It has a sister. A twin."

"In Borgin and Burkes," Draco confirmed. Harry had been right all along, and I was too blinded by love to see it. "They form a passage."

"Ingenious," Dumbledore breathed. "Draco... years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you."

"I don't want your help!" Draco yelled, and by the sound of his voice, tears were closer now. "Don't you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you." His voice dropped to barely a whisper as it broke. "Or he's gonna kill me."

I stopped dead in my tracks, hardly breathing. How could I be so stupid? Of course he didn't willingly join them! Of course he's had a lot on his mind and has been under pressure! His life was on the line, and by not telling me, he was trying to protect me.

Harry pulled me behind the pillar with him as Bellatrix, Fenrir Greyback, and the Carrow twins climbed the stairs and entered the tower.

"Well," Bellatrix breathed. "What do we have here? Well done, Draco."

"Good evening, Bellatrix," Dumbledore said clearly, no fear in his voice. I, on the other hand, was terrified. I could see no way out of this. "I think introductions are in order, don't you?"

"Love to, Albus. But I'm afraid we're running on a tight schedule," Bellatrix said. Harry and I walked closer, looking through the lines in the floor again. Bellatrix had rounded on Draco. "Do it!"

"He doesn't have the stomach," Greyback sneered. "Just like his father." I saw Draco glare over at him. 

"Please, Draco, don't..." I whispered.

"Let me finish him in my own way," Greyback said, referring to his werewolf ways.

"No! The Dark Lord told the boy to do it," Bellatrix told him.

I turned to Harry, and covered my mouth quickly to stop my gasp, my eyes widening. Harry turned as well to see Snape standing behind us, his wand raised. As Bellatrix urged Draco on, Snape lowered his wand and held a finger to his lips.

We nodded a little, and Snape passed us, entering the room above us. I stepped closer to Harry as we watched the scene unfold. Draco had begun to lower his wand.