—Draco POV—
Neither of us wanted to go to sleep, yet we still laid side-by-side in the bed with the light off, staring at the ceiling. Whether one of us or the other drifted off and woke up again at some point is not for me to say. Occasionally, Harry or I would shift in the bed, causing the sheets to rustle beneath us because even in the draftiest house in the Wizarding World, we didn't bother getting under them.
We made an effort, I think, at the very least. We'd all tried making small talk after the Order meeting which only resulted in sick stomachs. Harry and I attempted dinner, but neither of us could bring ourselves to eat it. We simply sat at the table letting it get cold. The silence was too strong for words.
It was nearly midnight now, and my arm hadn't stung. The sinking realization of why only made me feel worse.
Harry, despite displaying the outwards behaviors that he does when he regresses or hides away, such as not eating, or not speaking, didn't do anything else to show for it.
Now, at some point, I imagine I'd decided to rest my eyes.
It began with a slight sting. So subtle I didn't know where it stung. I breathed through it. It's just my body trying to test if I'm ready to sleep.
Then there was a tingle in the back of my head, and a push through my temples, creeping through my brain. I squirmed slightly. Why does this feel familiar? What is this? The ceiling began to sway as though I were suddenly submerged in water. The sting became more prominent. It was my arm. Stop. No. My eyes widened as I turned my head and the room got darker. I could no longer clearly see Harry beside me. Stop. No. He turned and said something, but his voice was muddled. My heart was racing.
"We have your son. Come to the forbidden forest if you want to see him again."
"-you okay?"
I gasped as the room suddenly fell normal again. My eyes were blown wide as my chest heaved.
I hadn't felt legilimency in over a decade.
My hand went to my heart as I regained control of my breathing and tried to control the tremble that had overtaken me. I sat up. Harry did so as well.
"What happened? Are you okay?"
"They have Scorpius."
"What?" Harry's voice was that of alarm. I blinked, still digesting what I'd just said.
The fever in which I jumped out of bed as I realized fully what had just happened was enough to send Harry running downstairs, accusing any clothes and putting them on as he did so. My ears began to ring and the sound of Harry setting off the floo network was only a faint buzz. I opened the drawer feverishly, grabbing my own set of fresh clothes and changing as fast as possible.
I felt the sting go off in my arm again. Apparate.
"Harry!" I ran down the stairs, colliding with Harry at the same time that Ron and Hermione stumbled out of the fireplace.
"I'm going to apparate," I said breathlessly. "They're calling me. I need to go now."
Ron began "We'll go with you-"
"No!" I all but shouted. Ron and Hermione took a step back. Everything that was happening was enough to make me dizzy. "I'm not going to let you-"
"I'm not letting you run headfirst into danger without me." Harry's tone was resolute. I swallowed hard.
"America and France are under attack," insisted Hermione. "We need to gather the Order."
"The order won't be enough to spread across countries, Hermione-"
"I know, Ron, but if they've already begun there then it's only a matter of time before they attack here, too."
"We'll figure it out, Hermione," Harry said. I turned to him.
"Take my hand."
If he was hesitant, it didn't show as he took my hand without another word. I took out my wand, casting a glance at Ron and Hermione.
"Call McGonagall. Tell her we've gone to the forbidden forest. Send a Patronus to Mrs. Weasley letting her know that she won't be getting Scorpius."
I closed my eyes. Breathe. Focus. Tall, winding trees, no clear path. Acromantulas. Centaurs. The forbidden forest. I shivered.
Apparate.
Harry and I landed with a stumble. I stood with an exhale, brushing off my trousers and looking up. The night was always darker in here, even with the glow of pixies and other bugs that lurked in the shadows. Harry lifted himself with a grunt. I snapped my head over to him. His shirt was on backward. Oh well.
"I thought apparating with the Dark Mark brought you to Voldemort's- or, er, the caster's side."
"No, I mean, yes... but without a Voldemort, they shouldn't be able to only summon one person."
"Well, I don't see anybody here."
"Well spotted," I chided. "Sorry. Anyway," I shifted the topic. "Maybe they ran."
"Wouldn't that make things harder on them?"
I clicked my tongue, still taking in my surroundings. "Not particularly. We don't know what they want." I held my wand out in front of me. "Revelio." Just then dozens of birds and other creatures scurried from the trees with squawks and wails. No human was revealed. Harry's back pressed itself against mine, and I felt his neck crane towards me. He whispered.
"Don't make any sudden sounds. They're here."
"How do you know?" I was sure to keep my volume quiet.
"I can feel my scar. It's hurting." I bit down any physical show of surprise. Keeping vigilance, I couldn't find anything around us. All I could hear was my heart hammering in my chest.
"How far does somebody need to be for the scar to hurt?"
"Not far. Lumos."
I followed his actions. Unfortunately, it did nothing to help the dense darkness of the forest.
"Hold my hand. Keep my back covered." Our fingers intertwined. With every step forward Harry took, I took one backward, keeping our backs touching, looking around for any sign of life. Please let Scorpius be safe.
In one fell swoop came the ghostly hiss of dementors began surrounding us. In an instant, Harry and I drew our wands and cast our Patronuses. I watched as my raven flew with Harry's stag, chasing away the dementors, in awe by the sight.
"On my signal, I need you to hold your wand to the sky and yell 'periculum'. Okay?" I nodded.
"Let's start looking for them." We began forward, taking cautious, tentative steps. My eyes widened.
"Harry," I searched for his hand in mine, my breath hitching. I held my wand up in front of me in the distance. "Do you see that?"
Four figures were standing in the distance. Three of them were tall, and one was not quite there yet. Scorpius. In the dense fog, I couldn't identify any faces. I gripped Harry's hand tighter.
"That's them," he whispered in confirmation. "Stay quiet. We'll approach them slowly."
I wanted to agree with him. I knew it was the smartest way to go about things, but then my muscles twitched with a need to get Scorpius out of here. I broke into a quick sprint, closing most of the distance. And it was a lot less than my brain had led me to believe.
"Draco Malfoy." The feminine whisper was dripping with something Vile. My eyes landed on the likes of Euphemia and Thorfinn Rowle. Something in my stomach squirmed.
"Oh, and look! He brought the savior. Makes things easier for us, my love, don't you think?" She turned to Thorfinn.
Just as Harry caught up to me I saw Thorfinn as he used his forearm to pin Scorpius to his body. Scorpius' face was ghostly and shining with tears, eyes glassy and pink, sunken down into purple patches of skin. Thorfinn's wand was dug into the hollow between his head and neck. My stomach churned violently. My blood boiling with a rage I'd thought I was capable of feeling.
Then, I saw her.
Silver hair with streaks of blue at the bottom, curly. Almost like Bellatrix. Tall, fair, and thin. Eyes eerily familiar in their obscurity. Her arm was being gripped tightly by Euphemia, long nails digging harshly into her veiny skin. The girl looked distressed.
I've also met a girl who likes to roam the halls. She's a bit scary.
Her robes were the same disheveled and torn-up ones I saw her wearing the day I picked up Scorpius for the winter holiday.
"That girl is trouble," McGonagall interjected. "Nothing but bad news."
"Please stop," she whispered with a frail voice, eyes begging, pleading with Euphemia. "Please, you're hurting me-"
"Shut up," she hissed, her grip tightening. Color sprang to that area of her arm.
My arm grew a mind of its own, rising to point my wand at her, malice washing through me like a flood.
"You, you are the one who's been hurting my son."
In his letters. The small tidbits of that girl he had been leaving in them.
I knew something wasn't right with him during winter recess. More than not jumping into my arms like he used to do when he was little. He was so sullen, so... There was no joy. The twinkle that so brightly shone in his eyes was no longer there.
I vowed to take care of him, from before he even existed. I didn't know it then, but it was all but clear to me now.
I will protect him at any cost. I slowly raised my wand with a clenched fist, nails digging into my palm. I could have sworn someone was calling out to me, but I couldn't care less. I'll do anything for you.
Anything to protect you, my son. It was only me and her. This child.
This... This monster.
"No!"
I didn't need to say the words; the fated killing spell, Avada Kedavra. I would've just had to think about them and a fatal stream of emerald wisp would've flared out of my wand. Nothing, nothing could have stopped me.
But Harry dashed in front of me, blocking my path. I couldn't see the girl anymore, and only then did I see Euphemia's sickening grin, and Thorfinn's relaxed expression, as he dug the wand deeper into the nape of his neck. Scorpius let out a small whimper at this.
"Potter," I hissed out, teeth gritted, the corrosive heat in my chest growing stronger, "get the hell out of my way."
"No, Draco..." Harry whispered, his determined countenance falling into a downtrodden one.
"That's a child. She's younger than even you were. That's not who we're worried about right now. Please, stand down," he pleaded, stepping closer.
"I don't care!" I yelled out, my voice imperious with tears, "I'll... I have to..."
Harry came right in front of my wand as my stance faltered, and I noticed then that my hand was shaking. He extended his hands to the side, gripping his wand tightly. I let out something between a growl and a sob, hastily bringing up my other hand to support my dominant one, but neither of them stopped shaking.
"Draco, this isn't getting us anywhere. Lower your wand, and let me turn around. Scorpius will be safe... I promise."
I stared at him with watery eyes. After a few moments, I decided to step back into a non-hostile stance and shut my eyes, looking away.
A chuckle came from behind Harry. "Good. That was a wise choice, little Malfoy. We do need the man you were about to kill," she cackled as Harry stepped outside so that I could see them. They were now a few paces farther away from us.
"I could care less about this one," Euphemia stated, pulling the girl's arm up closer to her chest. At this, the girl let out a pathetic whimper, looking up at the woman with wide eyes, brimming with tears.
"Stop it! You... You said you could help me! You said could bring my father back!" As she exclaimed, she gasped and whipped her head towards us, and quickly back at the Rowles.
Euphemia scoffed and near-screamed like a hag. "You stupid girl! I ought to shut you up so you won't be any more trouble. You've done more than enough!"
With that, she threw the silver-haired girl to the ground, and she fell with surprising force, grunting in pain. Harry and I leaped into an attack stance, my lead foot forward and the other back. There was no time to react before Euphemia quickly drew her wand and fired at the girl. Harry had tried rushing forward to stop her, most likely knowing what she was going to, but I stood in place, my jaw clenched.
Harry let out a sharp gasp, reeling back.
The girl's body lay limp on the floor. Her big, brown eyes rolled to the back of her head, and her mouth hung open.
"Hah!" Just as quickly, Euphemia pointed her wand at me. "I don't need you or your little angel either, So..." Breathing heavily and eyes darting between me and Harry, she stepped closer to Thorfinn, slightly behind him. Scorpius was near panting now. He looked so scared. As his watery eyes looked to me, he blinked rapidly. I turned my gaze towards Euphemia, iron first melded around my wand.
"Unless you want your son looking like that filthy orphan over there," she signaled to the girl, "you'll give me Harry Potter."
"Who," Harry's voice wobbled before steadying. He held his wand up defensively. "Who was her father? Who else did you kill?!"
"Oh, dear child. You killed her father."
What?! I quickly turned towards Harry, who took a step back, his brows raised and his eyes widened. He stared down at his hands as if blood was running down them.
"Harry, what is she talking about? You never killed anyone, have you?" I raised my wand at Euphemia. I spat out. "Stop lying!"
"You think I am?" Euphemia cackled in earnest, a crazed look about her. "Ask him yourself, little Malfoy."
I looked at Harry, who was still staring down at his palms. As calm as I could make myself, I altered between looking at him and the Rowles, and Scorpius.
"...Voldemort." Harry stared at the girl's body in shock.
"She wasn't a Rowle..." I can't escape him.
"Alright, yes now that it's all said and done, you can make this a lot easier for yourself, Mister... Malfoy. Give us Harry Potter, or lose the boy."
I chanced a look between them and Harry, who it seems decided the same thing, as we locked eyes for a split second. I turned back to Thorfinn, whose grip never faltered on my son. My body shook with rage.
"Draco..."
"Why do you want him? What does he have to do with your plans?"
"Simple. He's in our way." Euphemia's wand raised to aim at my chest. "Don't put yourself in the same position, blood traitor. I'd hate to hurt your mother's feelings."
My throat dried up as I moved to defend myself. Thorfinn squeezed Scorpius against him more tightly, and I almost whimpered as if it were me being subjected to the confinement. The forest was silent save for the insects around us. Internally I was almost wishing I was more conflicted by this trade. Harry means so much to me. He's a steady stream in my life, a comfort, somebody to love...
But Scorpius is everything that makes life worth living.
"Perhaps if we give the small one a douse of the cruciatus curse, Malfoy will find it in him to decide more quickly."
No.
"I'll do it. What do you need from me? I don't care. But I'll only comply if you hand Scorpius over." Harry stepped forward, confidence pulsating through the air.
Stop, I wanted to say. Or perhaps, let us figure out another way. Don't sacrifice yourself for me. But nothing made it past my lips, even as Harry and I locked eyes, and my composure crumbled for a split moment.
"It's okay," he told me gently. Wait. "I told you. I'm going to keep Scorpius safe." Hold on. Harry turned back to them. "Give us Scorpius first, then you can have me."
I chanced a look at Scorpius. His eyes were squeezed shut, and rapid and shallow breaths were pushing his chest where Thorfinn's arm wrapped around him forcefully, possessively. His throat was red where Thorfinn's wand stayed digging. When I'm through with you, you'll wish I had cast a thousand Cruciatus curses instead.
"What do you think?" Euphemia turned to her husband. "Do we give them what they want?"
"After they've taken everything from us?" Scorpius let out a short wail as Throfin pressed the tip of his wand tighter. In two seconds my wand was up at his head, a red light flying and blowing him back several meters. Euphemia aimed a spell at me and I could barely turn to defend myself before Harry jumped in front of us with a shield charm. Scorpius was on his knees in an instant, limbs trembling as he came toward me on all fours.
"Periculum!" Harry shouted with his wand toward the sky. I promptly did the same, shooting red sparks into the dark night. Then, I scooped Scorpius up into my arms where he collapsed against my shoulder, sobbing, clenching my shirt with red, shaking fists.
"Stupid boy," Euphemia shrieked. "You don't know what you've just started!"
"Stupefy!" Harry charged forward, sending her an incarcerous right after stunning her. My eyes widened at how his demeanor had changed from our life at home to this very moment. "Draco, take Scorpius to the safe house! I'm going to find Thorfinn. Hermione should already be on her way with reinforcements. Go!"
I began with one arm around Scorpius, still holding him, and with my other arm began to drag us backward into seclusion- safety. "My love, hey, hey, it's okay, I've got you." I tried with every effort to calm Scorpius down enough to listen to me.
"Scorpius, my love, it's okay. You're safe now. I need you to listen to me." Scorpius' sobs were loud, wet, and clogged as he gasped for breath against my shirt. "Scorpius. I'm going to apparate us. Do you remember what that is? Scorpius?" After a moment's hesitation, he shuddered a nod against me. "Remember how it takes concentration? If you're distraught like this you may get hurt. I need you to breathe for me, my love." at this Scorpius let out a louder cry before forcing a breath in, trying desperately to calm himself. I began rubbing small circles against his back, tears pricking at my own eyes from seeing Scorpius' desolation.
"I know, my angel, I know. It's alright... I've got you. Dada is right here. It's all going to be okay... Can you breathe for me? We need to get out of here."
He shuddered another breath in, holding me tighter as he relaxed against me.
"Are you ready?"
He nodded.
The instant that we landed in our home, people swarmed us. clamoring to the drawing-room where I kneeled, holding Scorpius to my chest, who had his legs wrapped around my torso and was still trying desperately to stop crying.
"We're home now, Scorpius. Everything is going to be okay."
Among the cacophony of voices asking different things, "What happened?" "Is everything okay?" It was Hermione's voice that came to the forefront of my attention first.
"Where's Harry?" Hermione pushed herself and Ron to the front of the circle around us. She offered me a hand up. Ron was doing everything he could to push everyone back to make the circle not as constricting.
"He said you should already be on your way with reinforcements. He's looking for Thorfinn." I took her hand, hoisting myself and Scorpius up. Hermione squinted, taking a look at him.
"Is he okay?" she began to ask before being interrupted by Dudley.
"What is it that happened?" He stood back, Millicent and Abigail staying close to him.
"We don't have time for that," Hermione interjected, straightening her posture. Ron took a look at me before mumbling something and leaving the immediate area.
"Alright, everybody, assume your positions. Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Professor Flitwick, if you will, please make your way to the French Ministry. Send us a Patronus if anything happens. Lee, Seamus, Dean, the same for you three in America."
As Hermione ordered people around, I began making my way out of the circle, Scorpius still trembling in my arms. As soon as I broke from there, I was nearly tackled back to the ground by a figure running up to me.
"Scorpius! Draco, can I please talk to him?" Teddy, donning black hair and a sickly pale face, looked at me with wide eyes.
"Scor, Teddy wants to say hello to you. Hey..." I made to lift his face from my shoulder, noting how it was slick with sweat, his skin bright red along with his eyes.
"Scor... I'm so sorry. I- I should have... I'm sorry." Scorpius minimally turned to look at Teddy, mostly keeping himself attached to me. I felt my brows crease, noting Scor's hesitance. I hugged him closer if that was even possible.
"Maybe it's best you speak with him later when he's calmed down a bit." Teddy nodded solemnly.
"Hello, Draco," Luna's feathery voice made me notice her. She took a look at Scorpius. "Perhaps you should take your son upstairs to rest. It is rather late."
"Yes, I was just going to do that. Thank you." Luna walked away, leaving me and Scorpius with Teddy.
"I'll lead you guys upstairs. All of the kids are in my room. Scorpius' is empty, though."
With a nod, I followed him up. Down the hall, you could see the faces of Victorie, Rose, and several other Weasley children peeking through the doorway, trying and failing to be inconspicuous.
"You can leave him with us," Teddy suggested meekly, a blush rising in his cheeks.
"I think I'll let him rest in his room." At this, I felt Scorpius' fists tighten around the back of my shirt. I turned away from Teddy with a thankful nod, going into Scorpius' room.
"Hey, let's get you into some more comfortable clothes." Scorpius only tightened his grip.
"It's okay. I'm right here. I'm not going away, Scorpius."
After a few moments of hesitation, he finally let go, letting me sit him on the bed. First, I unfastened his Slytherin robes, then carefully, I loosened his tie. I wonder what happened to get him in the forest in the first place. Scorpius' gaze was downcast and distant. He didn't utter a single word throughout the process, simply sitting, and, in a few instances, shifting around to help me undress and then redress him. Now in a simple tee and shorts, I motioned to lay him down in bed. His hand caught the front of my shirt.
"Don't go..."
I have to go.
"I won't go. Don't worry. Just try to relax, okay?"
A knock on the door had us both turning our heads up.
"It's me, I've got something for Scorpius." Ron's voice echoed through the room. I took a hold of Scorpius' hand, silently motioning him to let go. He did. I walked to the door, opened it, and left, closing the door behind me.
"It's a dreamless sleep potion," he whispered. "It's the middle of the night, and I reckon he probably won't let you go if he knows you're going back out there." He put the cup in my hand. "I mixed it with some warm milk- that's what mum used to do for us when we couldn't sleep since we didn't like taking potions when we were little. We always thought it meant we were sick," he chuckled slightly. "I'm sure you can handle giving it to him."
"Yes, I... Thank you. How'd you come up with it?"
"We had to give some to Hugo. Little bugger started crying when we woke up earlier. Ginny also had to give some to James.
I'd almost forgotten about James. I was hit with a pang of guilt. Has Harry forgotten about him, too? Has he been keeping tabs on him and I didn't know?
"How is he?"
"He's doing well, He's a joy around Hugo. The two of them get along well."
"How old is he, now? Forgive me, I-"
"Don't worry about it. He's three. Though his fourth is in a few months."
"Why haven't we... Harry was so distraught over not being able to help with him... how did..."
"We've talked about it. We think it had a lot more to do with Ginny than anything else."
Ah, yes. That makes sense.
"Well, thank you, for the potion."
"Anytime."
With that, Ron left. I re-entered the room to Scorpius, who was watching me expectantly.
"Ron left you a cup of warm milk, to help you relax and get some rest."
"Oh... You won't... Can you stay?"
Guilt flooded my body. I need to go help Harry.
"I'll be right here, Scor."
He'll fall asleep quickly enough.
He scooted slightly to the side and I took my place next to him, taking off my shoes and putting my feet up as I handed him the dreamless sleep. Scorpius took the cup with both hands, resting it on his lap. It seemed as though he was just watching the steam float up from the cup, making no move to drink.
"What's wrong? Why don't you drink your milk before it gets cold?"
Scorpius' jaw shifted slightly, fingers tightening around the cup.
"Delphi was my only friend... I- why did she have to die?"
I sucked in a breath, trying to find the best way to answer.
"Well... she was putting you in danger. She was shoving you in with the wrong sort of people."
"She was there when Teddy and I fought." The atmosphere of the room shifted slightly.
"When did you and Teddy fight?" I couldn't help my curiosity. Scorpius never wrote to me after the winter holiday.
"He... I was being just, annoying, I guess. A bit of a chore, to be around."
I brought my arm around his shoulders. "Hey now, why would you think that?"
"I... it's true."
"I don't think so."
Scorpius looked up at me. His eyes were tingeing with pink around the edges all over again.
"I just... I was..." Scorpius sucked in a breath and his shoulders began shaking.
"Oh, Scorpius, it's okay." I took the cup momentarily so it wouldn't spill and placed it on the nightstand, letting Scorpius lean into me fully as I passed a hand up and down his arm. He drew his knees to his chest and hugged them.
"She told me that... that she was all I had... that nobody really wanted to be around me or..." Scorpius hiccuped. "...and then Teddy and I fought and she said the whole fight just proved her right. And she was right. She..."
"She was not. Absolutely not, Scorpius. You listen to me. She did nothing but hurt you and feed you lies." Scorpius sniffled, dragging his hand across his nose. I didn't know what she did to my son. But by her last moments, she seemed desperate, and only in myself had I seen a teenager behave like a child. She squirmed endlessly, trying to get away from who I thought were her caretakers; now I see they were her captors. Was she intently vicious, or misguided by vicious superiors?
"She... I... I spent more time with her than everyone else, even though she hurt me over and over. I didn't notice until I... I had no one to eat with at breakfast. Until even my dormmates were avoiding me."
I held back the biting remark that she perhaps deserved to die if only for the fact that she had shattered my son. The thought of her getting what she deserved for trying to wrong my son was bittersweet. I handed him back the cup, still warm, and encouraged him to drink. "It will help you relax."
He drank without a word, seemingly spent beyond wanting to talk anymore. As I took the empty cup back from him he nestled into the crook between my arm and torso even more than previous, tugging at the blankets for them to come over us. And, before long, he had fallen asleep.