Ft. Amelia Davis
Lily's POV
I'd been at the Malfoy Mansion for nearly two months and was only just getting a grip on the extensive layout of the house. This morning, while nervously waiting for the Death Eaters, including Draco, to return from taking the Ministry, I had found the music room of the house. It was strange I'd found it at all, the hallway it resided in being dark and dank, clearly unused. When I opened the door all I could see was the outline of large objects under white dusty cloths and a stale stillness in the air.
Glancing back into the corridor to check I was alone, I slipped inside the room, closing the door. Heavy dark drapes covered the only window and a cloud of dust and fluff fell around me as I yanked them open, the dim sunlight covered by ever constant clouds filtering into the room. A tall object stood near the window and I carefully removed the cover, revealing a glistening golden harp. The other was revealed to be a sleek piano, not a spec of dust on the ivory keys, both were in exceptional condition though neither appeared to be used.
A noise outside made me cover the magnificent instruments again and tip-toe to the door. Thanking Merlin it didn't creak when it opened, I poked my head into the corridor to find it just as deserted and foreboding as before. It was the faintest sound, I almost missed it but the sound of a baby crying became clearer. The feeble screeches were strange to hear in the huge silent wing but natural instinct drew me towards the sound. Stepping forward my foot creaked under a floorboard and somewhere down the hall, a door slammed, causing me to jump.
There was a loud crack, signalling the return of the others. My response was flight, getting away from the strange noises of the West Wing. Entering the dining room, Draco and Lucius were waiting in the dining room. We locked eyes, silently assessing whether the other was alright and unharmed.
"It's time to go," Lucius instructed curtly, turning on his heel with his nose in the air. "The Ministry protection spells have been removed leaving Potter open for us."
Draco grabbed my hand and we exited the Manor, apparating straight to the Burrow once we were out the gates. The once surely splendid wedding was now up in flames and a chaos of people running and screaming in fear for their lives. Sharp cracks echoed through the air as guests apparated out, bright lights of hexes being sent around the crowded space.
Draco never let go of my hand as I waved my wand a few times, not really seeing what I was doing as I craned my neck to catch sight of my brother or the others. Ginny, dressed in a gorgeous short golden bridesmaid dress, was battling Margaret Bulstrode who had an evil glint in her narrow eyes. Suddenly, Bulstrode went flying back and crashed into a table of neatly stacked glassware, Draco lowering his wand from his stunning spell. I watched as George wrapped Emmaline up in his arms and apparated out of here, both their eyes finding mine as they disappeared.
Finally, I spotted the trio, sneaking around the back of the tent. Harry's eyes caught mine, their green tint sparkling with concern in the darkness, concern for me, for Ginny, for his family. They too apparated.
The tent was barely standing now and Draco grabbed me, running us out into the clear night air as Death Eaters duelled, a few dead bodies littering the area. For the time being, everyone was distracted and that's when Draco turned me to face him. "Did you see what Hermione said?"
"What?" My eyebrows knitted together. No, I had been too busy watching Harry.
"Hawkesbury Avenue, does that mean anything to you?" Pausing, I thought for a moment, recognising the name. Where had I heard that before? Snatching his wrist, I apparated us to the busy London street. The sidewalk was bustling with people and you had to be careful not to get pushed onto the road in front of traffic. "Lil, where are we?!"
"Hermione mentioned her parents used to take her to the theatre here." The crowd was so dense we were having trouble walking through them, let alone trying to spot the trio.
Grabbing on to a light post, I hoisted myself up above the crowd giving me a clear view of the street. I caught sight of Hermione's bushy hair, she glanced back behind her before dragging the two boys down an alleyway. "Come on." I grabbed Draco's hand and we shoved our way through the muggles.
Three figures loomed in the darkness and I pulled out my wand, lighting up the alley. "Harry?"
"Lily?!"
I had him in my arms in an instant, him holding me tightly, making sure I wouldn't disappear. A relieved sigh murmured in my ear. "How did you–?"
"I mouthed it across the room to Draco," Hermione answered before he'd finished. "Now let's get out of these ridiculous clothes and get off the street."
We scouted a run-down cafe down some backstreets while the others changed. The trio soon joined us in the booth. "What about all the people at the wedding?"
"Some dead, no one we know, most people apparated and went into hiding, I hope." Draco shrugged.
"Draco saved Ginny from Jen Bulstrode, nasty woman," I commented, glancing up at my slightly blushing boyfriend.
Harry and Ron gave him a respectful nod. "Thank you."
"It was nothing."
A squat young waitress sidled up to our table clearing her throat to gain our attention, loud headphones hanging around her neck blaring rock music at us. "Coffee?"
"Cappuccino, please," Hermione ordered.
We all blinked at her as if she'd spoken a foreign language, looking up at the waitress. "What she said." We all said in unison and she gave us a weird look over her shoulder as she retreated to the kitchen.
"So where do we go from here?" Ron filled the growing silence. "Leaky Cauldron?"
"That's way too dangerous." Harry shook his head. "If Voldemort real-"
"No!" I shrieked, jumping to my feet, Draco doing the same, his eyes widening in horror. "Don't ever say his name again, Harry, there's a curse on it. If you say it Death Eaters will find you. We can't be seen!"
"Too late."
Dolohov and Ral stood leering in the small doorway of the cafe and before the others could draw their wands Draco and I reacted. "Sectumsempra!"
"Internum Mortem!"
Both men went down just inside the door as it quietly shut behind them, the bell ringing to alert staff someone had come in. The trio was stunned, blinking at us, their wands awkwardly raised in the air before them. I turned to Draco. "That's just mean, using Dolohov's spell against him."
"You just killed them..." Hermione walked over to my side, staring down at the man who had drowned in his own blood and the other who had lost too much.
"They were going to kill us and tell You-Know-Who we were traitors." I glanced at the three of them, staring into their eyes and seeing their judgement. "We'll leave you three to clean up this mess."
"Wait!" Harry stepped towards me as Draco and I turned to leave. My brother chucked me a brown pouch with a small brooch in the shape of a lily pinned onto it. "These belong to you, gifts from mum and dad."
Staring at him for a moment, I nodded. "Oh, Happy Birthday brother."
We shared a smile before Draco squeezed my hand and we were back in front of the dark looming Manor. There was a crack behind us and Gerrard Bulstrode appeared, a look of defeat on his face as he clutched the limp form of his wife to his chest.
Knowing he'd rather not have the sympathy of two young teenagers, Draco wrapped an arm around my waist and escorted me up the steps and into his house. There weren't many people here, more than likely returning to their own homes and we said goodnight to Narcissa before making our way upstairs.
That's when the reality of what we'd done set in. The both of us in shock, not knowing how we'd managed to bring ourselves to do such a thing. Those spells we'd barely just learnt from Snape's teachings. "I'm just glad we warned them about the curse," Draco looked at me and I nodded, starting to move again, changing out of the black clothes.
His shirts I slept in still smelt like him and it made it easier to fall asleep when he wrapped me up in his strong arms, creating a sense of safety. I know that Draco would never hurt me and wouldn't let anything happen to me. But he was fighting his own battles, even though I was the one behind enemy lines, this was his home and yet he was an enemy to them, his own family.
"I just hope we'll see them again in one piece."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There was no news of Dolohov and Ral the next morning and we took that as a good sign. I had a harder time falling asleep last night than normal due to the crazy events in the cafe and slept in the til ten o'clock the following morning. To my surprise the bed was empty but I rose, changing into a black singlet top and ripped dark denim shorts before making my way downstairs. I walked into the large dining room and found a blonde and a beautiful breakfast waiting for me. "Happy Birthday, my love."
I laughing, accepting the invitation to sit on his lap. "Draco, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my birthday was yesterday."
"Exactly, so we're celebrating today because yesterday was a bit of a hectic schedule."
"Is that why you didn't wake me up?"
He pouted jokingly. "Are you seriously complaining about letting you sleep?"
"Not at all." I popped a slice of bacon into my mouth and I almost moaned, it was so good.
The double doors of the dining room burst open and Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Amelia and Pansy entered. "Happy Birthday!" They cried, grinning from ear-to-ear. I laughed, getting up from my perch as they all raced over to see who could hug me first.
"You look like you've just got out of bed?" Amelia waggled her eyebrows. "What have you two been up to, huh?"
I rolled my eyes playfully at her. "Not what you think."
"We brought presents!" They all shrieked.
Unable to hold back the broad smile on my face, I shake my head. "Okay, who's first?"
Pansy bought me a silver charm bracelet with a castle, a cat, a witches hat and a wand. Amelia bought me a splendid cream coloured dress with white splotches spattered across the skirt. Blaise handed me a bag of different arrays of lollies from the sweetshop in Diagon Alley, and Crabbe and Goy;e both got me books, knowing how bored I get couped up in this house, 101 Facts About Pegasai and Dragons: The Good, The Bad and The Evil.
A pang of guilt and sadness ripped through me at the realisation that Opal was all alone in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, probably feeling like I'd deserted her. And Marie and Tharni...I left them both at Hogwarts too, I don't want to imagine the fate that could befall either of them.
Draco caught my attention by rising from his seat and I turned to face him, only to have him get down on one knee and I wasn't the only one who gasped. My hands came up to cover my mouth as my jaw dropped at the sight of the emerald velvet box in his hands.
"Lily Potter, you have the extraordinary ability to make me feel like the luckiest man alive by simply walking into a room. You have sacrificed so much for me and by doing so have made me happier than I ever thought I could and if you let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way. We've made mistakes but we both live with our choices and I have made the decision that I am truly deeply and madly in love with you and there is no one on this earth that I would rather spend the rest of my life with, I promise you that." Slowly he opened the lid to reveal the beautiful round emerald set in a ring of diamonds on a silver ring, causing the girls to gasp again but I was lost for words. "So, Lily Potter, will you marry me?"
Everything stopped, everything and everyone was silent..."Yes," I managed through the happy tears that threatened to choke up my throat. "Yes! Yes! Yes! a million times yes!" A gleeful grin crossed his face and he slipped on the beautiful ring before clutching me to him as I planted a passionate kiss on his lips.
The gang all cheered and wolf-whistled behind us, jumping around in excitement. The doors opened again and Narcissa and Lucius walk in, Narcissa with an irreplaceable smile across her face. "Oh thank Merlin, I thought the opening of the presents was going to take forever!"
"You knew?" I cast an incredulous look at Draco who could only smile.
"Well, mum gave me her ring." I looked down at the ring on my finger, feeling the weight of what that meant for her.
She happily embraced me when I walked over to her and placed a kiss on my forehead. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, my dear." She glanced at Lucius who had an unreadable expression on his face, though there was a tiny smile threatening to escape. "Now we can conjoin your engagement party with the Christmas party we hold each year."
I laughed in agreement and let the others hug me for the hundredth time that morning.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
SPECIAL!!!! (Morning before proposal)
Draco's POV
I'd left Lily asleep upstairs, knowing she'd had a pretty hard time getting to sleep last night after the shock of what we'd done settled in. Last night we'd been amazing, taking down two seasoned Death Eaters like they were nothing. She had asked how we could have done it, how easily we just killed those men, but this is war and it was our lives or theirs. We were stronger together, I was starting to realise that as my own magic seemed to be heightened by her presence.
I currently paced back and forth in the living room, wearing down a path into the carpet. Something had been playing on my mind and the outcome would change my world forever.
"Draco?" My mothers silky, concerned voice broke me out of my worrying and I looked up to find her standing in the doorway. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just thinking about a couple of things."
A knowing smile crossed her face and she made her way over to me, grabbing my hand. I felt a pressure in the palm of my hand as she pulled her hands away and looked down to see I was holding a velvet box. Carefully opening it I found the engagement ring my mother had stopped wearing many years ago, the beautiful emerald still shining brightly, lighting up the room.
I'm sure my face resembled one of shock as I looked up at her. "Mother, why you give this to me?"
"I know you've been thinking it for weeks." She smiled kindly. "She's a beautiful girl, powerful and caught up in a bad situation."
It never ceased to amaze me how wise my mother could be sometimes, even though she too was a girl caught up in a bad situation. "Do you think I'm ready? Do you think she's ready with everything going on?"
She chuckled softly. "Nobody is ever ready, my son."
I smiled as she turned away and left the room with a thousand nerves wrestling in my stomach. I don't understand how Lily does it but everyone she meets she somehow gets them to like her, especially my mother. I looked at the ring in my hands. Yes, she's the one.
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