22: Crucio

The Death Eaters dragged you with them, with the woman's wand still by your neck.

You were brought into the broad daylight, visible to anyone who would just turn their heads in your direction.

You watched as another woman with immensely curly hair approached Draco.

"Good evening, Bellatrix." Dumbledore greeted. Giving a sense of who that woman approaching Draco was.

She was his aunt. The aunt that Draco told you that was crazy.

She whispered something to his ear. You can clearly see Draco was shaking slightly more than before.

He was afraid. It was clear that he didn't want to do this.

But Bellatrix still pushed him, forcing her nephew into a murderer.

"I don't think there is any need to drag more innocent people into this, Bellatrix." Dumbledore declared, clearly noticing you within the clutches of Alecto Carrow.

"Oh, since we're here. Shouldn't we have a little fun?" Bellatrix replied.

Draco was aware that the man he needs to murder clearly was not talking about him.

So he turned his back to see who else was involved.

Eyes widened, Draco recognized you. 

You wanted to apologize to Draco for not keeping your promise for staying at your common room.

But you didn't dare to say anything at this situation.

Draco's blood boiled.

How could anyone dare hold their wand at you?

He wanted to free you from Alecto, but he can't. Not when all the other Death Eaters were watching.

He held back his desire to save you.

But, fate had other plans for him.

"Do it, boy. Or the girl gets seriously hurt." Alecto said, recognized the look on Draco's face when Draco saw you.

The blonde couldn't imagine you getting hurt. So he must gather the last of his gut and brace himself for what he was about to do.

Draco could only swallow his quietly in his mouth and follow the order given to him.

"No." Everyone heard someone's deep voice.

All of you turn in the direction of that voice and found Severus Snape.

"Severus, please," Dumbledore begged.

For a moment, you almost believed that Dumbledore was asking for the potions professor to help him.

But then, you realised that the headmaster sounded rather...... prepared.

What is there to prepare for?

It was like he and Professor Snape planned something for this very moment.

It was a second later, that you realised, they already had a plan for this very situation before it even happened.

Dumbledore was preparing himself, for Severus Snape to make his move.

"Avada Kedavra." The dark-haired professor launched his curse.

It was too late when you realized what they had planned.

You could only stare at the body of the headmaster, who fell over the balcony, to his death.

You were as frozen as stone, you just witnessed a person's death.

You couldn't believe that the headmaster that everyone in the wizarding world respected, was dead.

"Now, we shall have some fun while we're here." Bellatrix turned to you. The evil smile she had on her face told you that she clearly was potting something sinister for you in her mind.

Draco was immediately scared for you. There was no doubt that his aunt was going to do something horrible to you.

"Tell me, girl." Bellatrix's wand was raised under your chin, lifting your face up to look at her in the eyes.

You glared at her, you made the choice to not answer her no matter what she does to you.

"Why were you up here?" She asked.

You remained silent. You can't risk putting Draco in trouble.

You were aware of every movement you make at that moment. One wrong move and could get you to fall into a pit. A simple glance at Draco could get him into unnecessary misery.

So you kept your glare at her, refusing to answer her question.

"So you don't want to talk, I see." She retrieved her wand from your chin.

You already know what was coming next. You close your eyes in preparing yourself for the impact that's about to come.

"Crucio!" You could feel your body drop down to the ground from the extreme pain that stabbed your entire body.

You feel like your body was tearing itself apart, like a thousand swords had made their way into stabbing every inch of you, like fire eating your whole.

But, even through all that, you refused to scream. You could only grasp your arms from bearing the pain.

Draco could only watch as you fell to the floor, hugging yourself with each of your fingers digging into the opposite arm.

However, you never shouted. You never yelled in pain.

There were some groans that came out of you in between, but you still refused to give in to the pain cast upon you.

Draco hoped desperately that you would at least give up fighting and just scream to make yourself better.

Snape could tell from the sidelines; Draco's fingers were stabbing into his own palms, telling him that he was holding it in watching the horrible scene unfolding in front of him.

"We should be going." Severus sounded, getting Draco's aunt attention and ending the Cruciatus Curse cast on you.

The witch with curly hair reluctantly took her wand from pointing to you.

You were gasping for air when you were finally lifted from the torture.

"Let's have our fun elsewhere, shall we?" Bellatrix led the group of Death Eaters, leaving you on the ground, still breathing heavily.

The Astronomy Tower that was crowded with death eaters a moment ago, was now emptied but left with you and the pair of godfather and son.

The tower was now filled with your heavy breaths, echoing the tower.

Snape reaches to Draco's shoulder, giving him an assuring press.

"Make it quick." He told Draco and walked out of the tower.

Draco immediately stormed to your side, lifting you up into a sitting position in his arms, with your head leaning against his shoulder and his neck.

"Are you okay?" He said with a quick pace.

"Yeah, just a little achy." You answered as you tried to catch your breath.

Your chokes for air terrified Draco.

You felt Draco's lips on your forehead, holding you so close to him, you could tell he was slightly shaking.

Draco couldn't imagine what he would do if anything bad happened to you tonight.

This was why Draco decided that you would be better off without him in the first place.

"I thought I told you to stay in your common room tonight." He pulled back to ask you.

"I'm sorry, but I can't just stay still when you're going to be doing something dangerous. So I wanted to make sure you would be alright." You answered him.

Draco sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You're alright, you're alright..." Draco suddenly said, his forehead against the side of your head, and pressing you close to him.

He couldn't believe that he just stood there and watched you suffer.

He hated himself more for this than when he thought he had to kill Dumbledore.

Despite the ache from your entire body from the Cruciatus Curse, you still reached up and to his face.

"It's alright, Draco. It's not your fault." You cupped his cheeks.

Both of you stayed in that position for a few minutes until when you heard loud sounds of glass breaking.

Reminded that there are other people in Hogwarts and that Draco has to leave with them.

You pulled apart from him.

"You need to go, Draco." You told him, frustrated by the reality.

You could see Draco's brows furrowed and he looked up from the ground to your eyes.

"Will you be alright?" He asked, clearly worried if you'd be able to move after the Cruciatus Curse.

"I'll be fine. It's you who should I be worried about." You said with a grin on your face. Wondering why would he still be worrying about you when he should be worrying about himself.

Draco breathed in heavily, obviously, he didn't want to leave you here.

So you reached up again, wrapping him with your arms around his neck, trying to make him feel better. Draco instinctively did the same but around your waist.

"Please be careful. You have to come back in one piece. Got it, blondie?" You told him with a teasing tone, trying to make it easier for Draco to leave.

Draco grinned at how you could still make a light-hearted comment in such a situation.

"I will. Try not to miss me too much." He continued your light-hearted words.

You giggled at him, thankful for him to follow your lead.

Draco have always loved your laugh, especially when he was the reason you were laughing. It always had an effect on him for warming his heart. Hearing it now in the situation that he was in only made your laugh meant much more to him than it already was.

You released your breath and leaned into Draco's touch. Tightening your arms around his neck and burying yourself in his hair, signalling Draco that you were going to let him go to his side soon.

"I'll miss you...... so much." You revealed with whispered voice.

"I'll miss you too," Draco replied.

"I promise to come find you after all this." He said with so much seriousness.

You couldn't help but smile so contently, Draco still thought about you, despite being in a difficult circumstance himself.

You pulled away, looking so intensely into his eyes.

"And I'll be waiting." The corner of your eyes could be seen were already filled with tears. But you never let them stream down.

Draco wiped them away so tenderly and loving.

You knew that Draco wanted to stay with you.

You also wanted him to remain here at Hogwarts.

But you can't keep him here.

"You should get going." You got these words out so unwillingly.

A frown quickly took over Draco's face.

He quickly gives you one final goodbye, giving a quick peck on the back of your hand.

"I love you...... so much." He said, at the brink of crying himself.

"I love you too...... and I always will." At this point, a teardrop managed to make its way down your cheeks.

"Now, go. They will get suspicious soon." You said so heartbrokenly.

Draco said nothing more and picked you up in his arms.

You were surprised by the sudden motion, making you reaching around Draco's neck to balance yourself.

You didn't know what was he doing so you decided to just observe before you say anything.

Draco carried you and settled you down by the walls of the Astronomy tower.

Once the blonde was sure that you were comfortable, he stared into your eyes adoringly.

"Goodbye, Lia." He bid you with so much heartache.

"Goodbye, Draco." You answered him.

Draco then left with the rest of the Death Eaters and so did Snape.