Now
Draco POV
Draco stood in the service airlock, absent-mindedly watching the clouds gather in the sky. His mind was racing, too preoccupied with Abby and Luna’s safety to really pay attention to the view. When the auror entered, he turned his head slightly, ready to hear.
—I’ve got the surveillance information for Burford,’ began the auror, his deep voice breaking the silence once he was isolated. Draco nodded, his heart pounding with anticipation. He had requested this surveillance with increasing urgency, aware of the danger at stake.
—Four aurors,’ continued the man, ’specifically assigned to protection. One will be in charge of the school, another will patrol the flat at night. He called out the names of the aurors, each one a familiar and trusted face. It’s not too safe with the death threats against them.
Draco felt his stomach knot at the mention of the threats. He had killed Samuel for the sake of blood purity, to hear them tell it. He couldn’t help thinking about what had happened, while supporting Astoria and Scorpius.
—They don’t know that the threats were intended for them too,’ he murmured, unable to hide his anguish. He couldn’t finish his sentence, the pain of the memories freezing him.
The auror looked at him with compassion, but reality was implacable.
—The Ministry is on the case and is taking it very seriously,’ he said firmly. If this surveillance is set up, it must be discreet. If anything is discovered, your name will be removed.
Draco sighed with relief, though his heart remained heavy.
—Thank you,’ he said simply, aware of how lucky he was to have access to these resources.
They continued their conversation, broaching the subject of the attack. The Auror explained how the investigators were looking for clues. Draco listened, but his mind wandered, worrying about his family.
—There are some leads, but we don’t have anything concrete yet,’ continued the auror. We don’t know who did it. Maybe an organised group.
Maybe former Death Eaters,’ he thought, a dull anger rumbling inside him.
—We’re on the case,’ said William determinedly. We’ll keep you informed of the progress of the investigation and of Abby and Luna’s safety.
As Draco left the room, he felt both lighter and heavier. Lying wasn’t what he wanted, but Abby couldn’t take any more. Knowing that the threats were aimed at her would make her pull away even more.
Abby had moved into their new flat in Burford, a place she hoped would be an escape, but which was only a reflection of her grief. She was living in a state of double reality, oscillating between the need to be there for Luna and the need to mourn the loss of Samuel. Her crying, silent at first, had gradually evolved into a dull anger, followed by depression, before returning to constant crying. She knew that Draco, Astoria and the whole group were watching her like a potion on fire.
Two weeks after the move, there was a knock on the door. Abby hastily hid Samuel’s jumper in her drawer. This jumper, which she had worn so many times, was a source of comfort, a trace of him. Thalia, Blaise and their son Mathieu. Luna has asked him to come and play. She has no desire to let anyone else in. She hardly slept last night, dreaming of Samuel. She’d rather be alone, but it’s important for her daughter. She was going to force herself. She went to open the door, putting on a false smile, for Luna’s sake, so as not to worry even more. Blaise gave her a plate of food, then another, and some silly tears came.
—Thank you.
She went to put it in the fridge with the others, those of Narcissa, her father, Draco and Astoria. She hardly needed to cook any more, taking advantage of the practical support chain. She has held back her tears, it’s going to be a long day. She doesn’t want to see anyone else, she’d like to collapse and do nothing, but that’s not possible. She gave herself a minute before coming back.
She knew she wasn’t fooling Thalia and Blaise. A glance at the mirror showed that despite the make-up, her eyes were red and ringed. The children had gone off to play, the sound of games coming from the bedroom. Thalia approached:
—If you like, you can have some privacy. We’ll keep an eye on the children.
—I don’t mind. A tear fell, starting another.
She went into the bedroom, closing the door to crack, but in silence. She put back Samuel’s jumper, which didn’t smell like him any more. He’d put it on a bit on purpose so that it would still smell like him. He’ll never smell like him again. That made her cringe a little more.
—It’s not fair,’ she muttered blankly. It wasn’t meant to happen. Together forever…
She let herself go, thinking back to all the moments they had spent together, his protective arms, his reassuring voice.
The soft words he’d whispered to her, the laughter they’d shared, all that was now a distant memory.
The reality was that there would be no more “I love you’s”, no more shared laughter.Her heart broke a little more with every thought.She stared at his ring, unable to take it off.It remained a trace of him, of the two of them.She clung to everything.She dreamt of a hug from him, kissing him, feeling those arms, that security, but it wouldn’t happen again.No more I love you’s, no more compliments.No more of his laughter.It wasn’t in their future.
After exhausting her tears, she miraculously managed to fall asleep. She opened her eyes three hours later, which meant that… it had been a long time since she’d left Luna.After five minutes to hide the misery she was in, she came out to find Blaise passionately reading a book to Matthieu and Luna, traces of a meal on the table.
—I’m sorry, I fell asleep.
She whispered to Thalia, smiling as she came out.
—No problem at all.
— I hope it did some good. it’s taking a village. You’ve got lots of people.
She wasn’t really feeling it. She sat down next to Luna, her daughter joining her on her lap.
—I love you, my baby, she whispered softly.
She held him tighter, clinging to her. Luna looked at her with eyes full of curiosity and love, and Abby knew that, despite everything, she had to go on. For herself, for Samuel, and for Luna’s future.