"Expelliarmus!"

Draco's arm shook violently as he disarmed the frail headmaster standing before him.

"Draco, Draco, you are not a killer," Dumbledore said, his voice remarkably calm considering the position he was in.

"How do you know what I am?" Draco spat, his quavering voice giving away his utter fear. "You don't know what I'm capable of!"

And without thinking, Draco thrust up his sleeve revealing his Dark Mark.

Adrenalin and fear were driving him. The last thing he wanted to do was kill this man, but he knew he had no choice.

So many lives of the ones he loved were in his hands.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Draco," Dumbledore went on, still seeming so calm. "I can protect you and your family from harm. You'll be able to live safely with your wife-"

"Pansy and I are not yet married." Draco spat, momentarily confused, surely he hadn't meant Aurora? He had been sure to keep his mind closed from all thoughts about them.

"I wasn't referring to Miss Parkinson, Draco. I was talking about the mother of your child. The woman you married out of love. I can protect them both. Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you and your family more completely than you can possibly imagine."

Shocked, Draco lowered his wand. For a mere moment, he could see a brightness, a future.

And then the door burst open.

Draco felt hope being crushed all over again as his aunt came skipping in congratulating him on a job well done, followed by a hoard of other Death Eaters.

Including Fenrir Greyback.

He must have been a late arrival because Draco hadn't seen him come in when he was downstairs.

Horror filled his stomach, and his blood curdled in his veins; a nasty chill spread throughout his entire body.

He had just let a child killing werewolf into the building where his baby daughter lay sleeping.

He had honestly never hated himself more than at that very moment.

"Do it, Draco! Come on!"

They were all yelling at him now to get on with the job, but his hand was shaking so much that there was no way he could aim. All he could think about was Aurora and Nova, and prayed that Aurora had listened to him and had kept her and Nova safely locked away in the room.

And then Snape was here and Draco was being buffeted out of the way.

"Severus... please..."

"Avada Kedavra!"

Draco looked on in horror as his headmaster went flying over the top of the ramparts.

Dead.

"Come on, we must hurry!"

Draco wasn't really aware of what was going on anymore. He allowed Snape to pull him down the stairs into the battle below.

He was faintly aware of someone bellowing Snape's name from behind them up in the tower, and he could have sworn it sounded like Potter. But how could he have been there? There had been no one but himself and Dumbledore when he had arrived up in the Astronomy Tower.

But he didn't have time to dwell on it because then they were running, dodging hexes left right and centre. At one point, Draco tripped over a body, too bloodied to be able to identify.

He felt sick, frightened and ashamed. This was his doing, he had caused all of this.

As they ran out into the grounds, Potter now hot on their heels, Draco took one last fleeting look back at the castle.

And in his head he said his last goodbye to Aurora and Nova.

*****

Fear bubbled in my chest as I stationed myself by the cot, wand ready in hand, staring nervously at the door.

Terrified screams and deafening bangs were echoing throughout the castle.

I had never been so frightened in my life. I had no idea what was happening or what kind of danger Draco was in. I was desperate to go and see if he was okay.

But I kept to my promise and stayed with our daughter; ready to fight to the death to protect her if needed.

The screams intensified, making my heart hammer in my chest. I could hear frantic footsteps running on the other side of the door in the corridor. My wand remained poised at all times, shaking fearfully in my hand, my other hand on the cot, ready to grab Nova if needed.

Finally the bangs had stopped and everything seemed still and silent again. But then moments later, frightened shouts filled air, as more footsteps sounded outside.

"HE'S DEAD!"

My heart filled with fear at the words, pumping horrendously against my ribcage.

"THEY'VE KILLED HIM!"

Someone had been murdered, and Draco was out there somewhere.

I couldn't take it any longer, grabbing Nova from her cot, I cradled her to my chest, wrapping the folds of my robes protectively around her. She started grizzling instantly and I jiggled her about, trying to soothe her.

"Come on darling, Mummy needs to find Daddy. We need to make sure Daddy is okay." I sang softly, calming her instantly.

My heart pounding in my chest, I placed an ear to the door, listening out for any signs of danger. It was quiet. All sounds of a battle had ceased.

I slowly opened the door and stepped out into the now deserted corridor, deciding to follow the direction where I heard the footsteps running in earlier.

I wasn't the only one wandering out into the castle, looking around bewilderedly, wondering fearfully what had been going on; who had been killed.

I felt sick to the core when I arrived in the Entrance Hall to a scene of devastation. The oak front doors had been blasted off their hinges; blood smeared all over the flagstones. The giant Gryffindor hour-glass had been smashed to smithereens; red rubies scattered everywhere. People were rushing around and crying; panicking.

I rushed down the marble staircase, clutching Nova tightly to my chest, looking around desperately for any sign of Draco.

But there were so many jostling bodies; so much panic.

"What's happened?" I cried out to no one in particular, but I never got an answer; people either did not know or they were too shocked and dazed to register.

"DRACO?!" I called above the noise, pushing my way through the throng of terrified students. "DRACO?!"

"Aurora!"

Hands grabbed my shoulders, spinning me around. A pair of dark eyes looked down at me with a mixture of fear and concern.

"Blaise!" I cried, relief at finding a friendly face. "What's happened? Where's Draco?"

An odd look flickered across his face, causing my insides to feel as though they had suddenly turned to liquid.

"No! Please don't tell me he's-"

"He's not dead, Aurora," he said quickly, but there was a slight edge to his voice that I didn't like. This was not like Blaise. Anger flecked in his eyes.

"Then what- who...?"

"Dumbledore is dead." Blaise said bluntly, almost coldly. "Snape killed him... After Draco let in the Death Eaters."

The hall tipped, and I could feel myself falling. Blaise caught me in his arms, holding me up. Nova grizzled between us, trying to lift her head to see what was going on.

"He- he wouldn't..." I trembled, tears starting to fall down my face. I knew though, even as I said it, that he had. He had been terrified about something; fearful for mine and Nova's safety.

"He did, Aurora, and now he's gone - fled with the other Death Eaters." Blaise fumed bitterly. "Why did that idiot not confide in me?! I could have helped!"

"He didn't have a choice," I sobbed, "He was terrified, Blaise."

"He put his own baby daughter in danger!" Blaise cried, his voice breaking as he looked down at Nova, tucked snuggly between the folds of my robes.

I wrapped an arm around Blaise as he wiped a hand across his stricken face, I couldn't help but notice the pain and hurt in his eyes at the thought of what his friend had done.

I closed my own eyes in frightened grief as I clung my daughter to my chest, trying to shut out the chaos that surrounded us.

Draco. What have you done?

******

It was not with relief when they had Apparated successfully back to Malfoy Manor.

Draco numbly followed the black cloaked mass up the stone steps to the front door.

Arms flung around him as soon as he entered the marbled Entrance Hall.

"Oh Draco, darling, you're safe!" His mother cried, clinging him hard to her. He couldn't help but notice he was a head taller than her now. Truly the man of the house now.

Except he didn't feel like one.

He never did the job he had been assigned to do. Not properly.

And he was about to find out what his and his mother's fate was going to be; whether they would live to see another day.

"The Dark Lord wishes to see you in the Drawing room, Draco - immediately!" Snape barked . "I would advise you not to keep him waiting."

Draco gave a solemn nod, as his mother's arms fell from around him, a small sob escaping her lips.

The Drawing room doors burst open and Draco was startled to see Wormtail, leading out a line of prisoners - all tied up on one long chain.

This was not the hugest surprise; Draco knew that prisoners were being kept in the Manor's cellars, after all. But he had been fortunate enough not to have ever seen them; not to have to put a face to any of the torturings going on in his own home.

But there was a face he saw now. A face, that despite having endured countless torture and endless darkness - was one that he recognised.

But how? Draco thought, his heart hammering in his chest as he stared at the last prisoner on the line, staggering and falling as they were pulled along.

It couldn't be. Because surely this person was dead...