What Lies Within

Sophie could hear Draco and Narcissa's raised voices from below as she sat on her and Draco's bed. She couldn't make out the words but caught quick snippets such as 'our baby', 'my life', and finally 'get out'. She couldn't bring herself to move from her spot even after she heard the front door slam. Silence resonated through the entire house and for a few moments she wondered if they had both left. Maybe Narcissa had gotten her son to go with her, or worse maybe one of them hurt the other. She quickly shot that thought from her mind though as she knew that even if they were mad they would never hurt one another.

She was just about to get up from the bed and go downstairs when she heard footsteps on the stairs so she stayed rooted in her seat, wondering who was about to enter the room. As the footsteps got closer however, she recognized them and knew it was Draco. He entered the room and gave her a forced smile but she could see right through it. She stood and held out her hand for him, unsure of what to say. Draco rested his hand in hers and allowed his body to be pulled onto the bed.

He wrapped himself around his wife as they laid back on their large bed, neither of them speaking but both of their minds racing. Sophie wanted to ask what happened, what was said, and what was going to happen now but she was unsure of exactly how to go about voicing all of that so she instead stayed silent and closed her eyes, resting her head against Draco's chest as he tucked her head under his chin.

"We'll get through this, love." Draco finally whispered, pressing a soft and gentle kiss against the top of Sophie's head. "Somehow..." Sophie knew that Draco would do everything that he could to make sure she and this baby had everything they needed but that didn't make her any less scared.

As time passed and Sophie's pregnancy progressed, her stomach becoming more and more round, their fear somewhat started to dissipate and be instead replaced with a bit of happiness. A few days after the fight with Narcissa, Draco and Sophie went to Mrs. Weasley and explained what had happened. Sophie now only had her to rely on apart from Draco and she needed that motherly support in a time like this when she was about to become a mother herself.

As Narcissa was secret keeper of their home, Molly was unable to come to the couples home but she met them often in the town close to them as Sophie was unable to apparate any longer. As the weather turned colder, Halloween passing and turning to November, Sophie was entering her 16th week of pregnancy. She was very clearly showing now, her bump not huge but depending on what she wore it was very easily seen. Draco often kissed and talked to it, telling him or her just how much he loved them. Sophie continued seeing a muggle doctor in town as she still didn't want to risk going to St. Mungo's. They were told they could find out what they were having soon and they were actually excited. Even with all of the fear and worry they held, they still wanted to enjoy this as it was still an amazing and marvelous thing - the idea that she was growing a child in her stomach.

"Okay, so tell me what else happened. Why couldn't you destroy the locket?" Sophie questions Ron who had gotten into a fight with Harry and Hermione and had left them the month previous and was unable to find them now because of the wards they'd been putting up.

"Hermione and Harry figured that out, actually. The night I left." Ron explained. The two had met up for lunch and were sitting in a secluded outside section of the restaurant so they could talk in private. Ron went on to explain about how since the locket was a horcrux it had protection against it. They'd realized basalisk venom could do it or the sword of Gryffindor as it had taken in venom when Harry stabbed it in second year but seeing as they had neither it was a moot point.

"You know they'll forgive you, right?" Sophie told him after she saw the sad look on his face after he explained the argument and the things that were said between the trio before he stormed out. How Hermione had chased after him and begged him not to go but he did anyway and then he couldn't find them again because of the wards. He'd been at his brother Bill's for awhile or wandering around London. He'd been home a couple of times to see his mother which is how he and Sophie had gotten in contact and came to see each other today.

"I just wish I could find them." He explained, giving a sad sigh. Sophie nodded in understanding and reached out to rest her hand on his on top of the table.

"I know. I wish we hadn't gotten separated too." She missed her friends so much and worried about them everyday. She'd had the fear since the day they didn't return from the ministry that they were dead but to hear now that they'd made it out and free with only Ron being splinched but making a full recovery. It was nice to know her friends were in fact alive even though they hadn't gotten much closer to finishing this.

After a nice lunch with her friend, they finished up and Ron said he would walk her back to her house. As much as he could, at least. He couldn't go onto her street or know what direction she went in but he could get her close enough, at least.

"You two are safe here, yeah?" Ron asked as they walked. Sophie sighed and nodded though she didn't quite believe it. Deep down she feared that Narcissa would give a way where they were and bring the Death Eaters to them. She wanted to go stay with the Weasley's but knew Draco would say no and she would rather stay with him here than be away from him there.

They were only a couple of blocks away from her house when they saw three figures heading in their direction. She recognized the figures almost immediately and stopped dead in her tracks, gripping onto Ron's arm.

"What, what is it?" Ron follows her line of sight and recognizes them as well. "Get behind me." Walking towards them was Bellatrix Lestrange, and behind her were two of her fathers old pals - Death Eaters. Ron pulled Sophie behind him, guarding her from the approaching figures. "You can't apparate, can you?"

"I don't feel comfortable with it but I may be able to make an exception." She answers him. Ron turns and looks at her. "The Burrow?" She asks, earning a nod. However, before either of them could do it her entire body was riddled with shooting pain that she recognized and had experienced at the start of the summer. She collapsed to the ground, her hand on her stomach as she worried not about herself but her little baby inside her. Please don't let them be harmed - she prayed.

"Not going to leave us so soon, are we?" Bellatrix questioned as they finally reached the two. Ron kneeled beside Sophie, still attempting to block her from pain. He now knew what it was like for Draco to hold Sophie's shaking body in his arms, wanting nothing but to take her pain away.

"How did you find us? Where's Draco?" Sophie was flooded with worry as she feared that Draco had been harmed before the three of them set off to find her.

"Draco is fine, do not worry. He is back at his home with his mother and father, where he belongs." His aunt explains, grinning. "We've come to bring you back with us too. We all believe it's time this nonsense came to an end."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Sophie spat at the woman before her, watching the evil woman's lip curl in disgust but then turn into a grin. Bellatrix did love a fight and she never liked Sophie. She knew what a traitor she was - no matter what her sister and nephew thought of her. She raised her wand and again sent Sophie in a writhing mess of screams and blinding pain.

"Stop!" Ron yells, gripping at Sophie, trying to make it stop. "She's done nothing to you. She doesn't deserve this. You are harming her child." Bellatrix's lip curled once more at the mention of the baby.

"That will be taken care of, do not worry." She smirked wickedly, Sophie's blood running cold. They were going to kill her baby. She didn't care so much that her life may end at the same time. If they kill her baby they may as well kill her as well.

"Like hell it will." Ron growled and pulled out his wand. Bellatrix grins and raises her wand back but Sophie pulls Ron's arm down.

"Ron, don't." She says. "I can't let you get hurt. Enough people have gotten hurt or died for me." Sophie stands then, her legs shaky and weak from the multiple curses thrown at her but she remains firm on her feet none the less.

"Don't do this, Sophie." Ron urges but Sophie shakes her head. She turns to her friend and pulls him into a hug.

"End this, okay? Find them and end this. It may be too late for me but it's not too late for everyone else." She pulls back, presses a soft kiss to his cheek and takes a step back from him. She turns to Bellatrix and the Death Eaters, glaring at them. "I come with you and you promise that Draco is never harmed." She demanded.

"As much as he has disappointed us all, he is still a part of the family and will not be hurt, do not worry." Bellatrix assures her.

"I'm part of the family, too." Sophie reminds her but Bellatrix laughs and shakes her head.

"You are nothing but a traitor to us all. Your mother knew it and that's why she handed you over to the Dark Lord. You were useless to her, as you are to us. Now let's go. We do not want to keep Him waiting any longer." Bellatrix held her hand out to the young girl who turned and gave Ron one last sad look before taking it. In the next second Ron watched as one of his best friends disappeared in front of him, surely going off to her death.

Meanwhile, Draco was pacing back and forth in the entryway of Malfoy Manor. He was surrounded by Death Eaters. His mother and father stood behind him, unsure of what to do or say. The Dark Lord had threatened to kill them all if Narcissa did not tell him where Draco and Sophie were staying. She knew she was risking Sophie's life by doing so but she was definitely killing her entire family if she did not tell him. Draco may never forgive her for this but at least he would be alive. Narcissa and Lucius had gone to Draco and Sophie's home and collected Draco. He unwillingly came with them as long as Sophie was not harmed when they found her.

Draco was just about to ask what was taking so long when suddenly his aunt, two Death Eaters and his wife appeared before them. Sophie collapsed to her knees almost as soon as they appeared and had tears running down her face.

"Sophie!" Draco gasped and ran over to her. He pulls her into his arms, holding her close against him. He kisses at the top of her head as she cries. "Did they hurt you?" But before she could answer the Dark Lord appeared from out of the sitting room.

"I see our guest of honor as arrived." He spoke coldly, making both Draco and Sophie shiver in fear. Did Sophie only have moments left to live? Draco wasn't sure he could handle this, he couldn't lose his wife or his child. They were his reason for living and he couldn't handle it if they were killed. It would most likely kill him as well. They would take a piece of him with them. "Move aside, Draco."

"No." Draco growled, knowing he wouldn't release Sophie until the moment she was to safety. He'd die before he let anything happen to her.

"Now, Draco." The Dark Lord ordered but Draco stayed rooted to the spot. "Very well. We shall make you." Suddenly, Sophie began to scream. Draco's eyes were wide, tears brimming as he looked around and saw his own Aunt aiming her wand at his wife.

"Stop! Stop, please!" He yelled over her screams, trying to block her from Bellatrix's view. As Sophie continued to scream and shake, two Death Eaters came up and grabbed Draco's arms. "No!" He was pulled up and away from his crying wife who was finally free of the curse but was still shaking and whimpering a little. "Sophie!" Draco was being drug away, towards the stairs and even though he struggled and fought they were relentless and didn't stop.

"Draco!" Sophie screamed as a Death Eater grabbed her, yanking her up roughly by the arm. "Dray!" Draco struggled more as he watched his wife be drug into the sitting room. The Dark Lord gave a sinister smile towards Draco and followed them into the room.

"Sophie!" Draco was now being drug up the stairs. "Mother, father please!" He looked to his parents but they were looking everywhere but at him. They refused to make eye contact with their son, knowing that they did this to him and Sophie. They caused all of this and could do nothing about it now. All they could do was hope that their son and his wife came out on the other side alive. "Sophie!" Draco gave one last yell as they made it into the hallway upstairs outside his bedroom. Just as his wand was taken from his jacket pocket Sophie's screams sounded through the entire house. They were shrill, loud and she was clearly in pain. "NO!" Draco began to struggle again but he was pushed roughly into his old room and locked inside. He banged against the hard wood of the door, sobs escaping his chest as he yelled for his wife but no one came to his or his wife's aid.

Draco froze when he felt the bracelet at his wrist begin to pulse. He pushed back his sleeve and watched as the red jewel glowed bright, a slight pulsing to it that increased with every second. As Sophie's screams became louder and louder, the pulsing got quicker. Then it started to get darker, the warmth slowly leaving it.

"No, no no." Draco begged and as Sophie's screams came to a sudden stop, the jewel turned black and cold. Draco could do nothing. He fell to the ground, his knees buckling beneath him as sobs wracked his entire body.