Status: active

What Lies Within

The Truth

Draco felt like he had been sucked into a black hole. He lay curled up in a ball, his knees pulled up to his chest as he clutched at the cold and black bracelet, holding it tight in his fist, willing it to gain it's warmth back. He also twirled his wedding band around in his other hand, it being the only connection he had to Sophie in that moment. His mind was racing a thousand miles a minute. Was his wife dead? Surely she had to be. He hadn't heard a sound from down below since her screaming came to a stop though he could still hear it echoing in his head.

He felt as though he had failed her. He brought her into this mess and he broke his promise that he made two years ago - he would never leave her. And though unwillingly - he still left her. He left her alone to be tortured and possibly ripped from life in that room. And because of what? Because their love had conceived a child? How could such a miracle bring such travesty? He felt cold and empty and was so unsure of what to do.

He sat in that same spot, his back against the door, his fists clenched around the only remaining things he had of his wife and prayed someone would bring him news of what had happened in that room. He prayed even harder that somehow she was still alive. Maybe the spell had just been broken with the bracelet somehow, maybe she wasn't dead after all. Draco tried to keep this little shred of hope alive in his heart but he was unable to push the worst thoughts from his mind.

He looked around his room and felt such a pull of sadness that he broke into sobs. It was in this room that he fell in love with Sophie, it was in this room that their relationship began but he also thought of his childhood. How much easier that time had been. His only worry was making his father proud but now he detested the man. He had done nothing as his child begged and screamed and as his daughter-in-law was drug off to her death, pleading with them to spare her life but they did nothing. No one helped her or him, and he hated them all.

As the sun sank beneath the trees outside of his bedroom window there was a knock on the door. He scrambled up as it opened. He hoped and prayed to see the vibrant red hair of his wife or even the dark hair of his mother but instead, he was met with the sour face of a death eater. His blood boiled and he began to lunge at the man but with one simple wave of the man's wand Draco flew back and landed on the ground, letting out a groan as his back slammed into the hardwood.

"Where is Sophie?" He spat at him through clenched teeth but the man did nothing but chuckle and set a tray of food on Draco's dresser. "I don't want food, I want my wife!" Draco stood and reached for the tray, chucking it at the man's now receding back. He turned back and gave Draco a cold glare, kicking at the tray at his feet. It slid across the floor, disappearing under the bed.

"You can give up on that wish, boy. That traitor has been taken care of." At the man's sadistic smirk, Draco's blood ran cold. So it was true, his wife was dead. He could say nothing as the man laughed maniacally and left the room. The door slamming behind him felt like it punched a hole in Draco's chest. He fell to his knees and with his face in his hands, he began to cry.

It was two days later that his mother finally came to see him. She looked ragged, worn down and looked as if she had spent the last two days crying. Draco was a mess, he knew. He hadn't changed clothes, slept or eaten since the moment he was closed off in this room. He tossed the tray away from him every time someone attempted to bring him any kind of food so they soon stopped attempting to bring him anything. He was miserable, cold, hungry and felt empty. A piece of him, two pieces actually if he counted his child - which he did - was taken from him in the most horrific way.

"Leave," Draco growls towards his mother the second she steps a foot inside. The older woman sighs and comes to sit on the edge of Draco's bed. He rolls away from her, sitting as far from his mother as possible. "You murdered my wife." He watched the pain on her face turn to that of confusion and he felt his blood boil. Did she not see how her actions played the biggest part in this? She led them to where he and his wife had been - she basically hand delivered Sophie to her death.

"Sophie isn't dead, Draco." Draco's eyes widened and his heart began to race.

"What? But .. they told me... the bracelet." He held up the bracelet that had still been in his hand, showing the dark jewel but as he looked at it, he noticed faintly, very faintly, if he looked close enough there was just a bit of red. But... how? It had been black and cold. He had put the slight warmth to it now as just from his own touch but was it possible that she's been alive? Instead of trying to get out of here to get to her he's been wallowing in his own filth? He felt worse than he had before with himself. "It went black right as her screams stopped." He felt tears prickle at his eyes. They were so sore and tired from so much crying that it physically hurt them to water again but he was filled with so much emotion and couldn't stop them.

"We all thought she was dead. The Dark Lord himself thought as much. They left her there, bleeding and seemingly dead on the floor of the sitting room..." Narcissa could barely get her voice above a whisper as she pictured the sight of her daughter-in-law's limp and bleeding body on the floor. It was something she would surely never be able to erase from her mind. "Your father and I went to her and saw that she was breathing - only slightly."

"Where is she?" Draco stood from the bed, needing to see her now. "I need to see her." Narcissa sighed and stood as well, giving her son a sad look. "Mother, where is she?" He questioned again, glaring at her.

"She isn't here. Your father and I managed to get her out before anyone else noticed that she was actually alive." Narcissa sighed and brushed at the skirt of her dress, smoothing it down in a nervous reflex. "There was so much blood." Her voice shuddered as she remembers the feel of her daughter-in-law's blood on her hands, soaking into her dress as she sobbed and held the girl close - begging and pleading for her life to not end this way. "We got her to St. Mungo's without anyone knowing."

"Take me there, take me to her," Draco demanded, trying not to picture what his mother must be seeing in her head. He watched the horror wash over her face and couldn't even imagine - didn't want to - what it must have been like.

"I will, but I need to talk with you more first," Narcissa told him, gesturing for him to sit again but he stays standing, glaring at her, his face set. She sighed and knew he wouldn't listen to her so she went on anyway. "They all think that she is dead and I feel it best they continue to think as such. Only your father and I know." Draco nods, understanding and agreeing completely that this is how it should be. "I should warn you, Draco, she doesn't look like herself right now. She has a lot of bruising and bandages on her. She also isn't awake, which is why your bracelet may still not be as bright as it should be."

"What do you mean she isn't awake?" He questioned, feeling that dread and fear creep back in his body. Was his love still alive but barely? Would she be taken from him as soon as he found out he got her back? Would he ever get to see those beautiful blue eyes shining at him again? Never again feel those soft lips against his? Never be able to hear that laugh that brought happiness to his heart again or deal with bickering and small spats they got into constantly that deep down he loved?

"Her body went into shock, the doctors have explained to us. Losing the baby sent her body into a shock and basically shut itself down." Draco had hoped that somehow through all of this that the baby had survived as well. When he realized Sophie was alive a shred of hope lit inside him that his entire family was still whole and intact but his fear was realized that his child was taken from him before he ever got to hold him or her. The idea brought fresh tears to eyes once more.

"Will she.." He gasped as a sob ripped from his throat. Narcissa's heart broke for her son as she watched him break before her eyes. She did this, she knew that, and she hoped he would one day forgive her but she knew it would take time. "Will she wake up?" Draco wipes at his wet cheeks but felt more tears trailing down.

"They aren't sure." Her voice was so quiet but it felt to Draco as if she had screamed at him that he may in fact never hold his wife in his arms again. "We must leave now before they all finish with their meeting and realize that we have left. They cannot know." Draco nods and wipes at his cheeks once more. "Would you like to change first?" Narcissa eyes the crumpled and wrinkled clothes on her son, taking in his messy and tangled hair as well but he shook his head. "Very well."

The two of them slip silently from the room and down the hall. They could hear voices from the dining room as they made their way downstairs but met no one along the way to the front door, thankfully. Once they were outside and past the front gates they turned on the spot and the next second stood in an alley close to the muggle street St. Mungo's entrance was located on. Once they'd gone through the entrance, un-noticed by the muggles, they stood in the clean waiting room of the hospital. Draco's heart was racing as he thought about his wife being somewhere in here - fighting for her life.

"This way." After signing in, Narcissa led the way up to the correct floor and soon came to a stop in front of the door. Draco saw a little sign beside the door. 'Sophia Malfoy' he read and felt a small patter in his chest. She was really in there, his wife was really on the other side of that door. It took all of his willpower to not burst through the door but he turned to his mother.

"I want to go in alone." Narcissa nodded, understanding. She stepped aside and let her son move forward to slowly push the door open. Before him lay a sight he had never wished to have to see. His wife, his beautiful wife, lay broken on a hospital bed. Her face had multiple bruises riddled across it, her lip bloodied in the corner from an obviously busted lip. She had a gash, healed partially now, above her eyebrow.

Her red hair was pushed back, dirty and knotted. He came to a stop in the middle of the room, looking down at the woman before him, his eyes trailing down to see the rest of her injuries. She had bandages on her arms but small cuts still riddled across her pale skin, making him grimace as he thought about what had caused it. They had obviously done more than simply crucio on her.

His eyes came to a stop on her stomach. Two days ago he had woken up and pressed kiss after kiss on the small bump between her hips and then watched as she gazed lovingly at it in the mirror while she got dressed but now that perfect bump was gone. The blanket was flat across her stomach - no sign of a baby.

He broke into tears and finished the small walk over to her. His hand found hers on top of the blanket and he sat beside her, gripping her hand gently. He had thought for the last two days that he would never feel this hand in his but here he was, gripping it, feeling her skin on his once again. Would she ever grip back again, though? Would he ever feel her return the pressure again?

"Sophie," He gasped, leaning down to rest his forehead against her shoulder lightly. He sobbed into the hospital gown that covered her body, trying to quiet his cries but he felt broken. He was so thankful to feel her skin warm against his, the slow rise and fall of her chest and as he reached his free hand up to rest against her chest he felt the steady beat of her heart but it also killed him to see her broken and bruised like this and possibly never waking up.

And then he thought about what would happen if she did wake up. How would she handle the death of their child? How would she handle the memories of two days ago? Would she ever be his happy, laughing, and kind-hearted wife again? He knew this was going to change her but he hoped that he would at least get the chance to help her through it. She had to wake up, she had to. He couldn't survive without her.

"Draco," At the doorway stood his mother with a small woman behind her dressed in green and clearly a doctor. "The doctor would like to speak with you." Draco nods and wipes at his wet cheeks and stands.

"You can stay with her, we can talk in here." Draco nods once more as his mother and the doctor enter the room. "I've been attending to Mrs. Malfoy since she arrived and I just want to express my greatest sympathy for your loss and that we are doing everything we can to make sure Sophia wakes up."

"Sophie, her name is Sophie," Draco mutters, his voice cracking a bit. Draco knew that Sophie preferred Sophie as opposed to her actual name and he wasn't going to let a stranger call her such just because she was unconscious and couldn't tell them herself.

"Of course." The doctor nods understandingly before she goes on. "She suffered great trauma. Even had she not been pregnant the curses inflicted upon her would have caused significant damage to her - physically and mentally. Losing the child, losing the amount of blood that she had as the cause, is what we suspect is what caused her to fall into this coma of sorts." Draco nods, trying to not dwell on the words losing the child. "We have given her blood replenishing potions, keeping her hydrated and fed. We have tended to her physical wounds as best we could. There is nothing we can do but keep her comfortable and wait now."

"So you have no idea if my wife will ever open her eyes again? She could lay here forever like this?" Draco questions, not wanting to accept that. She would wake up. She was his strong girl, she was a fighter, she wouldn't give up.

"Or she could ..." Draco knew what the doctor was hinting at without her having to say it. She gave him a sympathetic look which caused Draco to have to look away as tears brimmed at his eyes once more. He wiped at his cheeks and gives a nod. He looks back at Sophie, willing her eyes to open but she doesn't move.

"What are her chances?" He whispers, not looking away. She looked so peaceful, so calm. Maybe it was better to go this way as opposed to going out suffering and in pain. He could be beside her, holding her as she passes. He'd prefer that over her dying cold and lonely on his sitting room floor like he thought she had.

"We are unable to tell. Every case is different." The doctor sighs. "She's doing well, though. We have hope." She assures him. "I'll leave you alone. If you have any questions just come up to the front desk."

"Thank you," Narcissa says as the doctor turns and leaves the room. A silence envelops the room after the door shuts. The tension was thick as Draco resumes his seat on the bed beside Sophie. He grips again at her hand, reaching up with his free one to brush at some loose hairs that had fallen in her face. "I'm sorry, Draco." He turns to look at his mother after she whispers this, seeing tears falling from her eyes. "He threatened to kill us all if I didn't tell him where you were."

"So our life is more important than Sophie's?" Draco questions, his eyes narrowed. "You'd rather she die than you and father?" Narcissa shakes her head vigorously. She understood why he took it that way but that wasn't how it had been at all.

"No, of course not," She starts. "I was under the impression that he would not harm her. He assured me that he just wanted to speak with her and keep the two of you there. He never gave me any inclination that his intention was to kill her." Draco's blood boiled as he stood from the bed, glaring at his mother.

"And you believed him?!" He yelled, trying to keep his voice down. "It's the Dark Lord, mother! He isn't exactly known for being chivalrous or kind. He has no care for who he kills or dies under his command!" Narcissa knew that her son was right. She had been naive and hopeful - only wanting her family together and safe again. She had to admit that deep down she would give up Sophie if it meant her son and husband were alive and well. She felt terrible for it now as she realized that Draco wouldn't live without her and that scared her more than the Dark Lord ever could. She was foolish and she would try to make up for that for the rest of her life.

"I made a mistake, I understand that." Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "I got her here, though, I got her here as soon as I could. I wasn't going to just let her die right there." Draco knew that deep down he was thankful for his parents for that, at least.

"Yeah, you did." Draco's voice was quiet as he resumed his seat beside Sophie. His fingers brush across the soft skin of her cheek gently, careful of a few bruises riddled across it.

"Sophie is strong, she will make it through this just as she has everything else thrown at her the last two years," Narcissa assured her son, wanting to believe it herself. She had seen all the blood, held the limp and dying body of her daughter-in-law in her arms, knowing that not many could recover from this.

"And when she wakes up and realizes our child was murdered?" Draco whispers, not taking his eyes from his wife's face. "That may kill her if this doesn't." He shudders visibly, his head hanging down before he sighs. "We were scared, we were so terrified, but we had grown to love and cherish that child. We had gone to a muggle doctor and they used one of their machines to show us the baby. We saw it, we heard the heartbeat." Narcissa was full on crying now as she heard her son speak softly about his child. "We were going to find out if it was a boy or girl next week."

"It was a girl." Narcissa could barely get the words out. She hadn't even been sure if she was going to tell him that she had found out from the doctors here but it had just come out in that moment. Draco turned to look at her, his lips quivering a bit. "When she got here they had to..." She couldn't say it out loud but knew he understood anyway. It wasn't like the baby could stay in there after it had died.

"That's what we'd been hoping for." He gasped and then broke down into sobs. Narcissa wished then that she hadn't told him. He would have been better off never knowing. She moved forward, resting her hand gently on his shoulder. As soon as she did, he turns, stands and falls into her arms. "Why did this have to happen?" He sobs, breaking her heart. She holds him tightly against her, her fingers running through his hair gently as she too cried. "All we've ever wanted was to be happy and have a life together. Why did these bad things have to keep happening to us? To her? She doesn't deserve this."

"I know, Draco, neither of you deserved any of this and I'm so sorry that this is the life your father and I caused you to be in." Draco pulled back from his mother and took a deep breath as he wiped away his tears.

"She's the greatest person to walk this earth, mother." Narcissa gives a kind smile and nods. "She's so kind, and loving, and smart. She wanted nothing but to have a happy life free of all this death and fear and I couldn't give her that."

"This isn't over, Draco. She is still here, she will come back to you and this war will end. The two of you will be able to live your life together free and in love. You'll have a family and be happy together." Draco gives a sad laugh and shakes his head.

"We had a family." He whispers, turning back to Sophie, resting his hand on her flat stomach. Narcissa watched sadly, knowing that there was nothing she could do for his son and his wife now.