Chapter 1
The rain beat steadily against the windows of the tower, the repetitive rhythm lulling his mind into welcome numbness. He sat near motionless, staring sightlessly out at the grey clouds pouring their sweet tears onto the world below. A faint flicker of envy stirred deep within him, before drowning once again within a well of sorrow. He himself had no more tears to shed.
It's pointless, anyway. Tears can't wash away heartaches, or regrets...
His fingers tightened on the misshapen locket in his hand, his thumb rubbing unconsciously against the melted gold. It had been no more than a pretty trinket when he'd first bought it, nearly twelve years ago, a token he'd thought little of at the time - yet it had become so much more.
A memorial.
A pledge.
He clenched his fist lightly around the metal, silently reaffirming his promise to the cloud-ridden sky.
"There you are."
He stiffened, but did not turn at the soft-voiced intrusion. "I wanted to be alone."
"We were worried about you." The tone was clear - he would not be left in peace until she was satisfied. He repressed a sigh.
"I'm fine."
"None of us are 'fine'," she chastised gently as she crossed the tower to place one hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off irritably.
"I'll be fine," he replied shortly. There was a brief silence. He could sense her frustration with him, but did not have the patience to pretend to any sort of decorum. "How was the funeral?"
She sighed, taking a seat next to him. When she spoke, he could hear the tears in her words, as well as the underlying anger and despair. "It was awful. I mean, the eulogies were very nice, the flowers were lovely, and the rain even held off until it was over, but..."
"It was his funeral," he completed when she trailed off.
"Yes," she acknowledged sadly, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes, it was."
They sat together in silence while the rain lightened to a faint drizzle. Only when a few scattered hints of sunlight could be seen peeking from behind the clouds did one of them speak.
"Your husband will be looking for you."
She took the hint, and rose from her seat, squeezing his shoulder briefly in passing on her way to the door, where she paused. "The Head- " she choked on the title, unable to continue.
"The Headmistress. You'll have to get used to saying it. We all will." He could practically feel her glare at the back of his head.
"Professor McGonnagal asked me to review the lists of incoming first-years. Would you be willing to speak to the families of some of the muggleborn students?"
He blinked slowly, and turned around to stare at her incredulously. "And tell the what, exactly?" he demanded. "That they and their children have just become targets of a psychopathic near-immortal wizard who just killed the Headmaster of the school that we're inviting their children to attend?"
She bit her lip. "They need to know. They need to understand what they're getting into."
Laughing bitterly, he closed his eyes. "It's not like they have much choice in the matter now. They're targets from the moment the letters are sent," he reminded her pointedly, a grim half-smile upon his face as she winced.
"We've tried - "
One hand was held up to stem the flow of her words before they'd even begun. "I know." His eyes strayed back to the window, where the glimpses of sunlight were once again being smothered by clouds.
"Yes, you would."
His eyes snapped back to hers instantly, ready to snap back at her - only to have his anger die in the face of her quiet understanding. He clenched his teeth, his eyes automatically returning to the safety of the grey skies.
"Alright, I'll do it."
"Thank- "
"But if there are any twins in this lot, I'm not talking to them."
"What have you got against twins?" she queried, amusement in her voice as she already knew the answer. He smiled.
"Well, let's see. Your brothers-in-law are still trying to use me as a test subject for their concoctions, and your twins decided that my classroom would be an excellent place to try out some more of their uncles inventions just a week before the end of last term. The place still reeks."
"I'll get them to help clear it out," she promised, laughter lingering in her tones.
"Please, don't."
She laughed aloud. "Have it your way."
"I intend to."
"You always do." The fabric of her robes rustled softly as she made to leave once again.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
"We'll survive." Their gazes locked, and he knew she understood that the 'we' didn't necessarily mean themselves, but more the people they had both sworn to protect. "I promise you, we'll survive."
"I - I know," she lowered her gaze briefly, and her eyes were dark and glistening when she raised them once more, "but I want to live." She turned and fled down the stairs before her tears fall, leaving his staring at a wall as grey as the sky outside.
"Living comes at a price," he whispered, gripping his locket firmly in his hand, hard enough to imprint its shape in his flesh.
You have to keep on paying that price over and over for as long as you live.
And then...
The rain resumed it's intermittent pounding against the windowpane,
and Draco Malfoy lost himself in the mind-numbing sound.
To be continued...