"They say the Diggory woman won't talk."

At his mother's words, Draco looked up from his bowl of soup, his spoon hovering in midair.

It was late and he was having supper with his mother after a busy and disturbing day.

To Draco's dismay, Voldemort had finally managed to take over the Ministry. It made him feel sick, knowing that it meant people like Aurora will have to go into hiding.

He hoped with everything he had that she and Nova were okay. He dreaded to think what would happen to them if they ever found them.

Especially with Aurora's mother alive and held prisoner, whilst Voldemort tried to get information out of her.

But the mother was surprisingly tough - endured all the torture that was thrown at her.

Draco couldn't understand where she'd been all these years, or how she had survived the Killing curse his father had thrown at her.

But he was afraid to ask questions, afraid to give anything away about the fact that he had married this woman's daughter and fathered her grandchild.

So he remained quiet and kept his head down.

"Oh," Draco replied, not knowing what to say as his mother eyed him warily.

"You loved her didn't you? The girl?" She said.

Draco merely nodded, knowing it was no use hiding anything from her. He felt his heart squeeze horribly in his chest.

"I'm sorry."

She said no more, but these two small words from his mother told him she truly understood. And that gave Draco a surprising degree of comfort.

A sudden commotion outside of the kitchen made Draco and his mother start.

"They're back," his mother said, standing up immediately as she swept to the door.

Draco followed, his heart hammering. There seemed to be lot of excitement going on.

"WE'VE GOT HER!"

"SOMEBODY CALL FOR HIM - WE'VE GOT HER!"

Draco wondered who on earth they talking about.

The excitement seemed to be coming from the drawing room. Draco and his mother hurried down the hallway where a mass of black cloaked figures started swarming outside the threshold of the room.

There was a lot of noise, excited chatter and sickening jeering.

And then a cry, a baby's cry.

"Spare her please! She's just a baby!"

The frightened, pleading voice made Draco's insides turn to liquid and black spots blind his vision.

Aurora.

Fear and adrenaline made him desperately push past the bodies; he needed to get to them. He needed to save them, now.

He finally managed to break through the sea of gathered Death Eaters and make it into the room. He bulked at the sight before him.

Aurora stood, fearfully clutching Nova tightly to her, her back up against the wall as Bellatrix pointed her wand directly at them.

"Talk, or these two die!" Bellatrix cackled, seemingly addressing a third figure.

Draco realised that Aurora's mother was also in the room, tied to a chair, looking barely conscious as her head lolled weakly forwards. There was no way she was in a fit state to talk.

His aunt was absolutely barking.

"NO!" He bellowed, without any thought other than to save his wife and daughter, dashing across the room, and throwing himself in front them.

"Draco," he heard Aurora weep as he pressed his back up against her, shielding them from Bellatrix's wand.

"You'll have to kill me first!" He snarled in his aunt's face, his chest rising and falling heavily.

Bellatrix's mouth fell open, shock emanating from her wild features as she slowly lowered her wand.

"What is the meaning of this, nephew? Why would you lay your life down for this creature and vile little offspring?"

Draco didn't hesitate, didn't fear about anyone's life anymore accept for Aurora's and Nova's.

"She's not a creature!" He roared, pressing himself further against them. "And that's my daughter you're about to kill."

The entire room fell silent accept for the sound of a single loud gasp. His mother's.

He didn't take his eyes off of his aunt, however, as she seemed to contemplate and consider this new information.

To Draco's horror, however, Bellatrix simply shrugged and raised her wand.

"Avada-"

"STOP!"

A new voice. A soft, cold, dangerous voice that made Draco's blood turn to ice. But he didn't move; kept his solid stance in front of his wife and child.

Voldemort had entered the fray, pointing his wand at Bellatrix which caused her own to fly out of her hand.

"Have you learned nothing, Bella?" He roared. "Have my past adventures not taught you anything?"

Bellatrix turned to look shamefaced at her master as he angrily drew up to her.

"Do you not remember what happened to me the last time someone tried to protect their child from my Killing curse?!"

Draco could have sighed in relief, hardly daring to believe that Voldemort of all people was his saviour right then.

He felt Aurora tremble behind him and he moved a shaking hand to place comfortingly on her body, wishing he could turn around and take them both in his arms, but daring not to take his eyes off the dangerous scene in front of them.

"To kill, we must not," Voldemort continued. "However," he continued, flicking his wand, and to Draco's alarm, he found himself being flung aside by an invisible force, landing on the ground feet away from Aurora, "we can still do this."

Draco scrabbled to his feet as Aurora crumpled to a heap on the floor, screaming and writhing with Nova still in her arms.

"NO!" He cried as he dived back to her, grabbing Nova safely in his arms who was now howling fearfully.

"Stop!" He sobbed, trying to both soothe his crying daughter and comfort his tortured wife.

Voldemort flicked his wand, instantly ceasing Aurora's screams.

A hand fell on Draco's shoulder and it took him a moment to realise it was his mother.

"Give her to me, Draco," she said gently, reaching towards Nova.

Not knowing what else to do, he handed his daughter to her, who's cries subsided as his mother cradled her granddaughter to her chest.

He turned his attention back towards Aurora who was gasping for breath in a heap on the ground.

"Aurora," he murmured, gathering his arms around her and pulling her limp body onto his lap.

"Well, isn't this nice." Voldemort spoke as if he was was simply admiring a heart warming family photo.

He grinned fondly at the scene before him, making Draco feel sick with nerves.

"My Lord," Bellatrix said, "shouldn't we use this advantage to get information out of the mother?"

"Clearly Bella, our prisoner is in no fit state to be questioned." He said nodding towards a now completely unconscious Mrs Nova Diggory. "In the meantime, the girl can go in the cellar and wait until we are ready to use her."

Draco clung Aurora tightly to him, fear clutching at his chest.

"And the baby?" Bellatrix spluttered.

"The baby stays with me." His mother said coldly to her sister as she clung Nova to her. "She is my granddaughter and I forbid you to lock her away in a cellar. She is a Malfoy."

"But-" Bellatrix began but was cut off once again by her master.

"Very well, very well," Voldemort said with a lazy flick of his hand. "I've been rather put off trying to kill babies after my last attempt. The baby can remain in your care Narcissa, if that is what you wish."

Draco felt his heart flood with relief. But it was soon short lived as Voldemort clapped his hands.

"Well everyone, it's getting late and I need my beauty sleep. Bella, oversee the locking up of the prisoners. I'll be back in the morning to start the interrogation."

And with that he span on the spot, his robes billowing about him as he strode out of the room, the gathered Death Eaters following him.

"Nova," Aurora choked, seeming to come to, slightly. "My baby."

"She's safe, Aurora, I promise you." Draco soothed her, clutching her tightly to his chest, kissing the top of her head as she clung onto him and wept into his shirt.

He could scarcely believe she was here, in his arms. He never wanted to let her go again. Never wanted to be apart from her for one more second of his life. His beautiful Aurora, his beautiful wife.

But sadly, his aunt had other ideas.

"I've orders Draco. She goes down to the cellar and not a hair will be harmed on that baby's body."

"How dare you threaten my grandchild!" His mother roared across the room. "And in my own home! I will never forgive you for raising a wand to both my son and granddaughter - your flesh and blood Bella! As long as she is in under my roof she will remain safe, or so be it I will no longer call you my sister!"

Draco silently thanked his mother. Thanked her for protecting his daughter without question.

But he knew this wouldn't extend to Aurora.

"Let go of her Draco, she needs to go downstairs." His mother said. "Just be thankful the Dark Lord is sparing her and the child. It's more than we could have hoped for."

He knew she was right.

"Fine! But I'm taking her. No one else touches her." He snarled warningly as Wormtail attempted to approach them.

He helped Aurora to her feet, glaring at everyone as he led her from the room.

"I'm so sorry," Draco choked as they stepped into the cellar, gathering her in his arms again and holding her tightly to him as he buried his face in her hair and wept.

"It's okay, Draco. Just make sure Nova is safe, please," she sobbed.

Sounds of his aunt screeching his name made him look up.

"You'd better go, you mustn't cause them trouble. Go and make sure Nova is safe, please." Aurora implored, looking up at him desperately.

But he couldn't just leave her. It was dark, dank and cold down there. He couldn't do this to her.

And then the door burst open and Yaxley entered, throwing a limp body to the ground by their feet.

It was Aurora's mother.

"Step aside boy, and I'll make this easier." He growled, and to Draco's horror he realised he was carrying chains over his shoulder. "The bloody Dark Lord is going soft in his old age if you ask me. He wants these two to start 'bonding'," Yaxley muttered, shaking his head as he yanked Aurora from his arms and roughly chained her ankle to the wall and tied her wrists together, proceeding to do the same to the mother.

"Draco, I don't understand - who is this woman?" Aurora sobbed, looking bewilderedly up at him.

Draco swallowed. So they hadn't told her.

"I think I'll leave this one up to you," Yaxley declared gruffly, patting Draco roughly on the shoulder. "Good luck, mate."

And with that, Draco was left to explain to his wife that the half dead woman chained up next to her in the cellar of his home was, in fact, her mother.

It had been a long day indeed.