Draco could feel his heart twist as he watched Aurora disappear through the door.

He hated that he couldn't go with her, that he had to somehow survive this battle alone; as a Death Eater who didn't want his own side to win.

Because his side was always with Aurora's.

And he had little doubt that he was going to survive this.

He looked around, wondering what he should do. Deciding to head towards the Great Hall, he swivelled on the spot and headed in that direction.

When he arrived, he bumped into Blaise amongst the panicked students.

"Drac, dude," Blaise said, "where's Aurora? Cho said she came with Potter."

"I just sent her back through the Room of Requirement,"

The look Blaise gave him filled Draco with a cold horror.

"Dude, tell me you're joking?" Blaise spluttered. "I overheard Crabbe and Goyle say they're going in there to look for Potter."

"When?!" Draco asked, feeling his chest tighten uneasily.

"Could have been about twenty minutes ago, I don't know, man, but they looked hungry for something."

Draco turned on the spot, his heart pounding dangerously as he headed back up towards the seventh floor, Blaise hot on his heels.

Draco could murder himself, he should have gone in with her and made sure she actually got through safely. What had he been thinking?!

He stormed through the door that was still there. And was shocked to see it was the Room he had conjured to fix the Vanishing Cabinet in.

Of all the fucking rooms, he cursed. It was the one where anything was impossible to find, including Aurora.

He resisted the temptation to call out her name; knowing that if Crabbe and Goyle were in here, then it would be best that he kept his presence quiet.

He kept his mother's wand poised, with Blaise by his side as together they navigated their way carefully through the piles of junk, listening out for any sounds.

He and Blaise looked at each other as they heard voices up ahead; shouting, and then the sounds of bangs.

Without a word, they both sped towards the commotion, Draco's heart in his throat as they neared.

But before they could get to the source of the noise; a great big fire ball shaped like a dragon swooped low before them, setting alight a whole row of shelves.

"We need to get out of here, man!" Blaise cried, stepping back as he pulled Draco with him.

But then Draco heard a scream; a scream that had come from the other side of the wall of flames; a scream that made his stomach turn to liquid.

It was Aurora.

*****

"Well, lookie what we have here then,"

A wand jabbed painfully in my neck.

Crabbe's greedy face was leering into mine as Goyle roughly pulled me to his side, keeping his wand poised.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady but fear causing it to tremble.

"Potter," Goyle hissed in my ear, "and we know you know where he is."

"I have no idea!" I said truthfully, "I just want to get out of here and go home to my baby."

"You'll be reunited with your little halfbreed soon enough," Crabbe snarled, taking a step closer to me, "once you show us where Potter is."

"I just told you - I have no idea!" I cried, wincing painfully as Goyle jabbed his wand in deeper into my neck.

My heart was thudding horribly in my chest, I tried to think what to do. Goyle was restraining my wrists so I couldn't reach in my pocket and grab my wand.

A sound from off in the distance made us all look up.

"Think we may have found him after all," Crabbe grinned, "bring her along Goyle, we could use her."

Goyle roughly dragged me with him as we headed in the direction of the sound.

Mountains of various junk surrounded us as we slowly walked up aisle after aisle. I tried to call out a warning to whoever was in the room, but Goyle was gagging me with his hand.

And then there was Harry, reaching for an old looking tiara. Hope fluttered in my chest. He had found the last Horcrux.

"Hold it, Potter," Crabbe snarled, pointing his wand at Harry's back.

Harry span around, shock making his eyes grow wide.

"What the... Aurora?" He spluttered as he took the scene in.

"Come with us now, Potter, or the girl dies." Goyle hissed, releasing his hand from my mouth to jab his wand back in my neck.

"Don't do it, Harry," I panted breathlessly, fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins. He was so close to destroying Voldemort. Draco and Nova could have a future, and I knew, without a doubt, that I would die for them.

But Harry hesitated, looking from me to Crabbe's wand. "You're bluffing," he sneered.

"Oh you reckon do you?" Goyle hissed, just as Hermione came bounding around the corner.

"Harry? What-"

But she was cut off by a flash of green light issuing from Crabbe's wand, missing her by millimetres.

"What the fuck?!" Ron roared, who had appeared behind her. "I'm going to fucking kill you for that Crabbe!"

And then wand light was suddenly everywhere as Ron, Harry and Crabbe started duelling. Goyle kept a tight hold of me, his wand not leaving my neck.

And then there was fire. Fire everywhere.

Goyle finally released me, throwing me into a large pile of furniture which, to my utter horror, tottered and collapsed on top of me.

I desperately covered my head as hard object upon hard object landed heavily and painfully onto me. When it eventually stopped, I tried to look up but I couldn't see anything except for hundreds of askew table legs which pinned me to the ground. I tried to move but the weight on me was too heavy. I couldn't even move my arm to reach for my wand.

"HELP!" I cried, but I barely made a sound above the noise of the crackling fire around me.

No one seemed to be making an attempt to rescue me. I didn't know if Harry, Ron or Hermione had seen Goyle fling me before he had run off with Crabbe.

So with all my effort, I screamed. I screamed until I could no longer make a sound as the smoke started to choke me.

And then I started crying, because this was how I was going to die.

I would never see my beautiful daughter again, never see her walk or talk, or grow up to be a fierce, strong witch. "I'm so sorry darling," I sobbed. "I let you down."

And I would never see my white-blond haired Slytherin again, the boy who captured my heart from the first moment I saw him. His silver grey eyes would never twinkle in mine again, and never more would his strong arms envelop me into his fierce embrace.

"I love you, Draco," I wept.

And then the darkness came.