The Darkness

The Darkness

Chapter Seven ~ Dream a Little Dream of Me

You wake up in the morning, get something for the pot

Wonder why the sun makes the rocks feel hot

Draw on the walls, eat, get laid

Back in the good old days.

~ Roger Waters (Me or Him ~ Radio K.A.O.S.)

I awoke in a fever

The bedclothes were all soaked in sweat

She said, "You've been having a nightmare

And it's not over yet."

~ Roger Waters (Sexual Revolution ~ The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking)

Hangin' round downtown by myself
And I had so much time
To sit and think about myself
And then there she was
Like double cherry pie
Yeah there she was
Like disco superfly

~ Marcy Playground (Sex and Candy)

~*~

~~In the dream, the tunnel inside the cave was long and the stone beneath his bare feet, cold. He lifted the torch he held in his hand up to the wall and smiled at the primitive art. There were drawings of hunters fighting a great beast, surrounded by the handprints of those who had fought the battle. His hand fit perfectly inside a handprint on the rough surface.

Turning from the pictures of the hunt, he continued his trek. The dark tunnel was beginning to grey as the light from the outside world began to make itself known.

He could hear voices, happy voices, and he followed them with joy. Emerging from the dankness and into the bright sunlight, he smiled at the sea of faces around him. His family, bright eyed and full of wonder. He walked over to the young woman beside the fire and he leaned over and kissed her head.

"Ugg," he said, sitting on the warm stone next to the cave-woman.

She looked at him and smiled. Her mouth opened slowly and she said, "Ronald Weasley! Are you still sleeping? I'm amazed you still have a ruddy job."

He blinked.

The cave-woman, who looked suspiciously like Hermione, shook him and the world began to waver like heat ripples on asphalt.~~

"Wha-what? Shit, did I oversleep again?" He jumped out of bed and raced around, pulling on yesterday's trousers and after quickly smelling it, yesterdays gray jumper.

Hermione watched him with disgust and shook her head; she walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a navy jumper and handed it to the redhead. "Well, if you were wondering, I'm going to St. Mungo's to see the healers. It's been a few days and my stomach hasn't gotten any better. I'll meet you for lunch and tell you what they say."

Pulling off the dirty jumper and replacing it with the clean one, he mumbled a goodbye and by the time he'd pulled his head thru the neck-hole, she was gone. He called out to the empty room, "Guess that means a quickie's out of the question."

Ron gave his image in the mirror a parting glance and then apparated to the Ministry.

~*~

The redhead sat in his office, bored and mindlessly flicking his wand at the darts on his desk, sending them flying up and puncturing a photo of Lucius Malfoy. As the darts approached, the blonde would duck and then make rude gestures at Ron. Sometimes Ron wished the picture was a Muggle photo, so he'd actually be able to hit the smug man. He came very close once, catching Malfoy's long locks as he ducked, it was quite funny.

It was days like this that made him wonder why he bothered to come into the office at all. It was so bad that even the Aurors were bored and had taken to pranking one another. Last he had heard, the Department of International Aurors had just tee-peed the Department for Domestic Aurors. Nymphadora Tonks, being a Domestic, had sent memos to all the men on the floor. She had magically copied pictures of her arse and they were flying around, anonymously. Ron had one fly into his office, obviously hitching a ride in the lift, and he knew whose rear it was immediately. You don't go mooning people all the time and not have a recognizable bum, even if it was a bum you could morph.

He had also been rudely awakened from his post-breakfast pre-lunch nap. Pellbrooke, the ponce from supply, walked in and yelled, "SPIDERS!" It seemed that everyone who went to Hogwarts knew about his fear of spiders. Ron had fallen from his chair and bumped his head hard on the wall behind him. He hated that swotty bastard.

Just as he was about to give up on darts and see if he could pull in another quick nap, his office door opened and Hermione's head popped in. "Ron, I know I'm early, but are you busy? I really need to talk to you." Her cheeks were wet with tears and her eyes were red rimmed. Her peaches and cream complexion was blotchy and her nose was pink from being blown. Obviously, she must have horrible news.

He stood and almost fell trying to get to her. "Come in, is everything alright?" he asked, and she shook her head as he took her arm and led her to his desk chair. Kneeling before her he took her hands. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

She looked into his open blue eyes and began to cry again. Her head came down into the crook of his neck and her shoulders shook terribly. "I'm so sorry, Ron. I never meant for this to happen. I don't know what went wrong. I-I'm so sorry."

He pushed her back so he could look into her face. "Hermione, tell me what happened? Is Harry alright? My mum? Tell me!" he demanded.

She felt her voice catch as she whispered, "I ruined your life."

Ron's eyebrows knit together as he became increasingly worried and confused. "Did you?" She nodded, mutely. He then asked, "How?"

Without warning, she stood up and began to pace back and forth, ranting like a madwoman. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were supposed to have careers and then buy a house and get married. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. It was planned and...and..." she whirled around to face him, "...I had lists and timelines." She continued her pacing, her hands worrying a handkerchief that Ron was all too glad wasn't him. "I had my dress picked out and your mum and my mum...oh Merlin, what will they say?" She then collapsed into a pile on the floor and buried her face into her hands. "I'm so sorry, Ron. I understand if you hate me."

Ron was even more confused. He rushed over to her crumpled form on the floor and pulled her close. He stroked her hair, hair that she had learned to tame into lovely curls, but had now taken on the look of their first year. It made him want to smile, but he suppressed it. He rocked her slowly, "Hermione, please tell me why I'd hate you. Because all that anal stuff you just mentioned, well, I already knew about it and it didn't scare me. So unless you killed one of my family, I don't and I won't hate you." He held her in relative silence and then added, "Was it Percy? 'Cause I may not mind since I'm still ticked off at him for his rot our fifth year."

He felt her snicker and he lifted her chin to look into her eyes. What she said next floored him, but made him the happiest man alive. "Ron, I'm pregnant."

~*~

~~"Where are we?"

"It's your dream, Potter. You tell me."

"Well...it's warm and we're surrounded by darkness. No clue."

"Not surprised."

"Malfoy?"

"Potter?"

"Was that your hand on my arse?"

"Was that your arse on my hand?"

"I asked you first."

"I answered."

...

"Potter?"

"Hmmm, Malfoy?"

"Are those your lips on my mouth?"

"Is that your mouth on my lips?"

"Fair enough."

"Mmmm."

"Having fun, are we?"

"Ginny?" Harry woke up, his body covered in a luminescent sheen of sweat. His breathing was heavy as he grabbed for his glasses. "Wha-what are you doing here?"

There was a red glow in the darkness, it emanated from behind her head, making her hair burn like fire. She sat at the end of his bed, smoothing her skirt with small pale hands. "Well, I came to see if you missed me." She motioned to the other bed in the room, "Apparently not."

"Gin, of course I miss you. Why do you think I..." she cut him off with a lift of her hand.

"Please, Harry, don't. I am pretty sure that if you are having dreams where you snog Malfoy, you don't miss me all that much." Her voice was soft, yet undeniably cold. "You haven't even been trying to find my murderer. You are just so happy that I'm out of your life, you can move onto the blonde and forget about me." She had risen from her seat and was advancing on him. He involuntarily felt his body push back into the headboard. She saw this and her face turned into a scowl. "See, you cower from me even now."

His emerald eyes were wide and he was praying she didn't touch him. He felt that if his dead wife touched him, he'd slowly lose control. He could imagine her cold dead hands and he knew that in the morning they'd find him curled up in a corner, pissing and drooling on himself.

She came up close, but thankfully did not touch him. "Find the ones responsible, Harry. Find them and make things right. They have something of mine and I cannot find peace until it's returned. You will not find peace until you do." She moved back, almost gliding away from him.

He tried to get out of the bed but found his sheets had become his bindings. "I...I can't get up." He looked at her with panic in his eyes.

"Harry love, you aren't awake yet." She smiled, and it was cruel and vicious.

"Dreaming?" He had thought this was real.

"No, not a dream," her vicious smile turned almost hungry as she held his eyes with her own. It felt like all the fear in his stomach was being pulled thru that gaze. "You've been having a nightmare. And it's not over yet." Her slender arm lifted and pointed to Draco's bed.

At first, Harry didn't notice what she was showing him. In the crimson light, everything looked to be bathed in blood. Then it dawned on him, Draco was bathed in blood. His stomach fell into his feet and he turned away, looking down, not able to even look at Ginny. What he saw made his stomach lurch. His hands and clothes and bare chest were covered in blood. In his hand was a gold dagger, the hilt carved with symbols that looked vaguely familiar. "I...I did that?"

He looked up and Ginny was gone and so was his room and so was Draco...

The darkness had returned.~~

He sat up, gasping for air as if he'd been underwater for a prolong period of time. Looking around at his environment, he was suddenly confused. He wasn't in his room, nor was he even in the small chamber he shared with Draco. No, he was in Snape's office and...he looked down at the pressure on his hip...Draco was sleeping on him.

Careful so he wouldn't wake the blonde, he stood up. The feeling of Draco's limp sleeping form, made his stomach lurch for real. He quickly checked his pulse and felt relief at the steady thrumming he felt under his finger as he pressed it to Draco's pale neck. Then just as swiftly, he ran to the bathroom and vomited.

Returning from the loo, he was wiping his wet face on his sleeve when he spotted the note in his shoe. He lifted it and read it, scowling. "Don't worry Harry, Snape won't return. He won't find out...my arse!" He crinkled up the bit of parchment and threw it on the couch beside Draco. Slipping on his shoes, he headed for their chamber and made a bee-line for the shower.

~*~

Draco had awoken to find himself in the cold office, alone. He found the crumpled note and laughed out loud. Harry must be mad, ah well.

He stood up and grabbed his things, cleaning up the room and leaving it as they had found it. He didn't want to make Snape dislike him any more than he already did, so he made a point of tidying up the room. Though, it did annoy him that Harry had left him to do all the menial labor.

He finished and trudged up to his chamber and headed up the stairs to his bed. He was surprised to not find Harry, only a note.

~D,

Went out.

H~

Draco's eyebrows raised in confusion. "Well, that was...short." Sometimes he just didn't understand Harry. For someone who wore his emotions on his sleeve, he was quite difficult to read when it came to his spontaneous moments. The blonde gathered his things and headed for a shower. He turned on the water and looked at his body in the mirror, analyzing his physique.

"Look at that body. Who wouldn't want me? I'm handsome and rich and artistic. I do tragic brooding really well. Maybe, not as good as Harry does tragic brooding, but I'd say a definite number two. Why...why do I insist on fawning over the Boy-Who-Bloody-Lived-To-Haunt-My-Dreams?" He turned from his nude image and stepped into the hot steamy shower. The water falling over his sore muscles felt wonderful. "Note to self, do not use Harry's hip as a pillow, too damn bony." He ran his hand over his own hip, enjoying the feel of the bone that jutted out. "Guess I shouldn't complain." He soaped his body and enjoyed the silky feel under his hands as they slid over his skin.

He didn't hear the door to the bathroom open. He didn't hear the whispered voices. He definitely didn't expect to feel a pair of hands run over his back as he attempted to rinse the soap off of his face. "What the?"

He spun around to see a familiar dark haired form before him. He rolled his eyes and couldn't help but smile as he spotted a shadow pass across the curtain. "Blaise, would you and Pansy like to join me?"

"I thought you'd never ask," the now naked blonde called from the other side of the curtain as she entered the shower behind Blaise.

Draco couldn't help but react to her beauty, Pansy had a wonderful body. He turned away from the naked pair. "So, why are you two here, interrupting my shower? What if I had someone in here with me? What if I was indulging in a bit of self-love?"

Blaise smiled, his brown eyes glittered mischievously. "I rather believe we'd have to crash that party and possibly help with the festivities." He reached down and grabbed the loofa.

~*~

After Harry took his shower, he decided he wanted to be alone and think about his dream. He couldn't understand why Ginny was being so vicious towards him. He loved her and he wanted to help her, but he had no idea where to begin.

Harry had floo'ed to Diagon Alley and he wandered the shops, just thinking and trying to make sense of everything. Why would I kill Draco? Even in my dream? I don't hate him. Granted, he's a prat who has crap taste in friends and even worse taste in candy, ugh blood lollies. But I wouldn't hurt him, even when I hated him. None of it made sense to the raven haired man.

He found himself walking into The Leaky Cauldron. Instantly, he was hit with the delicious smells of the special of the day and Harry was suddenly painfully aware that he hadn't had breakfast. "Hullo, Tom," he called. "What's the special today?"

"Chicken soup, wanna bowl?" The barkeep yelled back, over the crowd by the bar.

"Sounds lovely, Tom. I'll take a butterbeer with that." He smiled at the older man and headed over to a table in a dark corner.

After a minute, Tom brought over a steaming hot bowl of soup and a butterbeer. "Here ya go Harry." He then placed a basket of bread next to the soup. "Let me know if you need anythin' else."

Harry smiled, "Will do, Tom."

Tom left him and he proceeded to eat the noodles from the soup. He realized that there was only one single carrot in the bowl, which he proceeded to push back and forth. Lonely little carrot, he thought, all alone in this big bowl. I know exactly how you feel.

"Harry? Harry Potter?"

Harry looked up, pulling himself out of his pathetic thoughts, to see a face from his past. Her dark hair hung like a black curtain behind her shoulders and her smile was just as he remembered it. "Cho?"

He stood up to greet her and she threw her arms around him, immediately bursting into tears. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry. I know you loved her. I completely understand what it feels like. I mean, when...C-Cedric...oh..." She squeezed him tightly.

Harry was in shock as this woman wept on his shoulder. He slowly patted her back in an uncomfortable manner. Why is it every time I'm near her she turns into a human hose-pipe? "It's...it's okay Cho. I'm actually dealing quite well. Ron and Hermione have been wonderful and...Draco...has been there." Yeah, Potter. Draco Malfoy has been there, but now you're having dreams where you kill him; you deserve to be alone.

She pulled away, her face red from embarrassment. She hadn't cried over Cedric in years, nor had she thought of him. "I'm sorry Harry, I...I feel like such a fool."

He smiled, shaking his head. "Don't worry, it's fine." Pulling out a chair he offered her a seat. "So what have you been up to? Last I heard you were playing Quidditch in the States.

She smiled, her dark eyes glistening from the fading tears. "Yeah, I was seeker in Texas for the Sweetwater All-Stars, I only just returned to England, now I referee for different teams. I heard that you breed Hippogriffs. Too bad you didn't turn to Quidditch." She reached out and touched his arm, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. "I but it's not too late. I could probably get you a job with the Cannons; they could use a good player." She smirked; the Cannons still sucked horribly, much to Ron's displeasure.

He smiled politely, "That's okay. I'm not sure I want to be back in the public eye. And you and I both know that saving the Cannons is cause for Saint-hood." He joked, but in reality he knew he couldn't play Quidditch for many other reasons. His fame being one, he felt that his scar would once again dictate his fame, regardless of his skills.

Cho chuckled and they both lapsed into silence. It was thick with anticipation. He had liked her so much, once. She fancied him, but it was her memories of Cedric that always stopped her.

"Erm..." Harry began at the same time as Cho said, "Ummm.."

"You first," he said, smiling at the pretty girl. She was still amazingly beautiful, he noted.

She smiled, "I was just wondering if maybe you would like to...um...well, maybe go out sometime?" Roses began to bloom on her cheeks.

Harry grinned, "I was just about to ask you the same thing. What are you doing tonight?"

Instantly her eyes brightened, "I'm free tonight, where would you like to go?"

"There's that club in Knockturn Alley, what's the name? Black Ice. I hear it's hot." He smiled, he actually felt excited about the prospects of a date. Then he felt the familiar guilt, but he couldn't place it with his guilt over Ginny.

She stood up, "Great. It's a...date."

Harry stood up and held out his hand to shake but then realized that two people who go on dates should at least hug, so he pulled her toward him and hugged her. He could feel her arms encircling his waist and it felt...nice...odd...wrong...

He really wasn't sure, but he once again pushed the feelings aside as he watched her leave the Cauldron, he then returned to staring blankly at his lunch until his soup was cold.

~*~

"You're pregnant?" Ron was stunned. He felt his face pull into the largest smile he had ever smiled. Hermione nodded and Ron pulled her close and kissed her. "Oh Merlin," he placed a hand on her lower stomach. "My baby?"

Hermione nodded again and this time he held her so tight to him, she could feel tears hitting her neck. She pulled away and saw tears streaming his face. "Ron, are you okay?" she asked, brushing a tear from his cheek. "You're crying."

Reaching up and using the sleeve on his jumper he wiped his wet face. "I'm happy."

She cocked her head to the side, "Happy?"

He pulled her close once again and rocked her slowly. "Ginny is dead, Harry went mad and Malfoy is acting human. It's the end of the world and I was beginning to imagine I could hear horse-hooves heralding the apocalypse. This..." he kissed her forehead and put his hand back on her abdomen. "...this is the hope I'd been wishing for."

Hermione looked into his blue eyes and smiled. "Ron, are you sure? I mean, this isn't what we planned and..."

He cut her off. "Hermione, life isn't always planned. Sometimes it just happens. Did Ginny plan on dying? Did Harry ask to lose his parents? No, they didn't. But I did plan on being happy with you, and you've made me so very happy."

"But Ron, we aren't even married." Hermione whispered, her voice still thick with tears.

Ron laughed, "Hermione, have you ever realized that my parents have only been married for thirty-two years and Bill is thirty-three?"

"Are you saying?" Her chocolate eyes grew large with surprise. He nodded his head, slowly. "Well, that didn't stop them from continuing." She began to giggle.

Ron thought the sound was music to his ears. He hated it when she cried; he'd rather have her yelling at him than see her cry. An idea struck him and he lifted her chin so he could gaze into her face. "Let's go get married, right now. They don't need me here and besides, tomorrow night is Dumbledore's party. We could slip away and be back before they notice we are even gone."

"But Ron, your mum and my mum, they've been waiting for our wedding for so long. What will they think?" She said, her voice almost panicky, but Ron recognized the look in her eyes. It was one he loved; it meant the wheels were turning.

"They will be relieved." He placed yet another kiss on her forehead.

She just sat there looking into his face. Her mind was rolling, thinking of what their child would look like and she smiled. "We could go to the States and get married in Vegas."

Ron's smile widened as he held her. "Brilliant, you are just brilliant. Let's go right now."

~*~

Harry met Cho and they entered the bar, taking a seat at a table near the stage. Tonight the feature was a band called the Hinkypunk Hellcats. Harry had never heard of them, but they weren't that bad...if you liked music that sounded like you took said Hinkypunk and fed it to said Hellcat...then beat the Hellcat with a stick.

When the hostess, a pretty golden blonde called Summers had brought them their drinks, Cho commented. "This place is great, I can't believe I've never been here before."

"Yeah, me either. Though, I hear it has a bit of a reputation." He had heard that Death Eaters would frequent the place during the war, but they weren't in a war at the present time.

"Do you want to dance? Everyone else seems to be at least enjoying that aspect of this music." She joked.

He felt a bit nervous, his stomach did a quick flip flop, but he stood up and took her hand and led her to the dance floor. They began to dance and Harry realized that he hadn't had such a good time in forever. They laughed and joked and it was...nice. He'd forgotten how much he really did enjoy her company...she was great.

Returning to their seat for a drink, Harry was beaming. He hadn't been dancing in years; He and Ginny hadn't been out on a date together since...he couldn't remember. "That was so much fun it should be illegal," he said, getting close to her ear so she could hear him over the loud music.

She turned to say something at the same time and they were suddenly very close...too close.

Cho leaned in slightly and Harry followed suit, their lips brushing lightly. This was nicer than Harry had remembered, less tears, but something was wrong. He felt that something was missing...but he couldn't place it. Though, that didn't stop him from slowly exploring her mouth with his tongue as she teasingly did the same.

~*~

After the group grope in the shower, where much giggling and very little actual sex occurred, the trio dressed and primped. Somewhere between the loofa-ing of Blaise and the rinsing of Pansy, they had decided to go out dancing.

Of course, after they took a quick nap.

They all took forever to get dressed, being three very high-maintenance people. Pansy was wearing her usual black clothing, short and tight, her make-up dark and seductive. Blaise and Draco wore black silk trousers but Blaise wore a metallic silver short sleeved shirt while Draco wore a red silk button-down.

They sauntered down the street with Draco in the middle, arms linked, looking as if they just graduated from Hogwarts and were free at last. Draco had candy in his mouth and it was beginning to turn his lips red.

"Since when did you start eating blood lollies?" Pansy said, with disgust.

Draco smiled, "Since forever, you're just not that observant. Harry's known forever." He smiled, thinking of Harry. He missed him, but he needed to go and have fun with his 'family'. Besides, the twit hadn't returned home for Draco to ask to join them anyway.

Blaise snorted, "Well it's just disgusting, but at least it makes your mouth look...delicious."

"Back off Blaise, let the man get drunk before you try to seduce him." Pansy retorted, pinching the dark haired man on the rear.

He rubbed his sore bum and glared at her. "You like to tease, but you never put out."

The two blondes stopped to stare at Blaise, then they all burst out laughing...

"Me? Not put out? What planet do you live on, Zabini?" She grabbed him about the neck and kissed his cheek. "You are too funny."

Draco, who had begun to lag behind, ran and grabbed the two. "Is this a private dance or can three play?" He jumped onto Blaise's back and the dark haired man gave him a ride the rest of the way to the club, with Pansy randomly smacking both of them on the arse.

They entered Black Ice and Blaise and Pansy stopped in their tracks, duel looks of shock on their faces. Draco had yet to notice as he was too busy yelling drink orders to the bartender from his loft atop Blaise.

He nudged Zabini with his heels, "Giddyap, horsy...onto the next free table we ride." Then he too stopped in his tracks, seeing what his companions were gawping at.

Harry kissing...Cho Chang.

Draco pushed to get off Blaise and threw his lollypop as he ran out the door.

~*~

At the sound of a familiar voice ordering drinks, Harry still didn't stop. This was really nice and Cho's kissing had improved so much since their awkward fumbling back in his fifth year.

Suddenly a half eaten blood lolly flew and hit their table, causing Harry to look up just in time to see Draco running out of the club and the looks of horror on the faces of Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson.

"Shit!" He stood up, running to the door.

Cho looked confused and tried to follow, "Harry wait!"

He ignored her and pushed past the angry faces of the two former Slytherin.

"Draco...DRACO!" He called as he ran down the empty street. Draco had already disappeared.

Harry turned to head back toward the club to get his jacket and to see if he could find out if Zabini and Parkinson could tell him what was wrong. He couldn't understand why he felt guilty, or why Draco had run away. All he knew was he felt like dog shit and he wanted to talk to his friend.

He approached the club; Pansy was standing outside with his jacket in his hands. "You're a dick!" She threw his jacket and punched Harry in the face and he knew it would become a black eye by morning.

"What the?" He held his ground, he wouldn't hit a woman. Grabbing his jacket, he could see Blaise telling Cho to leave, pointing to the fireplace. Cho did so; unquestioningly after Zabini said something to her...she looked crestfallen.

"Will someone explain to me what's going on?" Harry cried, his eye now swelling shut.

Pansy became even more annoyed, "If you don't know, then you deserve to be in the dark. He deserves someone more observant then you, Potter. I don't even know why you are...or was that...were...friends. Stay away from him, because if you hurt him again, by Merlin, I swear I'll kill you myself." She then ran back into the club and grabbing Zabini floo'ed off.

Harry was alone, confused and feeling like shit, again, he disapparated to Grimmauld. He didn't like being there, but he knew he wouldn't be welcome in his chambers.

~*~

Draco had run into the nearest shop and floo'ed back his chambers in the castle. He jumped into his bed and began to...cry. He tried to stop himself, Malfoy's don't cry, but his world had fallen apart. He knew he should have returned to Manhattan. He would collect his things and return in the morning.

Soon after, Pansy and Blaise appeared and again they were in bed together, this time Draco in the middle.

"He doesn't deserve you," Blaise hissed softly.

Pansy was slowly smoothing down Draco's hair, "Shhh, baby. If it makes you feel better, I think it is gonna take more then a few spells and potions to heal the shiner I gave him."

Draco did chuckle, but his heart hurt too much. "Damnit! Does this mean I love that bastard? I love him and he kissed that...that Quidditch tart!" He felt his chest hitch as he sobbed, "Gods, this hurts so much. Merlin! No one told me that this would hurt...ughh!" He wailed, the tears slowing, but the pain not relenting. He knew now why his father never acted in love with his mother. He never was. Malfoys never allow such weakness as love, because love hurt terribly and caused this wreck of a human that he'd become.

Silence in the room was only broken by the soft snoring coming from Draco and Blaise. Pansy stayed awake only long enough to make sure the boys were sleeping and she put out the final candle and closed her eyes, trying to figure out of how she'd be able to fix Draco's broken heart.