Revenge and Rebirth

The blank-eyed corpse that held what was left of Voldemort's soul fixed glassy pupils on the frail, slender figure in front of him..

"Crucio!"

Narcissa screamed and collapsed. He let her writhe for a short few seconds, then strode to her and seized her face, his fingers digging into her soft skin as he half-dragged her up. She scrambled to get her hands under her, gasping violently.

"You are not as strong as your sister. I will try to be...gentle with you." The inhuman eyes fixed on hers, but the voice came from a stone basin in the center of the room. A mist sat on the basin's surface and drifted over the edges.

"But I want you to understand your place, Narcissa. Draco is now mine, and you are no longer significant in any way except as a means of strengthening my control over him. Should he cease to serve me at any time, you--and he--would immediately become redundant. There would be no reason for your lives to continue. Do you understand?"

Narcissa's mouth twitched, she made an aimless little movement with her hand and laughed softly. Something glimmered behind the corpse's milky, faded whites.

"Do not think you can escape me by fleeing reality. I can cause you more pain in madness than I could ever inflict on your sane mind. And as long as you are alive, your mental state will not affect Draco's desire to keep you alive."

Narcissa's chin lifted slightly, she pressed a hand to her mouth and looked him squarely in the eyes.

"You needn't worry about me." She rose abruptly and went to the door. Some thought stopped her, she turned to face him again, her thin face proud.

"I hope you realize that my hus--" Her voice broke, she swallowed and jutted her chin out.

"--my son will make you suffer for this."

A cackle of amusement floated from the shimmering basin. Narcissa, her every nerve clenched for the expected punishment, staggered perceptibly. She felt the blood creep into her cheeks. As always, he found the cruelest possible way to discipline his slaves. It was ludicrous that two purebloods bearing the impeccable name of Malfoy should be intimidated by the thing hiding in that basin. Ludicrous, ridiculous, like the stupid, half-witted bewilderment on Lucius' face the second before he died. Narcissa's fists clenched.

"If you didn't have an army of Inferi outside this cave..."

The corpse made an impatient gesture at her. Narcissa turned back, straightening herself, and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

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Draco looked up to see his mother sway and collapse, her eyes rolling up in her head. He crossed the short distance between them in one stride and caught her.

"Mother?" There was no fear in his voice, only weariness and resignation. She lay unmoving in his arms. Moving with a deliberate grace and lack of haste, he laid her on the bed and moved his hand over her face, muttering an incantation.

Draco's half-closed eyes met hers when they opened. She gasped and sat upright on the bed.

"Steady, mum." Draco's voice held no emotion, and his hands grasped her shoulders with reassuring strength. Narcissa's lip trembled.

"Draco, he...he'll kill us both. I don't know what we can do."

"We'll do whatever he wants. Whatever it takes."

Narcissa shook her head violently and pushed his hands away.

"No! That's how all this happened! He won't stop, Draco--he won't stop until we're all dead. He's a madman. We have to think of something. We have to destroy him, before--before there's nothing left." Her voice trembled dangerously on the last words.

Draco pulled her to him and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"We'll think of something. We've got each other, anyway. That's a lot."

He forced a dry swallow and chuckled, emptiness replacing mirth.

" You and I facing off with Voldemort--after all, it's two against one, if you think about it."

Narcissa gave a little choking laugh that broke in the middle. She buried her face against Draco's neck and sobbed, feeling all the strength and fear drain out of her.

Draco sat, looking down at his mother's sleeping form. His mind whirled with weariness, but one image remained solidly in place, a single vivid flash of a man in black robes, his wand moving with the grace and energy of a conductor's baton, the beauty of pure skill in every movement. That was how he had died, consumate master of his abilities and his self, controlled and contained, casting spells with almost bored precision, right up to the moment two words shattered the darkness behind him and a green blaze of light took him forever. Draco had always admired his professor's poise and arrogance, and did his best to emulate them, but he had never been able to find the necessary coldness in himself, the purity of purpose and thought that his father and Snape had always wanted him to show.

Ironic, that it was my father's wand that killed him. And then Voldemort killed my father anyway. What fools they all were.

Draco lifted one hand and flexed his fingers. Narcissa stirred slightly and moaned in her sleep. Draco thought of the screams he had heard from behind the closed door and his hand fell to caress his mother's hair. He'd stood, motionless, with Voldemort's words in his ears, and listened to her scream. Not even a tremor in him afterwards, either. A throb of excitement coursed through him, followed by a sudden, inexplicable horror as the coldness of the power in him spread like ice through his veins. He shuddered and closed his eyes.

I'm getting stronger every day. I think I could do it now, if I only had the chance.

Narcissa sighed and reached up for his hand. He wrapped her hand in both of his, then uncovered it and kissed it gently.

I could never do it for Father. Maybe I never really wanted to. But I'll do it for you. I'll save us both. I'm only sorry it took me so long.

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Draco looked into the Muggle child's terrified eyes. He spoke aloud, knowing Voldemort's reduced spirit lacked the strength to enter his mind.

"I've brought the Mu--what you asked for. Will she do?"

The water in the basin shivered and hissed.

"She will do. Kill her!"

I don't buy his lies. I don't hate you. There's no other way, that's all. No other way. Draco didn't know quite why, but even that small rebellion seemed vitally important.

"Please don't hurt me!" The little girl struggled helplessly against the binding spell. Something in Draco quivered, to his surprise and disgust; he'd thought he was past that. But his wand hand held steady, at least. He raised his hand.

"Please!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

The force of Voldemort's invasion sent him writhing to the floor, one hand clenching mindlessly in the dead child's clothing. For one agonized moment doubt and fear seized his heart, clutched at his throat. His mother's words floated in the back of his mind.

We'll outlast him, Draco. I've done it for years, I should know how. We just have to stay strong inside. That's the only way to survive. He'll weaken, we just have to give it time.

The pain subsided fractionally. Draco dragged himself up and smoothed his robes.

There is no time. This is the only way. You'll see, Mother.