Nobody On My Side

Nobody on My Side

Storm, in the morning light

I feel

No more can I say

Frozen to myself

How can it feel this wrong?

From this moment...

How can it feel this wrong?

I got nobody on my side

And surely that ain't right

Sunlight streamed through the sliding glass doors that lead to the balcony overlooking the ocean as violent waves crashed into the rocks lining the shore. Gradually, Draco returned to consciousness, stirring under his dark green comforter. He opened his eyes, immediately wishing he hadn't. A sharp pain seared through his head, resting somewhere behind his eyes. He quickly shut them tightly. Now that he was awake he couldn't imagine how he had managed to sleep with his body in so much pain. His left arm was throbbing. He gently ran a hand over the sensitive skin of the underside of his arm. The skin was raw and red, the dark mark branded on his arm only the previous night glared at him angrily.

Every muscle in his body was sore, remnants of last night's punishment. He rolled over in bed, pulling the comforter over his head. Breathing deeply as he blinked back tears, he tried to push images from the previous night from his mind. In all his life he had never felt so alone. Harry...

Sensing that he was no longer alone in his room, he tossed the covers back.

Framed in the doorway, bright sunlight shining behind him, and casting his features in shadow stood Severus Snape.

"Severus," Draco murmured, pulling the covers up to his chin and turning his back on the man. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you," Severus replied. His voice was soft, comforting. Draco felt the gentle touch of the older man stroking his hair. "I wanted to talk to you about last night...."

Draco bit his lip. "There's nothing to talk about."

The bed shifted as Severus sat next to him. For a moment he said nothing, and the two sat in silence.

"Please tell me what happened," Severus said quietly.

"Nothing happened," Draco said. Severus didn't reply. Instead, he sat quietly, with his arm laying gently on the young boy's shoulder, waiting for him to go on. "I couldn't do it," Draco said quietly. "I just couldn't do it. I couldn't torture that little boy. And that was my initiation rite. To torture an innocent Muggle...."

Severus laid down on the bed next to Draco, wrapping an arm around his chest. For a moment he just let his head rest against Draco's back.

"Did they hurt you?"

Draco didn't answer; it wasn't necessary. Severus already knew the answer. He knew without looking that Draco's body was covered with dark bruises, which were nothing to the pain inflicted without leaving marks. Draco's shoulders began to shake, and Severus knew he was crying.

"My father...."

"Don't worry about Lucius...."

Draco turned to face him.

"How can I not?! I'm only alive now because of his influence. But he's already made me painfully aware that I am a disgrace to him...he's organized another task for me tonight. And if I don't complete it...he'll kill me himself."

Severus brushed the hair from Draco's eyes. "I won't let him."

Tears fell from Draco's eyes freely now, pooling on the pillow beneath him. "Severus, I don't want to do this anymore. I'm not the person I thought I could be...."

Severus kissed him lightly on the forehead. "That's okay. You only have to be the person you are."

"Yeah, well, the person I am is going to be dead this time tomorrow."

"I told you, I won't let them." He ran his hand along Draco's cheek.

"And how are you going to stop them?"

Severus sat up, turning away from Draco towards the glass doors. A gentle breeze from the open window blew his hair playfully.

"Severus?"

The older man sighed heavily. "There is a hope. It's dangerous, and a most desperate act."

"What?"

Severus reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out a small vial containing a dark blue liquid. The crystal bottle gleamed in the sunlight.

"My latest creation, inspired by a Muggle, actually," Severus said, smiling. "I call it Capulet. Very similar to Draught of Living Death. Just stronger." Severus paused. "No warmth, nor breath shall testify thou livest," he murmured.

"What?"

Severus smiled. "This potion will slow your breath and your heartbeat to the point that it is undetectable. As a result of your slowed circulation, your body will become cold. You will appear as if dead, and remain so for twenty-four hours. After twenty-four hours, you awake, as if from a pleasant sleep. It's dangerous, but if they don't believe you are dead, they will hunt you down--just for daring to defy Him. Take this in the evening, before your father comes for you. He'll find you here, in bed, and believe you are dead. Lucius will have you buried in the Malfoy Mausoleum tomorrow morning. In the evening you'll awaken, and begin your life on the run."

"What if they don't bury me tomorrow morning?"

"They will. Lucius will want to hush up the circumstances surrounding your death, and immediacy will be of the essence"

Draco reached for the bottle, but Severus held back.

"You understand how hard this is going to be? You can't tell anyone. Only you and I can ever know. You can't have contact with anyone who might recognize you, at least not until the end of the war, maybe longer."

Draco nodded. "I understand." Severus handed him the tiny crystal bottle, and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Take care of yourself--be careful," Severus said.

"And you as well."

Severus nodded and stood to leave. "Until we meet again."

~/~/~

The knocking on the door was loud and persistent.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," called Harry as he crossed the room. He opened the door and saw Hermione Granger, looking pale.

"Hermione, what is it? Are you alright?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, flinging her arms around him. "Oh, Harry! I thought you should know...."

"Thought I should know what?" Harry asked. "Hermione, it's okay, calm down. What's the matter?"

She pulled away, staring at him with sad brown eyes. "It's Draco...."

Harry's face paled considerably. "What happened?"

"They--they found his body last night. He took a poison."