Draco’s POV

Just open me up and see that my heart has been stitched together over a dozen times. I still have pieces that are missing. The largest had been recently put back into place. Courtney. Just knowing she’s alive has given me more than half of it back. There are some pieces that will never be put back together, and it’s all because of the choices that I’ve made. Well, that and what others have decided before me.

Blaise was in pieces as well. Not as many as me, but still broken. He had been married to a woman that he would never love. He didn’t even know whether or not that he would ever see the one that he did love ever again. That’s one battle that I know can be won with time.

“I just want to be okay,” Blaise sighed as he opened the door to reveal Snape standing on the other side. “Professor Snape.”

He gave a curt nod to his student. “I would say congratulations, but I don’t believe they are in order.”  

“Thanks though,” Blaise nodded. “So, what brings you up here, sir?”

“I have come to check to see if Draco has packed his bags,” his gaze fell upon me with a small smile. “Well?”

I shook my head. “I just now read your letter, sir.”

“It’s perfectly fine, Draco. Just pack now. We’ll be leaving as soon as Blaise takes his bride back to his house,” Snape reached out and clapped his hand on Blaise’s shoulders. “Fret not, Mr. Zambini. This Death Eater knows that the battle can be won. Whether with the heart or a greater evil, we all will triumph in the end.”

Blaise smiled. “Thanks, Professor. I really needed to hear that.”

“Now, go on down and do what is expected of you. Draco and I will save you and the woman that you love. Just know that everything will be just fine.”

I smiled as he hugged Blaise. It was great to see that someone actually cared in the time that we actually needed it. I knew that my mother cared although she didn’t show it as often as she needed to. My father was a different story. He never seemed to really care, always digging the tear on my heart even bigger. The only person to actually show that she loved me, really loved me was and is Courtney. Nothing can ever change how I feel about her. I was a broken man with a paper heart until she came into my life. She jump started my heart. She made me feel alive again. She made me be who I really am. So, I’m not going to take that forgranted. Snape was right. We were going to put everything back together again. I was not going to let the good out of my life. I had enough with the bad. It had defined my whole life until Courtney showed up last year. I thought I would never see her ever again. Well, not without seeing her as a filthy blood traitor otherwise known as a Gryffindor.

She is my heart.

I was going to fix it.

I was going to hold her in my arms again.

I was going to be whole again.

Everything was going to be right with the world.

No more pain. No more sorrow.

Just me and Courtney. Nothing else matters.

“Draco,” Snape called after Blaise had gone downstairs, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Hurry,” was all that he said before following my best mate downstairs back to the hell that had become our lives.

I had no idea what his plan was, but I trusted that man with every fiber of my being. He was the reason that I believed so deeply in Courtney and I. He’s the reason why I woke up and realized that I was endangering her. My love would’ve been her downfall. It would’ve been my downfall. Just like it was Snape’s.

“Honey,” came my mother’s voice as I was pulling clothes out of my drawers. “I know that I haven’t been there for you since…” she paused and gulped, looking as if she might cry. “I’ve never really been there for you, have I? I’m such a poor excuse for a mother.”

I shook my head and threw the clothes into my trunk. I quickly closed the distance between us and put my arms around my mother, something that I hadn’t done for a long time. She automatically put her arms around my middle and clung tight. I kissed the top of her head and sighed.

“You have done the best you can with what you’ve been given,” I whispered into her hair. “You are not a horrible mother.”

“But I am,” she sobbed into my chest. “I stayed with your father even after he hit you.”

“It was because of the alcohol that –“

She shook her head. “That might have been, but once he picked up the bottle, I should’ve left him. It only starting with smacks but it grew into something more. He stayed loyal. He stayed loyal and now look at you,” she pulled away and lifted her hand to my cheek. “You’re broken.”

“Mum, I’ll be-“

 “Okay?” she finished the sentence for me. “How will you be okay? You have a terrible mother, an even worse father, a man who is controlling your life, and a dead love. You’re broken, Draco, and I could’ve stopped it all.”

“Mum, listen-“

“I could’ve stopped all of this. Not only would I have saved your life,” she caressed my cheek in her cold hand, tears streaking her face. “I could’ve saved Courtney.”

“Mum, Courtney-“

“Was the most important person in your life. I know that,” her voice cracked as she pulled away from me and look at the floor. “She had always been the most important person to you. I saw if from the first day you saw her and especially after you started your sixth year. She’s the girl you were destined to marry.”

I sighed. “Mum, I’ll-“

“Marry someone else? Find someone else?” she shook her head. “Courtney was one in a million. She is – was – the only person that could fully understand you, and she’s gone. Not even I can understand you, Draco. I can’t even make you happy. She did.”

“Mum, she’s not dead!” I finally screamed, my voiced cracking terribly.

“What did you just say?” she asked, looking up into my eyes.

“She’s not dead. She’s alive, mum.”

She shook her head. “Bella said-“

“Bellatrix lied, mum! Merlin’s beard, your sister has always lied to you, mum. You just haven’t seen it yet. She’s crazy, a lunatic. Her only goal is to please Him. Her loyalty is not to you anymore. It’s not even for Uncle Radolphus. It’s for You-know-you, and you know it,” I spat causing her to wince. “I’m sorry, mum, but somebody had to tell you.”

She nodded. “I know, son. I know that my sister has changed and not for the better. I still love her though and believe that her old self is down there somewhere. But perhaps…perhaps she’s actually gone. The old Bella would’ve never lied about death.”

I nodded. “I believe she’s buried deep, deep inside as well. It might take years to get her to dug up, but if anyone can fix her, it would be you, mum.”

She sighed. “But I can’t fix my own son.”

“I love you, mum, but it’s not your job to fix me. It’s not your fault. I’ll be okay. I promise.”

“I know you’ll be just fine with  Severus for the next several months. You are strong, Draco. Just believe in yourself,” she hugged me again before leaving me to finish packing.

I was half expecting my father to stroll into my room and say something, but he never showed. Just goes to show that he never loved me. Not even after I vied for his attention so much. Practically everything I did was for him or about him. I knew that he could fix anything, which was why I always said ‘Wait until my father hears about this!’ I finished packing fairly quickly before Snape came back into my room.

“Blaise is about to leave,” he announced, waving his wand and my trunk disappeared. “Let’s go say goodbye, shall we?”

As I shook my best mate’s hand and wished him luck, I wondered when the next time I would see him would be. I sure hoped that it wasn’t long and that he wouldn’t be too broken, but he’s always been the stronger one out of the both of us. He always had something to say and never crumbled. I was the opposite, but with Courtney, I believed in myself just like he did. I knew deep down that I could be like him. I could be strong and wise beyond my years just like Blaise Zambini just like I always wanted to. 

A/N: Sorry for such a long wait! I've been swimming in homework, two jobs, and boy problems. (Any of which you already know because of my messages :P) This is a very important chapter! Very important to Draco! The song on the side is perfect for this chapter! Because that's exactly what Draco is, a soldier. 

Comment, Vote, & Love. <3