Redemption.

"I couldn't protect her."

Draco's POV.

No matter how long Draco tried not to think about it, the explosions, the screams and the voices just came rushing back.

His eyes shot up, and all he saw was darkness. Was he dreaming? Or was he there, still? He blinked, and could see the moonlight peeping through the high windows in the room. A sigh of relief came upon him, yet his heart felt as heavy as a rock.

The boy couldn't sleep anymore. Not without being taken back to Stiorra's house. Not without seeing her blood flooding all over the dusty floors. Not without seeing the bright flash of green light.

Draco's eyes wandered about the room, and stopped onto Stiorra's unconscious body across from him. The boy sat up, his arms and legs already trembling, and flung his tired limbs over the side of the bed.

A shiver ran down his spine when his bare feet touched the cold ground, still he got up. His sight got blurred, and his mind felt like it was too slow to catch up with him. He was falling, more likely collapsing, but managed to catch himself back and steadying his balance. He walked slowly and silently to her bed, and gulped down as he saw the blood stain on the bandage covering up her chest.

Stiorra looked so tiny, and weak. She looked like she needed to be saved, but he didn't know how. He wanted to help her, but it was the one thing he couldn't do.

Draco sat down on a chair by her bed and held her a hand for a long time. The whole room was silent. He could barely hear her breathing at all. Her skin was cold under his fingers.

"What are you doing?" Madam Pomfrey's voice rung out across the entire room as Draco almost fell off of his chair, "you shouldn't be out of bed."

"Is she going to be okay?"

Madam Pomfrey had walked closer to Stiorra's bed and was tending to the poor girl, checking on her bandages.

Draco's heart clenched as he noticed the dozens of open wounds upon her body, still bloodied, and averted his gaze.

"I don't know, dear," the nurse sighed.

She walked up to the blonde platinum haired boy and helped him up, then helped him back to his bed. Draco knew he needed to rest, but he couldn't stand the idea of being away from Stiorra -even for a second. Still he complied.

The nurse helped him to bed and tucked him in. She went back to her office, then came back to Stiorra's bedside.

Draco's eyes had filled up with tears. Doubts and uncertainty were creeping inside his mind, toying with his thoughts. He was worried, and sad. But mostly he was terrified. Terrified that she might not make it. Terrified that he'd have to live a life without her in it. What would happen then?

The boy sighed, his breath a bit shaky, and closed his eyes. Madam Pomfrey's footsteps echoing through the room helped him to sleep, for it was always the same repetitive and constant sound.

•

Draco jumped awake the following morning, and the pain he might have felt before was gone. He felt more refreshed, and overall way better than the day before.

Yet he felt overwhelmed by his darker thoughts as his eyes scanned the room, only to see just how empty it was. Stiorra wasn't in her bed, and he was all alone.

His heart started to pound in his chest, as though it were trying to beat its way out of there. Draco tried getting up, but his head started to spin and he fell down. He had his hands on his bed, and his eyes on the empty bed that was opposite of his, where Stiorra was just a few hours before.