kalon ~ d.m

{43} False glimmer

CHAPTER FOURTY THREE; FALSE GLIMMER

❝ harry potter is dead.❞

♫: 'I don't care, if you're scared of a Sweet Little Unforgettable Thing!' ~Bea Miller, S.L.U.T

She was panting, heavily. It had been going on for hours now. She didn't know how much more she could take. How much longer it could go on until she lost it. A bitter chuckle left her lips, the sound bouncing off the walls of the drawing room, or torture room. After all, Professor Dumbledore had been right. Voldemort didn't wait for anyone.

"Again." He hissed dangerously, not even bothering to get up from the throne like chair he was sitting in. He simply glared at her. His patience was thinning, and Leah was getting more fearful. She had seen firsthand what happened when the Dark Lord ran out of patience. "-reenact the last one. We were getting somewhere." She groaned painfully as she felt him enter her mind. Her small attempts to block it were no longer enough. She was too tired. Knowing better than not to, she obliged. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and focused.

A battle, A victory- She felt an unpleasant, growing headache, so she correct her train of thought. -The Dark Lord's victory. She thought, as she frowned. Again, she was met with the same scene. Harry Potter laid lifeless in Hagrid's arms.

"Harry Potter is dead!" He yelled amusedly, a sick grin on his face. Leah shuddered involuntarily, because unlike last time, Harry Potter did not spring back to life. He was actually dead.

Suddenly, she was overwhelmed with tiredness. Her vision got immensely blurry, and after a while all she could see where distorted colours, maybe a few figures.

"Good." He sneered, snapping her from her daze, and out of the vision. "That is the ending we hope to achieve." Leah had to resist the urge to roll her eyes, or scoff.

"Yes, My Lord." She looked at the floor, and nodded hesitantly.

"Severus was right." He spoke, his tone taunting. "All you needed was a bit of discipline." She nodded again, still keeping her gaze directed towards the floor, cringing when she saw how her blood stained it. "I believe it is only fair I return you to your partner, isn't it? Draco has proven himself..." He drawled. "Earned you." She let out a slight, irritated sigh and played it off as clearing her throat. Earn her? She wasn't a fucking object. Besides, Draco never needed to earn her. He had her.

All of her.

The Dark Lord lazily flicked his hand towards the door, and Draco almost fell in through the door opening, rushing to her side.

"Starlet-Leah, love, Oh Merlin-" He rattled, and took ahold of her waist gently. It'd been what? 9 weeks since he'd last been able to actually touch her. To feel her. He too, sat down on his knees, locking her into a bone crushing embrace. "I missed you so much-" He mumbled into her ear, softly.

"Draco Malfoy." He spat, seemingly disgusted by his mere acts of affection. "How touching." Draco immediately realised the scene he'd caused, and quickly stood up, dragging Leah with him.

"Apologies, My Lord." He'd muttered lowly as an excuse, and practically ran out of the room, holding her hand. She tripped, and almost fell, whimpering.

"My leg-" She croaked out. Draco's face twisted with sadness, but he nodded and scooped her up in his arms in a swift motion, carrying her up the stairs, and into the bedroom. No words were said as he tended to her wounds. Neither knew what to say. The only sounds filling the room were his gasps as he found new patches of dark purple bruises, or a new spot where her skin had broken. She remained quiet, observing him. She saw how pained his face was. He was conflicted, she noticed. Something was nagging at him. She knew exactly what.

"What's on your mind?" She managed to whimper out, her voice hoarse and small. He rose his eyebrow in curiosity, and looked at her, a slight smile slowly forming.

"Are you serious?" He questioned, tilting his head to the side. He was amused.

"...Yes?" She had replied, but it came out as more of a question than she intended.

"I haven't seen you in three weeks. Salazar, I haven't been genuinely near you in nine. The last time I saw you-I-"

The words he was saying had lessened noticeably in volume, and the last came out as a mere whisper. "I did something unforgivable.." He sighed, and frowned. "..and you ask what's on my mind?" She smiled sheepishly in response.

"I missed you too." She shuffled a bit, and sat against the headboard of the bed, patting the empty space next to her. "Come here." She muttered. He nodded quickly, a slight smile on his face as he obeyed, sitting down next to her. Almost instantly, she melted into his side, draping her arms around his middle, comfortably lying against him. She hummed in peace. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to hold her as close to him as he could. He'd be a damn fool not to. He was just about to break the silence- but refrained when he heard her do it instead.

"I'm proud of you." She smiled lovingly, looking up at him. He blinked, dumbfounded and eyed her with a look of confusion.

"Proud?" He spluttered out, frowning. "Of what?"

"You." She said in return. "You're so brave."

"I'm not." He muttered.

"Hey! Where's my cocky Malfoy gone?" She raised an eyebrow and looked up at him, a mischievous grin on her face. He couldn't help but crack a smile, and laugh slightly. He shook his head, and kissed her forehead.

"Did you not hate it when I was cocky?" He enquired, smirking. She blushed slightly, but it could've been a trick of the light.

"Well, perhaps a tiny bit...but-"

"-But what?" He challenged, his smirk only growing.

"Cocky you is hot." She deadpanned. "Blimey." She laughed slightly. His eyebrows rose in response to her blunt admission, and he grinned proudly.

"I knew it! I knew you liked it when I used to say that my father would he-" He seemed unable to stop grinning.

"Don't overdo it, Malfoy. I will still tell you off." She warned, half jokingly.

"Yeah yeah, love you too." He rolled his eyes and chuckled.

[⌁]

"Narcissa-" He hissed lowly. "The Dark Lord has requested for this, you know we can't prevent it." Lucius Malfoy sighed deeply, his face slightly more downcast as he met his wife's gaze. She scoffed.

"Oh please. Let's give them a night. Okay? One night without trouble." She held out her finger threateningly in his direction. "And you will do as I say, Lucius." His eyebrows rose in surprise, and a slight smirk graced his sunken features.

"Yes ma'am." He rolled his eyes. "Why let them live in a delusion, Cissa?" He questioned genuinely.

"Not delusion-" She rolled her eyes. "-happiness. Something they deserve. Just one night."

"He wants them-"

"I know what he wants! I was there." She snapped, shaking her head. "He fears that being together makes her stronger. Strong enough to kill- 'You-Know-Who'." He quickly pulled his into a side room, and shushed her.

"You mustn't speak about matters so carelessly, Cissa.." He sighed. "You could get in trouble.."

"So you'd rather let Draco-our son, get in trouble?" She countered. He shut up after that. He knew he could never win the argument. Narcissa was right. They deserved a night of happiness. Though it was cruel to allow them to believe it would last.

The War would tear everything apart. No-The War had already torn everything apart.

It was about to tear Draco and Leah apart.

...And they were completely oblivious to it.