On the Run: A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Getting into Gringott's

DRACO POV

I returned to Snape’s house the next day, and the day after that. We’d been carefully executing our plan to get into Gringott’s. Snape and I had also been discussing the possible locations of the other horcruxes. “So you’ve been on both sides the whole time?” I asked. I’d wanted to ask for a while.

            He nodded. “Always.” I was impressed. I never would’ve thought. Snape had appeared to be a loyal Death Eater over the years. My father was or, at least, he tried to be. I had so much respect for Snape now, since I knew the truth. “So we’ll leave tomorrow morning. As I’ve said before, do not tell anyone of this plan. You must leave unnoticed. We will meet in Diagon Alley at five thirty. Do not be late,” he said.

            I took that as my cue. “I’ll see you then,” I said. He gave me a small smile and let me out of the house.

            I Disapparated, landing back on the beach outside of Shell Cottage. I saw Liana walking toward me. She didn’t look very happy. Before I could think of anything to say, she shoved me. “Draco Lucius Malfoy! Where the hell have you been?”

            I stared at her in shock. I hadn’t seen her angry in a long time. I had to admit, her reddened face looked even more beautiful than before. “Nowhere,” I said softly. I hated to have to lie to her. I hated lying to her. And the worst part of it all was that she knew very well that I was lying.

            She glared at me. I wondered if she was going to lash out at me. Instead, she shouted, “Don’t lie to me.” I stared at her instead. I stared into her eyes, ocean blue meeting green. “Are you just going to stare at me or are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

            I didn’t answer her. Instead, I pulled her by her waist and crashed my lips into hers. She did not resist. If anything, she deepened our kiss and allowed our tongues to meet. It was the best feeling in the world, I thought . . . being able to kiss Liana again. It had been a long time. Far too long.

            As we kissed, I felt a warm liquid spill onto my face. I pulled away and noticed tears rolling down Liana’s face. I wasn’t sure if it was because she was happy or if something else was bothering her. The fact that I had lied to her probably hurt her. I placed my hands on her shoulders. She wouldn’t look at me. “Liana,” I said softly, “what’s the matter?” She said nothing, just sniffled through her silent tears. “Please . . . look at me.”

            “Have you found someone else? Is that why you’ve been sneaking about the past couple of days?” she whispered.

            My lips parted. “How could you think that?” I asked. “How could you possibly think that I’d be seeing someone else?”

            I wiped the tears from her face with my thumbs. She said, “You’ve been lying to me—to all of us—about where you’re going. And I was so horrible to you on Christmas Eve . . . I thought that you might’ve decided to move on.”

            I shook my head. She must’ve been insane if she thought I’d ever want anyone else. “I’m in love with you, Liana. Nothing will ever change that. It doesn’t matter how much we fight or how much we hurt each other. I’ll always love you. It’s always you. Do you understand that?” I asked. She nodded slowly, smiling through her now reddened eyes. “I don’t want anyone else. No one else can replace you. I could never love someone as much as I love you. Those months we were apart, you were all I think about. I love you. More than anything.”

            She opened her mouth, but the words didn’t come. She wrapped her arms around me, breathing into my chest. I could feel her heart beating against my chest. “I love you, Draco. I want to be with you, so much. Will you take me back?”