a christmas break | draco malfoy - 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃

draco's necklace

  —       HOGWARTS, A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE BATTLE

Elle had been tired all week. She wasn't in the mood to leave the Room of Requirement and the younger students seemed to be the only people she had the capacity to look after.

Astera had left the Room, deciding to take a risk and roam the halls during the late hours of the night. Hogwarts seemed dull and dark, like a velvet cape was draped over it and there wasn't a single light peering in through the windows, even on sunny days. It didn't help with Astera's mental health, either — it made her feel lost, like she was floating on nothingness and she couldn't step a foot on the ground.

The Carrows did everything in their power to make Hogwarts a living hell. Often times, she wondered how — if she ever did — send her own child back to Hogwarts when the whole situation was over. Often times, she wondered if the situation would finish. Or will it last for eternity, or maybe be won over time. She couldn't bare to look at McGonnagall during classes for she seemed to age as the minutes went by. Snape as Headmaster was like putting Voldemort in charge of the world, and to many, like her, Hogwarts was home and their own world.

The eerily quiet made her suspicious, making her hand fly over her side where her wand rested and took it out. She didn't need it, but she feared that one day she might not be able to do magic with just the tips of her fingers.

"Having a stroll, are we?"

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, her feet shuffling as she turned around and faced Alecto with a scared yet disgusted look on her face. She never changed. And Astera hoped that she wouldn't change. People like her did not deserve redemption.

"I was just heading back."

The woman smiled, a creepy and low laugh leaving her lips. The student before her seemed like such an easy target. She was just another Ravenclaw after all. She saw her like another careless teenage girl; weak.

"Did the Headmaster not make it clear that you are to be asleep during this hour!"

She gritted her teeth as she stormed towards the girl, backing her up in a cold wall and watching her eyes twist and look everywhere but her. Astera quickly licked her lips and gulped down to hydrate her dry throat before speaking, "He made it clear."

"Then why are you out?"

"To make it harder for you."

Alecto felt a sharp pain in the side of stomach, just near her waist as Astera's wand made the cloak on her body start to burn slowly through her clothes instead of making it spread out. She felt the fire start to tickle her skin and soon she backed up, using her hand to put it out, but fire made of magic wasn't the same as the fire nature had given us. And Astera didn't seem to quite remember the counter curse.

"You arrogant, insufferable Ravenclaw!" she saw the woman raise her wand, her lips opening and mouthing the words that made the student before her lose her breath and latch onto the corner of the wall.

"Crucio!"

She closed her eyes as she waited. And waited. She had heard stories and explanations of how it felt like being cursed with dark magic. It was slow, agonizing, cruel and overall sickening. It was like millions of thick needles piercing your skin, or clawing out your eyes. It made your skin hot and your blood boil to the point where you begged for death instead of mercy.

But Astera felt nothing but the breeze of the slightly opened window on her left, just before her. She felt her eyes open slowly, scared, as she woman before her stood with confusion written across her shabby features. Her yellow teeth stuck out whilst she repeated the word over and over again. Nothing came.

"How... What are you doing?"

Astera gulped, clutching the wand and wall still as she stared back at Alecto with the same confusion as she was.

The woman's eyes darted down on Astera's chest. Right where her ring rested peacefully. But it didn't just rest on her chest, held by the chain around her neck. The cracks in the ring and the scratches from all the times it was worn by Draco, were shining slightly. Like when you turn on a light and the door is slightly ajar, making the light seep out through the small cracks.

"That. What is that?"

Astera's fingertips grazed over the ring, pulling it up and looking down to see it shining like a small star in the sky. Her eyes widened as she looked at it like a curious child.

It's charmed, she thought. Protection charms.

The crazed woman reached her hand out, trying to grasp the ring in her hands but falling forward on the wall when Astera quickly moved out of the way.

"Trust me, Alecto, I'd rather give you my soul than let you have this."

She waved her wand and cast a strong spell, sending the woman flying back into the wall and keeping her there until she was out of her sight and resting her back against the inside of the Room of Requirement, catching her breath.

Her fingers twirled around the ring, a subconscious smile casting itself on her face as she looked at it.

Thank you, Draco.

Little did she know, the ring on his finger shined, too.

— ☆☆☆☆ —

Thank you for the support, love and encouragement on this book. I've never had such sweet and sincere words told about a piece I've written, so this means a lot.
Thank you for loving these characters and hating them at the same time. Trust me, I did too.
For those who have finished reading, thank you for sticking around and being patient for updates. And to those who are still yet to find this book, thank you for giving it a chance.

Lots of love,
The Author