𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋 | draco malfoy

chapter 90

Enzo's sullen eyes met mine. "I want her gone as much the rest of you do. She's-she's just not worth saving."

I nodded slowly. "But?"

"But my parents would never forgive me."

I bit back a frown. "Enzo, there is plenty to incriminate Mara as is. If you decide not to testify, it won't change the outcome of her inevitable sentence."

Enzo faltered for a moment, hesitating. "You're right but while the Council wants me to testify against her, my parents and their lawyers want me to vouch for her." He scoffed quietly. "The lawyer thinks it'll make a big difference if a student who is here, attending school with her as a daily witness, speaks on her behalf. Regardless of being her brother or not."

Exhaling sharply, I leaned back in my chair. He was put in an unfair position where either decision held downsides. "What are you going to do?"

Enzo shrugged helplessly; his internal anguish nearly illuminated right off him. "I would never forgive myself if I lied to help her."

I offered a small smile. "Where dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart; that is what we are known for, isn't it? Perhaps it won't be such a terrible thing to finally do as you please. To stand up to your sister and parents. To stand up for what you know is right."

Enzo smiled half-heartedly. "You're right."

"Lorenzo, it is due time you are granted some peace." Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I stood. "It would take bravery to go against your family's wishes but I know you have it in you. You're a Gryffindor after all."

Enzo's smile grew more tender and eased. "Thank you. Truly, Elysia. You are a good friend. I needed to hear all of this."

"Anytime, Enzo."

-

Another two weeks passed before Mara was officially sentenced to Azkaban. The Gryffindors threw a party in the common room that night-unironically.

Enzo had been out of school the past two weeks during Mara's trial. I hadn't heard from him despite sending a letter to check-in. I was worried, as were the others. With Mara's imprisonment, none of us knew what it would mean for Enzo.

Then one evening, I walked into the Gryffindor common room while the others were still in the Great Hall for dinner. Sitting on the couch in front of the crackling fire, Enzo was staring blankly at the flames.

My eyes drew together. "Enzo? You're back?"

He glanced over his shoulder, his features momentarily relaxing. "Oh, yes. I just arrived."

I walked over. "What are you doing in here? You should have come down for dinner-Merlin, everyone will be ecstatic to know you're back!" I beamed a smile that quickly washed away when I noticed Enzo remaining solemn.

"I thought I'd wait 'til morning."

I sat down beside him, watching him warily. "Are you alright? What's been going on?"

Enzo's eyes flickered from me, back onto the fire where they remained. "Erm-well my sister is gone. My parents are..." he paused, thinking. "They're enraged by the smear this all has caused on their perfected public image."

"And you?" I asked. "How are you, Enzo?"

He glanced at me, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I think I'm alright, actually."

My eyebrows raised. "Really?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "My aunt has taken me in, saying it was due time."

A smile broke on my face. "That's good, then?"

"Yeah," Enzo mused. "It is." He cracked a small smile, exhaling heavily as though the breath released all the weights he had been carrying for far too long.

I squeezed his shoulder gleefully. "Merlin, Enzo this is all good news. You're staying at Hogwarts. You've moved in with your aunt. This-this is good. Why are you hiding in the common room?"

"I don't know," he mumbled quietly, eyes flickering back to the flames. "I suppose I just needed a minute-to let it all soak in."

My expression grew earnest. "Enzo, you're allowed to feel upset about everything that has happened. There is no shame in that. It's family, she's your sister. Regardless of what she deserves, this isn't meant to be easy."

"I know but I think I've spent far too long trying to handle Mara. Trying to stop her. Trying to fix her. Cleaning her messes for her." Enzo stared down at his hands in his lap. "I can't anymore. She ended up where she was always destined to. She dug her own grave."

I reached for his hand, taking it and squeezing it in a comforting manner. "You can't fix someone who isn't broken; it's who she is. She doesn't think there's a thing wrong."

You cannot be fixed or healed if you refuse to see there is a problem to begin with. I learnt that the hard way. Blinding yourself to your shortcomings only makes you a fool; it refrains you from strengthening your weak spots.

Enzo leaned back into the couch and exhaled heavily. His shoulders seemed to relax. "I think it is due time to allow some peace into our lives."

A smile grew on my face. "Took us long enough, didn't it?"

He laughed breathily, glancing at me. "A soft epilogue has been deserved."

I nudged him playfully. "And a soft epilogue we shall get."

When I soon returned to Draco's room, he was already fast asleep. The brass compact lied on his chest, illuminating the holographic image. My heart flickered at the sight.

I walked over and closed the compact, placing it on the bedside table before crawling under the covers beside him.

Propping myself up on my elbow, I peered down at the boy who held my heart. Gently, I brushed the strands of platinum away from his forehead.

As I watched the gentle rise and falls of his chest, the crease between his brows soften and disappear-it occurred to me, this was terribly scary.

Love.

Perhaps the most terrifying thing there is out there.

It makes you vulnerable. Breaking open your chest and putting your heart on full display, granting someone the ability to get right inside and do as they please; handing over more power than should be possible for someone to pull that heart right out from you and crush it in their hold.

But as I looked at the blonde-haired boy lying next to me, all I could feel was the world he had turned right around.

He makes the most minuscule, insignificant things feel like invaluable treasure.
Childhood gaiety and simplicity returns and it's like you're young and oblivious to the truths and hardships of the world once again; everything feels and looks so much more wonderful, like you're seeing it for the very first time.
He makes colours seem brighter, more radiant, more saturated.

A mere smile from him was enough to help get me through a long, tedious day.
I didn't think I needed anything but his mere presence, content enough just to know he's nearby.

So, you open your chest and your heart and put it on full display where it is left defenceless; and it's scary, so scary to think there is always a chance for it to be broken entirely beyond repair.

But this type of love, it felt like a dream-so much more than that. A love you never could've dreamed possible.

And though this was meant to be terrifying, to become in thrall to a sole person as you had them the most dangerous power in the world-it didn't feel scary at all. Not to me.

My only hope, my only security had become simply knowing that Draco was a part of my life. Even just sitting next to him made me feel as though I was guarded, invisible to all the bad omens in this world.

A surreal thing love is.