Love Of My Life

Chapter Twenty One: Forgiven

It had been a month. A whole month with no Lucius.

Salem finally had her head right because she took some time alone and figured everything out. 

She took the job for the ministry, figured out how to conceal her newfound death eater identity, sorted things out with Andromeda about Lucius, got back on good terms with Severus, and had gotten her derailed life back on track.

It was Friday so Slytherin house was having yet another party. She could hear the music from under her dorm and sighed, trying to talk herself out of going to find Lucius. However, her mind had already made a decision and she needed to go find him before she could change her mind. 

With one final 'don't do it' look from Mas, Salem sets out for Lucius.

She opened her door and went downstairs to the party. She found Severus talking with a few other people and tapped him on the shoulder. 

"Where's Lucius?" She asks over the loud music. "Astronomy tower." He yells over the music. She nods her head in appreciation and quickly leaves the packed common room.

She walks through the cold castle as she thinks about everything that she had been planning to say to him. She reaches the stairs and takes a deep breath, trying to calm her fast-paced heartbeat.

Once at the top, she sees Lucius sitting at the edge and he appeared to have been crying. "Lucy." She softly says as he turns his head. "Salem?" He asks as he wipes at his own tears. 

"I'm ready to talk." She says, having no idea why she was about to cry.

She sits beside him as he stares at her, having no idea why she was still interested in him.

"I don't blame you." She starts out with. "What? Why don't you?" he asks, confused by her forgiving traits. 

"Because you did what you felt was vital to survive." She tells him. "The war is nearing and if you think that you have a better chance of survival on the death eaters side, then I don't fault you for that." She says. 

"You saw the way that some of the supposedly greatest wizards in the world just fled the manor, not even attempting to fight back. Those people aren't going to save anyone but themselves." She makes a valid point

Lucius felt horrible. She sat here thinking that he joined the death eaters to survive the war when he really joined because he hated people of her kind and wished them dead. His views had changed but he didn't know if she'd actually believe that.

"I know but I never wanted you to get involved. I swore to myself that I'd protect you." He says as he hangs his head in shame. "And I swore to myself that I would always love you, no matter what hell you put me through." She says as she crawls in front of him and straddles his waist so he'd look at her.

"Lucius, you did protect me. You blatantly lied to The Dark Lord about my blood status. What do you think would happen if he had found out I was a half-blood?" She says as he sits there, speechless at her compassion. 

"If you hadn't lied, I could have died. Instead, I walked out with a few bruises and a dark mark. I'd say that you did a fine job of protecting me." She tells him as she smiles, trying to show him that she still loves him.

"You don't hate me?" he asks. "Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. I am looking you in the eyes right now, telling you. I could never hate you. In fact, I'm madly in love with you." She says as she giggles, making him smile. 

With a quick movement, Salem gasps as he flips the two of them over so he was on top of her.

"Salem Aldridge Sioux. I am in love with you." He says as the two smile and he leans his head down to kiss his witch.