(6th year—Hogwarts)
A year has passed since George Weasley broke up with me. It still pained me. His words still echo in my head.
We're done Salem, no girl of mine will bear the mark of my enemy.
I still haven't talked to anyone. The only people I've talked to since, are Draco and Blaise. They knew my fear. And they felt the same.
I sat in the library. Alone in the back, waiting for Blaise to take me to the common room. I've spent more time in the Slytherin common room than my own house common room.
"Mind if I sit here?" Hermione asked.
I didn't bother answering her as she sat down anyway. Surely she must know. Surely Harry or George told her. She hesitated to speak. But she did anyway.
"D-does it...hurt?" She asked.
Her eyes went to my left arm. Thankfully the mark was covered up.
"George told us." Hermione whispers.
Sadness filled her eyes. I wanted to roll my eyes at her sadness. She wouldn't know what that felt like. Even if she did, she wouldn't be able to handle the pain. Hell, I couldn't even handle the pain. No one could.
"Do you want to talk?" Hermione asked. "Surely you can't keep it bottled up."
My lips moved into a thin line. Of course she wanted to know. But why? Why would she care? Harry didn't. Nor did Ron and the others.
"I know you can speak, Salem." Hermione says to me. "I've heard you speaking to Blaise and Draco. You have to believe me that I'm not like Harry and the others. We've been good friends, haven't we? I want to know what happened to you during the summer of 5th year. Harry believes that you choose to become a..You know. But I say otherwise-"
A throat clears itself. My eyes glanced up to see Blaise.
"Am I interrupting something?" He asked.
His eyes focused on me more than Hermione.
I shook my head no and stood. Blaise took my hand and led me away from Hermione.
I turned back to look at Hermione one last time. We left the library, hurried off to the Slytherin common room, that now felt like home to me.
However Blaise pulled me to the side instead of going to the common room first. We stood in an empty broom closet. Worried filled his eyes.
"What did she want?" He asked.
Venom filled his tone. I shook my head. It's been so long since I used my voice, I didn't know how anymore. My voice felt so useless now.
"Salem." Blaise whispers.
His voice begged. He never begs.
"Speak to me."
What was there to talk about?
"Please. I hate seeing you like this. I need to hear your voice. Talk to me. Please. I love you."
I froze. He loves me? Our eyes met. It was true. He loves me. I stood on my tippy toes and smashed my lips to his. Fireworks went off into explosions inside. I was the first to pull away. Our eyes locking, holding each other.
"I love you." I say, my voice cracking, hurting from not talking as much as I should. "I love you from the start of 2nd year. When you first kissed my cheek. I love you. Even when I was dating George Weasley. He never gave me fireworks like you did. Every time he kissed me, I wish it was you who did. I love you."
Blaise's hands cupped my cheeks. I swear I tears in his eyes. I felt his soft, warm lips on mine. The fireworks began once again. My arms snaked around his neck.
Blaise and weren't officially dating. However that didn't stop Blaise to kiss me here and there. He took any chance that he could get. Even if he had to sneak or steal one.
The kiss lasted longer than the one I gave. But I didn't care. I wanted it to last forever. It would have too. If only we knew how to pull away from each other.
Someone cleared their throat. Blaise pulled away quickly and pulled me behind him. Headmaster Snape stood behind us. His eyes glaring at us.
"This is a school." Snape told us. "Not a kissing booth. Detention. The both of you."
"Yes Headmaster." Blaise says.
Snape's eyes stayed on us as he walked away. I shiver. The longer he looked the more fear I felt. I hugged Blaise's arm. Knowing that I felt comfortable when he was with me. Blaise turned to face me.
"I want-"
"Yes."
"But you didn't know what I was going to say."
"I don't care. I'm already saying yes. I'll never say no to you, Blaise."
Blaise smirked and pinned me to the wall. He trapped me. I smiled as I looked up at him.
"You agreed to be mine. Forever."
"And I never planned on leaving."
