Healing // d.m.

| 31 |

———

"This is ridiculous," Catherine muttered in his ear. "Put me down now, Malfoy."

She tried to push away from him in an attempt to get down. Malfoy ignored her and hoisted her up higher, because his grip was starting to slip. Catherine was being carried on his back, her arms were around his neck and her head rested on his shoulder.

"Hold on tight, you idiot." He replied, "I don't want you to fall."

He was being annoying. She could walk just fine.

"I can walk. Let me walk." She tried again.

Malfoy just shook his head, "the more you whine the heavier you get."

"I'm not heavy!" She lightly smacked his head.

"Okay you're light as a feather." He told her, "Now stop moving!"

"I can walk." She repeated. "The healer said I'm fine. I want to go home and I can do this by myself."

"He also said to avoid any unnecessary physical activity and to not strain yourself." He deadpanned. "You need someone to observe you. You're going to my place Ariendra, end of discussion."

"I can do this myself!"

Malfoy stopped in his tracks, "I swear on fucking Salazar just shut up and let me take care of you! Hell, is it so hard for you to let someone else help you?"

She huffed a breath, nuzzling into the crook of his neck, taking in his perfume. She noticed that his breath left him when her lips accidentally touched his skin. Now she felt bad for pestering him. Besides Gabby, who was a panic wreck back at the emergency tent, alternating between her and Greg, Malfoy was the one who stayed by her side. He never let go of her hand. She stayed silent for a while before eventually speaking up.

"Thank you." She whispered.

He didn't give her a reply, he just squeezed her calf that he was holding tight and continued to walk towards the mansion gates.

"Just hang on tight."

———

Malfoy put her down on her feet once they arrived at the third floor of the mansion. He held onto her hand tight and navigated towards his bedroom, which was the room furthest away and faced the back of the mansion, the window overlooking the Mansion gardens that was now untamed. She was here once and she felt like she'd been here forever.

He led her to his big plush bed and motioned for her to sit down.

"Stay there." He pointed a finger at her sternly, "don't try to do anything stupid."

"I'm not a kid Malfoy." She looked at him like he was stupid. "But I desperately want to take a shower."

"Don't go in by yourself, you could get dizzy and faint or something."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "So what do you suggest? You want to hop in the shower with me?"

Catherine regretted her words as soon as it left her mouth. Malfoy's eyes went wide and he cleared his throat. He steps forward and bends down to meet her at eye level. "Is that what you want, Ariendra?"

"That was a joke." She replied.

"I don't do jokes very well." He uttered, running a finger along her cheek and tucking a hair behind her ears. "I take things like this very seriously, so don't play around."

Catherine wanted to protest but her mouth was unable to form the words. She just stared back at him. He was gorgeous, she thought.

Malfoy leaned back and placed his hands in his pockets, "Don't worry I'll call for backup. You just wait here. Don't try to do anything, I mean it." With that he left the room, closing the door silently behind him.