𝐆𝐑𝐘𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐓|𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝟑𝟓. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

"We- We're- Please, Apollo. Don't make this harder."

"You're the only one making things hard. Tell me what it is on your mind. Please."

Blaise broke down in the arms of his lover, head falling into the crook of his neck where he sniffed once before placing a soft kiss there. "Draco broke up with Hope because he found out she was a... tribrid."

Apollo shook his head, pushing Blaise back until he could look him straight in the eye. "And dear, do tell me, what does that have to do with us?"

The Slytherin grimaced at his boyfriend's tone, "Do let me finish, please. Anyway... We're getting to the age where we can be called at any time. By... You-Know-Who. And... Draco more suddenly than I, but, at first, we thought sure, Hope is pretty powerful, but... She's too powerful. When Draco is called, and he will be, You-Know-Who will search his mind, and if he finds anything about Hope... He'll want her."

Apollo pulled back at this, "Want her... how?"

"Power? Lust? Who knows, really. But Draco cannot risk that. He can't risk her. And I... I can't risk you either."

The Ravenclaw blinked, "But I'm not... I'm nowhere near Hope's level of power, so what do I have to do with it? I'm no Slytherin but we've been friends for years. Even before... us! So why now? Tell me, why now? Because You-Know-Who will call upon you and possibly make you a bloody death eater one of these days?"

Blaise looked away from him then, wishing he were anywhere but here. "I'm guessing you haven't heard the news then."

"What news?" The Slytherin shook his head and stood straighter against the wall. "Bellatrix Lestrange has broken out of Azkaban. The day I'm called is sooner than later. Please, Apollo," Blaise lifted his hands to Apollo's face once more, "forget about me. Forget you ever loved me, were ever my best friend. Please. For your own good." Apollo shook his head, tears threatening to pool at the bottoms of his eyes.
"There is nothing in this world that would make me leave you, Blaise Zabini. I don't care if you have to become a... death eater. I wouldn't care if you already were one and somehow hid it from me. I'm not going anywhere.  And you don't get to decide that for me, you hear me?" Blaise let a tear fall from his eye then, and a guiltily happy grin spread across his lips. He had no words but managed to pull the Ravenclaw in and kiss him until they were both breathless.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry."

Apollo shushed him, "It's okay, you were scared. But now, the problem we face is our beloved Hope Mikaelson and the Slytherin prince that thought it was okay to make her feel like she could never be loved."

"How did... How is she?"

Apollo shook his head, "Not good. Especially not after that Draco did... said to her... and when I get my hands on that arse he can count his days!" Blaise laughed lightly, "I'm serious Blaise Zabini! Malfoy is dead."

The two stood there staring into the other's eyes for a few seconds before a throat cleared at the now opened door of the empty classroom. "Well, I certainly already feel dead, but you can surely put me in a grave if you'd like." And with a low voice, he whispered, "It would be better than anything else I'll have to do." Neither boy heard the last whispered part, but pulled away from each other and stared at the so-called Slytherin prince standing in the doorway.

Apollo would've asked how he was doing, but he could see it ever so clearly written across his face. His eyes had dark circles under them, the usual glittering ocean blue eyes now dull and filled with the deepest depths of the ocean where nothing alive resides. Even Draco's face was more pale than usual, almost ghostly. "Nice to see you both are good. But, Blaise, we have places to be." Blaise nodded, tugging at Apollo's hand one last time before letting him go and following Draco out the door.