Breathe in...
Breathe out...
You're fine Eden. Everything is going to be okay. The faster you get it done the faster you'll be out of there.
Don't cry.
You're stronger then that.
Those words repeated over and over again in Eden's head as she paced back and forth in her room, waiting for Malfoy to come and drag her back to the place she dreaded so much.
For days upon days she had no energy to do anything.
No eating, no drinking, no dancing. She hadn't even gone outside for a week and the lack of fresh air was starting to get to her.
She felt so claustrophobic in her own skin.
The door flung open and Draco stepped in without any warning meaning that if she was naked he would have seen everything...
He ran his thumb on his bottom lip out of nervous habit and looked at the nervous girl dressed in the same white dress she was wearing the day that vampire almost took her life. "You're ready?"
Eden nodded her head and looked back out the window one last time taking in one final deep breath.
The next thing he knew Eden was standing in front of him awaiting the grasp of his hand around her upper arm to apparate.
For a moment Draco could only stare down at her with his lips pressed into a firm line and his eyes filled with such gravity. He was confused as to why she was so eager to leave the comfort of her own bedroom. He could see it in her eyes, they were glossy... Eden was scared, but she still waited impatiently for their travel.
"I want to get this over with. The sooner I get out of there the sooner I can comprehend what happened."
If he could hug her he would...
He would tell her everything would be okay. That he wouldn't let anything happen to her even if she had nothing but the smallest bit of trust in him.
He would figure something out.
He would and he knew that.
No matter how loyal he pretended to be to Voldemort, he would never let him lay finger on her bare skin even if that meant he had to risk his own life and safety to do so.
Draco grabbed onto her and as soon as she knew it they were back in the huge room she always came to when she visited. Up on the throne was Voldemort, as usual, but something new was there with him...
Eden caught a glimpse of her surroundings before she almost fell forward from the loss of balance when her feet hit the ground beneath them.
All these times and she was still unable to handle all of the apparation.
After the war she was as useless as a ropeless skipping rope.
"Be smart."
Eden caught it.
The words came from Malfoy, who had gritted teeth and said it so quietly that only she could have heard it.
She hadn't even realized his arm was around her torso, keeping her from falling flat on her face until he unwrapped it and fixed his jacket.
"Well don't you look lovely today Eden." Voldemort started, admiring her from a distance.
She looked down at the ground, fearing that if she moved she would crumble into a pile of her own emotions and Eden was certain she would start crying if she opened her mouth to speak to him.
Breathing at a normal pace was becoming difficult for her and her hands were shaking down by her sides though from far it could have been mistaken for her full body...
Or maybe her full body was shaking and she just didn't realize.
"She's tired... She hasn't gotten much sleep lately."
The boy who brought her here took her by her arm harshly and brought her forth to the Dark Lord who was still sitting up on his chair like he did not have a problem on this earth that could be inconveniencing him.
"I hope you're not too tired... I think today is the day you promised you would be dancing for me... Is that why you've gotten yourself all done up."
"I almost died in this dress. This is not done up."
In her defence it slipped out of her mouth as it was on the tip of her tongue.
She looked up at the snake after hearing a sudden hissing sound coming from it. It was violent and filled with anger.
She backed right up into Draco not even regarding him or apologizing after she did so. She was too scared to, but it was not like he was expecting it anyway.
The Dark Lord huffed and waved his hand toward the snake. "Hush Nagini. The brat is always like this... You'll get used to it sooner rather than later..."
Draco slightly shoved her off of him and put her back on her own in the centre of the room where she stood awkwardly waiting for someone to break the silence that filled the air.
Eden was definitely not going to be the one to start such conversation.
"I think you'd look even better with the dress off hmm? What do you think Malfoy? On or off."
"Erm- Well in order for her to dance she will be needing her dress right?"
Her hands balled in and out of fists and every time they closed again, her nails would dig right into her palms.
Please agree with him... PLEASE agree with him.
This is the only time Malfoy's opinions will ever have meaning to me...
"Yes. You're absolutely right Draco. The dress would add to the dance. Perhaps after all of that... After all of that Draco can step out into the hall."
That was it.
That was the sentence that got her tears to spill from her eyes and the worst part was that it was so silent that everyone heard.
Probably even the guards out in the hallway heard too.
But how else was she supposed to react to a statement like that?
"My Lord, I hate to be the barer of bad news, but Eden is needed at the manor right after her dance. You see, she fell while rehearsing her routine for you and the doctor that I have hired to come and take a look will be at my house right after." Draco took a step forward and explained his clearly made up story to the man he was supposed to be loyal to.
Sure, Eden might have known it was made up and sure, she was confused as hell, but by the look on Voldemort's face, he believed every bit of it.
He looked over the crying girl in discomfort and let out a huff. "If I cannot have my fun today I guess we shall wait for another time... How about two months. That should be enough time for you to get prepared. I hate seeing tears. Stop crying."
"S-Sorry..." Eden wiped them and looked up at the ceiling, hoping that it would stop the tears from falling down her face.
"Just dance for me. I don't want to interact with you if this is the way you are choosing to behave yourself..."
Draco flicked his wand and her shoes appears right in front of her.
When he stepped away and to the side of the room to give her the space she needed, he did not take his eyes off of her once.
Occasionally he would glance over and see the perverted faces he would make while watching her spin and jump and pour all of her emotions into the way her feet pointed of her body moved... The pained expressions she would make while thinking of her problems.
This girl seriously was one of the best dancers in the world... Just like everyone told her, just like everyone wrote about in the papers... Just like her friends once told her. Her family too.
The sudden clapping of the Dark Lord snapped him out of his thoughts and he peered over curiously at him.
"That was wonderful. Just as I remember. You're so passionate about what you do Eden. So amazing to watch. I won't make you choreograph another routine for me, though if that is something you wish to do then be my guest. I could benefit from it. Take care of your injured-"
The Dark Lord waited for Eden to fill in the blank, but instead Draco stepped up and spoke for her. "Her ankle Lord."
"Ah yes. Your ankle. You're free to leave now." Voldemort shifted in his seat and watched Eden and Draco until they were completely out of the room, no where near him anymore.
They were back at the manor and how thankful she was for that.
Poor girl could have fallen to the floor and kissed it from the relief she was feeling.
No touching, no trauma to her head, not even a scratch on her body, aside from her bleeding palms of course.
It finally felt like she could exhale and really take in the emotions she was feeling.
It was the type of feeling she used to feel whenever class ended for the weekend, or when she could finish an assignment early or a better example would be when summer rose around.
This feeling...
It was freedom.
She felt free back at the manor.
Pansy was here, baby Eden was here...
What else could she have possibly needed aside from new clothes and a book to read.
The only person who seemed to care about her was Pansy anyway.
What Eden meant by that was the only person who cared for her by their own will.
When Draco did things he was only looking out for himself. If she was not eating, he only helped her because he did not want to get in trouble or he did not want to get hurt.
He said it all the time too. "I'm doing this for the Dark Lord. We'll both get in trouble if we let this happen." That was the famous line Eden heard way too much around here.