Draco apparated back inside the house, walking towards her room. He could smell the alcohol from her body. However, the overpowering scent of vanilla was beating it. He steadily placed her onto the bed, pulling the covers up towards her body. Noticing a couple of messy strands of hair sprawling across her face, he tucked them back behind her ears- smoothing out her curls the way he did in the bathtub. Deciding on what to do next, he instantly leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead but then stood back up, shaking his head in stupidity, realizing what he was about to do. He left to get another potion for her head and stomach before closing her door quietly and heading to work.
Esme groaned, rolling over in her bed. Her head banged as a terrible headache started from the moment her eyes opened. She turned over, peering at the dresser. There were two cups-both labelled as "Drink Me." She rolled her eyes, knowing right away it was Mr.Malfoy who left them there.
After she had brutally convinced herself to chug down the horrid tasting potions, she sat up, running a hair through her messy curls. She sighed, trying to place together with the events of last night. She could remember going to hang out with Mara and Scorpius and sharing a couple of drinks with them. Then she remembered something about them having to leave for work, but everything after that seemed blurry. She must have gone back to her room and fallen asleep because there were no other memories she could afford to draw up. Her brown hues moved across the room to the chessboard, which was not in its usual position. The pieces had been moved, and a queen was directly aligned to her king. Her eyebrows scrunched together. Then another memory flashed in her mind. She had played chess with Mr.Malfoy and must have fainted during the game.
Her cheeks heated, wondering if she had let anything slip. She was known to be a talkative drunk.
Esme shook her head, pushing her negative thoughts away. It might not have even been that bad. He would have ignored everything she said anyways.
By the time she got dressed, no one had come to check on her. She assumed Mr.Malfoy left for work, and Mara and Scorpius had no plans on coming back anytime soon. Esme made her way towards the library, her feet gliding across the marble floors. The chandelier reflected the bright sun rays that were coming in through the curtains. For an odd reason, the Manor felt warmer than usual. A sense of comfort has spread in her chest, and she smiled, feeling giddy.
The paintings were ruder than, each one of them whispering harshly to each other as she walked along the walls. Had she done something wrong? Letting her mind wander, she became preoccupied with what she needed to look for in the massive Malfoy Library.
Death Eaters.
If she could find books on Dark Magic, it would carry all the valid information she needed to know. Esme approached the large brown doors leading into the library she had grown to love during her stay at the Manor. It was silent. The only sound was her footsteps against the clean, glistening tiles.
She stood frozen in the middle, glancing at the left side where all the newest books were shelved, in rows. Then the middle, where all his classic literature books were. She contemplated where Mr.Malfoy would keep the information on dark magic. Without concluding, her foot pushed forward, walking towards the back of the library, where she had found information about his name. Esme stopped at a bookshelf- eyes scanning along the rows for a hint. The books looked dusted- the covers in a leather binding.
She rolled her eyes at how particular he was. He seemed to be picky about having things his way, and one thing out of line would blow up in his face like a bomb. She giggled, wondering what his face would look like if things didn't go his way. She imagined Mr.Malfoy with his eyebrows scrunched together in anger, eyes hardened, his pale face tightened as his pink lips remained in a line. She could see his jaw clench and fists held behind his back. Esme shook her head as another giggle left her lips. He was always serious, rarely ever smiling.
Her fingers continued to trail along with the organized books. "If only I could say "Accio Dark Magic book," she mumbled under her breath. The sound of books slamming against each other filled her ears, and her head tilted in confusion. Was she hearing things again? The sound approached closer and closer, now flying through the air. She heard pages whipping quietly against the air, making a strange sound. When she spun on her heels to see what the sound was, a clunk of books landed in her arms, and she tumbled over her feet, trying to steady her balance.
Her eyes shot open in surprise. Her body froze, ignoring the heavy weight of the books against her thin chest. The weight was becoming unbearing with five thick textbooks- stacked one after the one on top of each other. Her mouth dropped open, and she released a steady breath, her heart thumping in excitement. She had gotten her magic back.
Dropping the books down on the table, she folded her hands up together, squealing. She had her wandless magic. Even though her magic worked for the smallest action, her heart flipped in pride.
If she continued to practice, she could even convince Mr.Malfoy to help her, and he would never deny a request from her. She jumped up and down, a jaw-breaking smile taking over her lips. The feeling rushed through her veins. It was unfamiliar, only because she hadn't felt it in so long. It was lighting her up. It was all so new.
People rarely had the chance to be happy, even after horrible events of their life.
Not her world. Her world was twisting and turning each day. She was fighting against the battle that was trying to drown her. Her sink was sailing across the waters, refusing to let herself drown. She was one with the world.
Strength, Happiness, Compassion.
It was her.
After Esme had cooled down, she sat down, determined to find several pieces of information about death eaters. Once she did, she could get away and save her mom. Esme was determined to get rid of Ethan one way or the other. If he continued to harass her, she needed to fight back.
Strength.
She had always been strong, and fearless but now it was coming back. It was fighting its way through her damaged soul, trying to bring back the dented pieces and place them properly together. Esme's eyes scanned along with the words. She was no way near falling off asleep. The potions Mr.Malfoy had sent her flared energy inside of her, and it was unravelling beautifully.
Death Eaters were founded by Lord Voldermort back in the war. They were faithful leaders to him, following every command until his death. Death Eaters had wiped out the majority of the wizarding population- feeding on mostly Muggleborn and Half-Blood families. Each one of them was pureblood, which was considered odd since Voldermort, also known as Tom Marvelo Riddle, was a half-blood. The Death Eaters hated all who did not equal up to them and had no sincerity in using any of the three unforgivable curses against one who would come in their way. They were known to use the killing curse constantly-until each person was dead. Death Eaters wiped out a massive population in countries like England and France. Those who proved worthy moved up in his ranks, severing him with the most generous loyalty. Death Eaters were unable to escape Voldermorts rath due to a so-called "tattoo", called the dark mark. The dark mark forbade any of his several to run free, as they were prisoned to serve him for eternity. It is recorded that several death eaters had tried to find ways to remove the dark mark, but it was impossible. Tom was a brilliant student at Hogwarts and had a way with dark magic. Even after his fall during the war and both his and Harry Potter's death. Several death eaters remained loyal and faithful to him, finding ways to finish off the people he had listed to kill before he died. The list remains unfound and in possession of the newest Death Eater's. It is also unknown who his second-hand man is and if he is the one who handles all the executions. Also, it states he remains hidden, allowing his fellow death eaters to handle his dirty work for him. There is no name yet, for this new dark wizard. However, he remains in the shadows, with power and strength commonly close to Lord Voldemorts.
Published January 3rd.
The publication date had only been a week old. It meant Mr.Malfoy or Scorpius had purchased this book as soon as it had come out. She figured it was Scorpius and wondered if he was contemplating on trying to get rid of Ethan.
If she could talk to him, she could find out his motives. Her brain trailed back to the memory of him watching her in her room yesterday. The sincerity in his eyes and the apologetic look across his features only brewed more confusion in her mind. She would have to play her role carefully, one step, and she might get herself killed. Her headache disappeared, but there was a sharp pain each time she attempted to dig further back into her memories. It seemed she was losing some of her memories. They were there but not strong enough to paint a clear picture.
Esme stood up, closing the book and walking along the rows of shelves trying to find where they came from. Eventually, she placed all the books back in their proper place, sighing happily. It was an eventful morning. She had gotten several things done. Tomorrow she would look at the next book and continue until she thoroughly went through, each in-depth to extract as much information it would offer. Perfect.
The next day she returned, spending her entire day in the library. This schedule continued for the next two weeks. Nolly would pop up, at various times bringing in breakfast, lunch and dinner. Esme kept an illusioned notebook that Nolly handed to her without question when she went to go ask her the first night. She never questioned when Esme was doing, always reminding her to take breaks and drink water if she started to become dizzy.
Esme learned that Nolly was supportive of whatever she was doing, no matter the costs, and she appreciated the space without any suspicion. That made her case much simpler. She was becoming healthier, as her plans kept her preoccupied. Her brown skin was no longer rough but smooth along the entire surface of her face down to the arms, stomach and legs. Her brown hues sparkled in excitement each time she locked eyes with herself in the mirror. They held meaning, and it was slowly coming back together.
Mr.Malfoy, on the other hand, was the same. After being drunk, he stormed into her room, the next going off on a ten-minute rant. She sat through the entire thing without a single complaint. Part of it was because she knew he was right, and she nodded, compiling at the end. She had no plans on drinking anytime soon. He had asked her if she could remember anything clearly from the night before, and she shook her head no asking if she fainted while playing chess. She noticed his face fall at her question before he nodded stiffly answering, with a quick Yes.
Esme noticed he seemed rather tense than usual, and he kept a fair amount of distance between the two, trying to refrain from any sort of touching.
Although after that, things started to take a turn for the better. During their chess matches, he grew more playful, suddenly cracking jokes in the middle of nowhere, and the both of them would share a laugh or two. His grey hues softened each time he saw her, which also pushed another driving force inside of her. She was succeeding, and her plan was working. Her guilt would increase each time she saw him walk through her door, but like always, she pushed her feelings toward the back of her mind, reminding herself to stay focused.
He wouldn't care.
Esme could tell he was growing comfortable while being in her presence but remained guarded and hesitant at times. He never spoke of anything more than what she asked, and at times when she trailed off, he would get irritated and leave. She saw him once a day for an hour, which was another highlight, considering she was becoming deprived of human interaction and touch.
The downfall to it all was she continued to lose. Chess match after chess match, she lost, and his pride would grow each time. He taught her well, how to maneuver her pieces. To think three times and consider all possible motives before moving her pieces.To stay focused and one with the game even while losing. Mr.Malfoy taught her how to think ahead, Critically planning out the movements to trick the opponent.
Every single time she lost Mr.Malfoy would assure her she was improving, but it was hard to believe when she wasn't winning. She took note that he wasn't much of a talkative speaking and that was hard for her. She was a Hufflepuff and derived herself off of social interaction, which he, as Slytherin, didn't enjoy as much. Mr.Malfoy remained closed off. He only allowed her to see small bits of him from time to time, but she was willing, and with time came patience.
On the last day of January, Esme sat in the library early morning, reading through another one of her books while taking notes with a quill. The ink neatly imprinted her pages with her cursive writing. She had been engraved in her work; she was oblivious to the sound of Nolly appearing into the room. Her eyes scrunched together as she focused on the main details, trying to sort out what was important and what was not.
"Miss.".
"Hi, Nolly. How are you?" she asked the sweet elve who was staring up at her with big eyes.
"Miss I am great thank you for asking. Miss I was wondering, well." she stopped, and Esme shut her book, pushing it to the side.
"What were you wondering, may I ask?"
"Would you like to come to take a break and bake a brownie with me in the kitchen Miss?".
Esme's heart filled with warmth at Nolly's request. Her books could wait. "Of course.".
Spending time with Nolly seemed like pleasure in her favour, and she could never resist brownies. Another one of her favourites.
She placed her books back where they belonged and slipped her notebook in the middle of a shelf where it blended it, where no one would see it. Nolly took her hand, and a beam of happiness spread across her features.
The kitchen was enormous. It was the largest room Esme had ever been in at the Manor. It went on with tables and tables, all decorated with a marble layover and brown walls. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling, and the glasses and plates linked against the walls. She bit her lip, suppressing a smile.
"Mr.Malfoy enjoys brownies.".
Esme turned around to face Nolly, who had already begun placing the ingredients inside a bowl. "Does he now?".
The two chatted as they stirred the batter, licking the gooey chocolate mixture from their fingers. Nolly brought out a large baking sheet, and they poured the brownie mixture into it. Esme couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy.
They danced around the kitchen, laughing as they put a timer on the oven, waiting for the time to pass. She was unable to deny the fact that Nolly was the best company at the Manor. They cleared up the kitchen. Even though Nolly begged her not to, she insisted, to help out. After all, she had made the most mess. The oven made a loud ringing sound, and she jumped, frightened by the sound. Nolly bounced over, taking the brownie out from the oven.
The savoury aroma of chocolate filled the air, and her mouth dropped open, about to drool. She had forgotten what a chocolate brownie smelled like.
It was piping hot, and they set it down on the kitchen island, waiting for it to cool down. To her utter disappointment, Nolly was called about to finish some housework around the Manor. Esme sat alone staring at the clock, waiting for it to cool. After a solid twenty minutes, she decided to cut Nolly a piece and place it on a plate for her friend. The gooey texture of the chocolate filled the sides of the brownie, and her eyes closed from the smell, craving a tiny piece.
After she finished with Nolly, Esme headed back to the library with the rest of the brownie in hand. As she trailed across the floor, a movement from above caught her eye, and she screamed.
"Calm down woman, It's only me.".
Mr. Malfoy's husky voice followed down the steps, and her eyes focused on the devilishly handsome man approaching her. Today he was wearing a navy blue suit that contrasted against the silver in his eyes. His hair was slightly wet from a shower, and instead of combed to the side neatly, he left it messy. His glasses perched above his nose, and she blushed while admiring him. He tended to make her blush often.
She felt nothing for him.
"You scared me.".
His eyes danced in amusement. "What do you have there?".
"A brownie.".
"The weather is nice. We'll play chess outside today".
He turned around, walking out of the library and then paused, leaning his elegant frame against the bulky door of the library.
Her eyes swept along his figure, admiring the way his suit fitted his body to absolute perfection. When she met his eyes, a small smirk covered his lips. "Bring the brownie too."
He gave her a wink and then turned away, walking towards the main doors of the Manor. Esme tried to control her breathing, a rush of excitement filling her insides. She stopped at the nearest mirror, quickly tying her hair in two french braids, before heading out to the veranda.
He was right. It was warm for January. The sun beamed against the blue sky, white clouds moving in patterns. The wind tickled her cheeks, and she could feel the warmth of the sun soaking up her skin. Walking over the table, he mumbled a warming charm for the both of them before slipping off his blazer, wearing an untucked white shirt and navy dress pants. Her cheeks flushed as he rolled up the sleeves to his elbows, sliding his glasses into the pocket of his coat.
"Ready?"
"I guess we'll see.".
He left out a small chuckle, and her mood instantly lightened from his bright demeanour. He was feeling playful today, and she was determined to win. It had been a month since they first started playing, and she had expected to win once at the least, but he never backed down. That was one thing she admired about him. Mr.Malfoy always threw challenges at her. He never allowed her to take the easy way out of situations. He was tough on her, and it made her feel a little more human.
She waited for him to move his pond, creating a strategy in her head beforehand. When he did, she moved hers, and the game had begun. This time she refused to allow his presence to distract her, her eyes solely focused on the board, carefully planning out her move.
One after the other.
He moved his bishop, and she moved her rook.
She moved her knight, he would move his queen.
Every so often, she would glance up at him, watching his features remain relaxed. The same smirk from earlier was playing on his pink lips. Before he had the chance to meet her eyes, she looked back down.
Four pieces left remaining.
Esme moved her knight, well aware her bishop could corner his queen and then take out his king. Mr.Malfoy paused, glaring at the board. She then understood why it was taking him so long to come up with another move. She had targeted his king either way, and she was going to win.
"Checkmate." she squealed, holding her hands together in anticipation. Mr.Malfoy was full of surprises and didn't want to celebrate too early, without knowing with absolute certainty that she had won. The moment his head fell forward, she jumped up from the chair, yelling out. "Omg, I did it. I did it. CHECKMATE. I WON. I BEAT YOU, MR.MALFOY."
He glared at her from his seat, but his eyes were proud. She jumped up and down, clapping her hands together like a child. God, she was so happy. She had been waiting for this moment for an entire month, practice after practice, and she had finally defeated him.
"Congratulations, I must say. I'm proud of you.".
Esme sat back down in the chair, cutting a piece out of the brownie for him.
"Here. Thank you for helping me, Mr.Malfoy."
His face lightened up at the smell of the brownie, and for a second, she caught a glimpse of his boyish side. Before she could admire it further, his regular manly features returned. "How could I ever resist a brownie.".
She watched as he sliced the side of it effortlessly, bringing it to his lips and then savouring it as it left her sight, moving to the inside of his mouth. He chewed slowly, and she patiently waited for his reaction.
"Not bad, did you make this?".
Esme rolled her eyes and nodded as she took a bite from hers, not as gracefully as he did. His eyebrow rose, and her cheeks heated in embarrassment.
"Mhm. It could be better.". he teased.
She knew he was joking from how he devoured the rest, moving on to his second piece in seconds.
Esme kept her eyes on the board, growing nervous at the silence between them. The tension in the air was unlike anything she had experienced before. Her eyes would flicker to his, and he would already be looking at her.
Her head fall towards the floor, evident embarrassment pooling in her cheeks. When her head moved back up, his attention was fixated on the gardens, staring at the rows of green that were flourishing from the ground bringing out colour along the dark gravel paths.
Since the table was tiny compared to the one in her room, she could feel his knees brush up against hers. Her fingers twiddled in her hands, fidgeting as she took the chance to appreciate his features.
Esme could see every bit of his face. From his perfectly sized forehead, down to his thick long lashes, to his sharp-pointed nose. To the curve in his defined jaw and then back to the cream-coloured skin that etched across his face. His platinum hair was blowing in the wind, and with the chilly breeze, it added a slight pink to his cheeks, bringing out some colour from his pale skin. His lips were flushed, parted together, as he breathed in and out the outside air.
Mr.Malfoy's grey eyes met hers, and he bit his lip, suppressing another laugh. "Do I? Do I have something on my face?" she panicked, wiping her face brutally.
He pushed his seat toward her, as she did the same, so the table would no longer be in their way. He leaned in towards her.
"You just have a little something here." his cold finger traced along her mouth. He gently wiped away some of the chocolate from the bottom of her lip.
His touch sent shivers down her spine as he pulled her bottom lip down slightly before releasing it. Esme gazed into his eyes, noticing the colour silver had taken place.
Before Mr.Malfoy could move away, she pressed her lips to his.
Her heart hammered, and it felt like an eternity before he sighed, giving in and kissing her back. She gasped as he cupped her cheek, dragging his other finger against her warm flesh. Her hands moved up to his shoulders and then wrapped around his neck to bring him closer.
Her blood was rushing through her veins as he continued to kiss her softly. Her heart was drumming so violently she thought she might collapse.
I'm using you. I'm using you. I'm using you.
When she pulled away to breathe, he dropped his hands from her face, eyes widening in horror. Before she could blink, his whole mood changed. His upper lip curled into a sinister smile.
"I have full control of you. Are you that desperate?".
His voice was a blade, cutting through the layers of emotions she was protecting herself from.
Esme shrunk back, feeling her stomach plummet to the ground, watching as he shook his head apparating away.
Her eyes stung, and the touch of his lips melting against hers- was ingrained in her skull. She could still feel the softness as each of his kisses brush against her lips.
I have full control of you.
Back to square one.