aenigma: enigma, riddle, puzzle
———
ELARA was startled out of sleep by something brushing against her arm.
Groaning as light streamed in through the sheer curtains and stung her eyes, she propped herself up onto her elbows and stifled a yawn.
She blinked once, staring down at the sheets around her and then blinked again.
Four books were lying open around her, accompanied by about a dozen different parchments. She hadn't even been able to get through most last night before her head had started to ache and she'd had to abandon her task, instead settling in to sleep.
And yet, she was no closer to finding out how to get that blasted ring off Draco's finger.
Elara's teeth sunk into her lip at the thought of him. The way he'd lingered when they'd had to part ways at her bedroom door last night, the way she'd been unable to take her eyes off his, a dark grey in the dim light of the hallway. The way his hair had felt underneath her fingers, sliding through them like silk, the way he'd teased her. The scent of him—peppermint and teakwood.
And the relief that had swept through her like a tsunami when she'd finally been able to get him to smile. She hadn't realised how much she'd missed that smirk of his—that cocky half-grin that made her stomach do somersaults. She'd just known that she would do anything to wipe that look of utter heartbreak out of his eyes—and she'd figured braiding his hair was a ridiculous enough place to start.
Sounds and laughter from the backyard made her ears perk and she slid off the bed, her pulse thrumming. Because that was Draco's chuckle, his self-assured laugh.
Sweeping the books and parchments off her bed and padding over to lay them onto the table, Elara took a moment to pull back the curtains and peer out into the backyard.
What she saw made her heart stutter. Draco and Demetrius were sparring, shirtless, strong bodies gleaming with sweat in the morning sun. They circled each other, the light catching on Draco's pale hair and Demetrius said something that made him smirk before he threw a punch.
Demetrius blocked it but Draco had another waiting for him and managed to get him right in the stomach. He doubled over in pain as Draco retreated, still with that grin on his lips.
Elara's mouth went dry.
Demetrius came at him again, managing to dodge another one of Draco's punches and catch him in the ribs but Draco only used the momentum of his punch to swivel into a kick, landing it right in the center of Demetrius' ribs.
"Fuck!" Demetrius groaned, backing up to catch his breath and Elara felt like the breath had been knocked out of her.
Because Draco with his hair tousled, sweating, his chest heaving and with that wicked grin on his face was a picture she wanted ingrained into her brain.
Then, he glanced up towards her window—and her pulse began to race. Silver met honey and for a moment, she thought she saw his smile soften.
But then it was gone and he only tipped his chin up in silent acknowledgement of her before turning his attention back to Demetrius who had recovered and was coming at him, fists swinging.
Elara let the curtain drop and shook her head at herself, turning to take a shower.
By the time she'd made it downstairs, everyone else had gathered for breakfast. Neville and Kaia were the ones cooking today, using their magic to add ingredients and stir the pan. Val was perched on the counter next to the stove, watching them and Hermione leaned next to her, sipping a cup of tea.
Elara made her way over to the sitting area, squeezing past August and Maya and took a seat on the sofa, opening up the book she'd brought down with her. Ever since Draco had stopped visiting the safehouse a month ago, she'd tried multiple times to get back into her research—but everytime she'd attempted it, those intrusive thoughts had slid in and made panic claw up her throat.
So she'd started off small. Started with skimming through a page of one of the fiction books Val loved to read and then moving on to two pages. Three. Four.
By the end of the month, she'd been able to shift back to her research and read for a good half hour without feeling overwhelmed or panicked, although her head would still ache throughout.
"And how are you on this fine morning?" Ron grinned as he flopped down next to her, all disheveled red hair.
Elara stifled a yawn behind her hand. "Fine. How'd you sleep?"
"Oh, like a baby." And that twinkle in his eye as he glanced at Hermione—Elara didn't have to decipher what that meant.
And some part of her ached. Not for the sex, of course—but ached that they could be so open and love each other so freely. Fall back on each other whenever they needed to, have someone to fall asleep next to every night and wake up to every morning.
"Bloody hell, Ron, you've only been here a minute and you've already made her upset," Ginny called from the armchair where she was nibbling on one of the muffins from yesterday. "Also, who the fuck puts cinnamon in—"
"I do," Demetrius grumbled as he strode in through the front door, followed by Draco.
For the second time that morning, Elara's mouth went dry—because seeing Draco Malfoy up close, shirtless and gleaming with sweat, was not something she'd ever planned on.
His scars stood out against his skin, a sharp contrast to Demetrius' dark, smooth torso, and Elara knew she should look away—but it suddenly became a feat she was unable to accomplish.
She'd only seen him shirtless twice before—once when Adolfus had attacked him and the second when they'd figured out that touching each other made their headaches recede—and both times, she'd been too preoccupied to notice much about him.
But now, her eyes seemed to soak in every ridge of his muscled torso, the strong build of his shoulders, his powerful arms, all covered with a light sheen of sweat. In Hogwarts, he'd been lean—but over the years, he'd built pure power into his body, every inch of his tall frame sculpted and beautiful.
He pushed back his damp hair with one hand, shaking his head at something Demetrius was saying and Elara found her eyes roaming over his face, over that sharp jawline and straight nose, those sharp silver eyes that were currently fixed on Demetrius next to him.
She let her eyes move lower, over his scarred torso, down his well-defined abdomen, trying to ignore the way her breath caught in her throat. To the sweats he wore—the first time she'd ever seen him in them—
Something heavy seemed to land on her shoulders and she glanced back up, her awe tunneling right into horror. Because he was looking straight at her—even as Demetrius kept talking beside him, saying something to Maya who had drifted closer—and by that glint in his eye, it was obvious he'd known that she was ogling at him the entire time.
Elara's stomach plummeted as she tried to fight the blush rising to her cheeks but Draco only raised an eyebrow and gave her that sly half-grin. Her heart suddenly dissolved into a kaleidoscope of butterflies.
Sliding the cloth in his hand over the back of his neck, his gaze was drawn back to Demetrius and Elara snapped hers away finally, glaring down at the book she'd opened onto her lap. Her face was still heated and she knew she was probably pink all over—but all thoughts of embarrassment slid out of her head as she noticed Maya moving closer, her pretty face turned towards Draco as she listened to Demetrius.
Elara's blood raged when Maya reached a hand out, leisurely stroking over one of Draco's scars on his shoulder. So casually—like this was something she did everyday.
Her vision flashed red and the book in her hands snapped shut with a loud sound that made Ron jump. Draco didn't even glance her way.
She liked Maya. She was bubbly and funny and so light-hearted that she lifted people's spirits just by walking into the room. There was nothing in her that Elara could find to dislike.
But seeing her hands on Draco...It made something savage light in her chest, made her want to do something stupid and reckless.
It's not Maya's fault, she tried to remind herself. It's not. She's your friend.
But when Draco didn't stop her fingers from sliding lower to his stomach and when her laugh rang out, soft and tinkling, Elara's thoughts descended into a pit they'd never gone into before.
Of course he'd like Maya. Why wouldn't he? She wasn't broken. She was the most whole person Elara knew. He wouldn't have to take care of her. She'd make his life easier—not harder.
And Maya was beautiful. Elara had been too wrapped up in what had happened to Iris to notice before but her eyes were such a pretty almond-shape, her hair smooth and silky and tame, her skin a gorgeous burnished brown. Even in just a plain sweater and jeans, she looked like she was ready to walk the runway.
And Elara? She looked down at the oversized midnight blue crewneck she wore coupled with her plaid pajama pants and scowled. Had she even brushed her hair this morning? She couldn't even remember—
A large, warm body sidling in between her and the armrest of the sofa jerked her back to reality.
Elara's eyes widened as she stared at Draco who had just settled in next to her, one strong arm thrown over the back of the sofa, the other elbow resting on the armrest, fingers toying with his lower lip.
"You looked like you wanted to hurl your guts all over this pretty rug," he said, eyebrows raising as he nodded to the rug on the floor by his feet and again, heat flooded her face.
"I'm fine," she said, stiffly, opening her book back up and even Ron snorted from beside her. She dug her elbow into his ribs and he promptly shut up.
Draco leaned in closer and her entire body went still, every fiber and cell wanting to nestle into the warmth of him and his bare chest. His lips brushed her ear, his voice so quiet even she could barely hear it. "I didn't take you for the possessive kind."
Liquid fire raced through her veins and it was a conscious effort to keep her chest from heaving. "Possessive implies there's something to have possession of."
She felt him smile against her. "You're right." With that, he pulled back, putting distance between the two of them and the tightness in her chest released. "Until you decide what you want, there's no way you'll get it."
And she knew there was something else he was trying to tell her, something else he was hinting at.
The sofa shifted as Hermione called for Ron and he got to his feet, dutifully heading over to her but Draco didn't spare him a glance. His eyes stayed on her, his head tilted to rest on his fist and there was too much hard muscle and pale skin in Elara's face for her to think straight.
"Shouldn't you be there with her?" she asked him, eyes sliding over to where Maya now leaned against the wall, still speaking with Demetrius. She had to raise her voice slightly to be heard over the clanging of pans and plates coming from the kitchen. "Isn't she the distraction you need?"
Because that was why he was doing this with her, right? Why he had flirted with her last night, why she always caught him looking at her, why he'd let her crawl onto his lap that night in the bathtub and leave her mark on him. She didn't let herself think about the kiss. It had been a lapse of judgement on both sides. She'd decided that the moment she'd seen him on the porch after Iris' death. And when he'd found her in the forest, he was only doing what was required of him.
Right?
"She's not the one I want to distract myself with," he said back, not seeming fazed in the slightest. She wanted to whack him with the book in her hands just to get a reaction out of him.
It wasn't fair that her heart was doing laps, her stomach fluttering and he got to sit there, looking like some sort of god, shirtless and sculpted and gorgeous, and she wanted nothing more than to drag her hands down his stomach and—
His eyes darkened as if he knew—but she didn't feel that little pressure in her mind that meant he'd breached it. He wasn't using Legilimency on her but he still knew what she was thinking.
His arm shifted behind her, fingers grazing her shoulder and every sense in her body zeroed in on that teasing touch.
Everything around them seemed to fade away and for a quick second, Elara was sure he was going to kiss her. His gaze was hot and heavy, his breathing just that little bit more laboured.
But a startlingly loud clang from the kitchen made him snap his gaze away, finding a spot behind her and then he was withdrawing and that look was back in his eye—the one that screamed of self-loathing and regret and everything that Elara wanted to distract him from.
But Draco looked at her for a moment longer, pushing a hand through his hair and then stood. She let him leave, let him walk out into the hallway, still rubbing that cloth against his neck and she sank into the sofa with a loud exhale as soon as he was gone.
How could she demand...whatever she wanted from him when he had so much on his plate? When he had a Horcrux on his hand and his mother in the hospital?
Elara shook her head, clearing her thoughts and opened her book up again, trying to focus on something other than the man she knew would ruin her.
|
"You sure he'll take this well?"
Elara's voice was quiet as she led Lucifer past Draco, manoeuvring the Abraxan into his stall.
"No," Draco murmured back as he watched Carolyn dust herself off and pull her hair back into a ponytail. "I think he'll take this terribly."
Elara threw a piece of meat to each of the four horses in Orion's stable, her eyes lingering on the Thestral and then turned to follow Draco towards the entrance to the narrow tunnel that would lead them up into Orion's backyard. "Then remind me why we brought her?"
"I can hear you, you know," Carolyn said from behind them.
"Good," Elara retorted at the same time as Draco said, "That was the point."
They could practically hear Carolyn rolling her eyes from behind them.
"I don't trust her," Elara whispered, more to Draco's back than anyone else. The tight walls on either side of them seemed to bear down on her and she shrank back for a second, her heart pounding. She was back in that cell with nothing but the walls around her, caging her in, a prison that would turn into her grave—
Carolyn bumped straight into her in the darkness and hissed out a curse. "Walk."
Elara shook her head and stumbled onwards, catching up to Draco who had reached the base of the ladder and was now climbing up it.
The sunlight shone down on them, birds tweeting in the willow tree set at the back of the garden and Draco turned, steadying Elara with a hand to her elbow and then extending his other to help Carolyn out of the small space.
"If he shatters your bones, don't blame me," he told her as she grimaced and held up a hand to shield her face from the sun. Then, he turned to stride towards the house and Elara hurried to catch up.
"If she shatters his bones, don't blame me," she muttered to him and a twitch of his lips was his only answer.
The house was warm, the interior dim as always and they made a beeline for the stairs leading down to the library in the basement, Carolyn slowing her pace behind them.
Elara stopped at the top of the staircase and turned to watch her drift down the hallway towards them, her eyes scanning the picture frames, the trinkets arranged on a long table along the wall.
Her hand reached out and fixed a skewed frame. Elara had never seen her look so thoughtful, so contemplative.
"Hasn't changed," Carolyn murmured, a small crease appearing between her brows.
For a second, something raw flashed on her face—but it was gone before Elara could even digest it. Then, Carolyn was pushing past her, following Draco who had already gone into the library.
Elara rolled her eyes and went after her, their steps sounding on the stone stairs.
"—binding magic!" Orion was standing in front of Draco, talking animatedly, excitement written on every one of his handsome features. "That's how we get it off! If we can find a way to—"
Elara braced herself as his dark eyes slid over to the two newcomers, the thin scar down his eye twitching and even Draco took a step away, clasping his hands behind his back to see how this unfolded.
Carolyn was rigid as a board next to Elara, her arms folded across her chest, her face a perfect picture of harsh indifference—but Elara could see the way her nails dug into her biceps.
The silence was nearly unbearable as Orion stared at Carolyn and Carolyn stared back—as if they were running through time itself from beginning to end, reliving everything they'd gone through together.
Elara didn't know what—but she'd bet fifty Galleons they'd been lovers in the past. It fit the look in Carolyn's blue eyes the moment Elara had asked about Orion, the way she had stiffened when Elara had said she preferred him.
"What," Orion's voice was low and carefully controlled, "the fuck is she doing here?"
Carolyn scoffed, glancing at the library around them with something close to disdain. "Nothing's changed, I see."
Orion seemed to be shaking, trying to keep himself in check. "Draco."
"She needed to see you," he replied, nodding towards Carolyn. "She's got a good reason."
Elara started and swiveled to look at him. She hadn't realised Carolyn had told Draco why she'd wanted to come see Orion. When had they even spoken between last night to this afternoon? She'd never seen them even look at each other.
Orion drew in a breath as Carolyn stepped forward, those icy eyes flashing, "Going to turn me away, Orion?" The sound of his name off her lips made his fists clench. "I wouldn't blame you, considering that the last time I saw you, I locked you out of my house before you could get a word out."
Elara's temper flared at her tone and she was about to say something when Draco sent her a warning glare.
But Orion only looked at her for a long moment and then drew himself up, morphing his face into a mask that nearly fooled even Elara. "Of course not. Always happy to be of service, Carolyn."
Surprise flashed on Carolyn's face for a split second. She obviously hadn't expected the politeness, the respect in Orion's voice.
He caught Elara's eye and gave her a wide grin. "Long time no see, little minx."
Elara's answering smile was instinctive and she could've sworn Draco blinked at her in awe as she moved forward until Orion was close enough. He folded her into his arms, squeezing tight and nearly lifting her off the floor and the laugh that pushed out of her was one that was genuine.
"I missed you too," she told him as he set her down and drew back, still with that grin on his face.
"Did you get my scones?" Orion asked her, expectantly and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco wince.
Her heart turned to stone in her chest at the memory but she nodded, trying to plaster on a smile for him. "Yeah, I did."
He blew out a breath, throwing an arm around her shoulders and guiding her to the armchair. "Good. I tried a new recipe for tiramisu today that I want you to try—"
"Orion," Draco cut him off like he sensed where this conversation was going. "You were saying something before..." He gestured around, vaguely, with his hands.
"Oh." Realisation dawned in Orion's eyes. "Right."
He led them over to the table covered in scrawled pieces of parchment and open books—one that hissed at them as they approached.
An answering hiss came from one of the chairs and Elara peered over the corner of the table to see Mochi sat on it, her eyes wide and focused on the hissing book.
"Hi, Mochi," she murmured, scratching the cat under the chin, fondly. "I see you finally got down."
She mewled and rubbed her face against Elara's fingers, still warily looking at the book.
"Here." Orion straightened and handed a piece of parchment to Draco. "These are my notes. Look at the bottom of the page."
Draco's eyebrows furrowed as he skimmed the paper. Carolyn hung back, still taking in the library and Elara could almost see the ghosts of the past in those piercing blue eyes.
"So you're saying the magic in the Horcruxes recognises my Dark Mark?" Draco's voice caught her attention once more and she turned back to the two men, still stroking Mochi.
Orion nodded. "That's why we can't get it off. If anyone else without the Mark had worn it, it probably wouldn't have stuck. But the Dark Mark is just another form of Dark Magic—just like the Horcrux. The ring recognises it, senses your power. It doesn't want to let you go."
"How does that help us?" Draco frowned down at the parchment and then handed it over to Elara who had stretched her hand out for it. She remembered what he'd said just last night—that the ring was sucking his power out of him, that it was slowly killing him.
"Now that we know why it's not coming off," Elara picked up where Orion had left off, "we can work on ways to counter that. If we could somehow get the Dark Magic out of the ring, we might be able to—"
Her voice cut off, abruptly, her eyes widening a fraction as it hit her like a train collision.
"What?" Draco moved closer, his eyes focused on her face. Even Carolyn drifted nearer.
"Oh," Elara whispered, staring down at the parchment in her hands, not really seeing it. Her hands began to tremble. "Oh my God."
She was moving in the next heartbeat, rushing for the satchel she'd dumped onto the armchair and snatching it up. Turning it over, she shook it and the books Draco had brought to the safehouse for her came tumbling out, landing onto the carpeted floor with a softened thud.
The others circled around her as she dropped to her knees and sifted through the books, looking for the one that she'd nearly had a panic attack reading.
There. Her hands found it, dark blue nails digging into the hard cover as she pulled it out of the pile and flipped it open, scanning through the pages, her mind whirring like a machine.
"Elara?" Orion ventured, casting a glance at Draco who only shrugged. Carolyn watched with narrowed eyes, still oddly silent.
Where is it? Elara desperately hoped she hadn't dreamed it up. She flipped through page after page, eyes working furiously until finally, she landed on the page she'd opened the very first time. The one she'd panicked reading. The one Draco had slammed the book shut on.
"Here!" She jumped to her feet, her excitement palpable as she turned so that Orion and Draco could read over her shoulder at the same time. Her finger pointed out the phrase—right at the top of the page. "Some studies have shown that it may be feasible to siphon Dark Magic out of a Dark Object—but to do so would require extensive knowledge of Runes and Blood Magic. Most do not even attempt this ritual as the Dark Magic would only be removed for a few seconds at most before it re-entered the object it originated from. See page seven hundred and forty for further details on Runes."
She whirled back around to face them, every inch of her buzzing. They both stared at her, dumbfounded but Elara could see the realisation spreading across their faces.
"This is how we do it," she breathed, eyes flicking between them. "We get the Dark Magic out of his ring. It won't recognise him for a few seconds so we should be able to slide it off. Then we destroy it."
The silence was tensed and she held her breath, waiting for either one of them to shoot down her proposition.
But when Orion spoke, there was only awe laced in his voice.
"You," he whispered, "are a fucking genius."
Even Draco's lips quirked up in a smile—one so genuine it made Elara's heart melt into her shoes.
Orion was a whirlwind after that, not even sparing a glance at Carolyn as he hurried back over to the desk, looking through parchments and books. "Elara, flip to the page—"
"Already have." She scanned page seven hundred and forty, the page on Runes. "It's not enough. We'll need more information."
Draco sidled in next to her, leaning in to read the page himself and Elara tried not to focus on the smell of peppermint and teakwood. It was a lovely scent, she realised. It suited him—and it made something warm curl in her chest.
"Blood Magic," he murmured. "What the fuck does Blood Magic have to do with any of this?"
"Dark Magic requires a sacrifice."
Carolyn's voice made them all look up to where she was standing with her back against one of the bookshelves, her arms still crossed.
"If you want to get it out, even for a few seconds, it's not going to let you do it without taking some part of you with it," she continued, looking straight at Draco. "You'll have to give up some of your blood."
"Isn't that dangerous?" Elara inquired, glancing back down at the book in her hands. "I don't know. I get the feeling mixing blood and Dark Magic will never end well."
"It won't," said Orion, grimly but when Elara turned her head to look at him, he was focused on Carolyn. There was sorrow in his eyes—one so deep Elara inhaled sharply.
Carolyn didn't seem to notice and just stared at her feet, falling silent once more.
Draco met Elara's eyes for a quick moment and something passed between them. Understanding, Elara stood straighter, shutting the book.
"I'm assuming you'd like to talk to Orion alone," she said to Carolyn. She nodded to Orion who looked as uncomfortable at the prospect as Carolyn did. "We'll be in the kitchen if you need us."
Draco followed her out, soundlessly and Elara was painfully aware of every step he took behind her, every breath he inhaled and then exhaled.
Elara was observant. It was one of the traits she'd always prided herself on. She caught flickers of emotions on people's faces, read their body language like they were books, caught the subtlest change in tone. She could point out a person's nervous ticks probably within the first fifteen minutes of meeting them, could learn their weak spots and how to get them to trust her within the first forty.
And yet, nobody mystified her like Draco Malfoy. He was the epitome of everything she couldn't read. Every single one of his facial expressions was carefully controlled, every emotion hidden underneath a mask of casual indifference. He had no qualms about being rude to people even when he was in a good mood—so figuring out when he was in a bad one was virtually impossible. He didn't seem to have any weak spots—except for her—and she didn't think he would trust anybody fully even if he'd known them his entire life.
Yes, Draco Malfoy was an enigma—but Elara had always had a talent for puzzles.
His hands shook when he felt any kind of strong emotion and he flexed his fingers and balled them into a fist whenever he was in pain—physical or mental. His eyes did the talking for him—at least to her—and she could almost always tell what kind of mood he was in as soon as he walked into the room just by glancing at his eyes. It wasn't something anybody else could see—but she just knew. Had grown to learn him and read him over the past eight months since he'd come back into her life. He pushed a hand through his hair when he was frustrated and judging by the purple bruises on his knuckles, he liked to work his anger out through punching. From the rough surface of the bruises, his victims were probably walls—although she was sure he must've gotten into more than a few fist fights in the time she'd known him. Maybe with Orion.
"Ten Galleons, please."
Elara came back to reality, blinking away her thoughts and found herself in the kitchen.
Draco was standing by the counter, making a mug of black coffee for himself, his back to her. "Well? Pay up. That was an awfully long trip you took."
Elara blinked again and heaved a sigh, setting the book she'd brought up with her onto the table. "Sorry. Just thinking."
"Feel like sharing?" He glanced over his shoulder at her and then nodded to the fridge. "Orion doesn't have any caramel syrup. I checked."
If Elara could've became a puddle on the floor, she probably would have. She mentally cursed at herself. Was she really melting just because he'd remembered her favourite drink? Merlin, she was more lonely than she thought.
"Oh." Her voice was hoarse as he turned from the counter. "That's fine."
She took a seat at the table as he came closer, placing a mug in front of her before sliding into the chair opposite her. "What's this?" she asked, leaning forward to peer into it.
"Hot cocoa," he responded—as if he made it for her on a daily basis. "Since you can't make your caramel juice."
Elara's eyes locked on his across the table but he looked completely relaxed, one arm over the back of the chair, that hand holding his mug, the other hand lying flat on the table.
"Orion has this secret supply of cocoa," he went on, tapping his fingers on the table as he took a sip from his mug. "Won't tell me where he gets it from but the stuff's fucking amazing."
And in that moment, Elara wanted nothing more than to lean across the table and press her lips to his—to make him feel the way she did whenever he did these things for her.
Draco seemed to realise because his throat bobbed. "So where'd you go off to?"
It took her a minute to realise he was talking about when she'd zoned out. "Oh, just places."
He raised an eyebrow and she fought the urge to cringe. Just places? She was going to magically seal her mouth shut.
"Just places," he mused, taking another sip of his coffee. "What kind of places?"
Elara picked up her mug and took a sip. Sweet cocoa burst onto her tongue, followed by the creamy texture of milk whipped to perfection and she nearly keeled over onto the floor with just the taste. Her eyes widening, she pulled the mug back and stared down at it.
Draco chuckled. "Good, right?"
"This is..." She looked up at him again. "This is made to perfection."
He shrugged, nonchalantly. "It's really the cocoa—"
Elara shook her head. "No, it's not just—You've whipped the milk to exactly the perfect texture and it's just as hot as I like it." Not too hot, not too cold. "Also, is that cinnamon?"
That half-grin slid onto his face. "I tried it out. You like it?"
She smiled at him—without even thinking—and his own faded, his gaze dropping to her lips. Elara's heart rate picked up and she was suddenly self-conscious, her skin prickling.
But he only dragged his eyes back up to hers and took a long drink from his coffee, never breaking eye contact with her.
"Will you be okay here with Orion and Carolyn?" he asked her a moment later, long fingers resuming their tapping on the table. "I have to check on my mother."
Elara blinked at him and then slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, shit, I almost forgot!"
She plunged her hand into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the little slip of paper she'd scribbled onto late last night when she'd been reading.
Draco looked at her, curiously, waiting—but she didn't even know where to begin and it didn't make it any easier when his tongue slid out to run across his lower lip, further scrambling her mind.
"Your mother—" She stopped and tried again. "Magically Induced Comas are pretty common and most Healers deal with those on a daily basis. You know, spell gone wrong or someone meant to give you a Sleeping Draught but messed up the measurements. Most Healers are experienced with those since they come in on a daily basis."
Draco waited, patiently, taking another sip.
"But you said your mother fell so—it's possible they're trying to treat her for the blunt force trauma to her head. It's just a theory but..." She slid the paper across the table to him. "I think they should be focusing on getting the illness she had before she fell out of her system. It's possible that her body is so weak from fighting it that it can't find the energy to wake up. In that case, even if the wound on her head fully heals—which it should have, seeing as it's been a month—she won't wake."
She cleared her throat and took a sip from her hot cocoa. "So I looked up some magical ingredients and draughts that might help in defeating the flu she had. Hopefully, if they manage to wipe that from her system, she'll revive on her own."
Draco's eyes slid across the slip of paper as she continued,"It's entirely possible that they're already using these—or that they may not even work. Or maybe they are already treating her for the flu—"
"They're not," Draco interrupted, softly. "They've been focusing entirely on her head wound and any brain damage."
Elara blinked and gave a nod. "Right. Then you should give that list to them. It may not help but—"
"You stayed up to do this?" he inquired, raising his eyes to hers. "I only told you about her last night."
Elara shifted on her chair, staring at her hot cocoa. "Yeah. It only took a while."
Draco's eyes flickered and she saw what was in them, plain and open for her to see. Awe. Gratitude. Her shoulders relaxed. She'd been scared he'd think she was intruding.
"Thank you," he said and it was the most emotion she'd ever heard in his voice. He offered her a smile. "I owe you—whether this works or not."
Elara swallowed another gulp of her drink. "You owe me nothing," she answered, quietly, repeating his own words back to him. "Nothing."
His silver eyes seemed to draw her in and suddenly, she was unable to look away, unable to do anything but look at him across her and wish things were different.
He had moved forward when she'd slid the piece of paper across to him and had been sitting with both elbows resting on the table, his mug cupped between his hands.
Now, he let one hand slide from it to brush his fingers against hers lying on the table and her breath hitched in her throat as she finally let her gaze drop.
His fingers were long and pale compared to hers, the knuckles bruised. They curled around her middle and index finger and his thumb brushed over the back of her hand, a tantalising touch that seared into her skin.
Heat was spreading across her fingers where he touched them and she half-wished he would grab her entire hand and pull her up and around the table so she could be closer to him.
But he only swept his thumb across the back of her hand again and then released it, sitting back in his chair and draining the coffee from his mug.
Elara fought for breath as he set it down and then stood, swiping his cloak off the back of the chair. "If I'm not back by sundown, head home."
"Okay," she said automatically, her heart still racing as she took another sip.
He was heading for the door when his eyes caught sight of something on her face and he paused, leaning down to reach a hand out. She stilled once more and he dragged his thumb right under her lower lip, collecting the hot cocoa that had been there for the past few seconds.
His smile was boyish. "Such a messy drinker," he murmured, grey eyes almost playful and then he was gone, the only traces of his presence the scent of black coffee and teakwood, the empty mug and the burning sensation on her lips.
———
there, i gave u a cute chapter muah
i love y'all so much and i love when y'all comment ur theories even more! so do that here :)
vote! or bella will steal ur pet <3
kisses,
nyx