Day: 210
Esme headed across the kitchen with a freshly made 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," Draco's voice sounded from the side of the corridor.
"You scared me."
His eyes danced in amusement, "What do you have there?"
"A brownie."
"The weather is nice. Shall we eat outside today?"
"I didn't know you wore glasses."
His eyes widen from the realization of having worn his glasses, and she bursts into a fit of giggles as he sends her a glare- shoving them into his pocket.
"They look nice," she says, heading outside. She misses the blush creeping up his neck.
Esme sat back down in the chair, cutting a piece out of the brownie for him.
His face lightened up at the smell of it, "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 chews slowly, and she patiently waits for his reaction.
"Not bad. Did you make this?"
Esme rolls her eyes and nods as she takes a bite from hers, not as gracefully as he did. His eyebrow rose, and her cheeks heat in embarrassment.
" It could be better," he teases.
Without a doubt, she knows Draco's joking because he immediately devours the second piece in seconds.
Esme keeps her eyes on the bundle of roses planted on the sides of the patio, "I love roses," she says, growing nervous at the silence between them. The tension in the air was unlike anything she had experienced before. Her eyes would flicker to him, and he would already be looking at her.
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 warm 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 have something on my face?" she panicked, wiping her face.
"You just have a little something here." His cold finger traced along with her mouth. He gently wipes away some of the chocolate from her bottom lip.
His touch sends shivers down her spine, but before she could say anything, Draco abruptly pulls away.
Day 229:
Esme's back to working on a potion when her hand mediately snatches a book from the side of the table, one that Draco brought. He reminds her several times to check the books for curses, but this time it passes her mind, completely dismissing his stern warning.
Without checking for any curses in the novel, she reaches for it. Her eyes are still peering over the ingredients of her new-made potion. Suddenly her hand burns and a burning sensation scorches against her skin, and she screams out loud. Her eyes grow hazy as her vision becomes blurry. She stands up, searching for an antidote to help get rid of the painful feeling of the curse spreading into her hand.
So close, almost there.
But before she can reach for it, her vision goes hazy again and she blacks out.
The sounds of shuffling around the room catch her attention. Esme feels her limp body being pulled up into the arms of another. Her fingers tremble slightly from the after-effects of the curse. Her eyes locked with Draco's, and a force of air had pushed straight back into her lungs. The scent of vanilla and oakwood flooded into her nose, allowing her to relax in his hold. He was in her reach, and she could breathe again. The daylight shined through her room windows, outlining his tired features.
As he placed her down onto the middle of her bed, she notices his disheveled hair, the platinum strands falling to the sides of his face, hanging over his forehead. Quiet whimpers leave her lips as her eyes shone with tears. His jaw is strained, holding a stressed expression over his face. The silver in his eyes was dull, with an undertone of red.
Her stomach twisted as he met her stare- watching as his lip twitched and his face hardened. He was wearing a mask to prevent her from seeing how he truly felt. His eyes morphed into grey- hard as ice. It was as if he was staring daggers into her soul.
"I told you to check the books Esme," His voice a low growl.
A small whimper left her lips, and he lifted his wand frantically, casting a diagnostic over her hand. From her peripheral vision, she could see his free hand using wandless magic. He mumbled several spells under his breath, gathering all different types of potions to use.
Her lips cracked open to speaking, and his eyebrows narrowed as her voice came out weak, "I was being dumb, and I forgot."
"You should have called for me. Don't forget next time," he scolds her. Draco begins to draw out each ingredient with the previous measures. His eyes moved back and forth between her and his tools as if she would blackout for a second time.
"Stop scolding me, I know I made a mistake."
He ignores her, his lips sealed shut in a tight line, as he clicks his tongue from the inside of his mouth. He was hardly keeping his anger to a low minimum, fueled with guilt for leaving her alone. Her eyes cleared from the wetness of her tears, sending him a soft smile, "It happened so suddenly. My vision went blurry, and I blacked out," she murmurs after a couple seconds of silence.
His eyes flickered momentarily before muttering incantations under his breath. His head would look up at her every couple of seconds, scanning her features for any signs of discomfort before he would focus his attention back on his diagnostics to decide which places in her hand were the most damaged and needed a heavy healing procedure.
Each time his fingers grazed upon the top of her skin, she could feel the coolness in her touch contrasting against the heat of her hand. She was on fire, raging on the outside with an underlying heat of passion.
He was ice, freezing its way through layers of shielded crystals.
Completely different, yet so similar.
Esme noticed his glasses slipping down, and without thinking, her right-hand reached over, pushing them back up to the arch of his nose. She pauses, keeping her fingers against his skin and then slowly moves her fingers up towards his forehead, pushing away the silky strands that came in his line of view. His eyes remained locked with hers the entire time as his chest tightened and he grew stiff. He releases long breaths, barely moving his shoulders to show he was breathing.
His eyes flicker.
"I'm going to stun you. It will be painful."
"Okay."
He rolls the sleeves of his white shirt up, lifting his wand as it hovered over her forehead, "I'll be here the entire time. I won't leave," he assured her.
She closes her eyes.
"Stupefy."
When Esme awoke again, her hand was sore- muscles rigid from remaining in the same position. Although Her hand no longer burned. The excess blood had vanished. Her hand was healed, not a single scar planted across her palm.
"Thank you, Mr Malfoy."
He nodded, "I'm just going to go clean up. I'll be back."
He bends down, picking up his tools from the floor and organizing them back into the bag that had an undetectable extension charm.
When he left the room, her head turned on her pillow, digging her face into the side. She heard the sound of water from the bathroom, and then it was quiet. Her eyelids snapped open suddenly in complete ignorance of her tiredness seconds ago.
Stepping out of her bed her feet travelled down the small hallway until she was a couple feet away from the glass doors he was standing up. From this distance, she could see how tense he was by his shoulders and the tiredness for the slight way they slumped in utter exhaustion.
Mr Malfoy's figure moved swiftly through the doors, walking towards the edge of the patio. Esme pushed herself away from the wall, walking barefoot against the cold hardwood floors of his room. Her petite frame fit in the gap where the glass doors were still held slightly ajar. She stood for a moment admiring his figure. Then she walked over as he turned his head to the side, watching her. Her hues opened in awe as his pale skin set light against the black sky.
His eyes were free of the redness, no longer seeming tired. He looked healthy again. He must have taken another vial of the potion she made. His eyes followed her movements until she stood before him. Esme stood near the railing as she gazed out at the gardens- breathing in the outdoor smell of nature. Her eyes closed as a smile rose above her lips. Just then, her head tilted up, watching the stars glow against the night sky.
His silence was a gift, an inner peace she was beginning to treasure. Her finger lifted pointed up at the sky, and she turned to meet his eyes, "That's Draco. The constellation."
A smile adorned his lips, "You know your constellations?"
She scoffed, "Of course."
And then something inside him changed. His eyes transformed darkly, observing her, with a fueled intention in the midst of it all. There was a hidden solicitousness emerging from the thickness of the edges. The clouds in his eyes had passed through their storm, now carrying a mysterious glint becoming clear as day.
Hints of silver glistened from where he stood, shining as the moonlight fell into his direct path of sight. And she didn't dare to look away.
"Say my name, again," he whispered.
Her eyebrows narrowed in confusion before realizing what he wanted. Her mouth opened as his name fell from her lips like silk, "Draco."
Day: 283
He offered to take her to the Manor Library, and she would be a fool to resist.
Montrer la voie." ( lead the way), Esme murmured quietly, sensing his figure from behind her.
Mr Malfoy gripped her shoulders softly, pausing for a brief second then sent her a small squeeze of reassurance, "Relax Esme. Just close your eyes, and I'll guide you."
She remained silent, keeping her bubbling anxiety to a minimum. Almost blinded by her thoughts, Draco's voice rings through her ears, steering her clear.
"Step down."
She raises her foot before taking a step down. Her hand reaches for the railing on the side for another source of balance. She follows the staircase keeping her eyes shut. When she reaches the bottom, they continue on their venture.
Her mind wanders to why he didn't decide to just apparate them to where he was taking her. She hears him move in front of her. The faint sound of a piano plays gracefully in the background, and her ears fill in delight.
"Take three steps forward," Draco instructs.
She complies, moving her feet forward three times before stopping again. She presumed they had finally reached their destination, considering he wasn't pushing her to move anymore.
"Can I open my eyes?"
"Impatiente? He sighs. She bit her lip harder, suppressing a giggle.
"Oui Monsieur."
She heard him chuckle lightly, and her chest warmed.
"Ouvrez les yeux" (Open your eyes).
Esme's eyes peeled up, gasping loudly at the brilliant sight in front of her.
She was standing at the entrance of the Malfoy Library.
The entire room was a light shade of navy blue. Her eyes snapped to the right books, and books piled the shelves in dozens of rows. They then followed up the spiralling staircase that laid upon a second floor with a sitting area. She looked back down towards the middle of the library, beginning to walk forward.
Esme was in a complete state of shock. Her feet pushed forward, moving her to the first bookshelf. She removed a book-lined up in the organized row, breathing in the smell of the cover. It invaded her senses, making her feel at home. Her dainty fingers opened the first page, gasping again at the sight of the script.
It was the first edition.
She backed away- her eyes still wide. She turned her head to the right of the room, where older, more used books were organized neatly, rows and rows of bookshelves taking up the entire side of the room. Her head tilted, looking up at the ceiling. It was complete glass- her lip trembled at how absolutely perfect the library was. The sun hit her skin from just above her head, and she felt special- like she was in the spotlight.
This was everything she could have ever asked for.
"Draco, this is incredible," she breathed.
Her eyes were still moving back and forward across the entire room, almost forgetting that he was still with her. She was so engrossed in the sight of it all, she didn't hear his footsteps come up beside her. Turning her head to the side, she met his smug expression. His eyes held a small glint in them.
And then she narrowed her eyes at him, taking in his entire presence as he stepped closer- into the sunlight right beside her. She didn't have the chance to view him before their arrival because of her anxiety attack, which distracted her from him.
But now that he was freely standing right beside her, she took him in. All of him.
The snowy white colour of his skin looked healthier than she had ever seen before. He looked like he was sculpted by the gods, not a single mark on his skin. The very definition of perfect.
His white skin glistened in the light, along with his eyes. The silver specks were clearly evident. Her eyes moved down to his lips, the pinkish colour slightly crimson. He then bit down on his lip, suppressing a laugh that was eager to come out.
Mr Malfoy opened his mouth to say something but closed it as she looked away from him. From the corner of her eye, she watched him move towards a bookshelf near the end of the library, her feet stalked forward, following him. She admired the way he walked, with elegance and power. His shoulders were upright, head held up high.
Esme blinked quickly, processing his moving figure. He didn't look real. But then that was the same thing she thought each time he visited her. His olive green jumper fitted to his body, highlighting every muscle from the tops of his arm down to his hands. It was tucked into his black kaki's. And she wondered the last time she saw him dress so casually. She stumbled forward, trying to process the image of him in the sun.
His platinum hair fell messily over his head, and he raised a hand, rushing it through his hair. It looked soft, and she found herself wanting to reach over and run her hands through it. His veiny fingers were covered in rings. Although she noticed there had only been one on his right pointer finger.
"Did you charm the ring to contain the potion?" she wondered, out of curiosity. Although she was quite sure she already knew the answer.
"Clever witch," He turned back around, smirking. She could feel her cheeks turn a brighter shade of pink as he held a smug expression.
"Tout va bien?" (Everything alright?)
"Yes, Now show me the rest of your classics. You did make a promise, and now you should uphold it."
She could picture him rolling his eyes, "C'mon then, you witch."
Esme got sucked into her own little world. As she read the tiny words spread across the pages, the sun began to set as night took over. The white moon was now shining through the glass of the library, stars twinkling in the night sky.
Her eyelids fluttered in exhaustion, sore from the amount of reading. Her hands fell limply in her lap, the book following resting on top of her body. She curled into the side of the couch, falling asleep.
The sound of a clock rang quietly in the library. She barely heard it as the sound of footsteps approached her. Her eyes opened slightly, peering at the figure walking towards her. Draco was wearing a crisp black suit, hair parted back neatly. He must have left to go to work.
He sighed loudly, bending down to lift her up into his arms, the book falling off her body. She felt him pause, reaching down towards the couch again. Her eyes opened into thin slits at the sight of a book in his palm. Draco was unaware she was awake, seemingly distracted by his own thoughts. His eyes held bags- caused by exhaustion. She shut her eyes, inhaling the scent of faint cinnamon and cigar that drifted from his body. He apparated back to her cabin on the Island, carrying her tired body in his arms.
Esme felt another wave of exhaustion roll over her as he walked towards her room. She heard him mumble something incoherent. His footsteps were the only sound in the quiet house, as everything around them remained quiet.
Her eyelids grew heavy- her body feeling limp. She relaxed in Draco's hold, leaning her head against his muscular chest. The quiet sound of his humming set her into a peaceful sleep.
Day: 300
"I'm tired Draco."
It wasn't a lie. Esme's body felt weak, and she wanted to rest.
Mr Malfoy lifted his pointer finger, smoothly pushing some strands of hair away from her face.
"You push yourself too much. Give the research a break."
"It's fine."
"Je sais quand tu mens." ( I know when you are lying.)
She ignored him. He leaned back up, draping a blanket over her body as she laid on the couch.
When the time on the clock signalled it was time for him to leave, the question was out of her lips before she could stop it, "Will you come back?"
"If that's what you wish."
She hung on to his words like a promise, and it scared her.
"Allez vous dormir. Je m'occuperai de toi. Je suis là maintenant." (Go to sleep. I'll take care of you. I'm here now.)
"I don't need you to take care of me. I don't want you to take care of me," she said coolly. And then, before her eyes shut, she mumbled one last thing, "I can't even take care of myself."
Day: 324
Her research was going downhill. The dread passed up into her chest, and her breathing grew erratic from panic. Esme began heaving, her vision going blurry. It felt as if her insides were turning into firm ice. It felt as if her loss had isolated inside her body. Retaining her from the feeling of perseverance and determination. Her chest rose and fell, counting to ten as she tried to breathe in the mild air. It wasn't working. She fell from the chair as her body collapsed on the ground.
Draco's footsteps sprinted into her study, rushing to her body, "Esme you're having another panic attack. You need to breathe."
She looked up at him, his grey hues full of worry and concern. She could see his eyebrows lifted together in panic as she kept on heaving, trying to hold on to the tiniest bits of oxygen that were willing to flow into her lugs.
"Breathe, Breathe. Deep breath. There you go."
She stared at him, barely blinking now. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and the sounds transferred into her ears, "You have to wear the ring on your finger to protect you. It doesn't work as a necklace."
His words were drowning out. It felt as if she was underwater and were to sink to the very bottom of the ocean. As if the water had gotten into her ears, now leaving her to drown in her own isolation. Alone, with no one.
"Fuck," he mumbled as he lifted her off the ground. Mr Malfoy began muttering several spells that were no longer coherent. His voice had faded out from her hearing.
Before she could say anything to him, another sharp pain struck inside her head. Her chest felt like it was being compressed together, both lungs pushing inwards, ready to shatter. It was the most tormenting feeling she had ever endured.
A scream left her lips, and she twisted in his grasp, her gripping hands pulling at her shirt in agony. The violent thumping of her brain sent painful clashes to her forehead. She tried to open her eyes and breathe, striving to obtain oxygen, but it was simply too far away, moving farther and farther from her grasp.
"I'm going to heal you. I told you. You come first. "
"No one but you. Please breathe."
"Breathe for me."
Esme was growing attached, and it worried her how much she relied on his presence at times. His sarcastic remarks made her insides bubble, and her gloomy mood would vanish the moment she saw him.
Day: 359
The sun-scorched from above, and it wasn't the only day where the heat had extended the limit. The brown cabin glows as a homey touch around an area of greens and natural flourishments. The bricks held a touch of illumination.
It blended among all the rest upon the area, representing unity and division of space. The sand went on for miles as the waves cascade to the shore, roughly hitting against the warm sand that burns the toes.
Esme is sprawled back on a blanket, directly above the sun as her eyes skin along with a book. A Tale of Two Cities. Her brown skin is warm from the heat, and a bead of sweat trickles down her forehead from the warmness placed onto her body. She sighs, reaching for the bottle of water. Her throat feels dry- almost like sandpaper as the sun has sucked it all up. She helps a large amount of it down until she's refreshed before setting it aside and swallowing again. Her throat is cold. The icy water has splashed down, fighting against the opposition of texture. She shuts her eyes, breathing in the aroma of the sea. Its saltiness drifts up into her nose, and she sighs in content, feeling a sense of power by being alone.
Draco's figure slants overtop of her, blocking the warmth of the sun.
"Draco! Look who's outside. The vampire," she jokes, standing up.
"Not funny." He glares at her, and she looks out at the water and then back to him.
"Race you?"
Without meeting his questioning face, she rushes off to the beach running towards the water. His footsteps travel quickly behind her, and she's giggles louder as the air rushes past her cheeks, her hair is grazing against the wind, and her feet running across the patted sand that's warm.
She doesn't get far as she hears him chuckle from behind her.
Esme picks up her speed until large hands wrap around her back and she's lifted into the air. She screeches loudly, twisting and turning, but his grip is firm. She's thrown over his shoulders as he rushes for the water, and then thrown into the ocean when a wave hits.
When she resurfaces to push the water out of her hair, she swims towards him- splashing water in his face, "You jerk. I could have died."
"I wouldn't have let that happen."
Their laughs blend into one, and it feels as if she's been stained. A delicate void of vivid colours.
Day: 363
The house has a dark presence set as it remains in complete silence. Esme twirls her fingers against the ring around her neck connected to a thin chain.
It's eerie, and she wonders if the house has held a deadly stillness like this before. The quiet sound of footsteps around the corner, and for a moment she believes it to be Draco, but when they stop, it's not the same.
Something feels off, "Draco?" she questions, spinning around. Her eyes lay upon Scorpius and Mara. His eyes are hazy, almost glossy, and his attention isn't as focused on her. It seems he's been told to look at her rather than wanting to. His will has been taken from him.
"Scorp? Mara? Is everything alright?"
"Do it Scorpius. Now," Mara's sharp voice rings through the kitchen, and it sends a rush of goosebumps down her spine. She shudders in fear as her best friend's eyes darken.
"What are you doing?" She screams as he raises his wand to her. She doesn't have time to move out of the way.
"Stupefy." She hits the ground immobilized, feeling nothing but the sensation of dread and unyielding fear pooling its way into her veins and creating a home of its own.
"Rennervate."
When Esme wakes up again, she's in a dark cell. The foul smell of blood and attacks her senses, and she immediately wants to hurl her inside in the corner and vomit until it's rid of. Instead, Mara stands in the middle with Scorpius behind her- watching her as if he's ready to follow any order she's willing to give.
"You imperioed him," she states as a fact. Her blood runs cold as her best friend laughs a sinister laugh.
"Ever the smart one. Your mother is dead. She was so stupid to ever think she could protect you from our death eater world. Dolohov will want you as soon as possible."
"Why are you doing this? I don't understand Mara?"
"You've taken everything from me. Scorpius, and now you've even taken Mr Malfoy away from my mother. Your mother was foolish to believe I would ever become your friend. And you were foolish to believe you'd ever come up with a solution to save your two favourite death eaters. Your Mother's research is the most important thing now, and with you in the way- I simply can't allow you to interfere."
Her mother's research was too important, and combined with hers they would have too many answers. They could change the lightness of what she has created and twisted back into a darkness that Voldermort once had. Her own spell could be used against Morsmordre to advance the spread of the poison in the followers who are no longer faithful. She had only discovered that days ago.
A chill rushed over the area of the cell, the darkness holding a surreal explanation of what she couldn't prevent.
What she couldn't save.
"Scorpius alter her memories and obliviate her."
Esme's eyes widened, and she pushes away from the wall. Instead, Mara murmured a wandless spell, and thick gold ropes arranged around her figure, tightening their hold as she resisted.
"The more you pull the tighter it gets. You have no one. Give up," Mara sneered.
Esme memories immediately switched to Draco's face, and a rush of fear floods through her.
She had him. He was a friend. He would look for her.
He wouldn't give up.
"You jerk. I could have died."
"I wouldn't have let that happen."
And that was enough for her, as her shoulders slumped down in defeat. The weight of the necklace around her seemed heavier now. Her body surrendered to the icy dread in her veins.
"Obliviate."
The cell was cold.