|POV: ELARA WEASLEY
As soon as Draco's eyes landed on the envelope, I watched as his expression changed and his body stiffened up immediately. Now, he's been sitting there staring at it for more than ten minutes. I get that he's scared since it might be from Lucius or Narcissa about something serious, so I won't pressure him into doing so.
"Will you open it?" I ask, seeing him pace the room.
"No"
"And why is that?" I question.
"Because what if it's from him" He speaks, mentioning Lucius.
"Draco" I get up and take my hands in his. "You don't have to be scared of him anymore, he's not going to hurt you"
"I know, I just—"
I interrupt him with a hug, "Hey, you're safe now".
Before yesterday, Draco hadn't really opened up much to me. Although that changed when he had woken up from a nightmare. About Lucius. From that point at four in the morning, he told me everything. Why he did what he did in the past years, when he became a death eater, how Lucius used to beat him every single time when he did the smallest things wrong.
And just listening and hearing him opening up to me, it made me see Draco a whole different way. I don't see him as the arrogant, cold hearted boy anymore. I see him as the boy who was tortured, hurt and emotionally hurt since a young age.
The boy who never was given a choice in his upbringings.
I'm snapped out of my thoughts about him when I hear the tearing of paper from beside me. As soon as my eyes land on him, I'm met with a determined Draco as he rips the letter in his hand and takes out the paper, reading it. Standing up I walk closer to him, trying to get a good look of the letter. By the look of his face, I can tell that the letter contains information that isn't as good. His face has gone pale, tears threatening to just pour out of his eyes any minute.
Without hesitating, my arms instantly wrap around his torso pulling him into a hug. He doesn't speak, but I know he needs this since as soon as he hugs me back, I can hear him faintly crying into my shoulder. Trying to calm him down as his breathing goes unsteady and his crying gets louder— I start to rub his back soothingly, hoping it will calm him down.
"Draco?" I ask, after a couple of minutes.
"Hm?" His voice is barely a whisper as he speaks sniffling.
"Do you wanna tell me what happened— I mean if you're comfortable?" I ask, running my hands through his hair.
"I-It's about him" He speaks, his breathing getting heavier again.
"What did he do?" I question.
"He's dead".
Oh. My expression goes sorrowful, but then I realize the way Draco said that wasn't in a sad way, but more of an angry way.
"You're not sad?" I question as he pulls away from the hug.
"I shouldn't be!" His voice is now louder than it was a couple seconds ago as he gets up, "I shouldn't be feeling sad that he's not in this fucking world anymore!" He speaks, pacing around with his hands burying in his hair.
"A-all the things he did to me! All the mistakes he made, I had to pay for that! Me and mum to be the one suffering because of him!" He breathes, "But why am I still having an empty feeling inside of me knowing he's not here anymore?! I should be fucking celebrating that he's gone!"
Listening to his words and seeing his condition getting worse by minute, I grab ahold of him by cupping his cheeks so he's directly facing me now.
"Draco, listen to me". I speak, maintaining direct eye contact with him. "I know all the horrendous things he did to you, but he was still your father after all. And I know that you don't want to feel sad about his death but it's a natural human instinct, he was your father. Deep down in your heart you still have the tiniest love for him, no matter how bad things have gotten. And it's going to stay there until you die. Nothing can change those feelings."
"I didn't want to hate him, but his actions made me." He immediately breaks down, me catching him directly in time as we both crouch down to the floor.
I continue to whisper small soothing and assuring words to him as he eventually dozes off into a deep sleep after crying.
——
It's the next day now, Draco's been acting almost the same, but he's gotten better since yesterday. I know he doesn't want to talk about it, so I won't force him until he's ready to.
By this point, the word has gotten out and almost every single soul in the wizarding world knows about Lucius's death. Many people are sending snarky remarks when I walk by with Draco, making fun of the both of us.
'Merlin he's finally dead, took him long enough'
'Malfoy deserved this for letting the deatheaters in'
'Why the hell is Elara still with Malfoy again?'
And those just make his anger boil even further as every single time his knuckles are balled up— ready to punch anyone who says one more thing to him.
Currently, I'm sitting in one of the poufs next to Draco in Divination— the only class that we have together. Professor Trelawney is explaining to us all about tea leaves— how they can predict our future and all those details. This class is always so dreamy due to her perfume's scent being so powerful that I can fall asleep in almost no time.
There are many candles lit around, only some light that is barely making through her translucent windows. The fire, providing warmth to the whole room during the cold weather as she seats herself in front of it, in her winged chair.
"Now please drink your tea, and drain the last bits of it into your saucer. Once you are done... open up Unfogging The Future and predict your future!" Her hand waves in the air, motioning us to do the task. "Then, you will be put into a pair... the person sitting next to you will be the one to read your future" She speaks, continuing to explain in her mistiest voice.
Doing what I'm told, I start to drink my tea— which is surprisingly sort of calming and drain the remaining of it into my saucer, which just leaves the remaining dregs on it. Next to me, Draco does the same, a disgusted expression on his face when he drains his tea into his saucer. Switching mine with his, I open up the book from beside me, flipping to the page instructed.
"So, what do you see?" I question, my head turning towards him.
"Well, I see blobs and this disgusting stuff!" He sarcastically comments.
I give him an expression that reads, 'for real?' and he just scoffs, proceeding to flip through the pages of the book— actually do the work this time.
"Since you can't figure it out, for me it says you'll be faced with two complicated decisions, but smart enough you will choose the right one". I continue, "You'll find love, but it..." I blush, but it disappeared as I trail off at the end of the sentence, realizing what it means.
'You'll find love, it will beautiful—but it will be gone within the blink of an eye'.
"But it, what?"
"It will be long lasting" I lie.
A smile forms onto his face— not even the smallest suspicion on his face when he quickly pecks my lips, returning back to his work.
——
Sitting in the courtyard along with Blaise and Pansy, I should actually be working but here I am worrying about the result that came out of Draco's teacup. Every other minute, I sigh trying to concentrate on my the essay I've been assigned but I just can't. My mind keeps zoning in and out no matter how hard I try not to.
"Elara!" Pansy shakes me, snapping out of my thoughts. "Were you listening to me?"
"Uhhh, no?" I nervously chuckle.
"Okay basically I know I'm lesbian but I would so let Snape hit it!" Pansy squeaks.
Someone is going to have to Obliviate me right this second.
"What the fuck" Blaise's eyes are wide, hearing those words come out of Pansy's mouth.
"I mean have you seen him? He looked so good today!" She speaks with dreamy eyes.
"Yeah! He's fucking crusty" Blaise speaks, putting a hand on her forehead— like he might be checking if she's sick.
Zoning out again into my thoughts, I don't realize that they're still talking to me— until Pansy shakes me, again for the third time today.
"Alright, what's on your mind" Blaise speaks, obviously noticing my tense mind.
"Nothing is on my mind" I shrug.
"Oh something is definitely on your mind, you didn't listen to me drooling over Snape" Pansy chuckles, closing the books in front of me.
"Well it really is nothing—"
"Speak up or I'll take Leo"
A gasp emits from my lips— I bring Leo closer to me, snuggling with him. I shoot a death glare at Blaise. "Don't you dare"
"So tell us!" He speaks, urging me to tell them.
"Today in divination we were doing that tea leaves thing right? And Trelawney told us to pair with the person next to you" I pause before speaking again, "When I read his teacup, it said, 'You'll find love, it will beautiful—but it will be gone within the blink of an eye'.
"Oh" Their expression, unreadable.
"Yeah..."
"Well I'm sure it's nothing" Pansy pats my shoulder as Blaise speaks, "You know how Trelawney is with her predictions and blah blah" He rolls his eyes.
"You guys are right, I guess I was overthinking" I chuckle, pulling them both into a hug.
——
"I want you to come with me" Draco breaks the silence that's between us.
He just came back from quidditch practice and the way his hair is messily falling over his forehead, trickles of sweat dripping from the sides of his muscular arms, a slightly red face due to the exercise and his uniform— just fuck me please.
What the fuck, since when am I so horny?
"What?" I question, snapping out of my staring and completely unaware of what he just blurted about.
"Uhm" He clears his throat smirking at me staring at him. Sitting down on the chair next to me, "So basically mum— as usual is hosting her Christmas Ball, and she wants you to come with me this year"
"Really?" I speak, excitement in my voice.
"Yes, will you be my date to the Christmas Ball at the new Manor?" His voice has a tint of nervousness.
"Of co—" I'm almost about to complete my sentence but I pause, "But what will the other people think about us?"
"Who cares what people think? Besides if they really want to know, the most they will is that you're my girlfriend and future fiancé." He just shrugs like it's nothing, the biggest smirk playing on his face.
"Is that so?" I tease, my body now moving closer to him.
"Mhm"
"Alright," I bring my lips so close to his that they're almost touching— but still containing that small distance that needs to be closed between us, "I'll think about it." With a smirk on my face, I pull away, without giving the him the satisfaction of our lips being together after seeing him lean towards me.
"A fucking tease" He speaks, slapping my arse when I try to walk through the door. A yelp leaves my lips, when he grabs my wrist and pins me to the wall, his lips so close to mine that if I move just the tiniest bit, they'll touch.
"Two can play this game, Weasley" Placing a delicate but lustful kiss on my neck, he pulls away with a smug look on his face, turning back and walking to the bathroom.
——
hii <3 this is a shorter chapter, but the best I could at this moment. I really hope you all enjoyed it. well, this is a small goodbye till the next two weeks, (if you guys don't know, my cover commissions will be closed after this Sunday for 2 weeks and i won't be updating due to my mental health!) and I hope I'll see you guys soon again in my next chapters :)
don't forgot to comment, and vote pleaseee— they literally make my day when I see y'all's notifications on my phone <33
make sure to eat, focus on yourself, and drink tons of water!
i love you as always,
akshita