Taken by Someone Else
Chapter 9
Elizabeth didn’t make it far down the streets of London before she had to stop because she felt as if she were about to break down. She sat on the steps of a secluded, closed down shop where no one on the streets could see her and she cried. She thought she would never stop as emotions flooded her. It had been so hard turning her back on Draco, but she couldn’t stay, not after what she’d done. She blamed him, but mostly she blamed herself. Not only had she not bothered to find out if he was married, but she had cheated on her on fiancé. The guilt was eating her up. Elizabeth knew she never loved Derek the way she now loved Draco. She had found the one man who could make her feel loved and he was taken by someone else. That was the way her life had always been. Any time something good came into her life it never lasted. There was always something that would ruin it.
Elizabeth finally calmed down enough to make her way to her flat. But when she went in her apartment there was so many things to remind her of Draco and the night he spent there with her. Elizabeth soaked in the tub that night, remembering when they had bathed together and when she climbed into her bed, exhausted, sleep was hard to find as memories of being held by him in the same spot came flooding back. She tossed and turned most of the night until sleep finally claimed her, but then he was in her dreams. In the dream she was lost, somewhere in the wizarding world. Because everything was old and looked a lot like Diagon Alley, but the people there were all dressed in dark robes and hooded and they called her name eerily. Elizabeth tried to get away from them but they seemed to be floating at her. When she thought she would escape another would reach out for her. Elizabeth cried out for Draco in her dream but he was nowhere to be found. She woke up covered in sweat, it was still dark out and she looked at the clock. It was 4am in the morning. She finally fell asleep again, this time with no dreams and she slept like a rock.
The next morning Elizabeth woke to the sound of a key turning in her lock. She sat up quickly, afraid. Especially after the terrible dreams she’d had the night before. It was light enough in the room that she saw the dark head of hair and then realized that it was Derek. He was back from his visit with his parents.
“Good morning sweetheart,” he said as he came through the door, “sorry if I woke you up.” Derek made his way over to the bed and sat down beside her, “I’ve missed you,” he said, his fingers brushing her face, moving her hair back. “What’s this? Have you been crying?” he asked noticing her puffy eyes.
“No, just couldn’t sleep, I had some bad dreams last night,” Elizabeth said tiredly.
“Well I am here now, so I’ll help you get rid of those bad dreams,” he said looking at her with his deep brown eyes. Derek pulled her gently in his arms and Elizabeth let him hold her tightly. It wasn’t the same as being in Draco’s arms but it felt good to be comforted. But when he tried to kiss her, Elizabeth felt awkward and though she kissed him back like she had hundreds of times, it just didn’t feel right anymore, not after Draco’s kisses. He had ruined her for anyone else. And Derek seemed to notice it.
“You must not be feeling well,” he said as he stopped the kiss.
“Not really, it’s that time of the month,” she lied; it was the only excuse she could use right now because she knew she couldn’t let things go too far.
“That’s okay, I understand,” he was being so nice that it made Elizabeth feel even worse.
“How are your parents doing?” she changed the subject.
“They were well. But they really want us to get married sooner,” he stated, “What do you think if we move the date up to a month from now instead of three?”
“I don’t know about that,” Elizabeth was at a loss to this, “I think three months is best. It gives us more time to prepare.”
“Elizabeth, we have been engaged now for over a year. I don’t think it would hurt to move it to a month from now.”
What am I going to do? Elizabeth thought. I have to tell him about me and Draco. After that the wedding would be off for sure. But she was afraid and a coward. She had lost Draco and now she was going to lose Derek when she told him. She decided she would just wait for the right time.
Elizabeth got ready for school while Derek fixed some breakfast and she headed out the door after Derek said he would be going to his flat tonight and asked her to stay with him. Elizabeth told him she had to work late at the coffee shop, so she would just return to her own place which didn’t please him at all. But he told her he would see her the next day after her classes and he would spend the night at her flat tomorrow night. Elizabeth was glad because she didn’t know how she was going to react to being in the same bed with Derek again.
Elizabeth went through classes like a zombie. After school she headed to practice for the new play at the theater, but her heart wasn’t in it. They were working on another Shakespeare production, this time it was The Tempest. Elizabeth was given the part of Miranda. But their director asked her if something was wrong after practice. He stated that she did not seem to be herself and wondered whether he needed to give the part to another. Elizabeth promised that she would do better next time. Elizabeth walked to the coffee house, her thoughts and emotions on edge. All she wanted to do was cry as she crossed the intersection where she first met Draco Malfoy when he had saved her from the speeding car she had almost ran out on.
Then she finally made it to work and there were more memories. Remembering Draco coming into the shop after she thought she would never see him again and then him teaching her about the magic she herself possessed and did not know it for what it was. Elizabeth felt terrible as she served customers. Every time the bell above the door rang signaling another customer she would quickly look that way, expecting it to be Draco. But she was disappointed, because as her shift continued and came to a close there was no sign of him. And even though part of her should be glad after what he had done, her heart ached to see him again, even for just a little bit. Just to look on his face would be enough for her, but that would be torture too. She knew they had to be over. She could not be the reason for him leaving his wife and child.
Elizabeth made the cold track back to her flat. A lot of the buildings and townhouses along the way were lit up for Christmas which was only about a week and a half away. But nothing could cheer Elizabeth right now. She had lost Draco Malfoy and could not take him back and she was about to lose her fiancé when she told him about what she had done with the man she truly loved but could not have. Elizabeth’s flat was cold and dreary. It had started to rain and it spattered against the huge window over her bed as she stripped down to just her undies and t-shirt and climbed into the bed. Though she was tired sleep was hard to find; especially when tears were constantly seeping from your eyes. She couldn’t stop herself as her depression and self-pity kicked in, making her miserable. If she didn’t get over this and quite acting like her world was over her grades and work were going to suffer.
It was truly cold out as Draco Malfoy made his way down the dark streets of London, making his way towards the coffee shop where Elizabeth worked. He had to speak to her and make her understand what was going on. Elizabeth thought she had caused the break-up of his marriage, but what Elizabeth did not understand was it had been over before it ever began. From the first moment that Draco signed the papers his parents had given him to sign when they arranged the marriage.
By the time Draco made it to the coffee shop she was gone. It was late, well after 2am in the morning. That left him no choice but to try and get Elizabeth to let him up. He apparated to her apartment building and rang the bell, “Yes,” he heard Elizabeth’s soft voice and it made his heart tighten, and suddenly he lost his voice. “Hello?” she said spoke again.
Draco was finally about to speak when she spoke, “Is that you, Draco?”
“Yes, it’s me,” he said softly.
“There is nothing between us anymore,” Draco could hear the heaviness of her voice as she spoke.
“Please don’t say that Elizabeth. You have to at least let me explain my situation to you,” he pleaded.
“You had plenty of time to explain to me when you were seeing me, but you chose not to. That is not my problem and it is over; it has to be over,” she finished and Draco heard the click as she switched off the intercom. Elizabeth was crazy if she thought he was giving up on them that easy. She obviously didn’t know him that well or she would realize that Draco Malfoy always got what he wanted and he wanted Elizabeth Thorne more than anything else in the world.
So, so sorry that it took so long to update but had a lot going on lately and could not find time to write. :( This is not the best of chapters but hoping things are about to get more intense. Hope to update soon!!! :)