- Two weeks later -
My eyes slowly opened to a pale nose brushing against mine. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion before letting my eyes travel across the face in front of me. Blonde eyebrows and plump, parted, pink lips. Before the horrible day was going to start, I tried to stay in this precious moment.
I tangled my legs with his, our body warmth radiating through our pyjama's. Last night had been a complete horror show. Living in the Malfoy Manor and declaring myself as a follower of Voldemort, a death eater, had been anything but easy. It resulted of, many nights in tears for the both of us.
It broke my heart so see him struggle with himself every day. His mother was the only thing that kept him going these days. He was still sound asleep and in a state of relaxation that wouldn't come to him often. Nightmares had been taunting his mind and body, waking up in screams and cries every time.
I couldn't help but let my fingertips softly strike against his forehead, taking a few pieces of hair before putting them behind his ear. My whole world, the only reason for me to wake up every single day was laying right in front of me but he was crumbling, crumbling under the pain and the pressure.
"Draco?" I whispered while my eyes quickly went from his lips to his own pair of orbs. His eyes shot wide open as if he was in a state of panic. A few seconds went by before he calmed down again, realising he was still in bed, safe. "Good morning baby." He softly murmured, pulling me closer.
His touch still made butterflies erupt in my stomach, that feeling had never faded. I couldn't help but smile while closing my arms around him, trying to keep him as close as possible. "No nightmare?" I whispered, the vibrations from his heart beats going through my chest. "Just a dream." He whispered back, leaving a sloppy kiss on my bare shoulder.
"We have to get up." I let go, moving back so I could take another look at his angelic face. "I don't want to." He whined, brushing his hand through his messy hair. I just giggled before turning around to get myself ready for whatever battles I was going to face today. "Bellatrix is coming back today, right."
A weird uneasy feeling entered my body and I knew exactly why. Just the sound of any name besides Draco's or Narcissa's made my want to vomit all my insides away. Goosebumps rose all over my body when Draco softly mumbled a yes, before disappearing under the covers to get some more sleep.
I tried to keep my thoughts to my own when I was around him, afraid I would trigger emotions inside of him that would be able to break him in a second. Since I left Hogwarts in such a hurry, I had no personal stuff besides my wand and my robes. I opened the closet and let my eyes wander across the multiple black or greenish dresses that where neatly hanging by order.
I sighed and picked a dress I hadn't worn before, it had probably belonged to Narcissa. I took it of the hanger with undergarments, ready to get a shower. "Goldie?" Draco suddenly called, making me stop in my tracks. I turned around, wearing the sweetest smile I could manage. "I love you." I closed my eyes to hold back tears before quickly walking closer to him.
"I love you to." After a quick peck on his lips I entered our bathroom and got ready, trying not to look at the old-fashioned dress that didn't flatter me at all. My golden locks looked horrible with it and my waist was too small for it to fit. The end of the dress dramatically swept across the floor because of my height, not even revealing any part of my bare feet.
The collar could almost reach my jaw and the lace was incredibly itchy. There was only one good thing about this dress, Draco loved it on me. As soon as I walked out with my face sour, his eyes lit up and he almost jumped out of bed to take a good look at me. "This is so much better than our robes." He grinned, putting his large hands on my hips.
"We will survive today." He whispered, putting his for head against mine. "I'm glad you're feeling better." I smiled, caressing his cheek. "Today won't be a hard day. We have no meetings, just time to kill." He kissed my hand while the door suddenly flew open. Narcissa looked at the both of us, a small smile dancing on her lips.
"Good, you're both up. Draco get dressed, we have a guest, your aunt." I furrowed my eyebrows before Draco gave her a quick nod, disappearing to the bathroom after. "Come with me." I widened my eyes before quickly putting on some borrowed heals. I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear before I nervously followed her down the hall, into a small room which served as an office.
I could never really understand Narcissa. She would be kind one moment but cold the next. Her dark eyes pierced through mine with such intensity I hadn't felt before. "You need to stop this." She growled before pushing a pile of letters in my hands. "Every single morning I have to keep these from being delivered. If anyone but me or Draco saw these. It'd be over."
I took a quick glance at the letters and they all came from Hogwarts. "Rune, Greer, Hermione, McGonagall and even Nicolas." I whispered, my heart beating faster by the sound of every name. "This has to stop!" She almost yelled, making me stumble back. "Send back a reply and make sure I'll never see this again." Narcissa roughly walked past me, almost slamming the door shut.
With shaky hands, I opened the first letter. It was from McGonagall and it was the only one that she had sent. It only contained one sentence. 'Take care and put yourself first.' I closed my eyes while taking a deep breath, ripping the letter apart without another look. Every second that past made it harder for me to read all the worried questions they had for me.
Hermione, Greer, and Nicolas all said the same things. They said that they were worried sick about me and that they wouldn't believe that I didn't try to stop Draco. A shaky breath left my lips while I ripped those apart as well, making sure to turn them into ashes. Now only the letter that Rune had send was still sealed. I slowly opened it with teary eyes, the feeling of being apart getting worse.
' Goldie.
I will not accept the fact that last week will be the last time I'll ever see you.
I need you, we need you.
You are the only family I have left, I don't understand how you could have chosen Malfoy above me.
I guess that it was love does to you.
Nobody has an exact idea about your whereabouts, but the only place we can try is this address.
I feel so powerless and I hate it. I want to keep you safe.
Harry and I know that you chose the dark side, only to be with him.
We haven't and won't tell anybody because I don't want you to remember you as a death eater but as my loving, warm hearted sister.
Please, I beg you, write back. I just want to know that you are safe.
I love you.
Rune. '
Tears streamed down my face while I read the last words. The pain I was causing to everybody had become almost unbearable. I quickly grabbed a piece of parchment from the desk and slowly sat down in the soft chair, holding the black quill between my fingers. I was scared to reply. What was I supposed to say? My apologies would mean nothing because I just can't reverse time. I put the quill on the parchment and delicately began to write.
' To: Rune and everyone else who has written to me.
All I can say is that I am sorry but you have to stop writing. When a letter falls into the wrong hands it could have horrible consequences for me. I wish things could have been different, but that isn't the way the world works. Do not come for me. I am safe and I am sure that we will see each other again. Be strong in these dark times and most certainly don't give up. '
I folded the parchment and slid it into an envelop, making a red seal with an M on it. I carefully put the letter inside the dress, making it stick between my side and the thick fabric. Making sure to wipe my tears and wear a fake smile, I walked back to the hall. I only had one thing left to do. Make sure to send the letter without anyone seeing me.
My heals loudly tapped on the stone floor, the dress still sweeping across the floor with every step I took. I calmly walked down the hall, entering another huge hall which only served as pathway to the stairs. As I walked all the way down, I ignored the screams that became louder with every step.
"Another prisoner." I whispered, the thought of an innocent being, locked up in the dungeons made me sick. I quickened my pace to escape the sound that seemed to come straight out of those horror movies on muggle tv I used to secretly watch with Rune. I opened the door to the small place where all the owls where kept.
I closed the door as silently as possible before choosing my owl carefully. I had to use to most recent owl and it looked like it was a regular Hogwarts owl ready to leave. "Wait!" I hissed when it spread its wings. The owl angrily looked at me, its yellow eyes observing me. "I have a reply."
The owl screeched loudly before it allowed me to tie the envelope down. "Thank you." I whispered before it flew away and I watched it become a tiny spot in the dark sky. As soon as I turned around the door opened and Bellatrix entered, an evil grin on her face. "Got mail?" She said while casually cleaning blood of her wand.
"Torturing again?" I fired back, which made her grin disappear at an instant. "I don't like the way you dare to speak to me." She hissed, swaying her wand in front of my face. I kept my mouth shut this time but my eyes still stayed on hers. "The mark is the only thing that is protecting you right now. So, consider yourself lucky."
She showed her teeth in a disgusting smile, the rotten appearance making me flinch. The door opened again, revealing Draco with his blonde hair slicked back and a black suit carefully fitting his frame. "Bella. Leave." He said sternly, making his aunt take a step back. "Morning Draco." She happily said before storming out of the tiny owlery.
I looked at Draco and couldn't help but admire his appearance before I got pulled back to reality. "What are you doing here." He asked while taking my hand, leading me to the stairs. "I had to send something important." "Did Bellatrix see you?" He worriedly asked, stopping on the stairs. "No." I assured him before we went up the stairs again, walking towards the diner room.
After a very tense breakfast with Bellatrix, Narcissa and a few death eaters I didn't bother to learn the names of, we went up the stairs again since there were more important things they needed to talk about without us bothering them. This was how the day went by usually. We'd wake up, go to breakfast, get back to our room and pass time with whatever. Occasionally 'important' people would have a meeting and we would need to attend.
They'd discuss the upcoming war and how the Malfoy family was going to supply for whatever Lord Voldemort needed. Narcissa was handling it all alone while they kept promising to take Lucius out of Azkaban, so I didn't really blame her for the way she acted. Draco and I had run out of ways to pass time, especially since privacy wasn't a gift.
Every single time we'd get physical, it could only be a hug, someone would barge in with some kind of 'important' information. It drove me absolutely insane, our needs being anything but filled. I had the feeling we were being watched all the time, just to make sure that they could still get rid of me before it was too late.
"Did they write you?" Draco asked as soon as I closed the door. He sat down on the king-sized bed, a few blonde strands falling down. I straightened my back and held my hands in front of me, nodding with guilt. I knew that he hadn't received anything from his friends. "Everyone is terrified. You have to remind yourself that the way they think, is completely normal. They just wouldn't risk their lives and that is exactly what is right. That my brother is stupid enough to risk his, that's his own fault."
Draco sighed while dragging his hands down his face. "I know." He mumbled, he sounded completely defeated. Suddenly his eyes looked up to mine before they travelled down my body. "I have something for you. Mum gave it to me this morning." I furrowed my eyebrows but stayed put while he approached me. "She wanted me to give it to you." He presented me a tiny black box, wrapped with a red bow.
"Please don't tell me it's a-" He cut me off with opening the box, revealing a beautiful silver ring. It had a small green stone on it and it had the name Malfoy engraved on the inside. "I want to be with you, forever." He took my hand and slowly slid to ring on my index finger since it would have never fit on my small and bony ring finger.
"This is as a promise to me. That you'll be with me through whatever will happen in the future." I couldn't believe what was happening. My heart beat sped up and I couldn't help but let out a giggle before jumping in his arms. "Twat." I whispered in his ear when he grabbed my bum, holding on it for dear life.
"We'll survive through this." I assured him while pulling back so I could face him, really believing it for the first time. He gave me a genuine smile before he pulled me into a kiss, our hands travelling everywhere.
And just at that moment, we forgot about the world around us. Ignoring the dark mark permanently stained on our arms and the evil that was rising quick. Believing in love and making sure that hope would never leave our hearts.