« WAR »
Anastasia stared down at her hands as she traced random figures in Draco's hand. Her leg started to bounce up and down uncontrollably as the raindrops hitting the windows made echo in the room. Her emerald eyes flickered from her lap to the group of people in front of her, staring at her with a frown.
"Bill sent me an owl. Harry, Ron and Hermione just left their place to go to Gringotts." Remus explained, catching her attention.
"Why would they go there?" Molly asked, frowning.
"They are hunting Voldemort's horcruxes." Anastasia spoke, gaining everyone's attention. "Harry reckons Bellatrix is hiding one in her vault." Her grip around Draco's hand tightened, making him flinch.
"Professor McGonagall sent me an owl too. She says that professors are ready to fight if they are needed." Kingsley pointed, resting his hands in the large, rusty table.
"And what is Malfoy doing here?" George stepped in, crossing his arms over his chest as he and Fred eyed him carefully.
"His father probably sent him as a spy." Fred added, gaining an eye roll from the Slytherin.
Remus exhaled deeply, "He joined us."
"What?"
"No way!"
"Silence!" Arthur scolded the twins. "He is on our side. He betrayed the Dark Lord when he saved your brothers' and Hermione's arse. So you better watch out your mouth when it comes to your sister's boyfriend."
The small brunette snapped her head at his direction.
"Sister?" She repeated.
"Of course, dear. You are part of the family too." Molly walked to her and embrace Anastasia in a tight hug.
"Which means that Draco will come along to the battle." Kingsley spoke out.
"What?" Anastasia jumped at the man's statement. Her green eyes met Draco's grey eyes as she searched for answers.
"I want to help."
"I'll come with you, then." She nodded shortly.
"Absolutely not." The boy shook his head, holding her small hands in his. "You'll stay here with Remus' wi—"
"Tonks. You can call me Tonks." The woman smiled, holding the small baby in her arms. The boy half-smiled. "And Annie, I know it sounds frustrating but you are still vulnerable for—"
"But I need to go." She argued, turning her head to Remus. "Please."
The adults turned their heads to the man, who bowed his head with frustration and walked to the brunette with unsteady steps.
"I know you need to go, I know you want to see your brother once again." He said calmly, holding her shoulders. "But it's too dangerous, Annie. You are barely recovering from a cruciatus curse, what if it happens again?"
"But you don't understand! I want to talk to William, make him understand!" She roared with anger. "Maybe if he listens to me, maybe he would understand."
"Sorry, Annie. But you are staying here."
Anastasia held her breath with a frown, then exhaled sharply and stared back at Draco, who was looking at her with worry in his grey eyes. She pressed her lips together and nodded hesitantly.
"Fine."
▲ △ ▲
It was almost midnight. The rain had stopped and the only thing Anastasia could hear was the sound the cars passing by and the clock ticking in the back of the room. Her fingers anxiously curled a piece of her brunette hair in her finger and uncurled it, the movement was almost automatic as she stared at the window.
"Rosie?" Draco's posh accent echoed in the room.
"Yes?" She spoke, not turning around to meet his gaze.
The boy sighed and closed the door behind him.
"It's for your own good, you know?" He sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Come here."
"I know that it's for my own good." Anastasia chewed her lower lip. "But you need to understand that I have to go, I have to speak with my brother and tell him that he's wrong. He—He's not like that. I'm sure Voldermort did an Imperius curse on him." She exclaimed, angrily.
"But Rosie—"
"You don't understand, do you?" She turned around.
"I do understand! But you have to think of yourself too!" Draco argued, frowning. "You are always throwing yourself into suicide missions without thinking about the people who love you!"
"I know but—" Anastasia spoke, but was instantly cut off.
"Do you ever think of the Weasleys? Of Remus? How much it'd hurt to lose you?" He desperately explained. "Do you ever think of me?"
"Of course I do!" The brunette said, taking short steps closer to the tall boy.
"If I lose you..." Draco bowed his head, sighing. His hand shakily traveled from her hand to her cheek, he pressed his lips together as tears started to accumulate in his eyelids. "If I ever lose you, I would never forgive myself."
Anastasia exhaled sharply, she placed her hand over his and traced small circles in the back of his hand. She took a step closer and pressed her forehead against his. Draco closed his eyes as he cherished the moment. It felt too intimate, too romantic. He didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't want to open his eyes and race the horrible reality he was living in.
"You won't lose me, Draco." The girl finally whispered, making him open his eyes to look straight into her emerald eyes. "I promise you."
He inhaled and exhaled deeply as a small smile started to appear on his lips. His hand traveled around her waist and pulled her body close to him. Anastasia's eyes flickered from his eyes to his lips and the corner of her lips turned upward in a half-smile. Draco's free hand cupped the other side of her face as he leaned closer to her and finally pressed his cold lips over her soft ones.
Her small arms wrapped around his torso as she leaned closer to deepen the kiss. Draco grinned as one of his hands played with her brunette locks and traced figures in her back. Anastasia grinned as well when they broke apart to stare into each other's eyes. The boy smiled widely and crashed his lips over hers one more time.
His arms traveled now around her waist as he walked backwards with her body in his arms. The girl didn't seem phased when they fell to her bed, she grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck as he supported himself over his arms and tried to not squash her in the way. Anastasia's fingers knotted themselves around his platinum hair and focused on the taste of chocolate and mint in Draco's lips.
"I love you." Draco whispered as soon as they broke apart.
The girl smiled widely. "I love you too."
The Slytherin smiled and pressed his lips against hers once more in a hurried and passionate kiss. The girl grinned as she played with the hair in the back of his neck and closed her eyes as soon as she felt Draco's lips in her neck. A quiet giggle left her lips as the boy left gentle kisses in her skin.
"Wait—" Draco broke apart, searching for her eyes. Anastasia opened her eyes and frowned. "Are you sure?"
The girl half-smiled as she stared straight into his grey eyes. Her hand brushed a few strands of hair out of his forehead, she pressed her lips together and smiled.
"I think it's quite obvious that I'm head over heels for you, Draco Malfoy." She said quietly, the boy chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure."
Draco smiled and crashed his lips over hers.
▲ △ ▲
Draco exhaled deeply as his grey eyes scanned the room. His eyes traveled over the sprawled clothes in the floor, he turned his head to the clock in the room to check the hour, it was past midnight. A yawn left his lips as he closed his eyes and rested his head in the soft, velvet head of the bed.
The corner of his lips turned upward as he felt a pair of arms tightening around his torso. He looked down only to see Anastasia sleeping peacefully over his uncovered chest. The boy smiled as he traced circles all over her uncovered arm and interlaced his fingers with hers.
He pressed his lips together as he remembered the taste of Anastasia's lips over his, the way she kissed him with such love and passion that gave him goosebumps.
Sighing, he kissed her forehead softly and carefully got out of bed and hurriedly put some clothes on.
Draco frowned as soon as he heard loud movements in the first floor and walked out of the room not before giving Anastasia one last glance. He ran down the stairs and looked at the group of adults speaking hurriedly and preparing their wands.
"What is happening?" He asked with a raspy voice.
"Ah, Draco." Remus walked to him. "We just got a call, Harry's in Hogwarts."
"Get ready. We leave in five minutes." Kingsley announced.
"What about Anastasia?"
"I will wake her up. She's coming with me to my mother's home." Tonks quickly explained, climbing up the stairs with the baby in her arms.
"But—"
"We have to go. Now."
Draco's head turned up to the stairs and allowed Remus to push him out of the house. He chewed his lower lips and kept looking back at the house behind them.
"Are you scared?" Remus questioned, turning to him.
"Yes." He nodded. "But not of the battle." The man frowned. "I'm scared that I won't see Anastasia again.