She woke up by the sound of the low hissing from Draco's mouth. Draco is standing by the window, writing a word on the foggy window. He wrote; toi et moi.
You and me. Those are the words keeping Draco sane. It has always been her from before, during, and after the war. He looked down at his dark mark, the mark stung him. He never really liked the sight of this. Whenever the dark mark moved, it was the Dark Lord calling for his followers.
He hissed once again. He didn't want to leave y/n alone again. It kept on twitching and burning on his skin. No matter the pain, he resisted it. He would do everything just to remove this awful mark on his arm. He groan aloud, y/n immediately ran to his side, caressing his cheeks.
"What is it?" she asked, looking at his now redden arm.
"He's calling us," his voice cracked. "This bloody mark burns whenever he tried to call us. Guess, I have to go."
His face says it all. He lied. Both of them knew he didn't want to go and see the face of the Dark Lord. And of course, that made y/n sad. She wants Draco to be free from all of this. She swore to herself that after this, they would run away from all of this and start a new chapter together.
She gave Draco a look that says 'don't go, please stay' He noticed it and chuckled.
That look could make him stay.
That look could change everything.
Is that enough to make him stay?
"Don't worry, I'll be back," whispered Draco. He kissed on her forehead and apparated away.
Y/n cursed as he left. She really thought that her pleading eyes would make him stay. Her eyes landed on the window. The words that Draco wrote was slowly fading away.
Toi et moi. You and me.
She have to find a way for him and her. No matter what it takes. She knew that Draco never wanted any of this, he simply had no choice but to follow their orders. She knows that every problem has its own solution— and that's why she have to take action immediately.
Whenever Draco is looking at his mark, he felt disgusted. He wished that everything would go back to way it was and live a happy life with her. But his fate somehow restricted his dreams. Crushing and crumbling.
Y/n went to Linus' room, in which his room reeked with firewhisky. She casted a spell to clean the place up. After the place is neat and tidy, she looked at him.
"I know what you're thinking but I'm not in mood right now," grumbled Linus, picking up another bottle of firewhisky underneath his desk. It must been really hard for Linus not get in touch with his long distance girlfriend, Adair. Y/n grabbed the bottle and threw it away.
"Please. You're good at this. I can't do it alone," persuaded y/n.
"I'm not sober enough to teach you occlumens," sighed Linus. Linus, a normal british french guy who has recently mastered the art of legilimency and occlumency. Being a drunkard whilst teaching is not a good mix for him.
"Oh come on, Linus. What if I go out alone and someone tries to invade my mind? Besides, this is also for the safety for our plans so no one would ever know," explained y/n. "Do it for everyone's sake including... For Adair, please."
He straightened his back as soon as he heard the mentioned of his girlfriend. He thought about it for awhile and then finally agreed to her, but only in one condition, she will not complain about how painful it will be. In other words, he didn't want to hear her whine like a complete baby.
"Before, we proceed. You have to know that this is will be painful. Try to think of nothing. Box everything you know and tucked it in the deepest part of your mind. Remember think of nothing."
"Okay, I'll think of noth-"
"Legilimens!"
It was painful indeed. She felt like her head was cracking and falling apart. She's on her knees and screamed. Every part of her brain are like elastic bands, stretching up until the bands are torn apart. That's how it felt like.
Just think of nothing. Box everything up.
Y/n explained what they were going to do. The journal they're making, was not just any journal. It's a journal where you can see the person's point of view. You are able to see someone what they are doing right now or even take a look from their past and future.
The Pegasus Journal.
Shut it down.
"How can you reject him like that? After all what he did to you," Ron breathed out, thinking that it was unfair for y/n to treat Harry like that, "You're just going to turn down his invitation?"
The rejection.
Control your feelings.
"What is this? Are you trying to propose to me or what?" Draco chuckled.
"No, you git," y/n rolled her eyes, "It's just an accessory,"
Draco smirked and bunched his brows. He slipped on the ring on his pinky.
The gift.
Don't think about it.
One.
And with that one second, Draco gather all his strengths and even silently prayed to make this one second count. He leaned in and so did y/n. Soon, their lips collided with each other, feeling the warm sensation.
The kiss.
Slam those memories.
"Cedric? Wake up now... I know you've done a lot of pranks to me, but now it's not the good time to do that," whispered y/n, gulping. She could feel the lump on her throat, trying to get hold back of her crying.
The death.
"Stop, stop it please! It hurts!" She yelled, begging Linus to stop. He dropped his wand to his side and looked down at y/n, who kept on sobbing as she placed both of her hands on her head. She was panting hard.
"So that is how the journal works you're referring to?" asked Linus. Y/n remembered, she told Linus that she wished the journal was with her not with Harry. Y/n nodded whilst Linus continued interrogating her. "Never really thought that you rejected the chosen one for the yule ball." He chuckled.
Y/n started wobbling when she tried to get up on her feet.
"Why didn't you tell me that you and your lover boy kissed on Christmas Eve?"
She didn't answer. All she did was drink a water from the cup and ignored him.
"And how about the death of Cedric? Why-" before he could even finish his sentence, y/n's wand is on his neck. She shot him a deadly glare before putting down her wand. After that incident, she never really talked to anyone because she couldn't bear the image of seeing her friend dead on the spot.
"How dare you? That was personal!" cried y/n.
"Then try to control your feelings! Try blocking everything up!" his voice bounced around the room, causing y/n to be startled. "If you mastered this then I can no longer see your personal stuff. Let's try again."
Linus brought up his wand again. Y/n didn't move to her spot. All she wanted to do now is lie down on her bed and sleep. Forget all about the lesson.
"I will go now. I'm not good at this," sighed y/n.
"What's the one condition I ask for?" Linus reminded her. She brought herself into this. She knew this will hurt.
"No complaining."
Linus knew that y/n has a natural talent for occlumency. All he needs to do is polish her up and let her train until she knows how to do it. Occlumency is difficult and tricky thing to learn. It is like blocking the waves so that it won't land on the shore. As for Linus, he was quite impressed that y/n have blocked a few minor memories.
"Again. Legilimens!"
Linus tried cracking every memory she had. Some are blocked and some are opened. Even Linus saw y/n's speech about Cedric. As he try to dig deeper, there is one memory that he couldn't get in. An idea came up in his mind, he then decided to test y/n if she had been boxing them all up. He forced his wand forward, trying to get in.
She screamed as if the whole town could hear her. The ugly truth about learning occlumens was this. Her mind was cracked opened, she even thought that it was actually blood was pouring out of her skull, but it was only sweat.
Minute after minute, he gave up. He sat down beside her, both of them were panting very hard.
"You good?" asked Linus, still panting.
"If you meant having a headache is good then I'm good," she sarcastically said as she rolled her eyes the side.
Was she handling the occlumency like a pro or not? She internally asked herself.
"You're a fast learner. There are memories that I couldn't get in and some are quite easy to open, but don't worry you'll improved. Next tip, if someone abducted you and demanded to give your memories. It's either you can block those memories or give them what you wanted them to see," he patted her shoulder. Y/n sighed and nodded. She took his words and will definitely apply it when the next lesson comes.
She pulled out her wand, conjuring a patronus in front of her. Linus asked why, but then she was too focused on delivering her message to the trio.
"Tell them that I'm safe and ask them where is their location," she told to her patronus. The badger nodded and fleeted away, ready to give out the message to her friends.
"Wait... Don't tell me you're planning to go out alone?"
"Not yet, Linus. Not yet."
And with that both of them rested and waited until her parent's arrived at the Manor.
-
They're at the burrow when the trio received the patronus coming from y/n. Harry, Ron and Hermione were relieved that y/n is safe.
"She is safe. Oh goodness," Hermione let out a relaxed sigh, as she placed her hand on her chest. It's been a long time they heard a news about y/n. Last time, each of three of them tried to send a patronus but they reckoned it was her parent's doing why y/n hadn't heard from them.
"Should we invite her to the wedding?" asked Ron, looking at his two best friends.
"I don't know. Go ask your brother," shrugged Harry. Ron nodded and got up from the couch. When Ron left, Harry turned to Hermione's direction.
"About the hocruxes. I think we should-" Harry was cut off when Ron announced the good news.
"Guys! He said yes. Bill said that she could come. Now, who's going to inform her?" said Ron enthusiastically, clapping his hands all together.
Hermione shot her hands up. The boys nodded and watched her conjured a patronus. The otter appeared in front of them, glistened and started running around her.
"We're glad that you're safe, y/n. Also, we want to let you know that Bill invited you to his wedding at the burrow. We hope you will come. See you soon!" said Hermione. You could really hear and see that she's definitely excited to see her best friend again.
Being with Ron and Harry are amazing, but sometimes they can be a bit too much. Hermione also enjoyed the company of Ginny, they're like sisters. She even thought that maybe in the alternate universe the two of them were actually sisters.
Other than that, she really missed y/n. She missed talking and discussing about new books with her. Not everyone around her shares the same interest as her.
The otter vanished and the three of them talked about how excited they are to see her their friend again.
Soon, the trio will be four again. The golden quartet.
"Who are you talking to?" Kingsley suddenly popped out of nowhere. Kingsley is a strange man, but they trusted him.
"We just sent out an invitation to y/n. She's our best friend," answered Hermione, smiling.
But the happiness from their faces quickly washed away when they saw Kingsley's red face. That's not a good sign, Harry thought.
"You invited a traitor to the wedding of your brother?!" he questioned Ron, whose body slightly trembled from his roaring voice.
Harry quickly jump. He didn't hesitate but to lunge himself at him. Ron pulled Harry away from him whilst Hermione pushed back Kingsley.
"How dare you call our friend a traitor! You don't even know her well," yelled Harry.
Kingsley laughed.
"Your dear friend's father is a death eater!" those words struck them. Of course they didn't knew about this because y/n never really mention this to them.
The three of them gave Kingsley a look of confusion. Harry, Ron and Hermione knew that her parents were bad, but they didn't expect y/n's parents to turn out to be a death eater.
"What?"
"If you invited your little friend of yours, her father is able to track her down and once she's here... The last thing we wanted to witness is death eaters crashing the wedding," Kingsley talked very fast. Ron couldn't catch up the few words he said earlier.
"She's our friend. She can't do that," defended Ron.
Kingsley looked at the three teenagers in front of him and mumbled a curse word before he left.
Stupid kids. He thought.
-
"We're glad that you're safe, y/n. Also, we want to let you know that Bill invited you to his wedding at the burrow. We hope you will come. See you soon!"
After she heard the voice of Hermione through her patronus, y/n jumped as high as she could. She was happy to hear her voice again. But she was even more excited when the brother of Ron, Bill had invited her to the wedding that will held in their house.
She once remembered that she went to his house one time, but forgot the reason why she was there in the first place.
"They're safe, Linus! And they're staying at the burrow," chirped y/n, shaking the shoulders of Linus. "Would you like to come?"
Linus stared at her. He was uninterested about the wedding, but also concerned the fact she's going out when everyone is in mortal danger. From time to time, they have heard and seen countless of news that the death eaters are attacking muggles and raiding town after town.
"You can't go out. It's dangerous," said Linus, shaking his head from left to right.
Why would someone held a wedding during this bleak times? He asked himself.
"I can take care of myself. Besides, I've been training myself down in the basement," said y/n, convincing Linus to let her go.
Before Linus could say his opinion about this, they heard a burst of voices downstairs. Both Linus and y/n's eyes bulged. She quickly ran outside. She didn't want her parents to see y/n in Linus' bedroom especially when they're talking about going to the wedding.
She walked in the hallway, ready to go inside her room.
"We know where they are. We heard a news that the Weasleys are going to host a wedding," said Dolohov.
Y/n crouched and hid behind the banister. Their Manor was often used as a rest house for death eaters. Sometimes, they come here when they are done raiding or killing, and then left after they're fully rested. This is why she spends her day in her room or in the basement. Those two rooms were her companion.
"And we're not invited? Rude." a man chimed in.
"Don't worry lads, we will join with them soon." the room downstairs filled with disgusting laughter.
Y/n's eyes went big as a saucer. She went inside her room, grabbing all the stuff she needed before she leave the house.
Her bag was packed and she's ready to leave. She have to warn them before they could even go there.
***
hey loves,
hope you're safe and well. a friendly reminder, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. Always.