Phthonos is the Greek spirit of jealousy and envy. It is said that he caused the death of Semele and her son, Dionysus, by informing Hera of Zeus' affair with the princess.
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a n g e l
Draco was already waiting by the walls outside the toilets when I emerged. I started towards him, but he was already hurrying to me. "Angel, you have to come home, quick." I barely had time to respond before we Disapparated.
Our street was a quiet one. Nothing interesting ever happened, and the pavements were almost always empty. Today, the sky was streaked purple and petal pink, casting the houses in the orange-grey of sunset. Everything was as it should be.
Except that right now, next to ours, was a house we'd never seen before.
It stood as if it had always been there. The paint was slightly worn, but not chipping, and the garden was already blooming.
"Angel, tell me I'm not going mad and that you see the house too." Draco's voice was thick with worry. I squeezed his hand. "It's there." But before I could say anything else, he hurried me through the front door, shutting it quickly behind us.
"Who do you think lives there?" He was already beginning to panic, and I pulled him into a hug.
It was definitely magic folk. We never actually bought houses through agents. Why would we, when we can expand space and grow one out of thin air? Although I had to admit it was a little strange that one would appear right next to ours so suddenly.
"When did you notice?" I tried not to let my voice betray my thoughts.
"I don't know, I was just reading. Then I thought I'd do a bit of cleaning up, so I went outside to sweep the driveway, and it was just... there."
"And did you see them?"
He shook his head.
"Well, it can't be that bad. Shall we have dinner first? We can worry about them later. I'm famished!" I tiptoed and smacked a kiss on his lips. That seemed to comfort him a little.
He had made a delicious beef wellington, and we got stuck in. I told him all about my day, and that Hermoine and Lorcan had asked about him. He made a face and said he didn't like Lorcan.
"Is it because he used to be a Ravenclaw?"
"No, it's because he fancies you."
"If he dares to try anything, he'd have a thing or two coming!" I giggled, earning a small smile from Draco.
We lay on the couch after dinner, sipping elf wine and watching the telly. It seemed to be his favourite thing to do with me now. I would steal glances at him; just to look at the way his silver eyes lit up, completely enraptured with the screen. Sometimes, I would catch him looking at me too, but I pretended not to notice.
Just below the telly, the little silver figurines shone as brilliantly as they did last Christmas. Mom still held her plate of scones, and dad still clutched his telescope. Every time things got hard with Draco, they never failed to remind me of why I chose this.
We ended up making love that night, the energy that coursed through our veins electrifying the air that passed between our mouths. Even when we peeled away sticky with sweat, we still held on to each other. His flaxen-blond hair matted to his forehead, and his eyes were sparkling as he smiled at me.
I snuggled closer against his bare chest as I slept; his still-damp skin smelt like pine and apples.
Draco. My Draco. I'll be with you always. Until the earth stops spinning and every single star in the sky has burned out; until the sun no longer rises in the East and sets in the West, and the world is plunged into a forever night.
I will not let anyone hurt you, and nothing can ever come between us.
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It was the weekend when I finally caught a glimpse of our new neighbour. It was early, and the sun had yet to come out fully. He squatted by the geraniums, his white shirt clinging to his skin with sweat. He had his back towards me, and I couldn't see his face.
I set down my bag of mulch and called over a greeting. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," I said quickly when he looked at me in surprise.
He straightened, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. It wasn't that he was extremely tall, or that his hair was cornsilk-blond like Draco's, or that his jaw seemed cut from diamonds.
It was his eyes like cyan fire, blazing deep behind long dark lashes. They seemed look right through me.
"You didn't." His voice deep and velveteen. If he was aware of the effect he had, he didn't show it. He picked his black gardening gloves off one hand, casual and unhurried, and held it out. "Codrus. Codrus Armstrong."
"Angel." His grip was firm and measured.
"Fitting name. Tell me, Angel," he said, hunching over the wall. "Are we the only magic folk around?"
I nodded, trying to hide the heat that rushed to my cheeks. "Pretty much. There are the O'Donnells and the Choos, but they live all the way at the back. Ten minutes away with a brisk walk," I jerked a thumb in their direction. He didn't say anything, but his eyes never left mine.
"Do you live alone?" I asked.
"Yes, ma'am. Do you?" His eyes seemed to twinkle, but perhaps it was a trick of the sunlight.
"Draco - my husband - he's still asleep. Are you settling down well?" I didn't know what else to say.
"I am now." His wink was charged with an energy I'd never felt before, and my mind scrambled for a response when I felt a warm weight on my shoulder.
"Who are you?" Draco's voice came from behind me, laced with suspicion.
"Codrus Armstrong." He stuck out his hand again. Draco didn't take it. Codrus merely drew it back, unperturbed.
"Draco! I thought you were asleep - I hadn't wanted to wake you. Codrus has just moved here. I was telling him where the O'Donnells and Choos lived." Draco didn't seem to hear me as he eyed Codrus, who was still smiling politely at the both of us.
"And what do you do, Armstrong?" Draco spat out his last name like a bitter seed. I touched his hand on my shoulder, reminding him to be gentle.
"Oh, I've just been accepted for a position at the Ministry. Committee of Experimental Charms. They needed someone to study the effect of Atmospheric Charms, you see. I figured I'd give it a go since I did well in Astronomy back at Hogwarts."
"Astronomy!" I exclaimed excitedly. "That's amazing! It was my favourite subject. I work at the Ministry, too." Codrus turned to me. "Do you?"
I nodded eagerly. "D.R.C.M.C."
"Looks like we'd be seeing more of each other, then."
"Draco picks me up every day. Perhaps we could go to dinner some time, couldn't we, love?"
"Yeah," Draco said through gritted teeth. He was getting antsy. "Well, I see your geraniums are growing nicely," I said quickly. "We've got some gardening to do as well. It was very nice to meet you, Mr Armstrong."
"Please, call me Codrus," he touched his hand to his chest and bowed slightly in a comical way, and I chuckled.
"It was very nice to meet you, Codrus. We're just over the wall so just holler if you need anything."
"Brilliant. I'll do that, Angel."
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We didn't do any gardening.
Draco had ushered me back into the house, where he demanded why in Merlin's good name had I been speaking to Codrus.
He's our neighbour! Was I just supposed to not say hello at all?
Yes! Yes, Angel! That's precisely what you should have done! You know better than to trust strangers!
We barely even spoke!
Oh, yeah? You invited him to dinner. Dinner! Have you completely lost your wits? And I saw the way he was looking at you. What I can't understand is why the fuck everyone keeps trying to make moves on you. You're my wife, for fuck's sake!
What are you on about?
First, I had to deal with Cedric. Then bloody "Lorcan The Laugh from Spirit Division", and now this!
So it's my fault, then?
No, but I do wonder why every guy you meet seems to be attracted to you.
What are you trying to say?
Nothing.
Tell me. Go on!
I just wonder if you've been doing something behind my back, that's all.
What? I can't- I can't believe you would actually think that! You're there with me to and from work. I invite you to every single drink at the pub with my friends. I tell you about every conversation I have with Lorcan. I even showed you my birthday letter from Cedric last year. I will not let you tell me who I can or cannot talk to! Can't I speak to anyone other than you?
If you want to flirt with every bloody guy you meet, then why don't you just leave! Life would be so much easier without me. You'd love if I walked out the fucking door now, wouldn't you! - oh, stop crying, please! - Well? Is that what you'd rather?
What more do you want from me, Draco? I love you, and you only. Is that not enough? What else can I do? Would you like me to die all over again for you?
I never asked you to do that, did I! ...Shit. I didn't mean-
How can you say that, Draco?
I didn't-
You know what, just forget it. I can't do this. I'm exhausted.
What do you mean you can't do this? What do you- where are you going?
To our room. Am I allowed to do that? Or do I need your permission, too?
N- no... Angel, I'm sorry. Angel. Angel! Fuck.