A/N: Written for Cheeky's 24 Hour Pairing Challenge. Pairing: Abraxas Malfoy/Druella Black (nee Rosier).
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, Remus and Tonks would still be alive.
It's hardly practical, the timing. It never is for them, but tonight is worse. It's freezing out, snowing actually— he can see the fat flakes tremble to the ground and cling to the railing of the tower even as the late night fog rolls into the courtyard— and he is growing impatient as the time passes on without her. He listens for a moment, twirling his wand idly between two long fingers and as he pockets the wand, he knows.
Abraxas can feel her arrive, he usually can. Her footsteps are muffled as she crosses the stone floor of the Astronomy Tower. He's been waiting for nearly two hours, since supper, and now she's finally here.
He tucks his wand away as he watches her approach, her mouth curling into a rare smile even as she shivers against the sudden gust of wind that whips through the high tower, her dark eyes glittering as the light of the half-moon illuminates her fair features and he feels his heart speed up.
His hand reaches for hers, as if of its own accord, and he closes his eyes in relief as she entwines her fingers with his. Druella's lips are cool as she presses her lips to his. His arm scoops her closer to him and he pulls away, his breath misting in the cool winter air as he speaks, his voice rumbling in the stillness of the moment.
"Did Cygnus follow you?" he mutters as her dark eyes lift to his. Her eyes soften a bit as she frowns, her shoulders dropping at the mention of her future husband.
"No, he doesn't know I'm here. It took ages to slip away. I left him sleeping in the Common Room— I'm sorry." Her head drops to his chest and he can feel her press close to him, as if she can't bear the guilt of what they're doing.
Abraxas closes his eyes at the apology. "Stop. Don't apologize. It's not your fault, we're doing nothing wrong. It's just… you know how it works, Dru," he offers, hoping that might calm her, but instead, her grip tightens around him and he leans into her, his tall frame offering the shelter that Cygnus' shorter self can not.
He holds her close for a few quiet moments, and they breathe in tandem, their thoughts racing. Her hand slips from his as she slumps to the ground, picking at the hem of her woolen winter robe, frustration in the furrow of her brow.
"It shouldn't be, Abraxas. I love you, not Cygnus. He's terribly kind and he tries so very hard, but… he's…" Druella sighs, her voice tightening as she nearly whispered the next words.
"He's not you."
Abraxas sighs, joining her on the cold floor. His heart is breaking and she is hurting and none of this is fair.
"We could run away, you know, Dru. We've talked about it."
Dru gazes at him, her dark hair shifting as she nestled into his chest.
"Where would we go? We're underage, we're in school, we're betrothed to other people, and we can't, not with Tom watching," Abraxas' jaw clenches at that. Riddle was always watching— of course he was, nosy snake.
Dru continues, her voice small but firm, "I want you, but I want you in the right way."
He knows she is telling the truth, so instead, he holds her while they watch the moon. He kisses her then, once, twice, a thousand times, but it will never be enough, not really— if he loved her for a thousand years, it would never be enough.
After a long and silent stretch of time, when she is curled into his chest and his hands are sifting through her dark hair, the far light on the other side of the courtyard finally goes out and Abraxas stirs, disturbing a sleepy-eyed Druella from her half-sleep. He regards her as he has a thousand times before, in the pale, white light of the moon, watches as her full lips open and close minutely with each breath she takes, watches the creases in her pale, young face give way to the peacefulness of slumber.
"I love you." She can't hear him through the haze of her exhaustion, but he is terrified when he says it, not because it is untrue, he does love her, but because he cannot fathom what it means to love one person this much. He is cold, unfeeling, snide, and cruel— or he should be anyway, but he can't quite stop this feeling. And he knows he never wants it to end. His pale, thin fingers brush across her cheek as he watches the grey light of the early morning filter over the tall Scottish mountains, and he wishes he could stop time and remember this moment always.
Their days in school are nearing their end, and with them, their time together. He fights the sudden impulse, now ever-familiar, to sweep her away in a gallant rescue and run away with her, as they have spoken of many times over, each time taking away more and more of their hope— but he can't do that. Duty, honor, and pride stand in his way.
Damn pride and duty and honor to Hell.
All of that was nothing, nothing compared to what he held in his arms. Will honor warm his bed at night? Will honor fill his heart with peace? Can he love another out of duty?
No. He cannot. And it kills him.
In the morning, before the dawn stretches its lazy fingers through the mountains, he will have to let her go, but for now, they are here, they are with each other. In a year, he will watch her walk down the aisle to another man, and he will be forever bound by silence and rules and noble blood, tied to another for the rest of his life. But for now, this is enough, he tells himself.
No, he thinks, his stomach dropping, it will never be enough.
A/N: This is an odd pairing. I've never heard of these two as a couple, but leave it to Cheeky's challenges to get me on board nearly any 'ship. Leave a review, yeah?