A/N: This is my first story ever. The published one I mean, ha! I wrote a lot of things, but never had the courage to post it online. So, be patient. Concrit is humbly appreciated. :) Unbetaed.

Read and review. ;)

"Adrian."

Breathy, lilting, uniquely Daphne's voice was shadowed with a hint of sorrow, tears that were brimming still in her jade green eyes. Even with her puffy nose, Daphne Greengrass was a beautiful young woman.

But, now she was crying. It was quite a while before she took notice of his presence. Before, her tears were the symphony of absolute desolation, fear and desperation a blend of emotion that was tugging at what remained of his heart. Adrian ached to wrap his arms around her, his stunning, proud little dove. And it was her pride that halted his almost instinctive need to silence her cries, dry her tears and soothe away her sorrow.

If there was one thing about Daphne, it was her pride. He was uncertain enough to stop before he did anything that might give offense, lance the heart that was heartbreakingly fragile.

Then, she turned and her whisper of her name was as loud as a scream to his hearing. Her eyes, glassy and bruised with her hurt, Adrian did nothing to stop his feet from moving to her, his heart a wild drum inside him and then, Adrian did what he wanted to do.

He pulled her into his arms, protectiveness evident in his action. Tenderness he didn't quite feel to anyone but his little dove. For a moment, he felt her go stiff, her spine rigid and he feared that doing this might be a wrong move but then she linked her arms around his waist, buried her crying face into his chest, shaking.

They were no words between them for a while. The Greengrass garden in which they stood was unoccupied. As the sky remained gloomy dark, Daphne broke apart in his arms and Adrian did nothing but held her and held her tight, his thought running at a lightning speed.

"I'm sorry," she croaked an eternity later, her voice harsh from the strain. But, as she lifted her face from his chest (which was gone uncomfortably wet now that he was aware of it), Daphne seemed almost composed, sanity returned in a calming wave, perhaps comforted by the languid stroke of his hand against his back, her robe was so dark a crimson it was almost black. He noticed that Daphne was trying to avert his eyes.

"You can always come to me, you know," he murmured, giving her the reprieve she silently wanted by placing his chin on top of her head. "I will always be there for you."

Daphne snuggled closer, he heard her inhale. "I know."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Maybe."

At that, Adrian dug his pocket and passed something into her palm. She took a gander before letting out a teary laugh.

It was her favourite chocolate.

"You are bribing me, again."

He smiled, "Always. Come on. Let's go take a seat and you can talk or eat or both."

At that reminder, he saw the momentary light fade from her jade green orbs as he pulled back, escorting her to their tree. Sitting against the bark, he tugged her to sit between his parted legs, to which she went without protest.

"Will the war ever ends, Ades?" Daphne leaned back on Adrian's warm, muscled chest. He was astonishingly warm, a furnace that burned bright, chasing away the chill in her soul. His scent, there was a hint of his aftershave tinged with something earthy, something uniquely Adrian. It engulfed her, soothing her in a way only he can.

"For our good, kitten," he murmured, his breath lifting the strand of her blonde hair. "I hope it will be soon."

"I don't want to go back there, Ades." There was a catch in her voice. "I'm scared."

"I know, love. I know," he spoke in a low, comforting voice. "But, you'll have to." At that moment, he despised his helplessness. He abhorred the inability to shield the most important person in his wretched life from the war that was turning their lives into living nightmare. The Dark Lord grew stronger and hope, hope that he spew just now was turning bleaker day by day.

"I'm not just scared for myself, you know. It's for Astoria, for maman and dad, for other children who are as trapped as I am and…" she faltered, it was a while before she continued in a whisper. "For you, Ades. I'm scared for you."

An answering grip was his silent response. The chill of December was chased away by the warmth of her confession. Her concern for him was an invaluable gift.

"Every day, every second, every moment when you are away, I think of you. And I go more than a little insane with worry. I wish I could take you away from everything, Daphne." Helplessness in his voice. "But, I can't and not a single day that passed without me hating myself for my weakness."

Daphne turned around and somehow crawled into his lap, her head in the crook of his neck, holding on to him as he did on her with a firm, unshakeable embrace.

She spoke against his neck. "Never blame yourself, Ades. Never," her voice fierce, "Knowing that you will is more than enough to keep me going. The war wrenches away our freedom, Ades. Don't let it poison you with guilt that is not your own to feel. Don't let the war taints you anymore than it do."

Adrian smiled wanly. "Always trying to save me, Daphne."

"You are mine." Possessive, absolute, permanent. "And I protect what is mine."

He chuckled, his hand sliding through the length of her golden blond hair. "In case it escaped your notice, I am bigger than you."

"Men," she sounded positively repulsed, the hint of the woman who broke apart slowly disintegrating, returning her back to her usual self.

His left hand slid around her waist and halted. "And you haven't been eating well." As slender as she was— "You are thin enough. You can't afford to lose more weight."

She lifted her face to meet his eyes, her green eyes held the shadow of her nightmare. "I couldn't get it out of my head. The blood, I smell it everywhere in Hogwarts."

Her voice was rattling, her fingers clammy when she cupped his jaw. But, she continued. "They were screaming so loud, Ades and I can't stop it, I can't fight the Carrows without risking Astoria." Tears slid down her cheeks, her guilt was there for him to see. "I'm selfish, Ades. I had to make them scream so that Tory will be safe much longer."

He kissed her forehead, her closed eyes, and her cheeks and tasted the salt of her tears, her pain a lance through his body, sharp and bloody.

"I envy them, those who fight back. I envy them the hard choice they make and the punishment they have to endure for it. I would have fought, too. Never would I hurt anyone and lose a part of me if I could keep Tory safe." Daphne took a deep, shuddering breath. "They said, 'It won't be so bad after a while. You just have to learn to numb yourself so that you won't feel them.' Parkinson even told us to 'enjoy their pain'. Yet, even in my sleep, I can hear them screaming at me to stop. But, no matter how hard they beg, how loud they scream, it's them or Tory."

Hollow, to his dread, her voice was devoid of emotion. And Daphne, stubborn, vivacious, regal Daphne sounded worse than when she was crying. Adrian felt himself crawling over the invincible wall inside his head, seeking, searching for something. Through it all, as the sky grew darker and the Greengrass' mansion began to fill out with light, they held each other until his mind grew numb.

"I'll figure something out, Daphne." A solemn promise, one he vowed to never break. Burying his face into her hair, her scent a blend of apple, snow and fir, he whispered a ragged plea. "Just hold on for a little while."

"Hurry, Ades," she spoke with a subtle hint of desperation. "I'm getting tired. I wouldn't be able to hold on much longer."

"For me. Do it for me, for us," he cupped her cheeks, forcing her to meet the blue of his eyes. "Promise me, Daphne. Promise me that you'll never let go."

Her lips tugged into a tiny smile, her soft, silky hand moved to trace the bow of his lips. When this is over, Ades, I want a kiss."

"Courage, Daphne," he assured her, "Then, I'll kiss you until you beg me for air."

"Lots of kisses?"

He gave her a peck on the tip of her nose. "That and more."

Daphne felt her heartbeat stutter at that quiet promise. Adrian had been quite adamant in his refusal to even kiss her on the lips. Their two years difference would have been quite a gap when he was still in school. Of course, their air tight, complex friendship was often open for gossip and inappropriate rumours. While Slytherins were generally a secretive lot, all bets were off when their housemates were concerned. Some girls had even commented rather crassly that Daphne must have been a good fuck for Adrian not to pay any attention to other girls.

She hadn't been able to look at said wizard without blushing red for a week. When he finally found out about it, he burst out laughing and ignored her attempt at hitting him with his pillow so he would shut up.

Then, he told her that the girl who said that to her was trying to corner him one night and steal his virtue.

Not once, not even once did he touch her like that. Oh, she knew what sex was all about. Pretty hard not to when you share a dorm with the biggest tramp in your house (Pansy) and girls kept giggling about it all the time. He would kiss her anywhere but her lips, hold her tight against him, but not even when she was fifteen and he was in his last year in Hogwarts did he do something that will change the cadence of their relationship.

"I asked you to kiss me once, remember?" she smiled as the memory flashed itself in her mind.

"Not something I could forget, D," he drily remarked. "Your fifteenth birthday or not, it would have been inappropriate."

"Not even a peck?" she teased, her eyes began to glimmer with mirth.

"Temptation," he tapped her nose, "is more powerful than you can imagine. Where you are concerned, my self-control is faulty."

"Good to know I could drive you crazy so easily."

"Woman, that's a well-known fact."

"Mmmhmmm," she hummed, "Be that as it may, it's always good to have a confirmation. And let's go back to the house before your father or mine hunted us down. And I'm hungry."

She hoisted herself on her feet, Adrian did the same.

"Merry Christmas, Ades."

"Merry Christmas."