Truth Behind These Eyes
I fell in love next to you
Burning fires in this room.
It just fits,
Light and smooth
Like my feet in my shoes.
Little one, lie with me.
Sew your heart to my sleeve.
We'll stay quiet
Underneath shooting stars
If it helps you sleep.
And hold me tight,
Don't let me breathe.
Feeling like
You won't believe.
Holding tightly onto the sobbing girl, Draco was confused. Everything was fine. They were playing Quidditch, and his team was winning, then suddenly Anica became sick. Sobbing quietly, her dry tears stained her cheeks. Wrapping his arms around her, Draco could feel she was shivering beneath him. This had become her sanctuary: blankets taken from a spare room that no one knew about, thrown onto the hard floor, with borrowed pillows as well. In the surface of the room everything was fine. But beneath the comfort of her bed, Anica had formed a new home. Blankets and pillows to lie on, books surrounding her which were probably what helped her to fall asleep at night, and a tiny little light bulb that Kreacher most likely had to charm to stay on permanently. She was scared of something, and for the first time in his life, Draco didn't know of what.
This was their song. It was the beginning of the school term, and Draco was scared. The golden trio was missing from Hogwarts, and there were rumors that an uproar was taking over. He escaped one night, taking off to the muggle world, where he ran to Anica. Like most of her nights, she was hidden beneath her bed, reading a book of muggle fairytales. When he came to her, she moved over allowing him to cuddle in with her. They were both freezing, but the reminder that they had somebody to love helped to warm them up. This song had been playing softly from the earphones of the abandoned iPod, and Draco found himself humming along to it. He held Anica in his arms, watching as she struggled with her memories trying to force herself to sleep. Anica, sensing Draco's own worries, pressed her body tightly into his, reminding him that he was never alone; she would always be with him.
There's a firefly
Loose tonight.
Better catch it,
Before it burns this place down.
And I lie
If I don't feel so right.
But the world looks better
Through your eyes.
There's a firefly
Loose tonight.
Better catch it,
Before it burns this place down.
And I lie
If I don't feel so right.
But the world looks better
Through your eyes.
He sang this song to her that night… and any other night that he would find her trembling beneath her bed. Tracing her fingers with his, Draco felt guilty. Anica was in pain, something that anybody could see. Of course he didn't expect her father or her godbrother or anyone else to notice it, but he was her brother dammit! He was supposed to be there for her. He didn't give her months of therapy, and nights of consoling words just to have her fall back into her depression. Stopping his fingers on her wrist, Draco flipped it around, his thumb gently caressing where his magic hid the scars of her weakness. Feeling the heat of her tears fall on his neck, her hair was tickling his chin. He could feel the faint beating of her heart, and his own heart ached. He had let Granger get between them. He broke his one promise to Anica. He wasn't there when she needed him, and he allowed her to get hurt. He had no idea why she was crying, and he couldn't get through to her. Without realizing it, soon enough his own tears blended in with hers.
Teach my skin
Those new tricks
Warm me up
With your lips.
Heart to heart
Melt me down
It's too cold
In this town.
Close your eyes
Lean on me.
Face to mouth
Lips to cheek.
Feeling numb
In my feet.
You're the one
To help me get to sleep.
Anica could feel Draco's thoughts burning in his mind, and she wanted nothing more than to tell him the truth, but a part of her gave up hope. There once was a time when Draco could read her thoughts. He knew her emotions, he knew why each teardrop fell, and he knew what she was thinking. If he couldn't see it in her face now, then things have changed. And she knew it. She knew things were different just by looking at him. He was no longer the tortured little boy who had to hide everything from his father. He was no longer being forced to hate the girl he loved because of her blood. He didn't have to hide behind a cloak of strength anymore, and he was no longer being told what to think. He wore the dark mark. He fought in the war. He killed who he had to. He proved his worth. And in the end he got the girl. It worried her. Leaving her to think where that left her now.
They were no longer, Draco and Anica. They were now simply just Draco. And just Anica. She was no longer the weak little orphan girl with a secret. She no longer had a secret best friend who was a wizard. She was no longer in high school, and she was no longer anyone's punching bag. She found her father – well he found her, but it's all the same. She had a place in the world now, a reason to belong. She wondered though, did they still belong? She had grown up all her life with only Draco by her side. Occasionally, Blaise would be there as well. But now… now Draco had Hermione, and Blaise had Ron. She knew the day would come when they would each find their loves, and she was happy for Draco. He found the love that he had always fantasized about. Draco had Hermione. Blaise had Ron. And she… well she just had another secret; the first secret that Draco doesn't know about.
And hold me tight,
Don't let me breathe.
Feeling like
You won't believe.
There's a firefly
Loose tonight.
Better catch it,
Before it burns this place down.
And I lie
If I don't feel so right.
But the world looks better
Through your eyes.
There's a firefly
Loose tonight.
Better catch it,
Before it burns this place down.
And I lie
If I don't feel so right.
But the world looks better
Through your eyes.
Feeling the humming of Draco's chest as he sang her their song, Anica kept her eyes shut. His eyes were watching her closely, and that was when she remembered. This wasn't the first secret that she hid from Draco. This was the second. She did so well at blocking that one moment out from her memory, that it came as a shock to even her. Draco felt her stiffen against him, and his singing stopped. He pulled her closer to him. Fresh tears now fell from her eyes. She forgot about everything. Finding out that Sirius Black was her father, and even falling in love with Charlie, helped her mind to permanently erase it from her memory. Until now. Safe in the protective arms of Draco, and contemplating that she wouldn't have him forever, she remembered everything. Finally opening her eyes, she looked up at Draco. Nodding her head, she asked him to continue their song. She wanted to hear all of it. It was his singing voice that she thought of on nights she couldn't sleep. It was his arms that she imagined herself being wrapped in when she was scared she would fall weak again. It was Draco that she needed now more than anything. Especially if she was about to fight this on her own.
It's only been
One night of love.
And maybe,
That is not enough.
Hold me tight,
Don't let me breathe.
Feeling like
You won't believe.
Thinking back to the moment on the couch between them, Anica knew what she had to do. It would hurt her. It would possibly even hurt Draco, but this was what had to be done. He felt guilty for leaving her when she needed him the most. And she needed to know that she could trust him again. She needed to know that he would be there for her when she needed him. But he also needed Hermione. They were no longer alone. They had a family now. He had his mum who needed him, and he had Hermione who loved him. She knew that, and she needed to let him go. She meant what she told him. She approved of Hermione. And she was still his sister. That would never change. But siblings do say their goodbyes after a while. They weren't kids anymore. They were growing up. In just one month from now, she would be eighteen. This was something he needed. Not her. Him! And this was the one thing she could give to him.
It's only been
One night of love.
And maybe,
That is not enough.
Hold me tight,
Don't let me breathe.
Feeling like
You won't believe.
"You should go see Hermione."
Stopping just one verse before the song ended, Draco felt her shift against him again. He could hear the forced tone in her voice. "She knows that I'm checking up on you, Anica," he shook his head. "She'll be alright. You need me right now."
"No," her smile was worn out already; tired from being overused to put on a fake show. "She needs you Draco. I just realized that. You've been in love with her from when we were only eleven years old. This is your time to finally be happy. Be with the one that you love."
"I love you, Anica."
"But not like that," she laughed. An actual laugh had found its way from her throat. "Not the way you love Hermione. You're free now, Draco. You don't have to impress Lucius anymore. You don't have to hide between blank emotions. You're no longer a prisoner. You're not trapped in hell anymore. You're free. And you need to be with Hermione."
"But you-"
"I'm fine," Anica shook her head again. This time though, she pulled out of his arms. "And I'll still be here. You can love Hermione, and love me at the same time. I'll still be here for you, and I know that you'll be there for me when I go to you, but it isn't now, Draco."
He heard her words, but he could see the fear in her eyes. This was something that's been haunting him as well. Now that he had Hermione, what would happen to them? This was happening just too quickly though. He hadn't expected Anica to answer it for them now. Not when he just got her back. "I don't want to leave you tonight. You were sick earlier, love, you puked once you hit the ground. You're hiding secrets from me. I can see it in your eyes. Something is wrong, and you shouldn't be alone."
"I'm not alone," she reminded him. Grabbing onto his hand, she sighed. "I know you don't want to leave me, Draco, but you should. Go to Hermione. Tell her the truth."
"What?" he searched her face, looking to see if she had been joking, but he could see the seriousness in her eyes. "Are you serious?"
Nodding her head, Anica feigned another smile. "Dead serious. Go to her, Draco. Tell Hermione everything that happened. Then hold her in your arms, and tell her how much you've always loved her. Assure her that our relationship won't come between you two."
"And our relationship?" he asked her. "Mine and Hermione's relationship? Will that come between us?"
"Of course not," she shook her head. "I'm still your sister, Draco Malfoy. And when the day comes that you marry her, it will be me she has to talk to. I'm still going to be there, right by your side no matter what. But in order for you guys to work, she needs to know everything. No secrets."
"And our secrets?" he asked. "You're keeping secrets from me, Anica. And don't try to deny it. You're hiding something, and I don't get it. We've never kept secrets from each other. Do you not trust me anymore?"
This was it. The question she had been asking herself all day. Taking in a deep breath, she saw the hurt in his face. She thought back to all those times that he had been there for her, all those times that he would appear out of nowhere, just holding her until she fell asleep. All those nights they would stay at the park just talking. All the letters that they wrote, and all of his fears that he trusted her with… "Of course I still trust you," it was true. He may have left her in just one moment, but he was there for her through the rest. She could see that now. Although he abandoned her that one day, he came back to her, trying to fix her just like before. "You worry too much, love. I'm fine."
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Draco watched her closely. She wouldn't lie about trusting him; that much he knew. If she said she still trusted him, then she still trusted him. But he heard the sigh in her voice as she told him she was fine. She was anything but fine. He knew that now. "I left you that night, and you're sleeping under the bed again, Anica," he rolled his eyes. "You're lying to me right now. You're not fine. I can talk to Hermione tomorrow."
"You can talk to Hermione right now," she also rolled her eyes. Yes, they were fine now. He was going back to being a prat.
"And leave you here under the bed on your own again?" he asked her.
Chuckling, she shook her head. Taking in a large gulp of whatever strength she had left in her, she stared him in his eyes. "I'm going to talk to Charlie."
"Oh," his name again. Draco didn't know why, but ever since Anica started to ignore him, he knew that it had something to do with that one particular Weasley. He knew how much Anica was falling in love with the dragon tamer since that first night she met him, but now his name brought a vile taste to his mouth. "And that's why you want me to talk to Hermione?"
"I have my own reasoning to want to tell Charlie the truth," she shook her head. She prayed that he didn't catch the glare in her eyes, but the puzzling confusion in his face proved otherwise, "But like I said, I want you to tell Hermione so she'll know the truth. I don't want secrets between either of you. Not when I'm that secret. She needs to know that what happened between us was just a one-time thing, Draco."
"Do you regret it?" he asked.
Smiling a warm smile, she placed a hand on his cheek. He twitched at the iciness of her touch. "Never. I'm glad that that happened, but it will never happen again. And I know how much you must want to tell her everything. So tell her. Do you regret it?"
"Never," his smile matched hers. Continuing to stare at her, he pulled both her hands into his. The warmness took over her eyes. "Like I promised you, I am always going to be there for you. You needed me that night, and I was glad to be there for you. I pray that it never has to happen again, but if it does, then I'll be there for you. Just like I was the last time. I do love you, Anica."
"I know," leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his forehead. "And I love you too, Draco. But so does Hermione. And you're stalling right now. So go be with the love of your life. And remember now-"
"Yeah, yeah," blushing, Draco wiggled out from beneath her bed. "Hold her tightly, and tell her how much I've always loved her."
There's a firefly
Loose tonight.
Better catch it,
Before it burns this place down.
And I lie
If I don't feel so right.
But the world looks better
Through your eyes.
There's a firefly
Loose tonight.
Better catch it,
Before it burns this place down.
And I lie
If I don't feel so right.
But the world looks better
Through your eyes.
A/N: Short? Maybe! Well as promised, I made you guys another chapter last week to make up for not posting one that other week. But nobody read it yet ): or if you did, you didn't review it. I think you guys are too used to me posting only on Mondays or Tuesdays(: cause I had that one up since Thursday. So let me know what you think of that one. And of this one! :3
The song is called Firefly by Ed Sheeran, and I absolutely love all of his songs. In case you guys haven't heard of him, or any of his songs. Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) is in his music video, Lego House, so you guys should go watch that.(:
Oh and one last thing! This is super IMPORTANT!
I'm doing two parts to the next chapter. Draco is going to tell Hermione what happened between him and Anica, and Anica will also tell the story. But whose version should I post in the story? I'm thinking of posting Anica's version as the next chapter -since this story is about her and Charlie- and then posting Draco's version as a one-shot linked to this story? Tell me what you think! I'll go by most of what you guys say.
Thanks for listening to my rambles. I love you all!
