The place really was like a cosy little safe haven.
Lamps, candles and a fireplace had already been lit, welcoming them into the warmth. Another clap of thunder roared outside as Draco closed the umbrella and Savannah studied the place.
Immediately on their right was a circular table for eating, with four wooden chairs around it, and a candle flame inside a jar on its surface. Behind, a dresser stood displaying its contents of beautiful crockery, and according to the antique clock ticking on the wall, the time was ten minutes past three.
In front of the crackling fire, was a couch made of old green fabric. The cushions were soft and oversized, making it look as though you would sink into a deep slumber as soon as you sat down to rest. Underneath the couch was a dated rug with an intricate pattern of reds, browns and creams, and more flickering candles stood on a small table between the couch and the fireplace.
To their left was a lamplit kitchen area, with a stove, sink, refrigerator, kettle, and a collection of cupboards and drawers. Pots, pans and mugs hung from metal hooks, and a pair of light blue oven gloves were ready to use alongside several clean dishcloths. Beside the kitchen there was a sturdy wooden staircase leading to the upper floor of the cabin.
"This is perfect," Savannah breathed, her eyes wide in disbelief.
A flash of lightening accompanied the next clap of thunder. Savannah gasped, Draco jumped and they moved closer to each other, each wrapping their arm around their partner's back. When they had recovered from their fright, Draco walked over to the kitchen area and opened the refrigerator door.
It was packed full of delicious foods. On the lower shelves was a collection of fresh meat - chicken, beef, turkey and pork in great quantities. On the higher shelves; fresh fruit and vegetables of every colour, a tray of large eggs, a supply of cheeses, two blocks of rich butter, and – a mouth-watering chocolate cake with strawberries on top. There were a few pints of milk, and bottles of pumpkin, apple and orange juices. Several soft loaves of white and brown bread were stocked in a bread bin. Draco also found pasta, pastry, a variety of sauces and spices, crackers, nuts, potatoes and cereals. Tea, coffee and sugar had been provided, along with utensils like forks, knives, spoons and tongs.
"Dumbledore wasn't lying when he said our needs would be attended to," he said.
"That's an awful lot of food," Savannah approached him and looked around. "I hope he's not planning on us staying long enough to eat it all."
They shared a look of concern. Draco had not realised this. After all, Dumbledore had said that he did not know when he would be able to come and collect them. There was easily three weeks' worth of food in the cabin – Draco didn't doubt that Dumbledore had charmed it so that it wouldn't go off.
"Let's go upstairs," said Savannah.
She took Draco's hand and they climbed up the wooden staircase, which was lit by candles hanging in an ascending fashion on the wall.
First came the bathroom, which was also lit by lamps and candles. There was a shining white tub with glistening silver taps. Savannah gazed in awe at the fluffy towels which hung on rails, and the two white dressing gowns which hung on the back of the door. Slippers had also been provided for them both, along with a cupboard full of toiletries – miniature bottles of shampoo, dainty bars of soap, tiny tubes of toothpaste, new toothbrushes, clean razors, a comb and a hairbrush.
Next door was the bedroom. Two single beds lay against each side of the wall, and in between there was a window bordered by golden fairy lights. One large lamp stood in the middle of the beds, atop what looked like a polished tree stump. Each bed had blue tartan blankets, yellow pillows – and a pile of neatly folded clothes on top. Savannah gasped again and rushed over to the bed on the right to inspect the pile of clothes.
"Draco… Draco, they're ours!" she exclaimed gleefully, examining the garments she had put in their luggage bag before it sank to the bottom of the lake.
"What?"
Draco went over to the bed on the left and discovered that the pile of clothes was, in fact, made up of his shirts, trousers and jumpers, all of which had been washed, dried and pressed – Dumbledore had retrieved their bag from the bottom of the lake.
"Your broom!" Savannah squealed.
Draco whipped round and saw his beloved Air Wave Gold propped up neatly in the corner of the room. He smiled and picked it up, turning it slowly in his hands.
"Look!"
Savannah had found two pairs of Wellingtons and two pairs of walking boots lined up at the skirting board, all of which were dry. Their luggage bag – which was also dry – had been tucked away in the wardrobe, along with the money bags Draco had extracted from his safe in Malfoy Manor.
"Merlin," he whispered, opening the velvet pouches to find them still filled to the brim with undamaged Galleons.
"That man is amazing," Savannah grinned, wrapping her arms around a stunned Draco.
"We owe him big time," he agreed, hugging Savannah back.
The pair took off their wet clothes and changed into their own clean pyjamas. They returned downstairs and Draco made a strong mug of coffee while Savannah sipped a cup of tea. They snuggled on the couch underneath a blanket which had been folded up and draped over the side, and comforted each other as the storm raged on outside. Neither of them were too keen on thunder. Draco fiddled with the small radio on top of the fireplace but they could not find a station to tune in to. Either the weather was too bad, or they were too far away from civilisation. They fixed themselves some poached eggs and toast for dinner – they didn't feel up to cooking a large meal. Savannah looked around the small cabin as they ate at the circular table.
"So… we have to stay in here," she said slowly.
The wonderful first impressions of their new home had worn off. While she was ever so grateful for the food and clothes Dumbledore had given them, Savannah couldn't help but tense up with anxiety when it sunk in that they would have to live in this small space for an unknown length of time.
"Darling, don't think you have to do anything," Draco said gently, reaching for Savannah's hand.
"No!" she replied quickly. "No, that's not what I meant."
She sighed and looked down.
"I'm sorry, Draco."
Savannah let out a small cry. Draco stood up and embraced his fiancée, who buried her head in his shoulder.
"I just miss my family," she said in a small voice.
"I know you do, darling." Draco whispered, closing his eyes as he stroked her dark hair.
"I do want this, I do," Savannah urged, breaking away from Draco's hold and looking at him desperately.
"Sav, you're allowed to miss your family."
He lowered himself down so that he was kneeling on the floor and they could look at each other closely.
"I just want to know if they're alright." Savannah sniffed, wiping away her tears.
"Then we'll find out," Draco nodded.
"How?"
"You can produce a Patronus, can't you?"
"Yes… my father taught me last year."
"So, you can send one to him with a message," Draco smiled, stroking Savannah's hands reassuringly.
"But… how will he reply? I don't know if his Patronus would be able to get through the forcefield."
"Only one way to find out," Draco shrugged.
OoOoO
"You know, I still find it funny that your Patronus is a falcon – considering your last name is Falconer," Draco said amusedly.
Savannah rolled her eyes.
"It was clearly meant to be."
The pair smiled and cuddled closer in the dark. It was late now, and the storm had passed. After taking a long soak in the bath tub – with lavender bubbles created by Savannah to calm their nerves – they had moved the lamp and tree stump in their room to the side, so that they could push the two single beds together under the window. Savannah had conjured her Patronus, which took the form of a falcon, and sent it out into the night with a message for her father.
"It's amazing that you can do that," said Draco.
"Do what?"
"Cast the Patronus charm."
"Haven't you ever tried?"
There was a pause as Draco sighed and started rubbing Savannah's arm absent-mindedly.
"I've tried," he admitted. "But I never get more than a few swirls of silver light."
"Perhaps the memory you think of isn't happy enough?" she suggested.
"I try to think of you. Of us. Our engagement is my favourite – the smile on your face and the sparkle in your eyes when I knelt and presented you with that ring… you looked so beautiful that night. Not that you don't always look beautiful," he added quickly.
Savannah giggled.
"Go on."
"I picture our trips to Hogsmeade. Eating in the Three Broomsticks, visiting Honeydukes."
"Ah yes, and you'd always buy me a chocolate frog, every time," Savannah beamed.
They shared a small laugh.
"That's right," Draco said. "And I remember all the fun we had in winter, when the grounds were covered with ice and you'd fall over at every opportunity."
"Hey!"
"Then I'd carry you back to the common room and we'd spend ages warming up by the fire, just talking about anything and everything. We've had so many good times, Sav."
Savannah looked up at her fiancé and smiled, even though his eyes were fixated on the ceiling.
"But I just can't… every time I try, I…" he shook his head abruptly. "It doesn't matter."
"No, tell me." Savannah insisted, propping herself up with her elbows on the pillow.
Draco turned to her nervously.
"It's like I can only get a few seconds of our happy memories in, before… before I think of him."
"The Dark Lord?"
"Um…" Draco bit his lip. "Yeah. Him."
"Draco, don't beat yourself up. It's not fair that you've had to cope with all of this. I can see what it's doing to you."
Draco raised his eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" he asked quietly, looking worried.
Savannah sighed cautiously.
"I hear you. In your sleep. You call my name."
Draco squirmed uncomfortably and broke eye contact with his fiancée.
"It's okay," she said swiftly, placing her hand on the blanket to stop him from turning over.
He stayed still but could not look at her. The embarrassment swelled inside him.
"I hold you and I whisper things to you. And then you calm down."
"What else do I say?" Draco muttered, resisting the prickly tears in his eyes.
Savannah shook her head.
"Um… I don't know. You say "stop" a lot. And… "don't hurt her". What happens in these dreams, sweetheart?"
"You don't want to know."
Savannah opened her mouth to protest but was distracted by a silver light streaming in through the window. She gasped, leaned over to get a better look, and saw a Patronus in the form of a silver polar bear roaming around outside the cabin a few metres away.
"It's my Dad!" she exclaimed. "He got my message!"
She scrambled out of bed, but Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Savannah, wait!"
Savannah stopped in her tracks.
"We can't leave the house, remember? We'll get locked out."
"But…"
She stood on her tiptoes to catch another glimpse of the silver polar bear.
"Look," said Draco, standing up and squinting at the prowling Patronus alongside Savannah. "It can't get through the forcefield. It's too dangerous to approach it."
"Draco, I have to make sure he and my mother and sister are okay."
She broke free of Draco's hold, threw a jumper and a pair of shoes on, and dashed downstairs.
"Savannah!" he called, doing the same and then running after her. "Savannah, please!"
By the time Draco reached the bottom of the staircase, the door to the cabin was wide open and Savannah was nowhere to be seen. He hurried out onto the deck and saw his shivering cold fiancée slowly approach her father's Patronus.
"SAVANNAH, DON'T GO ANY FURTHER!" he shouted desperately.
She turned around, her face blotchy from crying.
"Please, just wait till morning! It's too dark!" Draco tried to reason with her.
Savannah ignored her fiance's pleading and continued to walk towards to silver polar bear, who was still roaming left and right, trying to find an entrance to get through the forcefield.
"Savannah, PLEASE!" Draco screamed, his own face now stained with the tears that had threatened to fall earlier.
But it was as though the Patronus was hypnotising Savannah, drawing her ever closer to the edge of the forcefield, enticing her; teasing her. She figured that this urgent feeling was probably a result of her desperation to hear news about her family, although a small part deep down inside of her thought that, maybe, this wasn't her father at all.
She felt a rippling sensation wave over her as she penetrated the shield of Dumbledore's protective enchantments. She gasped slightly, turned around, and found that the cabin, and Draco, had disappeared from her view. She immediately regretted her decision, but it was too late. The glowing light of the Patronus extinguished.
"Hello, lovely."
A hand dug into Savannah's shoulder.
She yelped loudly and tried to fight the person off. She turned back around and discovered that the face of Fenrir Greyback was only inches from her own.