Chapter 29

(Bella)

Gaining back her senses, Bella turned and ran out of his room. She ran through the corridor not even stopping at her own room. She felt as if her whole world had begun crashing down around her and she was powerless to stop it. Her tears had not stopped flowing down her cheeks. She didn't know where she was going, everything seems so bleak. His last words kept echoing in her head. She had lived her whole life for him, all that she had sacrificed were all for him, everything she had done was for him, her whole existence was solely for him.

She felt her legs giving way as she crashed to the ground of the dark forest that surrounds Malfoy Manor. Her head was throbbing, she couldn't understand it. She let her head rest against the wet ground below her, willing the pain to go away.

This is the way you wanted it….

I didn't understand….I thought the world of you……I thought nothing could go wrong…..But I was wrong. NO! NO! You're pretending…..you do love me…..you do….Nothing of what you said to me was real….

The throbbing had stopped. The sound of his voice in her head had vanished. He heard her….she knew he heard her.

I'm right….I'm right….you're the weak one….not me…..

She was sobbing so hard into the ground her body was convulsing. A smile crept across her face. She knows that she's right. He does love her. She suddenly felt the urge to laugh out loud. Nothing could spoil this moment for her now. She could see him for who he is….pretending to be a one-man show….but he loves her….that's why he kept pushing her away.

She turned herself over to look up to the canopies of leaves that blocked out the night sky. She just had to let it out…so she did. She laughed and laughed and laughed.

Be whatever you want to be….. go wherever you need to go….. There's no need to argue anymore. …..You'll always be special to me no matter what……I will always love you.

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(Voldemort)

"FUCK!"

The entire room is electrified. At this moment, his anger seems to be boundless. He felt like a fool and to know he can't do anything about it makes him all the more pissed off. He has never been in this situation before. He is Lord Voldemort: he does not love. He does not care. He is without compassion, without mercy. How could he let himself care for another?

"I don't care about her! It's a fucking lie.' He growled low in his throat trying to convince himself. 'It's a lie…..I'm not weak! It's a lie…." He slammed his face on the table. He tried to tell himself over and over again in his mind that he can't possibly care for her.

If it really is a lie, why then does he feel frustrated? Why was his heart beating so fast when he said what he said to her? It all does not make sense.

I don't love her…..

I can't love her……she's my servant….how would it look if I associated myself with a mere servant? I…Lord Voldemort?

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(The following morning in Bella's room….)

"Bella?' came a soft voice. 'Bella? Are you here?" the voice sounded again, louder this time.

"Draco?" Bella answered from her bathroom. Draco walked in slowly as he looked at the direction of the bathroom where the voice came from. Bella appeared as she walked over towards him.

"I was looking for you. You weren't in my room and I got so worried….I thought something might have happened t you…" Draco said as he lifted a hand to touch Bella's cheek only to be pushed away by Bella.

"Draco…' Bella started as she walked over to the chairs by the window intending for them to sit and have a good talk that has been long overdue.. 'Listen…I…"

"I know what you're going to say." Draco cut her in mid-sentence making Bella turn around to face him.

"You—you do?" Bella asked as she lifted an eyebrow as she stopped in her tracks.

"Yes…I know that you're going to say that it can never work between us and I know it's because of him. Isn't it?" He paused for a while as he looked at her.

"Yes and…" Bella tried to say only to be cut of f by him again.

"You don't have to worry about him hurting me. I can take care of myself. I'll gladly fight him for you. You taught me to duel and you really are…the best duel teacher I've ever had." Draco said as his voice got softer. He approached Bella again.

"Draco…its not just about him. Its about us….you and me….I.."

"Its ok….it really is. I don't care if you're older than I am,' he cut her again. 'What's more important is you and I…we lo—"

"Draco stop it!' Bella said as she used her wand to make him sit down on a chair as she stood over him. 'Its not that. You and I can never be together like that. I'm your aunt. I'm your mother's elder sister. You are my nephew. WE—' she said, using hand gestures to make it clear to him. 'Cannot be together like that. Do you understand?" she said finally. Relieved this time that she could finish what she was going to say.

"Oh…' was all Draco could say. He looked away from Bella, staring into space. 'But I thought….' He tried to continue.

"Yes?" Bella asked in a sympathetic tone.

"I thought….you and I had something special….I thought you love me?" Draco said softly.

"Draco….I'm sorry. I should never have used you like that. But…don't get me wrong. I am really grateful to you for taking care of me for those few weeks when I was…not myself. I couldn't have made it through without you being there….and attending to my needs. But I don't think your mother….or father…would allow something like that to happen between us. And besides, we are just not meant for each other."

"Well…..I guess….I guess you're right. It's just….I've never met anyone like you before…the way you stood up for my mother against him that night….And you're a much nicer person than anyone thinks you are." Draco said, attempting a joke which succeeded in lightening up the tensed situation.

Bella smiled at him though inside she felt a pang when he used the words "against him". Then she decided if she had not stood up against him, she would not have known how much it hurt him when she chose Narcissa over him. That only shows how much he loves her….more like obsessed with her. She moved over to the empty seat next to him and sat down. "Listen, don't tell anyone that. I've worked too long and hard to portray that image and it's been very useful to me for everyone to know that I'm awful. It's not easy being the only female Death eater in the Ring you know." She told him, with a smile on her face.

He smiled back at her. A momentary pause ensued before he said, "So…you—you still love him then?" he asked her.

Bella nodded before adding. "I know…I know its strange….but I…he….he really is….well…"

"You know you don't have to explain to me anything. I of all people should know how complicated love is." He said.

Bella looked at him, surprised at how fast he could mature. Why can't my love life be simple as this….. I love him. He loves me. We get married and live our lives together happy and contented. The end. Nooooo….I had to add a little drama into my life by falling for someone who denies the existence of love. Sigh.

"What?" he asked her, seeing her attention had gone elsewhere.

"What?' Bella said. 'Oh….oh nothing….I…uh….was just thinking. Never mind. Have you had breakfast yet?" she asked him.

"No. I was just going to find you to ask you what you'd like for your breakfast."

"Let's get downstairs shall we?" Bella said. She was suddenly in high spirits. Last night was an eye-opener for her. She's already made up her mind.

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