'Cause all my life, I've been fighting...

Azalea looked at her best friend in abject horror as Hermione crumpled to the ground and writhed around on the ground.

"Hermione NO!" Azalea shouted, and did the only thing she could think of at the time.

She tackled the mystery wizard to the ground, effectively cutting off the spell long enough for her to quickly get away. She was barely moving though, which was not good. She didn't know what the spell was but it was bright purple and it had knocked the other witch down and unconscious. As she tackled the wizard to the ground, her bare hand brushed his forearm and they both froze.

The bond was there immediately, and she knew they both felt the effect of the soul bond connection. She started to pale dramatically. Oh god, oh no, oh god. Oh fuck. She didn't understand. How could this happen, to her, of all people? That damn blasted infamous Potter luck! Tears were starting to well up in the corners of her eyes and he must have noticed.

"Shh shh darling don't worry about it, I'm here. I'm here love."

"Wha- What just happened? How could this happen?" she just kept muttering.

Antonin was stunned. He just soul bonded with a little witch. And it was fucking Potter of all people. In their tussle, he and her had been rolling around the floor and were now covered in dust and debris. He wiped the dust off of her cheek in a gentle touch, and she leaned into it.

He rolled them over, so he was on top of her, and settled his body down on top of her, as to comfort and calm her down with the easy pressure.

Azalea was trying to calm herself down. This was definitely time to panic but she needed a clear head if she was going to get away from this dangerous wizard. But he was her soul bonded, her soulmate. Would he really hurt her? All she could see, all she could here, all she could smell, was him.

He smelled of musk and sweat and dragonhide, but also had a spicy scent that she couldn't place, but it was intoxicating. She was now laying flat on her back, with him over top of her still, when he moved, to rest his forehead against her shoulder. Around them , the fighting picked up even more. She could hear shouting and curses flying in the distant background but right now she couldn't be bothered much. That was, until a bombarda spell hit the wall above them covering them in dust. It brought her back to reality. She pushed the heavier man off of her and scooted away, looking for an escape route. She had to get away. She backed up against the wall, feeling trapped. He was two steps forward at all times, and he followed her movements, backing her into a corner.

Antonin slid his hand around her waist, drawing her close to him again.

"Come now little love you know you can't run away from me. I'll find you wherever you go."

She was starting to worry. This man was tall, he was well over six foot, compared to her five foot two frame. She couldn't help that she was so short, she blamed the malnourishment from the Dursley's treatment.

She was muttering to herself in a whisper,

"Why? Why me? Why you? What is going on, I don't understand!"

He realised that she didn't really know fully about soulmates.

"What is going on? What is this feeling between us? Why is it there?"

Azalea inherently trusted her magic. It had never led her down the wrong path, it had always protected her from harm, always healed her. But this magic? This magic was new, was wild, was raw. She was beginning to understand that there was a connection between this mystery wizard.

"You're my soulmate, my bonded. You're made for me, you're mine! No one else will ever touch you again, do you hear me little witch."

She tried to push him away but he was much heavier and much stronger than her. When she pushed against his chest, he didn't budge even an inch.

"You just cursed my best friend! You'll hurt me too when you get the chance, I just know it. I'll never trust you, I'll never be yours!" Azalea shrieked, nearing hysteria.

"You're fighting for the person who tried to kill me multiple times. The person who had continuously tried to kill me and my friends and failed every time too. The person who tortured me at every chance! How do I know you're not going to give me to him when you get the chance? How do I know you're not going to lead me to my doom, my death? How do i know you won't just offer me up the very second you get?"

Antonin growled out,

"Silly witch, you're mine. No one else will ever so much as touch you again. Not even the Dark Lord. I will protect what is mine with my life. I'm very possessive after all. He is never going to touch you again. No one, but me, will touch you."

"Then how do i know you will not be the one to kill me?"

He softly said in her ear,

"I will never hurt you. Ever."

He tilted her chin up gently, to meet his and placed a chaste kiss to her pink lips. This caused her to gasp out loud, and Antonin took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. She struggled against his chest at first but leaned into the kiss finally.

"But who are you? I don't even know your name!"

"Antonin Dolohov, Russian wizard extraordinaire, at your service, my dear. Now will you stop fighting me? You don't have to anymore, I'll protect you."

"All my life I've been fighting. I don't know anything else."

'Cause all my life, I've been fighting