Chapter twelve:
There's No Place To Go

Serena couldn't believe she was living with a wizard. It was crazy and yet it made a whole lot of sense. That explained the sudden appearance of furniture, the empty cupboards one day, being stocked another, when she knew he couldn't have gone to the store.

And those bottles without labels. The ones that worked miracles on her aches and pains. And healed cuts in days.

Like now. A little over a week had passed, and she was as good as new. No cuts, no scrapes and no bruises. It had made talking to the police easy. There was no evidence to say she had been in the house.

The police seemed to believe Draco's word, when he said she had been staying at his house, waiting for her mother to get home. They had had no idea, she'd been locked inside the house. Had heard no shouting or screaming.

And Serena had confirmed his story. Her mother would be released, have been found not guilty by self defense, for the death of Charlie Winslow.

And Serena had never been happier.

Draco had let her move in. Had helped her move her furniture into the spare bedroom. He had also promised to help her get back into school, come September, so that she could finish her last year and graduate.

She owed him so much, for everything he had done. She could not see the boy who he claimed he had once been. A self serving jerk, who looked out only for himself, and stomped on others to get to the top of everything.

He just wasn't that person. There wasn't a single drop of that boy left in the man, who had helped her out. The man, she was beginning to love.

On her eighteenth birthday, Serena went out to visit some friends, and had a wonderful time, for the first time in forever. For once, she hadn't had to hide bruises, or pretends she was happy while in their company.

Because, she was happy. Things were really starting to look good.

"Draco, I'm home," she called, after returning from her trip into the city. Molly and Melvin had even mentioned the change in her. Molly accused her of being in love, and that she was hiding her boyfriend from them. While Melvin had thought it was because she was going back to high school, to finish her last year.

Both were a little right. A lot had to do with, she was living her life now. Without her mother's guilt trips, without her mother's abusive boyfriends. And she was sharing her life with Draco Malfoy, the man next door, who had let her into his life, and had given hers back.

"Draco," she called again. The house was dark, save for a slight glow from the kitchen. Strange. With Draco being out on the run, he tried not to get out much. She had been a little anxious over this news.

In hiding from the Magic Community. Or as he had called them, the Ministry of Magic. Just because of a mistake. A mistake he had already done enough punishment for.

Dropping her bag next to the door, Serena kicked off her shoes, and started across the living room. Maybe he had to get groceries, she thought.

Thinking of food, made her stomach growl. Smiling sheepishly, Serena headed for the kitchen to get a snack.

"Happy Birthday!"

Upon entering, she stopped, her heart leaping to her throat, and her breath caught. The glow she had seen came from the eighteen candles lit upon a beautifully made cake sitting in the center of the table. Hanging over her head was a banner, shouting Happy Birthday, and was suddenly singing the birthday song with her name inserted into the rhyme.

She couldn't believe he remembered. He had remembered that June 30th was her birthday. Standing at the kitchen counter, Draco turned to look at her from where he chopped some kind of produce for whatever meal he planned to make for dinner.

"Welcome home," he greeted, a small smile touching his lips.

Serena felt her own lips tremble. What had she done to deserve such a nice person to be in her life?

And what would she do, if he ever decided to leave?

Fall apart, she was sure. He was more than a friend to her. He may see her as a little kid and someone who needs his charity. But his kindness had touched her heart. He had opened up old wounds, only to permanently heal them.

He had showed her, how to love and how to hope and dream again.

"What's wrong," he asked, leaving the counter and moved towards her.

Serena lifted a hand to her face, and felt tears clinging to her lashes. She closed her eyes, and let them fall. "Serena," he spoke softly to her, his voice sounding concerned.

Opening her eyes, Serena stared at his face through a blur. "Its your Birthday. You're supposed to be happy," he chided and wiped away the lingering tears from her eyes. "Come on, blow out your candles, and make a wish."

Serena nodded and let him lead her to the cake. He pulled back the chair and she fell into it.

She stared at the burning candles, her tears finally dry on her cheeks and no longer falling. Thinking long and hard, she decided on one wish. I wish- that Draco could one day- be as happy as I am now, she thought to herself, not speaking the words aloud.

Taking in a deep breath, she blew out the candles in one breath, and hoped that that was a good sign.

"Dinner isn't ready yet," he said, standing right behind her. "But I don't think I can wait till then, for you to open your present."

"A present," she echoed. "B-but Draco, you shouldn't have. You've given me so much all ready."

He shook his head and turned away from her, heading back into the kitchen area. Serena watched him bend down. "Close your eyes," he instructed her.

Sighing, she did as she was told, since arguing with him was pointless. Maybe there was one thing of that boy left in him. His stubbornness seems to not have faded at all over his years of solitude.

She heard him approach her and whatever he was holding did not make a sound. She grew antsy, eager to see what it was he had gotten her. She felt him next to her, but she didn't open her eyes.

That is until it made a noise. That sounded like- she stopped, her eyes opening and she found herself staring into a pair of garnet eyes.

Silky black fur, a slender little body, and a skinny tail. It had small paws, and a shiny bald spot shaped into a crescent moon on its forehead. "A cat," she breathed, feeling her eyes burning as tears threatened to fall.

Gingerly, her hands crept out and took the cat from his out stretched hands. The cat meowed again, and purred when she cuddled her close to her chest. "You bought be a cat," she whispered in disbelief.

"Well, I knew how much you like Hegwig, and I was going to get you your own owl, but I saw her, and well-" he shrugged, a sheepish look crossing his face.

"Its perfect," she said hastily. "Oh Draco thank you so much!"

She was really crying now. No one had ever given her such a wonderful gift. Her own pet.

"Don't thank me yet. At least until you've heard her nag," he warned her. Nag, she wondered. What does he mean-

"I beg your pardon!" the cat suddenly snapped. "I do not nag."

Serena felt her eyes widen, as the cat spoke. "It talked," she said, but she did not toss the cat away in fright. Draco had already mentioned the wonders of his world already. This was a piece of it he was sharing with her.

"I can take it back," he said quickly. "They had this male cat, white, he seemed more friendly, but I thought you might want a female companion."

Serena shook her head, as the black cat spluttered from within her grasp. "No, Draco," she reasoned. "She's absolutely perfect."

The black cat nodded, as if agreeing with her. "So what is your name," Serena asked her.

"Luna," she replied. "Now could you put me down?"

Letting the cat go, she watched her bound off out of the living room, leaving her and Draco alone. "You're sure," he asked again. "Cause when that old bat starts nagging, she doesn't stop."

"I heard that," Luna hissed from within the living room.

Serena stood and went to him, and in one quick motion, pulled the taller man into a tight embrace. "Thank you so much," she whispered, burying her nose against his shoulder. "You have no idea how much this means to me, really."

His arms hugged her back and Serena felt love swell within her chest. Pulling back a fraction, she looked up into his face.

She'd been wondering all day, since her conversation with Molly, what it would be like. But that actually was a lie. She truly had been thinking about it, that day when Darien had accused Draco of having ulterior motives.

That day, Draco had appeared appalled by the idea of being with her like that. But maybe, maybe that had to do with her being so young? But she was of legal age now. She was eighteen, considered an adult.

Would he want to be with her like that now?

There was only one way to find out, and Serena was willing to give it a try. She had wasted seventeen years of her life being scared. She was done living that life.

Having never done anything like this before, Serena recalled all those romance movies Molly had dragged her to watch.

Lifting her hands to touch his face, she watched his face for any repulsive reaction. All she noticed was the slight tension building in his shoulders, in his body. She could feel it against her, in the way he held himself very still.

She raked her fingers through his hair, found it smooth, despite it being slicked back, without an errant hair out of place. Then carefully, all the while watching his face, she rose up on her tip toes. As she did this, she eased his head down, and he didn't fight her.

Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest, she was sure he could feel it against his own ribcage. But he didn't say so. Instead all he did was breathe her name as they hesitated just far away enough that they didn't touch.

She really wanted to see if he would go the extra way, she wanted to know if he really wanted this. It was her first kiss, she didn't want to mess it up.

Her doubt warred with her, and before she knew it, she pressed her lips against his, in a chaste kiss, before drawing back. Her cheeks were bright red, her eyes trained on the ground at their feet.

How embarrassing, she thought. I chicken out at the last minute. He must think I'm so immature.

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Simple and yet sweet. Things pick up between the cute couple. But how far will it go between them?

LP