Written for the Battle of the Drabbles competition at the DG Forum. Each week writers were given a prompt, with one week to write a response. At the end of the week responses were posted at the DG Forum profile, where readers had a week to read and vote for their two favourite drabbles.
Please review and let me know what you think!
Round One
Prompt: Write DG piece inspired by a picture, which was of a maze.
Word count: 750 words.
Devotion, Second Place
Ginny smiled up at Draco, brushing a thumb lightly across the back of his hand as she held it firmly in her own. His skin was smooth even as the curve of each knuckle was beautifully scarred and weathered by time, and she admired the way his hand fit so perfectly in her own.
He didn't return her smile, nor did he respond as she pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth, her stiff joints creaking as she stretched to meet him. He continued glowering stoically across his domain, an endless sea of green she had lost herself in countless times over the years as she searched for her love.
She pressed her body against his, taking comfort from his immovable form. It had taken her longer than usual to find him this time, and her smile almost faltered at the thought that he had gone to the trouble of hiding himself from her so thoroughly. But Ginny knew her Draco would not be so cruel to her - never to her. Perhaps it was her body, which had not withstood the passage of time nearly so well as his, that had caused it.
The sun was rising, and the golden rays licked at her body, warming her as Draco could not. She lifted her hand, brushing her fingers against his hair, trailing them across the smooth line of his jaw. "There's nothing to fear when we're together, my dragon."
The remark was futile, and she knew it well. She had spoken to him countless times over the years, but nothing she said or did would smooth the crease of his brow, nor lift the hard frown of his mouth.
It had been so long since he had smiled last. She would have forgotten what it looked like had she not protected her treasured memories so fiercely, nor dreamt of him so often. Even now, she could see him smiling handsomely when she closed her eyes, though he never looked at her. His smiles were always at others, but she knew - she knew - the secret smiles were for her. Their love was forbidden, and it was the greatness of his love for her that made him protect her so staunchly.
The ground rumbled beneath her feet, as though woken from a deep slumber, and she knew she had stayed too long. Leaves rustled behind her as branches delicately caressed each other, and the walls of Draco's chamber closed, locking her inside.
Perhaps it was finally time to emerge from the shadows, to let the sun look down on her love and envy it's brilliance. Her smile brightened at the thought that she might finally be free of the secrets that had plagued her for so long.
Draco watched her as she reached into the pocket of her robes and removed the tiny crystal vial she had stolen. Her hand steady, she removed the ornately sculpted stopper and downed the contents, giggling when a small hiccup escaped her lips. She placed the empty vessel in the curve of his hand, then pressed both of her own against his chest to steady her shaking body. She smiled through the pain when she looked up at Draco, determined to stay strong for him, and she thought his frown might have lessened slightly, his furrowed brow perhaps in anticipation of what might be.
She gave him one last adoration filled kiss, her mouth curving in a blissful smile despite the pain raging through her. Her body grew cold, her skin blackened and veined like marble and she joined her soul mate in eternity.