Bitten

Link

Draco was back in Riley's construct gardens. She had told him once the inspiration for the area, but at the moment, the information escaped him. He looked around to see what had changed since he had last been there.

The ground was completely covered with lush, green grass and bright, vibrant flowers. He also saw a small garden with many herbs he recognized from class and others he didn't. Trees had grown, harboring fruits that looked like they would explode with juice at any moment. The steel grey eyes glanced around but didn't see Riley.

"Riley?" He called out. There was no answer, save the whistling of wind among the leaves. Draco walked around, ending up back at the obelisk. He studied it again, the tendrils of darkness slithering off the black sides. The runes almost glowed a thirsty red. A shiver ran down the length of his spine. Jeez, where was Riley?

Draco continued to search the realm. He eventually stumbled upon a small, single-room house. It had a steeped, thatched roof. The door was open slightly, leading in to the cramped room. The walls were red and brown brick, but they were quickly being overrun by vines and other plants. There was one square window, the window panes dusty and broken. Draco walked slowly to the structure, thinking that the ground would fall out from under his own feet.

He pushed open the door, peering inside. The floor was earthen with no rugs. The only furniture in the house was a bed at the back of the room.

"Riley!" He exclaimed, finally coming in to the room. He jumped as the door slammed shut behind him. The light in the room dimmed, the darkness from the obelisk obscuring the windows.

"Oh great," he murmured. He felt just as trapped as Riley was. Maybe that was exactly what was happening.

The room turned cold as the sunshine dissipated. More shivers tore through his body as an ominous feeling entered the room. He walked to the back of the room, finding Riley on the bed. She was laying there—suspended in time—just like she was in the waking world. But she looked to be in pain.

Draco knelt down next to her and gently placed his forehead on Riley's. She was burning up! A cold sweat created a sheen layer on her pale skin. A gentle groan came from her lips. Slowly, her eyelids opened to reveal hazy silver eyes.

"Draco?" She whispered, "What are you doing?" Her voice was soft and shaking. It was like it was painful for her to speak. He raised himself slightly, just so their foreheads were no longer touching.

"Your mind can't handle the strain of constantly being in the Dream Realm, can it?" He asked gently. Riley didn't answer. Draco felt a strange emotion welling up inside of him, desperation maybe?

"You knew this would happen the whole time?" The cloudy, liquid silver orbs flittered sideways. Her head nodded slightly.

"I knew it was a possibility," she began, "If something went horribly wrong, that is. It always is. Like swimming in the ocean, it's always possible to drown." A moment of silence followed then a soft smile spread across her lips. She looked him back in the eyes.

"I knew that if I told you, you would have never agreed to any of it." Draco was startled when he felt the gentle brush of her fingertips against his cheek. Her palm was cool as it pressed to his cheek.

"You have a big heart, Draco. Even if you don't show it." Something inside Draco twisted painfully and made it hard to swallow.

"Tch," he snorted, "Like I care what happens to some nobody." He tried, but his voice just couldn't muster the usual venom. The smile remained on her lips, but a little sparkle in her eyes dimmed.

"Of course not," she whispered. Her hand fell from his face. He moved like he was going to catch it, but stopped himself mid-motion.

Riley let out a breath and closed her eyes.

"I'm so tired Draco," she breathed, "I don't think I can hold out much longer." She admitted. That much seemed to be true. The house was almost shaking with the beating it was receiving from the darkness. Draco had had a plan, but now it seemed dumb. How could such a thing really work? He looked down into his palm at the ring there. He stared for a long time, then let out a breath.

"I don't like owing favors, Riley." He muttered. Riley opened her eyes and looked at him.

"You just need a link back to the waking world right?" She was still for a moment, but then slowly nodded. He sighed and stood up, looking down at her.

"I'll be your link." He said firmly. Riley's eyes widened and she sat up a little.

"Draco, you ca—" Her body began to shake with coughs that ripped through her. Draco gently placed her back on to the bed.

"I know what I'm doing." He lied, "I did a little research while you were away. Turns out the dusty books in the back of the library are always the ones with the most interesting information." Riley made a face that was part fear and disbelief and part hopefulness.

"Draco," she whispered. Her eyes watched as his hand tightened and his throat moved as he swallowed hard.

"I can do this." He said firmly, not sure if he was reassuring Riley or himself. Her eyes bore into his for a moment more, then she closed them.

"I trust you." Her voice and resolution washed over him like a calming wave. But his stomach twisted again. His plan had to work. He would create a link to the waking world to him through the ring. He knelt down by Riley and took her left hand.

Draco really had done some research. As he placed the ring on her ring finger—the finger of bonds—he whispered a incantation used for portkeys and the such. It was modified a little, being in Ancients rather than the original incantation. The ring slipped on her finger perfectly.

Riley gasped and flinched. Her body arched, her back raising off the bed. Small, strangling noises came from her throat. Draco looked up suddenly.

"Riley! Are you—"

"Keep going!" She yelled, a scream following after. The opals in the cuffs on her wrists turned red and cracks started to appear in the gems.

"I'm fine!" She clenched her teeth and curled her opposite hand into a fist, her fingernails drawing blood on her palm. The gem in the ring glowed a bright blue-green, pushing to every corner of the room and streaking out the windows. The darkness outside shrieked and reeled back, turning into puffs of smoke. Cracks and large tears began to appear in the home. The walls all crumbled, the roof falling around Draco and Riley.

The light from the ring traveled in shots of blue lightning up Riley's skin, breaking the opal cuffs in small explosions that resulted in the destruction of different things in the Realm. Draco looked around and saw the garden falling away. Everything was crumbling, except for the Perseid tree. All of the jewelry that had been on Riley was now shattered and disappearing in falling stardust. Everything fell away and it was just Riley and Draco in nothing but darkness. But it wasn't an oppressive darkness, just a state of limbo with no matter.

Draco was falling straight down, head first. Where would he land? He closed his eyes and waited, expecting the worse. Then he felt a warm at his hands. Fingers gently intertwined with his and pulled him upright. He didn't open his eyes but held tight to the slender hands that held his fate. They pulled him close and wrapped around his torso.

"Thank you," whispered an ethereal voice. Shivers traveled down Draco's spine. He knew the voice, but he couldn't quite place it.

"I thank you so much, but I can't let you know about me." It whispered. Draco opened his eyes and was greeted by steel grey blue eyes. She looked at him with sorrow in those metal-like orbs. Draco opened his mouth, but then shut it. He thought for a moment.

"You're going to make me forget?" He asked. The girl did not look away as she nodded.

"If people found out about everything, I wouldn't be able to live. They'd want to do experiments and tests on me. Maybe even make me a weapon. I couldn't live like that. Please understand." Draco had stopped listening. He reached forward, grabbing her chin in his hand. Then he leaned closer to her and captured her lips with his. Large bursts of light exploded around them.

Draco felt a soft warmth on his lips. He opened his eyes and blinked. Riley was laying under him, but why was he so close to her face? With a sudden realization, he jerked back away from Riley's bed. He crashed against the bed next to hers—formerly his bed. The chair he had been in toppled over, clattering to the ground. He held his hand to his mouth. Had he really just kissed Riley?

He felt something cold against his lips. He lowered his hand and blinked. There was a ring that looked just like the one he'd used as a link for Riley on his ring finger on his left hand. The gem, however, was carnelian. He glanced at Riley's hand. There wasn't a ring. He then stood a bit, looking over her gently rising and falling chest at her left hand. The small zircon jewel winked at him in the light. He sat down on the edge of his bed and let out a breath. The colour had returned to Riley's face and now she seemed like she was just sleeping rather than in a comatose state. Suddenly Draco felt more tired than he had ever been. His body fell sideways on to the bed. He looked at Riley, smirked, then closed his eyes.

"I guess that makes you and me even, huh?" He said softly. Now they wouldn't have anything to do with each other ever again. Riley was finally out of Draco's hair. That was a relief to him, right?