Chapter Five

Close Call

I watch Emily as she stands in front of the mirror in the bathroom, brushing out the knots of her just washed hair. She is glowing, her pale skin looking healthy and smooth. I cross my arms and lean against the doorframe. I study every feature of her face in the mirror, the way her body moves, the sweet sound of her voice as she hums to herself. Emily is happy, and I don't have to be connected to her to see it. She openly displays her happiness for all to see. I smile to myself, her beauty mesmerizing. She's wearing a tank top and shorts, her chosen outfit not ideal for the colder nights. But I'm not complaining. Her beautiful skin is exposed for me to admire. "You are quite the distraction," I tell her. Emily stops humming, turns her head and looks at me. She smiles, her smile meeting her eyes, a sparkle in those beautiful bright blue eyes of hers. "You're not bad yourself," Emily flirts, putting down her hairbrush.

She looks at herself in the mirror, her hands and fingers moving gracefully, as she braids her hair. I push myself away from the door frame, sauntering into the bathroom, my eyes glued on Emily's reflection in the mirror. She is holding my gaze, nibbling her bottom lip. I come to a standstill behind her, our eyes locked in the mirror, my hands resting on her hips. Emily leans back into me, our bodies craving physical touch. Emily takes hold of my hand, guiding it from her hip, underneath her shirt, to her abdomen. Her skin is warm from her recent shower, and smooth from the lotion that is still drying. "I love how your touch makes me feel," she breathes, her eyes never leaving mine. Emily's hand is resting on mine, guiding it towards her chest.

Emily drops her gaze, as my fingers grace her naked flesh. I lean down, brushing my lips against her throat, her heart beating faster beneath my palm. Emily's free hand finds my other hand on her hip, interlacing her fingers with mine, as I trace soft kisses from her throat to her jaw, behind her ear to the sensitive spot that I know makes her weak in the knees. "Draco," Emily whispers, lifting my hand from her hip to her cheek. I turn her face, my lips meeting hers, heat building between us, desire thick in the air. I pull my hand from her shirt, take a step back, and turn Emily so she's facing me. Emily's eyes flutter open, her eyes meeting mine. I place my hands on her cheeks, pulling her face up, kissing her with fervour. Emily's hands grip my sides, pushing her body against mine, losing herself in the kiss. I drop my hands, placing them on her hips again.

I pull away from the kiss, locking eyes with Emily again. My hands move from her hips to her behind, lifting her effortlessly, Emily's legs wrapping themselves around my waist. She rests her head against mine, as I carry her to bed, placing her down gently. Emily watches me intently, as I lean over her, taking her shorts off unhurriedly. I discard them on the floor, reaching down, taking the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head. As I drop it on the floor with her shorts, she reaches out her hand for me. I take her hand, and she pulls me slowly down on the bed with her, my body hovering over hers, as her fingers graze my sides. I bury my hand in her hair, pulling her head back, my mouth on hers, our tongues doing a familiar dance. We lost ourselves in the moment, Emily's nails scraping down my back, her knees pressing into my sides, as her back arches, and her moans are swallowed with kisses.

Hand in hand, Emily and I are walking along the beach, the water splashing over our feet, the sand soft underneath our bare feet. The sun is setting, casting the sky in orange, blue and purple hues. It's a beautiful day, the skies clear, the air crisp. Emily stops to admire the view, taking my arm, placing it around her shoulders. I pull her towards me, her body moulding itself to my side. This closeness familiar. We stand together, taking in the magnificent scene in front of us, birds happily chirping around us. I want every day to be like this, me and Emily happy and together. "It's stunning," Emily breathes, squeezing my hand, the moment close to perfect. The last two weeks in Oban has been great, the locals friendly, the surroundings gorgeous. It's almost starting to feel like we're back at the farm, back in our own little idyllic bubble. I know it's temporary, and soon we'll have to move on, but for now I make the most of the perfect moments. Standing on the beach with Emily, our feet wet and sandy, I'm again thankful for our paths crossing.

I couldn't ask for a better person to spend the rest of my life with. She's more than what I could've hoped for. Emily's everything I've wanted and more. "I love you too," Emily says, turning to look at me. Our bond strong, our souls more connected than ever before. Every day with Emily solidifies our bond, our souls woven together. One soul, two bodies. A bond so strong, her power mine and mine hers. We think as one and we move as one, no longer hindered by doubts and insecurities. Emily is mine and I am hers. "Do you get sick of being in my head?" I ask her, her blue eyes big and beautiful. Emily smiles and shakes her head, "never." I nod, smiling. Having her in my head, and being able to know what she's thinking of and what she's feeling, helps to quiet the demons I battled a few months ago. Emily turns around, wrapping her arms around my neck, burying her fingers in my hair. She rubs her cheek against mine, the sensation of my stubble on her smooth skin, sparking longing deep inside her.

Emily meets my gaze for a moment, before pulling my head down, her lips on mine, kissing me. It's a slow, tender kiss, the kind that fills me with warmth and draws on my desire for her. I grip her hips, pulling her body flush against mine, losing myself in the kiss. "Let's go home," Emily murmurs, her voice throaty, her heart racing. Emily drops her arms to her side and takes my hand in hers. I interlace my fingers with hers, pulling her against my side, as we head back to the place, we're calling home for the time being. When all this is over, I'm going to give Emily the life she deserves. We'll have our dream house and make it a warm home with our love. It won't be as cold and heartless as the place I grew up in. No, it will be bright and colourful, and full of life. It will be a place for our children to be safe and loved, never feeling like they have to question their worth, or feel that they need to earn our love. Our unconditional love will be there for all to see and feel. Emily squeezes my hand, affirming all that I'm feeling and thinking, no words needed.

A scream wakes me from the nap I'm taking in the bedroom, immense fear gripping my heart and soul. My heart hammers in my chest, my mind racing. Another bloodcurdling scream echoes through the house, Emily's terror my own. I leap out of bed, racing down the hallway towards where I can feel Emily. I come crashing into the living room, two men dragging her towards the door. I don't recognise them but can sense the darkness within him. The same darkness I've been branded with. Emily is kicking and fighting to get free, her need to survive driving her actions. I pull out my wand, assessing the situation. I cannot just fire off spells, as they might hurt Emily. Emily sees me, the fear in her eyes almost bringing me to my knees. "Draco!" Emily screams, gold shimmering around her. I fire spells towards the men, forcing them to drop Emily in order to defend themselves. The one closest to Emily grabs her by the hair, pulling her with him, the other firing curses my way.

I race after them, deflecting curses, firing my own towards them. Emily scratches at the man's hand, her attempts futile, his grip on her hair tightening. Emily yowls in pain, her system overwhelmed. I can't safe her, I realise. If I don't do anything, I will lose her. I refuse to. They will not take her, over my dead body. I stop in my tracks, take a deep breath, drawing on all my love for Emily, and on all her magic. I focus all the magic I'm drawing from her, letting it fill and overwhelm me. Unable to hold any more, I let out a howl that could wake the dead, pushing my hands forward, dispelling the harnessed magic towards the two men threatening to take Emily from me. The men are both thrown backwards, the one gripping Emily's hair forced to let her go. Emily scampers to her feet, running towards me. She grabs the satchel on the floor, and grab my outstretched hand, and together we apparate, not waiting around for the men to collect themselves.

We're hurled through oblivion and spit out on a grass patch in the middle of nowhere. Emily's on the ground beneath me, my body shielding hers, protecting her from any immediate threat. Emily grabs me around the neck, pulling me down on top of her, holding on to me for dear life. Her heart is racing, each beat thumping against my chest, matching my own rapid heartbeat. Sobs wrack her body, as the fear she's feeling overwhelms her. I stroke her hair, trying to calm her, reassuring her that we're safe. I almost lost her, the realisation too much to bear. My fear of losing Emily almost became a reality today. That was a close call, too close for my liking. After a few moments, I sit up, pulling Emily with me. She climbs onto my lap, still holding on to me, too scared to let me go. "We're okay," I soothe, cupping her face, feathering soft kisses over her eyes, nose, cheeks and lips. "We're safe." Emily nods, as I wipe her tears away, resting my forehead against hers.

"I won't let them take you," I promise. I won't let them get that close again. The Dark Lord will not use and abuse the woman that I love. I will not let him hurt her. Nobody touches what's mine moving forward, I vow to myself. It's time for me to step up. If anyone threatens Emily again, I will not hesitate to kill them. "Let's go," Emily says, getting to her feet. I get up, grabbing her hand, pulling her close to me. "Where are we," I ask, following her. "Tintern," Emily states, making her way to a clearing ahead of us. "What is in Tintern?" I say, forcing Emily to stop and talk to me. Emily meets my gaze, the fear she's feeling subsiding. Emily sighs, knowing I won't give up until she talks to me. "A family member," she confesses. I study her, trying to get a read on what she's thinking. It's a maternal family member. Not just any family member, I realise. She's brought us into the lion's den, hoping that we won't be banished. "Okay, then," I say, gesturing with my hand for her to proceed. Hand in hand, we make our way through some brush towards her aunt's home.