They materialized within the tall grass of a gentle valley.
Draco had just barely managed to apparate them away from the circling Death Eaters. He had brought them to the most secure place he knew.
The serenity of his surroundings left nothing but the sound of his rapid heartbeat thrumming in his ears. He glanced around quickly to confirm they were truly alone before releasing Dahlia from his grasp.
She stumbled in a daze. He rushed to stabilize her as he placed an arm around her waist once more. She hissed on torn feet as if the pain was finally registering, as her shock was slowly beginning to fade.
"We're safe here," he assured her quietly.
Her eyes remained down-turned as she shifted painfully. The wind blew softly in comfort, but she only shivered. He watched her wince as she made an effort to step forward.
He exhaled in displeasure, realizing that she was in far worse condition than he first thought. He finally picked her up and carried her towards a dark structure tucked within the mountain peaks.
To his surprise, she didn't object. He knew then that she was in bad shape.
He headed towards the vast lake that sparkled from afar. It reflected the entirety of the night sky and its swirling galaxies as there was no one and nothing around for miles on end. He knew Dahlia might have loved it if her mind wasn't so clouded.
He silently strode through the tall grass as the fog thickened near the lake. To those who might wander through the secluded lands and soaring peaks, there was nothing more to be seen than a decrepit dock and chirping crickets — but there was hidden sanctuary here.
Draco walked up the fraying dirt path that led to a wooden cabin that hung leisurely over the reflected depths. The cabin was covered in wildflowers and thriving clovers, with the absence of life within its walls. The cabin had been crafted for worst-case scenarios. It was a guarded family secret of the Malfoys. It was nothing special compared to the manor or other estates, as it had been built for practicality instead of grandeur. It was a small home crafted of stone and wood that nature was attempting to take back with no one to care for it.
He stepped through the invisible wards with her safely tucked within his arms. The property had been strictly charmed to only allow family members and their loved ones to pass through.
He didn't hesitate as he carried her through the barriers.
Draco's heart slowed with each step as he climbed the ivy-covered stairs. He would finally be able to breathe freely in a space that had yet to be haunted by the Dark Lord.
The arched wooden door creaked open silently to welcome him home as if it had missed him — or missed any lively breathings. The cabin illuminated its dusty lamps with tiny flames, sentient in nature.
Draco cringed at the quaintness of his surroundings now that the space had been given light. He sighed in disappointment as it only took him about five steps to reach the center of the cabin.
He gently placed Dahlia on the leather sofa before lighting the cobblestone fireplace.
"Incendio," he murmured with a twist of his wand.
He turned back to Dahlia with a hand on his hip, the other pushing back his wild hair. He hadn't planned further than this. He only knew that they would need to return to Hogwarts in the morning.
He frowned upon further inspection of Dahlia. She looked into the flames of the fireplace with glassy eyes and a blank expression. She was painted in blood and dirt yet covered in goosebumps from the cold that had pierced her bones. His heart sank, and he wondered what his mother might do.
She would get her tea first, he thought. Then, he would more closely assess her wounds. He nodded to himself and started towards the wooden kitchen across the room.
He stopped short, realizing he had never made tea before.
"Fuck," he breathed.
He began ripping through the delicately carved cabinets of the small kitchen as he searched for a cup and tea. A crack broke the air, and he turned. The house had materialized both items on the counter. His relief outweighed his surprise as he quickly took the ceramic mug. He didn't have time or any desire to boil water in a kettle. Instead, he poured water from the sink into the mug and muttered a quick spell to heat it. He placed the tea bag into the steaming water. He shrugged and shook his head.
It'll have to do, he thought.
He brought it to Dahlia. If she was in a better state, she would tease him incessantly for not knowing how to do the simplest of things.
"Dahlia. Drink this," he ordered quietly, standing over her.
She took the hot mug from him wordlessly, not meeting his eyes as she focused on the flames that were warming her bones.
She hoped if she tunneled deep enough into her pain, she would break through to another reality that didn't hurt so much. In her mind, she was still sitting and waiting patiently in the forest for Theo to return.
He'll come back.
She took a sip from the mug and felt the steaming liquid burn all the way down. Her face twisted in dread as it grounded her firmly into this world. Her wounds barely registered. The pain radiated from her fractured heart and then manifested into an anxiety-ridden ache instead.
He was gone — and there was nothing left.
Draco came to a knee before her. His grey eyes obstructed her view of the flames.
She held her breath as she finally met his concerned gaze. He somehow managed to still look pristine after the night's horrifying events. His hair had waved slightly due to the forest fog or from breaking a brief sweat, and his shirt had only wrinkled a bit. It made her terribly self-conscious. She was covered in gashes beneath her ripped dress, and she was caked in dirt. She squirmed to make sure she wasn't getting his couch filthy, as he would surely have a snide remark about it.
He placed his hand on her arm. She stilled under his touch and met his eyes with a beaten vulnerability. How many times had she told him she loved Theo, not him? That she would always pick Theo?
He had just watched her pathetically beg him to stay. He had seen the depths of her desperation. It neared embarrassment. Draco had been right, after all — Theo had left her as a shell. Maybe he knew Theo didn't love her as much as she loved him. Maybe Draco had seen what she couldn't.
She shook her head. The thought couldn't be true. They were just at a low point. With the lowest of lows, the highest of highs would come shortly.
She inhaled sharply as a new thought crossed her mind — a realization that she didn't want to chase highs if this was the cost.
Would she forever be trapped on this rollercoaster? She was tired and wearing down. This pain was numbing and becoming a slow disease, his transgressions cutting deeper each time, making it impossible to attain a full recovery.
Was a peaceful love too much to ask for? Was he asking Theo to pick her regardless of circumstances beyond his capabilities? He loved her nevertheless, but he didn't choose her when it counted. Her heart felt as if it were made of shattered glass.
Had he been drifting all this time, and she had been blind to it?
She barely recognized him earlier, and she couldn't understand his choices. He had too many secrets, but didn't she? That's what made them perfect for each other, right? A trickster and a cheat sworn by their scars to burn it all for each other.
She covered her mouth and exhaled shakily. She had lost him.
What do I do now? Now that nothing matters.
"Dahlia," Draco patted her cheek.
"Can I help you?" He whispered. He motioned his eyes towards her gashed legs.
"You don't have to," she mumbled, shaking her head and averting her gaze. She didn't want him to have one more thing to hold against her when his tide turned, and he wasn't feeling nearly as kind.
Half of her wanted to rid herself of the filth so she might begin to forget the horrible details of the night's events. The other half wasn't ready to move on quite yet. What would remain if she wiped everything away? It was all she had left of him — tiny bleeding cuts and the leaves he had crunched carelessly beneath his shoes.
He wasn't coming back like he had before. He had been certain, cruelly unwavering.
"I know," Draco whispered firmly, reaching for her face. He guided her attention back to him with a gentle hand on her cheek.
"Let me help you," he murmured.
She wondered if she would eventually die if not treated or if she would slowly begin to heal. She wasn't sure she cared either way.
She fiddled with the seam of her dress in indecision. She had gathered from the way they had hunted her that she was as good as dead anyway. She knew she had splinched herself again, apparating from the gardens to the forest that final time. She felt the blood seeping from her back and onto the sofa. She pushed her elbow to her side to keep Draco from noticing for just a little longer.
"What will happen next?" She mumbled quietly.
He tilted his head curiously as the firelight burned brilliantly behind him.
"Whatever you wish, Dahlia." His tone was so gentle.
He proceeded to lift up the slit of her dress to reveal her bloodied thighs.
She pulled away from him, unsatisfied with his answer.
He peered up to the skies, begging a higher power to deliver him patience.
He came to both knees, kneeling before her. The gods had been silent, and he was now determined to heal her if she wouldn't do it herself.
He took her nervously fidgeting hand and brought it to his mouth.
He sighed, "We can go back to Hogwarts."
He looked around the cabin. "We could stay here. In fact, we will stay here as long as you like," he nodded.
He peered down at her cradled hand within his own as he circled her palm with his thumb. "I could take you north — to find him."
He tightened his jaw in disapproval. "If you so wish to risk your life," he muttered.
He brought his grey eyes back to her despaired face and spoke more surely. "You aren't alone," he whispered, shaking his head. "I feel your pain, and I do not hate it. You can give it to me."
He brushed their bond as to remind her that it existed for more than an inconvenience.
"Where you go, I follow." He moved her hand from where it hovered over his lips and down to his chest. "And where I drift, I carry you close."
Dahlia said nothing as he placed her hand back in her lap. If she was braver, she would have told him that his words meant the world. He was so consistently sure of himself, while she was always messy and bruised.
She thought truthfully. It must be such a burden for him to love her against his will. She wanted to tell him she had lied when she had said she didn't love him back. It was the least she could offer him. The sentiment was pointless, though. She didn't want another great love — she didn't think she deserved it.
Even though she had been willing to sever their bond for Theo, she knew it might paint half the sky black. She might stop breathing when it broke. She needed to tell Draco that he was her pulse, even if she hated it. Where his silver light bloomed, she trailed like a shadow.
The words got caught in her throat, so instead, she nodded and let him move her dress away from her bare thighs.
He took out his wand to start mending her wounds. He attempted a small grin as if he wished to lighten the mood and lift her spirits.
"If you ever tell anyone that I am this hospitable," he muttered as he began removing the jagged glass from her skin.
"They wouldn't believe me," she quickly replied as she inhaled sharply from the pain.
Usually, he would smirk at her response, but he didn't enjoy seeing her shift uncomfortably.
"Why is there all this glass in your skin? Did you fall?" He asked, looking up at her.
She nodded, remembering how she had crawled through shattered crystal. The memory of Theo's face in that moment struck true, filling her with unease. He had looked at her with love hundreds of times, none that she could recall clearly — but the one instance of expressed disappointment had burned itself into her mind like a brand.
She looked down at Draco's hands on her thighs and remembered Theo's own hands sliding up and under her dress. She shifted uncomfortably. It had been only hours ago, but it felt like ages.
He had been so in need of her touch when she had only been desperate to understand him and have his truths. Doubt bloomed within her as she craved him once more, as if his physicality was only a bandaid. What she might do to feel him again despite it — it was too much to unpack.
"I don't want to be in this dress anymore," she breathed.
She rapidly stood before he could register her words. He gripped the sides of her thighs, in case she fell from standing too quickly.
She looked around urgently, spotting a dark hallway. She gently pushed herself away from Draco and charged down the hall. The cabin illuminated its sconces upon the wall as she passed, leaving her to drip in candlelight.
Dahlia arrived at an arched door to her left. It opened for her, and she found herself in an airy bedroom with a small bathroom off to the right. She entered, her beaded gown pulling on the rough stone of the tiled washroom floor. A dozen candles were given life only to reveal a gold, weathered clawfoot tub.
She wiped her nose as she gripped the handle with shaky hands.
"Please help me," she murmured, begging the house to be of assistance again.
The tub began filling itself with hot water.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she yanked the snagged zipper down the side of her dress. She just needed it off of her. She wanted to scrub away Theo's touch as if his very essence had marked her forlorn and pitiful — which she hated. She hated even more that she thought his touch might fix everything, her, again. She fought the doubt that was seeking her heart.
We're perfect together, she told herself repeatedly.
He's coming back for me, she prayed.
"Everything is fine," she muttered to herself in shaking breaths.
"He loves me, he loves me, he still loves m-" her voice broke as a whimper of defeat crippled her.
She heard Draco's approaching footsteps as she finally pulled the torn gown over her head. She threw it into the corner of the bathroom. She stepped into the tub as Draco barged in. The bathroom door attempted to close itself to protect her modesty, smacking Draco square in the face.
Dahlia threw her hands over her mouth, quickly pulled out of her descending panic. She suppressed a laugh. Humor felt strange, but she embraced it.
"Fucking hell," Draco exclaimed, slamming the door open with annoyance.
He pinched the bridge of his nose as he sniffed away blood. He walked over angrily to the tiny porcelain sink. He leaned over it and let the blood flow freely.
Dahlia pulled her knees closer to her chest as the tub hadn't yet filled enough to cover her entirely. Draco heard the splash of water, and his eyes shot up to the mirror. He spotted her in the reflection. His expression remained steady, but she noticed his muscles stiffen.
She wasn't sure why she felt so nervous. He had seen her naked before in the cavern, and they had been somewhat intimate before in dreams. He had even admitted to worshipping her in his vision. Plus, he clearly felt comfortable enough to barge in.
"I can fix it," she blurted.
He raised a brow through the reflection of the mirror.
"Just, er, grab my wand..."
He stalked out of the bathroom to find it wordlessly.
She leaned her head back against the tub in an attempt to relax. She noticed Draco had mended a great deal of the cuts on her legs, but a soreness lingered. She lifted one of her legs in the air to inspect his work. Her skin was as good as new. She would never admit it, but he was quite skilled.
Dahlia jolted, gawking as a shirtless Draco sauntered back into the bathroom with her wand in hand. He stopped abruptly at the view. His shirt was balled beneath his bleeding nose, but she could see his mouth fall slightly agape.
Dahlia brought her leg back to her chest with a large splash, completely embarrassed. "Put your shirt back on!"
"You knew I was returning!" He retorted as he spun around awkwardly.
"I didn't hear you!" She rasped as she reached for a bottle on the windowsill that she hoped would create a layer of bubbles for her to hide beneath. She poured out the whole thing, not taking any chances.
"Just fix my bloody nose!" He replied, exasperated.
He turned to her as bubbles began to form. He stepped towards the tub, handing Dahlia her wand. He kept a healthy distance until she motioned for him to come closer. He pulled a small stool over and leaned against the edge.
Dahlia steadied her breath. It had been quite a while since she had seen him shirtless. The last time had been when they had shared a bed in the tent in the woods. She pursed her lips as she couldn't help but remember how she had pushed against his front as he had held her that morning.
She leaned up to remove the bloodied shirt from his nose. She felt her cheeks heat as her arm brushed against his bare chest.
He grinned at her, clearly noticing her blush — and loving it. He would be insufferable now.
She threw the shirt into the same corner where her ruined dress lay rumpled and dull. She sighed sadly at the gown as he followed her gaze.
"I'll send you another," he muttered. "If you're upset about the dress," he added.
She looked back at him with a sad smile. "I don't think there will be another occasion anytime soon."
"No," he replied honestly. "There won't be."
His tone lightened as he angled his neck back in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "Luckily for me-"
"Don't say it." She shook her head.
"Say what?" He cheekily replied.
"That you prefer me in no gown at all," she drawled with annoyance.
He looked down at her with a wide grin as if that had been exactly what was on his mind.
"I was going to say, luckily for me, my inheritance might be spared for once with a lack of parties," he answered.
He reached down into the tub and flicked the water at her.
"No, you weren't," she laughed softly, shaking her head.
She grinned as she sunk deeper into the tub.
He stared at her for a moment. She knew what he was thinking because it crossed her mind, as well — they might be great together. This was a simple moment of happiness. She might bottle it up and save it for when the sorrow returned.
"No. I wasn't," he finally admitted to her.
"Come here." She motioned for him to bring himself closer.
He obeyed, leaning down over the tub.
"Dahlia?" He reached for her beneath the water.
"Episkey," she cast with a wave of her wand.
"Fuck!" He held his nose as it cracked back into place.
He gripped the side of the tub roughly. He coughed, and she silently admired how his muscles flexed. He shot her a glare that she hadn't warned him first. He let go of the tub as he sniffed clearly.
"Dahlia, turn," he ordered, reaching over the tub to glance at her back.
"What's wrong?" She spun around so that her back faced him.
"You're still bleeding," he replied gently with concern. "Sit up a bit."
She leaned against the side of the clawfoot tub, exposing all of her back. He pulled out his wand. She felt his hands hovering over her bare skin as he began healing her cuts.
"Dahlia, did you splinch yourself again?" He sighed.
She fought the urge to cower away from his touch as she sensed him reaching for the larger gash. She knew it would hurt to mend, but she had decided it was time to heal. It couldn't be so bad to at least live.
She nodded. "I tried to apparate away from your aunt, but I was too exhausted."
He stiffened. She looked over her shoulder only to meet his cold eyes.
What had she said? Had the mention of his aunt upset him?
He was attempting to cage his fury as he wiped his hands with a towel.
"I'm sorry," he whispered sincerely despite his tense nature.
Dahlia faced the other way again. She wasn't sure if he was sorry for what she had endured or because his own aunt had tried to drag her off to be tortured. She didn't ask as she didn't think he would elaborate further. She didn't want to be stuck in this cabin with his sour mood either if they fought.
He placed a hand on the long gash on her right side. She drew in a breath of surprise as his hand met her skin near her swirling tattoo. Her soul swooned, and it suddenly felt too intimate as he murmured a healing spell.
"Theo would hate this," she muttered, resting her head against her forearm on the edge of the tub.
"Theo is no longer here," he snapped quickly.
He might as well have torn her cut wide open. She froze beneath him as a painful wave of heartbreak washed over her once more. She bit her lip to hold it in. She couldn't bear it.
She realized how this must feel for Draco. He loved her, even healed her while she sat naked in front of him, visibly heartbroken over his closest friend. She couldn't blame him.
She kept her eyes on the dark window beside the tub where the stars swirled beyond the candlelight. He bit his cheek with regret in the reflection. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed, releasing tension. His eyes eventually cooled, and she watched him reach for her. She didn't move away as he ran a soothing hand through her hair and down her back.
"He'll be back soon, Dahlia," he said quietly.
She closed her eyes and pretended it was Theo rubbing her back. That he had decided to pick her, that they had run away, and they were the ones hiding in their own secret cabin.
Unable to think any longer, she sunk beneath the steaming water and submerged herself whole. She held her breath before she rose back up. She wiped her eyes as Draco threw a bottle of shampoo at her.
"You still stink, Aldair." He grinned.
"You smell quite foul yourself," she taunted, kicking a wave of water in his direction.
He grabbed her foot and yanked her forward. She fell beneath the water again. She laughed as she reemerged. It died too soon, though, under her cloud of melancholy.
"Must I do everything for you?" He snatched the floating bottle of shampoo from the bath water. She knew he was trying to keep her grief away.
"I don't believe I require your assistance anymore, actually," she quipped.
He motioned with his finger for her to spin around again.
"You would rather be alone with your thoughts then?" He asked, grinning.
She shook her head as he began running shampoo through her hair.
"That's what I thought. I know how you spiral," he sighed under his breath. "I have to admit, you both are quite well suited together in that sense."
She knew he was trying to comfort her, but it didn't feel right. She didn't like him speaking so casually about their flawed relationship. This heartbreak wasn't a casual thing, and they both knew he might not turn back for her.
"Don't speak about us," she snapped quietly, "as if you aren't thrilled he's gone."
She hadn't meant her tone to become so biting.
Before she could apologize, he wrapped her hair around his fist and pulled. Her head lulled back to face upwards at him.
He looked down upon her, a breath away. "Don't insinuate that I enjoy seeing you like this."
He placed a hand between her breasts, and she became breathless.
"I felt your heart break," he whispered, implying he had endured it through their bond.
She squirmed, and he removed his hand. She couldn't stand the way her body heated for him.
"I'm not thrilled about any of this, Dahlia." He released her hair with a harsh tug.
If he had enjoyed putting her in that position physically, he didn't show it.
She couldn't face him again. The room had become too tense. Dahlia realized that she had to get better control of her emotions and a better handle on their bond. She felt exposed, as if her feelings weren't private.
"I never would have-" Draco started.
Dahlia flinched as she braced herself for his next words.
Draco stopped himself short as he realized he had encouraged Theo to leave, but did he really have a choice? Dahlia wasn't safe. She did belong at Hogwarts or in hiding. Draco wasn't so sure what he would have done himself. He was eager at the prospect of seeing his father again, and he would attempt breaking him out if he had been tasked and able. Maybe he would have locked Dahlia in this cabin for his own safekeeping, but that wouldn't be fair to her. If either he or Theo were caught outside of Hogwarts with Dahlia, it would surely be seen as treason now that her Sight was sensed by the Dark Lord.
No. I would've found a way to keep her close yet protected, he thought as he watched Dahlia rinse her hair beneath the water.
When she came back up, he wanted to finish his thought and tell her he would never hurt her, but he already had — several times.
"I.."
He struggled to find a sentiment that would mean something to her, take away her pain, and prove himself. He wasn't proud of his harsh words or his jealousy, but unlike Theo, he was convinced he could be changed with time.
"Can I have a moment alone?" She finally asked, breaking the long silence.
She looked over her shoulder to find he wasn't pleased with her dismissal.
He stood tight-lipped. He reached for a towel that hung off a small shelf on the wall. He threw it on the floor by the tub before striding out of the bathroom.
"Don't waste all the hot water," he grumbled.
Dahlia finished washing her hair and wrapped herself in the towel. Draco was right — she couldn't be trusted alone with her thoughts, so she didn't linger long.
She squeezed out her hair as she stepped out of the bathroom. She wondered if the cabin, or Draco, had left the new cup of tea on the nightstand and fresh clothes for her on the bed.
She looked out the sliding glass door and into the darkness beyond. It called to her.
Fresh air might do her some good, she thought. She threw on the shirt and the thick blanket from the bed over her shoulders. She grabbed the mug off the nightstand and slipped through the door. She sat on the wooden deck and listened to the waves lap beneath her.
The night sky shone so brilliantly here. She could see all the cosmos. There was nothing she needed more right now. She let the stars sing to her as she finally felt safe enough to process everything.
She heard Draco's footsteps within the cabin. Then, the bathroom door closed behind her. At least he was safe here with her, as well. She wouldn't admit it, but she would have been a wreck if something had happened to him tonight.
She knew her father was clever enough to escape, but where had their friends ended up? What had happened to Blaise and Amelia? She hoped they had made it safely to his home. She would ask Draco if they could write to them in the morning.
She wondered where Theo was now. Was he looking up to the stars, too? Would they tell him she missed him as much as she hated he had left? She begged them to send him back to her immediately.
She let herself believe for a moment that he would show up in the morning, realizing he couldn't be without her, if only for a while.
Could she fully forgive him, though, even if he returned? She had tried to shift the stars and realities as he had walked away. It could've killed her. She had sat where he stood in the forest, convinced he would return until Draco dragged her away.
Her eyes fell to her lap, uncertain. She had to forgive him. She had given too much to him already. She had carved out a piece of herself only for him. She had tarnished herself in her need to save him. She at least hoped she was still his home, too.
Maybe she hadn't waited long enough, she thought.
Maybe he was searching for her now, she hoped.
She stood with the blanket and walked around the porch to the side of the cabin, where the lake met land. She squatted and reached below the wooden railing. She grabbed a handful of pebbles that the lake had tossed aside from its depth and onto the grassy muck. She smiled as she felt a companionship with the discarded rocks.
She strolled back and took a seat beneath the stars again.
She used the Nott signet ring that she usually wore around her neck to cut open her knuckle, applying pressure so the indentations might break skin. She barely felt the blood begin to pool, too frayed from the evening.
She rubbed each pebble along her bleeding finger. She cupped them in the palm of her hand and breathed into them, filling them with stardust. She tilted her head back to the cosmos and summoned the smallest, fearful ounce of divinity from her well of power.
Her mother used to do this all the time when she lost a toy as a child. She had practiced scrying in the Astronomy Tower not too long ago. She hoped it worked since animal bones might be difficult to come by at the moment.
She released the pebbles from her hands and muttered a prayer to the Fates. She kept her eyes closed and head tilted to the swirling sky. She muttered his name repeatedly as she brushed her hands against the fallen stones she had blessed. She hoped they had soaked under the moonlight long enough to be effective.
Something fluttered across her mind — an image. It was Theo's manor. She recognized the fountain and the blooming belladonna.
Was he home?
Dahlia grabbed the pebbles blindly with clawed fingers. She tossed them again. She whispered his name as a gust of wind blew backward unnaturally. It carried her words.
She inhaled as she saw him in a flash. He jumped and turned sharply as if he had heard her call. He was in a decrepit greenhouse, pocketing something. Dahlia's mind raced for what she wished to tell him most.
She murmured, "I still..."
She steadied her voice and said more surely, "Come back, or I can't forgive you."
She gripped the pebbles to maintain her connection as a tear slipped down her cheek. She still loved him desperately, but she couldn't say it with confidence. The wind danced, and the water pulled beneath her like sloshing wine.
She watched as his hand paused on a notebook on a rusted table. He looked around curiously as if hearing her distant murmur.
"Dahlia?" He called, perplexed.
He had heard her. A thrill shot up her spine.
"Please." She begged the wind to carry her words to him once more.
She coughed, exhausting her to maintain the connection.
"I can't," he whispered as if he was uncomfortable speaking aloud. He must have thought he was hallucinating or had gone fully mad. Someone grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Come on," the stranger said.
She whimpered as her mind finally gave out, and the connection broke. Was he not understanding? Could he not hear her fully, or was he refusing to come back to her?
She kicked the railing in frustration. Regardless, he was at his home. He hadn't taken her with him, if only for a night.
She hated what she was for a moment. This wouldn't be a concern if she wasn't a seer. No one would have to consider her safety.
It wasn't like him not to come for her. He would be furious if he knew Draco had brought her to this cabin alone. The Theo she knew would burn it down, but he had instead left her with Draco willingly — almost appreciatively.
What had happened? She never thought him capable of this. Her heart fractured more deeply as she realized she may not have known him at all.
She heard the bathroom door open from within the cabin. She knew Draco could see her through the glass door. She didn't want him to know she was this desperate to beg for Theo or that she was capable of such divination. She quickly wiped the blood from her nose and swiped the pebbles back into the lake. At least the rocks could be united with their beloved waters.
She waited for him to approach her, to tell her that it was too cold for her to sit beneath the stars tonight, but he didn't. He only glanced at her, expressionless, and closed the curtains to give them both privacy.
She lay on her back and looked up to the sky. She let her tears fall once more as she tried to remember the first words Theo had ever spoken to her. She wasn't sure what it would matter, but why could she never remember what she needed most?
She thought about how he had looked in the golden light when he told her that he loved her for the first time. He had been so sure of it from the start. It all paled and dulled compared to the memory of how he had looked at her tonight. He had looked so disappointed — like he had been dissatisfied that she wasn't as clever as him to see the bigger picture strategies. He had been briefly disenchanted with her as she failed to believe in him, but he hadn't listened to her intuition that something horrible would happen. He was the fool.
She shivered from the cold. She took a deep breath as she finally made herself stop crying. She would be alright. She had to be. She would focus on building her strength and escaping the Dark Lord.
She stood and opened the sliding door, stepping back inside the cabin.
The home had gone dark as if it sensed it was time to dream. Draco wasn't in the bedroom, so she crept through the dark cabin with the blanket wrapped snugly around her shoulders to find him.
The warm wooden floorboards creaked beneath her bare feet. She stepped out of the small hall and into the main living space.
The fireplace still burned, crackling softly. The warm light illuminated Draco as he slept softly on the couch, his hand thrown lazily over his chest. Her stomach sank. She didn't want to be alone, but she also didn't want to wake him since he had done a lot for her tonight.
She glanced back to the hall that led to the cold, lonesome bedroom. She gripped her blanket more tightly, realizing she didn't want to sleep by herself.
She sighed, making up her mind.
She placed her blanket neatly on the floor beneath the couch. She silently crept back to the bedroom and pulled the comforter and a pillow off the bed. She ran through the dark hallway as if she wasn't the monster in this cabin.
She knew he would have a fit in the morning about this as he had given up the bed for her, but she laid down on the floor anyway, where she made herself a makeshift sleeping bag below Draco.
She stared up at the wooden ceiling, spinning the Nott signet ring around her too-small finger until she fell into a fitful sleep.
—
That night, Dahlia dreamed she was somewhere within the rolling mountains that surrounded the cabin. She sat under the stars at the edge of a lazy pool of crystal clear waters amongst the wet moss.
She watched the water trickle down black, polished stones as it rolled out of a larger pool from above where a waterfall crescendoed. She inhaled deeply, letting the earthy, lush scent hurt her feelings as it reminded her of Theo.
She wasn't quite sure when, but at some point, she had felt Draco sit behind her. He brought her into his chest. She leaned back against him, thankful the waterfall was too deafening to hear any spoken words. Regardless, he whispered into her hair that he loved her. More than anything, he loved her.
After a while, she laid farther back and looked up. She watched his hair curl in the thick summer air as he quietly played with the thin, moistening fabric of her dress for what felt like forever — his peace blanketing the aftermath of Theo's wild storm.
When he was suddenly gone, she confessed to the chirping crickets that she loved him too.
—
The next night, Dahlia sat below her starlit sky once again.
She had woken up in the early morning with Draco's chest beneath her cheek. He had joined her on the floor at some point during the night, but she wasn't startled. His touch came as a relief — a cure.
Her awakening had caused him to shift onto his side in a sleepy manner. She thought for a moment, then finally allowed herself grace.
Instead of getting up, she opted to throw her leg over his and nuzzle her cheek against his back, drifting into a peaceful sleep for a few more hours.
When she had opened her eyes once again, he was gone. She had searched the silent home only to find him outside on the deck. He was standing with his back turned, looking out to the lake in the sunny afternoon chill.
It was an uncharacteristically beautiful day in December.
She walked up to him quietly. He removed his hand from his pocket to reach back for her wordlessly as he had heard her stealthy approach. She hugged his middle instead, clasping her arms together around his waist.
"Happy Christmas," she muttered sadly.
He turned, placing his arm around her, too. He kissed the top of her head casually.
"Happy Christmas, Dahlia."
She now stared up to the bright moon, remembering how optimistic he had sounded this morning. She wasn't sure what for. She was feeling quite frustrated with him after the long day. They hadn't talked about their surprise sleeping arrangement at all.
She looked back now between the cracks of the curtains in an attempt to check in on his whereabouts. The bedroom was too dark to tell in the moonlight. She had been walking on eggshells all day around him or her own feelings.
She had been cooking them dinner, as Draco was useless in the skill, waiting for Amelia and Blaise to write back to them. That's when he had finally asked what she wanted.
"What would you like to do?" He had crossed his arms and leaned back against the kitchen counter. "We can't stay here forever, Dahlia."
She looked back from where she was attempting to make Christmas cookies. He was stoic and expressionless, bracing for a fight or a meltdown.
"Why not?" She muttered, half-joking.
He didn't indulge her as she distracted herself by spell-casting the cookie dough into unique holiday shapes. He was set on having this conversation, but she was stubborn, too.
He finally answered, "Because I'm not sleeping on the floor again."
That had been her in to bring up what had happened last night.
"Then maybe you should choose to sleep in the bed tonight instead," she quipped coyly, raising a questioning brow as she looked back over her shoulder at him.
He pushed his tongue into his cheek and tilted his head in surprise. He furrowed his brows with a smirk as if to ask if she really wanted to go there after he had so kindly given her space all day.
Dahlia knew she was in for a cocky retort with that expression.
"We both know it, Dahli-"
"Know what exactly?" She interrupted.
He let out a lyrical laugh as if he was breaking a fourth wall between them. It was as if he had been going along with her oblivious act for quite a while now, and he was finally tired after playing house with her all day. He had sat on the deck with her, played board games, made the bed, and watched her cook dinner for him as if they had nothing to worry about — as if they were a happy couple.
Her cheeks heated, and she glared down at her stupid cookies. They both knew she was terribly in love with him, too. She gave him a pleading look that begged him not to say it.
"And we both know that tonight we will climb into the same bed, or whatever fort you might build, together."
He sighed and gripped the wooden counter behind him. "But this can't be forever. We both have people that need us."
She threw her wand down and ran her hands across her face. She finally turned to him fully as she pushed herself up to sit on the counter.
"I don't know what I should do," she answered honestly. "I had planned to go back to my mother's home to look for answers…but now I don't know."
"You don't want to go north?" He asked curiously, his voice quieting as if it was a forbidden question.
She cringed as he brought Theo up, but she was somewhat thankful for the opportunity.
"Where did he go? Do you know?" She asked.
He nodded. He contemplated if he should tell her, but she already knew his own task from the Dark Lord.
"They're going to Azkaban to free the others, potentially."
"That's impossible…" She shook her head.
"It's been done before," he shrugged.
She could tell he wasn't optimistic about the situation despite his casual coolness.
"What have you heard about Alexander Nott?" She inquired as if it was an interrogation.
"I won't lie to you," he grimaced.
"Tell me," she demanded softly.
"That he's a murderer. That he has no cause." He sighed, "I'm no more thrilled about his return than you are."
She looked back to the fire as she absorbed it all.
He waited for her to speak.
"Maybe eventually I'll try to find him, but not now," she replied quietly, shaking her head.
Theo had left her desolate and unable to sort through all of her feelings. She didn't have the luxury of acting careless when Voldemort wanted her chained before him. Draco had confirmed as much earlier today when he had shared what had happened in the manor after the Dark Lord arrived.
She had to be certain of what she wanted, and she knew all she desired right now was to find him, if only to scream at him. She wanted to fight with him the most. She loved him deeply, but he had hurt her one too many times. To go parading north if only to pick a battle wasn't a good enough reason.
She needed to find herself, and it felt easier to do so without him, as horrible as it was to admit.
"I'm too confused," she added. She knew she didn't need to give Draco a reason, but she did anyway.
He nodded, "that's fair."
"What do you make of it all?" She asked openly.
He tilted his head as if he hadn't heard her correctly.
She widened her eyes expectantly.
"You're asking me for my opinion on your love life?" He asked incredulously.
"No, I just-"
She covered her face in frustration. She just needed some guidance that wasn't from her own troubled mind.
"What would you have done?" She felt like a fool for asking, but she had to know.
He looked at her as if she had lost her mind, but he answered her anyway, most likely realizing he had come so close to saying such things last night, and that is where the question stemmed from.
"Dahlia, I don't know what I would have done. It's impossible to know. I don't think he has much of a choice."
He paused, sighing.
"What I do know is that I told him to never get involved with you from the beginning. We both knew we would eventually have to answer to the Dark Lord. He had the choice to spare you. I don't believe," he corrected himself, "I know I couldn't have left you like that, though. So…spontaneously."
She glanced down at the glyph on his arm from her Divine gods. "Would you spare me from you, if you had a choice?"
"Don't ask stupid questions," he answered quickly.
He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms as her silence begged for an answer.
"No, because I am also selfish," he admitted.
They stared at each other for a long moment. She felt an overwhelming urge to kiss him. To confess that she was the most selfish and loved them both.
He sensed her intentions shifting and broke eye contact.
"I think we should go back to Hogwarts as soon as possible," he nodded, pushing his back away from the kitchen cabinets. He stepped closer to where she sat on the opposite counter.
"But the choice is yours. Don't think too hard."
He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and kissed her forehead. He knocked on the wood of the cabinet before walking away, knowing she would.
So now Dahlia sat on the deck, legs dangling over the frozen water in the late hours of the night as she thought too hard about what she should do next.
Theo would have guided her. He wouldn't have let her lead, which was both a flinching realization and a comfort.
The one thing she had managed to sort out was that she didn't want to wait around for him to return. She had sat around long enough, procrastinating in fear of what she might discover. She would tell Draco in the morning that she wanted to go to her mother's home, with or without him. She was willing to compromise. She would return to Hogwarts and stay safely within the walls for as long as possible afterward.
She hummed her Christmas wishes to her mother and to the winking starlight before sneaking back into the cabin to go to sleep.
Draco had already gone to bed. She smiled as she noticed he had left a pillow in the middle of the mattress, just like they had done in the tent all those nights ago when they had first shared a bed.
She placed Theo's ring on the nightstand. She dropped the blanket she had worn outside to the floor as she slid under the plush white duvet.
She stared out the windows, wired.
The room was too quiet. She couldn't stand the silence as it complimented her aching thoughts. The nights would be the hardest, she realized.
She tossed as her mind wouldn't let go of Theo and how he grinned when he told her he had great plans. Had he ever accounted for something like this?
She felt Draco shift on the other side of the bed. She rolled over and pulled the pillow close to her chest.
He tilted his head towards her as he lay on his back. She had left the curtains open, preferring to sleep with the moon. Its light and the shimmering reflection of the lake lit his angular features.
He raised a brow at her with a smug expression. She had chosen to crawl into the bed with him, just as he had predicted earlier.
He didn't reach for her, but she wished he would. She just wanted to hold his hand. It was sickly comforting to know that he was the one person who couldn't stop loving her only because he didn't have a choice.
She laced her fingers with his hand on his chest. They stared at each other for a moment before he looked back to the ceiling, embracing the comfortable quietness.
He had promised to play this game — go in an endless circle with her forever but it was wearing her down, too.
She wondered how it would come to be. They had grown so close. How would he come to kill her? The path they were on didn't feel like a traitorous one. Did he ask himself the same question often, as well? Was it awful that she trusted him anyway despite it? Maybe it was a side effect of the bond they shared — an unbending trust.
The same trust he had tested by going behind her back and dealing with her father. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised that he had asked her father for permission to marry her. There was a part of her that still felt betrayed by how calculated it all was. He had bet on her and Theo falling apart. He knew they would before she could see it. She hated that it seemed he was right.
He looked back at her, sensing her unease. His eyes shone blue as they had in the goblin mines.
He readjusted their folded hands so his was on top. "Go to sleep, Dahlia."
"Can I ask you something?" She whispered.
He sighed in sleepy annoyance, neither yes nor no.
"Did you want to kiss me in that mine? When we were standing by that glowing lake. Before we knew your soul was tied to mine…."
He narrowed his eyes at her, perplexed.
"Does it matter? That was quite a while ago," he answered.
He seemed to tire of her aimless questions, but it mattered to her. She wanted to know that he had felt something before he had known they were twined together by fate.
She nodded, "I thought about it for a brief moment."
She moved restlessly as the words left her mouth.
"But you know…the fumes in the mine, or something, who knows," she muttered.
Her secret brought a quick grin to his face.
"For what it's worth to you, I saw it on your face then, and I hoped you would."
She scooted closer to him, with his admittance warming her heart. He wrapped an arm behind her.
"I spend a lot of my time regretting things I didn't do right with you," he sighed.
"Can I tell you something that never leaves the cabin?" She whispered.
"You don't have to whisper. We're both awake," he answered, slowly smiling.
"You look really pretty under the moonlight. I think that's why the Fates chose you," she murmured.
A teasing gleam took hold of his eyes as if she had played into his trap. His grin turned to a smirk as he turned on his side to fully face her.
"Do you think I'm too pretty to love you, Dahlia?"
Her mouth fell open in surprise.
"Why would you say such a thing?"
"That's what you said yesterday in the woods," he laughed, "with the dumbest look on your face, I might add."
She threw the pillow at him harshly. She had been in shock and hadn't realized she had said her thoughts aloud. How horribly embarrassing.
"I take it back!" She exclaimed. "You're hideous!"
She sat up and hit him with the pillow once more before turning over to face the sliding door.
"I couldn't wait to tease you about it," he admitted happily.
She leaned her head up to look back at him with a glare.
"Come back," he teased.
She contemplated if her thoughts were even okay. She wanted someone to hold her so she didn't have to hold herself together for a moment longer. It would be nice to give the burden to someone else. Was it wrong if that someone was Draco?
He had conveniently omitted truths from her.
Would Theo forgive her? Did it even matter if he abandoned her anyway? He had practically handed her over.
What if he never returned? The thought made her want to vomit. What if his chaotic mind simply shifted gears and forgot about her altogether because she hadn't been around to keep his attention? What if he found someone else to love who wasn't so conflicted?
Draco's smile faded as he read her murky expression. She put her head back down on the pillow and shimmied back to the center of the bed towards him. She could feel his gaze on her as she brought herself closer.
"I need you to apologize for dealing with my father.."
He was quiet. "Did I not?"
Dahlia pursed her lips in disbelief as she stared out the glass door. She was glad she wasn't facing him now.
"Are you serious right now? No, you didn't."
He propped himself up on one arm and sighed, "Dahlia, I'm sincerely sorry. I didn't mean to betray your confidence in me. It was before we started to spend more time together. It was impulsive, and I was jealous. I know I've hurt you, and I've said some awful things, but I'm trying and-"
"Can you please just…"
She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence as she moved to close the distance between them. It felt too vulnerable.
He didn't hesitate. He pulled her back into his chest by her waist.
"Apologies go quite a long way," she whispered up to him.
"I'll save them all for you," he murmured into her ear.
They shifted against each other as they got comfortable. He nudged his leg between hers and laid his head down on her pillow, sliding his arm to cradle her neck. He tucked her wild hair out of the way.
"This doesn't have to be some-" she started.
She didn't know where the boundary with him was.
He hushed her. "Don't ruin this."
She closed her eyes as she tried to focus on Draco's steady breath for a few moments. She exhaled, finally willing herself to try to sleep. She wondered if they might dream together tonight since they were already so close.
She shifted against him as she pulled the duvet to her cheek and leaned farther onto her stomach, accidentally pushing against his leg tucked between her thighs. A sweet sensation ricocheted through her body, canceling out the dull ache in her bones. She pressed her lips together.
She realized Draco had stilled behind her, and his breathing ceased for a moment. He was awake.
She clenched her eyes shut. She was unnaturally frozen as she tried not to move again.
She couldn't help but remember how his fingers had felt inside her. How his breath felt on her neck — she could feel him breathing now.
She wondered how he would react if she asked him to touch her again. She could tell him she needed the distraction — she wasn't thinking clearly, but it wouldn't be the truth.
Her heart was beginning to beat more rapidly. She wondered if he could feel it through the thin layer of her shirt as his chest was pressed against her.
She realized they were both awake and terrified to move as he controlled his breathing, as well.
The tension was palpable. She felt his hand twitch against her stomach. She was hyper-aware of his leg between hers and fought the urge to move against it again.
I shouldn't. I shouldn't do this.
The need to feel someone love her completely was becoming too much to resist. She wondered what it might be like to have him since he was soul-bound to her. Would it be entirely different from anything she had experienced before? Would it fix her?
She couldn't think any longer. She acted before she thought better of it, finding bravery in betrayals.
She pushed herself back against his thigh and released a breathy sigh. She wanted him to know she was awake, and it wasn't accidental.
He remained still.
She nuzzled into his chest, and his hand finally pushed against her stomach as if he didn't want any space between them.
Her body reacted in need of any sort of sensation. She arched her back against him once more, pushing her bum against his waist. Her head fell fully beneath his chin.
He glided his hand from where it had been thrown lazily across her stomach to grip her hip against him. It was all she needed as she turned to fire.
He pushed his leg farther between her thighs. She grinned up to him as she moved against him, but she couldn't see his expression. She sensed his tensing in the way he flexed his arms and his rough breath — she was turning him on.
She didn't let herself think too much for once. She just acted on what felt right. She placed her hand on top of his where he held her hip, keeping her against him. She knew he would eventually feel her wetness if he didn't already.
She guided his hand under her shirt. She stopped just beneath her breast. His thumb circled the black ink that marked her as his by the stars.
She wondered if he could sense what she was feeling through the bond more clearly than even herself. She pulled his arm out from her shirt and kissed the glyph on his right forearm because he was hers, too. She mouthed three words against his bare skin.
He quickly pulled his arm out of her grasp and rolled her onto her back to face him. He loomed over her; his silver hair fell between them.
She wasn't sure who she was listening to anymore — her instincts, the guiding stars, or her fractured heart.
"What do you want, Dahlia?" He whispered.
She stared at him for a moment, summoning courage. Theo would never forgive her for this. This wasn't a dream. This was real. The thought equally thrilled her and terrified her. Guilt gnawed at her as she reminded herself this was Theo's one reality where he had her heart instead of Draco, but she was starting to doubt that notion. Maybe it wasn't, and they had been wrong. He kept hurting her time and time again, even though he made up for it over and over. Even if it was her one reality with Theo, she knew it still wouldn't be enough for him. He was determined to have them all. He had kept secrets and possibly left her to achieve it, Dark Lord's task aside.
But Draco was here, waiting for her — forever waiting for her, even if it was impatient in manner.
She asked herself, what did she want?
She made a decision in an adrenaline-fueled clarity, for better or worse. She slowly lifted her hand and pushed back his falling silver hair. Her fingertips grazed the back of his neck, and she gently pulled him to her.
He let himself fall into her slightly as their lips met. She pushed his mouth open, and he didn't deny her. He ran his hand across her waist, pushing her shirt farther up.
"This isn't a dream, Dahlia," he murmured into her mouth.
He sounded so unsure, as if she might not want him if it wasn't. It pained her to think that she might have hidden her desires too well. She pushed her hips up against him and lightly moaned in need.
"I don't want you in just my dreams," she answered before deepening their kiss.
He gripped her tightly as he brought himself down on her fully. He tried to roll them over, but she fought against it.
He wasn't having it, though. He propped himself higher on his arm so he could better pull her on top of him by her waist.
She flailed as she refused, trying to stay on her back. He pulled away from her lips, unable to keep from laughing any longer.
She knew she looked ridiculous and risked ruining such a moment, but she wanted to be at his mercy for once — beneath him. The way he touched her and kissed her right now was unguarded. They weren't hiding behind roughness and games.
His laugh faded, and a flash of insecurity crossed his features as she didn't laugh with him.
"Do you not want this?" He asked, furrowing his brow.
The quiet sincerity in his voice made her feel safe. She reached up to his cheek and guided him back down to her. She had lied too much, even though the truth was always written on her face. He hadn't known what to believe.
"I lied," she started. He pulled his face away from her hand and tensed. He looked down at her in dread, bracing for her next sentence.
A shiver ran through her as she finally exhaled in relief. It felt good to let the mask drop.
"When I said I didn't love you — I lied." Her voice was barely a whisper. The truth was about to fall out of her before she could stop it.
"I love you," she whispered, more sure of her words.
She tried her best to read his reaction. He looked shocked and confused. It was as if he doubted the sincerity of it.
She realized how this must seem. Theo had just left her — of course, this appeared desperate, but he had to believe her. She had always loved him. She had been through hell and back to admit it.
His hesitation sent her spiraling into her truth. She was about to purge. She held her hands to her heart and spoke.
"I love you. I knew it when I kissed you in those woods. You thought I was upset about your father wanting you to get close to me, but I wasn't. I ran off because he was suffocating me, just like you said he would. I realized I didn't even know who I was anymore, but then you were there — and when you are around, I do know. It's all so clear. I can't hide from my own self when I'm with you."
She wiped a tear before it could fall.
"But then you hated me for it — for kissing you."
She shook her head and looked down at her hands. Her mind was sprinting, but her chest felt lighter.
"You think I choose him because I love him more than you, but I don't. You think my soul only calls to you, but it doesn't. It's all of me, every fiber."
She gripped her skin in frustration and looked back into his eyes.
"Even when you were vicious, I loved you. I choose him only since I'm terrified of you — and not because of who you are or that you will kill me, but of what I might become when you finally do."
"Dahlia, I-"
He shook his head as if triggered. She brought her hands to his face to keep him focused.
"You will, and that's alright now. You're the greatest person in my life, and I know it'll hurt," her voice cracked as her expression broke tearful, "but it's necessary. This isn't false fate. I've seen a million lives with you, just as you have, and they are real."
She nodded her head at him, "I must make them true. It hurts to think we are happy in each life, but our own."
He looked down upon her, dumbstruck. Dahlia couldn't bear the silence, so she filled it once more.
"I love him. I won't lie about it," she wiped her nose, "but I also love you. I can't lie anymore. I'm exhausted. I think about where you might be constantly. I've loved you terribly for a long time. There's nothing you could do or say that would make me stop loving you. When you walked away the other night, I-"
She shook her head, remembering how his mother had to console her. She had been terrified of what might happen to him, too.
"I realized I should have told you I loved you a long time ago."
She shook her head as if she knew the answer before she even spoke, "I hope that's enough."
She heaved a sigh. She was both relieved and terrified that she had given him everything she had. She left him to process.
He appeared conflicted. His brow was furrowed in the dark light, and he seemed to be carefully considering his next movements. She had grown so accustomed to living for the reactions of it all that his consideration made her uneasy.
He slowly exhaled as Dahlia ran her fingers down her face in hopes she could hide from him. The nerves in her stomach grew. She was going to puke. She shouldn't have been so honest. She had no more cards left to put on the table if he rejected her. She was too bare. His silence was deafening. She had fallen off the cliff, and he wasn't going to catch her.
She should've known. He had made it clear that he wouldn't accept her while she loved another. She considered pushing her love to him through their bond, but she couldn't cut through her anxiety to find a pure piece of it. Plus, she was afraid it would cloud his judgment. She needed his honesty.
She forced herself to keep her eyes upon him even though she wanted to crawl into a hole and never return.
She had wished she could remember more of these moments with Theo, but she wouldn't miss out this time with Draco.
It was too precious of a moment not to commit to memory. She knew it could be the first moment between them when the tides might turn for the better, and their two crossing stars destined to collide into each other finally struck true. Or worse, it would be the last time she could have hope, and she may never look up to him in such an intimate manner again. It was the horrible, exhilarating moment after one could no longer ask themselves 'what if' anymore because they had finally rolled the dice. If she blinked, she might miss it in his eyes — the truth of his heart.
So she forced herself to reach up to him. She placed a gentle hand on his face. She chose to touch him just in case he decided her ugly heart wasn't enough, and she may never be allowed to do so again.
His lips tightened, and his silence persisted.
How could he love her? Theo was capable of loving her because he was broken himself. Maybe Draco could have loved her once when she was as good as new with her own pristine reputation.
No, he wouldn't want to love someone who was a liar and so incredibly ridden with anxiety, heartaches, and betrayals. He had been right all that time ago — she was a curse.
"I'm sorry." Her whisper broke into a silent sob.
She apologized for taking the precious limbo away from them. They would no longer be able to banter casually after such a revelation. She had drawn a distinct line in their blurry boundaries.
His face finally broke with softness. It was as if he could read her horror. He bent down and hushed soothingly into her ear. It wasn't enough for her because she was also selfish.
"Please say something," she pleaded. She bit her bottom lip in anticipation, bracing for impact.
He brought his hand to her temple. Before she could gather a glimpse of his expression, he brought his lips from her ear to her forehead.
"It's enough. It's everything. You are everything to me," he whispered against her skin.
He pulled back and gently brushed her cheek. "Dahlia, I love you. In case it wasn't real enough in our dreams or you doubted it, I love you."
He shook his head. "It's that simple. I know it's not lavish or poetic of me, but let the purity of that plainness settle your anxious mind. Forget the significance of this love if the pressure is too great. Let it just be you and me — simply."
She nodded, soaking in his reassurance. She didn't have any words left in her, so she pulled him in for a kiss. He answered her eagerly as he cradled her neck beneath him and pushed down on her hip. She ran her hand down his chest. She stopped short with her nails beneath the waistband of his briefs. She turned away from his mouth, and he began kissing down her jawline, gaining heat.
She asked, tugging his briefs lightly, "Is this okay with you?"
He sat up quickly with an annoyed expression as he suddenly reached for the hem of her shirt.
"Don't ask me that again," he answered with a smirk as he pulled it over her head.
She let herself fall back to the pillows. He followed her down and pulled her close as they came to their sides. She didn't leave any space between them as she pressed herself against his bare chest. The anticipation of feeling their skin finally come together made her wild. She wasn't sure which part of him she wanted first.
His thigh found its way between her own once more. They were writhing against each other. He pulled her hair back to bring her mouth to his as she rocked against him. She lightly moaned into his mouth.
He gripped her tightly, finally claiming what had always been his.
She arched into his grasp as she clawed down his chest. He leaned down and kissed her neck as he tensed, sensing where she was going.
She reached beneath his briefs and finally felt him. She ran her hand along his entire length as he sucked painfully on her neck. She partly moaned and yelped as she pushed against his thigh again.
The sensation wasn't good enough. She had felt him, and she was already imagining how he could fill her and make her scream. She rolled onto her back to pull off her underwear. He pushed her down and began kissing south, desperate for her skin against his mouth.
"Just fucking take it off," she said in breathy frustration as he put her breast in his mouth. He laughed as she whimpered.
She reached for his briefs, but it was impossible to pull them down as he trailed kisses across her chest. He was too far.
She bucked her hips forward into his waist as he came back to her mouth and within reach.
"All of it — off," she begged.
"Are you certain?" He asked, pulling away.
He looked to her to confirm it wasn't a mistake. There was fear that she might regret this in the morning.
She nodded with absolute confidence, no doubt.
"Yes," she answered.
She pulled him free as he helped her remove his briefs. She stiffened a bit with nerves as she reeled at the sight of him fully naked before her — finally. Her face heated with a blush. She was glad there was nothing but the moonlight illuminating them.
She reached for him, but she worried she wouldn't move the way he liked.
"What do you like most?" She asked.
He grinned down at her as if he thought the question was sweetly redundant. "I like you, Dahlia. I love you."
He sat up on his knees and removed her underwear. She lifted her hips for him. He paused for a moment and looked at her naked body below him.
She found comfort in the fact that he looked briefly nervous, as well. She smiled and laughed at him. He looked down and shook his head as if embarrassed she had noticed his delay.
He lifted his eyes back to her with renewed confidence. "I'm going to fuck that smile right off your face," he smirked.
Her grin only deepened.
"Open your legs." He nodded.
She nervously obeyed, spreading only a bit.
"Wider," he whispered, sensing her nerves.
He leaned over her, and he placed a hand by her waist. He kissed her bent knee as she gave into his will. The anticipation of it all was torture. There was no way for her to predict what he might do as this was new.
He trailed his middle finger down her lower stomach. Her breathing ceased momentarily. She thought he might stop to tease her, but he didn't. He dragged his finger between her thighs and across her center with more pressure.
Her hips twitched in response. He sat back once more to push her hip back down. He plunged his fingers inside her as he looked her in the eyes.
She gasped. He grinned.
"Do you think about this?" He asked, moving slowly in and out of her. "I know I can hardly look at you anymore without thinking about how sweet you looked coming on my hand."
She nodded in the darkness. He leaned over her and kissed her marking gently. She inhaled as he grazed the inked skin with his teeth.
She ran her fingers through his tousled hair as he moved his tongue up to her breast.
"I loved you then, and I wanted you to fuck me instead," she whispered as she panted. He curled his fingers within her, and she arched into him.
He grinned against her skin, satisfied with her answer, as he kissed up her neck.
"I know," he replied, removing his fingers. "Because you are impatient." He scolded her lovingly.
Before her nerves had a chance to renew, he slowly began to guide himself into her. She pulled his lips to her, breathing a moan as he thrust himself as deep as possible. He took his time filling her whole, dragging out her pleasure as she stretched for him.
She watched as he closed his eyes as if this wasn't only torturing her. He repeated his slow thrust. He was proving his point and testing the limits of her patience, but she had waited for this. She would let him do this all night and take his time.
She kissed his jaw, then his neck, letting out a whimper every time he hit the sweet spot at her limit. He let out a shaky breath as he slowly pulled out of her again. She didn't warn him as she arched back into the moonlight and let it fill her. She leaned up on her elbow and kissed him deeply, sending an ounce of her power through their bond. She felt his muscles twitch as she ran her hand up his smooth arm. His chest caved as he lost his breath.
"Fuck, Dahlia."
He sat back and squeezed her thigh to a painful degree as if he couldn't do it anymore. He swiftly plunged into her more harshly. It was the sweetest thing he had ever said or done for her. He repeated more rapidly, and she reached for him. He scooped her in his arms and brought her to his chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He lifted her up, and she slammed herself down on him as they moved together more perfectly than possible. It was all-consuming.
She thought of nothing other than how she might get closer to him. She pulled his hair back, and he grinned wickedly as she kissed his neck.
"Do it again," he whispered.
"But I don't want this to end," she panted.
"This isn't the ending," he shook his head and slowed her down.
She wasn't sure what she liked more — him slowly filling her was a honeyed torment. He smirked as she closed her eyes, enjoying his cock. He adjusted his grip, bringing her hips even closer. He pushed her more forward as he brought her up off of him, creating a delicious friction. She shuttered within his arms as he lowered her down onto him quickly. She moaned into his mouth as she kissed him. He did it again. He breathed hard into her as he controlled her weight.
This was going to kill her. She couldn't manage being so out of control of her own pleasure. He repeated until she was unable to take any more torment. She thought of nothing but how she might bring herself to her high. She lifted herself a bit to him, hoping to quicken the pace. She licked his salty sweat off his neck before kissing him deeply.
"I thought you didn't want this to end?" He teased through labored breaths.
She gripped his jaw and brought his mouth back to hers harshly. She exhaled with her divine Sight.
He almost dropped her as it hit him in a crashing wave — a divine blessing and a glimpse into their many lives. He saw white petals flutter through the air as they kissed. He watched her face as he fucked her on a black-marbled desk. He blinked. He saw what would have happened if he had kissed her in the mines. Everything would be different — but it was hard to regret a past that had led them to this moment.
His brain recalibrated, trying to remember where he was as he groaned and attempted to pull her closer, but it was impossible.
She shook her head, answering his teasing question that felt like he had asked ages ago. "It's not the end, and I am yours."
She smiled, and he vowed to himself to give her everything he had. She had brought him to his knees as he moved to please her now. She was his guiding light, the divine star of the north leading him to a new home.
Dahlia gasped as he began crashing into her without relenting. They were slick with sweat. There was no point in finding words. The way he looked at her said enough. He wasn't a home for her to happily hide. No, he was an empire. He wouldn't lock her safely away. He would forge her anew, building religions and burning entire cities to ash across the worlds.
"Dahlia, you forgot something, baby," he breathed against her neck as he brought her up again.
She didn't have the capacity to respond. She was singularly focused on sprinting over the edge to come undone.
She just nodded as she let her head fall back.
"I can do that too," he whispered, smug.
He strummed the thread of gold that tied their hearts together — the impossible bond that allowed them to love each other a thousand times again.
The euphoric high of being hit with his love collided with her bliss. Together, she came undone. She needed him to feel it, too, so she kissed him through the waves of her pleasure and sent it along with her unwavering love to surge through their bond.
She cupped his face as he slammed into her. She nodded, letting him know it was what she wanted. She clenched around him, riding out the last of her high as he spilled himself into her.
She wrapped her arms behind his neck and lifted herself up and down, taking it all from him. His head fell back in the moonlight, and she placed a soft kiss on the center of his neck. He held her tightly as he finished.
He kissed the side of her mouth as he caught his breath. She kissed him once more, making up for lost time as he brought her back down to the bed. She touched all of him — loved all of him.
She finally pulled away once their hearts slowed.
"What do you feel when I kiss you with my Sight?" She asked curiously.
"It's not a feeling. It's what I see. I saw glimpses into our other lives," he answered, rolling onto his back. He pulled her with him so she might lay on his chest.
Dahlia briefly wondered what Theo might have seen. He had hissed in pain, but he had enjoyed it.
She laid her chin on his chest and glanced up at him.
"Do you fuck me in all of them," she whispered in a joke.
"Unsurprisingly, yes. Quite well, actually," he chuckled confidently.
She wrapped her legs into his and closed her eyes. She pressed her cheek to his chest.
"Are you sure we can't stay here?"
He played with her hair and sighed. "Things have to be at their worst before they can get better. Don't you want to find out how our future might unfold?"
She didn't respond for a moment.
"I'm scared," she answered.
"It's alright to be scared. I find you quite terrifying when I think too long about it."
She felt him smile as he kissed the top of her head.
"I love you, Dahlia."
"I love you too, Draco."
He looked out the window to the lake. It lapped wildly beneath the home. The force of the current left the cabin creaking as the waves pushed against it. There was an unsettling silence to the nature that surrounded them as the wind had ceased and the wildlife quieted.
He focused on the eerie calm until he heard the soft rustling of the trees again. He looked down at Dahlia, who was now fast asleep on his chest.
Quite curious, he thought.