Seven

Elizabeth

As I made my way back to Draco's dorm, the Dark Lord's words pounded inside my brain like a million little daggers.

I wasn't scared when we were left alone, but I was when he started talking. His voice was a terrifying sound, and when he spoke, I was never comfortable.

Every other time I'd had Draco by my side, but when he and everybody else left the Malfoy's dining room, I found myself alone with pure darkness and wickedness.

The Dark Lord had been very clear and very rigid. What I had to do accepted no variation and no discussion. And for sure, no Draco. He'd been crystalline: It is your task, Elizabeth. Yours and anybody else's.

I wanted to scream until my lungs burned. I wanted to run away and forget everything and everyone.

In fact, I considered it. I was running the lasts steps of the ladder when I turned around and looked at the enormous entrance door.

What if I did it? What if I left and didn't tell anyone? It would be quick. Vanishing without a trace was very easy.

Before I could move one more inch, I overheard Draco's fast pacing. He was walking from one side to another of the room again. Because he was anxious, he was worried about me. He was waiting for me and all I could think about was leaving him.

I wanted to leave him because I wasn't sure I could bear one more second looking in Draco's eyes knowing I would be lying to him.

His words walked vaguely through my mind. Remember who you are.

I would do it. I had to. I just hoped he would remember who I am, too. Who we are.

I turned around again to face the corridor Draco's dorm was in. One unruly tear slipped down my cheek the moment I found myself at his door. Before I pulled the door handle, I wiped it with a quick move.

"Liz."

The moment he saw my figure, he ran towards me and pulled me, again, into a tight hug. I tied my arms above his shoulders and closed my eyes, because I wanted to feel him as much as it was possible.

I noticed a small shaking from his body, and I felt ashamed. I felt ashamed of what I thought just some minutes before this.

Draco began kissing my head, caressing my face and then kissing my entire face.

I let out a shy giggle. I had a six-feet tall, 80kg boy being overdramatic.

"I'm okay, Draco," I smiled vaguely.

His big hands were travelling from my shoulders to my neck, and then to my face and to my hair, like he wanted to caress every part of them.

"What did he tell you?" he spoke. "What do you have to do?"

I looked into his greyish eyes, and one small part of me died as I pronounced those words.

"It's nothing," I waved off. I walked to his bed and sat at the edge of it. "It's... There's another cabinet in the school."

He furrowed his brows and came sit by my side. "What?"

"Yes. On the other side of where you are fixing one," I made I contact with him again. "The Dark Lord said that when time comes, the invasion will be faster. All Hogwarts will be covered with Death Eaters coming from everywhere."

Draco's hand formed into a tight fist, turning his knuckles white.

"So, I have to fix it. That's it." I stood up and walked a bit. I needed to move.

Draco mimicked my moves. "I'll help you."

"No." I stated firmly. I saw his expression, and I understood maybe I had sounded too harsh. "No, I'll-. I'll do it. You have enough to focus on. You have to fix the other cabinet. You told me you didn't want me involved when I offered my help to you. Well, now I don't want you involved in my task."

Those words fell off my mouth like and improvised babble, but he didn't seem to have noticed. To my surprise, his lips curled into a smirk.

"Fair enough," he said raising his hands in defeat.

Suddenly, I felt my shoulders relax. That was it.

"Come here," he whispered opening his arms.

My cheek rested on his chest as once again his long fingers played with my hair. "You'll be very tired, you know?"

"Mhm," I muttered. "But we can do it. It's you and I."

"Indeed. You and I only."

I flinched. Only.

I pulled away and met his eyes. Smiling, I kissed him. "Only," I whispered.

"I'm going to get a shower," I said after a small pause. "I feel dirty."

I walked to the en-suite bathroom he had, but before I could get in, I felt his cold hand wrap around my wrist.

"Did he touch you?" his tone imposing.

I swallowed. "Yes."

His jaw clenched. "Where."

I showed him my mark. His eyes flickered in shock. "I forgot," he mumbled.

His fingers travelled carefully the black ink on my forearm. "Did it hurt?" he asked, his eyes not leaving it for any second.

"Yes." I didn't lie.

Draco breathed. His thumb brushed against my Death Mark before he gave me his back.

"I'll bring you a towel."

...

I took my time with the shower. I somehow felt I needed to wash away everything I was doing wrong, and everything I would do wrong. But the real dirt never washes away.

I wrapped myself into the towel Draco had given me, and followed by a dense mist, I came out of the bathroom. Draco was laying shirtless on the bed with his hand resting behind his head. He was reading one of my books.

"What a sight," I joked.

He scoffed. The moment he saw me, he closed the volume. "Liz?"

"Hm?" I said drying my hair with a tiny towel.

"We need to talk about something."

All my attention was on drying my hair with the fabric, so I wasn't looking at him until he spoke again.

"Okay. Tell me," I said.

"Your... behaviour," he started. "Wasn't correct this afternoon."

Finally, I landed my eyes on the blonde, shirtless man sitting on the edge of the bed.

I saw his belt resting on the bed next to him, but I didn't move.

"You already know what happens when you don't pay the greatest respect to me," he added.

I saw his hand approaching the black leather belt carefully, and I gulped.

"You lied to me," I mumbled.

"Yes," he said standing up, belt on his hand. "And when I apologised, you continued misbehaving."

"I was mad at you."

He scoffed. "Are you saying I deserved all the yelling and pushing?" He spoke slowly, smirk on his lips.

Draco had started walking towards me in slow motion, waiting for an answer.

"Yes." I was looking him in the eyes, holding the towel against my naked body.

I noticed his gaze following the towel down my body, seeking what was under it.

"You know, Liz. I felt so... helpless, so... powerless. Do you know how it feels?"

He approached me even more, and I sticked my back to the wall behind me, avoiding his figure. "Do you, Liz?" I didn't reply. Instead, I lowered my gaze to the floor.

Rudely, his thumb and index finger lifted my chin and forced me to look at him.

"Answer me," he hissed.

"No," I said finally.

"No?" he smiled.

I denied with a slight movement.

At my gesture, his lips curled into a devilish smirk. "I'll show you, then."

His hand travelled up the inside of my thigh, making my entire body warm up in less than two seconds. He noticed, and his smirk grew bigger.

"Don't get too excited so soon," he mocked.

Before I could predict his next move, his long fingers hooked on the hem of the towel, and with a quick move, he pulled it down.

He took a few steps back, glimpsing every inch of my naked body.

Suddenly, his smirk vanished, all leaving his face straight.

"Hands," he demanded.