I didn't see Marcus Flint until he spoke to Ophelia, my head snapping from the letter in her hands to the figure standing opposite her. My hand tightening around the fork in my hand, my knuckles turning white.

He spoke to her, his hands shaking as she stood. Screaming at him her voice cracked and broke. Throwing insults at him as he stood cowering.

"You're a coward...I can't get your hands off me...you're disgusting..."

Everyone stared at them, mouths open as Ophelia ran out the room sobbing. Bag in hand.

I snapped. Standing I grabbed Marcus by the collar, dragging him out the hall. I dragged him down corridors, red mist descending over my senses.

I dragged him towards the dungeons, stopping in a small corridor.

My fist connected with his jaw. Hard. A crack ricocheted around the empty hall, his body slamming into the cement floor.

"I told you to NEVER come near her again. I beat you up so badly, I figured you would have gotten the picture. Clearly not." I screamed at him, landing a blow to his stomach with my foot, hearing the air leave his lungs.

"I told you. That if you EVER breathed the same air as her, that you would regret living. Yet here you are. Breathing" I rasp out. Grabbing my wand from the inside of my robe.

"How dare you even THINK. That you could speak to her after you tried to RAPE her."

Anger seeps through my every pore, thinking about what he did to her, what he TRIED to do to her.

I stare at him. Blank. Angry. Cold.

"Crucio" I say calmly, pointing the wand directly at him. Watching him writhe in pain. His breathing hitching and strangulated screams escaping his mouth.

I watch, emotionless.

"This is for hurting Ophelia. For laying your hand on her. Thinking someone like you deserves to touch her. To taste her. Feel her.

I suggest to you, that you take up home schooling, and leave Hogwarts. Don't even collect your belongings. No. You're going to get up after I leave. And you're going to get the fuck out of this building. And if I ever see your body ever again. I will throw the green curse at you so fast, that you won't even be able to think about yourself, let alone Ophelia."

I release the spell. Allowing him to nod, his body giving up on itself.

"Pathetic...you've pissed yourself. I'm not even surprised" I mock. Putting my wand back in my pocket and stepping away.

Marcus stands to his feet. Stumbling and then turning, half running and stumbling down the hallway.

Now I need to find Ophelia.

I turn and hurry down hallways, looking in classrooms and small corridors, searching for her brown hair.

And then I spot a classroom with a light on, and music coming from it?

I push open the door, the music reaching my ears. It was angry, hurting almost. Hundreds of instruments colliding together, and in the middle was Ophelia...dancing.

She was stunning, her hair flying around her like a fan, her body moving with ease and grace. Each movement matching the music, almost like it was using her as a puppet.

I don't know anything about dancing. But she was breathtaking, her body flying like a bird. Her legs twisting and spinning, pulling the air out of my lungs in pure admiration. Her body connecting with the floor as if she was a swan coming down from the sky to land in the lake.

She was like the light as it creeped through your window in the morning, reflecting life, reflecting beauty.

The violins would go off, her head would roll back, her lips slight parted the music changing to anger. Intensity growing.

Her movements changing with it, her jumps and kicks becoming one.

She couldn't see me. Her feet dancing around the floor.

And in that moment, I fell in love with Ophelia Clark.

She stopped dancing, her breathing ragged. She was crying? Eyes filled with tears, cheeks wet.

And then Ophelia screamed. A high pitched wail, like the one she did in the shower. Only this time I could feel the vibrations of pain through my body. Her scream pulling my lungs down.

She fell to the floor. Pulling her hair, scratching her chest and stomach. Sobbing and wailing.

Before I could stop myself I raced forward, her head snapping up.

"Draco" she chocked out in a sob. I sat beside her, pulling her into my chest wrapping my arms around her.

I didn't need to speak. She just needed held.

She clung to me, sobs racking through her body as she buried her face in mine, her tears wetting my shirt.

She let it out. Days and days of pain and betrayal.

"He's gone Draco. He's gone. He's dead. He promised- he said" she couldn't finish her sentence. Her sobs racking back up into screams. Her body shaking as I held it tighter.

She didn't need to tell me who died. I knew the second the letter dropped in front of her.

And then Marcus. It was too much for her.

I held her. Sweeping her hair out her face.

I recalled her telling me to leave it alone if I ever saw her drop something. But right now, she had dropped herself. And I had no intent of letting her go.

A while passed. He sobs slowly subsiding into small hiccups.

I continued to stroke her hair. Not speaking.

"I'm sorry" finally said, pushing herself off me.

"Don't apologise. You have nothing to apologise for Ophelia" I but in, wiping the tears from her face with my thumbs, my hands resting on her face.

And then I kissed her.

Placing my lips softly onto hers. A mixture of salt and sweat.

Finally.

Draco leaned in, his lips landing on mine, the taste of apples and mint filling my mouth.

I pushed forward, closing my eyes as our mouths moved together. His hands moving from my cheeks to the back of my neck, cradling me. Butterflies flying around in my stomach.

We pulled away, panting slightly. Faces still close together, cheeks flushed as be looked into my eyes.

"I've wanted to do that for so long" he breathed out, running his thumb along my bottom lip.

"I've wanted you to do that for so long too." I felt giggling.

"Perhaps we should do it again? Make it a kiss for each of us wanting it?" He suggested.

I laugh, taking my turn to lean in, wrapping my arms around him and moving into his lap letting his hands wander to around my lower back, encasing me in a cocoon

Of safety.

This. This is what safe feels like.