⚠️😼😼⚠️

*Draco*

2 months had felt like 2 years. 20 years. 2 decades. 2 centuries

It felt like a revolving door of tasks and jobs. Responsibilities and chores.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes dead, jaw realigned with the sharpness of watching death.

"Draco my boy. Sit. Come eat with us." His eyes were slits. Watching me enter my own dining room with caution. Unsure on weather he would allow me to sit with them. My father motioning for the chair in front of him, my mother not making eye contact but only looking at her plate as she cut her meat.

"Draco. How does it go at Hogwarts. Have the Carrow's been treating it well? Has much changed since our last visit" He hisses the snake coiling around the bottom of the chair as she hissed too, the noise ringing in my ear.

I slink into my chair and grab my glass, red wine already in there and so I took a sip.

"No my lord. Nothing has changed, but they are keeping a good hold on all the students there, even the professors. Many wont say much, and those that do get a beating."

He sits back. Examining the table before peeling his lips back into a smile.

"Excellent. Please eat. Enjoy this meal that was prepared for us."

And I do. I start spooning meat onto my plate not looking at anyone. Refusing to look at those around me, conversations of their next plan whipping around the air like a belt.

"You know, Bellatrix mentioned earlier my lord, that you have plans on advancing towards Hogwarts."

Dolohov.

He doesn't reply to Dolohov instantly, he instead lowers some meat from his plate into the mouth of Nagini, her jaws wrapping around it before she slumps back onto the floor and under his robe my throat tightening along with her muscles as she curled and vanished. My mouth going dry.

I fucking hate snakes.

"I always have a plan Dolohov. Do not discredit that from me simply because another person told you."

Dolohov mutters a hasty apology and sinks into his chair, his face drawn down toward the table as people slowly being to turn back to their plates.

"Pettigrew. Bring me the woman"

And then Pettigrew was gone, hobbling out the room only to return moments later with a scuffled woman who wore a shabby dress and a apron.

"aaaah. Caitlin. How nice of you to join us. This, is the woman who cooked up this meal. Isn't it lovely everyone."

Nobody speaks. People nod and make a slow mumble that could be passed as a yes.

The young woman stands at the bottom of the table, her hair ruffled and sprayed around her face, clear that she hadn't showered in a long time. Feet dirty without shoes as she shuffled around eyes darting. Looking for a way out. A way to run away.

No point love. You aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Come to me darling. Come. Let me show the men. Come on."

The lord beckons her, the girl being shoved forward by Pettigrew as she stumbles and begins to walk, watching everyone glance at her from their tables, plates filled to the skies of the food that she probably spent days and hours preparing.

She walked and walked, hours feeling like they passed before she stood beside Voldemort. His hand out reaching towards her hand taking her arm, pulling her sideways until she was level with his face, his breath tickling her fringe as she shuddered. Closing her eyes.

"Caitlin. It seems that we are all finished eating, we are bored. Why don't you entertain us hm? Dance for us pretty one."

She was pushed forward, hands bracing against the table as she fed her eyes around everyone, each of us staring back at her. Unsure if she would our if you would simply refuse and accept the quick death.

"Go on. On the table, everyone is finished with the food. It wasn't up to my expectations. But no matter, you can make up for it here"

Nobody breathed, watching Caitlin turn back towards the table and hike her dress up with one hand as she began to climb onto the table using her other hand to pull herself up, hair falling in front of her face as she pulled and heaved. Stumbling forward and then righting herself, feet placed between plates and wine glasses.

"Come on gentlemen, let's make some music for her" He jeers, smile privelant as he eyes us all.

Yaxley begins to clap his hands, followed by Dolohov and my father, some men stomping their feet and hollering. The music she was meant to dance too sounding more like mockery than a tune.

But the poor girl begins to move, swaying between the cutlery and glass, using the disheveled beat to move around, scared for her life.

He laughs, clapping his hands and screeching in delighted, the poor girl prancing around the table watching the hot dishes of meat and vegetables to makes sure she doesn't spill anything. Her eyes trained outwards not looking at anyone as she tried to move and sway, keeping here dress upright and secure.

The men get louder, many of them beginning to loosen up and enjoy the show, some whooping and clapping as she moved. Shouting screaming, begging her to take her dress off.

The clapping and stomping becoming out of tune and miscalculated.

"Advera Kedabra"

And the girl drops, spilling wine and food everywhere, splattering onto our suits as she falls like a sack of potatoes her eyes trained on me as she lands straight in my plate. Hair soaked in my wine.

And for a moment, her face becomes Ophelia and I feel vomit rise in my throat.

I fill the tap, feeling my chest swell as the water swirls and dips in the basin, the water spraying on my hand as I continue to check the temperature. Stopping the faucet when it becomes full. Dipping my head in water splashing up my nose and into my eyes.

Bellatrix is screaming. Primal and scary as she dances around the house, fire emitting from the windows as the black smoke billows up and around us, the snake and skull visible.

Pleading and screams come from the burning house, the voice of a child and mother echoing around the air as the fire crackles and spits.

"They are dead Draco. Gone. They will surely get the message now." Bellatrix laughs, wrapping her neck around Lucius as he stands watching the fire, hair billowing back around him as he eventually turns and leaves signalling two other death eaters to follow: both of them far too young to be involved in this.

I stand looking at the building longer. The outline of a person standing in the upstairs window, surrounded with red and black. Banging on the window. The rattling of the window pane masked by the smash as it gives way and smoke billows out the window, the form of a young woman reaching out.

"Help us. Please. Don't. Don't do this. I have a child- please just take my child. Don't let her" She stops talking to cough, her chest cracked and raw with the smoke.

"Please don't do this. Don't. She is just a child."

The scream of a child calling out for her mother is heard inside the building, something inside shattering as the fire leapt up each side of the building, eventually taking host on the right side. The heat intensifying as the woman covers her face again, reaching out for us.

The fire licks her arm, screaming in pain she reels it back as the fire catches the window, engulfing the side of her jumper as she screams patting it out before falling out of view of the window. Glass shattering and screaming and crying roaring over the whole noise.

"Draco move. Let's go. This is done now" And Bellatrix grabs my neck and pulls me forward, away from the building.

I pull my head out the water, visions of dinners playing around in my mind. Plans of killing ministry members and families being thrown around my home at the dark lord as if it was just sharing sweets.

"Let's make a statement. Burn them alive. Like people did to witches in the muggle times years ago."

"No why don't we keep the pretty ones. Put them to good use?"

"Are you mad. Better kill the mudbloods and the half-bloods. Leave the pure bloods."

"Just wait till we get our hands on the golden trio, they will be worth a lot of money."

"Well I'm sure a lot of the students in Hogwarts would too, some really fine woman holed up in that castle."

I turn and grab the towel, wiping my face harshly, hoping to scrub off some of the guilt. Some of the wine and Soot. But I couldn't, it was etched into me like the dark mark. Scarred on my body forever.

I was doing tasks I had promised Ophelia I would never do. And for some sick reason, I would rather do them than die. And that put me on the same list as Dolohov and my father.

*/

*Ophelia*

Before long the halls of Hogwarts were littered with floating candles and lights, the smell of apple and cinnamon being transfixed into the atmosphere. Tinsel magically appearing on mantel pieces and the posters in our beds, and the food at dinner time turning to Christmas pudding and roast vegetables.

The teachers had decided to uproar Christmas this year, hoping that it would distract people from the suffocating that was soon to come. Whispers had began leaking through the cracks that something was brewing. Voldemort had plans, and they were closing in soon.

But the apple and cinnamon brushed that away, the tree in the great hall shoving baubles and lights into the eyes of students: all the colours each being the colour of a spell. A curse that now plagued my mind. Green and red no longer meant happy and festive. It now meant bad, death. End of a lifecycle.

Not very jolly. I know.

I hadn't seen Draco for just over two months, no letter, no news. Nothing. Just empty and unbeatable silence. He could be dead for all I know. In a coffin covered in dirt six feet under. Hell, he might not even be in a coffin, he must just be dust and ash that blows past me when I wander past a open fire.

Merry fucking Christmas.

I sat with Lavender and Luna in the dorm, each of us exchanging small presents between us.

Despite our different houses, the divide had seemed to dissolve as this year had went on, Voldemort creating a bigger problem than who you could be friends with. And after Sarah's death they were kind to me. Something I needed. Sarah loved Christmas, she would have all her presents months in advance and would struggle to hold in what she got everyone. She would giggle and shift around if you pressed her, and it would never take long for her to cave in and gush out all her presents and who she bought them for.

I smiled at the memory, the emotions of bliss flitting across my eyes as I scanned my room. When something snapped in my head: a realisation.

I stood from my bed, my legs protesting as I walked towards my chest of drawers, opening the bottom on and fishing my hand inside, coming to a cold wrapped box.

Flipping the tag I read it.

"Opheliaaaaa,

Okay I really didn't want to tell you what I got you this year, so I decided to hide it from you in plain sight.

Merry Christmas BITCH! They are wireless! Dance girl daaaance!!

Love, Sarah.

Sarah you bitch.

I chuckle at the thought and pop the corner off the paper, unwrapping it and letting the box fall into my lap.

Earphones. A new pair after my run in with Amycus.

"You know...It's okay to be sad" Luna says, her voice smooth and comforting against the waves that had began in my head.

"Sometimes its nice to feel that pain during a time that's meant to be happy...Let's you hold onto the happiness more, you know?" She jingles, her eyes wafting around the room as if she could see things we couldn't.

"I know Luna, its just...different now? For everyone." I say and stand, turning to both Luna and Lavender before sitting cross legged on the bed, the earphone box clutched in my hand as if it would disappear like Sarah if I let it go.

"You're allowed to be sad" Offers Lavender, her hand patting my shoulder before she sweeps a piece of her hair away from her face both of their eyes trained on me waiting for something to happen.

But I don't cry.

"For just a second. I smile, or I laugh. And everything is forgotten or everything is just okay. For a split second. I forget all of it. I forget the blood and the gargling. I forget the war and the ongoing impending doom. For just a second, I turn to my right and go to tell Sarah something. Or I expect to see Lucas round the corner and smile. Or I expect to see.."

I stop talking, my brain about to say Draco. They'd don't know. And they cant.

"It's okay to feel pain. And its okay to laugh. They laugh with you. And now its more important to laugh. Otherwise the people we lose really will be dead. And if we laugh for them, then they aren't ever really gone..."

I turn to Luna, her hand trialing over her necklace as I smile.

"You're right."

We sit in silence. The words of Luna floating around in the air while we each think, each of us laughing FOR someone. Some of us laughing otherwise we would cry.

"I need to go pack for the train home. But ill write to you Ophelia." I nod, hugging Lavender in return as she wraps her arms around me, her scent leaving the room with her.

"I really should go too. I expect the Nargals have stolen some of my shoes, and I really need them this Christmas. My father and I are going to search for Minx Mumbles after New year. That's when they are at their strongest."

And with that Luna too leaves, her promise of writing to me hanging heavy on my heart.

Will they really write? Or will I even reply? What would I say?

"Hey my Christmas was boring and bland. I stayed at Hogwarts because my house is a mess and Draco isnt here and I don't even know if hes alive. And I don't know where he is so I cant even send him a gift.

Oh and I hid from the Carrow's for most of Christmas. Apparently they also hate Christmas. I got a bruise to show it. Happy Christmas guys, glad your family life is functioning."

I shake my head, deciding to head to the Room of Requirements, the nostalgic fire a warming thought in my stomach as I grabbed the earphones.

The walk there was silent, students still in the hall eating their dinner, the scrapping of plates and occasional burst of laughter burning out through the hallways.

Even the Carrow's cant kill Christmas spirit.

The room is cold, the fire snubbed out and the air crisp with the lack of humans wandering around it.

"Incendio" and the fire erupts out, melting the frost and warming up the room my body releasing the tension.

"Dance bitch daaance"

I laugh loudly, kicking my shoes off and agreeing. Perhaps that isn't a bad idea Sarah.

Slotting the earphones in I click the first song that comes up. Feeling the electric beat course through me my body as I sit on a old chair opposite me, the moves linking together like a chain before the fifth beat even comes in.

The voice starts and my hand goes up and jerks to cover my mouth, the suffocating feeling resonating back to the lake as I swung it up and moved my body out, chest forward and head rolling. My legs swinging to straddle the chair before they come back around and I stand, cocking my leg and extending my arm, the other riding down it like a snake, intertwining my hand. My body melting off the chair onto the floor and flexing up extending my legs towards the sky and extending my arms across the floor as I then split my legs and roll up into the splits. Flipping my hair and then rolling onto my stomach and then stand: my back and head arched as my hand went out and I jumped.

I felt calm, steady. Bird like as I swooned and popped, crackled and electrified myself with each move. No thinking, just moving.

"You know. I don't think I could ever get bored of you doing that."

I scratch to a halt and turn, the blonde hair sticking out like a burnt match against the empty room.

And I was running towards him, breathing erratic as his arms engulfed my frame and his scent of mint and musk flooded into my nose. My body coiling against his while he kisses my forehead.

"I missed you too?" Draco sighs, tightening his hug before he lets go and sets me back on the ground.

"How did you- why. Where did you come- Why are you here-2 MONTHS!"

And I smack his arm hard, earning a wince from him as he rubs it.

"Hey I was hoping for more than a hit Ophelia. I know I'm sorry. But its...bad out there. I'm, right in the middle of it. Doing stuff I'm...that I'm not proud of."

His frame falters, and I'm cupping his face bringing my lips to his as I shush him between each kiss.

"It's okay Draco. It's okay. Just lets- lets ignore outside for just a moment. Just a second for just- a- min- minute."

And nothing more is needed to be said. Because Draco had me lifted off the ground and set me on the table across the room, our lust building like the fire when I started it.

2 months of panic and uncertainty leaching into each kiss and movement. Draco placing himself in between my legs and groaning as I traced my hands up his chest. Taking them back and untying my hair letting it fall around my shoulders.

"I thought about- KISS- being with you- KISS- since I left here and- KISS- now I can"

He threaded his hands into my hair and pulled me closer as he ground against me emitting a moan from my throat making him grip tighter against my scalp.

I pushed him back and jumped down from the table, licking my lips as I knelt in front of him, hands eager against his belt as he breathed through his teeth as it unbuckled and his zip was lowered with speed and hunger.

His dick pulsed as I pulled it out his boxers and I began pumping, edging my moth nearer and tracing my tongue against his tip. Before engulfing him completely earning a groan from deep in his chest as I pump and slurp. A steady rhythm starting as I get hungrier and hungrier.

"My god- yes Ophelia keep doing that, my god you feel so- g- good"