Redamancy (d.m)

Chapter seventy five-glass towns

I spent the following day in solitude, Draco was away enduring another test in competition for the award of the Dark Lord's task, and Emerson and Westeria were off with their parents to finalise their transfer to Hogwarts, an occurrence I had already informed Dumbledore of, promising to deliver further details when I acquired them. Rue and Aletheo had spent all day in a meeting room, drawing up intricately organised plans for a robbery at Gringotts that would be carried out towards the end of summer. This meant that my expression was one of eager relief as I heard the door of my bedroom open, and in walked Draco in a handsome raven toned suit, his hair loosening from how he had styled it the previous morning

"Look who didn't die" I exclaimed brightly, making him chuckle as he slid off his coat, undoing the first couple of buttons on his dress shirt, "how was it?"
"It was throughly splendid, an awe-inspiring experience" he said with mocking grandeur, strolling over to where I sat in my desk chair, gliding two hands at either side of my waist in order to lift me up smoothly, taking my seat before setting me down on his lap, "you look beautiful, (y/n)"
"Don't pull that soft shit with me" I said jokingly, making him place his grin onto my mouth, and I inhaled his curing scent of solace and nurturing before pulling away

I heard the unmistakable snap of apparation, and in a split second I had pushed Draco out from underneath me to land painfully on the floor nearby while I nestled innocently into my chair just as the house elf appeared into my room

"You're gonna pay for that one" he groaned as he sat up from off the floor, addressing the elf with a lukewarm expression, "what do you want, elf?"
"Bubbsy is looking for Sir in his chambers, but she is not finding him there" Bubbsy began meekly, holding a small, hazel coloured packer parcel behind her back
"Well obviously it's because I was here" he responded with a disdainful scoff, and I glared disapprovingly at him
"Bubbsy apologises, she is just meaning to deliver Sir his mail" at the sight of the small bundle in Bubbsy's hand, Draco's eyes widened with a glint of panic, pushing himself off the floor after shooting me a shaded look, "the one he is asking her to deliver as soon as-"
"Give me that" he snapped, snatching the unidentified package out of the elf's trembling hand, making her let out a squeaky gasp, "get out of my sight, you useless-"
"Draco!" I asserted, appalled at his sudden and unexplained behaviour
"You were supposed to give it to me discreetly, you scummy rat" Draco continued his rampage against the poor elf, who's entire body shuddered with terror
"Bubbsy is sorry, Bubbsy is forgetting, Bubbsy cannot remember things like how Bubbsy used to" she piped, her wide eyes avoiding her master's crushing glare
"It's fine, Bubbsy, go back to your work, it's alright" I said with a stressed sigh, and the elf vanished from the room after shooting Draco one last fearful glance

Once we were alone, he started towards me, cursing under his breath as I stood up to increase the distance between us with a reproachful glare

"Fuck, don't do this, (y/n)" he pleaded, his voice laced with remorse as he threw the parcel carelessly onto the writing desk
"How many times are we going to have this conversation?" I demanded, rounding onto him, "I'm not asking for you to be best mates with them, all I want is to not have to see you treat them like rubbish"
"I know, I know, I just lost my temper" he said, reaching out to take my hand before I yanked it out of reach
"Oh, a lovely excuse" I snarled with venom
"It's not an excuse, it was my fault, and I...shit-I'm sorry, (y/n), I am" I had never seen such desperate genuineness displayed on any other face, and this time, I allowed him to entwine his fingers into mine
"What the hell's in that package that's got you so pissed anyways?" I asked, and he shut his eyes with a sigh, "and why'd you ask Bubbsy to deliver it in private?"
"I didn't...I didn't want to ruin the surprise, but it's already happened so..." he led me cautiously over to the desk, where he handed me the neatly wrapped paper that revealed a small cerulean pouch made of velvet, the drawstrings loosening to reveal an opulently crafted pair of corresponding rings, both with elegant silver bands engraved with minuscule constellations that emitted a faint luminescence in the light

I looked up from the entrancing pieces of jewellery to gaze unbelievingly at the face of the boy in front of me

"Look, I know you said you were perfectly fine last night but I didn't want to take the chance so I had these enchanted" he blurted out, picking up the slightly thinner ring and sliding it delicately onto my ring finger, "it detects discomfort, and it starting flashing brightly when it does, so I'll always know-"

The way this boy could never prolong my anger towards him tortured me in a way that was unparalleled to any other, any previous annoyances succumbed to his hypnotic existence as effortlessly as though it was meant to do just that, his rambling cut short with my prompt kiss left a silence that echoed loudly and undyingly

"It's beautiful, Draco" I said softly as I pulled away, making his cheeks warm with gentle pride, "Just don't call her that again, okay?"
"Never again" he said, firmly shaking his head, leaning his head back down to resume our kiss

The next day was one I had marked in my calendar for weeks, Bubbsy's birthday. While she had made it clear that elves seldom held any celebrations for such a day, I was adamant on doing something special for her. After days of persistent pestering, she had reluctantly agreed to letting me read her a story of her choice. I was in library in search of a particular title when I felt a towering figure pressed against my back

"What're you looking for?" The unexpected voice made me stumble as I turned around, his hand reaching around my wrists to steady me
"Bloody hell, Aletheo, I wasn't trying to die of shock today, you know" I said with an annoyed smile, and he grinned
"I'll come back in a couple days, then" he joked, and I laughed softly, "no, but really, what're you doing?"
"What else do you in a library?" I stated rhetorically, "I'm finding a book to read"
"Anything specific in mind?" He asked, sitting on the fourth tier of the ladder that connected to the bookshelves
"Charlotte Bronte" I said immediately, and he raised his eyebrows
"A woman of sophistication" he said, pushing the ladder to the left with the heel of his foot, his fingers browsing the many spines, "mon genre de femme"
"suis-je censé être impressionné par ça?" I responded naturally, amused at how taken aback he looked as he plucked a novel from off its shelf
"A woman of multilingualism as well" he remarked, pressing his lips together in an impressed grin, hopping off the ladder and walking back towards where I leaned against the opposite shelf, watching him with a book in his outstretched hand
"Glass town?" I observed, my fingers brushing over the vintage gold inscribed onto the paper cover, "I've never heard of it"
"It's one of the Bronte family's lesser known works" he said, shoving his hands in is pockets as he observed how I skimmed through the pages, yellowed with time and use, "but it's my favourite"
"Is this a second edition?" I said with a mesmerised smile
"I think it just might be" he responded, and I looked up to distinguish the grin he was returning
"Lestrange" I tore my smile promptly off my face at the sound of a third voice, much colder than the both of ours
"What're you doing here, Malfoy?" Aletheo spat, unrequited abhorrence still burning in his eyes as he looked at the platinum blonde adversary striding furiously towards us
"I thought you were out with your mother-" I asked, shutting my eyes in overwhelming confusion as he cut me off by pulling me in by the neck and closing his mouth onto mine, interjecting his tongue harshly to outline the insides of my mouth

When I pulled away, brows tightly furrowed as he wiped the bottom lip of his smirk dry with his thumb

"Um, sorry, excuse us" I said with an apologetic look over at Aletheo, who stood glaring back at Draco's cocky expression
"No I'll go, I did what I came here to do anyways" Aletheo said, shooting a pointed look at Draco before walking towards the door
"And what the bloody hell is that?" Malfoy snarled after him
"Calm down, Malfoy, me and (y/n) were just talking"Aletheo called with a taunting grin
"Well I hope you had fun, because it's never happening again" he responded coldly
"How's it feel knowing you have to chain a girl by a leash to get her to stay with you?" Aletheo retorted, having made a full stop on his way to the door and was retracing his steps slowly back to where I stood with Draco
"No one keeps me on a leash, I'm not a fucking dog" I shouted fiercely
"Then stop acting like Malfoy's little bitch" he fumed
"Why don't you shut the fuck up before you get your brains bashed out?" Draco yelled threateningly, taking a step towards Aletheo
"Here's a bright idea-why don't you both shut up?" I snapped hotly, making their heads turn towards me, and I focused first on Aletheo, "If you ever call me a bitch again it will be the last thing you ever say", then to Draco, "I can talk to whoever I want, if there's one thing you should control, it's your temper, and you can't even do that, can you?"

When the pair of them faltered silently, I scoffed, snatching Glass Town from off the reading table and storming out of the library, not knowing nor caring if they tore each other to shreds once alone