Villain, D. Malfoy

30. Clay Rings

Draco

As my fingers run through her hair, I can't help but think back at last week's conversation. The second my eyes met hers, I recognized I couldn't leave without saying goodbye. But she made me realize I couldn't leave at all.

We were both supposed to come home to our parents, the same ones who relentlessly oppose our connection. But, life is brief, and I'm in love with that girl. So, we chose to stay in Hogwarts instead of going home for the break.

For the first time in my life, I didn't care if my father found out. I was still contemplating his demand from a few weeks ago, his voice still rung my mind. I was only sure of one thing: I couldn't let go of her.

What was it about her, you may ask, that made her so addictive? My sharp-witted brain can explain a lot of things but not this. Perhaps it was the way she made me say "For the first time in my life," a lot. Whenever I was nearby her, that sentence would escape my lips invariably.

'For the first time in my life, I made an effort to keep what I wanted close to me.'

'For the first time in my life, I had replied without hesitation.'

'For the first time in my life, I didn't consider if my father found out.'

Isn't it absurd how much human beings relish taking ventures? How much they wish to break from their former behaviors? That's how I felt when my soul was around Emerald's. With her, yesterday didn't endure, only the tomorrow.

She stirs in my lap, bringing me back to reality. "Draco?" Her gentle voice chimes through the dorm. I cup her face, letting her know I was listening. "The night you went to visit your father... What did he tell you?"

I feel my heart sink to my stomach. I bite my lip, immediately thinking of what to say. She had finally convinced me to stay, and if I told her what he said to me, it would just make her leave. So, I lie.

"Something I wouldn't want to repeat. Don't worry about him. He can't come after you if he recognizes I'm standing beside you."

She let my words descend into her consciousness. Emerald probably knew she should keep quiet and not push any more questions about my father. That's the thing with her: She knew my limits. Not only knew them but respected them, even when we loathed each other.

"What about your mother?" I ask her. She mentioned she'd visited her mother the same day I saw my father but never spoke one word about it.

"The day I came to see her..." She trailed off, favoring silence for a few moments. "She said frightful things and asked me for inhumane favors."

I swallow hard, not wanting to imagine what she told Emerald that day. I feel her hand rise to grab mine, and then she fiddles with the rings on my fingers. "You seem to love that one ring, huh?" I whispered. Her chest reverberated against mine, letting me know she was chuckling.

"Who wouldn't? It's precious." Her copper-colored eyes admired it.

"It's also yours."

She turned around, her face now meeting mine. "What?" Her eyebrows creased in honest confusion.

"It's yours now," I repeated.

"But, this is your favorite." She explained. Her humbleness never failed to show.

"All I own carries your possession as well. If you want it, it's yours to take." I now fiddled with her fingers the same way hers fiddled with my hand jewelry.

She smiled before speaking up. "Perhaps I have a more suitable suggestion." She smirked before yanking my hand, making us both stand up.

"Now, where is it that you're kidnapping me to?" I kidded as I rolled my eyes.

"One of your most beloved places. Trust me."

The whole walk towards this unknown destination that I did not know about was pretty short. Of course, Emerald wouldn't let me see any of my whereabouts. She blinded me with a piece of cloth we found in my dorm. The only sense of trust I held was her hands gripping mine, guiding the way. And for the first time in my life, I never felt so secure.

"Open your eyes." Was the last thing I heard before I saw the mysterious end.

A grin washed my face with enjoyment. "You remembered." We were in the heart of one of my favorite places: The remote town hidden in between Hogwarts and the Muggle World. I quickly found the trees where Emerald and I had our first genuine conversation. 

"You wouldn't let me forget. Come, I have an idea for that ring of yours."

She led me to some riverbank. The edges of the creek were all washed up, lacking the greenery they once owned. "Why are we here, darling?" I turned to meet her. Her cheeks burned with a light rose shade. She despised all pet names and nicknames. All of them, except two that I always called her. One of them being darling.

"You see this?" She pointed to the accumulated erosion that left the water and sun.

We sat down across the grass, below a tree that granted us more shade and breeze than the frost indoors ever could. Not caring if our hands got dirty, we reached for the clay buried deep in the riverbank.

"How come yours already looks like a store-bought ring?!" I blurted, raising my hands in desperation.

"Oh, we're still competing? Is that it, Malfoy?" Her face got close to mine as a fit of laughter overcame us both.

"If you say so," I smirked and went back to shaping my ring.

The nature around us brought out our most light selves. Our giggles were in harmony, and our grins complemented the viridity that encircled us.

"You ready?" I asked, and she nodded. Once we were done creating out our hand-made rings made out of the clay and waited for both to dry, we added our own individual touch.

I grabbed a wooden stick that fell from the tree we were lying below. "Miss Hart, would you do me the honors?"

She beamed before she caught the stick and positioned it on her fingers. After a few careful moments, she was done writing on my ring. "Malfoy," She handed me the stick back so I could carve out my words on hers. After writing my matching message onto her ring, I stepped back to admire my work.

Yours Always, D.L.M.

The matching ring said.