Dare - Draco Malfoy

Chapter 49: Her cure

Author's note:

Sorry to barge into your reading, but I just wanted to thank you. Over the last couple of days 'Dare' has gotten a lot more views, and to me it's such an incredible thing. I am so glad you've gotten till here and I hope these next chapters will make you fall in love with the story even more. I know I said this before, but the war is now getting serious and things are far darker now.

Enjoy xx,

C.B.

Draco:

Maeve has been quietened by a deep sleep for almost an entire day. Her body completely immobile. The only time I am not by her side, is to find more Murtlap essence to ease her pain, or to get new gauze to change her bandages.

The others arrived hours after we did, Isy and Aria are sharing a room, Blaise and I have our own, even though I have not even entered it yet. Nott has offered to sleep on the couch.

The house is quiet, everyone still resting. The girls insisted to take turns to look after Maeve, so that I could rest, but I refused. I need to be with her. Nott came in the room, knocking quietly before entering, to bring me food and some change of clothes.

-

We apparated on a cliff close by the house. The icy wind piercing our bones. She regained consciousness as I walked her inside, insisted on walking up to the room by herself. Her body was weak, legs trembling by the bitter cold of the unused house. The absence of inhabitants allowed the wall's frozen exterior to trespass into the inside, making the place gelid.

I casted a fire in the old fireplace inside the room and with a movement of my wand, shut the curtains, before removing her clothes and lying her down. I washed her body with a damp cloth, her eyes in and out of focus. Her consciousness on a thin line. Then applied Dittany and Murtlap to help her wounds heal. I had to force my eyes to not look away, as the blood and dust were now cleaned, the cuts were clearly defined.

A large one extending from the top of her rib cage, down to her belly button, an other right across her stomach. Smaller ones scattered around, some on her neck, chest and shoulder and a smaller one on her left arm. I find a light cotton t-shirt to cover her with, removing her bra to let her skin breathe.

Her perfectly smooth skin tampered, marked by the curse. I pray for the Dittany to erase all scars, but to have her with me is all that matters. The scars will be a remind her of the fighter she is.

I sat myself next to her bed, in the same room she was last time she was here. My hand holding hers, my head rested on the side of the mattress and waited, for hours, listening to her breathing, not leaving her side.

-

I can feel myself falling asleep, but force myself to stay awake.

I concentrate on the noise of the crushing waves below us on the beach. I recall the last time I was here, both very much unaware.

I think back of last night in the astronomy tower. I shudder. I think of Dumbledore, dead. I don't want to believe it to be true, even as it happened before my eyes. I think of the cabinet and the result of my actions, my responsibility for the attack on Hogwarts. My head is pounding, my insides raging.

-

I raise my head from the mattress as I feel her hand slightly moving in mine.

Her eyes still closed, her eyebrow furrow. I sit upright and lean closer.

I watch her awaking. Her eyes softly opening. She moans.

"Maeve"

I whisper, I don't want to startle her. She doesn't flinch, instead she looks down at me, a dozed expression in her face.