On the Nature of Daylight

Epilogue

Soundtrack- "Face of the Father" by Tony Anderson

Epilogue

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"Draco," Granger placed her hand on his cheek, pushing her fingers into his hair a little.

Draco grinned and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her palm against his skin.

"Kiss me," she said softly and Draco leaned forward, shifting on the bed and pressed his lips to hers. They were so soft and he could feel them spreading against his as she smiled wider. He wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her closer as he took her mouth. Vanilla and cinnamon swam into his senses and Draco spread his hands out across her back, tracing down her spine with long fingers.

"Mmm," she pulled her lips into her mouth, tasting them and opened her bright cinnamon eyes. "I love this. I love you."

"I love you too, Hermione. God, I love you."  It was burning in him. Hell didn't hold a candle to this inferno and he could have spent an eternity with her, in her, and it would still not be enough.

"Then kiss me." Her sweet lips pulled in another smile. "Kiss me, Draco. Touch me. Fu-"

A wave hit his face, flooding his mouth with salt water, choking him. Granger's sweet smell vanished, as did the warmth of her hand, her soft lips. All of her.

Draco spluttered and spat out the water, coughing to clear his lungs of the harsh salt water. He pushed himself up, blinking heavily against the bright light around him. Despite the water dripping down his face, his lips were dry and chapped. All of his skin felt hot and tight, burning under the relentless sun above him.

He groaned as he sat up and saw the wine bottle sitting on the wet sand beside him. He had taken it with him before coming out here yesterday evening, after his Mother had screamed at him to get out, to leave. He had been more than happy to get out of the villa and away from his father's blood curdling screams.

The warm weather was supposed to be helping his father, but Draco had not noticed much of an improvement. Lucius could hardly get out of bed on his own. Hell, he barely spoke besides his babbling. He shivered and screamed, eyes wide and wild as he thrashed about lost in his delirium.

"Draco! Help me hold him down!" His mother had called to him, trying to push down one of his father's arms.

This wasn't the first fit he had witnessed, but they all disturbed him just the same. Draco stared, appalled, at the ruined man twisting in the sheets. Dark runes, sigils, and numbers stained the grey skin underneath. His ribs were sticking out sharply and his muscles had diminished to strings almost as thin as the lank blond hair that was left on the pillow every time Lucius lifted his head from it.

This was not his father. It couldn't be.

"Please!" his mother had begged and Draco moved quickly, holding his father's arm down at the wrist and shoulder as she tried to utter calming words between her tears. The fit passed after a moment and his father whimpered and moaned, sinking back into the bed, mumbling incoherently.

Narcissa bent over him, brushing her hands over his hollowed cheeks.

"My love, oh my love," she said tearfully. "You're safe. They can't get you here. Not here. Not with me beside you."

Draco felt the fight leave his father and let go of his arm. He watched his mother smooth his father's hair, whispering softly to him until his mumbling stopped. Lucius looked up at her with pale grey eyes, blinking them as he recognized her.