Redamancy (d.m)

Chaptet ninety five-the fruit heist

I could tell I was by the sea because the first thing I registered when I woke was the smell. The room scented of freshwater and salt, and the subtle aroma that sand leaves on your skin after lying on the beach. After smell came sight. I lifted open my heavy eyelids to find rough white stone walls, the corners and edges of the room were rounded and sloped. The Moroccan-blue window shutters were left open, swaying slightly in the calm evening wind. At the windowsill was a pot of bougainvillea flowers, their hot pink blossoms in full bloom. I had slept in this bed. I had leaned out that window. I had watered those flowers.

Santorini. I was back.

My head spun towards the door as I heard it click, sitting up in bed as it swung open to reveal a sight for the sorest eyes.

"Hi" Draco murmured hesitantly, shifting his feet nervously where he stood
"Hi" I answered softly, slightly breathless just at the sight of him
"You're awake" he stated, still rooted to the doorway
"Keen observation" I joked, and, despite the situation, it elicited a breathy laugh from him
"I-uh, I brought you breakfast" he said, gesturing to the plate of eggs and toast in his hand
"Thanks, I'm starving" I said gratefully, accepting the fork he held out to me

"Yeah, I figured you would be" he said quietly, chewing on the inside of his cheek, gaze darting to the end of the bed, "can I sit?"

"I would sure hope so, it's your house after all" I teased between mouthfuls of eggs as he perched himself on the edge of the mattress, "speaking of that, how exactly did I get here, and why haven't you handed me over to Voldemort yet?"

"You got, um, cut, I assume while fighting" he explained, pointing to the layers of bandages wrapping around my abdomen, "you had already lost a shit ton of blood when I found you"

"And then you healed me and took me to your secret vacation house?" I said slowly, my voice heavy with disbelief

"Don't be stupid, of course not" he dismissed with a frown, relenting as he added, "I took you here first, and then I healed it. It would've been foolish to heal you there, the place was infested with death eaters"
"Ourselves, included" I reminded him, and he stiffened at the statement
"Not you" his voice was gentle as he spoke, "you're better than the rest of us"
"Is that why you didn't leave me to bleed out on the astronomy tower?" I questioned curiously, "because I'm better than the rest?"

He glanced away from me before responding

"No" he answered simply, gazing unseeingly at the vase in the corner of the room, "that's not why", he met my eyes with a look that told me everything I needed to know, everything I couldn't allow him to say, "it's because I lo-"

"I need to go, my friends are probably looking for me" I hewed off quickly, setting my plate down on the night stand beside me
"(Y/n)-"
"Thanks for the food, and for not letting me die, but we really shouldn't see each other again"
"(Y/n), stop" he said through gritted teeth as I swung my legs off the bed and made to stand, regret flushing through me as a scorching pain shot through my stomach the second I attempted to stand

His reflexes were fast, sliding two arms beneath my shoulders to steady me before I tumbled to the ground, and laying me back on the bed despite my protest

"I'm fine, really, I just forgot about it for a second" I insisted, biting down the groan of agony that threatened to leave my mouth as I shifted the wrong way
"You're not fine, you lost your body weight in blood and are healing from three broken ribs, so-like it or not-you're going to stay here and listen to me" Draco lectured with a stern sigh

I plopped my head up onto the pillow in a show of reluctant surrender.

"You're really not going to turn me in?" I checked, still doubtful of his intentions
"To the Dark Lord? Are you insane?" He scoffed with wide eyes, "I'm never putting you in harm's way ever again"
"Bit more complicated than that, isn't it" I commented, picking at the skin along my fingernails, "we're fighting a war, after all"
"Who says we have to?" Draco asked with a cryptic look on his face as he gazed at me
"Everyone" I answered plainly, but he shook his head at me
"No. No, we don't have to fight, we don't have to listen to everyone else" he argued intently
"Draco, what are you talking about?" I inquired softly