The Girl Who Lived

Avoidance

June 7th, 1996.

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Elena Clairmont sat in the Great Hall, mindlessly skimming through a book with Ginny Weasley on her right while stirring a cup of sweetened coffee. Her fingers, still bent oddly, ran over the sentences she read quickly. She couldn't focus lately, not on anything, not on a single damn thing.

The pain was too much but the loneliness was just as bad at times. Most of the time, actually. But she didn't care, it was the best thing for Malfoy.

"Your face- it's all bruised-" Malfoy said, brows knit together as he searched her face.

Elena knew how she looked, knew how horrific the injuries looked but there was so much she never wanted to tell Malfoy from the past few days. "Not tonight. I'll tell you everything when I can but right now, I just need quiet."

He nodded, tucking an arm underneath his head as he watched her carefully. She did the same movements, lying down on the soft bed of grass in the meadow with an arm tucked underneath her throbbing head. Her heart was pounding, going slower and slower as she felt completely safe for the first time in days.

"I missed you." Draco said quietly. Elena's eyes were shut and he must've assumed she was asleep but she wasn't, she was fully awake, almost afraid to fall asleep and be greeted with more beatings or interrogations.

Elena didn't say anything, not a single word, but instead, she reached out with her free hand and held onto Draco's hand, knitting their fingers together loosely.

She loved him. More than anything or anyone else, she loved him.

The night passed with both of them asleep in the meadow, stars shining above them. It was quiet and peaceful enough for Elena to sleep, just for a few hours.

She woke up as the sun was rising, shifting until she was fully separated from Draco.

Through the sunlight, she studied Draco's sleeping face, soft snores coming from his parted lips. There were stray pieces of hair on his forehead and she brushed the strands away, behind his ear. His face was so soft and smooth, not yet having scruff the way either of the twins did or Harry was beginning to grow. The soft bags underneath his eyes were much less prominent than they had been last night, the sleep had done him well. 

She couldn't bring herself to say it yet because it would make it real but she thought those three words and eight words over and over again as she studied his beautiful face.

"I have to protect you," Elena whispered as softly as she could. She didn't want to wake him up. "I have to protect you because I... You know why."

She pulled a weary smile on her face and sighed. She had to protect him and that meant leaving him behind.

But if leaving him alone without notice would save him from everything that could happen to him, she would do it, no hesitation.

It hurt her more than she could ever explain to stand up, brush the grass off of her pants and walk away, fists clenched and eyes shut. If she turned back to peek one last glance at him, she wouldn't be able to walk away.

When Draco Malfoy woke up later that morning, he was alone. No trace of Elena anywhere he looked.

Had he imagined her? Had he forced his mind to construct an image of her just to satisfy the need he had for her? No. No, he had touched her, had felt her heart beating underneath her shirt.