|| Star-Crossed ||

59

Peace

4 DAYS LATER
CAROLINE POTTER

"I'm not going to tell you, Caroline. Now eat your breakfast. Please." Theo said. I was begging Theo for the hundredth time to tell me what he was going to tell me before Draco came in. But now he won't. "Please Theo, you said it yourself I deserve to know," I said. "I was wrong," he mumbled. Tears rolled down my cheeks. "I can't take this anymore. The constant terror of not knowing anything. I don't know where my brother is, where Max is, where my friends are, if they're alive, if they're hurt, if they need me. I can't take the fear that creeps in everytime you leave because I don't know if you're going to make it back. I don't know where Draco is or if he's going to make it back. It's like a weight on my chest and I can't breathe." I said. Theo looked at me with sorrow. "I'm sorry," he said. "No, you aren't." I said. "Yes, I am. I love you, Caroline. You are as important to me as Draco is. But I promised him I would keep you here and keep you safe." he said. "Did you two ever stop to think about what I want?" I asked. "I know you want to help your-" he started. "That's not what I mean." I said. He looked at me in confusion. "I don't understand," he said. "Of course you don't. How could you?" I snapped. "Caroline, please," he said. "Did you two ever stop to think that maybe I had a plan? After everything Harry and I went through, I knew in order for this war to end we would have to die. And I was ok with it. I was at peace with it because I would be dying to save my friends, my family. I would be dying so that everyone who died before me wouldn't be gone in vain. My parents, Cedric, Sirius, they all died for me and I was going to repay them by saving everyone." I said. Theo looked at me in horror. "You are so worried about saving everyone else, you don't even care about saving yourself. But Draco does." he said. "Draco saved me but you don't realize I didn't want to be saved. And now he is too selfish to let me go," I spat. "He isn't selfish, he loves you." he said. "I know, and I understand that. But if he really loved me, he would let me go. People gave their lives for me and I need to return the favor. That's my purpose. His is to let me go, to let me do that." I said. Theo sat down and buried his face in his hands. "I don't want you to die," he said quietly. I smiled and took his hand. "I know. I'm sorry." I said. He nodded. "Will you please let me go?" I asked. He stood up and backed away shaking his head. "No, no, no. I can't. I- I promised. I can't- I won't. Even if I wanted to, Draco's the only one who can take down the wards, and he won't. I'm sorry." he said quickly. "Theo, please-" I started. He ran out and shut the door. I just laid back down. The cupcake Theo and Draco brought me for my birthday was still sitting in its container on my nightstand. I'm 17 now.

A few hours passed and the door opened again. I assumed it was Theo and I just stared at the wall. "Line," a soft voice said. I looked up and Draco stood in front of me. "Go away," I said. "No," he said. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. I sat up and scooted back. I hugged my knees to my chest and looked at him. "Theo told me what you said," he said. "And?" I asked. "You want me to let you go," he said. I nodded. "I need to help my brother. I know you love me but so does my brother," I said. "But I need you too," he said quietly. I crawled closer to him and sat on my knees. I took his wrist gently and pushed up his sleeve. I stared at his dark mark and I watched tears fill his eyes. "I did it for you," he said. "I know," I whispered. I pressed my lips to his and he pulled away. "What are you doing-" he started. I said nothing and kissed him again. I pulled off my sweater and straddled his waist. He kissed me hard, interlacing his fingers in my hair as I pulled off his blazer. I started to take off his belt when he pulled back. "Line, this is wrong- you don't want-" he started. I kissed him harder, slipping my hand into his trousers and palming his dick. "Line, tell me you want this-" he stammered. I just kissed him again as tears filled my eyes. I grabbed his hand and slid it down my chest and into my knickers. "Line, wait- do you want to-" he started. I felt a tear roll down my cheek as his hand groped my breast and the other found my center. He pulled back and looked at me. "Fuck!" he exclaimed. He pulled away and pushed me off him, standing up. "Please, Draco. Let me go. I'll do whatever you want." I said quickly. "Fucking hell, Line. Are you insane? You thought if you had sex with me I would let you go?" he yelled. Tears fell to my cheeks as I sat on the bed in my bra. "Please, Draco. Please just let me leave. I'll come back whenever you want, I'll do whatever you ask, just please let me leave!" I begged. "Line, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to think that-" he started. "No, please. Just let me make you feel good. I always make you feel good. I'll do it and then you can let me go," I said as I dropped to my knees in front of him. He looked at me in horror. "Stop, please stop," he said. He pulled me to my feet and stepped back. "This is not happening," he said. "Please! You can't keep me here. I have to help my brother, he is-" I started. He ran his fingers through his hair and slammed his fist against the wall. "No! I said no! You are never leaving this room. Ok? Do you get it? Never! It's the only way to keep you alive!" he yelled. I stumbled back and he looked at me. "I would rather die than be with you for one more second," I spat. His face dropped and his eyes went dark. "Too bad," he spat back. Then he stormed out.