BEHIND CLOSED DOORS | D.M

033 | only love can hurt like this

Draco left three weeks ago.

Kallista has been trying to convince herself that he doesn't mean a thing. That she doesn't miss his voice or his touch or his words. That whatever they have has got no hold on her.

She has been telling herself she is alright without Draco.

She doesn't need him.

She doesn't miss him.

She doesn't want him.

She doesn't care if he walks away.

Right?

———

Kallista gets awoken by the sound of a vase breaking followed by profanities being muttered beneath Draco's breath.

When she opens the door, she meets with Draco's wide eyes as he tries to clean his mess, the faint gleam of the lamp beside the sofa being the only source of lighting mixing with the bright moonlight.

"What are you doing?" She asks in a quiet voice, wrapping her arms around herself. "Why do you look like a burglar getting caught?"

Draco doesn't respond as he straightens himself. His eyes travel from her face down to the hollow of her throat, studying the way her nightgown clings to her body.

"Malfoy," Kallista drones, waving a hand in front of his face.

He blinks, and with a flicker of his wand, the broken vase gets repaired.

"Cat got your tongue?" She inquires mockingly when he takes in her frame once more.

Draco looks at her as though he has never seen someone quite this enthralling with disheveled hair, little clothing and tired eyes. He observes her as though he tries to take a mental photograph in order to imprint everything about her in his mind. He looks at her as though this is the very last time he will ever see her.

"You weren't supposed to wake up," he finally musters, crossing his arms over his chest.

That is the moment she notices he is wearing his Auror uniform. She frowns—he wasn't supposed to be working this week.

"Well, you're as discrete and smooth as a mouse—" He rolls his eyes at her sarcasm. "Everything alright?"

"I'm leaving," he simply says.

"Where?" She leans her shoulder against the doorframe, her brow arched in amusement. "Found another rich witch to marry?"

Draco doesn't so much as curve his lips upwards at her attempt at making a sly joke. He shakes his head, his jaw clenching as though he doesn't want to utter the next words.

Taking a small breath in, his chest heaves. "We have to go training in Poland. Might as well take the opportunity on leading a whole mission over there."

Kallista's chest feels all of the sudden heavy and she can't place a word upon the reason.

"Okay," she whispers with a small nod.

Draco stares at her with a look in his eyes that she has never seen before. She swallows thickly, her heart thumping unevenly against her thoracic cage and her stomach churning painfully.