Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Training - 127

Draco

I stood across from my Aunt Bellatrix and swallowed anxiously. Aphry stood to the side, one arm around her torso, and her other hand balled nervously up in a fist and covering her mouth. We'd been at this for a while for the second day in a row, and I was trying to apply what I'd studied with Aphry the day before.

Aunt Bellatrix lifted her wand, wordlessly casting the legilimency charm.

At first, I fought as the memories swam through my head. Memories of school, then classes, then Aphry in class, Aphry reading by the lake, staring at the back of Aphry's head jealously as she talked excitedly with Potter's crowd. My aunt had been trying to get to my memories of Aphrodite more and more.

It stopped. Nothing but silence.

"Weeeeelllllll," my Aunt drew out the word like a high screech, almost seeming excited. 

Aphry dropped her arms to her side. Her eyes widened hopefully. "Did you do it?"

"Indeed he did," Aunt Bellatrix said with a lopsided, mildly crazed smile. It sounded vaguely like praise.

A bright smile appeared on Aphry's face. "Well done, Draco!" That was clearly praise.

Tried as I might, I couldn't control the slight puff in my chest as I flashed her one of my infamous smirks.

My Aunt lifted her wand. "Now, to improve upon that. Focus on how you achieved that."

She cast the spell once more. Memories ran through my head, but when another memory that could jeopardize Aphrodite came through, I was finally able to shield my mind.

Aunt Bellatrix released me from the charm. "You're getting somewhere, but not yet far enough. If a strong legilimens can access even one memory..."

"They can access your whole mind." Aphrodite finished. 

Bellatrix nodded in agreement. "You couldn't even try to evade the Dark Lord at this point." She paused, clutching her left arm through her sleeve. "Speaking of which, I'm being called for. We'll pick up on this tomorrow." She looked at me through cut eyes. "Do not lose the progress we've made today, Draco."

I nodded respectfully. "Yes, Aunt Bella."

Without another word to us, she left.

As soon as the door to the drawing room swung closed, I stalked toward my brilliant girlfriend. I picked her up, and she squealed as I spun her. "Aphrodite Cytheria, you are a saint." The notes and time studying yesterday afternoon had certainly paid off. She laughed at the comment.

Putting her down, I kept her wrapped in my arms and gave her a solid kiss. It was disappointing how few opportunities I'd had to kiss her, resorting only to stolen private moments. My mother and William no doubt understood we were together at this point. But I didn't yet want to push William Cytheria's patience, knowing how protective he was of his only daughter.

When we separated, Aphry was down to business, which I thought was endearing. "We need to go back up to your library and continue studying my notes. We should also talk about what you experienced and how you managed to block Bellatrix's legilimency. Then we can figure out how we can strengthen that."

"You know, I'm thinking I'll be able to do this," I said with newfound confidence.

"Of course, you can," she said brightly. "You're clever, and you've already shown some capability. I'm certain you'll master it."

"I've still got to figure out how to kill him, though," I added as an afterthought.

The energy in the room shifted drastically, feeling like I'd gotten doused with a bucket of ice water. Aphry's smile dropped, her eyes widening. It was then I realized we were talking about slightly different topics. She was merely alluding to my newly budding occlumency skill, the excitement briefly making her forget about the task for which I was preparing.

My voice softened drastically, "Aphry-"

"Don't," she said just as softly, shaking her head softly and avoiding eye contact with me. She took a few paces, looking out the oversized windows pensively. "You're right. I'm going to have to wrap my head around this if we're going to live. I need to stop being so sensitive about it."

I didn't know how to respond, so I just watched her. At that moment I couldn't help but take in her beauty, despite the circumstances. The sunlight brought out the red in her curls, which cascaded just passed her shoulders. Her russet eyes gave away how conflicted she truly was.

A thought cross my mind. If I failed, she would die. But would something die inside of her, knowing someone was murdered to keep her alive?

Brewing inside me was a storm of emotions. Anger because of how unfair this was to her. Determination to succeed despite how it would affect her. And another emotion, I either couldn't quite name... or wasn't quite ready to.

At that moment she turned to me, and when her eyes met mine, I felt my chest fill with that emotion. Her hand absentmindedly went to the necklace connecting us. "What are you thinking, Draco?" She asked.

I looked down, willing myself not to reveal in my expression what was in my head. "That I need to figure out how to do this."

She nodded solemnly. "Well then, we need to get to work. Let's head up to the library to start studying those notes."