Dead Girl Walking (Draco x Astoria)

Chapter 23 - Touch and Regret

She slowly made her way to the front of the cell, where she saw him seated down, head rested on his hand. She looked around- the cell seemed to be padded with a dark material, and it was soundless, like her friends had told her. There was no echo.

"You never looked so casual." She said, looking at his dark blue jumpsuit from top to bottom. It was short sleeved, with his mark on full display, which is what they intended for. She cleared her throat, surprised at her now deep voice.

"Hah," he mumbled. "No fancy clothes here, for criminals."

There was a short silence.

"Why are you here?"

She took a deep breath, taking the solution from her pocket into her shaking hand. He didn't look at her, and only looked at his feet.

"I just needed to see you."

She drank it and gagged, but it went well when she saw her familiar fingers and long hair again.

"Astoria!" He exclaimed quietly, getting up from his seat immediately. He approached the bars and she did too, holding them with both her hands.

"Draco, I am so sorry."

"No, no," he whispered.

"No, I am. Truly. This should have never happened."

"You shouldn't be here, this is really dangerous for you."

"I had to,"

He leaned in, holding the same one bar as she did just above her hand.

"I knew they hurt you, what is that bruise on your jaw?"

"They just roughed me up a bit," he chuckled. She smiled up at him.

"Do you eat well here?"

He sighed quietly.

"You're the first person I've spoken to since I've been in this place." He admitted.

"Yeah?" She mumbled quietly.

He nodded slowly, "Feels good." He tiredly leaned the side of his head on the cold bar.

They only stared at each other then, and when her eyes unconsciously looked to his lips, her smile slowly faded.

Her heart started thumping loudly when he leaned in just a little, and she found herself going to stand on her toes.

"Is this real?" He asked. She closed her eyes as she felt the cold air on her face. Astoria's hand moved up the bar slowly, and rested on top of his.

He leaned in a bit more, and that was all it took for them to meet- she wanted it to last forever, and was upset at how the metal bars separated them at this very moment. She felt his warm fingers on her neck as they kissed, proof that he was here with her. She wanted to lean in more, but the cold metal against her forehead served as a reminder of where they were right now.

Suddenly there was a loud thumping at the door. She gasped, pushing back to the wall away from him, to cover her mouth.

"10 minutes!" She heard. Taking deep breaths, she looked from the door to her shoes, then to him. Her eyes watered at the thought that she could have been caught.

"I want," he grimaced slightly, tearing. "I just.." He held onto both bars, desperate to be just a bit closer to her.

She walked back to him carefully, trying to calm her heart.

His hands reached out for her and when she came back to stand in front of him again, they rested on her waist. Her hands went to stay on his upper arms.

"Did that really just happen?"

She nodded up at him, caressing his arm. He let out multiple breaths, trying to calm himself down.

"Astoria, you should do me a favour." He paused, and said, "You should just go."

She blinked multiple times. "Go? Go where? I just got here."

"No, I mean just go away. Go start your job, go buy your house, and go forget about me."

She shook her head repeatedly.

"No. We just kissed. Now you think I'm just going to go? You're heartless, Draco."

He huffed finally after seeming to be holding his breath, frowning afterwards.

"At the end of the month, I'll come get you, and clear your name. Then we can go back to how it was."

"Are Theo and Blaise taking care of you?"

She nodded.

"Taking the pills?"

She nodded again.

"I don't kiss just anyone." She whispered.

He leaned in as much as his space could let him. "Yeah?" He mumbled, not happily at all. He wasn't sly, he wasn't smirking, in fact, his eyes were tearing. Their first kiss, in a dirty cell, with him in a dirty uniform. "Who am I to kiss you, then?"

"Not anyone."

He stared only for a little, then proposed that she should go now.

"I think I have at least five minutes left. I don't want to leave." She mumbled.

"Who told you to visit me?" He frowned.

She blinked. "I wanted to see you. I missed you."

He let go, stepping back. "How am I supposed to stay here for the rest of the month now that I've caught a glimpse of you? How am I supposed to not go insane at the fact that you've come and seen me, let alone kissed me? How am I supposed to stay content here?"

She felt guilty, reaching into her pocket, ready to take the potion again.

She took a deep breath, to calm her heart down. "I don't know how to ease your worries, but maybe just knowing that I'll be waiting for you will be enough."

He nodded, looking away. She took the drink in one go, turning away to exit down the corridor.