𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙧

chapter 7

talia removed herself from draco and rose to her feet. there was too much going on for her to be carried and helpless.

as they ran hand in hand, tal saw the battle happening around them. students and deatheaters and teachers fighting. it was bloodshed, and the only thing she could do to keep herself together was reach for his hand and hold it tight.

draco ran as he led them to an empty classroom, both of them ducking and avoiding spells along the way. the seats were dishelved and the chalk board at the front was broken in half. someone was fighting here, or deatheaters destroyed it. but they were gone now.

"you scared me to death! what if you didn't make that jump?" draco yelled. talia shoved her wand in her pocket.

"you were looking for the diadem, weren't you? to give it to him." tal brought up. draco looked at her seriously.

"potter has my wand. i've been using my mothers, but it doesn't know me. but at the same time, if he tells me to do something, i have to do it."

"i know you don't have a choice, draco. but i also need you to know that if it comes down to that again and i'm stuck in the middle of it-"

"i know." draco cut her off. he understood the position talia was just in and how difficult it was for her to be caught in the middle of doing what's right and trying to protect her boyfriend.

"you have the choice. and it's time you start picking the right side." draco pushed a strand of hair from her face.

he thought about the fights she got in with harry, ron and hermione over him and the night dumbledore died. she made too many sacrifices for draco already.

even though draco and tal said these words, she knew she would defend and protect draco over anything, and he would do the same. she was already holding down the weight of killing one of the greatest wizards so he wouldn't. there was nothing else she wouldn't do.

"i'm sorry about goyle. i just..i got so angry with him for putting us in that situation and everything going on. i know it was wrong to take it all out on him, and now he's gone because i don't know what came over me." tal tried, rambling on. draco nodded.

"lets not talk about it." he said. still, talia shook her head.

"i know but it's-something came over me-"

"talia. talia. it's done. we don't have to talk about it. look. it's just us in here." he whispered and spoke softly over her words. him speaking softly and saying her name made her weak in the knees. she could've collapsed right there.

she closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead. a spell struck the door of classroom, having gotten stuck in the crossfire of two people fighting. it made a loud sound, causing talia to jump and cling to the boy in front of her and him to cover her, looking in the direction the door came from.

tal looked back at him as he looked at the door wearingly. she saw his jawline. his blonde hair. the corner of his gray eyes.

"it's like hell out there." tal said, diverting his attention back to her. now, she was the one staring at the door as he stared at her, deep in thought.

he truly loved this girl more than anything. and he had come so close to losing her too many times. but here she was in front of him, standing there now, both of them scared out of their minds.

"marry me."

it was said just above a whisper. but still very heard.

"what?" tal asked.

"if the both of us somehow manage to make it out of this alive, i want to spend the rest of my life with you talia. i won't let go of you again. so marry me." draco was tearing up at the thought of one of them dying.

"draco.." talia didn't know what to say.

"we'll go to that church. i promise. just marry me."

tal let out a laugh as her eyes teared up. she remembered when they first talked about getting married at a church in ireland one night when they were laying in the slytherin common room. then, she thought about all of the happy moments they had shared.

so she kissed him.

and they kissed each other like it was going to be the last time, because they both knew there was a chance it could be.

"is that a yes?" draco asked when she pulled away. talia's smile made him smile.

"yes. of course, draco. yes."

tal kissed him again.

"you're insane!" she laughed. he laughed as well, wiping her tears and not being able to tell if they were happy or sad.

"no matter how this ends, we'll find each other. meet me at the astronomy tower." he said. tal nodded her head.

he kissed her one last time before she took a step back.

"okay."

she knew neither of them would say goodbye. so, she started walking for the door to the classroom, pulling out her wand. she thought about the words he said; 'if somehow we manage to make it out of this alive'.

"draco." she turned just before she exited. he was already looking at her. watching. admiring.

"i'm not going anywhere."

and with that, she left.