In third-year halls, their paths first crossed,
A Raven boy, a Blonde girl lost.
"Stay out of my way," she warned with a glare,
But something lingered in the frosty air.
Crimson with his scar and fame,
Emerald with her secrets untamed.
Two worlds ap...
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As twilight crept into the corners of the grand but shadowed room, Aria stood by the small, frost-laced window, her mind racing. The chill of the stone walls mirrored the cold ache in her chest, a constant reminder of her double life within Malfoy Manor. She knew the risks, knew how close danger lurked each day. But nothing prepared her for the sound of her door creaking open.
Draco stood there, framed by the dim light, his face a mask of urgency and concern. Without a word, he closed the door behind him and crossed the room swiftly, stopping just before her. His silver gaze was intense, determined, a mirror of the fierce protection he felt for her.
"Aria," he murmured, voice low, almost pleading. "It's all set. I've arranged everything. We can slip out tonight—no one would know until it's too late."
Her heart sank at the desperation in his voice. For weeks now, he had watched her, his worry growing more obvious as he witnessed the toll the mission was taking on her. Yet she had never imagined he would go this far, risking everything to give her a chance to escape.
"Draco," she began, a tremor in her voice. "You...you can't mean this."
He stepped closer, gripping her hand tightly. "I do. I've covered everything. If we leave now, we'd be halfway across the country by morning, out of this place and away from... from him." His voice dropped to a whisper, and she could hear the raw terror he hid beneath his cold, composed exterior.
She shook her head, willing herself to be strong, to resist the temptation of his words. "You think I don't dream about leaving all this behind? That I don't think about running every single day?" Her voice cracked, and she took a breath, steeling herself. "But this mission... Draco, it's bigger than just me. I can't walk away now."
His jaw clenched, and his grip on her hand tightened. "Why not?" he demanded, his voice harsh with desperation. "This isn't worth your life, Aria. No mission is."
She held his gaze, feeling her heart ache as she struggled to make him understand. "It's not about my life. It's about making sure that all of this—this horror, this cruelty—ends. I swore I would do my part, and I won't abandon that promise."
Draco's face contorted, an anguish she had rarely seen him reveal flashing through his eyes. He reached out, his fingers brushing over her face with a gentleness that belied the turmoil beneath his calm. "You're my sister. My only family that matters anymore. How can you ask me to just stand by while you risk your life for people who wouldn't hesitate to throw you to the wolves?"
Aria's breath hitched as his words hit her, a tear slipping free before she could stop it. She placed her hand over his, pressing it against her cheek. "You're everything to me, too," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "But I can't turn my back on this. People are counting on me, Draco. And if I can help... if I can make even a little difference, then that's enough."
