slide away {lorenzo berkshire}

81. loml

TW - mention of dead bodies (that sounds depressing but it is the battle scene so u get what i mean)

"I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us".
- J.M. Barrie

~~~~~~

Cassie Avery

They dragged me away. Away from him.

One moment he was there and the next he was gone, like the world had simply torn him from my fingers.

"Let fucking go of me!".

I twisted violently, nails catching skin, my teeth sinking into someone's arm without even thinking.

"Fuck! Cassie-!".

Theo swore, stumbling back as I tore free for half a second, lungs burning, heart clawing its way up my throat.

"I'm going back," I gasped. "Now."

Draco caught me around my waist before I could run, hauling me backwards as another blast shook the corridor, dust raining down from the ceiling.

"No, you're not," he snapped. "You're not thinking-".

"I don't care!," I screamed, voice breaking as I slammed my fists into his chest. "Let me fucking go!".

Images kept slamming into my head - Lorenzo's face as the corridor split, the sound of stone collapsing, his hand slipping from mine.

I tried to wrench free again.

Theo grabbed my arm, his fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. "Cass-".

"Don't fucking touch me," I snapped, spinning on him. "I swear to God, Theo, if you don't let me go right now-".

"You'll run straight into Bellatrix," he shot back, breath ragged. "Or worse."

"I don't care!".

And I meant it.

"He'll look after him," Draco said quickly, like he was trying to convince himself as much as me. "He won't let anything happen to Lorenzo."

A sharp laugh tore out of my throat. "When has Mattheo ever thought about anyone but himself?".

They didn't answer.

They just looked at each other.

Theo's mouth twisted, something uneasy flickering across his face. "Well," he said carefully. "He sort of just admitted he's been looking after you for months, Cass."

I shook my head violently. "No. That's not-"

"Not in the way you think," Draco cut in. "But he did."

The words didn't help.

But something in me just... gave up.

I just started crying.

Theo actually jumped.

"Oh - Merlin," he muttered. "She's - she's crying."

"I can see that," Draco snapped, then froze like he'd just realised he had absolutely no idea what to do with that information.

I tried to say something. Anything. Instead another sob ripped out of me, loud and wrecked, and my knees went weak.

Draco swore and grabbed my arm before I hit the floor, hauling me upright again.

"Cass, stop - you're fine-", he winced, like he knew that was the wrong thing to say the second it left his mouth.

"I can't just stay here," I choked, the words tumbling out between gasps. "I can't - he's out there and I'm -".