Can You Love Me? (A Draco Malfoy Love Story)

Always- Chapter 19

Always

Chapter 19

            Draco had seen Aris walking into the library with her father. He remembered Nicholas Donavon saying he needed to talk to her in private. Draco watched as the doors closed. He didn't like it, he didn't like that man. Even he could see the cold cruelty lying under the surface. Draco knew his own father could be hard and cold, but like Aris, he felt pure evil coming from Nicholas Donavon.

            Narcissa came over to him, she'd seen the look on his face, “Is everything okay Draco?” she asked, but he didn't even look at her but kept his eye on the doors, “Where is Aris?”

            He finally looked at his mother, “She's in the library with her father. Mother, I don’t care for Nicholas Donavon.”

            “Well, I never knew him very well, I only knew Tamara, but your father knew him better. Everything will be alright sweetheart,” she assured him.

            Draco was about to bring his punch glass to his lips when he felt a jolt of pain. And in his mind he knew Aris was in pain, not just mentally but physically. He thought at first he must be crazy, but then he remembered the Unbreakable vow they'd taken which seemed to connect them somehow. Then he felt it again only this time the pain was much worse.

            “Draco, are you alright,” Narcissa asked concerned. Draco didn't say anything but the glass in his hand dropped, shattering on the floor, causing some of their guests to look their way. Draco took off for the library.

            When he burst through the door he came in just as Nicholas was raising his hand about to strike Aris. Nicholas paused and when Aris turned to look at Draco and he saw the huge red mark on the side of her face and the bloodied lip he lost it. He pulled out his wand so quickly and Nicholas went crashing into the wall the other side of the room. But he wasn't through, “Crucio!” he shouted as he struck the man, standing over him, so filled with rage that he kept the curse on him, strengthening it. Nicholas Donavon could do nothing but lay there wracked by pain.-----

            Aris had been so relieved when Draco burst into the room, but it surprised her how quickly he struck her father with the curse. She'd seen the anger and rage in Draco's face and now she was afraid he was going to kill him. As much as she despised her father, Aris didn't want Draco resorting to the same ways as Nicholas by using an Unforgivable curse. She quickly ran over to him, grabbing him from behind.

            “Draco, please don't do this,” she pleaded, but he kept on. “Draco,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him from behind. She lay her face against one of his shoulders, “please don't, it makes you no better than him. He's not worth it.”

            Aris finally got through to him and he lowered his wand, releasing Nicholas from the curse. He turned into her arms holding her. By this time Narcissa had come in, “What is the meaning of this Draco?”

            “This,” he said, turning Aris's face so his mom could see, Narcissa gasped, “I want this slimy son of a bitch out of my home,” he spat, and then he turned to look at Aris, taking her face gently in his hands. One side of her face was so red and was already turning slightly purple and she had a split on her lower lip that was bleeding. He almost lost it again, but Aris saw this and quickly wrapped her arms around him in a hug, “Calm down Draco, I'm alright.”

            “You heard my son,” Narcissa demanded, “You need to leave our house now.”

            “How dare you?” Tamara said, going to help her husband up. He was still recovering from the curse Draco had used on him and Draco kept his wand pointed at them.

            “You think you can get away with doing this to me boy,” her father sneered at Draco, looking at them both coldly, “well you will not,” then he looked only at Aris, “and you. You have no parents, you are no longer considered a daughter to me so you may as well have not been born.”

            Aris had to literally hold Draco back in a bear hug with all her might to keep him from going at Nicholas.

            “Get out of my house,” Narcissa demanded loudly.

            “This is not the end of this boy,” Nicholas said as he and Tamara left the room.

            “Draco, take Aris up to her room and I'll send a house elf up with ice and a potion for the bruising,” his mother told them.

            When they got to her room Draco made her sit in a chair by the fire. He went to her bags and took out a nightgown and grabbed her slippers. He made her stand up and stripped her down completely and then gently slipped the nightie over her head. Aris still couldn't get over how caring he was. Other than her uncle Tiberius, she had never had someone in her life treat her as well as Draco was right now, especially her parents. The only family she'd had was Uncle Tiberius, but now she had Draco. She could feel herself getting emo, the tears starting to fall. After he'd gotten her gown on her he looked at her closely and noticed the tears running down her face, “Does it hurt?” he asked softly, holding her face gently.

            “No,” she whispered.

            “Then what's wrong,” he asked concerned.

            “Nothing’s wrong,” she said tearfully, “I just love you,” and she went into his arms, “Thank you.”

            “Don't thank me,” he said angrily, “I should have been in there with you and this wouldn't have happened.”

            “Draco, I'm glad it happened,” and he looked at her like she'd lost it, “Because it made me realize something.”

            “Oh really,” he puzzled, not sure what she was getting at.

            “It made me realize that you are nothing like my parents and you’re going to be the best husband and father.”

            Draco looked down at Aris, his heart in his eyes, “I love you Aris, I hope you know that. I want you to understand that even without the marriage arrangement and the Unbreakable vow that I love you and want to be with you,” and he placed his hand gently on her stomach, “and you are going to be the best mother in the world,” he softly kissed her lips, trying to be careful of her cut. Aris didn't care for that; she kissed Draco deeply, tears still running down her face. "And I love you, Draco Malfoy, and i want you with me always," she looked at him with her shining green eyes, wet with tears.

            “You are going to have to stop that,” he laughed, wiping the tears away softly with his fingers.

            “It seems like that's all I do lately,” she sighed.

            Then the house elf arrived. Draco made her climb into bed and placed the ice compress to her face and gave her a potion for the pain and bruising, it would also help her sleep.

            “Please stay with me?” She didn't want to sleep alone after what she'd been through and the nightmares that came when she was alone.

            Draco stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed beside her, glad she had asked him because he didn't want to leave her alone. He doused the light and held her until she dozed off and then he found sleep himself.