Of Doves and Dragons

Chapter Twelve: Left in the Darkness

"Hey Mr. Stargazer, give me a straight razor. Don't let it all faze her, when minors get so major."

-Matt Maeson, Straight Razor

Draco had waited patiently for Ember to get ready the next morning. She had been tossing and turning in the bed last night and had woken him up with her cold toes more than once. Needless to say, his bitter mood from the days before had filtered into the morning despite the light-hearted night.

She usually didn't take this long to get ready and he wondered if it was because she was still nervous, or if she simply was too exhausted to move faster. "Ember!" He called out frustrated towards their adjoining washroom. He was just about to leave her to her own devices when he heard her feet shuffling.

She had scurried out with a frown on her face and it took Draco a moment to recover. She was fully dressed in the Slytherin robes they had purchased last week. And boy did the color green suit her. It brought out the bright green of her eyes. The skirt had a higher hem than the dresses she normally wore; her long legs were certainly to die for. Draco shook his head to get rid of such useless thoughts and noticed her reason for frowning.

"I can't manage to-stop laughing! I've never had to do this before!" Her glare was that of a kitten and it only made him laugh harder as her fingers fumbled with the tie wrapped around her slim neck.

He raised his hands up in surrender as he approached her to carefully removing the tie from her neck. Still chuckling, he placed it over his own and weaved the fabric into a loose knot before swinging it back over to her neck and tightening it up to her throat. She caught his eye and held his gaze for a moment before gulping, he tugged teasingly on the tie and she pulled back from him a blush coating her cheeks. It was all so domestic and he loved it.

He picked up his book bag as she shrugged on her cloak.

"You know where Dumbledore's office is?"

"Yes," She huffed fiddling with the clasp of her cloak.

"So I'll swing back here and pick you up before lunch? Maybe show you around a little before afternoon classes?" He suggested.

She nodded silently before offering him a small smile. He was about to open the door as her small hand on his elbow stopped him. "You don't have to...to do all of this for me."

He could tell she was trying to put on a brave face, act as if she could handle it, and he would give her credit that her poker face was improving but he could still see that shy little girl behind the façade she was slowly learning to build.

"I know," was all he said before shooting her a small wink and disappearing out the door.

And for a moment she thought that maybe she wasn't the only one in need of a security blanket.

~

The staircase ride up to the Headmaster's office was when her nerves really started to get the best out of her. She was a horrible liar, and she was quickly realizing that she would have to improve if she was to survive in this world. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she knocked twice on the door.

She guessed that she should have known that Professor Snape would have been in this meeting too. For a moment, she really thought that she would be alone with the head of not only Hogwarts but of the resistance as well. She should have known that he would be there to make sure she didn't betray anything. Not that she would.

She felt a ping at not being trustworthy. She had learned by example to not betray the Dark Lord, and had already accepted that she would lie for him, not because she believed in him or his methods, but because she wanted to be able to live. Even though she had never betrayed anyone; no one had ever seemed to trust her.