Aliah Snape (BOOK 4) - Fight or Flight

Chapter 64 - Thanks for the Memories

The street was dark.
No light.
No sound.
No breeze.
Everything was still. Aliah slid off Draco's back but held on to him for support. The house in front of her was alien. The last time she saw it, the house was burning in flames.

"What is this place?" Draco asked as he snaked an arm around her waist.

"This was my home," Aliah stepped forward onto the driveway and up the cobble steps to the front porch. She turned her head and checked the street for no lurking eyes. The snake armband uncoiled around her forearm and slithered into her hand. She pointed her wand at the door, "alohomora."

The door unlocked and Aliah reached out to turn the door knob. She pushed the door open and she entered the familiar hallway. She steadied her breathing and continued to walk to the lounge room. She heard Draco mutter a spell from the hallway but paid no attention. The room was left exactly how it was. Photos hung on the wall, flowers were on the table and other trinkets surrounded the room.

The Ministry must have dealt with the fire, though she didn't understand what the explanation of the disappearance of the Holt family, the family that died to save her was. Aliah felt a pair of masculine arms wrap around her.

"You ok?" Draco breathed on her neck

"I should be asking you that," Aliah avoided the question

"You are more important,"

"I think you just answered both of our questions," Aliah turned around and placed her hands on his chest. "Come on let's go to bed," Aliah limped her way out of the lounge room and up the spiral staircase. There were only three rooms on this level: her brother's bedroom, the study and a bathroom she shared with Lukah.

"Can you pull that string?" Aliah pointed to a string that dangled from the ceiling. Draco was tall enough to reach the string and tugged it hard. The part of the ceiling opened up and a ladder unfolded. Aliah reached up and pulled it down and climbed. She pushed herself up and sat on the edge of the hole. Draco followed not long after and sat next to her.

The room was narrow with a low slanted ceiling with timber running horizontally. There was a hole in the wall which held a mattress for one person to sleep on. A hammock hung on the ceiling that was covered with photos. There was a door that opened to her wardrobe and a round blue rug was on the floor. To their left was a window that showed the empty street and behind them was a simple desk. On their right the whole wall was covered in bookshelves all filled with books. Fairy lights dangled from the ceiling and a black net chandelier was in the middle of the room. Behind them there was a guitar and a keyboard.

"This is your room?" Draco stood to his feet and lifted Aliah up from under her arms.

"Yeah. I know you are used to big glamorous rooms but this is mine, well was mine," Aliah sighed.

"I'll take the hammock, you can take the bed," Draco walked over the other side of the room

"No, I'll take the bed. I loved the hammock it was my favourite,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Aliah walked over to the doors that lead to her wardrobe. It wasn't a walk in one like at Malfoy Manor. You could take one step in and that's about it. She opened the draw in front of her and pulled out a pair of pajamas. Aliah was still amazed at how everything was left as it was beforehand. She was lucky that the fire didn't reach her bedroom.

"Do you want a shirt or something? I do have larger shirts that never fit me," Aliah called. Draco declined the offer so she closed the door and switched on the light. Oh how she missed electricity. She quickly changed into long pants and a singlet top.

She walked out and her breath hitched when she saw Draco on top of her bed only in his black boxers. The scars on his torso were in no particular pattern but she knew that consequences of magic, therefore those scars would never heal. Like the scars on her back.

"You ok?' Draco asked. Aliah nodded and sat on the end of the bed facing Draco. Aliah whacked the top of the hole to turn on the three LED lights in her little nook.

"What the hell?" Draco jumped

"It's electricity. It flows through wires to turn the lights on," Aliah chuckled. "I'm sorry for Aurora,"

Aliah reached out and grabbed his hand. He smiled weakly at her, "thank you. It's not your fault by the way. I hope you know that,"

"but Draco if I had just joined or never read that stupid-"

"If you never have read it you would have died long ago and I would have never have let you take the mark,"

"Your Father doesn't think so,"

"Father likes to place blame on others rather than the Dark Lord because he is afraid. I just hope they are ok,"

"You can always go back," Aliah squeezed his hand

"But if I do then you'll be alone,"

"I'll be fine,"

"No I won't leave you," Draco leaned back to lay down and pulled Aliah on top of him so she sat on his stomach.

"I'll go to the hammock,"

"No, I'm fine. I don't mind you on top," Draco wiggled his eyes suggestively. Aliah slapped his chest then turned to the photos on the ceiling outside the bed. There were photos of her and her friends Kora and Elora. There were her and the Holt family and other pictures of her other friends.

"You look happy," Draco noticed the change in her expression on her face, it was sadness.

"I was. I miss that life. No war just laughter and causing trouble in class," Aliah chuckled. "I feel sorry for Mike and Julia, they gave their life for me. I just want to know what happened to Lukah, he was my brother. We used to fight all the time, but I did love him,"

"That's understandable. When we move into our house we will put electricity in,"

"Going all muggle on me are you?"

"I like it, it's pretty and much better than a fire or wand,"

"There's more of what electricity can do,"

"really?"

"I'll show you in the morning," Aliah laid down on his chest

"goodnight Aliah, I love you," Draco kissed her

"I love you too."