Aftermath

Two Against The World

Hestia woke up in the dark screaming out a name and thrashing in her silk sheets. Try as she might the screaming and thrashing continued as if her body was possessed by the memory that was trapped in her mind. She just kept seeing his face again and again, completely blind to the lights in her room turning on as a boy ran to try and calm her.

Draco tried to grab her to stop her violent thrashing but was sent back from a powerful force. "Hestia!" He called out, trying to wake her from this dream. "Hestia, it's okay. It's okay, it's not real. Wake up! Please!"

Hestia kept thrashing from memories of still bodies and empty eyes. She heard a distant echoing and suddenly the body in front of her disappeared. Her small hands clawed around in the sudden dark searching for the lost body when she heard it. Draco's soft voice rushed to her ears clearly and froze her fear. It was soft and soothing and suddenly she was no longer trapped in the dark.

"Draco?" Hestia said in a weak voice, looking around the bright room in confusion. "What happened?"

Draco climbed over the bed and pulled her to him, "Nothing, just another bad dream." He ran his cold hands over her warm arms and felt her calming down and relaxing, though he was in pain from seeing her unraveled and exposed. He thought that after months of experiencing her nightmares he'd grow use to it but it tore him apart to see her struggling in a battle with herself.

"I'm sorry. What time is it? You should be sleeping, I'm sorry." She whispered into his shirt as they both laid down together.

Draco realized in that moment how imperfect Hestia was. This girl was powerful and beautiful and had every aspect a person craves. However she was also just a girl haunted by her demons and failing to overcome them. She was human and he couldn't ask for anything more.

They woke up as the sun peaked through the windows of Hestia's room and shone down on the two kids holding each other. They bid each other good morning as they laid there together, too comfortable to move apart like they knew they should. Hestia laid her head against Draco's bare chest and listened to his racing heart.

"We should probably get up," She whispered, looking at him after settling her chin on him and staring at his gruff face and messy hair.

"Probably," he smiled at her, running a hand through her hair. She rested her hand on his chest and leaned in closely and both their hearts raced faster. "Unless you have something better in mind."

They were inches away from doing what they both desired, but just as Draco began to lean in a little black furrball appeared between the two faces. It's yellow eyes were wide and it leaned forward and licked the tip of Hestia's nose.

Suddenly Hestia lost all interest in Draco and giggled while she grabbed the small animal in the palm of her hand. "Good morning sweetie, would you look at that. You have magic," Hestia cooed and the kitten instantly held all her attention.

Hestia put her cat on her shoulder and Draco swore the thing smiled at him in victory, as if telling him that he would never win the girl so long as he existed. "I bloody hate cats," Draco whispered under his breath.

"Did you say something?" Hestia asked while digging through her closet. Draco shook his head no in a fake innocence before glaring at the cat after Hestia turned her back.

"Then get up, we have an appointment with the Minister and Gawain today. We've got to stop by your mothers first, see if we can get more information about the..." She stopped talking when she saw Draco's fallen face in her mirror. "We will get your father justice, Draco."

Hestia threw on a dark black trench coat and black pants. She gave her kitten fresh fish while putting on pure white pumps. Hestia's black hair was pulled in a slick straight ponytail and her lips were lined with a red lipstick to signal preparation for battle. Her eyes had dark shadows applied that exaggerated her mesmerizing blue eyes.