enchanted • draco malfoy

Year 5: Bellatrix Lestrange

Felicity's POV

My eyes scanned over the headlines again and again. Bellatrix Lestrange, escaped from Azkaban, along with ten other high-security prisoners. My hands shook as I threw the paper down and stormed out of the Great Hall before Nev or Mione or any of my friends could catch the tears in my eyes. I strode down hallway after hallway, until I came upon the room Draco and I always meet in. Fitting, considering Bellatrix Lestrange is his aunt.

I took deep breaths, in and out, but her name echoed around in my head and caused such a great wave of terror in me, followed immediately by rage, that I whirled around and punched the unforgiving stone wall behind me.

A choked scream left my lips, before I collapsed into unrelenting sobs as my knees buckled and I slid to the ground. For years, when I was younger, I would make Neville sleep in my bed with me because I was afraid that Bellatrix was lurking in the corner of my room.

Because for all my sarcasm and bravery, wit and boisterousness . . . there was just as much uncertainty and fear lurking beneath the facade. Only in my third year did the fear truly fade, when I learned about the unstoppable power of Dementors. I knew then that there was no way Bellatrix would ever escape as long as those foul beasts guarded Azkaban, but now . . .

I was clutching my hand to my chest when Draco found me. My ears were ringing; his words held no meaning, no matter how urgent his tone was. Then, as if cotton was yanked from my ears, his voice rang out clearly in the empty room.

"Felicity."

As if his voice put a spell on me, my breathing slowed and my muscles loosened as I raised my tear-stained eyes to his. He pulled me into him, his arms wrapping around me protectively. I pressed my face into his chest and inhaled the scent of him. Everything that made me feel happy, safe. He stroked my hair gently, and only pulled away when my sniffles finally stopped.

To my relief, he didn't ask any questions. Just helped me up, sat me on a desk, and stood in between my legs with his wand in one hand and my hand in the other. He muttered a spell and the scrapes and scratches faded from my skin, along with the throbbing agony of broken bones.

My forehead rested against his shoulder, arms looped around is neck. His hands settled at my waist, and it was quiet for a moment before he said, "I'm sorry." I shook my head before he was done speaking. "You have nothing to be sorry for," I insisted, "We can't choose our families, or their decisions. I don't blame you."

His hands now circled around to the small of my back and he pulled me into him tighter. I threaded my fingers through his hair, each strand soft as cornsilk. Suddenly, I was seized by the abrupt need to kiss him. Turning my head to the side, I trailed my lips across his neck and tugged lightly on his hair. He let out some sound in the back of his throat before he gripped my hips and brought his lips to mine.

I looped my legs around him, seeing as he was already standing in between them, and allowed the usual fireworks to erupt in my belly and drown out all thoughts of common sense. His tongue traced my bottom lip, and a shiver went down my spine.

We pulled away, both breathing heavily. "I should go," I finally whispered, "Talk to my brother and stuff." I could hear the smirk in his voice as Draco repeated, "'And stuff'? That's a piss-poor excuse and you know it." I laughed a little and slid off the desk, which only pressed the two of us closer together.

I had to crane my head to look him in the eye as I murmured, almost inaudible, "As much as I'd love to stay in this room and make out with you forever, I really do have to go. My friends will be looking for me." Draco's eyes clouded over with something I couldn't decipher before he said, "Let them look," and reclaimed my lips with his.