Love Contamination (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 18 - Love Contamination

Chapter 18

I was pretty sure that it was midnight. I woke up when I had noticed that someone was watching me whilst I was asleep. I sat up when I saw who it was. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I couldn't really talk to you without getting interrupted by Mr. Malfoy in the daylight," he explained. "I figured that I can talk to you when he's sound asleep,"

"This is insane, even for a professor,"

"I want to tell you that you know me, Aeribelle," hearing Auris say my name sent shivers down my spine that I swore that the hair on the back of my neck stood up. "I've been dying to tell you this ever since I first saw you in class,"

"This is harassment," I spat. "Get out!"

"I just want to clear things up,"

"N—No! Get ou—"

"I'm your fiancée, Aeribelle!" the professor snapped.

"...What?" my head started to hurt by what Auris said. "You're my fiancée? What kind of insanity is this? I don't even know you!"

"That's why I'm telling you!" Auris sounded desperate. "I'm your childhood friend. You don't remember because your memory was erased by Lorietta,"

"Why do you know my mother's name?" I was shocked. I thought that the situation was whacked. I wanted to pinch myself to check if I was just dreaming. "Why would my own mother erase my memories?"

"So that you would forget hints that she and your father were former death eaters," Auris sat on the bed in front of mine. "I'm not your enemy here, Aeribelle. I just want you to know that I'm no stranger in your life. I'm nowhere near dangerous, nor evil. I'm an ex-Auror, remember?"

"I thought that you turned from Auror to ex-Auror because you did something evil," I admitted. "I don't fully believe everything that you said. In Blimey's name, I don't even believe anything!"

"Look, I was aware that your parents were death eaters and I knew how they died protecting you," Auris closed his eyes like he was deeply thinking of something. "I'm sorry for not being there when it happened. I'm sorry that I was not able to share the pain of their deaths,"

"You don't have to be sorry. You're not the one who killed them. Bellatrix did,"

"But I was supposed to be there. I was your fiancée...but even if I was, I couldn't just get out of my school and barge into yours. I waited long enough. After I graduated and became an Auror, all I wanted was to see you,"

"Why are you telling me this? I—I'm confused,"

"I want to prove that I'm not evil," Auris muttered. "You don't need be wary of me. I have loved you for as long as I can remember. Your parents trusted me enough to take care of you once you graduate. They expected us to get married. They knew that I would be able to protect you from the other death eaters,"

"But the war has ended," I reminded him.

"I know," Auris shrugged. "That's why I became an ex-Auror. There was no need for me to protect you from the enemies. I decided to become a professor so that I would still be able to guard you. Voldemort might be gone but there are still people with bad intentions roaming around,"

"I can protect myself," I looked at Auris in the eyes. "I don't need your protection, Auris,"

"I'm proud that you have grown into a strong and wonderful woman," Auris looked down at the ground. "You're right. You don't need me anymore. You're more than capable of protecting yourself starting from that sharp tongue of yours that didn't even change ever since we were young,"

"It's one of my strong traits," I chuckled before my tone became serious once again. "I—I just want to let you know that I can't marry you,"

"Mr. Malfoy, right?"

I nodded in response. "I'm sorry. You basically just told me that you became an Auror, an ex-Auror, and a professor for me and I can't give you what you want,"

"Don't apologize, Aeribelle. You don't need to burden yourself with me,"

"But you have burdened yourself with me," I reasoned. "I just feel like I owe you more than half of your lifetime,"

"You don't owe me anything," Auris's smile made me believe that he was not really a stranger because his smile felt familiar. "Everything that I did was my choice. When you love someone, you don't ask for anything to return because if you did, then that's not love anymore—"

"—it's a favor," I finished his sentence. "How did I know that?"

"Because I said it to you when we were younger,"

"Alright, I'm fully convinced that you're not evil," I told the professor. "So...what now? Are we supposed to throw a party for our reunion?"

"Sharpest tongue ever," Auris commented. "I don't need you to remember me, Aeribelle. I want you to know that you have me to rely on if ever you get in trouble. I don't need you to marry me or look at me romantically. I love you and I'm happy that you're able to love another person, even if that person isn't me."