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The great hall was a loud and energetic chaos of music, people and colors— bright lights of red, blue and yellow dancing through the air and the bodies around the room as they moved. A starry sky was shining in the ceiling, enchanted as always had been in the past when he was just a student between these walls. It gave him a lightly feeling of nostalgia, as if he was a teenager again, hiding behind tapestries to kiss his girl. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case. Hogwarts, as each year prior, was receiving the annual gala of war victory anniversary. Most of the inviters were past students who know works in the Ministry or have their own business, a lot of recognisable faces passed through him, some stared with a frown, others just nodded. Draco, however, remained still. He was outside the mass, leaned against the stone wall, a cup of firewhiskey on his hand as the fingers of the other play with his signet ring.
The place was crowded, yet, that means nothing, Draco could find her anywhere. He has a box… actually no, not a box, an entire library inside his mind with her name on it. He had each centimetre of her body catalogued there: from the top of her head, through the arch of her neck, until the tip of her toes— toes he had be kissed countless times—, every wave, and every curl of hair, every freckle— even those hidden in places he was the only one allowed to see. He could easily draw her from memory at this point. The shape of her hips or lips, the colour of her eyes— the most beautiful brown-gold he had ever seen—, the curve of her bum and that sexy space between her tights. How could he not? Draco had spent hours on looking at them, admiring, etching in his mind, tasting, touching, marking them with his fingers, mouth and teethes. He knows her deeply— both physically and emotionally—, how to make her laugh, scream, cry or loose herself entirely as she come. He knows Hermione Granger with the palm of his hand, and every beat of his heart.
So, yeah… his eyes found her instinctively— not that it was difficult or anything, even if he wasn’t absolutely mad about her, Hermione is hard to miss.
People used to say she is a force of nature, he agrees, but she isn’t just that; Hermione carries with her a sharp mind and an extraordinary intellect that is mind blowing for the most people, that could scare some and intimidate others— not him, of course, it’s one things that he admires most about her. As the same time, she’s bright and soft like that golden light in the horizon by the end of the day, delicate as a flower in an open field. Singular and brilliant. The kind of woman you live your entire life searching for.
At the sight of her, unrestrained and wholly absorbed in the rhythm of the song, his pulse began racing as if he life was in danger. He didn’t dare to move. He watched steadily as she danced between the sweaty bodies of the others, and she was so beautiful, she looked so happy. The image sent a quiet warmth through his body and, without him to notice, the corner of his mouth lifted just a inch— barely there, but it was there.
Then, it dropped.
His face hardened and grimaced, his throat tightened and dried, as if he had just swallowed a mouthful of ash and now his mouth was tasting like bitter rust and death.
Why the fuck hell was Ernie Mcwhatever taking his girl waist?
She’s not your girl.
“She is my girl,” he gritted to himself.
She will always be his girl. No one’s the right to change that. No one will ever change that.
Draco knows in his bones that Hermione Granger belongs to him, although he doesn’t know how this happened, it happened anyway. He’ll never love someone as much he loves her.
And he knows she feels the same.
Are you sure? She looks happier without you.
“Fuck. Off.”
He surely was looking like a lunatic, talking alone, but isn't that the whole reason? The reason behind her tears? The voice inside his head provoking and sneering at him, whispering that he wasn't enough, that he would never be, that he was a nobody. It said his name was dirtier than the mud he once called her, and that she should be ashamed to been see with him in public on wizarding world, to hold his hand, or to step out for dinner. They have done that in muggle London, but was not the same, no one knew them there. It kept telling him that's why they had never been public: because she was one third of the Golden Trio, she was a war hero and he was nothing more than another— coward— Death Eater.
Coward.
He could have chosen stay.
He could have chosen her.
He could have chosen not break her heart when he ran away.
He did it anyway.
All the three times.
He had first pushed her away when his parents died. He disappeared without explanation or note for five months before showing up at her door, needing her as he needed air to breathe. Indulgent as she was, she let him in.
He did again when she came home from work at the Ministry looking anxious and angry, holding a letter addressed to him. Certain Wizengamot members had voted to reopen the files of all pardoned death eathers. There was only a few that had received the pardon, none of them were famous as him.
Draco would be summoned to face the intense and public scrutiny— again— of those who still hate him and a review that would threat not only his fortune, his manor— where his parents were buried— but his freedom.
Hermione was furious, babbling and walking around the house saying how absurd this was. Draco remained quiet, his head already imagining the headlines of Daily Prophet, spreading out his past and shame brutally and if Hermione was seen with him, if someone found out about them, her name would be dragged down with his. He made a choice that night, he left her again— for the second time— with the excuse of not wanting to tarnish her name, her reputation, or anything she had achieved in life. Draco faced the all the trial alone, Blaise, Pansy and Theo was around, yet, not quite enough to fill the void inside him. Hermione appeared in each session, her eyes red and full of tears that she didn’t allow to drop. She testified on his behalf along with Harry, and as she speaks, the only thought in Draco’s mind was how much he misses her. A couple days after he was pardoned— again—, he showed up at her door. She answered as if she was already expecting him, they fought over the way he left, how he hadn’t given her the chance to choose, how he was selfish to leave her alone without news, to let her preoccupied with his wellbeing, that it was not fair he made her love him just to keep her away when a hard time came. He only listened, eyes wide, as she admitted her feelings; then he approached her, wiped her tears with his lips and kissed her, promising her the world.
The third time happened a year later, when she achieved her Masters in Wizarding Law and Politics. He was so proud, so happy; they were living together, and although their relationship was still a secret to the wizard world, he had never complained— having her was enough—, but then he saw: a tall and handsome man, flirting with her after her graduation ceremony, handing her his floo address and an invitation for a drink.
The man was one the professors at Oxford Wizard College. And that man— wealthy, smart, powerful and non death eater—, the perfect fucking fit, was interested in her and Draco just stood there and watched the whole scene from afar because he hadn’t the right to hold her waist and declared she was taken. She politely declined, but the feeling of insufficiency kept Draco thinking about how much she was missing by being with him. He had money, he was smart, but that meant nothing to the world anymore, his name attached to hers would only bring her shame. So, when they returned home, he made love with her like never before, adoring her body and soul as if were their last day on earth. He made promises he knew he couldn’t be able to fulfill. Then, as the sun started to shine, he stood up, looked down at her sleeping peacefully, grabbed the ring box hidden beneath his side of bed, and vanished through the sunrise.
Three times he broke her heart. Three times he made her cry.
He wouldn’t let happen the fourth.
The last time, when Draco left Great Britain to seek anonymity in the USA, he genuinely believed that time would pass such as his feelings for her. That the sight of her sleeping like an angel, naked and so goddamn gorgeous would be the last time he would see her. He was an idiot of course, thinking that a woman like Hermione Granger could just died from his mind. To the surprise of no one, things only grew worse. Over a year had passed since he last saw her, but that particular and stubborn corner of his mind, carrying every detail of her insisted in keep her alive on his thoughts. Each time he tried to forget— each attempt to let go— he failed, spectacularly and miserably. Every time he tried to talk to another woman, Hermione’s smile would pop up and remind him who he belongs with. He was a lost cause for anyone but her. He finally gave up the useless fight and determined the only way to silence this corrosive feeling of incompleteness was to become worthy of her.
Draco started study potions. A month ago he acquired his Masters. Two weeks ago he bought an apothecary in diagon ally. A week ago, he rented an apartment on muggle London, by the theatre Hermione took him once to watch Les Miserables— their favourite play.
He has no interest in his family manor. Since his parent’s funeral he hadn’t been able to go there.
He was afraid, though, of being too late.
It would be only his fault. After a while wondering, Draco realised he didn’t even know why he ran away. Why he had been so coward when Hermione had never indicated anything that could lead the thought she had shame of him. She denied the card, denied the drink, she passed through him minutes later, whispering how she was longing to go back home, with him.
You should leave before she sees you, you don’t wanna make her cry again, do you?
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm his nerves. He shouldn’t have had done that though, because when he opened his eyes again, it was to face the most beautiful pair of gold ones and the world disappeared.
It was just her.
Eighteen months, two days and ten hours since he last touch her. Eighteen months, two days and twelve hours since he had seen her eyes open to him. Focussed on him. Shining for him.
Merlin he missed her. Missed her so much. Her soft skin and messy hair, her sharp mind, her voice, her lips.
Her face was pale, as she was staring a mirage, a phantom. And is was only when she blinked that he realised the shining in her eyes were tears.
Only one fell, rolling down her cheek in slow motion as if it having pleasure in torturing him.
He took a step toward her instinctively; then two, and three, she mirrored his movement, still gaping at his eyes as she couldn’t believe he was actually there. As if she had pictured him so many times that she was now wondering if she finally had got it.
Hermione was only a few metres from him, his heart was pounding loudly at his chest, as never before, and for an instant he had afraid of having a stroke.
But something way worse happened. She broke the stare, looked away and walked past him like he wasn’t there, pretending like she didn’t care.
It was devastating. The feeling of being ignore, even knowing he deserves it. Yet, he had preferred she had yell at him, that she had asked why, why the hell he ran away, why he choose to break her heart, that she had tell him that she fell apart, because if she is hurt, means that she cares, indifference, however, means that she feels nothing.
Draco stayed in place like a marble statue, only noticing he was crying when he felt his left cheek wet.
Fuck, no.
No, no, no.
It’s not going to end like this.
Pansy, who was watching him a few metres away, approached him, Neville by her side, both with a pity expression that Draco hated. She wiped his tear, made him look at her in the eyes and said softly:
“Go get her”
For an instant, Draco remained in place, still holding his heart tight in chest. Then, he nodded and turned just in time to see her passing through the Great Hall door.
And for the maybe first time in his life, he ran after her.
When he passed through the frame door to the corridor, it was empty.
That desperation feeling rose inside him again and his hand started to shake. He thought, of course he thought, about the possibility of her not wanting him back, he told himself he would be okay, that would be fine, because the most important thing is her to be happy.
But right now? Fuck it all. Draco is selfish, he always had been. He was grasping and very aware of the fact he doesn’t deserve her, but this wouldn’t stop him. Draco wants her to be happy with him and no one else.
She is his girl.
Present tense.
There’s no ending for them but each other.
But where she could have gone?
Where she…
Home.
He grabbed his wand from his pocket and appareted. As he was pulled to the void, he prayed, kept repeating himself “Please be there. Please, be there. Please, be there”.
And there she was.
The first thing he saw when he landed was her green dress; wrapped tightly around her body, embracing her hip curves that he love so much. Draco had to close his eyes for a second to stop himself from falling on his knees and lost his consciousness before even talking to her. His mind had to be clear for this conversation.
Draco approached carefully, with afraid of startling her. She was struggling with her keys from where he could see, mumbling words to the door as she tries to get in. A miscalculated step made him hit a stone who caught her attention, and she stopped dead.
“Go away”, she said lowly, without turning around, and trembling.
“No,” he replied firmly but softly.
She shook her head, letting out a snort.
“Are you here to see the results of your actions, love?” the scornful way she said the last word made his heart sank.
“Hermione…”
Hearing her name in his voice must have triggered something inside her, shattering her composure. She finally lifted her head and turned, face red, eyes wide and blazing, another single tear tracking down her cheek.
“Jesus, Malfoy, let me be the one to run this time!”, she yelled and he stepped closer, with an urge to embrace her within his arms and hold her tight, make the pain go away. “Just once, I’m tired of be the one watching you leave, it should be you now, you should feel what is like… what it’s… the…”, she started to struggle with her words, moving her hands anxiously through the air exasperated, with cheeks now red and wet, a frown on her face, “the feeling of having your fucking heart tearing apart”
“I didn’t meant…”, he tried to start but she didn’t let him.
“Don’t, don’t you dare, I swear to merlin, I can’t”, she shouted out, covering her eyes with her hands, walking back and forth at the entrance. “You meant it. You knew exactly what you was doing when you left, when you abandoned me alone in our bed,” she said looking ant him and point to both of them. At this moment, tears started to flow freely, she wasn’t holding back anymore. From where he was standing, Draco could feel her agony, and it was hard to see, to watch, how much he had been hurt her. Every beat of his heart felt like a stab on his chest.
You are making her cry again. You are hurting her again. Go away.
“No.” He whispered to his head. Because no, he wasn’t leaving her this time. “Let’s get inside, let me explain my motives, please, Hermione, I want to explain myself to you”
“You lost your chance months ago, when I have send you letters and you didn’t even bother to answer, I spent days, weeks worried, not knowing if you were alive! I had to know from Pansy that you were fine because you never deigned to send any sign of life!”
She cried harder, and he wanted to died. He had so many regrets.
“Please, Hermione. Let’s get inside, I can tell you… everything”, Draco said almost too desperately. He needed her to listen him.
She shook her head again, eyes shut as if she was in middle battle with herself, “I can’t, I can’t let you in. I already have, three times, and look how it ended”
“I’m not leaving this time”, he reassured her, eyes locked into hers. Draco’s heart was heavy, he could see now the consequences of his actions, how much she was hurt, how much he hurt her, how much her heart was bleeding and aching and was echoing on his own. A desperate need to comfort her rose inside, his hands were shaking with the despair to held her tightly within him and kiss her tears away.
“And how I’m supposed to believe in you again? Huh??,” she snorted again, shaking her head.
“I can guarantee that…”
“Guarantee? YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME, DRACO! YOU SAID YOU WOULD MARRIED ME! CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW LITTLE I FELT AFTER YOU WAS GONE?” she yelled, and from the way she closed her eyes right after, he could tell she hated had lost control. Hermione breathed deeply, letting the tears flow over her face. “You made love with me, repeatedly telling me how much you wanted spent the rest of your life by my side,” and now, hear her voice so small was even worse.
It was like being punched in the face. Draco remembered that night very vividly, as if he closed his eyes, he could summon that moment with clarity as a blessing— or a curse. The movements of her body above him, her hair falling like a chocolate casket over her chest, the sweatiness of her skin, the raw sound of his name coming out from her throat and the rough scratch of her nails against his abdomen. She looked like a goddess, riding him up as her life depended on it. He remembered the wetness of her lips against his and that final, dazed look when she came, the small and satisfied smile she gave him afterwards, and the way her fingers clutched his hair when she felt him filling her up. He remembered everything. And he remembered saying those exact, damnable words too.
“And next morning I awoke alone, naked and cold because you were too scared of what? Rita Fucking Skeeter? The opinion of many that never knew or cared about us? I would never abandon you, you knew how much I loved you”
Ding ding ding. Past tense.
“Love”, he shouted out without think.
“What?”
“You love me”, he repeated staring directly at her eyes, holding her gazer, daring her to deny.
He knew.
He knew. He knew. He knew.
She snorted again, a incredulous smile on her lips— so little like her.
“How presumptuous of you to think that I would wait for you forever. That my heart wouldn’t move on and find another place to belong. Maybe it has found already.”
She doesn’t love you anymore.
She will always love me.
He could see through the smile, the facet. It wouldn’t hurt so bad if she didn’t care anymore. He was glad she was yelling, losing control, saying things.
Even if they were not true.
“Don’t say that, don’t lie to me”
“Why? Is it hurt? You know, it was better if you had just said that you didn’t mean it, that was in the heat of the moment, that you didn’t love….”
“Stop!” he cut her.
Because this draws a line.
“Stop right there. Don’t act like if you didn’t knew. It was because I love you that I left!”
“What kind of love is this??!”
He wondered. Because during a lot of time he thought he was protecting her, giving her the best way out, the chance to live her life without being a target of abuse from those who hated him. She had fought a war to save the entire Wizarding World, but Draco knew that moment she stepped out by his side, all her goods were being forgotten and she would received the same scrutiny as him.
Draco was about to explain his thoughts when he heard a voice coming out from the darkness close to them.
“Hermione, darling, it’s everything ok?”
She startled in place, and Draco, that had approached enough to be only a few feet away, stepped in front of her as a instinct act of protection. Hermione made her way out of him, wiping her tears away before say to the darkness:
“Hi, mrs. Norrie. It is, sorry to wake you, I’m just chatting with a… friend”
A light turned on at the entrance of the house and then Draco could see; the plump lady with white hair and embroidered clothes staring at him.
“A friend?”
“Yes, a friend”
Draco snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
“He doesn’t seemed to agree”, she replied, indicating him with her head and a brow raised. Hermione didn’t look at him.
“He lost the right to have opinions a long time ago, so don’t worry”
“If you need anything, just let me know”
“I will, mrs Norrie. Thank you and good night”
“Good night, sweet”, she replied with a gently smile. When her look moved to Draco, it faded. “Don’t be a prick” And shut her door.
Hermione took a deep breath. Her tiredness was evident in the way her shoulders had fallen when she breathed. He would like to read her mind, know her thoughts. He had been able to do once, but right now? He has nothing.
“Go away, Draco, I’m tired. You robed me a lovely night, and I’m tired, just go away,” she said calmly.
Again, he deserved, right?
See? I told you, she was happy with him.
No.
Even knowing that he hadn’t the right of be angry, his started to see red, and something very ugly surged in his chest. “With that fucking idiot?”
She looked at him now.
Her cheeks were still wet, a sad and melancholy smile on her lips.
“At least I know he wouldn’t runaway from me”
He closed his eyes again, controlling his breath and tears, because the idea of her loving another guy hurt him more than he could bear. Yet, when he talked again his voice came out cracked, “Hermione, please…”
She stared at him with that brown eyes he love for a few seconds before turning and opening the door and passed through the threshold for the corridor where he kissed her so many times. Draco expected the door slammed against his face, but Hermione stopped, hung the key on the hook near the entrance and went still for two seconds before moving on— without closing the door.
It was a visible sign of faith, an invitation for him to follow— an olive branch.
He followed her without think twice.
And then, shut the door behind him.
He trailed her steps in the corridor to the living room where she was already sitting on the couch, untying the straps of the golden sandal she was wearing.
She loves me.
She let me in.
She loves me.
She was so gorgeous, the low light of the room gave her a sense of ethereal beauty, that almost made him implored her to take him in, to let him feel her, dive inside her, at least one last time.
Draco was very aware of each detail of her, the room was filled with her parfum. The notes of blackberry, pear and Jasmine were all over the place, it was so overwhelmed, and for one or two seconds the only thought in his mind was the desire to sink his nose in her skin, that delicious sweet point behind her ear.
“Start”, her voice cut off his thoughts. Her eyes were stuck to his, still shining, not the way he wanted.
“That night I just… I… I don’t know… I felt like… I felt… jealous. I was not ok, I was broken, maybe even depressed, I don’t know for sure”, he frowns, “and there was this voice inside my head, telling me that I wasn’t enough, I was holding you back, that my name… I was a mess, and if I had stay I would had drag you down with me, I couldn’t let that happen”
Draco lifted his eyes to hers, and hers seemed so sincere, looking back at him, “I could have helped you, it what partners do. Help each other passed through things”
He smiled, “I knew you would do that, but you always had too much on your plate, I didn’t want add myself to it. I tried to find a solution, but I… All I could see was that, back then, I didn’t deserve you. I didn’t knew how to deserve you. What to do, so I left, to preserve you from the worse”
“Which was?”, she crossed her arms, frowning, waiting for his answer.
“Your name attached to mine”he snorted. “Imagine, no one would respect you if you were carrying the name of a former death eater. All your hard work, dedication, all your time and effort to make difference, to save our world, would mean nothing. I couldn’t let you do that, and that guy. So fucking tall, without a past like mine, like ours… I don’t think anyone could possibly deserve you, but he was close enough. So I left, to give you the chance to know someone else who would suit better with you. Someone acceptable.”
Her eyes were now shining with anger, and a bit of incredulity.
“Oh, so you decided to chose what was the best for me? It’s what you’re saying? That you left to protect me? That you stepped in and forbid me of choosing what was the best for me?”
Her eyes were sharp now, staring at him fiercely, with an intensity that was make him shiver. He feels like a child under the inspection of his parents.
“Y-Yes… I was… I didn’t…”
“And you didn’t thought that the pain of losing you, could be way worse than face whatever you mind think we would?”
“I didn’t. I was nothing, Hermione. I was less than nothing, and you are the most beautiful creature alive, the brightest witch of her age, the golden girl. And I was nothing, no one to the world, not enough to be with you”
“You didn’t have to mean anyone to the world, because you already were my world”
A stab would have hurt less.
Hermione slowly started to cry again, not because she was angry, but because she was disappointed.
“You didn’t trust me to make my own decisions, Draco.” She stand, shaking her head. “You came to my life, made home for yourself in my heart, you encraved me with your body and soul, and since you left I can’t belong to anyone else because im yours. Do not smile, I hate this. I hate your power over me, still, I can’t get away the feeling I’m yours, all yours.” Draco took a step toward her, his heart racing, pounding, trembling like a earthquake, he was so close to reached her, just one more step, and his life would be worth living once more. “But you can’t have me, not until you got your shit together, not until you understand that your past doesn’t define your present, that I trust you, I… goddamint, I love you, and until you trust me back, you have to stay away, I don’t deserve to be hurt anymore, I had already take too much and it’s not fair. It’s not fair you come back here put of nowhere and talk to me, pretend you are going to stay just for me to watch you leave again. I will not put myself in that position again.”
Hermione tightened the grip of her arms around herself, looking at him like a hurt cat and he just couldn’t ignore the urge sensation of taking care of her.
With a last step, he stood in front of her and she closed her eyes as he wiped her tears away with his thumb, caressing her cheek in the process, her warm and soft skin filling his body with peace.
“I first hoped, that with time, you would forget about me, about what we had,” his voice came calm and sweet, and the smile in the corner of his lips even sweeter when he continued, “but you are mine, aren’t you?”
Her eyes sparkled in a whole different way now.
I told you.
Whatever.
“I tried to forget you for months, you know?”
His thumb passed over her cheek, then her maxilla, and the corner of her mouth, before reach her chin and lifted her head a bit, just a few centimetres away from his own.
“Yeah? And how did this went?”
“Well, I’m here.”
“You think you deserve me now?”
“Merlin, no. I’m not even close”
“Draco.”
“Back then I wasn’t ready. I said things that I probably shouldn’t have said, because I was too afraid. I broke your heart and for a long time I battled with the thought you wouldn’t love for a second time. But you hunted me, Hermione, in my dreams, my daily routine, you were always there, in each detail, and at some point I gave up the battle. Yet, I still had the thought that you deserved someone better, so I decided that I wanted to be that someone to you.”
She tried to protest, but he was quicker, “I know, I know that you already love me, but unfortunately, I didn’t loved myself, and I tried because of you, you gave me the reason to do things for myself too. I’m a potion master now because of you. I’m opening my own shop in diagon ally, and I want you by my side. Forever.”
They were both crying now, the relief of said all those things easing his pulse, washing his anxiety off his body, erasing that fucking voice off his mind.
He kissed her eyes and whispered against her skin,
“Save your teas for another day, baby, and please, tell me you will take me back cause I wanna stay. I’m yours, Hermione. I’ll always be, and there’s nothing that I want more than be your love for as long as you want”
“Are you meant it?”, she asked softly, with her eyes wide open, so bright and beautiful.
He nodded.
“I’m meant it. I’m not going anywhere. Hermione, I promise you. I’m not going anywhere.”
She nodded.
“I do really deserve someone better”
“Yes, you do”
“I do deserve be loved better”
“I agree”
“I do deserve… I…”
“What? Tell me, love”
“I deserve someone who won’t walk away”
“I won’t”
“Draco…”
The way she said her name… It was like he had been transported four years earlier, when he first kissed her. And Merlin, he really needed to kiss her lips now.
“Hermione… I won’t. I won’t”
He repeated, kissing her forehead.
“I missed you”
It was just a whisper, but knocked him down anyway, and he couldn’t wait anymore.
Lifting her chin one more time, Draco crashed his lips against hers. And the world collapsed.
Hermione dove her fingers into his hair and the world began to be a worthwhile place to live.
Draco whimpered and smiled at the same time when she bit his lip. Her tongue sliding against his in a smooth way that was melting him form inside out. He could died any second now if she keep kissing him so languidly and lazily like she was savouring him, like she had missed him more than anything in the world, like she waited for ages and this was her reward so she was taking her time.
Fuck, he was so fucking lost for this woman.
She had him wrapped around her finger.
Draco held her waist tight and she moaned in his mouth. He did again, because that sound played repeatedly on his head for months and hearing it again, being the motive of it, was breaking him down.
His hands ran down and she gasped as he squeezed her ass. He bit her low lip with a grin on his own as he embraced her inner thigh and lifted her from the ground.
“I missed you. Fuck, Hermione. I missed you so much”, he murmured dazedly, and completely lost in a way that everything seemed blurry around them.
“Yeah?? I bet you had”, she said, smiling and breathless. Looking amazingly beautiful. “Wanna show me how much exactly you had missed me? Huh?”
He smile grew wider.
Merlin… she is the love of his life. What a fucking idiot he had been for let her alone.
Not anymore.
Never.
“You are about to have a lovely night, my dear.”
And the look on her face? That faint and menace smile? It’s everything he wished for and it’s like a stone on his stomach sinking him in that instant, maybe forever.
Because they were that moment.
The air, the moon, the earth and all the stars in the sky.
They were the infinite, extensive and limitless.
Everything.