CURSED [D.M]

-(65) pinky promise

ZILLIAH feels him before she sees him. Somehow, she always does.

She turns her head to the door from where she is seated at the dining table, calling out to his retreating figure, "Draco!"

He stops in his track and looks back at her, hesitant with his movements. She can see that he is not alright. There's a certain rigidity to him.

"Come", she speaks, feeling the attention of every single person in the room upon her. "I saved you a seat." She points to the chair right beside her which she had indeed saved for him, knowing he would be back around this time. She had been called to dine with some of the important families of the kingdom.  And of course, she had tried to slither out of it, wanting nothing more than to just crawl into Draco's arms when he arrives. But they had insisted and she had to oblige. Upon reaching the Dining hall, the first thing she did was ensure a seat for Draco, right next to her. She knew he would show up and she'd hate to ever make him feel neglected. Even though she knows he'll understand. "Come", her voice is soft and patient as she calls him again, knowing that the reason he is holding back is for her sake. But she doesn't want him to.

He meets her eyes, and knocks at her mind, his skills in occlumency being a life saver. "Is this necessary?", he asks her as she lets him invade her mind. It's not as if he couldn't force his way in there. But she knows he can't allow himself to hurt her, even in the slightest way.

"You deserve to be by my side, Draco", she thinks, making her thought crisp and clear to him.

"But, they-"

"I've told you that I don't care about them."

"Zilliah-"

"No, you either come dine with me here or we leave this hall. Together." She arches her eyebrows at him, making sure he knows that that decision is final.

He sighs and pulls himself out of her mind, hiding his wand and walking up to her. He sits down on the seat reserved for him and turns to her.

And she smiles.

She smiles because this is where he belongs. And nothing and no one will ever change that.

•

Zilliah snuggles up against Draco's chest as the morning sunlight starts pouring in through the windows. The sun has never been her friend so she shields herself from it using her ever favorite armor, curling up into a ball, tucked against him.

He kisses the top of her head and chuckles, tightening his grip around her and pulling her even closer. "Goodmorning, my love", he rasps out, his voice deep and slow.

"Goodmorning, Draco."

She pulls back a little and tilts her head upto him, opening her eyes. Even though she doesn't want to face the sunlight, she needs those silver eyes. She needs to see them and know that there is something worth opening her eyes for, day after day. It's the only thing on this earth that keeps her from losing her sanity.

"You're pretty", she mumbles out at him, giving him a light nose boop.

He smiles, his eyes crinkling as he playfully bites her nose before kissing it. "So you've told me."

"It's because you are", she says, feeling her lips widen too. "The most beautiful man I've ever laid my eyes upon."

His laugh feels like a song that she wants to play on loop forever. His eyes feel like an ocean she would willingly drown herself in. He brings a hand to her cheeks and caresses her. He is fire and she is ice. It's her nature to melt at his touch.