𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑅𝐺𝑅𝐸𝐸𝑁 𝑀𝐼𝑆𝑇 || 𝐷.𝑀.

thirty two

Spring had begun and that's when things had began to go wrong. The evening Hermione, Ron, and Harry showed up at the Tudor cottage was a terrible one. Two mornings before, Juniper woke up to Draco's side of the bed empty and the cottage quiet and nearly immediately she had a pit in her stomach. She got up quickly and checked every room in the house until she got to the sun room where there was a letter laid on the table in the pile of other letters they had received and the pit in her stomach grew larger when she saw Draco's handwriting on the top letter. Part of her could barely bring herself to read.

Junebug,
    If you're reading this you've probably realized by now that I'm not there. Before you lose your shit and freak out, read my reasonings first, please. If you look at the letter under this one, you'll see a letter from my parents telling me that they know exactly where we are. Junebug, they found us. I don't know how, but they found us.
    In the letter my mum explains our cottage in explicit detail, details that only you and I would know. I have no clue how they know, but reading that letter terrified me. I realized that staying would only jeopardize everything we worked so hard to build and God I couldn't risk that. I couldn't risk them finding you and hurting you. So, I made the choice to go to Malfoy Manor, but Junebug I swear we will see each other within a week, maybe even less. There's a plan, Juniper. The final battle is going to be at Hogwarts and it's going to be soon.
    I know you're pissed at me and that you're probably crying right now, and I sincerely apologize because I hate seeing you cry so much. I hate hurting you, I always have, Junebug. I hope you can find it in you to forgive me for this and I know what you would say — it'll take time but I love you — and Junebug, I love you so goddamn much. Please know I only left to keep you safe. I'm done running. I'm done running from my problems and that's why I went to the manor so I can do something right and keep you safe. I know it looks like I'm running, but I swear to you I'm not.
    I will see you so soon, darling. I promise we will be together again shortly and I'm so incredibly sorry you've got to read this all in a letter. I know you too well and if I told you this in person, you'd convince me to stay or I'd look in those bright green eyes of yours and melt into a puddle right before you. You have so much power over me, Juniper. I knew I had to go and I'm so sorry you have to read about it in this letter. I hope you can forgive me, Junebug. Please stay at the cottage until this war is over, it'll be so soon, darling. I love you so much.
                                                               Love always,
                                                                           Draco

    After Juniper read the letter she felt as if she could barely breathe. She sat down slowly on the couch, her hand going to her mouth as she re-read the lines over and over again. Juniper tried to make sure her tears didn't fall onto his handwriting that was so perfect yet got so shaky and there were little dried water marks in random places so she knew he cried when he wrote it.
    She was beyond pissed off at Draco for leaving and only writing a note. Part of her convinced that maybe he changed sides, but the other part of her knew that wasn't true. She believed him when he said it was for her safety. She believed in him and their little white Tudor cottage, but yet she sat on the couch for the entire day until evening when Hermione, Ron, and Harry apparated to the white Tudor cottage.
    "This is adorable." She heard Hermione's voice as the three got to the front door and knocked. Juniper couldn't even stand though, and eventually the door handle bent down and the door opened. "Juniper? Draco?" Hermione called into the house.
    "Juniper, it's good to see you." Harry gave her a smile, but Juniper was still distraught.
    "He's gone." She managed to speak up. "Draco's left." She shook the letter lightly in her hand and then put her head in her hands, immediately prompting Hermione and Harry to come over to her quickly. Hermione grabbed the note from her and read it with Harry and Ron quietly.
    "He's...he's on our side though, Juniper. He hasn't left you truly." Harry tried to comfort her.
    "I'm just bloody pissed at him! God he's an idiot. When I see him again he's going to be lucky if I don't hex him or give him a potion to make his head bulge." Juniper said angrily. "I'm sorry this is how you arrived. You came for a reason, how can I help?" She asked with a sigh and stood up. "How about tea first?" They all nodded and followed Ron to the kitchen who had been there before and he helped make the tea, seeing as Juniper was still slightly zoned out of reality with the worry of Draco's safety.
    "So, Draco mentions there's a plan for the final battle to be at Hogwarts." Harry began to speak. "Which is quite odd because we actually have to find a way to get into the castle and that's part of the reason we came." He told her.
    "We think there's a horcrux hidden there and it's related to Ravenclaw." Hermione included. Juniper shook her head with confusion.
    "I wouldn't know what the object would be though, your question is better suited for Luna Lovegood. Damn girl knows everything, God love her." Juniper said as she sipped the tea.
    "Luna is there, but we have to get in and we aren't sure how to do that." Hermione said.
    "Which is where you come in," Harry added quickly, "no one knows that school like you do, Juniper. Do you think you can get us in?" Harry asked. She thought for a moment about all the different passageways and finally nodded, she would definitely try to get them in.
    "When do we go?" She asked.
    "Tomorrow, I'm bloody tired." Ron breathed out. Juniper laughed a bit and nodded.
    "Stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone in the room." Juniper asked Hermione. She nodded willingly and gave her a smile. "Alright then, everyone upstairs. Ron, you can show Harry where the bedroom is, Hermione follow me." Juniper said as she led them up the stairs.
    Upon entering the bedroom she had been sharing with Draco for just about a year nearly killed her on the inside. All she wanted to do was cry because he wasn't here. Because she had no clue where he was or if he was still at Malfoy Manor or if he was safe. Her heart felt as if it was rapidly beating in her chest and she swore Hermione could most likely hear it.
    "I'm sorry again that you've all come on a day where I'm so down." Juniper apologized again as she walked into the bathroom that was attached to the room. She changed into different clothes to sleep in as well did Hermione.
    "Don't apologize. I'm sorry he's left, but I think he'll be alright. Draco is smart and there's no way Lucius would allow him to get hurt." Hermione attempted to reassure her, but Juniper shook her head.
    "I still want to slap him. Blithering bloody idiot leaving without a word and only a bloody note." Juniper said bitterly as she crawled into the bed on Draco's usual side, but calmed once she laid her head on the pillow and swore she could smell his cologne. "He's right though. If he told me in person I wouldn't fought till I died to keep him here or I would've gone myself to follow him. He was smart to leave a note." She sighed reluctantly knowing that Draco had outsmarted her. "When I see him though, he's going to see stars for days, I'll slap him until his cheek's permanently red." Juniper groaned, making Hermione laugh.
    "Other than this, how has it been living here?" She asked her. Juniper sighed again and gave a smile.
    "Honestly pure bliss and peace. We've been so happy just the two of us here. No professors, no prefect duties, no annoying students. We've gone into the village nearby and shopped there when we need food or any supplies. We've explored nearly every inch of the forest behind us and swam in the lake out front, walked the meadow until we just lay there in the grass looking at the stars." Juniper told her.

* FLASHBACK *

    "What are you doing?" Juniper laughed as she watched Draco suddenly lay down in the meadow where they were walking.
    "Stargazing, come on, look up." He said pointing up to the dark sky. Juniper looked up as she sat down and then laid next to him, her head resting on his arm.
    "How have we never done this before here yet? We've lived here for four months and never did this." Juniper asked him as they continued to look up.
    "We're doing it now and that's all that matters." Draco said quietly. "Imagine if we lived here after the war. We could be that couple who stayed together all of school and got married, had kids and lived by a bloody mountain." He laughed, making her laugh as well.
    "I won't lie, it's a nice fantasy." She told him honestly. 
    "Then make it reality. We already have the cottage and the relationship. We just need to be married and...kids." Draco said the last part slow. "Maybe the kids could wait a bit."
    "Do the hypothetical children scare you?" She giggled.
    "A bit. I never pictured myself having them and suddenly I begin dating you and now I've got an entire hypothetical family planned out in my head." Draco made her laugh even harder now.
    "What if we got a pet first? Maybe a kneazle? Or even just a regular dog." Juniper suggested.
    "A dog. Yeah, we should do that. After the war when we come back here we can get a dog and that'll be our first kid." Draco nodded in agreement.
    "We'll be parents so young, how scandalous." She giggled.

* END FLASHBACK *

    Juniper told Hermione of the memory she had, smiling as she thought of it and how happy she was and little by little her anger toward Draco diminished a bit.
    "It sounds like you've both made it a home here." She smiled to Juniper.
    "It is home. It's wonderful. You should move over here, there's nearby cottages and the village, while all muggles, is so nice. They haven't got a clue and really it's easy to apparate to the Wizarding World." Juniper suggested. "Think about it."
    "I will, I'll convince the boys to move here and they can take turns crashing on our sofas." Hermione and Juniper laughed.
    "This war is really about to get bad isn't it?" Juniper asked.
    "I'm afraid so." Hermione sighed.