July 1999

Living with Draco in Westminster was the happiest I've been. No parents (I have none left so it makes no difference). No obnoxiously large manors. I've brought all my belongings here, it is officially the place I live. I have ties no where else. 

Currently I was walking back from Diagon Alley which is only a 5 minute walk from where we live. Every morning I walk Draco to work and I go home. He works and I figure out what to do for work. I  bought a book this morning from Flourish and Blotts my new favourite place. It's called "A witch's guide to working in the Wizarding world", now this'll be interesting. 

I arrived home and walked up to the second floor. It was a 2-floor building and we only had one neighbour who was extremely old and looked past a few weird things she hears and sees, so it works out. 

"Morning Mrs Dodsworth."

"Oh, Good morning deary. I hadn't realised it was morning." She giggled and went back inside her home. I just laughed and went up the flight of stairs to our flat. 

As I walked in and sat on the couch getting comfortable in order to begin my new book, the doorbell rang. The hanging ornament on the back of the door shone a light purple meaning they were a wizard but came without harmful intentions. I put that in when we moved in last week, some safety measures I like to have. It lets us know if its a muggle just in case we're doing something that muggles will scream and run from seeing. 

I stood up and opened the door.

"Did it shine light purple for you?" He mocked as he walked in and shut the door, curling his arm around me immediately and kissing down my neck.

"Hello to you too, don't you need to be at the ministry."

"Shh," he said.

"It's your first day as an intern and you're going to be late."

"Shh," he repeated and I grabbed hold of his wrists.

"You're all ready, come on I can walk with you." The ministry was around the corner and I smiled at the convenience. I loved living here, I felt so free. 

"I want to spend the day with you."

"We've spent majority of the last week together now come on. You need to do this internship so you can get a job and get paid so you don't dig a hole in your vault."

"I'll be fine."

"Let's go." I dragged him out and down the stairs.

"Hello Michael dear. I still am unsure as to why you don't live here. I see you more than I see that adorable young Draco."

"Have a good day Mrs Dodsworth." Even the old lady that lived below us who has the worst memory but loves us like her own grandchildren just makes me love my place more. I'm so happy. The gnawing feeling of impending doom surpassed enough that it didn't worry me. For some annoying reason it was still there but I could deal with it.

We walked in the sun and I turned to Michael who was in pants, a shirt and a blazer.

"You must be hot?" I asked.

"I am slightly. You should think about covering up more though."

"Oh come on, I'm wearing a sun dress, not a swimsuit. Now get in there," I said gesturing to the telephone box. He kissed me goodbye and before he closed the door I shouted.

"Don't forget, dinner with Draco and I tonight." He nodded and down he went.

<><><><><><><>

I was watering the plants and like clockwork Draco was home. I had his bourbon ready on the kitchen table for him when he walked through and he came in, dropped his bag and gulped it all down. 

"Hi!" I had good news so I was happy I could tell someone. I ran in from the balcony and hugged him hello. He lingered the hug a little, resting on me. "Just be patient, soon you'll earn his trust and you won't have to slave around all day doing all the dirty work."

The apothecary he interns for is a right foul git and makes him do everything. Throw out the potions gone wrong from new recipes, forage for new resources, clean all the cauldrons and whatnot. Draco had hoped he could learn how to perfect the unique potions and create his own. Apparently he has to earn it. Well that apothecary will earn my foot in his face. Once everyone's back at work I'm hoping Draco will be trusted on his own at the shop. 

"It's alright, just tiring. Why are you so chirpy?" He asked as I went into the kitchen for our favourite take-out menus. I cooked every now and again but we enjoyed getting take out and playing board games. Plus I wasn't a very good cook. 

"Well, while you were at work I popped into F and B."

"Oh, that's never good." He glanced to the ceiling-high bookshelf filled with books. "What did you buy?"

"I only got one; and it was for research purposes."

"Research for what?"

"About jobs in the wizarding world. It has an aptitude test at the beginning, guess what I got." He had dropped down on the couch and I hopped over to him with the book in hand. 

"What did you get?" He asked, acting like he was interested for my benefit.

"Obviously it has something to do with potions because I'm just amazing."

"Obviously."

"It said professor!" He looked at me in disbelief and then he laughed. 

"You. A teacher? You don't even like teachers, or school."

"Exactly."

"Help me understand."

"I didn't enjoy it, so there must be other kids who feel the same so if I become a Potions professor, I can make it fun and ensure my students enjoy themselves so they don't have to drag themselves to class. Even if they're not natural talents in potions, they can still enjoy class without the stress."

"It really seems as though you're passionate about this."

"I think I am."

"Then I'm really proud of you Davina. But what about the travelling?"

"Well, I could apparate."

"Davina."

"I know Hogwarts very well so I don't have to focus so hard on may destination which will make it easier. And I'm skilled in charms and I've apparated plenty of times. I'll test it out on places in between here and Hogwarts tomorrow."

"I can take a day off and come with you."

"No, it's alright I can bring Mattheo."

"Don't you mean Michael."

"I said Michael."

"No you didn't-"

"Anyways, and I've got an interview on Wednesday for the job. Apparently the potions master got this disease and is unable to form words- I don't really know but the positions' open!"

"That's uh, that's really great Davina." 

There was something unspoken in the air as I went back to the menus to pick what we were eating. I thought about the nightmares I'd been having, it made no sense since I've made peace with his death and I am completely over it and happy with Michael. It was very bizarre but I've been having them all the same. 

I didn't want to worry him, and after all we've been through, and now we're finally free, I just can't do that to him. 

"So, Chinese and monopoly?" I asked.

"Definitely. I assume Michael will be here soon."

"Not soon," Michael said as he apparated onto the couch. 

<><><><><><><>

"Don't stay up and read tonight, you should sleep for tomorrow," Draco said before heading to his room. I won in monopoly as always and it was getting late. I smiled and then went to my room as well. 

Michael had left much to his dismay. I told him he needs to be a punctual worker so that he is liked and gets a job. 

I hopped in the shower and prepared myself for bed. The reason I stayed up reading was in hope that I'd dream about the wonderful places I escaped to instead of reliving my worst nightmares. I put on a baggy t-shirt that was either Draco's or Mat's. They all wear the same crap and Mat's stuff that I had taken with me has commingled with mine so I don't know whose is whose. 

I walked out of the bathroom and the door immediately shut behind me and I was pressed against it.

The shirt I had just put on was now off and his clothes had disappeared in matter of seconds also. We found the bed and he was inside me already. We've fucked a lot of times but after school had finished we found that we missed each other more from seeing each other less. So sex had become slow and very very enjoyable. 

We were both moaning and our hands roamed each others bodies. I wanted to protest because he didn't listen to me when I told him he shouldn't stay the night but I honestly couldnt think of a reason why. 

"You are mine, until I stop breathing," he said as we both got close to finishing. 

"And after that too," I moaned out in his ear and we both finished.

<><><><><><><>

"Why aren't you sleeping?" He asked while he himself was half-asleep. 

"Not tired yet," I said, holding in a yawn.

"Don't bullshit me," he grumbled into the pillow. He turned over and closed my book, ensuring my book mark was in the page I was up to, and then he threw it on the floor. He grabbed his wand and turned off the lamp light and then he moved me so that I was lying down. 

"Sleep, please." 

He held one of my hands and with his other he drew circles on my back. 

"My little Davina," he said, like always, "so precious." my heart warmed and I relaxed falling into a dreamless sleep. 

<><><><><><><>

"You ready?" I nodded and I raised my wand, his hand in mine. "Just to Gulping Goblins in Leeds, okay." I nodded again, remembering the pub I used to go to with my father as a child, and then apparated. 

We landed with no issue and I turned to Michael who held onto the brick wall on the side of the pub. This was a third of the way to Hogwarts. 

"That was completely fine."

"Great, now back home." One swoosh and we were back in Diagon Alley.

"Alright now to the Quidditch training ground near the coast of Edinburgh." I would go there with Draco to watch our favourite local Quidditch team train. 

"Don't you want to sit for a few minutes. You haven't apparated all that much before," I stated

"I'm okay." I nodded hesitantly and then flicked my wand. We didn't really end up near the coast but more so on the coast as Michael had fallen in the water. I used a cleaning charm on him and I laughed to myself as he walked out mad. Pale, but mad. 

I apparated us back, knowing the next stop would be Hogwarts. So far I was completely fine. We landed in Diagon Alley again and Michael walked over to the side of the way and sat down against a stone wall. I went next to him. 

"Sorry for landing you in the water. Hey, in a few minutes we'll be at Hogwarts."

"Like we haven't been there enough." He joked. "This is really good though Davina."

"I know, I'm so glad. Otherwise I don't know what I would've done if I wasn't able to make the travel. You ready?" He stood up and grabbed hold of my hand.

"Let's go."

I flicked my wand and in a dozen seconds we were on the path to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade. I turned and saw Michael holding a tree, hunched over. He held a thumbs up.

"You did it," he managed to choke out.

"Just breathe, here," I conjured a bottle of water. I was a little drained from the magic use so I wondered about. 

I glanced around and for a second I swear I saw someone behind a tree close to the castle. That familiar dark hair and piercing stare. Then I felt whispered on my neck and I turned around abruptly. 

Michael was upright now and the colour was back in his face and I walked over a grabbed hold of his hand, apparating us back home. 

"What's the rush?"

"I got a little tired from all the magic-using, I wanted to be home."

"Okay, well let's head back and I can make us some tea" I smiled and he cupped my face before we began walking back home, his arm protective around me, and to hold each other up.