"Second year, i'm very proud of you, Salem, I told you that you'd pass. I will miss you while you spend the summer away at the Weasleys. "Slughorn gushed as he gave his granddaughter a hug who was bringing her bags into the living room with a small smile.

Salem really missed Draco.

She didn't know where he was or if he was safe or even if he was alive. She hoped he was of course, even constantly prayed in her mind that he was though she wasn't really even religious. She considered going to Malfoy Manor just to see if he was there, but truth was she had already forgot where it was and knew if she set foot on the land she'd be killed.

No one knew what to say to her or how to comfort her, they hadn't known how her and Draco where when no one else was around. No one did which was the sad part, they never got to show anyone before he was being taken away from her life so quickly. Salem could imagine that even if he wasn't it would have taken the two of them a while to be so open, how they'd probably hold hands but wouldn't do anything else for quite some time.

She really did miss holding his hand.

"Where will you be?" Salem asked her grandfather, after he took his final retirement she could imagine he'd move on somewhere new, they always did.

"Oh, somewhere, i'll be sure to owl you whenever I find it." he said while touching the side of her face which was still scared. They'd found a spell to have it heal completely, but Salem didn't want it, she would have six months ago but not anymore. Now the scar had to much meaning, gave her to much comfort, "I ugh, I believe you are of age for this."

Salem frowned her eyebrows as she watched her Grandfather dig through one of his smaller bags, pulling out a tiny box with shaky hands, "It was your mother's, your father got it for her on their first date... I assume you could use some comfort now."

Slughorn knew Salem was hurting, he could see how gloomy and in a different world she always was. He didn't know what it was, he hadn't even thought her and Draco where that close. But he didn't know how to comfort her much like everyone else.

"Well, go on, open it." he said as Salem took the black, velvet box into her hands with a hesitant look. Slowly pulling the top up, she was met with a beautiful necklace that had a green charm and a snake at the end.

"Slytherin." Salem spoke as she placed it in her hands, feeling the coldness on her palms.

"Well, I know you'd probably like it." Slughorn spoke, Salem did like it, she loved it.

"Thank you." she spoke quietly with sad eyes while hugging him tightly.

When Salem finally managed to make herself leave the small townhouse the two were staying at for a while, she had the necklace around her neck, tracing the snake with her hands as she held her backpack on her back and the two bags in her arms.

She wished she could tell her grandfather everything she was going through, everything that was hurting her.

Salem stopped when she saw the two figures standing at the end of the driveway, looking very much out of place in their Slytherin outfits and judgment faces.

Blaise and Pansy.

"What are you two doing here?" Salem asked as she sat her bags down for a second to walk closer to them, hesitant that was.

"We K-" Blaise began before he was cut off with her hugging him tightly. She hadn't seen or spoke to Blaise in months, she didn't speak to any people besides the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione. She let go of Blaise and hugged Pansy, taking herself and the girl by surprise.

"We know you'll go looking for him." Blaise said as Salem looked to him, waiting for him to go on, "We wanted to bring you a few things, he left things in his dorm room when he..."

"When he left." Pansy finished for Blaise, a few things in her hand and a few things in Blaises, "If you find him, be sure to give them to him, will you?"

"I will, I-i'll tell him you guys miss him." Salem said as Blaise passed her a black journey, smaller then the one he made her but looked rather identical along with the Slytherin sweater.

"It's invisible ink, incase you thought of reading it." Blaise spoke to Salem while nodded to the journal which appeared blank. Salem gave a sad laugh and nodded her head. Pansy then put two rings and a charms book in Salem's arms.

"Now get outta here, you both stick out like a sore thumb." Salem joked as she whipped under her eye with a small laugh, which the two returned.

"Be safe, and owl me." Blaise said while hugging her again, longer then before but not to long.

"Salem." Pansy said to her, a hesitant look on her face as Salem look to her, "Your mother would be proud, I should have know that all along."

Salem hugged her again, thanking her without words before they headed for the train while Salem headed for the burrow.

"It looks nice on you." Ginny said as she sat next to Salem who had the Slytherin sweater on, pushing down on the piano keys by the fire that night as they waited for the others to arrive, "Though I still stand by you being in Gryffindor."

"So do I." Salem said with a small smile, hearing Molly cooking in the kitchen as Ginny laid her head on Salem's shoulder and watched her press her fingers down on the keys, a soft and beautiful song playing.

The sudden boom from outside made the two hurry out much like Molly did, swinging the burrow door open quickly. Salem made sure Callon stayed back just incase.

"Salem, you're here." Harry said in disbelief as he hurried to her, hair soaked along with the rest of his body with water and sweat.

"Course I am, hi darling." she said while hugging his quickly, "You okay?"

"Hagrid, Harry, what happened? Where are the others?"Molly asked while joining Salem's side along with Ginny.

"Is no one else back?" Harry asked in a panic, his body stiffening as Salem gave his back a rub, seeing Callon peaking out the front door.

"They were on us right from the start, Molly." Hagrid spoke as Ginny and Salem shared a worried look, "We didn't stand a chance."

"Well, thank goodness you two are all right." Molly said, though she had slight panic in her eyes considering her husband and sons were still out there, Salem would be lying if she said she wasn't panicking about everyone else as well.

"The death eaters were waiting for us, it was a ambush." Hagrid said back as Salem let go of Harry as she nearly gave herself whiplash to look at Hagrid.

"Death eaters? How many?" she asked quickly, looking up at him.

"Loads, all we saw." the man said as Salem messed with her hands.

"Did you, uh, you didn't see anyone right, just the black shadow thing?" Salem asked. She's been keeping track of where and when people would see death eaters, hoping eventually it would lead them to Draco.

"I'd tell ye' if you I did, right over Bristol is when it got ti' worst." Hagrid said as Salem nodded and quickly hurried inside to write it down.

"Salem." Callon said as he crawled onto the table, still not able to say his L's correctly.

"Yes, Callon?" Salem asked, flipping through the multiple pages that were filled with notes where the death eaters attacked until she reached the last one.

"You've forgot your ink." he said while placing it before her, Salem not even realizing it as she stopped the take a breath before nodding and dipping the quill into the ink while giving him a small smile. The sudden door opening made the two look over, seeing Harry and and Lupin carrying George in who was bleeding terribly from his ear.

"Oh my boy." Molly said as she hurried over. Salem helped Callon off the table as she hurried over as well, pushing the pillows out of the way so George can lay on the couch.

"I'll get the gauze." she said while hurrying toward the kitchen cabinet that was filled with medical, hearing talking from the living room as she knocked down many things before hurrying back.

"Thank you dear, go make sure Ron is back, would you?" Molly asked as Salem nodded while hurrying out the burrow to be met with the sight of Hermione giving Ron a lovely hug with her head on his chest. She ached at the sight of them, how in love and precious they were. She knew Hermione and Ron were destined to be together, she'd always known that.

Salem hated herself for being so jealous and annoyed at their affection for each other.

She could have had that and she wished she did just for another moment.

"I see you didn't convince her." Hermione said to Harry as she saw Salem, "Not that I expected you to."

"Spend my days in the muggle world instead of being with the three of you and protecting my dear Harry? I could never." Salem said while giving her a hug, nodding for Ron to join them as well.

"We saw death eaters at-" Ron began for her, knowing she liked to track it.

"Over Bristol, I know, not anywhere near the last sighting." Salem said sadly as Hermione put a hand on her shoulder with a sad smile. Harry joined the three in a tight hug, holding onto each other until Arthur and George appeared, remembering George's state.

"How you feeling, Georgie?" Fred asked after they all got inside, George barley awake on the couch as Molly rubbed his head. Salem was proud to see Callon helping Molly, giving him a sad smile as she took Hermiones hand.

"Saint-like."

"Come again?"

"Saint-like." George repeated as he looked up as his twin brother who was in much better shape then him, "I'm holy, i'm holy, Fred. You get it?"

"The whole wide world of ear related humor and you go for 'I'm Holy.' That's pathetic." Fred laughed at his words, Salem used her other hand to hold Ron's in comfort as he stared as his brother terrible state.

"Reckon i'm still better looking then you." George said to Fred with a half smile, Bill walked forward, Salem met him once before for only a few minutes last year where he told her about Egypt.

"Mad-eyes dead." Bill spoke as Harry's whole body language changed, guilt flashing across his eyes as he slumped, "Mundungus took one look at Voldemort and disappeared."

Salem decided to stay down stairs with George that night, telling Fred it was all okay for him to head up stairs because she wouldn't leave his side. Callon was curled into Salem's side while George rested on the couch just next to her, if Salem reach over she could make sure he was breathing.

Salem had been staring down at Dracos journal that was written in invisible ink, she was scared if she got the spell wrong it would mess up everything and would ruin his hand writing. Salem would do anything to read into his thoughts before he was suddenly taken away from her, read what he wrote the night before or even the day before.

She'd flipped the one he got her for her birthday open, finding the spell to reveal invisible ink and taking a deep breath. She mumbled the spell, carful to be quiet so she wouldn't wake Callon or George on either side of her. To Salem's surprise, words began to spread across the pages making her smile.

She was proud of herself.

Salem flipped through the paper pages quickly, finding the last dated one toward the back, only a few pages left to be written in the journal. Salem sighed in relief, there was one written the same day he'd left her, the same night he almost killed Dumbledore before Snape finished the job for him.

Her eyes. I hated them in a way, how they amazed me and were the same color as the sky when there were no stars. It was always my favorite, stars didn't amaze me like they did her. She told me a star reminded me of her, a star that would be joined by another soon.

She likes to hold my hand.

Shes so dumb, so gullible and absent minded. She couldn't pass any of her classes without the cheat codes, no matter how hard she studied or ask for help. I adore her for for it, in a way that makes me hate her even more. I want to tell myself that I only want to be around her because I was told not to, but that wasn't right nor would it ever be... Salem made me so anger but I never once would hurt her again.

She'd be safe away from myself, with me she was nothing but in danger and feared death. She fancies me the way I did her, through hatred and adoration.

-Draco
June 30th, 1997.

"Are you crying over me?" George asked as Salem jumped and shut the book quickly, whipping her face as she looked over at him, looking at her through one squinted eye.

"Course not, you're fine, I would cry if you were dying but you're fine." Salem said as she put the book to the side, checking on Callon who was fast asleep next to her still.

"How kind." George joked with her as Salem laughed slightly and rubbing the tears under her eyes, "Are you crying over your death eater boyfriend?"

"He isn't my boyfriend." Salem said as she leaned on the side of the couch to look at him more.

"I'll take that as a yes." the Weasley twin said back as he shifted his body to look at her better, "I once gave him chocolate frogs that had him puking for days."

"So i've heard, he's still angry about it, by the way." Salem said with a faint smile, remembering Draco tell her the story around christmas time, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking to you about this. I know he was a real jerk to you guys."

"Well, he was terrible to you too, now look at you... crying over him." George said with a teasing grin as Salem rolled her eyes and grabbed the glass of water.

"You'd think losing a ear would make you a little more grateful for the rest of your body parts, i'm very close to cutting your tongue out." Salem joked as she passed him the glass of water and sitting by his side now to make sure he didn't spill it all over himself.

"You wouldn't, I might only be able to hear half as well as you but i'm not afraid to put butterfly's in your ears again." he said as Salem laughed at the all to recent memory.

"Don't you dare, i'm still convinced I have baby butterfly's in my brain." she added in with a small smile, her eyes looking auburn from the fire. It was creepy in a way, seeing Salem have nearly red eyes that only George and Harry had been lucky enough to see... creepy in a beautiful way that was.

"Hey, you can talk about your boyfriend if you want to, I can barely hear anyways." George said as Salem cracked a half smile with a shake of her head.

"No, you go to sleep." she said while taking the water glass from him to set on the burrow floor, "We'll talk tomorrow."

And just like that, so quickly had George and Salem formed a bond.

•

kylie speaks.

honestly,
salem missing
draco is hurting
big time y'all.
like big, big
time.

also real quick enjoy these cute gifs of taissa and emma from a movie they did together!

pov: Salem and Hermione have a party phase.