Hey,

The hard chapter.

Without further adieu, I present to you...

R E S T

O n y x D e L o u g h r e y

They transferred me back home to die. That's basically what it is. With a hospital bed and all, thick blankets to keep me warm, and a fucking oxygen tank. I'm in my bloody late 40's. There's no reason why I should be dying.

But, as expected for Thyroid cancer and King Parkinson, my time is almost up.

Now, everyone is in my damn house. Isn't it funny how they centered my hospital bed in the middle of the bloody living room? My death feels like a ritual, and everyone will surround me. All our children and their children will come piling up in this room and I can't even say 'leave me alone, I want to rest, because I'm bloody dying and they just want to say their good-byes.

I had a good run. 40 something years felt like forever. But, to be fair, it just wasn't enough.

I'm just exhausted. The pit of my stomach feels heavy. Very heavy, actually. Yet, it's funny because there's absolutely nothing in it. I think I can die in peace. I managed to dream about everyone's possible futures. My children and theirs. The dreams stopped after the grandchildren. It brings me peace when I know that they won't die of an illness. Instead, old age. Old age sounds nicer. Calmer. Meant to be.

This is what the stars wrote for me. And I fucking hate the stars for this. For me to be terminally ill in my late 40's makes my blood boil. I was beautiful. I had everything I ever wanted. My life was going great.

So why did the stars write my life this way? Even worse, why am I the last one to pass? All my siblings passed away at an early age. Was it a De Loughrey thing? Will my daughter and son even make it past 40? I've seen their futures. I've seen my death coming. I just didn't realize it was this soon.

My mother named us after stones. Onyx, Nephrite, Malachite, Opal, and Carnelian. Crystals. Rocks. Reasoning? To this day, I still don't know. Maybe because each stone cast beauty. Maybe that's why.

But here's the difference between me and a stone. We live on a large piece of stone, orbiting the Sun by the second. Unless we get hit by an asteroid, the Earth is going to be here for a long...long... long time. You treat the planet right, the planet lives on. You take care of the planet, the planet grows stronger.

So why is it that I'm the one dying? Was it because I was treated poorly? I don't recall ever being treated poorly other than being held captive and tortured. I was taken care of. So, why didn't I get stronger?

Why am I the one on this death bed? Why is my hair brittle? The color in my eyes faded, haven't they? Am I just a bag of bones? Soon to dust?

I can't dwell anymore. The stars wrote for me to die this way, and exactly around this time.

I wear my favorite blouse, a pair of joggings that don't fit me anymore, and my hair brushed and pushed behind my ears. These clothes are too baggy. I can't look down otherwise I'll exert all the energy I have left into crying.

I don't want to cry.

Not with the precious time I have left.

"Can I get you anything, Mum?" Mel interrupted. I turned my head to see her, with Oshun on her hip, and both of their curls tied up in a bun. I never knew how to take care of Mel's curls. I didn't have any myself. I hope she doesn't hate me for that.

"Not like I can taste," I responded. "I'm okay. Thank you."

"Can I lay with you?" Oshun pleaded softly. She pointed to the foot of my hospital bed with her beady eyes.

"Oshun, I think Mumsy wants to get some rest—"

"No," I said quickly. "She can lay by my feet. Just don't crush my bones, strong girl."

Oshun giggled as she wriggled out of Mel's arms and climbed right onto the hospital bed. "You smell like an old shoe, Mumsy."

"If I could kick you right off with an old shoe, I would," I snapped back. Her grin dropped immediately as I heard Zenith snort in the kitchen. "I'm kidding, my love."

I wasn't.

Blaise ran down the stairs with a star-patterned blanket. "I brought your blanket. Do you want it on you right now?"

"No, I'm fine," I responded. "Put it on me later when everyone else comes. I can't let them see my horrendous fucking feet."

Blaise inched closer and gave me a kiss on the forehead. Blood rushed to my cheeks and I could feel it pool. It felt nice being about to feel warmth like that.

"You look beautiful, you know that?" Blaise cupped my face and stared right at me. His wandering eyes shielded pain, and it hurt for me to see right through it. He was trying his best to stay calm and collected. It would always be us against the world.

"Oh, please," I rolled my eyes. "You're just saying that because I can no longer win any fights with you."

He softly chuckled. "I couldn't win against you even if I tried, Onny."

Blaise pulled away, smiled, and went to the kitchen where Zenith finished up baking a few goodies that I likely couldn't even taste. Oshun had a toy in her hand as she laid by my feet. Mel cleaned up the living room, positioning chairs to surround my bed.

"This all feels wrong," I said quietly. "I don't think I can do this, Amelie."

I wasn't comfortable with the thought of everyone watching me die.

"Mum, it's only right."

"I don't want to. I don't want them to see me, Mel—"

"Mum, please—"

"I don't want to! I don't want all these fucking people watching me die!"

This startled Oshun. It made my boys' heads turn. Mel was quiet.

"Mum," Mel sighed. She set a vase down and walked towards me. "They aren't just random people. This is your family."

"But you guys are my family. Mel, I don't want them seeing me die—"

"Mum, I need you to understand something. You need to listen to what I'm about to say, okay?"

I sighed.

"The people that are coming are your family. Aunt Lucille. Uncle Lorenzo. Aunt Luna. Their children. Oli's children. They are your family. You can't just strip them away of not being with you during your—" Mel's eyes watered. She quickly wiped her tears with the palm of her hand. "—Your last moments on Earth, okay? If you could just please bear with all of us? It would really mean a lot."

I didn't care about anyone else. I just wanted to—I just wanted to sleep. I didn't have any energy arguing back. Instead, I just nodded. I nodded, sighed, and closed my eyes for a power nap.

I didn't have the energy to pick a fight. Even if I said no, I wouldn't be able to go against it anyway. It's not like I could just get up from this bed and force them to leave.

The moment I woke up, people already started arriving. And it made me sick.

Luckily it was just my friends. Family, really.

Lucille came in an old Quidditch sweater. Why do I care, you may ask? Because it's mine. My last name is sewn onto it and everything.

"So you just steal my clothes and plan to never return it?" I bickered. She softly giggled before coming close to my bed. Lucille kissed my cheek and pushed my hair behind my ear.

"Do you want it back?"

I dumbfoundedly gazed at her. "I'm dying, Lucille. No point."

Humour too dark for you, Lucille?

She disregarded that comment.

Draco, in a horrible crewneck, trailed behind her. Bloody hell. He does not look good. At all. "Onyx," he said flatly.

"Draco," I replied. "Clearly it wasn't worth saving me if I was just going to die 20 something years later, right?"

He chuckled, which somewhat made me feel oddly comfortable. "Now, don't say that. Blaise wouldn't have been able to shut up about you."

"And he won't shut up about me after this, so in the end, we all lose, don't we?" I smirked.

"Quit talking like that," Lucille whined. "You and your dark humour."

"Come on," Blaise badgered. "You don't like dark humour? It's practically her talent."

Fucking Christ, it's tiring to talk.

I carefully watched Draco and Lucille interact with one another, and with Blaise as a whole. They said hi to my children, they said hi to Oshun, yet it seems like they're not saying hi...together. Like they are their own persons. Not even a married couple.

Oh, how I dreaded for this day to come. Not even my death, but the moment Draco and Lucille no longer sparked.

Draco kept his distance from her. Lucille as well. She was trying. I've got to give it to her, she really was trying to be affectionate. She smiled at Draco while Blaise spoke to the both of them, though Draco didn't reciprocate.

He never really was the affectionate type. Towards the end of Narsa's single-digit years is where it faded. His affection towards her. Faint affection, but he still did it.

Now, it's just gone.

Draco came up to me to crack a few jokes and share a few memories. I laughed, I smiled, but as soon as he looked away, I couldn't help but feel angry.

Not only because his affection towards Lucille ended, but because he reeked.

Like alcohol.

"I think it's safe to say that Lucille was not as stuck-up in school like she used to be thanks to Onny," Blaise badgered. He placed his hand on my shoulder and rubbed it gently as a sign of affection. I smiled at him before looking back at Draco and Lucille who stood beside me on opposite sides. Draco to my left next to Blaise, and Lucille to my right. Oshun still by my feet fiddling with my fucking socks.

"I was never a stuck-up," Lucille snapped, following a subtle wink towards me. "I just became fun when Onyx became fun."

"Exactly my point," Blaise smiled wide. "Life of the party right in front of the both of you."

"Almost lifeless, too," I added. They weren't sure whether or not it was appropriate to laugh, which made me agitated. "Can you guys laugh or something? It feels so dry in here."

"I'll laugh when you're actually funny," Draco snickered. I rolled my eyes and weakly stuck my middle finger up. Blaise couldn't help but chuckle and place another kiss on my forehead. I really do appreciate his affection but the greedy person in me wants him to cry or some shit.

I'm laying here wondering how we ever got to last this long with me being so needy and mean. All I know is that I'm blessed to have lived most of my life with Blaise, and being Blaise's partner in crime.

Giving Blaise any children was the last thing I ever wanted to do, but something compelled me to do so. I'm glad he had powerful cells.

As the day progressed, Draco, Blaise, and Lucille kept bringing up memories and shared a few laughs. I smiled, weakly chuckled, and smiled again at every response. They did all the talking, mainly because I didn't have it in me. It was as if my chest got heavier, making it difficult to breathe. The oxygen tank wasn't bloody enough. But it was expected.

I was, as mentioned previously, dying.

We jumped from memories dating back to our first year at Hogwarts, then to our fifth, then to our second, back to first, back to fifth, back to second again, and all around. Our conversations came to a halt when a knock on the door interrupted us.

"That must be either the Malfoy descendants or the 'Shires," Blaise smiled. He parted ways from us and headed towards the door. Behind the doors stood Lorenzo in a button-up blouse and Luna is a subtle lilac-colored sundress. Enzo held a large bouquet of flowers, while Luna had a fine china pot with something good.

He looked like his father, Lorenzo Berkshire. It scared me, to be honest with you. He was nothing like his father, which was a definite pro.

"Look what the cat dragged in," teased Blaise, gesturing that they walk in. I cracked a smile and immediately laid my eyes on Luna. "Please, do come in."

Lorenzo and Luna stepped in and right when they stepped foot into my home, it was the blonde git that had so much to say yet stayed silent. Instead, he pulled himself away from my hospital bed and right into the kitchen, straight through the backyard. It almost felt like he didn't want to make a scene, but deep down I knew he couldn't stand the presence of Lorenzo Berkshire.

I wouldn't blame him. If Lorenzo hid a child I was supposed to have, it would have driven me mad. Completely mad. Lucille had the heart to give him, and even I think that's strange.

But that's just Lucille. And her... love for Lorenzo. She hates admitting it, which is exactly why she doesn't. It's all just a mess, and I refuse to dwell on that mess with the time that I have left.

I looked at Lucille and she was already smiling at Luna and Lorenzo. The pair walked closer to me while Blaise went ahead and grabbed the flowers and the pot of whatever Luna whipped up and brought both things into the kitchen. Luna inched closer towards me, standing next to Lucille, and dove in. She gave me a warm embrace and a kiss on the cheek. Pulling away, Lorenzo did the same.

"You look beautiful," Lorenzo grinned. "I just thought you should know that."

"Real funny," I rolled my eyes. He shook his head with a smile and laughed it off.

"I'm being serious," Lorenzo assured. "You, for some reason, look vital. More vital than the last time I saw you."

I turned my head to face Luna with a dumbfounded face. "Alright," I said weakly, "How much did you pay your husband to say those things to me, huh? How much sex per week was it?"

Luna's jaw dropped and Lucille giggled. "I did no such thing!" Luna badgered, following a goofy wink towards me.

"It was from the kindness in my heart, Onny-Poo."

I groaned. "Enough with that bloody name! I thought we left it back in Hogwarts."

"Well, what are you going to do? Get up and kick me?"

"No," I said. "Something even worse."

"And what's that?" Lucille queried with a smile.

"I'm going to haunt the living hell out of you, Enzo. I swear by it. You and your son together. I will take turns. A rotation. Night shift and day shift type of thing. You better expect it. The both of you raise hell for me, anyway."

"Aw, come on," Lorenzo whined. "What did my son do?"

"It's what he didn't do any sooner," I said quietly, hoping that Mel, who is in the kitchen with her rother, won't hear.

"What didn't he do?" Luna asked.

"Propose to that hard-headed woman in that kitchen the moment she got knocked up by your bloody hell of a giant. You know, the funny thing I noticed while Mel was pregnant was that during our outings, they both would eat like they both would be eating for two. Zeno? His appetite? Out of this fucking world."

Luna and Lorenzo laughed vibrantly. Happily. It made me happy.

"I told him to, I really did," Lorenzo informed. "Mel just.. had other plans. And Zeno wasn't going to stop her from any of them. He's not the type."

"Besides, it worked out anyway," Luna added. "They are amazing co-parents."

"Your son is banging my daughter again," I blurted flatly. Blaise cleared his throat and Lucille scrunched her eyes closed.

"I'm... going to set the pot on the stove again..." Blaise parted awkwardly into the kitchen where he shook his head. I shrugged it off. If he can't handle knowing that his daughter is sexually active, then don't have a daughter. Big baby.

"And how do you know that?" Lucille questioned. "You know a lot for someone who's bed-ridden."

"Rude," I snapped. "I know because Mel's limping like an idiot again."

"I don't want to know this. I don't— I don't want to—" Lorenzo covered his ears with both his hands.

"I think it's because they'll always find a way back home," Luna smiled softly. "I'm sure they are each other's home. It was hard to keep Mel away from Zeno during the summers. She'd apparate to his room as we couldn't hear them."

"Your son and his heavy feet could be heard in her room, too. They both thought they did something. Sneaking into one another's rooms as if we didn't know."

"Little bastards," Luna added. "What about you, Luce. Did you catch Oliver or Scar or Narsa?"

"Oh, not at all," Lucille shook her head. "Oliver never kept it a fucking secret or even tried to hide it. Then, the rest just followed. Draco and I would just lay there in bed trying our best to zone out the noises and hope they use 'Muffliato' or something. My kids were very inconsiderate."

"Do you think this is the consequence of having children so early? Simply just normalizing sexual intercourse in our homes?"

"Never intended any of that," I butted. "It's just inevitable. It was inevitable. Teens will be teens. Just be safe, is all I told my children. For the love of Merlin and God, just ˆplease be safe. Surely enough, they were."

"But once they hit a certain age, or at least Oliver, it was all hell breaking loose. Charlotte is on her 6th child. I don't know how he does it," Lucille sighed.

"He really loves those children, though. It's crazy how much of you I see in all of his children. It's the anger issues that come up and then I see Draco in all of them. Scarlett, especially. Man, she turns as red as a tomato. Narsa just knows how to hurt you with her words. Oliver just throws stuff around. Like a damn child," I replied. I looked down to my feet and noticed Oshun had fallen asleep.

"I never had Scarlett give me attitude with intention, or at least try to be mean, but when she was younger, she'd argue with her siblings and I could just clearly see Draco in her. She's a reckless one when she's angry."

The conversation shifted when Lorenzo cleared his throat. "Lucille," he said.

"Hmm?" She perked her head up and faced him.

"How's Draco doing?"

Oh, I knew this question. I paid attention to Lucille as the question surfaced in her mind.

She gulped, looked around for a brief moment, then huffed. "Not better. Drinking his life away, if we're being honest.

Blaise appeared right behind Lorenzo, coming right on time to discuss the situation about Draco.

Back at the hospital, Lucille would come looking mentally and emotionally drained. She wouldn't tell me, but I knew. I knew exactly what was wrong.

I looked at Lorenzo and he was looking down at his feet. He was guilty. As he should, though. Seriously. If that man ever hid a kid from me I would never forgive him.

At this point, I don't care if Lorenzo and Draco don't get along. What matters to me is that Lucille and Draco fix their marriage.

Or split.

Because I cannot leave this earth knowing Lucille is unhappy, and that is my bloody hell of a best friend.

"We don't sleep in the same bed anymore. He usually sleeps on the couch, but when Scarlett or any of the other kids come, we try to get along. Once they're gone it's just—" Lucille quickly wipes a tear from her cheek, "—back to being roommates again."

I couldn't help but pity Lucille. A life she was promised was all thrown away within a matter of months, and it isn't even her fault.

It's Draco being self-destructive. It's him not wanting to change. He feared being his father, but he went ahead and put on his shoes. Smells like Lucius. Smug face like Lucius. But he failed to realize that the cloak is too big for a man like him. A man like Draco. Why?

Because it isn't his cloak. 

"At this point, there's no getting through Draco. He's hurt. For obvious reasons. He has his good days where he says that he loves me and asks me if I want anything. But if I start counting, there are more bad than good. I just became accepting."

Switching my vision back to Lorenzo, he already had guilt written on his visage.

It hurts knowing that I'm leaving the world with unwritten words. There are wounds that still need healing and it hurts not being able to witness them. Or even be there for it. Or help the process.

And that is the circle of life.

"Does anyone want to eat?" Zenith interrupted. "The food is warm. I just have to say, Aunt Luna, your soup is amazing."

She smiled, pulled away from my bed, and right towards Zenith with open arms. Pulling him into an embrace, she spoke. "Thank you. I made it with love and tranquility, in hopes that everyone today can feel the same way."

Draco needs to swim in that fucking soup.

The clique separated. They made their way to the kitchen to eat, leaving me and Oshun alone in the living room. I closed my eyes so that I can get a few minutes in before I have to meet everyone else.

But then an idea came to bind.

"Blaise," I called out weakly.

Without hesitation, Blaise came towards me. I took notice of his aged beauty and the aged way on how he dresses. Ribbed-cotton long-sleeve, marvelous grey dress pants. What was he dressing so nice for? Is someone coming? Someone that he wants to impress? If that's the case, the man will be dead before me. Courtesy of my killing.

Just kidding.

I think.

"Yes, love," Blaise spoke calmly.

"I need you to get Draco. Wherever he is, just get him. And him only."

"On it," he replied. Blaise walked away from my bed-ridden self and headed towards our backdoor. I waited patiently with my eyes closed and my hands folded across my stomach. Like a dead person.

Almost there, but not quite.

He came back with Draco beside him. Both entered and had eyes on them immediately. Draco disregarded the attention from Lorenzo and walked right in my direction.

He stood next to my bed and laid a hand on the small barricade that prevented fall. "I was summoned?"

"Do you know why?" I asked. "Blaise. Leave us."

"Yes, Master," he rolled his eyes, parting ways from us. "Bossy much?"

That left Draco and me. "No, I don't know why," he replied.

"What's going on with you, Draco?" I queried quietly. "You've got bags under your eyes, you reek like alcohol, and you aren't... livid. You're like a walking dead person. Hell, I probably look more vibrant—"

"I—" he turned around harshly, checking to make sure no one was listening, then right back to me, "You know why. In fact, you probably know more than me—"

"Draco, I am the last person you want to distrust right now," I seethed through my teeth. "This isn't about what Lorenzo did anymore. It's about you and your bloody wife."

He scoffed. "I don't have time for this—"

"Oh? And you think I do?"

"Then why are we even talking about it—"

"I am most certainly not leaving my best friend on this planet with a miserable life."

He sighed, ran his hand down his face, and cupped his mouth. It seemed as if he was thinking thoroughly.

"We're fine. Whatever she's telling you is not true—"

"She doesn't tell me anything, Draco. I already know. I sense it. You don't think I sense it? I'm not stupid."

"Onyx, just drop it. I don't want to spend this time with you like this—"

"And I don't want to spend my eternal afterlife knowing that you and Luce are unhappy. If you would just listen to me, that'd be very much appreciated."

The aggression in my voice felt surreal given my situation, but evident it being me, it was no surprise at all. I was frustrated, and Draco knew. Draco also knew exactly what I was talking about. The relationship that Lucille and Draco have is nearly long gone.

"I'm listening," Draco spoke quietly.

"Talk quiet, okay?" I replied. "I don't want them knowing our conversation."

"You and I alike," Draco scoffed.

We took some time to linger in silence before the real conversation occurred.

"Will you have answers for me, Draco?" I queried.

"What do you mean?"

"When I ask you a question, will you answer it with a real response? And will you answer it with honesty?"

For a bit, he was hesitant. But, nonetheless, he nodded. "I will."

"Very well, then," I mumbled. "Do you have any means to change your drinking habits to better your marriage?"

"No," he replied.

"And why is that?"

"I can't find peace in sobriety."

"Are you willing to try?"

"What if I said no?"

"You'd be a shitty spouse."

"You wanted me to be honest, Onny."

I huffed. "You really don't have any means to better your relationship with Lucille? You're drinking your life away. She's not happy. You're not happy. You seriously don't want to get better or make any changes?"

He stood silent. His alabaster hands slid into his pockets. They always ran cold, I suppose. Like the heart that lays beneath his chest. Piece of shit.

"I just want things to stay the same right now. I'm too—. I'm too tired of any changes. It all just seems like...too much work."

"One thing is for certain, my dear Draco," I panted. "You will lose her soon."

And that was the kicker.

"And your children? Seems like you've lost them already."

He cleared his throat in an attempt to ease discomfort from my words of truth.

"But it's never too late to get your children back."

Draco sucked his cheeks in, hopefully, because he's holding his tears in.

"You will lose Lucille and that is for certain—"

"I don't want to hear that—" He stumbled.

"I don't care what you want to hear and what you don't want to hear, Draco," I glowered. "You will lose Lucille and I want you to know that. She will find happiness elsewhere. Is that something you want? Her to be happy with someone else? Hell, she might not even need a man anymore given that you've put her through complete turmoil—"

"Onyx," he hissed, "Enough."

Excuse me? "You will not talk to me like that. I will rub it in your bloody face if I fucking have to. Do you hear me, Draco? You are going to lose Lucille if you don't make any changes. She will no longer have your last name, is what I'm trying to say—"

It was working. Draco's body tensed up. His fists clenched as he gulped.

"She deserves better, Draco. You can either let her find better, or you can become better. If you can't fathom life without your little Lucille, then do something about it. I'm not going to die knowing that she's in an unhappy relationship."

"I just don't understand," he spoke softly. Weakly, even. "I can't."

"Don't understand what? Can't what?"

Draco looked right into my eyes. His grey cooling eyes felt... warm. For a moment, it felt warm. He was scared. Damn straight, he was scared. Sad, too.

"I don't understand how she could just forgive him after what he's done to our family..." Draco's lip quivered. He fought his very best to hold his tears in. "I don't understand how she could easily forgive him like that. It makes me wonder, you know? What else is she willing to do for him?"

I shook my head in disappointment. "You should've known she was the forgiving type for all the times you did her wrong when she was younger. It should come as no surprise to you, Draco."

"I just—" swiftly, he wiped a tear before it even had the chance to roll down his cheek, "Does Lucille love Lorenzo in the way she loves me?"

Now, I couldn't answer something like that. I wasn't Lucille. The truth is, I'm not sure what she was ever capable of when it came to Lorenzo Berkshire. I just had to play it safe.

"If that were the case, she would have already left you. She loves you, Draco. She just needs to know if you love her too."

"And I do," Draco replied instantly. "I love her with everything."

"Then stop hurting her," I stated. "Get your shit together. Do better for yourself. For Lucille. For your damn children, Draco. You hardly know Jack. Get to know him before it's too late. I get that it's Lorenzo's fault for that, but you can't keep dwelling. You need to keep moving forward. Be active in the family, again."

"I—" Draco wiped another tear, "I don't want to be all buddy-buddy with Lorenzo, Onny."

"You don't have to. I wouldn't. Just get your immediate family back together. Stop drinking excessively. Pay more attention to your wife. Little by little. I shouldn't have to tell a grown man how to love his wife and kids. Especially when I'm dying."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't apologize to me. You're apologizing to the wrong person."

"You're right," he choked up. "I—'ll change. I will."

"Can you promise that? That you'll stop drinking excessively and let it be known that you love your wife and family? You won't be a fucking drunk anymore?"

Draco stuck his pinky out. I rolled my eyes and lifted my hand. Our pinkies linked together as he kissed his fist to lock it.

A tear rolled down his cheek, and he didn't bother wiping it away. "Am I a monster?"

I huffed. "No, but you're turning into the man you feared the most."

"The man I feared the most?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

His teeth met the bottom of his lip. "Bold comment."

"I'm not wrong. You smell just like him. Expressions sit like his. Anger issues? Just like him."

Draco's tears were inaudible, yet they screamed a thousand words. "Is it too late for change?"

"It's not too late. It won't be easy, seen as you're an alcoholic who depends on alcohol during tense moments, but it's definitely something you can change. You have a family who will support your weaning off alcohol."

"I don't think my children want me anymore."

"It's going to take a while, but with my wisdom and speaking, I'll talk some sense into them. Just don't get upset when it doesn't happen so fast. Things like these take time."

"You're right," he stated sternly. "It's not too late, and things like these take time."

I reached out for his hand. He gave it to me without hesitance, and he stood there with our hands in each other's grasp. "I have faith in you and your family. Please don't mess this up."

Draco sniffled. "I won't mess this up."

In my dreams, he did, in fact, mess this up.

I just hope that he can rewrite his stars.

***

REST {PART II} WILL BE UP SOON.

D I S C U S S I O N