BORN TO DIE    ╱    DRACO MALFOY
꒷꒦ · ˚.‧ . written by ella . . . © -lostgardens
100 ━━━━━━ ❛ better late than never ❜

content warning: smut

The night was quiet. The manor was silent and calm, unlike the impending dread that loomed over the world. A war was coming, and there was nothing for any of them to do to stop it. They could defeat it eventually, but it was coming nonetheless.

Sighing, Olivia placed her hands on the edge of the bathroom counter, tucking her chin closer to her chest as she rocked her body back and forth slowly. She'd been getting ready to go to bed. It was late, and she'd been awake for hours studying, planning, and trying to figure out what to do to help. She was sore, stressed, and had a pounding headache, but it was all worth it if she could just find something of importance.

She just needed to find something.

The sound of her door opening and closing brought her out of her thoughts. Quickly standing straight, her body tense, she faced the door of her bathroom with trained eyes as she patted her hand on the countertop in search of her wand. When she had a hold of it, she quietly creeped towards the door, making it so that anyone who was in her room couldn't see her. She could hear the creek of floorboards as the person moved about. She knew it wasn't one of the house elves; they'd just snap in the room, never using the door. It wasn't a parent unless her mother had decided to sneak into her room again to search through her things. It was possibly Lucas, but she didn't think so.

Silently taking in a deep breath, she spun around the doorframe. "Petrificus totalus!" she cast hastily, aiming for the tall and slim figure. But the person was too quick and blocked it with ease. It only took her a few seconds to realize who it was.

Her body didn't relax, but she did lower her wand.

Draco stood in front of her with a smirk on his face, his hands tucked in the trouser pockets of his black suit. That blasted black suit. "Nice greeting," he teased, not dropping his smirk and not moving from his spot.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" She crossed her arms over her chest. Her pause wasn't long enough for him to answer, and she added, "And how did you get in here? The manor has wards in place."

He just carelessly shrugged his shoulders, stepping a step forward. She took a step back, keeping the same distance between them. He didn't miss this but chose to ignore it, taking another few steps. "Your parents need to get better at casting wards."

She narrowed her eyes. "I helped them," she gritted, annoyed at his insult.

His smirk deepened as he continued to walk slowly towards her, noticing that she didn't take another step back. "Truthfully?" He lowered his head just a bit so that they were more at eye level.

Had he gotten taller? That annoyed Olivia even more than him sneaking in her room during the middle of the night. She didn't voice her thoughts or let the annoyance show on her otherwise blank expression. Her wand was still tightly gripped in her hand, despite her arms being crossed over her chest, and she noticed his eyes fall to it. It wasn't as if she believed he would do something and she'd need it; she was just on edge, like everyone else was. The world was going to shite, after all.

"That would be preferred," she answered flatly.

"One of my house elf spoke to your house elf..." He shrugged his shoulders, his hands still tucked in his trouser pockets, and took another step closer, coming so close that she had no other choice but to step back. His eyes focused on hers intently. "And here I am."

He continued forward, and she continued backwards until her back hit the wall, giving her nowhere else to go. Her eyes fell off him for a moment as she glanced to the side, realizing that he had her trapped, not that she was feeling that way. Then she met his gaze, her breaths deep and heavy as she watched him study her. "Which one was it? Bobbin or Trinky?" she asked quietly.

"I'm not sure," he replied, his eyes trailing down her body, noticing the fact that all she was only wearing was a nightie and knickers. He cleared his throat, still staring at her bedtime wear. Her breathing grew heavy when he leaned. Their bodies were so close, and he felt his own heart racing. He was sure hers was too. "This is much different than what you usually wear to bed," he noted, remembering back to her usual matching silk shirt and shorts.

"I just got this." Her eyes remained on his face, and he met her gaze at the sound of her voice. "Besides, it's not exactly school-appropriate." Her words were so breathless, her voice didn't even sound like hers. He was so close to her, she could feel him in her soul. She wondered if he was feeling her too.

"Right," he muttered, his voice hoarse. He put his hand on the wall next to her head.

She glanced over at it quickly, then focused on him. He was breathing heavily, and so was she. His eyes trailed down her body once or twice before he met her gaze. His gray eyes were swimming with emotions. Then he looked down at her lips, like he wanted to devour her. Then he groaned, dropping his head to rest on her shoulder. His hands found her waist, pulling her body slightly closer to him.

She shivered at his touch, feeling her chest rise and fall rapidly. He was so close, but she wanted him to be closer. She'd never felt this way with him or anyone else; he was the only one she'd ever been interested in. Her fingers tangled in his white-blonde hair on the back of his head, and she felt his grip on her waist tighten. "What are you doing here, Draco?" she practically whispered.

He picked up his head from her shoulder, his pupils blown out as he took her face in. He cleared his throat, glancing down as he pulled something out of his pocket. A breath was taken in deeply through his nose as he lifted up the object for her to see. It was a necklace. Her necklace. The one that he'd given to her all of those years ago. The one that her mother had stolen from her and given to Narcissa. "I thought I should return this."

Olivia's eyes were trained on the piece of jewelry, her heart beating rapidly. She lifted her hand to it, letting the familiar charm rest against her palm as she studied it like it'd been years since she last saw it. "You could've waited until we returned to Hogwarts."

"I could've... But I wanted to bring it back to you as soon as possible," he admitted softly, a small smile playing at his mouth when their eyes met. "I got the clasp fixed for you."

She smiled. "Thank you, Draco."

"Turn around," he told her, taking a step back to give her room and watching as she did so without question. She lifted up her hair, and he moved his hands around the front of her, holding each side of the chain as he pulled it around her neck and clasped it, returning the necklace to its rightful place and power. Then his fingers brushed against where it sat delicately on the back of her neck. His eyes flickered down as his hands trailed down, leaving shivers on her skin, finding the three familiar scars on her back. The scars from when she'd protected him. When she'd placed herself between him and a hippogriff. When she'd taken three claws to the back, not letting them hit him instead. His fingertips lightly grazed over the lifted skin, and she shuddered.

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut as she felt his touch on her back, her chest rising and falling. Then she dropped her hair, slowly turning around to stare at him. His eyes met hers just before she placed her hand on the back of his head and pulled him down for a kiss. She felt him sink into her, his hands falling to her waist as he pulled her closer to him. They kissed desperately for a long moment, with him backing her closer to the wall, so her back rested against it once more.

He pulled back, just enough so they could breathe, his lips still brushing against hers and their breaths entangled. Their eyes were tightly shut, and their foreheads were against each other's, the tips of their noses touching. "I need you, Olivia," he confessed breathlessly, his tone full of desire and desperation. "So badly."

She let out a sigh, continuing to run her hands through the hair on the back of his head, her eyes still shut. She focused on all that she was feeling at that moment. His touch on her waist, pressing the cool and soft silk of her nightie into her hot skin. His breath against her lips. His hair between her fingers. The lingering feeling of his lips against hers. It was all so much, but not too much. No, it was perfect. She needed this. She needed him too.

Opening her eyes, Olivia grabbed the sides of his face and pulled it back from hers a bit just enough so she could look over it, her thumbs brushing along his cheeks. His eyes opened, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze falling from hers to her lips and back to hers. "Then have me," she whispered, feeling confident in what she wanted.

Draco did not waste another second before his lips were on hers again, pulling her so close to him. Her front pressed against his as his arms wrapped around her. He pushed her even further against the wall, if possible, not being able to get enough of her. His hand cupped one side of her face, while the other remained on her waist, then slowly went a little further down to touch her arse.

Olivia felt the boy's tongue brush against her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, allowing it to enter her mouth. They'd never snogged like this before, but Olivia didn't mind it; it felt right. He pulled her with him as he took steps back, then he turned her so that her back was facing her bed, which he guided her to, not allowing his mouth to leave hers.

When the back of her legs hit the edge of her bed, their kiss broke and their eyes met. Both of them were breathing heavily, staring at each other with large pupils in anticipation of what was about to happen. She tossed her wand down on the bed and bunched the hem of her nightie, preparing to remove it without a second thought, but Draco's hands found hers, causing her to stop. She furrowed her brows at him, seeing the look of lust twisting his features, which made her curious as to why he stopped her. She smiled softly, giving him a slightly questioning look. He wanted this, didn't he? She knew she did.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice breathless.

Her smile deepened at this, and she nodded. "Yes. Are you?"

"Yes," he replied, grinning back at her. Then he leaned down, cupping her face with his hands, and kissed her hard. He pulled away again and watched her pick up her movements from before, gathering up the hem of her nightie and, this time, pulling it over her head to expose her bare chest. She tossed the silk fabric to the floor. She was in only her underwear now, staring up at him with a longing look as he took in the sight of her. He felt his desire for her grow even stronger as his hands found her waist and his thumbs brushed along the skin of her hips.

"Like what you see?" she teased, smirking to hide the nerves she was feeling being almost completely naked in front of him (or anyone for that matter) for the first time in her life. His gaze flickered up to find hers because it certainly had not been focused on her eyes.

He returned the smirk and leaned down, brushing his mouth against hers as he whispered, "Very much so," before planting a kiss on her lips and putting his tongue in her mouth. He felt her tongue brush against his as they kissed desperately, one of his hands reaching the back of her head and pushing her closer to him, making her let out a satisfied sigh.

Olivia's hands found the top buttons of his shirt, and she began to undo them, keeping their mouths connected. Once she had all of them unbuttoned, she pushed the shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Her hands then brushed down his chest, feeling the subtle indication of muscles along his abdomen. She creased her brows and pulled her lips away from his, looking down at his chest and stomach, seeing exactly what she felt. She bit back her smile, putting her bottom lip between her teeth, as she ran her hands along his lean muscles, noticing how he tensed under her touch.

"Where did these come from?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Quidditch," he answered with a smirk. "Are you impressed?"

Olivia raised her chin with confidence, a sly grin on her face. "In your dreams, Draco," she whispered, then kissed him again, threading her fingers through his hair.

Draco pulled away again before they could get too caught up in the moment, causing Olivia to groan in annoyance, but he didn't move back too far from her, his lips hovering over hers with the heat of his hands apparent on her sides. "Lay down, Olivia," he instructed her with a husky voice.

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, hesitating for a moment, like she wasn't going to listen, but she decided against it, not in the mood to go back and forth with him and perhaps ruining what hadn't even started. So she turned, crawled onto her bed, then turned around and laid on her back, propping herself up with her elbows as she stared at him.

Draco kept his eyes on her as she began messing with his belt, unbuckling it, and pulling it from the loops of his trousers. It fell to the ground, then he moved onto unbuttoning his trousers, while Olivia just watched him in anticipation. She hated the fact that she was nervous, but she was. She was so bloody nervous. But she also wanted this—with him—so badly.

He unzipped his trousers, then kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks before he dropped them down to his ankles and stepped out of them, leaving him in just his pants. Olivia felt her face heat as she continued to take him in, and he did the same with her. Then he pulled down the only remaining piece of clothing he had on, and they fell to his ankles, and he stepped out of them, just as he had done with his trousers.

Olivia watched his every move, her eyes going slightly wider when she focused on him. She bit her bottom lip, not wanting to take her eyes off of the sight in front of her, as her breathing grew heavier with the thought of what was to come.

Draco noticed this and smirked, still looking down at her. "Like what you see?" he asked, repeating her teasing words from before.

She found his gaze and narrowed her eyes slightly, her mouth hanging a bit open, knowing that he was mocking her. "Very much so," she replied, returning the gesture. Then she watched as his smirk deepened and he climbed onto her bed, hovering over her and between her legs.

He kissed her desperately, brushing back her hair from her forehead as she fell on her back, feeling the brush of the soft duvet under her. Her hands ran up his arms, leaving goosebumps in the path, before they connected behind his neck, pulling him even closer to her. His tongue danced in her mouth against hers. Then his attention moved to her neck, and he placed kisses all along her skin.

She raised her chin and tilted her head to give him better access, letting out soft breaths, and shifted under him, tugging at the strands of hair on the back of his head.

He groaned against her skin, and her stomach fluttered because of it. He lifted his head and rested his forehead against hers, his eyes squeezed shut. "I love it when you do that," he admitted in a whisper.

She smiled, also closing her eyes, not knowing what he meant by his words but loving the effect she had over him. It was so addicting. He was so addicting. She wanted him forever. "When I do what?" she asked in the same tone as him.

He lifted his head and opened his eyes to look into hers, seeing her grin and her dilated pupils. "When you run your fingers through my hair," he elaborated softly, smiling down at her as he glanced at her lips. He gave her a hard kiss, causing her to giggle against his mouth. And then he sat up, resting on his heels.

She watched him as he took her in and reached for the hem of her knickers, beginning to pull them down her legs. She lifted her hips, helping him get them off of her. When he finally did, he tossed them to the floor with the rest of their clothes, leaving both of them completely bare for each other. He resumed his position over her and, with his body between her legs, kissed her again. Once he pulled back, he brushed some of her hair from her face, his arm resting beside her head as his other hand rubbed the skin of her hip. "This may hurt," he told her.

She nodded. "I know."

"And you're certain you want this?" he asked, seeking reassurance.

"Yes," she replied breathlessly, close to getting impatient with the wait. "I'm certain, Draco. I want you." She bit her lip as she ran her hand down his chest, feeling the dips and bumps of his lean muscles. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Draco answered, his voice barely above a whisper, while his eyes cast down to her lips. His hand on her hip moved up her body, brushing along her stomach, which tensed with his touch, then to her breast as her breathing picked up.

Her eyes were so dilated. The soft green was barely visible, almost entirely obscured by the black of her pupils. His were similar in that sense, with the black pushing out the gray.

His right hand moved down her body, gradually lowering until he reached her cunt, rubbing her there just once and causing her to gasp sharply as she dug her fingers into his arms. He smirked at this, and she gave him a pointed look. Then his fingers brushed against her clit again, and she let out another gasp, this one less sharp and more breathless. He continued to rub her in a continuous rhythm as her grip tightened around his triceps, her nails digging into his skin. Small and quiet gasps, moans, and whimpers fell from her lips as she squeezed her eyes shut and pinched her brows together. It felt so good.

She couldn't get enough of it as a knot slowly built in the lower part of her stomach. And it felt even better when he slowly pushed two of his fingers inside of her, causing her to groan as her eyes opened to find him still staring down at her, his mouth hanging open, his chest rising and falling, and his irises almost completely black. His fingers went in and out, making that knot build even bigger and tighter as she let out breaths of pleasure. Her heart rate picked up, making her heart feel like it was going to explode from her chest as she got closer to finishing. Her fingers dug deeper into his skin, and her head tossed back as she shut her eyes tightly once more as he continued pumping his fingers in and out of her. She was so close. So close, she felt like she was going to burst.

Then Draco removed his fingers.

Her eyes snapped open as she looked up at him with confusion. She opened her mouth to ask him why he stopped, but he leaned down and kissed her. She kissed him back, allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth, still feeling a bit confused but melting into his anyway. Her hands found the back of his head, entangling her fingers into his hair just as he liked and pushing him closer to her.

His left hand cupped her face as he deepened the kiss even more, and they continued to snog for a moment longer. Then he pulled back and stared into her eyes, brushing some hair behind her ear. He was staring at her with so much intensity, his gaze full of lust, care, and softness. She's never seen him quite like that before. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, swallowing since her throat was dry. "Yes."

Draco's right hand moved down in between them again as his left arm rested beside her head for support. Olivia could feel his knuckles brush against her thigh as he grabbed his length and stroked himself once. She watched his face as he did this, seeing his brows knit and his eyes shut. Then he looked down between them. She felt his tip brush against her entrance as he prepared himself to enter. Her lips fell between her teeth in anticipation, and then he slowly started to push inside of her. She felt herself stretch around him as he got further and further into her, taking it slow, and she whimpered at the feeling.

It hurt a bit, and she knew it would, but it still felt so strange. It was like nothing she had ever felt before.

Once he was all the way in, she released the breath she had been holding. She hadn't even released that she'd been holding it. Her gaze found his as he stared down at her with a slightly worried look. "Are you okay?" he asked, slightly panting due to how good it felt yet also furrowing his brows with a bit of concern. His arm was still resting beside her head, and she felt his other hand brush up her thigh, coming to a stop at her hip. His touch sent chills down her spine.

She nodded. "Just give me a second," she told him, and he did. He didn't move for a moment as she adjusted to his size as best as she could. He felt so big inside of her, making her feel full. It was odd, but not in a bad way. No, after the moment of them being completely still passed and she had mostly adjusted to his size, it felt good. She took in and released a breath before she finally said, "You can move now."

Draco wasted not another second in slowly pulling out of her before sliding back into her with slight resistance due to her tightness. It was a tad uncomfortable for Olivia the first few times he did this, but the more he continued, keeping a good pace and rhythm in his movements, the easier it got and the quicker her winces turned into gasps and pleasured sighs. The feeling was like no other; it was much like what she'd felt when he was merely touching her, but now so much more intense.

She clung one of her hands to his back, digging her nails into his skin, while the other arm rested on the back of his neck, doing everything in her power to keep him close. The sound of his groans in her ear sent shivers down her spine, running along with the sweat coating her skin. Her heart was beating rapidly against her ribs as she felt that knot from before start forming in her stomach again. His pace picked up, and he went deeper, causing her to let out a moan.

Draco groaned at this, placing a kiss on her lips. Then he pulled away and, against her lips, whispered, "You feel so good, Olivia."

Her stomach fluttered due to his words, and a smile fell on her face. "Do I?" she asked, causing him to nod quickly, his eyes closed and his brows knitted. His fingers pressed into the skin of her hip even harder, and he continued going in and out, causing her to moan again. His name fell from her lips a couple of times as she held onto him tighter, feeling his bare chest brush against her hardened nipples. "Oh, that feels so good, Draco." Her words were quiet and breathy as her nails dragged down his back and the fingers of her other hand tangled into his hair.

His pace became quicker, building up the tightness in her stomach. She was so close; she knew she was. Right on the edge, she was about to tip over. As he slid into her again, he hit just the right spot, and she gasped. "Oh!" She heaved in a few breaths. "Yes, right there, Draco. Right there," she moaned, and he did just as she told him. And with just a few more thrusts, Olivia climaxed, letting out a moan as her back arched and her head tossed back.

And not a moment or two later, after pulling in and out a couple of times, Draco was right behind her. He groaned as his forehead fell to her shoulder. He thrust hard twice more as he helped ride out their highs. Then his movements slowed until they eventually came to a stop.

He and Olivia just laid there, holding onto one another as they caught their breaths. Then once he gathered up the strength to lift his head, he pulled out of her, causing her to let out a small gasp. He fell onto the bed and lay on his back beside her as she rested her hands on her chest to cover her bare breasts. They just stared at the ceiling for a moment, both wondering if that had actually just happened.

Olivia had the smallest smile curled at her lips as she sat up and faced him.

His eyes found hers, noticing her smile.

She didn't say anything, only leaned down to kiss him deeply.

His hand found the back of her head, pulling her closer to him as he kissed her back.

When she removed her mouth from his, she stayed close enough so that their noses were brushing. Their gazes were on each other, Olivia with the same small smile still on her face. "Did that actually happen?" she asked in a whisper.

He smiled, clearly amused at her sure-she-was-dreaming, breathless tone. "Yes, that actually happened," he replied, placing his hand on her waist. He pushed her so that she fell on her back, and he was hovering over her. Moving down, he began kissing her neck as she lifted her chin to give him better access.

"Are you certain that I wasn't dreaming?" she questioned, running her hand through his hair as she continued to stare at the ceiling, lost in her own post-climax world. "I feel like I am dreaming," she admitted, feeling his hands running along her body and chills going down her spine at his touch.

He lifted his head as her words registered with him, staring down at her. "That good, huh?" His tone was nothing but smug as he smirked. His words caused her to roll her eyes as she pushed him away from her. He fell on his side as she stood up from her bed, grabbed her wand from the bed and her nightie from the floor, and began making her way to the bathroom as she slipped her nightdress back on. "Where are you going?" he asked, watching her closely from where he lay on the bed.

Turning around, she focused on him with a smirk. "I am going to shower," she told him, watching him sit up even further with the sheet covering him. "I can't go to bed feeling sweaty and sticky. Can you?" She raised her brows, hinting at him to join her. She hoped he would take the hint.

And he did.

"Nope, I don't sleep well when I do," he replied, practically jumping up from her bed. He made his way over to her, still completely naked but not even seeming to mind. He grabbed her as she tried to rush into the bathroom, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to his chest as she laughed.

After that, Olivia went to cast the contraceptive charm, but then remembered that she couldn't do magic outside of school, so she did it wandlessly (she hoped and prayed that it worked) (had she learned it just in case, while also hoping something like this would happen and she'd be prepared? Yes, she had), then turned on the water, setting her wand on the vanity. She took off her nightie, discarding it on the floor, and the two of them stepped into the shower under the hot water and washed themselves.

Draco had to use all of Olivia's "girly-smelling" (according to him) soaps. So instead of his usual mint, cider-sweet, firewood smell, he smelt of her rosemary-scented shampoo and conditioner and her ginger-scented body wash.

At some point, she had turned her back to him and brushed her hair out of the way, which allowed him to see the three scars that crossed the top of her back again. His hand brushed against them as it had earlier, and she looked over her shoulder at the sudden feeling of his touch. "These are from the hippogriff, are they not?" he asked, though he already knew the answer as he stared down at the bumped skin he ran the tips of his fingers lightly across.

She nodded with a hum, then turned around to face him. "What a nasty flaw they are," she told him, just barely smiling. "But I will admit that I do not regret jumping in front of that hippogriff for you, even though you deserved to get scratched," she confessed, her tone slightly teasing as her smile turned into a smirk. "Somewhat."

He looked at her with a smile. "I don't think they're a flaw," he said, then leaned down to place a kiss on her lips. The water rained over them, the droplets falling between their connected mouths. He pulled back, keeping his face close to hers as they stared into each other's eyes deeply, and whispered, "You're perfect."

Her face heated, and it wasn't from the hot water they stood under. She shrugged, acting as if she were careless about the compliment and the fluttering she felt in her stomach and heart due to his words. "You're not so bad yourself, Draco." She placed a small kiss on his lips.

Once they were out of the shower, they dried off and went back into her room.

"Will you stay?" she asked him when he headed for his discarded clothes that were still on the floor in front of her bed.

He looked at her and then nodded softly.

They didn't bother to put on clothes after that, since all Draco had with him was his suit. However, he did put back on his pants, and she put on her knickers. They lay under her duvet, with her putting her wand under her pillow, her head resting on his chest, while his hand ran up and down her spine slowly and lightly. Their legs were intertwined under the soft sheets, and the tiredness of the night finally began to catch up with them.

Olivia brushed her hand over the lean muscles of his chest as she stared at the enchanted box across the room. All of the letters he had sent her were in there, the box spelled to only open for her, so her mother wouldn't invade her privacy again. Mr. Snake was by her side, though she wasn't snuggling him like she usually did, having someone there to take his place for the night. Not just someone—Draco. She had Draco. Her mind wandered to all the time they had wasted fighting, which was understandable given how much he had hurt her feelings, and she was certain she'd done the same to him. She thought about all of the things she had missed with him because of her need to have Harry's trust. All of the things she could've done with him if she would just stop wanting to pretend. She'd barely even been there for his birthday. She hadn't said happy birthday to him, she realized then. His birthday, like hers and the rest of their friends', was celebrated every year. But she hadn't wanted rumors to be spread around about her openly wishing him a happy birthday in front of their housemates. Then she'd gotten caught up with the day as she usually did. She wasn't sure if she'd ever wished him a happy birthday. She knew for certain that she'd never gotten him a present for his birthday—for Christmas, yes, but never for his birthday, not like he did with her. That realization made her feel terrible.

Was she a horrible person?

She'd always complained and yelled about him not caring about her, or at least not seeming like he did in front of hers, but she'd never even done something simply like that. He had gotten her Tommy, gotten a glass replica made of her patronus and favorite creature, gotten her a necklace custom-made to her, and gotten a portrait of her cat since she'd missed him so much. He'd always gotten her so many meaningful things, and she'd barely gotten him anything. The only one of note was when she showed him his constellation, the night when they kissed for the first time.

Turning her head, she looked up at him with a saddened expression, seeing him staring at the ceiling with one arm placed behind his head. It only took a moment before he realized she was staring at him, and he looked down with a curious gaze. She sat up, holding the sheet to cover her chest as she moved closer to him. "Happy birthday, Draco," she whispered, trying to muster a soft smile, then placed a kiss on his lips.

When she pulled back, he looked at her in confusion. "Thank you, but it's not my birthday. My birthday was a month ago," he reminded her, letting a small grin of confusion curl at his mouth as his brows furrowed even further.

"I know," she replied, holding back tears as she laid on his chest again. "I should've told you sooner." Her hand rested next to her head, feeling the warmth of his skin under her palm. "But it's better late than never, I suppose."

After that, they snuggled closer, with Olivia trying to put the thoughts from her mind and enjoy the moment, the quietness of the room, and the sound of his heartbeat under her ear, and she fell asleep. Her nightmare was nowhere in sight, and when she woke up the next morning, it was well past four a.m., and so she sat up with a smile, clutching the sheet to her bare body. She hadn't felt Draco or his warmth under her, but she supposed he had just moved away during their slumber. She looked over to see him, wanting to know what he looked like when he slept, but the spot was empty.

Her smile slowly fell off her face as her brows knitted in confusion, looking around the room to see if he was somewhere else, but no, he wasn't there. Her desk chair was empty; he wasn't anywhere on her bed or in the room; her bathroom door was open, and she didn't hear any shuffling in there either.

He was gone.

He had left.

Her heart sank, and she felt her chin wobble. He had slept with her and taken her virginity, as she did the same with him, and he had left. He had left her all alone and didn't even say anything. The sun beamed a little brighter, flooding in through the window and past the curtain as she lay back down with a huff. She was fighting back her tears, not wanting to cry this early in the morning. It had been meant to be a good morning. She had meant to find Draco lying by her side, sleeping soundly, and looking heavenly like she was sure he did. But it wasn't, and he wasn't.

Covering her face with hands, she inhaled deeply.

She wasn't going to cry.

She was not going to cry.

Had he just used her? Had he gotten what he wanted, waited for her to fall asleep, and then left without a word? Was all she was to him just something for her to use? These questions ran through her mind as she lay there, her face hidden by her hands, Mr. Snake's fuzzy fabric brushing her side, and her tears brimming in her eyes.

Then there was a knock on her door, and before she could react, let alone put some clothes on, the door opened. "Olivia Katherine, I had expected you to be up and downstairs already."

Olivia sat up just as fast, holding the sheet and her duvet even closer to her, in case it was Lucas or her father, which was unlikely, barging in. But instead, the stern voice registered in her mind as her eyes landed on her mother, who had stopped in her tracks as her words fell short, taking in the sight of her daughter. She had a shocked look on her face paired with wide eyes, then it turned more stoic as she noted the discarded knickers on the floor in front of Olivia's bed and the rumbled sheets on both sides of the bed. Then her sharp gaze met her daughter's.

Olivia continued to hold back her sobs, knowing what her mother was realizing, and raised her hand and looked away from her. "Don't even say anything, Mother," she said, then dropped her hand to her side, sighing in defeat. "I don't need your lectures or ridicule right now." She tucked some of her hair behind her ear, meeting the woman's gaze again, seeing that she actually looked a bit concerned about her, which she tried not to think too much about, not having the strength to do so. "You can tell me that you told me so later."

"All right," Clodagh muttered after a moment of silence, clearing her throat. "You need to get ready. We're going to eat breakfast, and then we have somewhere to be." She paused, taking a step back as she clasped her hands in front of her. "Take your time," she added, shocking Olivia just before she left the room and closed the door behind her.

Olivia threw herself on her back, her head hitting her pillow. She grabbed her other pillow, the one Draco had been resting his head on, and covered her face with it, groaning as loud as she could.

How could she have been so foolish?

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

━━━━ ella's speaking !
CHAPTER 100 RAHHH !!!
(tysm for 42K reads btw)

it's the way i started prewriting this chapter in the beginning of FEBRUARY bc i knew it would take me forever to write, and i didn't finish it until july 1st lmao.

this is the first smut chapter that i have ever fully written, so if it sucks ass, i'm sorry!! (literally running and hiding as you read this.) there will be sexual themes/smut scenes in the following acts of this book, so beware of that, and if it's detailed (not fade to black), which will probably be rare, i'll put a content warning at the beginning of the chapter so you can skip the parts if you want!

things are about to take a turn in this world... be prepared.

also, updates are going to be a bit slower (more than they already are) for the time being bc i am prewriting act six and i want to get it done before i start publishing chapters (only nine left to write in act six) — i do apologize, but i want to make sure everything is perfect and makes sense before i publish any chapters :)

make sure to comment and vote 🫶🏻

kisses.

━━━━━━━━━━ born to die,
© -LOSTGARDENS,         oct 2024

word count: 6639. written: 2.1.-7.1.24. published: 10.31.24.