Celeste

The moment Harry left, I watched a wave of relief wash over Draco, as if we had narrowly escaped a fate sealed by the stars. But disarming Dumbledore was only the beginning of the Dark Lord's mission to take Hogwarts down. A knot of fear tightened in my chest, knowing that the deeper I drew Draco Malfoy into the shadows that consumed my life, the more he would find himself entangled in a darkness far beyond what he'd bargained for.

I knew the Malfoys' allegiance was bound to the Dark Lord, yet Draco still had a flicker of light within him, a chance to turn away from the path that threatened to devour him whole. It felt like a sin, stealing that choice from him. To those who knew my family—who knew me—his love for me marked him as tainted, aligned with the darkness that had been my birthright. And while Draco shared our beliefs, there was a part of him that resisted, a part that remained untainted.

Draco was inherently good, his heart still capable of love—a love that was foreign to those like me, who could kill without a second thought, without feeling. I knew that the truly cold, those who take life without remorse, never hesitate, never question. They simply act. I supposed I was one of those cold beings, a creature of the dark, forged by it.

Yet, in Draco, I glimpsed something different. He hesitated, his soul torn by the weight of what he was asked to do, and that hesitation, that flicker of doubt, was proof that his heart still beat with warmth. And perhaps, just perhaps, in the quiet moments when I was with him, when his love touched the deepest parts of me, he awakened a faint echo in my own heart—one I had long thought silenced.

Though I couldn't hear it, couldn't feel it,

Draco made me believe that somewhere, deep down, my heart still beat, too.

Beneath the enchanted glow of the Great Hall that night, I whispered a sacred vow to my soul—to open my heart and embrace him fully. I would offer Draco everything I was, for he had already surrendered himself to me without hesitation, defending me with unwavering devotion. His admiration illuminated my darkest deeds, and in his eyes, I saw the grace and reverence reserved for a princess, because to Draco Malfoy I was.

At first, his profound gaze mystified me, but as our hands intertwined and I gave myself to him, I understood it was more than mere passion. It was a symbol of our union, a testament to what we could become together. If we were to journey down this path, he would meet my parents, and I would reveal our bond to the Dark Lord himself. I would swear before them all that Draco was the one chosen for me. In the legacy of my family, such moments were rare and precious, and I vowed with every fiber of my being that I would not be the one to falter.

As I watched Draco and Harry clashing once more, this time in front of the entire Great Hall, I couldn't help but laugh and step in. With a playful smirk, I suggested that the real reason Harry couldn't let it go was because he had wanted to escort me to the dance himself and was jealous that I had agreed to go with Draco instead. If Draco knew I wasn't just making that up, his anger toward Harry would only deepen.

I watched as Draco, his patience worn thin, drew his wand and pressed it against Harry's throat.

"Did you ask her to the dance, Potter?" he demanded, changing the subject but drawing an even larger crowd. Blaise and Theo shook their heads, clearly amused by the spectacle.

"Celeste is Draco's girlfriend... you do know that, don't you?" Pansy chimed in, laughing to herself as she watched the scene unfold.

Harry's voice was laced with frustration as he scolded me. "Unfortunately, that's not what this is about, and you know it, Celeste."

I met his gaze with a defiant glint in my eyes. "What I know, Harry, is that you've developed an obsession with Malfoy. And it seems to have intensified ever since you caught us together. A mere coincidence, you think?"

Harry's expression hardened. "You weren't just on the steps. You followed him up. Did he tell you? Did he confess his intent to kill Dumbledore? If you're afraid of what he might do, I'll protect you."

His voice trembled with a mix of desperation and concern, and it took all my willpower to stifle a laugh. I had to remind myself of the stakes, the darkness that ran through my veins.

"Harry, the only person you should truly fear is me," I said, my voice a low, chilling whisper. "Now, I'm asking you—please end this charade."

Draco withdrew his wand, sensing the shift in the tension. But I wasn't finished. I needed to escalate, to remind Harry of the danger I embodied. As he turned to leave, I called out to him, compelling him to face me once more.

With a flick of my wand, a spectral figure, shadowy and ghostly, resembling Dumbledore, materialized behind me. It collapsed in a silent reenactment of his final moments. The color drained from Harry's face as he watched the apparition, his shock palpable.

"Next time, Potter," I murmured, leaning in so only he could hear, "make sure you're directing your wand at the right enemy." My lips curved into a sly smile as I turned away, leaving him to grapple with the truth I had just laid bare.

Draco's gaze was filled with admiration, as if I were in the presence of the Dark Lord himself. No one else at the table saw the spectacle, but Harry did.

"Celeste..." Harry's pallid complexion revealed his inner turmoil, though I couldn't discern whether he believed me. In frustration, I brandished my wand, causing a storm of lightning to flash outside, echoing the tempest within me.

"What?" I snapped.

"I won't let you take the fall for him. He's marked," Harry declared, retreating with a look of resolve. I shook my head in frustration, seething. It was maddening to think that he would never suspect a girl could be behind such deeds. My innocent façade was my greatest weapon, as Voldemort had said, but it also made me a target of disbelief.

"Is it that you can't believe I'm capable of such things, Harry? Is it my supposed innocence?" I demanded, the storm outside mirroring the storm in my eyes. Draco could see my fury as I stood, my emotions boiling over.

"You have not even considered I may not be on the side of light and good?" I asked, my voice cold and unforgiving. Harry shook his head, confused.

"I assure you the way you're looking at me right now proves you don't know me at all." I said, as I made my exit from the Great Hall, my departure marked by a swirl of black smoke. "You'll find out soon enough."

I reappeared in my dorm, the Dark Mark burning beneath my shirt, a fire scorching through my veins as if the curse had been branded anew. The pain—nearly unbearable—drove me to my knees. I collapsed to the floor, my breath ragged, my body trembling.

"I know, my lord... I know the task that must be done," I whispered to the silence, the words spilling from my lips like a vow. "And I will see it through, as soon as possible. I swear it to you." The air around me chilled, a cold breath grazing my skin like a whisper of his presence, his watchful eyes ever lingering.

"Whatever the cost," I continued, my voice steady, though the weight of my own words pressed heavily upon me. "If I falter, my life is yours. The women of Gaunt do not fail. We do not give in. We do not falter." The window flew open, a gust of wind howling through the room as though to acknowledge my promise. He was satisfied, for now—but his presence lingered, a shadow in my soul, still burning.

A soft knock at the door, followed by the quiet creak as it swung open on its own—it could only be one person. Draco rushed toward me the moment his eyes found me on the floor, his steps quick and filled with alarm.

"Celeste... what's become of you?" he asked, his voice trembling with concern.

"I just... needed to be alone," I grunted, the burn still searing beneath my skin, an unrelenting reminder of the task. But when Draco's hand found mine, the pain ebbed, slipping away as though it had never existed.

"I'm worried about you, Celeste." Draco's voice wrapped around me like a blanket of warmth and protection. No one had ever spoken those words to me before—I'm worried about you. It was always, she'll figure it out, our Celeste knows what she's doing, my daughter will handle it. There was nothing I couldn't do, or so they said. Somewhere along the way, I'd lost track of whether I was living for myself or for the people I loved.

"Celeste..." Draco repeated, kneeling beside me as I sat on the ground, his hands cradling my face with such tenderness that it nearly broke me. I mirrored the gesture, pulling him into a kiss—soft and desperate, the only way I knew to say what words could not.

"Draco Malfoy," I whispered against his lips, my breath mingling with his,

"I do believe you've broken me."

He pulled back, his gray eyes searching mine, confusion flickering within them. "Ravenscroft... no one could break you. Not even the Dark Lord himself." His thumb brushed my cheek, his voice a hushed reverence. "Celeste, I love you for all the reasons you fear. You're unlike anyone I've ever known. It's as if a part of me has always belonged to you, and I can't explain it."

"You don't have to," I breathed, my heart swelling with a mix of relief and longing.

"I understand it completely. I feel the same. And I will do anything to protect this. What we have."

His gaze held mine as I spoke the next words. "Draco... I think it's time you met my parents."

"Before Halloween?" he asked, his brow furrowed in surprise.

I nodded. The sooner he met them, the sooner they could tell the Dark Lord I had a partner—someone he trusted. It would stop the constant pestering, the endless demands. I would handle Harry Potter on my own terms, in my own time. And I knew Draco would stand by me when that moment came, even if it meant making sacrifices that would tear me apart.

Even if it killed me to watch him suffer for my choices.

"Should I be concerned?" Draco asked, his gaze locked onto mine, the weight of his question lingering between us. I bit my lip, wanting to share why this was so important, but the moment already felt too heavy, too fragile.

"It's important to me," I began softly, my voice steady but laced with something deeper. "Where I come from, we only marry within our own craft. We only marry purebloods. My family's resolve on that has always been unyielding. And yet... it's the one rule I've never held a true opinion on." I looked at Draco, watching the shock flicker across his face.

"You don't have an opinion on Muggles?" he asked, disbelief coloring his words.

"I don't care either way," I admitted, my eyes meeting his with a calm certainty. "I know what the Dark Lord believes—they must all be destroyed. But I don't see the point in it. It's not why we're fighting. We're fighting for something bigger—total power, complete control. And we will get it, Draco. The Dark Arts will rise. Hogwarts will fall." My words were so matter-of-fact, so resolute, that I saw a shift in his eyes, a flicker of something primal.

"That," he smirked, his voice deepening, "is why I fell in love with you. You never waver, Celeste. You always know what to do, and you always follow through. There's no one like you. If only Harry Potter had you on his side... You are the worst enemy one could have."

His smile mirrored mine, a knowing glance shared between us, thick with understanding. With a swift movement, I pushed him down onto the floor, my body hovering over his, and he looked up at me, fire in his gaze.

"The worst," I echoed, my voice a whisper as I leaned down to kiss him, the moment electric, charged with the weight of unspoken promises.

This boy, who I had once tried so hard to run from, had captured me in ways no one else ever could. Draco wasn't just a schoolboy—there was a spark in him, something that could one day rival even the Dark Lord's power. And I knew, with unwavering certainty, that we could take it all together.

My parents had to meet him. Before I could tell the Dark Lord, they needed to understand why I had chosen him—why he was the one destined to stand by my side, to rule with me, to be mine for eternity. In fact, if I knew my mother at all, she had probably already reached out to Narcissa. It wasn't as if they were strangers. Though the Malfoys and the Ravenscrofts hadn't always run in the same circles, I knew Draco's family had always wanted to. And I suppose... I was their way in.

Once you rise within the Dark Arts, nothing can tear you down. You become untouchable—except, perhaps, for the Dark Lord's disapproval. As for Draco, he was the key to something far greater, something even the Dark Lord might one day come to fear. Together, we would rise, unshakable, unstoppable.

The future stretched before us like a promise written in shadows, and I had no doubts.

"It's settled, then. I'll bring you home for the weekend. You'll finally see where I come from," I murmured, my fingers gently loosening his tie.

"I'm actually a bit nervous," Draco confessed with a playful smile.

"I love you, my family will be a breeze compared to what you endured trying to get me," I teased, a smirk dancing on my lips.

"Come here, you, it was all worth it." Draco murmured, pulling me into his embrace. In that moment, the world seemed to dissolve around us. His arms were not just a physical refuge but a sacred sanctuary that transcended even the magic we both knew. His touch carried a power so profound, it both mesmerized and unsettled me.

Each time his skin met mine, it sent a shiver through me, like a whisper of something ancient and eternal.

"Let me see..." I breathed, gently slipping his shirt off. As the fabric fell away, I glimpsed the dark mark on his skin again—a mark he had once harbored with shame, now revealed with a new sense of honor. My fingers traced its contours, and I kissed it, as though it were a relic deserving reverence.

It was more than just a mark—it was a testament to who Draco Malfoy truly was.

Undyingly loyal

As he carefully undid the buttons of my shirt, his movements were deliberate and tender, as if he were bestowing upon me the grace of a king. When he unzipped my skirt with such care, it felt like an intimate ceremony, one that celebrated the sanctity of our connection.

"You are so much more than this, Draco. Look at me and tell me you know my words to be true," I said, my gaze unwavering as I slowly undid his belt.

"You are the first person to see that in me, Celeste," he whispered, his voice a tender caress as I guided my arm to rest beside his.

"It's our future, Malfoy—a legacy shrouded in darkness. Yet, if there are two souls destined to bear such a burden, it is us. I see entire worlds in those blue eyes of yours, Draco—worlds yet to be discovered. And I yearn to know you, deeply and truly, in ways no one else ever could. I want you to see every fragment of my soul," I said, gently placing his hand over my heart.

"You know... this is the first time I've felt it beat so vividly in a long while."

Before I could finish, his lips found mine, pulling me into a kiss that spoke of all the promises and dreams we shared.

"When I said you were mine, Celeste... I meant it in every conceivable sense. Mine to cherish, mine to protect, mine to love beyond eternity. It starts and ends with you, Celeste Ravenscroft. I'd watch the world burn for you. In fact... I'd set it ablaze myself, just to see the fire reflected in your eyes."

His lips grazed mine, his breath hot against my skin as he nipped at my bottom lip. "My father might just fall for you," I whispered, our bodies pressing closer, the heat between us almost tangible.

"We hold the keys to this kingdom, Celeste," Draco murmured, his laughter vibrating through our kiss. "Let's torch it and rebuild the world we crave."

The dangerous thrill of world domination intertwined with our passion, turning our heated embrace into the most intoxicating kind of foreplay.

I ran my fingers through his platinum blonde hair as he lifted me effortlessly from the floor, carrying me to my bed with a tender grace. "I've never seen anything more beautiful," Draco murmured, his eyes locked onto mine, as he settled me onto the soft sheets.

"I could say the same," I whispered back, our bodies entwining as he positioned himself above me. The heat between us was palpable, a tangible force that bound us together. His hands traced down my back, effortlessly unclasping my bra, and his lips followed the path of his touch, kissing down my thighs with a reverence that made me feel adored in a way I had never known.

This was no mere adolescent romance; this was a profound connection that reached deeper than any I had imagined. In the midst of our intimate embrace, he drew me into a world where I felt both cherished and vulnerable, emotions I had always suppressed as a killer. His lips continued their journey, gently pulling down my tights, and I couldn't help but tease, "You're quite skilled at this."

"I aim to please, princess," Draco laughed softly as he pulled the blankets over us, our bodies becoming one beneath the soft fabric. His kisses were a symphony of passion, moving from my neck to my lips and back again, each touch igniting a surge of magic within me.

As we lay together, breathless and flushed, I realized that my parents would not only come to love Draco as I did but would also be proud to call him their son-in-law. The vision of a future where we would burn Hogwarts to the ground and kiss amidst the ruins seemed not just a dream but a promise.

Harry Potter would soon come to understand the full measure of our determination. In Draco's embrace, I discovered a love and a fate beyond anything I could have ever dreamed. It's odd to think, but it seemed that this time, even I the villain might get her happy ending.