Chapter Twenty-Two

They seriously need some harmony here.

This was reckless. She knew this, she had chanted it to herself all day, but she couldn’t resist. When she had received the note at breakfast, she had merely folded up in hopes to forget about it. But how could she? She needed to know.

So, at lunch, she lied to her friends about feeling a bit off, and instead of going to the Hospital Wing, she headed to the library.

Where she was to meet Morgan Fray.

Don’t give the page that look. It wasn’t her fault! He entranced her. He enraptured her. He was eager to meet with her. How could she resist? Just the thought of his image evoked feelings Savannah had almost never felt before. The way his cheeks sculpted to his chin made her own blush violently. And knowing she would soon lock eyes with him again? Her heart nigh almost stopped at the feeling of power.

“You came” The voice startled her from her thoughts as the physical form of it appeared from behind the nearest bookcase. Savannah licks her suddenly dry lips, noticing with a pang that his eyes flickered to watch the action.

“I’m here” His eyes, for a moment, blazed deeply with gold before settling to warmth and amusement.

“Shall we sit?” He gestured to the nearest table, the one in the middle of the library, for all to see. Savannah hesitates only briefly, before settling down into the seat he had pulled out for her, and waiting to see if he would speak.

“I confess to find myself amazed.” The brief silence was over and Savannah, having let her ankles cross slightly to the side and her torso to straighten unconsciously, leans an elbow onto the table, cupping her chin in her hand.

“Yes, Hogwarts does that to you.” His eyes flashed as he smiled. Her heart not only raced, but her palms grew sweaty. What was going on with her?

“Of course, that is what I meant.” He replies smoothly. Savannah clears her throat slightly, wondering what to say.

“Where did you come from?” She finds herself blurting. Morgan tilts his head, contemplating her rude inquiry. “You don’t have to answer, though.” She adds lamely. He smiles again.

“I come from the same as you. A wanderer, with no home until now.” He shifts his body, reclining into the back of his chair and resting his feet on an open seat between them. He seemed at perfect ease while Savannah was as taut as a drawn bow string.

“Your parents?”

“Dead” He says with no emotion. Savannah pats the toe of his shoe.

“Family?”

“None”

“Friends?”

“You” His answer caught her off guard and she let her eyes widen with surprise and happiness.

“I’m glad.” She manages to say. He nods his head, never letting his gaze leave her face, the gems of his eyes freezing her to the spot.

“I have a question for you.”

“Yes?” Suddenly, his face is transformed and his eyes, so cool and collected, become bright with feverish determination.

“Come with me. For a walk. I do not want to be overheard.” He smiles without warning, leaving Savannah to only nod breathlessly before he holds out his hand, and without thinking, she places her own small one within it. His grasp is warm, too warm, but nice all the same. Familiar and causing a chill to go down her stomach.

He pulls her to her feet, tucking her hand into the safety of the crook of his arm, directing them towards the lake.

~~~

Rose, holding Lionel’s hand, rolls her eyes as Peregrine knocks over yet another dish. Albus had decided to sit with them today and also next to a blushing Peregrine. Her clumsiness was passing right by the idiot, though, as he was too immersed in telling the others of his anger.

“His remarks are getting on my last nerves! One more and I’ll duel him into dust!”

“Well you’re not exactly a fresh pot of tea in the morning either Potter.” Scorpius drawls as he plops down next to him. His eyes are stormy and troubled, his face taut with tension. His hands, as soon as they had set down his bag, curled into fists upon the table.

“Oh shut it, Malfoy, before I do it for you.” Albus snaps. Rose snorts with a laugh.

“What’s got your knickers in a twist?” She asks them.

“Been short-tempered all day, he has. I’m bloody tired of it!”

“Albus, language!” Professor Malfoy remarks as she passes by on her way to her office. The boy takes a very deep breath and exhales through his nose.

“Right, what’s up your arse?” He asks Scorp. Lionel sits up straighter to listen, realizing that this was serious.

“Where’s Savannah?” Peregrine suddenly notes. Rose claps her forehead.

“I forgot to tell you guys. She wasn’t feeling well; she went to the Hospital Wing.”

“It’s not the you-know-what again, is it?” Lionel questions. Rose shrugs.

“I don’t know. She only complained of a stomach ache and she was a little jumpy, but nothing much like before.”

“I’ll go check on her.” Scorpius sighs, grabbing his bag, and a piece of toast stuffed with sausage and some cheese slices, and starts to head out.

“We’ll come with you.” Rose stops him, pulling Lionel up with her. Albus and Peregrine are right behind them, worry apparent on their faces.

“So, seriously mate, what’s going on?” Lionel asks under his breath as he walks beside Scorpius, still holding Rosie’s hand. Scorp finishes the last of his snack and speaks in a low voice.

“I have a really bad feeling about Fray.” Lionel nods in agreement.

“He’s too smooth, in my opinion. Got him in a few classes. A real charmer, but shows no interest whatsoever in the girls.”

“Except Savannah.” Peregrine breaks in, on the far side of the group. Lionel and Scorp swing their heads around to look at her cheeky smile.

“Really, just talk to the rest of us. You suck at whispering.” She adds gently. Lionel shrugs.

“Worth a shot. So he shows interest in Savannah, huh? Now I see why you’re on edge.” He smiles impishly at the blonde. His cheeks tinge pink before he grabs the door to the Hospital Wing and throws it open.

“Madame Bones?” Rose calls out. It takes a minute, but the woman eventually bustles out, wiping her small mouth with a napkin and smiling in welcome.

“What can I do for you?”

“Has Savannah been here?” Albus asks. Madame Bones’s brow furrows in confusion.

“No, I haven’t seen her. Is she ill again?”

“No, just wondering where she’s at. Probably visiting Aslan.” Rose says smoothly.

“Yes, now that you mentioned it, I think she did say something like that.” Peregrine adds. Madame Bones relaxes and shoos the kids from her wing, not wanting it to get clustered.

“So, where to?” Scorpius purses his lips at Lionel’s question.

“Not very far.” Albus comments, standing by the row of windows a few feet down the corridor. The others join him quickly. There she was, a distant figure walking by the lake.

Except, she wasn’t alone. And there was no question about who accompanied her. They seemed to be discussing something very serious, heads were bobbing and the tension in Savannah’s shoulders was visible even from the castle.

“What is she doing with him?” Scorpius growls. Wisely, no one answers.

They reach an old birch tree, stopping just outside its branches. Morgan is using elaborate hand gestures, pointing at random things only they could see. Without warning, he brushed his hand down Savannah’s arm, a surprisingly intimate gesture that had Scorpius crunching his fists even tighter and the others to elicit furious and startled gasps.

Savannah had backed away from the contact, shaking her head. Morgan made a calming gesture, hands up in surrender. Suddenly, she turned and fled, with Morgan making no attempt to stop her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 “You can’t deny it, Savannah. The truth is right before your eyes.” Morgan pauses to draw in a breath. Savannah’s heart beat like a war drum in her chest, this time not from being around the captivating boy, but because what the boy believed in. Could he be serious?

“It’s not true!” She says angrily once more. He pauses and his hand shoots out, the fingers of his finely boned hand tracing swirls down her arm, raising goosebumps both pleasantly and unpleasantly down her body. He ends at her hand, stroking to the ends of her nails before curling them around her trembling fingers.

“It’s true. I’m here and you can no longer deny it!” He says angrily.

“No!” Savannah shouts, wrenching her hand away and turning tail.

“You’ll give in yet! You won’t have a choice!” His words rang after her as she crashed through the forest, her heart beating its way through her ribcage and her heart screaming at her to turn back no matter the cost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That was utterly reckless and stupid! I cannot believe you didn’t tell at least one of us about it!”

“I know, but—”

“He could have hurt you! Or done something to you!”

“He didn’t, so—”

“And what are you doing? Agreeing to a meeting with him anyway?! I have half a mind to put a tracking charm on you!”

“Silence!” Savannah hisses, her eyes flashing purple. With no warning, the room gives a slight tremble and the hair that had tumbled onto Scorp’s forehead whips in the furious breeze that throws him to the couch behind.

“Hey!” He snarls. Albus and Peregrine survey the scene with interest. Once Savannah had returned from her flight, muddy and hair full of bracken, Scorpius had dragged her to the Room of Requirement, and proceeded to rant and berate her for at least an hour. Rose and Lionel sat beside Albus, on the long couch. It was like a tennis match.

“Who do you think you are, Scorpius Malfoy?” Savannah continues, standing up and towering over him as he struggles to sit up from the breeze that continues to batter him.

“Your friend!”

“Exactly! You are not my father, you arrogant toad! Don’t you dare assume to scold me like a child!” Savannah steams. Scorpius growls and snaps his fingers, the wind blocked by a semi-transparent shield. Albus rolled his eyes. Show-off.

“I will when you act like one! He’s dangerous!”

“I know that! I knew the moment I saw him!”

 “You don’t act like it! Gallivanting off around the castle, sneaking behind your friend’s backs.” Scorpius snaps. Savannah puffs up like an angry cat.

“Well can you blame me? I didn’t want to deal with your nattering! I can make decisions and handle myself just fine. I did for thirteen years with no one but myself.” She adds stiffly.

“You have no more sense than a fire-crab.” Scorpius scoffs, his own brown eyes flashing darkly with anger. Savannah glares at him before turning her face away.

“Well then I shan’t be a concern to you anymore.” She snarls and turns on her heel. Scorpius lunges and pulls her back by her arms, blocking her retaliatory kick.

“I never said that I wanted that.” He said solemnly. Savannah looks at him with bright blue eyes, sparkling with hurt and humiliation.

“You show it so well.” She retorts. Scorpius grimaces and looks to the others for help. Their amused faces clearly tell him he’s on his own.

“Savannah, I’m sorry I yelled at you. It’s just that we saw what happened out by the lake and—” Her completely rigid form in his grip made him break off.

“Were you eavesdropping?”

“No, we saw from the castle windows. What happened?” Scorpius inquires. Her face twists with unknown emotion and she takes his hands from her arms, forcing a smile on her face.

“Nothing of consequence. I’m rather tired. I’m going to bed.” She turns, and this time flicks her fingers, immobilizing Scorp mid-step. He would be freed when she was far enough away. She rushes out the door, throwing a calm glance to the others, who watched her with concern.

As soon as she was two floors above, she breathed with relief. No one could know.

“I’m hurt, Miss Merlin. Deeply hurt.” A hand brushed aside the curls at the back of her neck, making a noise get caught in the middle of her throat.

“What do you want?” Savannah growls, wrenching away from his touch. He smiles, this one of danger, and steps closer and closer until her back hits the wall. He stops with his lips barley a centimeter from hers, his eyes regarding her with admiration.

“You” His lashes flutter slightly as he tilts his head, inviting her to move forward for a taste. She inwardly groaned; fighting her body’s every instinct to do just that. They looked so kissable, so delicious and wonderful. It would be a waste not to kiss them, in all honesty. He looked at her from under the deep brown lashes, arching a brow in silent challenge.

“You cannot deny it.” He breathes, lifting his hand to touch over her heart, causing it to miss several painful beats. Her lips part to speak, but no sound escapes.

“Be mine and I shall be yours. The power we shall wield, the future we shall forge, is unbelievable.” His eyes light up with feverish delight.

“I…I…” Savannah heaves as her chest tightens. He tilted his head to the other side, like a predator studying its prey.

At the thought of her own mind sorting her into such a term, the fog lifts from her body, her chest is no longer tight and she can see clearly with no added sparkles and shimmer to Morgan. His gaze sharpens, and she knows that he feels her escape from his charm. Literally.

“No, I will not.” He pushed her chest hard, and gripped her wrists with his hands.

“You will. One day, you will. I will never give up.” He whispers into her ear, pressing a burning kiss to the delicate skin beneath it. Desire shot straight to her most sensitive spots and she bit her tongue nearly in half to keep from groaning and pulling him closer. He used no magic to spell her reactions to his touch and his attention. It was a curse, long ago instilled into their blood.

“Then you shall wait forever.” Savannah growls, shoving him away with ease and slapping him across the face, walking away without looking back.

Morgan watches her go, smiling as the blood drips from his split lip. He touches a slim finger to the cut and appraises the scarlet drop.

I shall enjoy breaking you, Savannah Merlin.

Author's Note: It's been terribly long, I know. I won't apologize, because it's late and I'm tired. But I still love you all! I hope you enjoy and comment? This story is going somewhere, trust in me. It's going so many places that I can't even believe it, but it is fully planned out and just needs to be written. Yay! ^-^

Stay magical my lovelies!