Peitho was the Greek goddess of persuasion, seduction, and sweet-talk. A handmaiden of the goddess Aphrodite, she has been depicted fleeing from rape, as well as from the abduction of Helen, symbolising the destructive force of persuasion and love.

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a n g e l

We stood in our living room in front of the cold fireplace, glaring at each other. I wrenched my arm from his. "Draco, this has to stop. All this paranoia, these protection charms, your- your inconsolable hate for everyone and everything."

"There are Death Eaters out there, Angel!" he shouted, arms wildly gesturing towards the door. "Have you forgotten what happened? What they put us through?"

"Nobody is coming for us!" I protested. "Why can't you get it? The war was over two years ago. Over. Stop using it as an excuse to keep me as your prisoner!"

His face twisted in disbelief. "Prisoner? Is that what you think you are?"

"Certainly feels like it!" I shot back.

"Do you think I like doing this? Years ago, I swore that nothing would hurt you ever again. I swore to protect you!"

"But not like this, Draco! I know we're recovering, but-"

"No, Angel." He jabbed a finger at me. "You're recovering. Not me. It's always been about you. You weren't the one who had to sit through all those fucking death eater meetings, skulking around school fixing that fucking cabinet and never knowing if he's murdered your parents already. You haven't had to duel your friends in bathrooms, where they try to kill you with some stupid curse they haven't used before. And above all this, you haven't had to meet someone who changed your life, who thought you were good, only to have them fucking die for you! You haven't had to live with the darkness, the loneliness. I saw your GRAVE, Angel. Your grave. You have no idea what that did to me!"

His pale skin was now glowering pink. "You moved on, Angel. Not me. You're so caught up in your life that you've never stopped to wait for me to catch up. You've never spared a thought for me."

"Draco, that's not fair," I said. "I love you, you know I do! I have done everything I can to support you, to be patient and understanding. I honestly don't know what more I can give."

"Then why does it seem like you prefer everybody else's company except mine? Why do you never want to be around me anymore? Am I that useless? If you prefer Codrus or Lorcan over me, just say it! Say it and I'm-"

"OH, FOR FUCK'S SAKE, DRACO!" I exploded. He startled slightly at my sudden ferocity. "For fuck's sake, just... STOP. I think it's you who no longer loves me anymore. You know, I used to believe in love. The kind that is honest, true, forgiving. I saw what my parents had, and I wanted that. I thought I had it with you. I felt it... once."

His chest was still heaving from exertion. "And now..?"

"Now, I think I was believing in fairy tales," I said coldly. "I don't know what this is, because this isn't love. Not the love I know, and certainly not the kind of love I deserve."

Draco stared at me, lips parted in shock. I could hardly believe what I was saying either. My eyes strained from fighting back tears.

"Do you hate me?" he asked quietly.

No. I could never. I remained silent, pressing my lips together and trying not to cry. If I could step forward and take him into a hug, I would have. But I no longer had the energy. Living with Draco had whittled me down to my very bones. It was a toxic fume that infiltrated my lungs, and I would be poisoned if it did not stop.

"What do you want, Angel?"

I lifted my gaze to meet his. "I want you to leave."

His face hardened, scrubbing over the hurt that had been there just a moment ago. He set his jaw, looked at me for just a moment longer, and turned on his heels.

Just before he disappeared out the door, he swivelled back to me. "You used to see me," he said, quietly. "You used to look at me and see past all my flaws, my... inadequacies. You used to look at me like I was one of those constellations you love. You used to choose me."

My throat trembled and the hollows of my jaw hurt. Merlin knew I had not meant it, but I let him leave just the same. I tried not to cry - at least until his silver-blonde hair was out of sight.

The sound of the slamming door shook the empty walls of the house, and then he was gone.

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I collapsed onto the couch, my chest heaving with dry cries. The silence in the house was heavy, crushing my ears as if I was a hundred metres underwater. It took a while, but the tears eventually came.

I sobbed for what seemed like hours. For once in my life, I had run out of hope. How did things turn out this way?

Draco. My husband. The man of sunshine hair and snow-sky eyes. He shone like a summer solstice. And yet, he thought himself no brighter than an inky spill in the ocean, a smudge against all things good and beautiful. He was not. But it seemed like he would never be able to see.

The doorbell rang suddenly, and I jumped to answer it, expecting to see Draco's sullen face. But it was Codrus, looking very concerned.

"Sorry, I hope I'm not intruding," he said. "I heard shouting and saw Draco leave. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is fine, Codrus, thank you," I lied, my eyes stinging from the tears I had forced a stopper on.

"It doesn't look fine to me, Angel." His brows were furrowed as his light eyes pierced mine.

"It's nothing, really," I sniffed. "Would you like some tea?"

"I think we'll need something stronger than tea," he chuckled. "Hang on."

He disappeared back into his house, leaving me standing at the door in confusion. He reappeared with a bottle of wine in his hand.

"Codrus, I can't drink, remember?" I said regretfully.

He held up his free hand. "No alcohol, I promise."

I got out two glasses from the kitchen and reached out to take the bottle from him, but he pulled back. "No, you go sit down. I'll get this."

I was rather glad for his assertiveness, and made my way back to the couch. He reappeared a few moments later with the two glasses of wine. "Best one in my stash. Go ahead, drink," he urged.

I sipped. "Wow," I said, peering into the red liquid. "This is exquisite. What is it?"

Codrus chuckled as he took a gulp of his. "What does it taste like?"

I smacked my lips. "Sharp, like pine. And a little bit of apple? It's sweet too, like honey."

"Amazing, isn't it? It's a variation of elf wine from Sweden. No alcohol. They only make ten bottles of these each year."

"Wow," I said again. "You really shouldn't have, Codrus."

"Well, it seems like something's really got you down." He leaned forward, close to me. "Angel, I know I've asked this before, but is everything alright? At home, I mean. Is Draco- does he... hurt you?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that at all. It's just-" I sighed, thinking of how to carry on. "It's just that after the war, Draco has never quite been the same. He's troubled, and sometimes it's difficult to deal with. Know what I mean?"

"I do," he smiled sympathetically. "Caelum, my brother. Remember?" I nodded. "How does your dad do it?" I held out my glass as he refilled it.

"He just makes do, I guess."

My shoulders fell. I had been hoping for some answer, a solution to ease my burden. "I'm just so tired, Codrus. I honestly don't know how I can go on like this." Emotion and exhaustion finally won over, and I began crying quietly into the large rim of the glass.

Codrus set his aside quickly and put an arm around me. "Hey, hey. Come on now, it'll be alright," he cooed softly, warm breath blowing against my cheek. He tensed his muscles, urging me closer to him. I leaned into his shoulder and cried like I've never cried before.

And then I did something I never in a million years imagined I'd do. I lifted my head and kissed Codrus.

His lips were soft and wet, and he tasted like the elf wine from Sweden. He did not pull away.

Desire washed over me. It wasn't like what I felt with Draco. This one compelled me with a force unknown. I just needed more. I needed Codrus.

He closed his eyes into it, both hands threaded through my hair. "Are you sure about this?" he asked when we came up for air.

"Just kiss me."

Our lips slammed back together like magnets, tongues fighting for dominance.

I hauled myself onto his lap as we kissed deeper and deeper. He was growing between my legs, and another wave of desire came.

"Codrus," I found myself saying as I slipped my top over my head. "I need you to fuck me."

He didn't need to be told another time. His shirt was off in a matter of seconds, his belt clanking to the floor.

We threw ourselves back onto the couch, and he thrust into me. "Merlin, Angel," he breathed, taking in all of me. "You're so, so fucking beautiful. I wanted to fuck you the first day I saw you." His voice was like melted chocolate dripping off a knife tip as he started to buck.

I was delirious with hunger. I couldn't explain it; I wanted to inhale his skin, to eat him alive.  I wanted him to give him the earth and sky and all its stars and moons. But that wasn't enough. I wanted - no, needed - him to feel the pleasure I felt. "Let me please you, Codrus. I want- I want to please you."

He pulled out and stood. I grabbed his hips and took him into my mouth. He grasped a fistful of my hair, slamming and choking me. I was floating, like I had downed ten glasses of Firewhiskey, and his grunts only drove me further over the edge.

He carried me off the couch like I weighed nothing. I wrapped around him, drawing him further in, my fingers combing his blond. For a fleeting moment, I thought of how much he looked like Draco, except for his eyes, which flared blue like a gas flame. And like such a flame, the thought was gone.

He filled my entirety, and my passion burned brighter than the star Sirius in an empty sky. "I love you, Codrus," I moaned into his mouth as he bounced me. "I love you."

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A/N:

Ummm so yeah that happens. Don't worry, it will have consequences hahaha.

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