when they became villains [draco malfoy] {book 2}

Summer 1997 - 178

"Great, so when the potion wears off I'll have the worst hangover of my life?"

"Pretty much," Draco shrugged as he shifted on her bed, watching her pack her belongings for a few days of travel. "But I assume it'll be worth it."

"How can anything you've planned possibly be worth having basically been blackout drunk without even being drunk in the first place?" She rushed into the bathroom and threw her toothbrush into the bag Draco had given her before slinging it over her shoulder.

Draco stood up and handed her the wand Narcissa had given him. "This is not so much about the fact that you're free of surveillance for 24 hours but rather what we will do in that time."

"How can you even be sure the Dark Lord won't have access to my mind? The ring is not just a simple Legilimency spell. And-"

"And this is not simple Occlumency to protect yourself. This is a powerful potion, Astrid, and your mind will be impenetrable. The vomiting all throughout the following day because of the way your mind is going to swirl is not for nothing."

"Charming," Astrid frowned and they stepped out of the room to walk down to the grand staircase and get out of the house from where they had planned apparating.

"Remember the day I didn't show my face and you burst into my room accusing me of being a wimp?"

Astrid furrowed her brows and then nodded. It had happened three days ago. They had fought the previous night, she had thought he was avoiding her for it and she had come to give the lad a piece of her mind.

"Well, I was sick the entire day because I had tried the potion on myself the day before. Worked like a charm. Asked Aunt Bellatrix to help strengthen my Occlumency again and she was surprised at how good I was despite the fact I wasn't even trying to keep a barrier around my thoughts." It wasn't long until they had reached the bottom of the stairs and the main entrance of the Malfoy Manor. "I was worried it might be different on you but I suppose if there is no of that pressure at the back of your head it must be working."

"Ah, that's why you told me nothing straight away?" suddenly she realised.

"Yes."

She wanted to snap at him that he could've told her, that he shouldn't have kept her in the dark, but she knew what he had done had been right. If he had told her while the Dark Lord could listen in, the boy would surely be as good as dead. Defying his master would not come with an easy cost.

As they walked through the front door and he took her hand in his, Astrid once more thought about whether it would somehow be possible to make such a potion last forever, though she didn't ask, because it had been moments since she had done just that. Draco's response had been simple too - first, having gaps this big in her memory and constantly having chemicals alter her mind would probably drive her insane eventually, second, the Drak Lord would quickly find out something was up and the whole purpose of the potion would be wasted. Still, she daydreamed of what a life free of Him would be like.

Draco asked her if she was ready and when she nodded yes, she felt her body suddenly flung into a tight tunnel of all sounds, light and matter. Astrid had never liked the feeling of apparating and even now, after so many times she had done it, still, she felt the bile of nausea churn in her stomach. The process took longer than usual and when they were good 20 seconds in, Astrid wondered where the boy had decided to take her.

Her feet met the ground, her ears heard the soft chirping of the birds and the distant sound of an ice cream truck, her nose inhaled the sweet smell of a freshly-baked cake and she knew. When she opened her eyes, hand gripping his tighter in anticipation,  she was met with the sight of the simple beige house that Astrid had forever called her home. Through the window, she could see her mother operating by the open window, bringing a cake out of the oven with an expression of grave sadness etched into her features.