Always Remember

XVII.

My body shakes as I try to keep my hands still over Matthews's wound. Whatever cloth I could rip from my shirt wasn't enough to stop the steady flow of blood. I avert my eyes, trying not to stare at Matthews' paled face. He grows weaker by the second, not even able to keep his eyes open, and I train my ears to focus on the sounds of his quiet breathing. 

Noah stands beside us. At first glance, he looks determined, on guard, but I can tell by the slack of his shoulders and nervous glances that this hasn't gone the way he expected it to go. Around us, the meeting is recovering from the recent excitement. The decor is being replaced, and non-magic users are slowly being convinced to come out of hiding. 

"Much help you've done us," Lucius hisses under his breath and I don't have the energy to defend myself or even look at him. Whatever effort I have left is being used to apply pressure to whatever was left of Matthews's arm. 

"Quiet," Noah tells Lucius, threateningly pointing his wand at his throat, but he gives me a worried glance. At this point, he must know that I, along with everyone I am with, am going to die now. Our attempt at escape has failed. 

Then I see a flash of blond through the crowd. Just a small spark in the darkness, but it was there. I almost convinced myself it was just my imagination taking root in my last moments until I heard his voice. 

"Flipendo". 

His voice, distinct to me despite all the noise in the room, carried the spell, and Noah was thrown back several feet away from us. Once again, the room erupted into chaos. One by one, Aurors apparate into the crowd, taking advantage against the mostly un-wanded group. As if taking this as an opportunity, Lucius and Narcissa scurry away, dragging the boy with them. I spot Harry, Ron, Collins, and more making their way through the crowd, securing those that might be a threat. The relief that washes over me almost takes me out of the moment, only for Draco to grab my face and pull me back into it. 

"You're safe," he says, although I can't tell if it was meant for me or for him. His hands run through my hair, caressing my cheek in desperation. 

"Get away from her, cursed blood," Noah says, sauntering toward us as he wipes the blood dribbling from his nose. Draco gives me one last look, his eyebrows furrowed, before pushing himself off the ground and into a defensive stance. 

"You want me to get away from her? So you could kill her?" he answers, baring his teeth. Noah's sorry eyes turn to me.

"I- I would never. I love her." 

Draco freezes at the word. I almost see the anger radiating off of him, his muscles tense. 

"You love her so much that you confuse her and trick her with Amortentia?" Draco accuses and my eyes widen. Amortentia, the most powerful love potion. I search my mind trying to pinpoint when I could have been under the spell, but I can't think of a time when I felt overwhelmed by love for Noah, nothing that would signify being given a potion. I look to Noah but he remains silent. 

"There were traces of Amortentia everywhere you had been, Noah, and in every cup in Y/N's office. It took a good minute to piece together the truth because Amortentia use would be easy to spot unless you dosed it," Draco explains and Noah's shoulders slump in shame, "Small amounts over a long period of time is detrimental but isn't noticeable compared to normal cases of change. For a moment, you almost tricked me, too. You made me believe that Y/N had truly fallen for you. But, no. Consistent use of the love potion creates confusion about true feelings but they'll remain even if the person doesn't realize it. That's why she never took off my ring." I hold up my hand on instinct, to prove to myself that it's true, and, just as he said, the ring is still placed around my finger.