Slytherin Queen

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 24:

Athena searched through the kitchen cabinets,being as quiet as she could with a spoon filled of nutella hanging from her mouth.

It was nearing 3am and she had sent the elves to sleep after noticing how tired they were. It took some arguing but after stating that all the food was done and that they were at more risk of making mistakes if they were looking through droopy eyes they went to bed pretty easily.

Getting them to stop overworking themselves was one of the top 3 things on on to do list.

She has tried to sleep,honestly but nightmares have been worse and she just couldn't fall asleep. She would normally cuddle with one of her friends but with the stress they've been through this week she didn't want to be a bother. It didn't help that she was part of the stress.

Something was in the castle. Something that was paralyzing muggle-borns and putting them in a coma like state. 'The Chamber Of Secrets' had also been opened. She's tried to gather information on that but had no luck. The teachers wouldn't say anything either but it was obvious they were panicked. The Slytherins of course were blamed for the whole thing,being targeted more than normal and even if the professors stepped in it didn't help. So she took charge,landing in detention on multiple occasions and even the informatory. Her friends were not happy with her and even landed in detention themselves when they attempted to attack the injured Gryffindor on the cot across from her.

It was very stressful and it took a lot for her to calm them down,especially Blaise who came from a women that was suspected to murdering seven of her husbands. Good thing there wasn't any evidence. She adored the old woman.

Because it was so late she wasn't expecting anyone else to be up,especially since classes started in a few hours so she didn't hear anyone approaching until they spoke up.

"Athena?"

She yelped,nearly falling off the counter if she hadn't grabbed onto the edge of the opened cabinet.

"Whoa! Are you okay?" Concern now laced the gentle voice.

It was soft,like a mother singing their child a lullaby. Accept their was a ting of hesitancy and exhaustion. The lullaby turned dark,distant,out of reach and she knew it was pointless to reach out.

"I'm fine" Athena brushed off,pushing the large hands that hovered over her away as she straightened up.

It was silent as she continued to dig through the cabinet. She held back a happy humm when she finally got sight of a box of brownie mix,leaning up on the tip of her toes and stretching out her arm almost painfully to grab the damn thing. Being so short sucked.

She hopped off the counter with a grace only someone with years of counter climbing experience could do,easily ignoring James who was staring at her.

"Athena,please." The words were said with a begging desperation.

She tensed,jaw clenching as she felt anger and guilt bubble under her skin. He had no right to make her feel this way. He had no right to hurt her like he did. It wasn't fair. She shouldn't feel guilty. She shouldn't feel  like she was five again and begged for her parents to save her when she was locked in a basement,barely cautious which heavy breathing men looming over her. She shouldn't feel like running into his arms with lingering sorry's and pleads for him to just protect her.

She had hoped for years that her parents would come back for her. That they simply needed some time. That they didn't mean to give her away. And now here he was,her father pleading her to come back to him.

It wasn't fucking fair.

"I'm sorry,okay? I'm so sorry. I didn't-I didn't want to let you go. I wanted to go back for you I-" Those words were her breaking point.

"But you didn't!" Athena snapped,slamming the brownie box onto the counter and spinning around to glare at the man. She hated the tears that stung her eyes and the way her voice cracked. "You didn't come back. I've been through hell! Some nights I didn't even think i'd wake up to see tomorrow. Most nights I didn't want to wake up to see tomorrow. It was hell. I begged for you to come for me. To come save me."

She chocked on a sob,body trembling as tears ran down her cheeks. Her throat ached with the effort of the sobs,heart heavy with pain and grief that she's held in for so long as she stared at the man infront of her.

The man with the same unruly hair as her. The man with the same sharp jaw. The man with the same bruises under his eyes. The man with the same tears,same blood,same DNA. The man with matching hazel eyes and deep sadness. The man who's experienced some kind of pain. The man who was just as broken as her.

"I didn't want to,baby" She heard James whisper,the words echoing in her head as he took a step closer. She took one back with a frantic head shake. "I didn't have a choice. Lily she- I don't know what she did. When I woke up the next morning you were just gone,I didn't remember a single thing and when it all started appearing again she-I couldn't get you. I-I tried so hard and when I was finally able to go to the Dursley's they said you were gone then slammed the door."

He takes a deep breathe like his lungs weren't working,tears overflowing even as he raises his hands like one would when approaching a scared kitten. "I thought you were dead."

Athena shakes her head because it makes no sense. But it does. The signs were all there. The shock she had seen when her name was called in first year. The flinches around Lily. The hated-fear filled stare she noticed him give Lily when she wasn't looking.

It was all there.

All of it.

Then why did it still hurt? Why did she want to run into his arms yet run so far away? Why did her heart fill with anguish and her hands tremble.

why did her brain scream liesliesliesliesli-

She flinched when a pair of large arms wrapped around her,vision blurry as the smell of forest,old passages,and sunny days. She callapsed into the warm embrace,shoulders shaking and fingers trembling as she gripped at his robe,soft apologies filling her eyes. "I'm sorry,Athena. I'm so fucking sorry. I'm so sorry,baby. I won't leave again,I promise. I'm here now. I'm here."

Their relationship wouldn't ever be how it should of been but this was a start.