Skin Of Pure Ice

chapter nineteen

GABRIELLA'S POV

It's been two hundred forty three days since I was captured from the battle of Hogwarts.

Eight months since the battle of Hogwarts and I'm still here. In this dungeon with only the company of my thoughts and I don't want them here. The scrapes and bruises on my body, covering me whole. No one truly is aware of what activities take place in this dungeon and if they are aware, I hope the idea of it guts them endlessly.

I am only allowed outside of the dungeon for ten minutes a day, not a second more and if I was there would be a punishment worse than death. Some days I prefer it. How I was even permitted to attend Astorias' ball, I don't have a clue.

I saw Roslyn, Theodore, Draco, Astoria, and Blaise but did they even see me. I was a ghost that night at Astorias ball. I tried to run to Theodore, but I could barely make a step before the attack.

I question myself and question my friends, if they know I'm still alive. Or if they are suffering the same way I am. Parts of me hope for the best and the worst for them. I miss them. I miss Roslyn. I miss Theodore.

Oh, Theo.

There are parts of the day that I think about Theo but I don't let myself wander in the thoughts of him too long.

I hear the door of the dungeon open and close. A thick voice whispers "Get up, get ready. We're going to Malfoy Manor tonight."

Three Weeks Before:

My eyes are open and he's still asleep.

I'm watching him closely as his chest rises up and down. His long lashes, his pale skin, his hair that's all messy from the night before.

I put my hand on his cheek and played with his hair. So soft. My hand runs down his jawline and he smiles. When his eyes open, he gazes at me like I'm everything he's ever wanted in life. The first words he says to me is "I love you, Roslyn."

I was always meant to be here with him, in his bed, entangled in sheets. My eyes look into his with love and passion that no man will ever be able to comprehend but us.

My lips meet his and I whisper back: "Not as much as I love you, Draco." He lifts me by my hips and places me on top of him. My legs are straddling his abdomen. His gazes at me with hooded eyes. I plant a kiss on his cheeks and then his forehead and then back to his lips. "I love you so much."

Life seems brighter now that I have declared my love for Draco Malfoy. The flowers seem livelier, the sun seems to be shining down on the Manor and it doesn't seem so terrifyingly morbid. The wind that blows the trees becomes fresher. The world seems right.

I was always meant to be here with him, in his bed, entangled in sheets. My eyes look into his with love and passion that no man will ever be able to comprehend but us.

My hands interlock with his and he brings me closer to him and then lays me back down beside him. His face became serious and I knew I wasn't going to like what he was about to say. "What's wrong?" My eyes narrow

"When you were locked in the dungeon..." He starts. "My dungeon, I had thought that you losing your memory was better than me losing you all together." I could feel the tears in my eyes and his suddenly got glossy. "No matter what, I grieved you. I thought I lost you forever, Ross. It was set in my mind that I would never have you next to me again. That I would never kiss you again or make love to you again.

But you're here now...With me again. And I don't want to lose you again. I never want to go through that again. I never want to lose you, Roslyn." Tears are streaming down my face and I wipe away the one tear that was falling from Draco's blue eyes.