His Final Riddle

23. Oceans of Narcissus

I press my toes deeper into the wet grass as I look out at the grounds around me, the sun rises slowly at the very bottom of the garden creating a blinding light burning in my eyes. The morning dew glazes the grass and the hedges around me. A stone bench to my side has a large cobweb attached to it which has droplets of water stuck to its threads. Everything is highlighted by the presence of the dampness in the air. The grounds seem greyer and clearer at the same time, the morning has a sharp, new quality to it.

I sigh heavily and see my breath turn to steam as it hits the brisk morning air.

"Angelica?"

I turn around and look back towards the manor.
The shine casts a soft yellow glow on Draco as he stands at the top of the small steps leading down into the garden. His white sleeping t-shirt hangs from his body showing his chest, his left hand is shoved deep into his black pyjama bottom pocket as he raises his right hand over his eyes shielding his vision from the rising sun.

"Morning" I wrap my arms around myself as I turn back to face the garden.

Draco let's out a long sigh as he walks down the stone steps leading into the large grass lawn "you couldn't sleep again?"

He stands besides me a half metre of space between us.

"No" I bite down on my bottom lip as I try to ignore the tension between us, he is right besides me and yet it feels as though he is miles away.

"I've told you, come sleep in my room. It's more comfortable than the guest rooms, and I'll be there. You may sleep better if you're with me in bed." Draco let's out a long breath as he turns his head towards me "just come back to bed with me now, please."

I shake my head "I can't." I avoid his eyes as I focus on the rising sun "I don't want to keep you awake, I just toss and turn or have nightmares."

"I don't care" Draco steps in front of me now, his tall frame blocks the sun instead it shines around him illuminating his blonde hair. "I need you as well, I need you in my bed so I know you're safe otherwise I'm waking up every hour wondering where you are." He reaches his hand out taking a hold of my wrist "please Angelica come back to bed with me."

I look away from his face which is so open and vulnerable. His eyes are swimming with sadness and his face is pale with deep bags under his eyes.

He's in pain.

I step backwards pulling my wrist from his grip "Draco I can't." My voice is barely a whisper as I wrap my arms back around my body "I just need to be alone, I need some time to process everything."

Draco's jaw clenches as he glares at me his face changing to furious within a manner of seconds "it's been weeks. You never leave your room, you stay locked in there all day and then at night you come and stand out here even though it's freezing."

"It's hardly freezing Draco, it's summer."

"Yeah fucking British summer it's hardly the fucking tropics is it?" He raises his voice his eyes full of anger "are you just going to shut me out now? After everything we went through together?"

"We didn't go through it all together though did we?" My voice is cold as I look away from him "I was the one who cast the spell in the end. I'm the one with blood on my hands."

Draco let's out a scoff "you chose to do that. You can't spend the rest of summer hating me because you killed him."

"It wasn't my burden to take on." The words fall from my mouth before I realise. I snap my head back to look at Draco and I slowly see the hurt cross his face before he rearranges it into his signature sneer.