𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐘; Draco Malfoy

XIV

Two years, six months later.
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The sound of keys jiggling and a door opening made her rise up from the couch. This was the favorite part of her day, when being alone was no longer a thing. The usual "I'm home, sweetheart," never changed, though she could often recognize how work had been from the tone it was said in. Still, bad day or good day, she would be there no matter what.

Elio's face came into view, and a wide smile on his face made her heart feel at rest. "How was work?" She asked, being greeted with a kiss on her cheek. "Chaotic, and I missed you." He said, taking off his coat and draping it over the bench in the hall.

"I got off early today. Mrs Yves was going easy on me." Elena said, grabbing Elio's hand and bringing him into the kitchen. Their apartment wasn't that large, but it was enough for now. "She should be going easy on you, you're the only one in your class that actually pays attention." Elio said.

Elena contuined studying after she graduated Hogwarts, just like Elio. Elio had just finished and was officially an Auror, while she was close to graduating again. They'd be working together, which was what they both desired the most.

Elio took some leftovers out of the fridge, heating them up in the microwave. "The Minister came to see me today," He said, clearing his throat. "He wanted to talk about our case."

She froze in her seat, her heart suddenly dropping into a deep dark hole that was apparently just her stomach. "Oh," Was all she said, biting the inside of her cheek nervously. Elio sighed, softening his gaze as he leaned his elbows on the counter. "The restraining order ends in three months. He wanted to remind us." He said softly.

She didn't even need a reminder, she'd thought about it every single day since he even got the restraining order. There wasn't a day that went by where she didn't think of him. It was inevitable, no matter how hard she tried to forget him.

Elio noticed the distressed look on her face, so he raised his hand and stroked his fingers gently over her cheek. "But he said that we can get a new one the second something happens." He smiled to comfort her. She was too caught up in her own mind.

"Nothing will happen, Elio. It's almost been three years, he's moved on." She said, her voice turning hoarsh at the end of her sentence. She almost didn't want to believe herself. "Maybe he has, maybe we hasn't. We can't assume anything. I don't know him well enough to know his mind." Elio said. Perhaps he didn't realize that she did know his mind.

That's why she couldn't rest all these years. Always on edge.

"We'll talk about it later." He grinned, kissing her forehead before taking his plate out of the microwave. She already ate, so she just sat there with him and discussed their work.

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Later that night, Elio had just come out of the shower. He dried his hair and left it damp, entering the bedroom with nothing but his sweatpants on. She was standing infront of the mirror in nothing but an oversized shirt, a neckline high enough to still hide her necklace. It had been years, and it was becoming harder to hide it with each day.

Elio smiled at the sight of her, walking towards the mirror too. She shut her eyes when she felt a kiss being pressed against her hair, a hand placed on her waist. Elio looked into the mirror as he kissed her cheek, then over her jaw. She let out a soft sigh.

"Let me take you to bed, love. It's late." He whispered, grabbing onto her hips and turning her around. She looked at him and softened her gaze, wondering how look she could keep living like this, in this agony. It wasn't his fault— that was the worst part. This was supposed to be a fairytale.