Second chance; Second life

Draco woke to find Mikayla smiling down at him.

‘Morning. Time for breakfast.’ The Sun was just emerging over the horizon, and he knew it must be early, but, as he’d fallen asleep in the early afternoon he didn’t mind. He sat up, then frowned, looking around the cave for another mattress.

‘Where did you sleep?’ she shrugged.

‘On Priya’s back. I can make a new mattress today.’ She smiled easily at him, and he turned his head slightly, sniffing the pillow. He could smell lavender and waterlily there, a lingering, soft, delicate fragrance. He sat up, and rubbed his eyes gently, for they were still a little sore. She frowned at him. ‘Here, tilt your head back and stare at the ceiling.’ He thought of disobeying, but couldn’t summon the resovle. He felt her fingers slowly rub something around his eyes. ‘Try not to blink,’ she warned, and dropped some of the lotion into the eyes. Draco managed not to blink, and she released. He blinked freely then, and felt the tension and pain in his eyes lessen. She nodded, satisfied. ‘Come on, you haven’t eaten for days.’ He looked at the food, and felt his stomach growl in approval. She laughed slightly at him, and handed him a plate, before moving to the entrance of the cave and sitting down calmly to watch the valley. He joined her, and looked out over the valley. It was covered in wild flowers, with a collection of rabbits at the bottom. Two Eagles were circling overhead, snatching at a few weasels.

‘Why aren’t they attacking the rabbits?’ he asked.

‘Priya and Tur have an agreement with them to keep them safe in return for the older rabbits when they die. Really, they’re quite sweet-natured creatures. Priya’s mine. She raised me. So you can have Tru.’ He blinked at her. \'To ride,’ he blinked again, and she hsook her head. ‘Don’t worry.’ She picked up one of the toasted mushrooms and slipped it inot her mouth in contentment. He attention turned to his own food.

‘It’s nice here,’ he said slowly. She nodded and smiled.

‘Its home.’ She looked sideways at him, and they exchangd a quick smile.

‘Not as grand as the Manor, and lacking a few home comforts,’ he added, and she laughed.

‘Maybe, but it’s safe, peaceful and mine.’ She breathed in the clean air happily. He looked at her curiously.

‘Is there somewhere I could wash?’ he asked, not a bit embarrassed.

‘Yeah. a few feet down that way is a small creek with a pool. It’s got clean water.’ When they had finished their breakfast, he took some clothes, and moved away. She sat there, enjoying the Sun on her skin. She began to cook some lunch, and moved down to ask Draco if he wanted some. She froze as he emerged from the water. The water ran down his smooth, pale, toned chest as he pushed his hair back from his face, which had water running over his angular cheekbones, jutting, confident jaw and into the hollow where his shoulder met his neck. The water pooled there, and she found herself wanting to be there instead. He looked up, and saw her, and she hid her admiration easily.

‘Fancy some lunch?’ he nodded. Lunch was quiet, with Mikayla shouting at herself mentally. She went to the creek herself, and Draco soon followed, to ask where he could get a drink. He froze as she had earlier, as she pushed the soap from her hair. Her eyes were closed to stop water getting in them, so it ran down her chest and between and over her breasts. He stared at them blatantly, impressed by their size. He shook her head, the water flying, and sank under the water, remerging a second later to haul herself out of the pool. Her legs were long, lean and tanned, but she had wrapped a towel round herself before he could see anything else. He called out.

‘Miakyla!’ she smiled up at him, not thinking he’d been watching.

‘Call me Kay,’ she corrected.

‘Where’s that drink?’

‘Back of the cave.’ He moved away, still seeing her naked body in his mind’s eye. He wondered what it would be like to touch that soft gorgeous body, when the image of his Father looming over him resurfaced. He bent over and was violently sick. Kay ran up.

‘Draco?’ she said, panicked. ‘What happened?’

‘I could feel him over me, in me…’ Draco trailed of, and closed his eyes against the sting of tears. Kay watched helplessly as he dissolved into past memories.