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She conjured a fire in the Manor’s fireplace, lit a cigarette, and inhaled deeply, ignoring the scent of iron darkly tainting the air. His blood was deep in the beds of her fingernails, on her arms, smeared across her lips in a demented form of a kiss, soaked in parts of her black dress.
She exhaled, ignoring the terror and grief marring the face of Narcissa’s portrait over the mantle.
“I love hard too.” She summoned her Patronous. “Tell Harry Potter there’s been an incident at Malfoy Manor.”
~~~
The dissolving of their relationship was difficult to go through. At least for her. The newspapers had announced their break up a few months ago. And not two months later, Draco was photographed with that witch on his arm, gazing down at her adoringly. He never looked at her like that.
Jealousy bloomed like a Devil’s Snare from that day. She collected news clippings of the happy couple, posted them on the wall of her office, and let their happiness fuel her rage and spiraling thoughts of what could’ve been.
The announcement of their one-year anniversary spurned her to start planning. The news of her moving into his home had her finalizing plans by the end of the day.
~~~
She left the gala early, taking full advantage of the Floo connection between the Ministry to the Manor. She made sure to disillusion and cast a silencing charm on herself, muffling the long black flowing dress and the high heels she wore as she made her way through familiar halls.
She walked to their bedroom and made her way to his closet. Well, a small room that held his clothes. The scent of him, sandalwood, oud, and something dangerous, surrounded her and she pressed her face into one of his black dress robes, breathing him in. She loved the way he smelled. She took the robes down and draped herself in the too long fabric. Something heavy hit against her thigh and she pulled a box from the inner pocket.
A radiant cushion-cut diamond set among emeralds on a platinum band winked flirtatiously at her. She stared at it for a long moment before slipping it on her ring finger.
The sound of giggling and murmuring grabbed her attention and the bedroom door banged open as the couple tumbled inside, hastily undressing one another. She considered sauntering out then, part to watch if he fucked her with more passion than he fucked her, or to kill them before they can get lost in one another one last time.
He’s more vocal with her and the witch eats it up. He was still a generous lover and gifted her the first two orgasms, but he didn’t stop there, coaxing more from her.
Too many minutes later, when they were temporarily sated, the witch slid out of his bed to soak in the bath. She heard him tell her, “Hurry up and get back to bed. I need more of you.”
Moments later, the sound of the bathtub filling gave her an idea. She let the robes slip from her shoulders and to the floor and followed the witch to the bathroom, just in time to see her slip into the tub, his marks claiming her body—a handprint on her bum, bite marks along her neck and at her left shoulder, and even a tiny mark blossoming at her inner ankle.
The witch hummed, washing herself with expensive soap and oil. When the witch rested her neck against the lip of the tub, that’s when she struck, removing the charms that hid and silenced her as she pressed down on the witch’s shoulders, submerging her in the water. She met the drowning witch’s eyes as she thrashed, curiously watching as she tried to find purchase in the oily water.
“Darling?” Draco called.
She slid her hands from the witch’s shoulders, ignoring the wet thuds of her arms knocking against the tub, strangling her neck until the thrashing slowed and the life leaked from her eyes under the water.
She pulled away, just as Draco burst through the door and ran to the tub.
“No, no, no,” he moaned, pulling her limp body from the water, pushing her hair away from her face and checking her pulse. He cried out in anguish as he tugged her against him. He looked up then, confused as to why someone other that his soon to be fiancée was in their home.
“What did you do?” he yelled.
“Sectumsempra.”
There was blood everywhere as he took the curse for the second time. He dropped to his knees, his witch’s body slipping back under the water, her outstretched hand limply reaching over the lip of the bath. He moaned in pain, falling on his back, reaching for his lover’s hand above him.
Tears flowed down his face as his body weakened, as his breathing slowed.
“No, no, watch me,” she whispered, straddling his naked body, tapping her fingers against his chin.
“I loved you Draco.”
Draco looked at his dead witch’s hand, a moan leaking from his lips as his chest shuddered. She kissed his lips, tasting blood.
“Sh, sh. I’m here, love,” she cooed as she gripped his chin, forcing him to meet her eyes before the grey in his dulled and his eyes closed.
~~~
“What happened, Astoria?” Harry asked when he arrived five minutes later. “Are you okay? Whose blood is that?”
“I’m fine. It’s not mine. Check the master bathroom, Harry.”
Harry watched her warily as she lit another cigarette, not giving away more information.
“Watch her,” he told an Auror that accompanied him.
The Auror watched her as though she was a snake waiting to strike. She met his gaze with a tilt to her head and held it before he looked away. He noticed the torn portrait above the fireplace.
Pointed his wand at her when Harry wailed at the scene of his best friend and her boyfriend killed in their own home.
Astoria looked at the ring on her finger, it’s brilliant radiance shining in the dancing light of the fireplace.