𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤? [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1]

࿔ Danica ࿔

Slowly Danica calms down enough to stop her tears flowing and she hiccups as she catches her breath. She's in too much pain to move and Regulus' chest is warm and comfortable.

Everything came back to her the moment she woke up: the knife as it cut her skin, killing someone, Jackson, almost cutting Walburga's throat, Gully and his small hand, the fright of those blue eyes then the realisation that she was safe.

She carefully moves her head so that she can look into Regulus' eyes. They are like a comfort blanket, calming her as he gazes back.

"R-Reg-" she stammers as she tries to tell him what happened.

"Yeah, flower?" His voice is low and rumbling, the type that Danica finds attractive and sexy.

She bites her cheek, letting the thoughts of pain slip her mind for a moment before it presses down on her again.

"I- I-" she trembles a little but Regulus holds her, rubbing her back and looking into her eyes kindly. She takes a breath. "W-What would you do if... i-if I- I- m-murdered someone...?"

His gaze doesn't falter; doesn't change at all. It's still kind and not judgmental.

"If you had a reason to... then... if it was between you or them dying then- you would be very brave to kill someone, love."

She feels tears well up again and she looks away.

"I-" she sniffs as Regulus cups her face, waiting for her to continue. "I killed... Peter-" her voice is less than a whisper.

"You what?" Regulus sounds shocked and worried and confused all at the same time.

She can't meet his eyes now. She doesn't want to face anyone. No interrogations. Nothing.

"Was he gonna kill you?" Regulus asks.

Danica thinks for a while then realises she doesn't know. Peter was shaking as he was speaking. He wouldn't have done it. But he still said the words. He's a coward. Giving in like that-

"Flower?" Regulus' soft voice brings her back.

"I... I don't know if was g-gonna kill me."

"Then why kill him?" His voice is still kind and there is nothing to say he's angry at her.

"B-because he was s-saying the spell and- and had his wand raised-"

"So he was gonna kill you," he says it like it's obvious.

"B-but you didn't see him." Her lip trembles.

Regulus is caressing her hair, cupping her face and wiping the tears she didn't know had started falling again.

"Reg- he wasn't gonna do it-"

"You have nothing to prove that he wasn't," Regulus says simply.

"B-but-"

"Shh," he gently places his lips over her ear, hushing her again.

She closes her eyes and leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I could have killed her too-" Danica whispers, her voice high as she talks through her tears

"The woman who did this to you?"

She nods and sobs more.

"Who was it, flower?" Regulus rubs her back, quietening her.

"Y-your m-mum-"

He wraps his arms around her tighter, holding her closer, pulling her onto him all the way so that she lays between his legs and over his chest. Danica melts into his warmth, trying to relax but the pain is too much.