He’d told her about the sensation, but no amount of explanation could have prepared her for it. The pressure occurred where he said it would; behind her ears. At first the sensation was nothing. A fluttering, but nothing more. Then it increased, and all of a sudden her vision exploded into a blinding white as she felt herself pulled through all of her memories she’d been thinking about the past week: moments with Malfoy and what had lead their initial antagonistic relationship to this point; on board the Santa Antonia; him pressed against her at the Sanditon, his breath tickling sensitive skin at the nape of her neck; then feeling his lips against hers. Wanting more.

She tried to direct her thoughts there. It wasn’t unlike riding a broom for the first time, feeling out of control. Rowan felt her spine straighten in defense. Someone was invading her memories, looking to steal a secret from her that she didn’t want dug up. Something at the base of her skull constricted, and she flinched; a reminder that resisting would only make this harder. But the more she tried to return to the topic at hand, the sooner the motivation left her brain, and she was left struggling to bring up the right night for him, wading through the memories that had become thick as molasses.

Her family. She needed to show him her family. That night. Maisie, Grayson, her own mother advancing on her father whose expression was haunted and agonized. Feeling the anguish of not being able to help, not knowing how to help; turning on her heel and darting out the door into the rain.

No, not that way. What was she supposed to be showing him?

Malfoy’s voice floated towards her, and she turned to it expectantly like a lost kneazle. That night.

Walter.

All of a sudden the pressure at the back of her mind increased, and it felt as if she’d been thrown against a wall. But this time, she was ready for the pain. Ground her teeth and dug her heels in. Let me in. Let us in.

At first, she wasn’t sure if the wall was going to break. Returned Malfoy’s caress, pleading with him to not give up, to keep going. The wall was going to break. Then it buckled. Then it shattered and the older man’s face burst through, lunging at her and she was left with nothing else to do but allow herself be dragged back to that night.

“Can’t love. My time’s run out.”

Rowan felt her body thrown backwards. Even though Walter hadn’t been drinking, his breath was stale and fetid, which only served to push her fear higher. Her skull cracked against the floor and she felt hands seize her by the neck. Squeeze Malfoy's hand, Rowan. Do it. But she couldn't. She didn't have what she wanted yet.

The memory of his breath in her ear brought her back. Walter wasn't acting out of only anger, it was desperation. On his part, and on hers because she had the weight of a man twice her size on top of her, blocking her windpipe. Back in the shack Rowan felt herself breathing hard. It was starting to hurt. No, it had been hurting too much. She didn’t want to do this anymore. She opened her mouth to tell Malfoy to stop; was about to squeeze his hand when a voice caught her. Walter’s. “How dare you try and usurp me, you pathetic little mouse.” He was snarling. “You have no idea what your family is trapped in, how much your father owes The Merchant. Maybe I should tell him it's time for your father to wake up. Maybe I need to send your father a message — or perhaps something else.”He was leering at her again, his eyes flicking down.

Rowan felt herself scream as she clawed at the floor of the warehouse to get her wand. Splinters dug themselves under her nails as she found the tip of her wand. Squeeze Malfoy’s hand. Pull us out. She heard herself whimper. Summoning one last burst of energy, she flipped her wand around, whipping her hand up in the air and stabbed the man in the ribs. A roar of pain echoed in her ears as the weight of him was suddenly lifted off of her. Her lungs expanded violently, pulling all the air they could. Too much. She coughed, her hand releasing her wand and clutching at her neck. It still felt like Walter’s hands were on her. A horrible squelching sound rattled through the air, but she couldn’t pay attention. Stars had started to explode in her vision, brightly colored and blinding. Then it was as if Rowan was getting pulled back into the air, looking down at her unconscious body, then looking at Walter's mangled form impaled on the pipe.

“NO!” Rowan wrenched her hand away from Malfoy's and she was tumbling backwards again. This time, instead of hitting the floor of the warehouse, she stumbled against the shack's walls; left gasping for air and clutching at her throat.

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