Wonder // Draco Malfoy

46. Sweet Morning

I wake up early Saturday morning from a nightmare. I dreamt I was lost in some sort of field, fighting an invisible enemy. All I could see were spells being cast at me with such ferocity I knew that the person was trying to kill me, and all I could do was cast spells at this invisible person and call out for Draco's help.

The sun hasn't risen yet; instead, only a small amount of pink light is visible through the fogged window. I sit up, rubbing my eyes and sighing. My roommates are still asleep and I don't want to wake them, but I also don't want to get out of bed just yet. I grab my book from my bedside drawer and begin to read it, using my wand as a light until the sun shines brighter.

A soft purr is heard as Martin trots in the room with someone tied around his body. When he jumps on the bed, I see that it's a small box and a letter. I untie him and scratch his forehead, moving my book so he can sit in my lap as I open my present. I decide to open the letter first.

Valentine,
I'm sorry for yesterday. Your safety is more important than my image, and I just want you to remember that always. This is just a small apology present until I can see you at eleven.

Draco.

I reread the note a few times and decide to put it in my current romance novel. I scratch Martin's head again before opening the small box. It's a large chocolate heart with a flower engraved on the front. We saw each other last night, how did he buy this? I put the chocolate in my desk drawer and decide to get ready for the day. It's obvious that Draco is already awake, so I might as well get dressed.

Since it will be cold today, I decide to wear the sweater Draco bought for me in hopes that he'll wear his. I put on a pair of jeans and sneakers, then put his ring necklace on and the lipgloss he bought for me. Finally, I grab my bag and put my novel in there. I'll probably find a bench to sit at outside or in a corridor to read until it's time.

Once Martin finishes eating (let's be honest, it doesn't take that long), he trots beside me as we exit the castle. I find a bench trickled with morning dew and mutter a spell to dry it. Martin purrs next to me as I open my book, immediately re-reading the note Draco wrote.

"Couldn't wait, huh? Just dying to see your perfect boyfriend?"

I jump and almost drop my book at the sudden voice. Draco plants a small kiss on my cheek and he hops over the back of the bench, sitting in between me and Martin. Draco's eyes flicker from the note in my hand and my red face. He takes the book from my hand and begins to read the back of it, much to my dismay. I try to grab it back from him but he stretches his arm out away from me, making me lean against him and struggle to reach it.

"You actually like this rubbish?" He asks. He turns his head to look at me and I notice how close our faces our; our noses are now touching and our breath mix together as we look into each others eyes. His look of disgust toward the book vanishes as he realizes our proximity.

I use the opportunity to grab the book from his hand and stuff it back into my purse timidly. "I happen to think it's very romantic," I huff, clutching my bag to my chest. Draco puts his arm around me and fakes a gasp.

"I'm not romantic enough for you?"

I roll my eyes. "Draco, don't get emotional," I tease. When his jaw drops in shock, I kiss him and smile mischievously. "What? I can be mean too, you know."

Draco smiles at me and pinches my cheek. "You're so cute when you try to be scary," he muses. I smack his hand away from my face and rub where his fingers pinched. "Did you like the gift I sent?"

I nod. "I haven't had it yet because it's too early to eat chocolate. But it's in my drawer for tonight when you decide you've had enough of me."

"I could never get enough of you, Valentine," Draco whispers in my ear. Before I can react, he pulls the chain tucked into my sweater out to admire the ring he gave me. "You need to wear it like this so everyone knows you're mine."

I admire his fingers as they twirl the ring around. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

When I look into his eyes, I can tell that he's shocked. Like me during detention, he definitely thought out loud. "And you're handsome," I say, resting my hand on his. My hands are tiny in comparison to his long ones. Draco places a light kiss on my fingers while maintaining eye contact.

"Draco, can I ask you a question?"

He sighs deeply and looks to the field, his hand still fiddling with my necklace. "Every time you ask that, you ask the most personal question you can think of."

I smile in amusement. "I'm just curious," I tease, faking a pout. "Is it wrong for a girl to want to know every detail of her boyfriends life?"

Draco's eyes fall to his lap. "You wouldn't like me if you knew every detail," he whispers. He refuses to look at me, his eyes moving in every direction besides mine.

I turn toward him and place my hand on his shoulder, shaking lightly until he looks at me. He has the same fragile look as he's had before that hurts my heart; the one that makes me want to shield him and never let anything hurt him again. "Draco, there's nothing that you could do that could push me away from you."

Draco let's out a soft chuckle to mask his anxiety. "I doubt that."

"Then let me show you," I beg. Our eyes remain in the same spot, looking deeper and deeper into the depths of the others. "I want to be this close with you all the time."

Draco leans in and kisses me softly. When I return the kiss, he puts his hand on the back of my head to deepen it. Despite the cold of the morning, my body heats up as the kiss becomes more passionate. Draco's hand begins to shake and he grips onto my hair as our lips move in sync.

When we pull away, Draco only allows me to move enough to rest our foreheads against one another. I close my eyes and enjoy the moment of intimacy with him. "I would die if I ever lost you," he whispers. When I open my eyes again, I can see tears in his. "Valentine, you have no idea how crushed I was when I heard your name called. Every time you walk away for a task I pray that you come back to me. If you didn't..."

Draco's voice fades and he looks at his lap again, where our hands are together. He quickly wipes his eye and returns his hand as if nothing happened. I refuse to comment about it. "And this joke Lev coming into your life just to try to take you away from me. It keeps me up at night, knowing that someone like him is trying to insert himself." Draco's voice is filled with venom as he speaks, practically spitting out Lev's name as he does so.

"Draco, you'd be crazy to think someone could take me away from you."

His eyes find mine again. "Valentine, I know his intentions. I know you don't, because you're too innocent; you always try to find the good in people. But there's nothing good about him. Nothing innocent. Just knowing that he had you cornered in the library makes my blood boil."

I cup Draco's cheek with my cold hand. "Draco, I'm fine. You don't need to give yourself a heart attack every night wondering if I'm okay."

"There's an old dorm in Slytherin house. I found it the night before your first task. It's unused - it's hidden behind a painting and I've never seen anyone go in there. I want you to stay in there with me. At least until the tournament is over."

My eyes widen. "There's no way for me to enter Slytherin house, though! How would I ever come in without someone seeing?"

"I've got it all figured out. Crabbe and Goyle will make sure no one is in the common room and Pansy will sneak you in wearing a Slytherin robe. Please, Valentine, it's the only way I'll be able to sleep at night. We don't have to share the same bed if you don't want to! I just need to know you're safe."

I stay silent for a moment thinking about his idea. I've been having nightmares recently, and his presence might make them go away. But the risk of getting caught...

"Okay, I'll stay with you."

A/N
Sorry I didn't proofread this 😭 I have a full time job now so I just write a bunch of chapters at once and publish them on Wednesdays and Sundays. I hope you guys are enjoying it, and I'm still in awe of how many chapters so far and how many more I will write.