Wonder // Draco Malfoy

61. Back to School

"Will you two stop messing around and get ready?" Mrs. Weasley exclaims in exasperation. Fred and George cackle in unison as they apparate into their bedroom from the downstairs reading area. Mrs. Black's portrait begins to shriek again as Mrs. Weasley and I rush to close her curtains again. Once we succeed, she gives me an exhausted look. "Valentine, you're such a doll!" She admires as she pinches my cheeks. 

When I go back to my room, Hermione and Ginny are pushing their suitcases closed as they finish packing for Hogwarts. I can't believe the day has come. It's felt like an eternity, but I can almost taste the relief I'll feel when I'm sitting next to Rue and Marcus on the train. I help Ginny close her suitcase and she thanks me. "I'm sure it's that rock's weight that closed it," she jokes, pointing to the promise ring Draco gave me. As soon as I stepped back in here from that day, Hermione's hands went straight to mine and she almost shrieked. Her and Ginny saw a different side of Draco; a more romantic, serious side. Ginny will never admit it, but I can tell it's changed how she views him. 

"Will they ever wake up?" Hermione groans, sticking her head into the hallway for the hundredth time to try and listen for any signs of Ron and Harry being awake. "It wouldn't be their first time missing the train, you know," she huffs. The heaviest luggage she has is for her books; if it weren't for the help of Remus's magic, she wouldn't have been able to fit everything in it. 

Martin and Crookshanks have become very close over the holiday. They're almost inseparable at this point. We even found them tormenting the poor house elf before, not that many people cared. He isn't very pleasant. "Do you plan on sitting next to your boyfriend?" Ginny teases. The three of us love to talk about love, no matter who it entails. It gives us a sense of magic that no spell can conjure. "He might have a yacht or a mansion to give you."

The three of us burst into laughter at her joke. Their reactions when they saw the amount of bags I returned with were comical. I can't blame them, though, since I couldn't fit on the staircase walking straight with them. Harry and Ron gave strange looks but didn't say anything about it. They still don't believe Draco can be anything but rude. But they're not the ones dating him - I am. We used some of the snacks Draco brought in celebration for Harry. After his trial for using magic, in which he was found not guilty, we stayed up late to celebrate his return to Hogwarts. He ignored who bought the food as our spirits rose in celebration. Sirius even tried to share his drink with us, but Mrs. Weasley always smacked his hand away. 

We're leaving in groups again, just like how we arrived here many weeks ago. It seems like an eternity ago, I was standing outside the burrow with the twins late at night while we waited for whatever surprise that was to come. George and I have become great friends despite his twin's attitude, especially after I came back with the promise ring. Ginny, Hermione, and I are close, too, but it doesn't feel the same as it does with Rue. Or with Marcus, even. I'm just so ready to be back. "Come on, Valentine, you're with us," George says as he runs into the room. He and Fred grab one of my bags as they smile at me. "They said the only way we could ride together was if you came, too. So come on."

I grab my purse and follow them into the hallway with Martin trotting next to me. Val is gently flying in the air near me. Hedwig is here, too, but she doesn't seem too keen on Val's excitement. Ron and Harry are finally awake and I can hear them running around upstairs in a panic. Ron yells something about not packing at all, making me and the twins laugh. It would be a lie if I said I'm surprised. Mr. Weasley meets us at the bottom of the stairs and he greets us with a smile. "We'll be leaving first. Your furry orange friend can join, too, but the owls will come later."

Val hoots in frustration and circles back to the staircase until she's told what to do. For being so young, she's extraordinarily obedient. Martin looks a bit too smug though as he purrs louder and rubs against Mr. Weasley's leg. "Now, the three of you follow me. And no funny business," he warns, his eyes solely on Fred and George. Once their father turns away, the boys share a look before bursting into laughter. I shake my head and follow them outside.

~

"Valentine!" Rue cheers. I had to walk almost the entire train before I could find them. They were almost in the complete back of the train and I was beginning to get worried. "I'm so glad you found us." We sit next to each other and Marcus closes the door. "I can't believe the summer is almost over. My heart won't be still."

We've continued to write to each other all summer, both of them scribbling on the same parchment every time they wrote. We were able to see each other in Diagon Alley, which raised my spirits greatly. "Have you seen the badge on your boyfriend's chest yet?" Rue asks as she wiggles her eyebrows. I shake my head and furrow my brows in confusion. "He gives you a ring but doesn't tell you he's a prefect?"

I blush at her reference and look down at the gem shining brightly back at me. "No, he didn't tell me he was a prefect. I'm sure he's beside himself now, though," I reply. I smile to myself, knowing how proud Draco must be of himself. His father has to be proud of him, too. It's impossible for him to not be! I remember over the break, not very long ago, Hermione and Ron got their prefect badges. Harry was upset, and I couldn't blame him. I wasn't chosen as one, either, but I'm more shocked that Marcus isn't one. He is at the top of the class and quite possibly one of the most intelligent and careful people I've ever known.

The compartment door slides open and I'm met with Draco smiling handsomely down at where I sit. His two friends, Crabbe and Goyle, are behind him and look equally as pleased. "Fancy having a man with authority?" Draco flirts, his eyebrow raising. "Thought it was quite fitting, myself."

I stand and run my finger gently along his shiny green badge. I have to admit, he looks very handsome with a badge. But, knowing Draco, it's only a matter of time before the power gets to his head. "Let's make this a little more... private," Draco suggests. I can hear Rue giggling as I follow Draco to the back of the train. He doesn't even have to speak; his mere presence is enough to send the students running. We find our way to a booth in the back. I slide into one end and expect Draco to sit on the other side, but he doesn't. He sits next to me instead, with the wall on one side and him on the other. 

My fingers find their way to his badge again and he smirks. "You'll go easy on me, right?" I ask. Draco's smirk fades a bit and he looks at me with confusion, mixed with a little disbelief. My nails tap lightly on the pin. "You're not going to punish me for sneaking out to see you?"

Draco chuckles lightly and gently grabs my hand. His thumb smoothes over the ring before his focus turns back to my face. "I think it's safe to say my mind is completely in the gutter," he says slowly. We both laugh at this and I feel my face turn a few shades darker as I realize what I thought he meant. "And why are you saying we'll sneak out? Aren't you staying with me again? I heard the prefect dorms are extraordinary." 

"I completely forgot," I admit. Draco kisses my hand gently and places his other hand on the back of my neck. We lean in and begin to kiss. A spark ignites in my toes and courses through my body with excitement. His touch feels hot on my exposed skin where his cold hand is. "Will it be just me and you?" I ask.

"Oh, they couldn't force me to share an entire floor with that pig they have as the other prefect," Draco says. His face twists in disgust as he speaks. "We'll have our own bathroom. And, I've taken the liberty of finding a passage for you to enter without having to go through the main entrance. It seems as if we aren't the first Hufflepuff and Slytherin to be in love."

My jaw drops slightly. Did he just accidentally tell me he loves me? I mean, he did give me a promise ring. But how pale he got when I accidentally said we aren't engaged yet while in that interview last year... "Love?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper. Draco's eyes widen as he realizes what he said. Draco opens his mouth to say something - probably whatever first came to his mind - but a girl in a Slytherin robe and a shiny green prefect badge approaches us.

"Draco, there you are! We're supposed to be in a meeting right now. Let's go."

Draco quickly gets up and follows the girl to the other prefects before either of us can properly process what he just said.

Love.

A/N
Oops... Two chapters that include romance in a row??? I thought it was too soon to mention the L word but then I realized I've already written 60 chapters!!! I can't believe it. Thank you, everyone <3