The Deeper you Dig, The Darker it Gets

9.

Malory's POV

       The worst time of night is when it starts to become morning. Everyone is coming down from their good feeling and starting to remember all of their insecurities and problems. And we can keep doing it every Saturday but no matter what, Sunday will always bring this.

         When Aary disappeared with Fred I wasn't really sure what to do so I left the common room and went up to the astronomy tower. It's mid November meaning it's absolutely freezing this high up, but the view never gets old.

                 I hear footsteps come up the stairs but don't turn to see who it is.

                                 "How did I know you'd be up here?" Draco sighs.

        I laugh to myself and continue looking out at the night sky. He slowly walks over to me and leans his arms against the ledge. As I'm inhaling the smoke he pulls the cigarettes from my lips and places it in between his.

             "So," He says while breathing in. "Was the party not good enough for you?"

                              "It was a blast actually." I respond.

       He turns around, now with his back against the railing, and I see the smoke fall out of his smile.

                    "Then why are you up here and not down there?"

       I don't reply to his question but only because I'm not sure which answer is the best. The truth or some excuse about how pretty the stars look tonight.

                          "Well, I hope you don't mind me joining." He says.

        I don't, but he knows that. The two of us have always been really close due to the fact that his family helped me out a lot growing up; mainly Narcissa. When I needed supplies for school she took me to Diagon Alley. When we had the first school dance she bought me a dress.

         Draco reads my mind and I hear him start to chuckle.

                                 "What?" I ask.

       He runs his fingers through his hair and sighs. "Do you remember in Astronomy class first year when we were learning about the stars? And we had to come up here super late in the night?"

      I try to hide my smile of embarrassment as he reminds me of the story.

              "You were so scared of the dark and I don't blame you, it does get extremely dark up here."

        He turns around for a second time and faces the sky with me.

          "Then I told you to look through the telescope at the little night lights in the sky."

                "And after that I wasn't scared of the dark anymore." I say softly.

       He nods. "Because whenever night time comes around, the stars are there just for you."

          When he says that for a second I swear I hear his eleven year old self talking.

                           "It's crazy to think that was years ago." Draco mutters.

         I take the cigarette back from his fingertips but he doesn't complain, it's almost gone anyway. The tower gets quiet for a while, the only sound coming from the subtle breeze and occasional owl flying into the owlery.

        In my peripheral vision I see Draco pull out a flask from his pocket and he finishes the rest of the liquid inside. He sees me giving him an aggravated look.

                                       "What? It keeps me warm."

       Seeing Draco like this at such a young age worries me at times, but then I realize that we all have our shit. Honestly, I'm scared to see all of us in a few years.

                                            "It's getting really late you know," Draco breaks the silence. "And according to Aary your bedtime was a long time ago."

                  When I first came up here it was completely dark out but now I can slightly see the sun starting to rise. I should be tired but I'm not.

                                          "I think I'm going to watch the sunrise before heading back down." I tell Draco.

               He looks out at the sky starting to light up. I expect him to say his goodbyes and move towards the exit but instead he stays put.

                   I stare at him, confused.

                                 He chuckles. "What? Am I not allowed to stay and watch as well?"

            I shake my head and he goes back to looking forward.