𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋 | draco malfoy

chapter 62

"Nothing." Blaise shook his head dismissively. "But when did the fancying turn into... love? There's a big difference between the two."

I exhaled heavily. I didn't need to think-I already knew the answer. "It was gradual," I told him. "Like... walking somewhere without a destination in mind. When you finally stop and see where you are, it feels like, yeah, this right. This is where I was supposed to end up-without even having known it."

I smiled down at my hands. I didn't even care how pathetic I sounded. That was exactly what she felt like. Right. Being with Elysia felt right.

Lifting my gaze, I looked at Blaise again. "I suppose it just continued building over time, sometimes without me being conscious of it. I think deep down somewhere, I always knew it. Even when I thought I hated her, I knew I wouldn't want to go a day without her."

I shrugged nonchalantly as if brushing it off casually. There was no sense in that-I didn't need to hide this mushiness from Blaise. He can see it. I can see it. He surely must think I'm a fool.

"Yeah-it was gradually building over time but there was a specific moment when it hit me, that bloody hell, I fucking love this girl."

When I stopped talking, I exhaled deeply. I hadn't realized how long I had been going on.

Blaise was grinning at me, utterly delighted.

Ignoring the heat that rose to my face, I rolled my eyes. "Sod off. Why are you still here anyway? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Blaise shook his head, casual as ever as he leaned against the wall. "No, go on, mate. When was the moment? Now I need to know."

I flipped him the finger. "You're making me look like a nitwit and I'm letting you."

"Truly, I want to know." He was being sincere.

I narrowed my eyes skeptically. "Why?"

Blaise rolled his eyes at me. "Because-well, I'm really rooting for you guys." He spoke earnestly, nodding his head slowly as if the thought just occurred to him and he realized how true it was. "Really, I want to know. If you don't tell me now, there'll be a big gap in the story and that's going to be bloody annoying."

Sighing in defeat, I leaned my head back against the doorframe. "It was in third year. Charms class."

"Go on."

"I was making a paper crane, bored in class as usual," I told him. "She kept-poking me, asking me what I was doing, yammering on. I acted annoyed but I kind of liked being annoyed by her." I scoffed quietly. "It was one of those rare moments where we weren't arguing or fighting or being dickheads to each other. She asked me to teach her how to make a paper crane-and I thought she was just fucking with me but she really wanted to learn how to make the bloody crane." I laughed softly, vividly remembering the intrigued look on her face that illuminated those blue eyes. "There was this moment when I made the paper crane fly through the room like a real bird and her eyes just lit up. God, I sound fucking pathetic but fuck, that sight of her-just happy, sparkling eyes, entirely fascinated by a fucking piece of parchment-fucking heaven, mate. It was like, you could show me the whole world and I would choose to just see that sight of her. You don't know the feeling until you know it."

Exhaling slowly, Blaise nodded. He seemed to be in thought. "Yeah," he mumbled. "I know what you mean."

I shrugged. "So, I taught her how to make the crane. She was-just adorably fascinated. I loved it. She kept trying so hard to make it right but she kept messing up and it would get her flustered when she missed steps. Fuck, it was just-" I shook my head, laughing breathily. I sounded so pathetic, I didn't know why I was still speaking. "Then I told her, if you fold a thousand cranes, you get a wish granted. Then the moment happened. She asked me what I would wish for and I just looked at her and it hit me. In that moment, I saw, if I could wish for anything, I'd just want her."