You'll be the Death of Me

Chapter 110

Graces slung her rucksack over her shoulders at the door and adjusted her hair out from the added weight before turning to Neville. "I'll see you at dinner tonight," she promised as a way of goodbye before reaching for the door handle.

"Wait."

She paused as Neville went over to her. He still wasn't fully dressed, he seemed to have not slept well the night before so she had taken pains to dress as quietly as possible to allow him more time to slumber.

"I was thinking, maybe tonight instead of dinner with McGonagall we could have a little date."

"A date," Graces repeated, unable to keep the skepticism from her voice.

"Yeah," Neville smiled. "I mean, why not?"

Graces bobbed her head slightly and debated saying what she was thinking. "Those don't exactly go well for us."

Neville let out an exuberant laugh. "Merlin, Graces, are you planning to never go on proper dates with me?"

It really did sound silly once Neville said it aloud and she found herself laughing along with him.

"Come on," Neville coaxed. "Let me wine and dine you."

"Oh?" Graces asked, raising a brow. "There will be wine?"

Neville's smile turned a bit embarrassed. "Let me dine you," he amended.

She bit her lip. It was tempting. She wondered what it was Neville was planning, where it would even be. Things between them had felt off. She had felt caught in the middle between his anger at Draco, maybe this would help put some of that to rest.

"I'll get wine," Neville bargained, pulling her in closer.

"I'll think about it."

"Don't think about it," Neville groaned. "Just say yes."

He bent down and gently pressed a kiss to her lips, a kiss that slowly wandered down to the base of her throat as his hands moved up her side, taking in the form of her waist before entangling up in her hair. It felt good, it felt really good. And when he moved back to her mouth her heart began racing at how quick his breath was against her.

"Neville, what are you—"

"Trying to have a normal moment with you," Neville chuckled against her. "Come on, let's be normal tonight. Do me a favor and take a break from thinking of your brother and be with me."

He was kissing her before she could respond and she found herself becoming more and more undone as the heat from him made her feverish. He moved her up against the door and pressed against her, making her even more aware of need. His hand moved to the strap of her satchel which he pushed off her shoulder unceremoniously, before he picked her up in his arms.

"You're going to be late for breakfast," he declared, carrying her back to the bedroom.

She really wasn't opposed to that idea. She giggled as Neville almost fell over some of his shoes he left on the ground, too preoccupied with kissing her to watch where he was stepping.

"I can walk you know," she teased.

"I'm being romantic, Malfoy, don't start."

Graces opened her mouth to make another comment but decided against the notion as Neville began taking off his shirt. He was quite handsome. She really didn't mention that to him often, even though they were together, but she could see it. She watched as his grin accented the way his jaw was shaped, how his hair—though not exactly styled fashionably—was full and rich in color.