Everlasting 2 (Draco Malfoy x Reader)

Touched

Doubtful and nervous, you inhaled deeply as you stared at the portrait of Salazar Slytherin. He, too, stared back at you, whereby he recognised the extent of your nerves. But you reminded yourself that you were [F/n] Potter - you could do this! You battled the world's greatest villains - a mere eighteen year old boy was no threat to you, of course ... yes. Realistically, the biggest threat and weakness in your life wasn't a villain, nor a war, nor battles. The biggest threat and weakness in your light was nothing but that eighteen year old boy and your feelings for him. And so, you muttered the password, and the door opened, and you walked inside, slowly, cautiously, feeling the speed of your heartbeat increase. 

And you were right in assuming this would be where Draco could be found. There he sat in the common room, alone, before the fireplace in his usual spot. He was doing nothing but gazing at the fireplace, deep in thought and apparently not present consciously for he hadn't even heard the door opened. Between his fingers he twirled his wand, flipping it back and forth smoothly, his eyes completely unfocused at the fire. 

Not wishing to startle him, you spoke softly and quietly, approaching him warily, "Draco." 

He snapped out of his thoughts, turning to you. For a moment, he seemed defensive and ready to argue, but when he realised it was only you - his darling [F/n] - his gaze softened and he relaxed. He didn't respond, merely turned back to the fireplace.

"Can I sit?"

His way of answering was by budging up on the sofa, giving you room to sit beside him. You did exactly that, whereupon you turned your entire body to face him, looking at him face longingly. That beautiful face of his. You could draw his entire face with your eyes closed, you recognised it so beautifully. He'd been your love for so long. You had truly been through so much with this boy, from the first day, till today. Your relationship had evolved so much, undergone such extreme stresses, that it almost felt like tearing you apart was impossible. And yet, here you were, resisting tears, finding the right words, as he continued to gaze ahead of himself at the fireplace. 

"I thought about what you said to me earlier."

He sighed. His fingers relaxed as he lowered his hand, placing his wand down on the sofa beside him. His eyes shifted downwards as he looked at his lap, before then looking back up at you with wearied eyes. 

"You were right. I thought about all of it, and you're ... completely right. And I'm glad you said it to me, because I needed to hear it. I have been excluding people around me all along from my ideas and my plans. I don't know why. I think I'm just scared to involve those who I love; I think of an idea and have the perfect image of it in mind. I'm worried that ... if I tell someone ... it'll all go wrong. And I can't afford it to go wrong. That's what my mindset has been all along, and it got the people most important to me killed, and I almost died too." Inhaling deeply, you quickly took up Draco's hand in your own. "And I'm so sorry for doing that to you. I shouldn't have lied to you. I was just panicked and nervous about this new news about the Greengrasses. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you, I shouldn't have made you feel that way. I won't do it again." 

He looked at his hand within yours for a moment before inhaling and wrapping his hand within yours, holding your cold palm tightly in his. He then looked up to you, looking into your eyes, as a small and soft smile emerged on his lips. Draco lifted his other hand, pressing it against your cheek as he rubbed his thumb softly against your gentle, skin. You melted instinctively to his touch, into his palm. 

"I think I overreacted too," he finally said, "it just sucked."

"You didn't overreact. You had every right to react the way you did."

"Not really," he smiled, "think back to all the times I've been an asshole to you and pushed you away. You fought for me every time, even when I was bloody awful to you."