you're all i want | t.n, d.m

20

***

August 1997

"Nott."

Draco walks in my bedroom as I close my trunk, ready to go back to school.

"Hey, mate." My lips tug into a smile.

"I have a favour to ask." His shoulder is leaned against my doorframe, hands buried in the pockets of his black pants.

I nod, "Anything."

"It's about Celeste."

My eyebrows furrow at the mention of his girlfriend. I sit up straight, waiting for him to keep going.

"I need you to keep an eye on her. Take care of her, be there for her."

At first, I think he might be joking. Draco wants me to protect his girlfriend?

Celeste and I aren't even that close to each other. How am I supposed to take care of her without scaring her away?

"Draco." My eyes flicker between his. He looks exhausted. "You're not coming back to school?"

His eyes drop to his shoes. He shakes his head and breathes deeply, "I can't. You know I can't."

I nod and gulp.

"Please." His eyes are filled with worrisome, "she can't go through this alone."

***

"You asked him to take care of me?" Celeste's eyes are wide, cheeks flushed. She passes a hand over her face and sighs. "Unbelievable."

"Celeste." Draco's voice wavers again, "He had a task before I even asked him to be your friend."

She glances my way, her eyebrows creasing in confusion. Her honey eyes pierce through mine.

"What task?"

I feel my Adam's Apple bop up and down as I scratch the back of my head. Celeste was never meant to learn about mine and Blaise's task.

"Theodore." She scowls at me when I don't respond right away.

"The Dark Lord asked Blaise and I to get closer to you—" I watch her shoulders drop at each one of my words, "—to get some information about Potter. He knew how close you were to Atlas and Dean. He assumed they would know things about Potter's whereabouts."

Her eyes flicker between mine, "Oh." Her eyebrows are still furrowed, "So, the main reason you became my best friend all of the sudden was because of him—" Her thumb points to Draco staring at us, "And because of that task."

I shrug my shoulders, "I guess."

I want to reach out to her and grab her hand to press kisses to her knuckles. I want to hold her in my arms in order to feel our hearts beating at the same rhythm. But Draco is still standing there, and I don't want to upset him more than he already is.

"I meant every word I said to you, Cel." My voice is gentle as my gaze is settled on her angelic face, "From the very beginning. My affection towards you was never fake."