Challenged Love

Chapter 17

I then laid my head on his chest, and he pulled me closer as a result. The security I felt in his arms was so comforting that I dreaded ever letting go. I was suddenly aware of the warmth of his body against mine, the rising and falling of his chest. Just to think that the person who once hated me is now the person I am holding onto as if my life depended upon it truly sounded wrong, but everything about this moment was precious to me. Our relationship has been nothing but a rollercoaster of crazy events, but in the end, I was glad to be in the arms of Draco Malfoy.

It's not too late, I thought.

"Draco," I whispered in his ear.

"Hm?" he sounded, as if sinking in the feeling of the moment just like I was.

I pulled back in order to look him in the eyes, his gaze blue and vibrant.

"I know what we are," I spoke softly, the words barely escaping my lips.

His eyes seemed to light up at my words.

"Can I say something?" he asked.

"Please."

We stopped swaying completely, the music and chatter around us steadily becoming a distant melody.

"I love you," he began. "I need you. I want you."

His eyes were saying more than his words, wanting and longing.

He continued. "Without you, I am incomplete. Without you, I am nothing. Without you-"

He stopped, trying to find his words.

"I would have told you how I felt way sooner had I not been too prideful and gullible to realize I never deserved you."

I can see just by looking back how Draco has matured as a person. I can also see how the course of events which have taken place over these past few years have shaped him into a better person. The words he was confessing to me now were evidence of this fact.

"Please- I cannot settle with just being friends," he added. "Please let me be more for you. Please be mine."

He let all those words free as if he had been bottling that up inside of him for a while. I knew he meant every word, the weight of it all too heavy to carry. His words seemed to heal a small part of me that was once unfixable.

I could not hesitate any longer.

"Yes," I uttered, almost breathless.

I had once imagined that this would be the end of our story in another universe. Yet, I never imagined it would be in this lifetime. However, our ending only marked a new beginning.

Out of nowhere, a loud bang sounded from above, and the ceiling began to shake. Everyone in the room then grew dead silent as the surrounding walls began to tremble and as the ceiling began to violently shake even more aggressively. One of the chandeliers fell to the floor, shattering to several pieces. Everyone began to freak out, screaming and panicking in their wake. No one knew what was going on and what was causing this, uncertainty resting in the spirit of everyone in the room.

Lara and Kasper abruptly came barging towards me and Draco. They appeared frantic and white as a ghost, as if they had just witnessed something traumatizing.

"What's happening?" I demanded, utterly terrified.

This was not an earthquake or some natural disaster of some sort.

We were being attacked.

"Death Eaters," was the only word Kasper managed to get out before all of the glass windows burst open, glass shards flying everywhere. Death Eaters then began to fly in through the shattered windows and pile into the room in the form of black smoke. More shouts and cries of terror erupted from the people, and a battle began to unfold in the ballroom.