Sapphire (Lazuli Book #3) - Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter Thirteen

"Where are we going Draco?" I asked for the hundredth time, stumbling slightly over what I assumed was a log beneath my feet.

Draco kept his hands over my eyes as he stopped me from falling, chuckling quietly as I brushed myself down blindly and started walking again. "You're so impatient," he muttered in amusement, pushing me onwards gently.

Draco had recovered entirely from the ordeal two weeks ago, and with a lot of care from both myself and Narcissa, he was almost back to normal. He still had his moments, when I thought he was slipping away from me and into the dark, guilty corners of his mind that even our love couldn't reach, but he always returned to me before he got too far. A testament of his love for me.

I waited for a few minutes more of silent walking, languishing in the warmth that Draco's closeness brought me, before asking once more. "For goodness sake Juliet," Draco sighed in exasperation. "We're here, ok?"

Draco pulled me to a stop, and I felt him press his lips to my temple. "Are you ready?" he whispered, his own excitement clear in his voice. I nodded energetically, and held my breath as slowly and torturously, Draco removed his hands from over my eyes.

It took my eyes a few moments to blink and readjust to the light, before I looked at the scene in front of me. With a gasp, my eyes widened and I found myself completely, utterly gobsmacked.

In front of us was a cottage, the traditional kind with white-washed walls and wooden beams beneath a thatched roof. A honeysuckle plant crept up an entire wall, the delicate white flowers filling the air with a sweet, fresh scent. The latticed windows were already open, teasing me enticingly to explore the world within the cottage. An old wooden door sat beneath a thatched porch, with a pretty white letterbox labelled 'Malfoy' just next to it. My heart caught in my chest as I scanned the clearly around the cottage, the trees of the forest swaying gently in the breeze, creating a calm ripple of noise that seemed to swirl in circles around us. Wild flowers grew in patches around the grass, and I realised that I had never seen a more perfect place in all the world.

Draco cleared his throat softly, as if he were nervous, before stepping around to the front of me. "I know how much you hated living in the house, and my parents thought it would be a good idea for both of us to get away. This used to belong to the groundskeeper a long time ago, but nobody lives here now..."

There was a twinkle in his blue eyes as he smiled and said, "well, except for us."

I stared at him in awe. This cottage, this beautiful, pure place, for us?

"Yes," he said, as if he could read my mind, "just you and me."

Could it really be true? Could it be possible? Draco and I, we could actually have a life together? I'd thought it to be a far-fetched dream, too perfect to ever happen in the cruel, dark world we lived in. But I could see there was not a hint of teasing in Draco's eyes.

I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and laughing as he lifted me with ease and spun me through the air. The sunlight glittered in his golden hair, and our laughter filled the clearing for all of our non-existent neighbours to hear.

"Oh Draco," I exclaimed when he put me down, "it's so wonderful. Thank you, thank you so much."

He smirked in amusement. "You haven't even seen the inside yet, sweetheart."

I kissed him earnestly and then rest my forehead against his chin. "I know I'll love it."

Draco rolled his eyes but nonetheless looked pleased. Taking my hand, he began to tug me in the direction of the cottage. "Come and see," he breathed with the enthusiasm of a small child who had been promised chocolate on his face.