You'll be the Death of Me

Chapter 51

Neville groaned as he felt something touch his nose and irritatedly waved his hand around his face thinking a fly was pestering him. He had barely slept. He had laid with Graces comfortably for a long time last night before sneaking out of her little bed to his own. He understood that Graces set up boundaries for a reason and while he was hopelessly in love with her he respected that she wanted to protect her own heart. And so he had laid in his makeshift bed for a while and then when he couldn't sleep being so far away from her moved to sleep in the chair beside her.

It hadn't been a decision that provided him with the best sleep. He had been a bit cold and uncomfortable causing him to wake quite often in the middle of the night, but he was able to sleep more there then he would have far away from her. Again he felt something brushing against his nose and with a frustrated grunt he pried his eyes open.

"Oh, so you're my fly," Neville yawned, sitting up in the chair and offering a sleepy smile. Graces frowned at his words, but after a moment realized what Neville meant and just nodded. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than you," Graces shrugged, eyeing Neville's set up in the chair. "That couldn't have been comfortable."

"You don't worry about me," Neville smiled, reaching his hands up and stretching. "I slept just fine."

"You look cold," Graces argued, clearly not happy. "You're nose is cold," she murmured more to herself than to Neville. Neville watched as she looked sadly to her side, his jacket wrapped up around her.

"Come here," he ordered gently, moving the extra blanket he found in the barn off him and opening his arms to her. Graces eyed him for a moment before hesitantly moving to be on his lap. Neville wrapped his arms around her and contently sighed at how warm she was, before asking what was wrong.

"Nothing," Graces shrugged, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "I just wish you would have kept yourself warm."

"I'm warm enough," Neville lied.

"You're going to get a cold," Graces pouted, clearly not about to let Neville get away with this.

"Maybe," Neville hummed. "If I do though I know this really pretty witch who plans on being a healer. I'm willing to bet if I get a little sick she'll make me a pepper up potion and kiss me better." Neville knew Graces was trying to be cross with him, but he could feel her cheeks move against his neck and knew she was smiling.

"I don't think she'll kiss you better."

"Oh, I think she will. She likes to pretend that she won't kiss me, but she will," Neville affirmed grinning ear to ear. "I'll probably get more than just a kiss if I play my cards right."

Neville laughed as Graces made an offended gasp and hit his chest, but he made no apology.

"You're so bad," Graces scoffed, burying herself more into him closing her eyes sleepily.

"We have to get going soon," Neville informed, kissing her head. "People should be waking up in the next hour. It wouldn't do for us to be missing from our beds and we have class."

Graces nodded, but made no movement to get up. Neville found Graces' behavior to be a bit curious, but just allowed her to continue on where she was. He quite enjoyed her snuggled up on his lap early in the morning and was not about to protest.

"I made a decision," she whispered, still staying under his chin. Neville felt like ice had flooded into his veins and unconsciously gripped the blonde tighter to himself.

"Oh?" he pressed, his voice already pushing against the lump growing in his throat.

"I'm not going to marry Graham."