Forgotten One: Love

Chapter 6: Love?

I walked out quickly, leaving a shell-shocked Alastair staring after me. On my way, I grabbed Draco's hand, dragging him behind me. He seemed as shocked as Alastair, and I wondered how much of the conversation he had heard. The rest of the way to the car was silent. Almost unbearably so. "Please say something." I begged when we had been sitting in the car for a few minutes.

"What do you want me to say?" He asked, staring at me confusedly.

"Something. Anything." I begged, growing desperate.

"You have a beautiful voice." he complimented with a grin.

"Ugh." I groaned, banging my head against the steering wheel. "Please. Don't try to make me feel better."

Draco lifted my head, two fingers under my chin. I looked away from him, not wanting to be consoled. Draco pressed his lips to my forehead. It wasn't a real kiss, but it was more than enough for me to freeze in shock. I felt my eyes grow wide in shock. Draco just chuckled and stared at me until I was able to regain my composure. It took quite a while, seeing as how every time I met his silver-eyed gaze, I lost all composure.

After the umpteenth try, Draco started to get a little worried. "If you were planning to get home before nightfall, we should probably leave now." His voice was soft and gentle, considerate.

I couldn't help but grin. "I don't know whether to be touched or offended. Do you honestly think I'm scared of the dark?"

"Who would I be to doubt your courage, Little Miss Model Gryffindor." Draco smirked. "I'm more concerned about the things that wouldn't be afraid of you."

I slumped lower in my seat. "I can fight." I retorted pathetically.

"Of course you can, love. But you can't always win."

I was glad darkness had fallen to hide my blushing. I just sat there, shocked and defeated.

Finally, Draco sighed and opened the passenger door. He walked around the front of the car and opened my door. Looking down at me, with the streetlight creating a golden halo around his head, he looked like an angel. His smile stole my breath away. He scooped me up in his arms and walked back around the front of the car. He set me down gently in his seat and walked back around to the driver's side.

I felt myself in shock. I managed to shake it off and get buckled before Draco got back in the car. I felt the crimson blush staining my face. Draco smiled at me, and I wondered vaguely if he could see my blush.

"Which way, Miss Vivian?" Draco asked with a smirk.

I was finally able to shake the remnants of the effect he had on me off. I quickly told him the directions and he started heading that way. The cabin was filled with an easy silence as we drove. I wondered what Draco was thinking, but didn't know if he would mind me peeking into his head. I decided against it when his forehead creased in either worry or anguish. His eyes flicked over to me, and I looked away, blushing. For the rest of the ride, I stared out the window, only speaking to tell him when to turn. As we pulled into the driveway and Draco parked my car under my garage, I turned back to look at him. "Thank you for coming today, Draco. Especially when you didn't have to. I'm sorry for all the pain it caused you. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate what you did for me."

"And I'd do it all again for you."

I blushed. When had Draco become a romantic poet? I smiled, and stepped out of the car. Draco met me at the front door, and handed me my keys."I'll see you tomorrow." He smirked Tomorrow? He kissed my cheek. Yes. Tomorrow. Ugh! I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I couldn't think around Draco. Thankfully, he had already Aparated.

I unlocked my door, clearing the last of the fog from my brain. I turned on the lights and powered on my laptop. I put on a kettle for tea, waiting for my laptop to turn on. I skimmed through the my emails, deleting the spam and advertisements. I then pulled up my report for work. I quickly filled out the required fields and inserted a quick summary, making sure to include Draco's name, so that there was some record that he had come with me.

The water for my tea finished boiling then, so I hurried to the kitchen, turned off the stove, poured the water in a mug, and dropped the tea packet in. I stirred it around some, making sure the tea bag had gone all the way to the bottom. I watched the tea seep into the water, pulling out the tea bag when it was a satisfying shade.

I went back to my desk then, snuggling into my plush desk chair. I wrapped my hands around the mug, absorbing the warmth as I settled into my favourite part of my daily routine. I took sips of my tea as I thought about that to write. My daily entry. It wasn't a diary per se, but it was of sorts. It was a record of my life. Ever since I had been able to afford a laptop, I had recorded every bit of my life. Maybe someday, someone would be inspired by my story.

I sipped my tea, and settled down to write, letting the words pour from my brain, my fingers flying across the keys. I wrote everything about my day. It took me until nearly midnight. As I typed the closing words for the day's entry, my body drooped over the keyboard. It had been an incredibly long day, and it was catching up with me. I saved the entry, and powered off my laptop. I exchanged my jeans and top for an old sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants. I snuggled in bed, deciding that I would take my shower in the morning.

I tossed and turned in bed, wanting to fall asleep. But his face kept popping in my head. Eventually, I sighed and lied flat on my back, staring up at the ceiling. I might as well study this as objectively as I could while I had the chance. Draco was an interesting person. I wondered what Harry would think of this. He wouldn't approve, I knew, but would he respect my choice? Would he be glad that I had finally settled down? What would the others think? Most importantly, what did I feel, and what would this mean for me? If I was in the l-word with him. After all this time, would that word finally be allowed again? Could I allow myself to think it? Love. Love that had been bent, broken, and destroyed too many times to count. What was one more? But could my heart take anymore? Surely, one of these times it would break beyond any healing, any hope, beyond anything. Was this worth the risk?