Remain Nameless

Chapter 35

"This is... this is magnificent," she whispered in awe and carefully stepped forward. Draco hung back, unsure of how receptive the fairies would be to a human presence. Hermione inched closer to the vast, seemingly endless web of beings that began at the forest floor and stretched up and all around, creating a canopy of brilliant light.

A few of the more curious fairies flew forward to meet her, and Hermione chuckled and remained still as the brochure had instructed. They flitted around her head for a few quick moments, then headed back to the safety of their nest.

Every few seconds, small groups of the creatures performed this same little dance around Hermione's head, creating a brief halo. She tried to stay motionless, but was soon overcome with laughter at the funny little things intent on inspecting her and flying off.

"Malfoy, here!" Hermione suddenly tossed her beaded purse at him and he caught it easily. "Take a picture for me."

He rummaged around her magically extended bag, shoving aside what felt like several books, glass vials, an apple, and a spare pair of mittens before he snagged her camera.

He quickly snapped a few for her and lowered the camera. Still laughing, she half-turned from him to observe her new friends. But Draco couldn't tear his eyes from her. He hoped she'd develop these photos magically, but even so, he didn't think it would be possible to capture her beauty in this moment in something as banal as a photograph. The magic around them paled in comparison to her.

Ethereal in the fairy light, the skin of her face glowed with a smile of such genuine happiness that even he felt its warmth beneath the coldness of the air. Hermione embodied pure joy.

Now. He should tell her now. Alone in a forest straight out of a storybook, blanketed in enchanted snow and fairy light, Draco could not have asked for a more perfect setting.

But neither his feet nor his mouth would move.

Coward.

"Come here!" she called, breaking his reverie. "Let's take one together!"

She took the camera as he approached and cast a Hover Charm, sending it floating a few feet from them.

"I hope you're capable of an expression other than a sneer or a scowl," she teased as he slung an arm around her shoulder.

Draco scoffed. "So mouthy. Good thing I know how to shut you up." He smirked and stole a kiss, deepening it quickly with an agile maneuver of his tongue along and then past her lips. She broke away laughing and swatted his shoulder.

"Prat! That's the first picture we've ever taken together!"

Draco waggled his eyebrows. "It better be front and center on your mantle so everyone can bear witness to me snogging the daylights out of you."

She rolled her eyes and blushed. Now. He should tell her now, while she stood encircled in his arms, smiling so prettily up at him. Draco looked down into her warm eyes and tried to summon the words. But still they would not come.

An awful feeling of despair gripped him. He was a pitiful failure, wasn't he? A miserable coward. Nothing but a failed Death Eater unfit to live in this world. Hermione would do well to leave him. What kind of future could they even hope for together? They made no sense as a couple. He'd been so terrible to her during their school years, truly terrible. He couldn't shake the memory of her young face crumbling in hurt as he threw a casual and cruel "Mudblood" in her direction.

His chest filled with painfully cold air and ice ran through his veins. And when had the lights gone out?

Draco shook his head as if to clear it and realized Hermione had stepped out of his arms. She furiously stuffed her camera away and had her wand out. He looked around, bewildered as the forest plunged into sudden darkness, as if a giant with a wand had cast a far-reaching Nox across the entire colony. Where had the fairies gone?