"Blackwood", a male voice said, shaking my shoulders. "Stella, get up"
I forced my eyes open and looked around my dorm room. It was still dark and the only light coming into the room was from the moonlight hitting the Black Lake. I turned to my nightstand to check the time and I saw that it was midnight. Standing right next to my nightstand was Draco in his sweatpants and a hoodie. He had a cheeky smile across his face and the tip of his wand was lit.
"Well, are you coming or not?", Draco asked pulling my duvet off my body.
"Draco, it's late. What are you doing here?", I asked pulling the duvet back up.
Draco rolled his eyes and quietly looked through my dresser, throwing a pair of sweatpants in my face. "Put your sweats on and let's go", he said sternly.
I groaned and sat myself up in bed, trying to wake myself up. Draco grabbed my legs from under my duvet and pulled them towards him. He grabbed my sweatpants and slid each of legs into my sweats, pulling the waistband up to my hips. I got up from bed and followed him out of my room. I'm too fucking tired for this.
Draco reached behind him and grabbed my hand, rushing me out of the common room and up the stairs. I followed him all the way up to the seventh floor, stopping right at the stairs to the Astronomy tower.
"Alright close your eyes", Draco demanded, pulling his tie from the pocket of his hoodie.
"I'm pretty sure this is considered kidnapping"
"Just shut up and shut your eyes"
"Fine", I sighed. I closed my eyes and Draco wrapped his tie around my head, completely blacking out my sight. He took my hand and then carefully led me up the stairs.
Once we reached the top of the Astronomy Tower, I could feel Draco undoing his tie and then covering my eyes with his hand. He continued to lead me across the tower and then pushed down on my shoulder, making me sit down on the ground. I sat down on the ground with my legs crossed and placed my hand on both sides of my legs, feeling the soft blanket beneath me. Draco finally took his hand off my eyes and I kept my eyes shut until he tells me to open them.
"You can open them now"
When I opened my eyes, I saw a chess board placed in front of me with a telescope and a pack of Liquorice Wands. Draco was grinning from ear to ear when he saw me look around and then pulled a joint and a lighter out from the pocket of his hoodie.
"You woke me up at midnight for a date? That's sweet", I said reaching for a Liquorice Wand.
"Sweet? It's fucking romantic", he said placing the joint in between his lips and then lighting it with his lighter. "By the way, don't tell Blaise I stole one of his joints"
"Cross my heart hope to die", I said drawing an "x" over my heart with my finger. "So, are you prepared to get your ass beat in a game of Wizard's Chess?"
"Game on", he said taking a hit and then blowing out the smoke.
"Thank you, for this. It was very romantic of you"
"Anything for you, Stella", he said leaning over the chess board and kissing my lips. "I wanted our first date to be romantic and not at Madam Puddifoot's obnoxious tea shop"
"I love all the pink and frilly decorations, though. It makes everything so romantic", I teased. Draco's smiled dropped and his faced started to turn red out of embarrassment. "Draco, I was just teasing", I laughed. "I hate Madam Puddifoot's. The amount of people snogging over their teacups is just sick"
"I'm glad I finally found someone who felt the same way", he chuckled. "When I went out on a date with Victoria Evergreen, she made me take her to Madam Puddifoot's and she threw up on my Gucci loafers after"
"The black ones with the silver horsebit?"
"Yup, those are the ones"
"I loved those ones"
"Yeah, I did too"
"Wait, are those the ones I got you for your birthday last year?". Draco nodded his head and grabbed a Liquorice Wand. "That's so gross"
"Yeah, I fucking know and I've been traumatized since"
"Well, the good thing is, I can get you a new pair", I said taking a bite out of my Liquorice Wand. "Sadly, I can't erased the image of Victoria Evergreen blowing chunks on you"
"I'm just glad that our date is going on a lot better than that one", he chuckled. "So, are we playing chess or what?"
"Not until you pass me that joint", I said holding out my hand. Draco took one last hit and then passed me the joint. I pressed my lips against the rolling paper and took a big hit, letting the smoke fill up my lungs. When I blew out the smoke, I instantly got a head rush. I don't think I can play a game of chess when my body feels like it's floating.
Because my chess pieces are white, I had to start the game. I picked up my pawn and moved it up two spaces. I took another hit from the joint as Draco looked down at the chessboard, biting down on his lip and calculating his move. He picked his black pawn and moved it up one space. I stared at the board, thinking about my next move but my mind is traveling mile a minute.
I picked up my white pawn and studied the details of it. The chess pieces were made out a smooth cold marble and so was the chessboard. I started to trace my fingers along the round top of the pawn and watched the moonlight shine onto the piece, making it sparkle. I took another hit from the joint and continued to stare at my chess piece. My arms felt like it was lifting up towards the sky but it wasn't because I see in my eyes that they're right in front of me. For some reason, tracing the pawn with my finger felt so satisfying, the feeling of the indentations of the piece against my fingers, there is no feeling like it.
"Stell", Draco laughed, taking my concentration away from my cheer piece. "I've been waiting for you for the past three minutes"
For some reason, I got the urge to laugh. I can't believe I've been staring at this chess piece for three minutes, but it's so pretty, how can I not? If this pawn was an earring, I'd wear it. Maybe I could wear it to cotillion. I should turn these chess pieces into earrings.
"Stella", Draco said waving his hand in front of my face. "I am taking this away. You're clearly high", he said taking the joint from my fingers. "I would love for you to remember this date in the morning"
"I haven't been this high in a long time", I said playing with my hair.
"Come over here", he said grabbing both of my hands and pulling me towards him. "Let's watch the stars"
Draco laid down on his back on top of the blanket and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me towards him and laying me down on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and a kissed the top of my head. I could hear Draco's heart beating as his chest rises up and down. The smell of his Dior cologne on his hoodie filled my nose. He smelled like sandalwood with a hint of vanilla and lavender. The scent of his cologne was so heavenly, I couldn't turn my head away from his chest.
"Look, I found Gemini", Draco said pointing up at the sky. "I remember you telling me that to find Gemini, I have to find Orion first"
"You're the only Gemini I see", I giggled, pointing at his chest.
"Oh, now you're giggly", he laughed. "I can't believe you're already high"
"I'm not high, you are"
"I'm still able to find constellations in the sky, you on the other hand can't spot Jupiter if I asked"
"Hand me that telescope. I can spot planets in my sleep". Draco shook his head and grabbed the telescope on the ground, handing it to me. I looked through the eyepiece and adjusted the lens until I am focused on the small orange planet in the night sky. "Ha! I found it"
"No way. You did not just find a planet"
"But I did. See for yourself", I said handing the telescope to Draco. "It's the big white one over there", I said pointing at the planet. "The key to spotting planets is that they don't twinkle like stars"
"How do you know all of this?", Draco asked while looking through the telescope.
"I actually pay attention in Astronomy class and I always loved stargazing. My name is Stella after all"
"Hey, I pay attention. I just don't take it as seriously as you do"
"How is it that you're named after a constellation and you have zero interest in Astronomy?"
"I was only named 'Draco' because it's a Black family tradition"
"Alex wasn't"
"Well... Alex is a special case and not everyone is named after stars and constellations. My mother was named after a flower"
"Hand me the telescope", I said holding out my hand. "I'm going to find Draco. I've never seen it before so it might take me awhile"
Draco took the telescope from my hand and grabbed my cheek, turning my head towards him. "We were written in the stars, Stella Blackwood", he said caressing my cheek. "Quiet literally", he chuckled.
I want to say "I love you" so badly but, it's too soon, way too soon. He's being so sweet and romantic, I can't help but fall in love with him.
"Draco Malfoy, this is the best date I've ever been on. Thank you for this"
"I'm glad you loved it", he smiled.
*author's note*
I know these past few chapters have been very awkward but that's the whole point. Draco and Stella don't know how to act with each other because their relationship has never gone beyond friendship. While reading these chapters, you're supposed to feel the awkwardness and uncomfortable feelings of teenage romance. Both Draco and Stella have issues with opening up and trusting people with their vulnerability. Stella can't even admit things to herself because she is so guarded. Anyways, I wanted to do a little disclaimer just in case you don't get where I am coming from.