April first approached fast, O.W.L.s were coming up very quickly and Professor Umbridge was taking over the school a little more every day. She and my father we're quite acquainted, only becauase my father could supply her with Veritaserum to interrogate suspicious students.
On April first, after classes were over, Draco and I did what we always did- We went on a hunt for people who looked suspicious. We quickly found a sixth year Ravenclaw, shuffling nervously down a corridor. The girl had curly strawberry-blonde hair, which was all I could see from the back. I could, however, hear the girl mumbleing to herself.
"Do you know her name?" I asked Draco.
"That's Marietta Edgecombe. Her mother works at the ministry. She's a floo network regulator, and working with Professor Umbridge." Draco told me.
I looked at her, a little uncertain.
"She looks suspicious to me, but wouldn't she be on our side if her mother works with Umbridge?" I asked him.
"Just because her mother might be, doesn't mean she is." He said.
As soon I heard that, I called after the girl. She quickly turned around, looking like she had just seen a werewolf.
"Where are you off to?" I asked her.
"I was going to see Professor Umbridge." She said quietly.
"What for?" I questioned.
"I need to report a broken rule." She said, quieter than before.
"Tell us what it is. You can't tell her with that volume in your voice." I told her.
"I just don't want my mother to get let off if I get caught with at the meetings that were supposed to be disbanded." She told us.
"What meetings? Be specific." Draco told her.
I held my hand up as I got an idea.
"No need," I told him, taking out my wand, "just keep your mind on the situation and I'll do all the work." I told Edgecombe.
I flicked my wand, focusing on the legilimens spell. I was dragged into her mind and was revealed to many scenes. A whole group filled with Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. They practiced defensive spells, as well as a variety of hexes and jinxes. I was also taken back to Edgecombe being close to forced to sign a paper reading "Dumbledore's Army". An army against the Ministry, as some would believe.
I got out of Edgecombe's mind and looked up at Draco.
"I knew it, and now we have living proof." I told him.
We took Edgecombe to Umbridge's office, where Umbridge used Veritaserum to get the whole truth. Everything she told Umbridge, I knew from just looking into her head, but this time, we were given a definite location. The room I saw the group enter a long time ago, and the room we've been watching for months. I couldn't report it before, because I didn't have proof, but now I do and it will feel so nice to catch Potter red-handed. The entire Inquisitorial Squad and Umbridge marched our way through the school to where Potter and his army were hiding. We reached the wall that hid the Room of Requirements.
"May I do the honours, Professor?" I asked her.
She nodded and I smirked as I pulled out my wand and pointed it at the wall.
"This is going to be fun." I said, "Bombarda!"
I hit the wall with this charm four times before there was a triangle-shaped hole. I could see a boy on the other side of the wall look through the hole, right at us. Umbridge pulled me back as she held her own wand up to the wall.
"I'll make short work of this," Umbridge said as the boy disappeared from the hole, "Bombarda maxima."
The wall exploded right in front of us, revealing less people than I expected. What I didn't expect to see was my sister, standing with Loony Lovegood and Cho Chang. When they saw Mariette Edgecombe with us, they all had a hint of betrayal in their expressions. My sister finally looked at me, then looked at her feet as she stepped back to hide half of herself behind Chang. I looked at Potter, who looked between Umbridge and me. I smirked at him and flicked my wand, which hung at my side. There was resistance, but I made it to his most recent memory and inside his head was a quick image of most members escaping through a different door. I got out of his head in time for Umbridge to order us to collect them. I marched straight over to Stainface and Lovegood. I took the two of them in my hands and walked them out of the room. We took them up to Umbridge's office for interrogating and receiving punishments. We were all to wait here while Minister Fudge and his team, using the floo network, arrived in the office to talk to Dumbledore about his "army". After receiving their detentions, the students were all allowed to leave. All except Potter and Edgecombe. Unfortunately, the Inquisitorial Squad wasn't allowed to attend this meeting with Dumbledore, but I could easily tap into Edgecombe's mind, though I decided against it because everything in the meeting was confidential, except for the information that would be released later. So, unable to do anything fun in this office, I gave a final look to all of the Gryffindors who didn't leave and I, myself, turned on my heel, took Draco's hand, and left the office.
"Raven, where are we going?" Draco asked me as we walked down the stairs.
"I need to do it now. I can't wait anymore." I told him.
I knew he understood exactly what I meant. We walked to the ground floor, then to the court yard. When we reached the court yard, I let go of Draco and turned to him.
"I need you to stay here." I told him.
He shook his head and took my hands again.
"I can't do that." He told me.
"You have to. I have a plan and you're not a part of it." I said.
He sighed and nodded, letting go of my hands. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his neck. His arms snaked around my waist. I couldn't help but close my eyes and bury my face into the tall boy's chest. We slowly let go of each other and I backed away from him.
"I have to go." I told him.
I turned away from him and walked out of the courtyard and toward the owlery. I reached the tall tower and looked around. The bird was nowhere to be seen.
"Ross?" I looked up the tower, the around in the sky.
There were no birds, period.
"Ross!" I finally yelled.
As I was about to walk up the stairs of the tower, I heard some wings beat behind me. I turned as a black bird turned into a boy dressed in black.
"What are you doing here?" He asked me.
"Why weren't you at the stairs waiting for me? You usually do." I retorted.
"You let me go. Now I don't have to wait for you." He said.
"I said I'd let you go until you're back to being a normal bird."
He didn't respond. He just sighed and nodded.
"You know what I'm here to do, right?" I asked him.
"You're here to make me normal, aren't you?"
"I am." I confirmed.
I expected myself to feel emotional, but right now, I felt normal. If anything, I was a little excited. Was I the way I used to be? Was I becoming the Raven Snape that I was in first year? If I was, that would be the best thing that could ever happen to me.
I held up my wand to the boy.
"Wait, Raven, I don't think I'm ready." He told me.
"But I am." I said back to him.
He shook his head and began to walk around me and toward the tower. I couldn't let him get away. Without thinking, I flicked my wand.
"Stupefy!"
A flash flew from my wand and hit the boy in the back, causing him to fall to the ground, unconscious. I walked over to the boy and pointed my wand at him. I took a breath. I only was able to say the first syllable before my voice stopped and I had to gasp for another breath of air. My wand dropped at my side. I stared down at the boy who laid at my feet. I crouched down and placed my hand on his head. I brushed his black fringe away from his eyes.
"I'm not sorry, Ross. But I will miss the time we had together. All that time, minus the kissing." I whispered to him, though knowing he couldn't hear me.
I stood back up and held my wand out to him one more time. I took another breath.
"Revelio." I whispered.
I watched as the unconscious boy turned into an unconscious black bird. I didn't stay for a second longer. I stuffed my wand into my pocket and walked back toward the courtyard. Draco sat there waiting for me. The only person in the courtyard was there waiting for me. As soon as I walked into the courtyard, he looked over at me and stood up. I smiled and made my way over to him. We wrapped each other in a hug. I was free from that bird.
"Now I'm only yours." I whispered.
"You were always only mine." He whispered back to me.
I looked up at him and smiled. We let go of each other and took the other's hand. We walked into the school and went for dinner.
***
Four days after Potter and his pathetic army got caught, it was finally Easter break. Father allowed me to go back to the Malfoy's while he and Stainface stayed at the school. The train ride back home was boring, as usual, but Draco made sure I was always comfortable as I slept most of the way. He mostly just let me lay on the bench with my head in his lap. What annoyed me the most about the ride home was the fact that Crabbe and Goyle kept waking me up by the crinkling of wrappers and their obnoxious laughter. I yelled at them many times when I woke up because of them. When we got to the platform, Draco's parents were there to welcome us home. We apparated to the manor and I immediately felt at home. I mean, it's been like my second home for the majority of my life. We went inside and I went straight to the kitchen for an apple. Draco and I both got one, then went upstairs to my room. I felt so happy to see the large bedroom again. It was the exact same as it was when I was very little. Nothing about it has changed for over ten years. It was extremely welcoming and familiar with the large bed with silk sheets and a very large window right above the headboard. I sat on my bed and ate my apple. Draco joined me, flopping on the bed and staring at the ceiling, while he too ate his apple.
"I wonder what happened to Dumbledore?" I said out loud, "I know he disappeared, but was he ever caught?"
"I don't know. I would enjoy knowing as well, but I have no idea what happened." Draco shrugged.
"Maybe he was caught and was sent to Azkaban. I know that was the initial plan, but Dumbledore disappeared before being arrested. Maybe he was caught in the streets of London and was sent to prison." I guessed.
"Or he's hiding somewhere no one would ever think of." Draco added.
"What does that even mean? Where would Dumbledore go that no one knows of? He's not that smart." I scoffed.
"He's one of the smartest wizards of this life time." Draco said.
"No, the Dark Lord is the smartest wizard of this life time. Then there's me. I'm the most powerful student at our school. It's no thanks to Dumbledore. It's thanks to my own studying. He has nothing to do with my success. The Dark Lord is who I look up to. His power inspires me to work as hard as I do. I still don't see how Dumbledore has anything to do with my success. If he was so smart, he would be helping me to get better." I explained to him.
I was surprised that he never said anything after that. He even looked away from me.
"What?" I asked, trying to make him look at me, "Draco! What's wrong? Do you not agree with me?"
Now he looked in the completely other direction.
"You think I'm totally selfish and self-centred for saying everything I just said." I scoffed, finally getting him to look at me.
"No, I don't think that!" He said, looking straight into my eyes.
"Then what?" I yelled, standing up from the bed and throwing my half eaten apple across the room.
"Raven, please don't yell at me. It was nothing you said." He exhorted.
"Then what?" I said through clenched teeth.
I never knew that Draco could make me this angry. It almost matched how Potter made me feel.
"Rava, I love you but-"
"You did not just say that." I interrupted him.
He did not just say that!
"Draco! You moron!" I yelled, totally losing it.
I was practically pulling my hair out of my head at this point. But now it wasn't out of anger. I actually began to laugh.
Draco looked at me as if I've finally gone mental. I jumped back onto my bed. I shook my head and placed my right hand on his shoulder.
"Out of all the times you could say that, you decided to let it slip now?" I laughed.
He looked completely petrified.
"Forget about the Dumbledore thing. It's a useless argument that we both know I'm going to win." I told him.
He nodded, smirking.
"We almost never have time to just sit together and talk anymore. We're always busy now." Draco whispered.
"I know. Bummer, really." I smiled.
"Seriously, Rava. I wish we could have time to ourselves more often." He said.
I sighed and moved to sit next to him. I leaned back on the pillows and rested my head on Draco's shoulder. I couldn't get what he said out of my head. If it was anyone else, I would have told them, "You don't love me. You don't know the real me. How can you love someone if you don't know who they really are?" But Draco was different. He knew every bit of detail about me. He has known me since we were little. I bet he knew me better than he knew himself. And maybe, just maybe, he really did love me. Maybe he did love who I was. Maybe he did love my short temper, my lack of care for other people, every imperfection I possessed (and there were many of those). Maybe there was a chance that he truly loved me. I couldn't place a finger on why. There were so many reasons on why he couldn't, but so much of me was telling me that he didn't care about any of those reasons. But that also left the chance of him just being a teenaged boy who's best friend is a girl. Emotions can get mixed up. He may be mistaking friendship for love.
"Draco?" I asked, looking up at him.
He looked down at me.
"Why? You said you love me. But why?"
He sighed and dropped his head, then he looked back at me.
"Why wouldn't I?" He asked.
"There are so many reasons. I'm cruel, I'm dangerous, I'm careless for others around me, I'm someone who has all the characteristics of someone who can not be loved." I told him.
"And yet you're smart, beautiful, you care for the people you do love, and I've know for years how much I love you, Raven. I love how you believe that you're someone who can't be loved because I can be the person that can prove to you that you can be loved." He explained to me.
I smiled and buried my face into the crook of his neck.
"You really mean it?" I mumbled.
"Of course I mean it. Have I ever lied to you?" He asked.
I shook my head. I pulled myself out from hiding and looked up at him. I was speechless. I was loved. No one has ever loved me before. It didn't matter now, in this moment, if he was mixing up friendship with love, because he loved me regardless.
"Raven, I really do love you. You can't tell me that I don't. I know you and I love every little thing about you. Even the things that you could tell me that you think would turn me away. I love all of it." He told me.
There was suddenly a knock on the door. I pulled my wand from my pocket and flicked it at the door. It opened to reveal Narcissa smiling at us.
"It is dinner time, you two." She said.
We both nodded and got up, then followed her to the dinning room, which had our dinner presented to us when we got there. Draco and I sat across from each other, while Narcissa and Lucius sat at the heads of the table. We all began to eat in silence. Draco and I kept glancing at each other and a couple times, I caught Lucius and Narcissa exchange glances after watching us. When we all finished our dinner, a house elf came in and cleared the table with a snap. Draco and I got up and were about to leave the room, but we were stopped by Lucius clearing his throat. We both turned to look at Draco's parents.
"We would like to speak to RL, alone." Narcissa said.
Draco and I exchanged looks of confusion.
"Cissy, is everything alright?" I asked her.
"Of course, darling. We just have some things to catch up on." She smiled.
"Well then why does Draco need to leave if it's just something to catch up on?" I asked her.
"You're too smart for your age, Raven." Lucius said to me.
I looked up at Draco.
"I'll wait for you upstairs." He told me.
I nodded and watched him leave, then joined Narcissa and Lucius at the table.
"What's this about?" I asked them.
"We found it a little strange how a couple weeks ago, Narcissa and I both had the same dream." Lucius began.
Now I knew exactly what it was. It was about me saying that I would marry Draco.
"The memory? The future of Draco and me? That's what this is about, isn't it?" I asked them.
Lucius and Narcissa glanced at each other.
"How did you know about that?" Narcissa asked.
I smiled and placed my elbows on the table, interlacing my hands.
"Because I had the same dream." I said.
"How did you know of that dream? You weren't there to know what happened." Lucius asked me.
"In my first year, the Dark Lord told me that because my father had access to my memories, it was only fair to have access to one of his. So he took me to that memory of my father's. I could talk to you guys without you hearing me then. But this time, when I spoke, the memory changed and now I was a part of it, except now I was-"
"Eighteen. I almost didn't recognise you. And now, when I look back to that memory, it's what I remember. That night includes you, when you were eighteen." Narcissa said.
"It's the work of the Dark Lord. He works in mysterious ways and now that it's said, I can't turn back. So you guys have my word. What was said in that dream will be fulfilled only by the Dark Lord's orders. If and when it comes to that moment, I will not refuse." I explained to them.
"Are you sure you want to make that decision now? RL, you're only fourteen. This is a big deal that I think you should talk to your father about." Narcissa told me.
I sighed and looked over at her.
"Cissy, my father already knows what's going to happen. He was there when the original conversation happened. I don't know if he had the same dream, but my father already knows that I'll agree." I said.
"I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into if you aren't sure, but end up going ahead anyway." She sighed.
"You seem to have forgotten how smart and mature I am for my age. And I'm not a coward," I said, turning to look at Lucius, "but when it comes to the Dark Lord, I will not disobey orders. So let it be written in stone- If and when the Dark Lord wishes for Draco and I to wed, I will obey, and I know, without a doubt, Draco will too."
Then, I stood up, bid the couple good night and walked out of the dinning room, then up the stairs to my room. Draco met me in my room, lying on my bed, just staring at the ceiling. As soon as I walked into the room, he sat up and looked at me. His smile lighting up the whole room. I made my way over and crawled onto the bed, sitting myself right beside him.
"What was that about?" He asked me.
"It was nothing. Just another task from the Dark Lord." I told him.
"What is it? I can probably help." He said.
Think fast. He can't know about the dreams.
"Nonverbal magic," I blurted, "He wants me to learn nonverbal magic by the end of the school year. Can't be that hard, honestly."
I just had to practice at school because we weren't allowed magic outside of school until we were seventeen.
"But it means that I have to study." I told Draco.
"I'll study with you." He quickly said.
"No, I don't need you distracting me." I smiled.
He sighed and nodded. He leaned over and kissed the top of my head before getting up and leaving my room. When the door was closed and I was alone, I got up and made my way over to the vanity. I opened a drawer filled with parchment and a single quill and ink jar. I pulled out the quill and ink, along with one piece of parchment. I placed them in front of me and began to write to someone I never thought I would even exchange a 'hello' with.
Dear, Vexx Grimm
I don't know if you remember me, you probably don't because I was only in your life for a little while and you're not very good at remembering things. But it's Raven. We were friends when I was back in America. I just thought of saying hello. So hello. But I also needed to talk to you about something. This is about emotions. Don't think that I'm admitting that I had emotions for you and that I was just too coward to admit them. When I was in America, I believed with all that I was, that I was incapable of being loved and loving in return. But I think I was wrong. My best friend, Draco Malfoy, told me today that he loves me. And for once in my life time, I might have believed he actually did. The thing is, I don't think I want him to love me because I don't want to break him. I don't know how to love and I don't want him to get broken by my lack of knowing. How do you act? What do you do? I know many, many things, but this is the one thing I don't know. And if I'm being totally honest, I don't know if I actually want to know. I just want things to stay the same. I know how to love as his best friend, but when another boy kissed me, I felt like I was betraying him. I felt like it should have been Draco instead. But is that normal? Do people think that they'd rather kiss their best friend than a boy that likes you? I'm confused and you seem to know a lot about love, seeing as you loved me and you liked Beth. I'm going to go now, as it is late here in Britain. I hope you write back. Send the others a hello for me.
Hoping you are well,
Raven Snape
I folded the paper without looking it over and shoved everything in the desk. I would send the letter in the morning and hope for a reply by that night. I got up and got changed into my night gown, then crawled into bed and went to sleep.
I woke up the next morning to many people talking on the floor below me. I could feel a movement in my arm that I had never felt before. I looked down at my left arm and saw the snake on my arm wriggling in its place. The mark itself was elevated from the rest of my arm, like it was almost swollen, but there was no pain. I knew that right below me was the meeting room, which meant that, in that room, there was a meeting going on and I wasn't a part of it. I quickly got up and changed into a black skirt, with a green tank top, which tucked into the skirt. I pulled on some black knee high socks and threw on my black flats. As I left my room, I put on my cloak and threw my hair into a messy high ponytail, then made my way to the meeting room. When I reached the door, I wasn't even given a chance to knock before the door swung open to reveal many more Death Eaters than I was used to. My eyes searched for a woman with black curly hair, but she beat me to it. Auntie Trix jumped out of her chair on the right hand side of the Dark Lord and ran up to me. We crashed into a hug.
"Oh, I've missed you!" she exclaimed and pulled away from me, "And look how much you've grown! Oh, you're so beautiful!"
She brushed a couple strands away from my face. She quickly composed herself and looked over at the Dark Lord, who seemed unimpressed. I piped up before Auntie Trix could apologize first.
"My apologies, my Lord. I should be saying that I didn't mean to interrupt, but the truth is, I am a part of this now. I have the mark to prove it. Why didn't anyone wake me up?" I asked, looking over at Narcissa, who stared at her husband.
The Dark Lord looked around the table.
"Does someone want to answer the girl's question?" He asked.
"It was my fault. I should have woken her up." Narcissa said guiltily.
"That's alright. I'll just have to catch up." I sighed, walking over to my spot at the Dark Lord's left hand, right across from my Aunt.
"We were only addressing some thing about a prophecy that the Dark Lord needs." Lucius told me.
I nodded and turned to the Dark Lord.
"There is a prophecy. An orb. It explains my connection with Potter. I only know a small piece, meaning I need the rest that falls in that prophecy." The Dark Lord explained, "we must lure Harry Potter into the Department of Mysteries, where someone will get my prophecy and bring it back to me. Kill anyone who gets in the way. This will take place when Potter sees an image that will make him go to the ministry. I have already made him watch Weasley get attacked by Nagini, so when I give him a new vision, he will think that it is real, but it will not be."
"Sirius Black. I heard he's Potter's Godfather. I've also heard they're attached at the hip, those two. Make him believe we are attacking Black, then he will go to rescue him, but there will be no one there, only the prophecy which will be found by Potter or one of his friends. We'll ambush them and get the prophecy. Hopefully, we can kill whoever in the process." I explained.
"That was exactly what I was thinking." The Dark Lord told me.
"I think Raven should sit this one out." Narcissa piped in.
I glared over at her.
"What? No! I'm in this as much as any other Death Eater here is! Auntie Trix, Dolohov, Rookwood, Avery, Nott, the Lestrange's- I'm just like them! I'm loyal and ready for any task I am given!" I explained, a little annoyed that she didn't want me to participate.
"I do appreciate your willingness to participate, Raven, but I think Narcissa is right. You should stay at school and prepare for your examinations." The Dark Lord told me.
"This is your IOU. I will be there. Participating or not. I will be there and I will jump in if things get messy." I told him.
"What can you do? You're a little girl." A Death Eater, Mulciber, said to me.
My head snapped over to him.
"You want to find out, Mulciber? I swear to Merlin, don't you dare test me!" I snapped, slamming my hands on the table, jolting out of my seat.
I felt a hand placed on my shoulder, calmingly.
"Now, now, Raven. He's just skeptical about you." the Dark Lord said, "But I insist, you can not join them. You need to be at school studying for your examinations."
I glared up at him and sat back down. We continued the meeting without anymore snapping from me, then we all got up and left. Auntie Trix never left though and we got a lot of time to catch up. She told me about life in Azkaban, which sounded awful. I told her about my past year in America, meeting my mother, and coming back to Hogwarts. I also told her about the strange things that I saw while I was there, about seeing people from home replacing the people in America. She found it quite amusing, winning laughs from me, even though they made me scared and miserable at the time.
That night I sent the letter to America, but I never got a letter in return.
***
Draco went the entire Easter break without finding out about what the conversation with his parents was actually about. Of course, I wanted to tell him, but I didn't want him to think that his future had been decided, because it wasn't. In the end, it would be the Dark Lord's choice whether Draco will agree to marriage or not. And also whether or not the Dark Lord would ever ask this of us.
Back at Hogwarts, we were all preparing for our O.W.L's. I knew I was ready for my O.W.L's, I just had to help the others with their studying. We all met in the Common Room lounge so I could help the whole group at once. Draco was laying on a couch and I laid on him with his arms wrapped around my torso while I quizzed everyone. The others sat in a circle in front of us.
"Crabbe, how many unforgiveable curses are recognised by the law?" I asked the large, clueless lump.
He paused for a second, mumbling an 'I know this'.
"Three?" He questioned.
"Is that an answer or a question?" I asked, very clearly unimpressed.
"Answer." He said.
I nodded and moved on to Blaise.
"Alright Zabini, what Spell would you use to repel a dementor?"
"Expecto Petronum." He said, looking bored out of his mind.
"Sit up straight and act like you're learning something or leave. I'm not wasting my time on someone who doesn't want my help." I snapped at him.
He rolled his eyes and did what I told him. I moved onto Parkinson, who watched me read my paper.
"Parkinson, name a creature in the black lake that carries a trident and resembles a fish, but doesn't." I told her.
Her face changed from interested and prepared, to blank.
"A, um, a mermaid." She said, less questionable than Crabbe, but still not positive with the answer.
When I told her she was correct, she sighed with relief and laid into Zabini. Sometimes, I really questioned their relationship.
I looked up at the boy sitting next to me. I made sure I hid my paper from him so he didn't cheat.
"Drakie, Impedimenta is an example of a hex, jinx, charm or curse?" I asked him.
"It's a jinx." He said confidently with a smirk.
I smiled up at him and nodded, then moved onto Daphne, who sat at my feet.
"Greengrass, what spell would you use to explode an object in front of you?"
"Confringo." She answered.
"Davis! Petrificus totalus is also known as what?"
The girl on the couch across from Draco and me looked totally lost with the question, which was one of the easiest questions on my sheet.
"The leg-lock curse?" She asked.
"Wrong. It's the body-bind curse. I have to ask you another question." I looked down at my paper to see what question was next, "What incantation is used for the shield curse?"
"Oh, protego." she shrugged, finally relaxing.
I moved onto the last person before restarting the circle.
"Goyle, immobulus is an example of a hex, jinx, charm or curse?"
"It's a hex, isn't it?" He asked me.
"Are you asking or telling me that it is a hex?" I asked him.
"Telling you."
"Wrong, it is a charm. What spell would you used to disarm an opponent?"
"Expelliarmus."
From there we moved back to Crabbe. When we finished the review for DADA, we moved onto transfiguration, potions, then Care of Magical Creatures.
"Remember, guys," I said when we finished quizzing, "O.W.L's are divided into two parts- Written and practical! Meaning there with be a writing portion and there will be a portion depending on your skills. If you are like me and are good at preforming spells and making potions and caring for stupid creatures, you'll be alright. But if you aren't, I suggest you start practicing!"
Everyone got up and left the common room, leaving Draco and me alone. I dropped the paper off the side of the couch and I relaxed into Draco, taking his hands in mine. I felt the blond boy place a couple kisses on the top of my head. I smiled and played with his hands for a couple minutes.
"I love you, Rava." Draco whispered.
"Do you?" I asked, turning slightly and looking up at him.
"What makes you question it?" He asked back.
"We're best friends. We have been for a long time. I just think you're confusing friendship for love." I told him, turning my attention back to his hands.
"I don't think you believe that." He whispered.
"Why?"
"Because you always smile when I tell you I love you. I can read you better than anyone. I've known you for most of my life. You don't believe what you say. You want to, but you don't." He explained.
"I don't smile when you say it." I mumbled.
He sighed and pushed me off of him and turned me to face him.
"Raven, I love you." He said, looking completely serious.
I tried to focus on not smiling, but I just realized how hard it was when I was now focusing. Did I actually smile every time without noticing? No matter how hard I tried, I failed to not crack a smile.
"See?" He whispered, smirking.
I sighed and moved closer to him. I rested my head on his shoulder. I could smell the luxurious smell of his cologne. It calmed the heart in my chest that I had just noticed was pounding into my throat. I moved closer to him. I could feel every slight movement of his own body. The smallest involuntary movement he made; it all made me feel safe.
"Raven." Draco whispered pulling me from my thoughts.
I looked up at him. He smirked down at me. He shook his head and sighed.
"What did I do to deserve you?" He asked me.
"You didn't have to do anything. You just had to be you. That's all I'll ever ask you to be." I told him.
"That's another reason why I love you. You never push me to be someone I'm not." He said.
I smiled and shook my head.
"Raven," He said, pushing me away from him again and turning me to face him, "I need to ask you something. Because best friends ask each other things."
I looked at him suspiciously.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"Can we be more than best friends?" He asked.
"What's more than best friends?" I asked.
Please don't tell me that it is what I think it is. I dont know how to be someone's girlfriend!
"I want us to being together. I want you to be my girlfriend, Raven. I want to take you on dates. I want to buy you butterbeer and buy you gifts. I want to take you to the quidditch pitch for us to lay and watch the clouds pass. I want the rumors to be true. I want you to be mine and no one else's. That may sound selfish and greedy and maybe a little objectifying, but I dont want another guy to come around and sweep you off your feet before I've had a chance to give you happiness and love and care. I know you better than anyone else in this entire world. I know how to make you feel cared for and safe. I know what makes you happy and what infuriates you. And I know that you worry about hurting me, but if you were to hurt me, it would have happened a long time ago, when I knew less of who you are; when I knew less of what is you, versus what is the anger. So please Raven," Draco took my hands in his, "please give me a chance at this."
I looked down at our hands. My heart pounded in my chest. I took a small breath and nodded.
"Okay," I said, looking into his light blue eyes, "let's do it. Let's give us a chance."
A/n
Word count: 6469
Guyssss!!!! It finally happened!!! The moment we've all been waiting for!!! I'm so happy that we've made it this far!
Question (about the book lol), do you think the American crew will make a comeback?
Don't be a stranger!
-Spade