99 ways to say I love you- Draco Malfoy

No.71

If you don't hug me right now I think I might fall apart

Draco had trouble sleeping. It started in sixth year, he struggled over summer but when he was back in his quarters with Emily it stopped. Then he ended it to keep her safe and he was almost certain he hadn't slept a full night since. He hadn't got to sleep with her by his side other than when she had just been attacked by his own aunt.

That's why he had taken to the habit of walking the castle at night. He would walk the corridors and think. Sometimes about an upcoming test. Usually about her.

The one place he always ended up going was the tribute. It was busy often in the day but quiet at night.

McGonogall had it put in before any restoration began. It was a will lined with wooden plaques. Each plaque contained a name and a photograph with a little message from her about the fallen soldiers of Hogwarts.

He hadn't expected to see her there. Although he supposed maybe he should have. She was sat on the window sill facing towards the wall. He could hear her quiet cries and his heart broke looking at her.

"Emily?" He questions. It's not that he wasn't certain it was her. It was permission. Permission to comfort her.

"If you don't hug me right now I think I might fall apart," she speaks her voice quivering.

He moves quickly. Wrapping his arms around her and allowing her to sob into his chest, body shaking with her cries. He stroked her hair gently whispering into it, promises that she will be okay, that everything will be okay.

It's ten minutes before her breathing evens and she pulls away. Her eyes look sore and he wonders how long she had been there.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" He asks gently

"It's his birthday," she whispers. His eyes soften and he pulls her back to him. He hadn't known what was wrong but he'd seen Ginny Weasley exit the great hall in flood of tears at dinner and watched as Emily and Hermione chased after her.

"I know that everyone lost people. I understand that. I lost more than just Fred. But, Dray he was my brother he was my family. He was the one who tried to force me to formally change my name to Weasley. He was the one who offered to jinx my hair ginger. He was the one who promised to walk me down the aisle. He was everything to me. I miss him so much. You know he's the first person I would cry about you too. He's the one who threatened to kill a boy for looking at me the wrong way. He's the one who made sleeping potions cause I had nightmares every night. He's the one who secretly snuck chocolate into my dorm when he noticed I was upset,"

"I wish I knew him. He sounds incredible,"

"He was. No one will ever be quite like Fred," she whispers from his arms. Draco knows there's nothing he can say.

Instead he holds her to him, stroking her back and staring at the picture of the ginger boy grinning back at them.

Fred Weasley- Entrepreneur, troublemaker and brother. Fred never failed to spread joy and happiness even in the darkest days. He is loved by all.

"Draco, can we be friends?" Her whisper is quiet.

"I want that more than anything," he returns

"Can't keep going if I don't have you,"

"Me neither. Listen, what I said I didn't mean it. I was angry at the world and I lashed out on you. It's quite the opposite really, think you're the bravest person I know and I'm so proud that you are who you are. I'm truly sorry,"

"I know," she smiles gently up at him and Draco feels like his world falls back into place. "Can't do what we did before. It hurts me too much,"

"Just need you in my life. Whatever capacity I can have you," he smiles, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Tell me your favourite Fred story?" He questions.

They talk about Fred Weasley and he laughs at all the stories she tells until they fall asleep in the corridor. That's how Professor McGonogall find them, curled up together on the floor under Fred's picture. She herself had been going to pay her respects to the twin she had always secretly loved. Anyone at the school could see their argument had broken both the teens and she smiles gently at the scene, with a flick of her wand the teens gently soar into the air, a bed appearing from no where underneath them.

"Happy birthday Mr Weasley," she smiles gently at the portrait and then with another flick of her wand to lock the door on each end of the corridor she leaves Draco and Emily to sleep.