Fire & Ice - A Draco Malfoy fanfiction

Chapter 59 - Me, you, the fact that me and you is no longer us

The finest souls are those who gulped pain and avoided making others taste it.

- Nizariat

I watched as Draco slept soundly. For the first time in months, he looked completely calm, as if all the worries had washed away, just for a little while. I brushed some hair out of his face and I couldn't help but let my hand rest on his skin for a while. I couldn't remember the last time I had touched his cheek.

I took a blanket that laid on one of the broken chairs in the corner and dusted it off. I gently laid it over his tall figure and sat down with my back against the couch I had put him in. It had been quite a workout to get him onto the couch without waking him, but he was not surprisingly very light, although he was quite tall.

I opened one of the books I had brought on modes of transportation. There was an entire chapter on Vanishing Cabinets. I snacked on some crackers that I had brought from the kitchen, but promised myself to keep the rest for when Draco was awake.

The book didn't teach me much that I didn't already know, so I tossed it aside after about half an hour. I needed to know what Draco knew first. I sighed and grabbed my Arithmancy book that I had brought from my dorm. I had the course first thing tomorrow morning and had not yet done my reading.

About halfway through the last page, I heard Draco shift behind me.

"Did I fall asleep? I'm sorry", Draco said groggily as he sat up on the couch, confused at the blanket that was draped over him.

"No worries, I feel like you could use some rest", I smiled.

"What have you been doing?" he frowned, looking at the objects scattered around me.

"Well, I went down to the kitchens to get some food and then I asked Kreacher to tell me how to get into the Room of Requirement, so I brought the food here. Then I went to the library to get some books and went to tell Daphne that I was okay. I came back here and I've been doing some reading ever since."

"Merlin, how long was I out for?" he chuckled.

"A couple hours, it's around midnight, I think."

"Then you should go to bed", he said and stood up.

"Oh no, Draco Malfoy", I protested. "I'm going to shove all this food in your mouth first and again, I'm not taking no for an answer."

Draco chuckled softly, before sitting down next to me, examining what I had brought.

"I didn't know when you'd wake up, so it's all cold food", I shrugged. "But I've got cake!" I got out the chocolate cake that the elves had prepared and all kinds of other pastries and biscuits. I handed him a fork and took one for myself as well, as I was starving after having missed supper.

"You're not leaving until half of that cake is inside of you, Draco Malfoy", I narrowed my eyes as he just frowned at the food with the fork in his hand.

"You haven't lost any of your spike, have you?" he smirked, poking his fork in the cake and pulling off a small piece.

"That's factual", I shrugged. It wasn't really, I had lost a lot of it over the months, but it had returned a couple hours ago, right when he did. We ate in silence for a while, but I was glad to see him actually eat again. It frightened me how skinny he had become.

"So, what's up with the Vanishing Cabinet?" I asked after a while, looking at the black piece of furniture that doomed in the corner.

"You already know, don't you? Didn't you observe my actions a few months ago?"