Youngblood: Retrieval {Year 5, Book 3}

= Chapter 20 =

Aspen's mud-caked boots trudged through the damp grass as she followed Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Dove, and Lillian.

"What did he say?" Lillian asked, retreating to the back of the group to be with Aspen.

"What?-" Aspen asked, confused.

"What did Draco say when you confessed your feelings?" She repeated.

"He didn't really say anything. I think he was in shock - and he honestly looked a bit confused." Aspen shrugged, looking down at the dew-covered grass blades.

Lillian gave a faint smile before toying with the pom pom on her jacket.

"There they are!" Luna gave a dreamy smile before Aspen looked up and realized that they had actually come all the way into the Forbidden Forest.

"Where are what?" Lillian asked as Ginny, Hermione, Dove, and Ron nodded.

"The thestrals..." Aspen gasped, reaching out to touch the reptile-like face of the nearest one.

"You can see them?" Luna asked as Aspen nodded sadly.

"Alright everyone, get on. We've got to get to the Hall of Prophecies before Voldemort does." Harry commanded as the rest nodded.

"I think I'm going to sit this one out..." Dove said, backing away.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, walking up to her.

"Yeah... it's just that I can't be anywhere near Harry right now. I'm sorry." She admitted, hanging her head and turning to jog back to the castle.

"Just be safe!" Hermione called, struggling to sit on the thestral.

Aspen clucked her thestral towards the nearest tree stump and used that as a natural mounting block, vaulting easily onto the eerie thestral's back.

"Lillian... I think you should go back to the castle with Dove." Aspen said.

"What!? How can you say that! After everything I've been through, I thought you'd be the last person to leave me!" She said, a hurt expression etched into her features.

"Lilli... I'm just trying to protect you..."

"I've already lost Ced, Aspen, I'm not going to lose you too." Lillian looked up at the girl sitting on thin air with a pleading expression.

Aspen pursed her lips, looking around. She shook her head, before getting teary herself.

"Ten paces to your right, there is a thestral. I'm guessing you can get on by yourself?" She looked down with a faint smile as Lillian's face lite up.

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The heavy, black thestral hooves pounded on the grass as they flung their heads around in anticipation. Harry looked back at everyone behind him.

"Ready?" He asked as everyone nodded.

"Aspen! Wait!" A familiar voice called behind her.

Harry looked at Aspen expectedly. "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up."

"She does have the fastest thestral..." Luna shrugged as the remaining thestrals took off and soared into the sky until they were no longer visible.

"Draco... I think you know what's about to happen - I have to leave..." She said desperately, struggling to find the right words as she spoke.

"I-I know, I just couldn't let you leave without saying something." Draco admitted, looking up at Aspen. "I... I just want to ask. How-how could you still love me knowing that I treated you like filth, like dirt on the bottom of my shoe. I was a monster..."

"If you've come to gloat... maybe do it later." Aspen sighed, kicking the thestrals forward a few steps before Draco rushed forward and placed his hand on the thestral's spine, holding it still.

"You are no monster Draco." She began to speak after a while as she looked down at the dewed grass. "I love you for who you are, not what you've done. I will not hold you accountable for actions that you didn't commit willingly because that's what love does..."

Moments of awkward silence passed before Draco spoke, "I love you too, Aspen. And that's why I'm asking if we could start over. I want you to be a part of my life again - the best part... What do you say?"

"Hm... I say... this-" 

Grabbing the spiny wither of the thestral, she leaned down towards Draco, grasping his bleached blonde hair in her free hand and passionately kissing him. His hand moved to cup her face, his thumb brushing her cheek as the kiss continued.

"I guess I'll take that as a 'yes'." Draco smirked into the remainder of the kiss as they broke for air.

"Aspen, c'mon!" Lillian called from the air as Draco and Aspen chuckled.

"I'll see you soon..." She sighed, a hint of pain hidden in her eyes, as she didn't want to leave Draco, but knew she had to.

"How could a heart like yours ever love a heart like mine?" His dreamy, grey eyes gazed up into hers as she smiled and blushed furiously, then kicked the thestral onwards and into the sky.