Youngblood: Retrieval {Year 5, Book 3}

= Chapter 30 = {Part 2}

"Where are we going?" Aspen giggled as Draco dragged her towards the rickety Hogwarts Bridge. "Dracoooo?"

"You'll see soon enough... and DON'T removes your blindfold." He laughed just as Aspen moved her hand to rip the piece of fabric covering her vision from her face.

Instead of being able to see the scenery, or even how her feet glided over, what she assumed, were the jagged bricks of the surface. So she counted her steps, one, two, three...

"Alright, you can take it off now," Draco announced, not before long.

Aspen moved her hands and slowly slipped the blindfold off her face, letting her eyes adjust to the dimmed light of the Sundial Garden.

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Draco laid on a green, silver, and black plaided blanket with a basket full of sweets and drinks rested on it. She was sure she could even spot a CD player. He was wearing an old, grey Slytherin hoodie with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and loose, baggy sweatpants.

"Draco?" She giggled shyly as she entered, watching him dart up.

"Hale! Glad you could make it." He smiled cheekily, nodding to a spot next to him.

"What's all this for? Fancy schmancy." She laughs, eyeing the sweets in the basket.

From what she could spot, bottled butterbeer, chocolate frogs, fudge, and chocolate bark were included in the fiber-woven basket.

"Ah, just a little treat." He chuckled as Aspen sat down next to him.

"Well, if it involves chocolate, butterbeer, and spending time with you, feel free to treat me anytime you wish." Aspen giggled, eyeing the delicious sweets in the basket.

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She recognized it from the night Draco had invited her to date here, only to ask her if she'd go to the Yule Ball with him later on.

"That night seems so long ago." Aspen sighed, taking in the vines circling the walls of the beautiful sundial garden.

"Well, the night changes, doesn't it?" He responded, fumbling with the ring on his finger nervously.

"Yeah... it sure does." She sighed, the details of that night almost clouding over her vision.

It had been one of the best nights in her life. She'd enjoyed it so much, mostly because Draco was there, but that's beside the point.

"Aspen..." He began to speak as she whirled around, almost surprised by his scared expression. "I know that this past year I haven't exactly been the man I've wanted to be to you. I was harsh and manipulative..."

Aspen wanted to stop him there and say that he was under the curse for half that time, but she decided not to.

"...But I want to have a second chance with you, and I'm overjoyed you allowed us to date once again, but I think it's time we take a leap of faith into the next step of our relationship." He paused, wiggling a snake-embedded ring from his finger. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Draco's face lit up with the sweetest smile possible, warming Aspen's heart as he presented the ring to her. She was at a loss for words, all she could do was smile broadly and nod. He slipped the ring over her finger. It was a little bit loose, but it reminded her of Draco, and that was all that mattered.

"Y-Yes Draco! I'd love to be your girlfriend." She finally said and flung her arms around his neck, jumping up to wrap her legs around his waist.

He chuckled as he fell over backward onto the lush grass, Aspen landing on top of him, almost straddling him. He sat up, propping himself up with his elbows, and leaned in to meet her lips in a passionate kiss.

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Mya swayed along with Adrien, her dress dancing around her legs. He smiled down at her, almost as if he wanted to say something, but didn't. Mya noticed.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, cocking her head ever so slightly to the side.

Adrien came from an extremely formal and top-class family of pure-blooded Slytherins, so when he asked his question, it didn't come as such a shock to her.

"I was... just wondering if you'd be interested in dating me?" Mya's shocked face was enough to make a nearby Dove snicker.

Mya peered back, glaring over at her before turning back to Adrien with a bright red blush dusting her cheeks and a huge smile on her lips.

"Yes... I would."

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"Lillian!" Vivid walked rather quickly over to her friend. "Have you seen Aspen?"

"No, why?" She responded, sensing the dread in her voice

"Right behind you." Aspen jogged up to them, waving Draco off, who hadn't left her side since he asked her to be his girlfriend. "What's wrong?"

Lillian narrowed her eyes at the ring on Aspen's finger, biting her lip with a certain spiteful glance, but didn't bother asking.

Tears filled Vivid's eyes as she spoke. "My... My dad is moving to Paris for work... I'm transferring to Beauxbautons."

Stun overwhelmed the two fifth-years. Vivid was leaving. Aspen shook her head, refusing to ruin her makeup while Lillian's eyes watered. "Y-You can't leave!" She cried.

"It's okay though," Vivid reassured. "We've come quite a long way from where we've begun. And trust me, I'll see you again."

Aspen fiddled with the loose ring on her finger as she stared down at the golden carpeted floor.

"Aspen? Aspen, are you alright?" Vivid asked, turning to her friend.

It took a while for Aspen to put on her best face and smile up at her friend. "Yeah... yeah, I'm fine." Her expertise in hiding her feeling had tricked both her friends, letting her go as Lillian and Vivid hung out for the rest of the night.

"Something wrong?" Ember walked as formally as she could, yet as quickly as she could up to Aspen, who'd taken a seat at a nearby table to process what had just happened.

"It sucks," She asked back.

"What sucks?"

"That Vivid it moving... That she's transferring to France?" Aspen said with disdain embedded in her voice.

"No... I'm so sorry." The empathy in her voice convincing. "But at least you have me."

Aspen laughed as Ember smirked. She shoved her playfully and Ember joined the laughter. She, all of a sudden, turned serious.

"So you and Draco, then?" She asked.

Aspen looked down at the ring threatening to slip off her finger and smiled, a pale blush dusting her cheeks. "Yeah... He asked me to - officially - be his girlfriend this evening."

Ember's mind buzzed, but she ultimately smiled. "I'm happy for you."