Such Sweet Sorrow

Thirty-Two

Eloise Waldorf

I woke between the same two strong arms that were wrapped around me as I dozed off to sleep the night before. My head still laid on his chest, where I could hear his steady heartbeat thudding under his ribs.

Another dreamless sleep in the arms of my forbidden lover. Another night of dangerous rendezvous that couldn't stop indulging in. Everything about Draco is irresistible, really. He's tall. He's handsome. He's smart. He's kind. He's funny.

And he's mine...

I think that last bit was my new favorite thing about him.

Although it was a secret to never leave the confines of our dorms, it was still a secret that would never leave my brain. It was still something that I could think and dream and fantasize about whenever I wanted, just not something I could show off and dot over like Ginny did with Harry, or like Hermione did with Ron.

But for now, I was fine keeping this as our little secret. Well...and Theodore's.

I was content with keeping us all to ourselves. If I've learned anything over the past year, is to cherish the moments when you're the happiest, because you never know how long they might last. Instead of worrying about the future, for the first time ever, I decided that I wanted to just live in the now. I didn't want to worry about what was going to happen a day from now, or a week, or a month, or a year from now.

It was now that I felt alive, and it was now that I was going to cherish every moment of. I hadn't felt like this in ages. A new day was peaking over the horizon, and for the first time in years, I wasn't worried about what that day might bring, because Draco was here to walk through the trials and tribulations right here beside me.

"Staring, are we?" Draco's voice was raspy and thick with sleep as he squeezed his eyes shut for a morning stretch.

I didn't even know he was awake, and I surely didn't know he was aware of my admiring him either.

Whoops.

"Admiring." I sat my chin on his chest to get a better view of his sleepy features, "You know...you have really long eyelashes."

He let out a tired chuckle and used the palm of his hand to rub on of his eyes, "Is that a good thing?"

"Very." I nodded as best as I could, "Shit, it's nearly 10." I groaned, rolling over onto my back and pressing my own palms against my eyes.

"Going somewhere?" Draco asked, turning to lay on his side, the sheet only covering half of his bare torso.

Don't stare. You're already running late.

It occurred to me know that I forgot to inform Draco and Theo of my plans for the day. Plans that included them either being locked up in the dorm all day, or shopping for tuxes with people they could only tolerate in small doses.

"Ginny and Hermione made an appointment at the dress shop and they've invited me to come with them." I started, letting my hands fall to my sides as I looked up at the ceiling, still coming out of my sleepy daze, "You and Theo will either have to stay here until I'm back, or go with Ron and Harry to shop for tuxes."

Draco frowned dramatically.

"Why can't I go to the dress shop?" he asked, still not thrilled about his choices so far.

"That wouldn't look odd at all." I shook my head before turning to look at him, "You want to wait outside the dressing room and ask for a spin as well?"

He smirked, liking the sound of that a bit too much.

Don't stare. Running. Late.

"I think I'd prefer to be in the dressing you, darling. Asking me to wait outside while you're undressing behind a curtain is like dangling a bone in front of a dog." he explained, letting his eyes narrow and his head droop down a bit and he looked to me with his smug grin.