Under the Willow Tree | Draco Malfoy

chapter 59: i need you

TW: reminder that i break canon regularly in this fic, especially in draco's arc. this is a soulmate au, and lorelei and briar's presences change the arcs of those around them. THANKS FOR READING. 💕

Draco Malfoy | 6th Year

After the two were released from the hospital wing, tired and still aching at the sites of their previous wounds, they spent most of their time in the Slytherin dorms.

Lorelei wasn't particularly excited about spending time with her roommates. They hardly spoke to her anymore, and when they did, they were often snippy and irritable.

The Slytherins never seemed to mind Lorelei's presence, even though she was a Hufflepuff, but she figured that even if they did have concerns about her presence, her friends would have shut down any disagreements.

Her friends had become much more protective of her after how regularly she was being hurt at Hogwarts, and they all tended to hover around her a lot more. Theo and Draco were the biggest helicopters of their group; Lorelei jokingly told them one day that they were like a swarm of bees constantly buzzing around her.

Even though she had teased them about it, Lorelei enjoyed their company. She was never alone anymore, and she welcomed the change. She hated thinking back on the days she spent alone and sad before she met Luna, before she met any of them.

So, Lorelei stayed in the Slytherin dorms constantly, and she did so without complaining. There truly was nothing quite like how it felt when Draco's chest gently rose and fell under her cheek. She'd lay there with her eyes blinking heavily with exhaustion, but she'd fight sleep off as long as she could so that she might listen to Draco's heartbeat a little longer.

Draco was pleased Lorelei was in his dorm so much. He could make sure she was safe this way, and he always slept better with her beside him anyway.

Right now, Draco was sitting against the headboard of his bed while Lorelei sat with her back against his chest. She was listening as he read her passages from Emma by Jane Austen.

In her sleepy and relaxed state, Lorelei rested her head against his shoulder and tugged on the blankets to cover the two of them up more. Draco paused his reading and smiled at her. He could remember how a few years ago she only knew him for his prejudice against Hermione Granger.

Draco still cringed at the thought of his horribleness from before and how little she trusted him as a result. He knew he'd spent the rest of his eternity making it up to her.

His father's pureblood prejudice said Muggle-borns were dirty and worthless witches, but Draco knew that Lorelei was better than all of the purebloods at Hogwarts combined. She was kind, resilient, thoughtful, and wise, and Draco knew she could have excelled in any of the houses. Lorelei was everything to him, and the other Slytherin's adoration of her only felt like proof to him that she was just as perfect as he thought.

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met," Draco murmured into Lorelei's hair when he once again paused from his reading. She was distracting him constantly, but he never minded. He loved to look at her, to see her smiles, to adore her.

Lorelei giggled at the compliment and twisted her upper body around slightly to hug him. Draco stiffened slightly as he normally did when she hugged him, but he soon melted under her touch and rested his head on top of hers. The book thunked onto the floor, discarded in favor of focusing on her affections.