Darling • Fred Weasley x reader

Chapter fifty eight

When I awoke in Draco's room it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, if anything it was even more comfortable than my room itself. Subconsciously, I knew I would be able to lounge there for hours if I hadn't been woken up by a knock from across the room.

Me and Draco's eyes shoot open and they grow wide as we glance at each other. An elderly elf waltzes in saying: "Master requests you to be downstairs, Mister Malfoy." He glances over to me who sits stunned beside the platinum blonde boy. "Good morning, Miss." He appears to wear an oddly cheerful expression as he slowly shuts the door.

Draco and I just sit in silence for a few moments before we acknowledge each other again and I realize that his hand is resting on top of mine casually, apparently having been there throughout the night without either of us knowing.

We pull our hands away in unison and I awkwardly adjust my sweater as I stand, noticing that it had slid off my shoulder and is now exposing my collarbone. "I should go before anyone else comes up."

The boy nods and we part ways as I close the door behind me and head to my room in an attempted quiet manner. It seems as if someone had already tried to check in on me as I notice a long sleeved black dress laid out on the bed for me and a pair of matching flats placed on the floor in front of it.

I decide on hopping in the shower for a quick wash but felt the humidity of the steam sticking to my skin and couldn't help but stay for a little while longer under the stream of water. Even after lathering myself in soap and seemingly scrubbing myself until I was practically sterile, I kept feeling as if the scent of the boy across the hall was clinging to me.

Not long after, the morning sky had begun to fade and the anticipation had been building up the entire time I waited for the moment as was instructed to meet downstairs. I skim the page of the novel I hold with my fingertips and flip it simultaneously as the door inches open. Narcissa offers me a warm smile as she steps in and places a brown leather bag onto the sheets of my bed while I slide my book onto my nightstand.

"I thought you'd like to get done up a bit before later." She offers gently and I nod, sharing the same warmth she'd given me. When she smiles, the corners of her eyes wrinkle and the kindness is apparent in her features as she sits me down at my vanity beside the window. She begins pinning half of my hair up in the back and leaves the rest down, allowing my front pieces to fall out carelessly.

She catches my focus wandering over to the dress that still lays untouched on my bed through the reflection of the mirror. "I thought you'd fancy that one." She comments as she glides a brush containing pink pigment across my cheek bones.

"It's beautiful." I assure her,

"I'm glad. I was going to ask which one you'd prefer, but I didn't want to wake you." She sees me physically freeze at that and gives me a playful half grin that causes the apples of her cheeks to protrude outward.

"Oh that wasn't-" I begin, feeling the nerves take over my quintessentially calm tone.

"Not to worry my sweet, I know." She places a hand comfortingly on my shoulder. "He's been having them for weeks. That was the first time I've seen him be able to sleep through the night after one." She adds, her eyes trained on weaving a few strands of my hair together.

"I had no idea." I admit with my head down.

"Draco has never been one to ask for help, not even from me during the best of times. So whatever you did, thank you. He didn't seem quite as exhausted as he usually does." She pulls her hands away from my hair, satisfied with the end result.

"Of course," I respond quietly as I stand up and she hands me my dress, wrapping me gently in a hug.

"You look perfect." She whispers, smiling at my appearance while holding my shoulders in place. I'd come to view Narcissa as the mother I'd never gotten to grow up with and I didn't know it at the time, but I had become the daughter she never had.