Beauty and the Beast [Draco Malfoy]

Chapter Sixteen

Lizzie's POV:

Harry and Draco walked with me to the Slytherin common room arm in arm. Me in the center, of course. The tension between Harry and Draco was immense. I could feel it in the silence of our journey from the hospital wing.

Once we reached the entrance, I turned to Harry. His green eyes shined slightly in the dim light of the corridor. His glasses had slid down his nose and I resisted the urge to reach out and push them back up.

"Thank you, Harry," I commented, leaning forward and wrapping my arms around his neck. "For everything." His shoulders felt sturdy under my arms and his long, black curls brushed my forearm.

"It was no problem. I'm just happy to see you up and okay," he smiled in return. His smile was shy and dorky, so unlike Draco's cocky and handsome one. Harry placed a cool hand on my cheek before turning and leaving Draco and I standing there.

"Alright, so what's the password?" I asked Draco after a few seconds of watching Harry walk away. I looked at him and he was glaring at Harry who was still walking down the hallway.

"Sed astutia," he replied grumpily. The stone wall slide open to reveal the dark room that I hadn't realized I had missed. Groups of friends huddled around the tables studying who knows what. The sofas by the fire were practically empty.

"It's good to be home," I sighed, linking my arm back in Draco's and ambling into the common room. Walking was still a bit difficult seeing as my legs wobbled like no other.

As Draco led me to the sofa directly in front of the mantle, I received curious stares from the other students. I wondered if people had been told what happened to me or not.

"Right here, love," Draco muttered. I sat myself down on the cool leather cushion with Draco beside me. Brushing my hand across the material, I sighed in content.

"Did anyone tell them what happened to me?" I whispered to him.

"As far as I know, no," he responded, looking around at the student staring and giving them a death glare.

"So I just disappeared for a month?"

"Pretty much." I looked around the room and met several pairs of eyes that quickly flitted away.

"Listen," Draco said, placing a hand gently on my chin and drawing my gaze to him, "we need to talk."

"Yes, we do," I agreed.

"I'm sorry, Liz. I really am. I was so horrible to you and I regret every bit of it. I don't care about your blood status at all. I missed you so much. I was so scared that you wouldn't wake up and that I had lost you forever."

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I kept it from you and I'm sorry I didn't accept your apology the first time."

"I'm so sorry," he spoke again, staring directly into my eyes.

"It's alright, Draco!" I chuckled, patting his cold hand.

"Are you sure?" he asked sheepishly, linking our hands together. His long slender fingers made mine look short and stubby.

"Positive," I confirmed. I had missed Draco so much while I was trapped in that coma.

"Thank Merlin," he sighed. I laughed at his relief and leaned my head on his shoulder, suddenly feeling very tired. I could feel the strength of Draco's shoulder on my head. All those years of quidditch had done him well.

"Draco?" I questioned after a few moments of staring at the fire.

"Hmm?" he hummed.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"For what?" he chuckled.

"Everything," I laughed. "But specifically for the night I was poisoned. I was too busy having that staring contest with you to eat my sherry tart and if I had eaten any more I would have died. It's been eating at me this entire time. You saved my life."

"I had almost forgotten about that," he confided.

"And for everything after that. Thank you for coming to see me everyday."

"So you could hear what was going on?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah. The entire time. I heard every second of the month. It was very boring without you there."

"Wow, I guess knowing it and hearing it from you are two completely different things," he spoke.

"Thank you for everything you said, too. Especially while my mum was there." I continued to stare at the fire, watching the flames lick up the side of the stone.

"You're welcome," he whispered.

"Did you mean it?" I asked turning my head to look directly at him. He quirked his head at me.

"Mean what?" he asked curiously.

"Saying you care about me and only want the best for me?" I searched his eyes for an answer, but he was too practiced at hiding all emotion from showing on his face.

"Of course I did," he replied, caught a bit off guard. I wanted to ask him what he would have answered to Gray's question, but I decided not to push it.

I rested my head on his shoulder again. My eyelids drooped in the dimness of the common room around us. Draco must have noticed.

"Go to sleep, love. I'll stay here with you," he crooned. I nodded and allowed my eyelids to droop shut.

My body was tired. I was so bloody tired. I hadn't had one minute of sleep for an entire month and was feeling it. My legs had dragged when I walked, although it also could have been from misuse.

Within minutes, I was deep in sleep on the shoulder of the only person I wanted to be around at the moment.