Adored (Draco x Reader)

A Date

With still one week until Valentine's Day, you and Draco had already learned the recipe for Amortentia backwards and forwards. You spent several evenings practicing your concoction and perfecting every aspect of the potion. It was your idea to brew the Amortentia a week early, allowing it to ferment until valentine's Day to maximize its potency. Freshly brewed, a drop of Amortentia would last less than four hours, after a full week, a single drop should be powerful enough to last a full twenty-four hours.

Brewing Amortentia perfectly, took a lot of patience. Sitting in the small, cold, potions workshop for hours in the dungeon didn't bother you at all. You actually found it relaxing, and Draco didn't seem to mind that you preferred to do things the hard way to ensure the best results. You had been in the dungeon together for nearly four hours that night finishing off your Amortentia. You played music softly from your phone, at times singing along with the song while you stirred the potion peacefully.

Draco's mind was elsewhere tonight. He had been so distracted, he nearly ruined the potion by stirring clockwise instead of counter clockwise. You had caught him by the wrist just in time and then suggested that he might prefer to prep the ingredients, away from the cauldron, for the rest of the evening. He had remained unusually quiet for the rest of the night.

You added the final ingredients, Crushed baneberry, simmered in acromantula venom until they created a paste, which you folded into the cauldron. You stirred the potions three more times counter clockwise and the amortentia's signature spiraling steam rose from the bubblegum pink liquid.

Draco's eye's brightened, "Hey, look at that." He said, pleased.

Soon the intoxicating aroma filled the room and made you want to swoon.

"Let's get this in a jar to ferment. It should develop a nice sheen by next Friday." You said, covering your nose with your robe. "Christ this stuff is strong. This has to earn us an A."

"I'd say we did pretty well." Draco said absently. Draco helped you transfer the potion to a large airtight jar and set it on the backside of a shelf to ferment in the adjoining closet.

You finished packing your things and Draco waited for you, periodically looking at you then quickly looking away. You slung your bag over your shoulder and cradled your books in your elbow but Draco didn't move, his eyes were fixed to the floor.

"Hey," you pinched his side playfully. "Let's go."

He nodded and opened the door for you.

It was almost eleven at night, the halls were empty. You had accidentally stayed late again.

"Let me carry your books for you." Draco said.

"Sure." You passed the books to him. "You're walking me back to Gryffindor tower tonight?" He usually left you at the moving staircase.

"Yeah." He said a slight blush appearing on his cheeks, "I wouldn't want you to get in trouble. It's after curfew."

"you're acting funny tonight." You said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco muttered.

"I can always tell when something's on your mind." You said stepping on to the moving stairway. You stood one step ahead of Draco and turned to face him so you almost matched his height.

"I was just thinking, I mean," He paused and ran a hand through his hair. "would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me next week." Draco rushed through the words.

"Yeah," you said, confused. After all, you always hung out with Draco in Hogsmede. "I want to go to the bookstore and see if they've got this new book that just came out. It's by this Turkish writer I really like. I've been waiting to read it for ages." You turned and started walking up the stairs to the corridor where the staircase had stopped.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to Hogsmede with me on Friday. You know, the 14th?"

You turned to face Draco again in the corridor, you were close to your common room now, "Oh Valentine's Day?" You bit your bottom lip and looked down nervously, "Are you...are you asking me on a date?"

"Yeah." He said, then quickly, "But only if you want to. We can just go to the bookstore like normal if you want."

"No, I'd love to. I thought– "

"Ms. L/N and Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall appeared from around the corner. "What do you think you're doing in the halls at this hour?"

"Professor," said Draco, suddenly regaining his usual composure, "I was just escorting Y/N back to her common room. We were working on a project and lost track of time."

Professor McGonagall eyed Draco skeptically. She narrowed her eyes then said, "Very well, Draco. I'll see Y/N to her room from here, you go on back to your common room. It's much too late for you to be up."

"Yes, Professor." Draco said. He passed your books to you and retreated down the moving stair case to his common room.

You barely heard Professor McGonagall lecturing you as you entered the Gryffindor Common room, you were biting your lip to keep from grinning but it wasn't helping much.

Professor McGonagall sighed and gave you a knowing look. "Upstairs to bed, Y/N. The next time I catch you canoodling in the halls with Mr. Malfoy, it'll be house points for both of you." She gave you a small smile, you thanked her, and ran upstairs to your bedroom.