Lost: Dramione Story

Chapter 20: Happily Drown For...

The Great Hall was empty. Draco's books were where he had left them, as if he's just been plucked form where he had been sitting. I ran for his room; my heart was racing, I could hear it in my ears, I thought it was going pop out of my chest. He was going to wait. He'd promised he'd wait. I pushed past students and teachers. He was going to wait so we could talk. He said he'd wait. I burst through the door. The apartment was trashed. The window had been broken, there was feathers from the couch cushions everywhere. He wasn't there. Panic was rising in my throat and rumbling in my stomach. It was such a mess I couldn't even see if anything was missing. I sprinted to McGonagall's office. Not bothering to knock, I burst through the door.

"Ms. Granger!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"where is he?" I panted "where's Draco?" My eyes were watering. I couldn't do this; I couldn't lose anyone else. Not him, especially not him. "Where is he?"

"Please, take a breath" she said ushering me to a chair. I didn't take it. "He is fine"

"where is he?" I wouldn't believe it, not until I saw it.

"he's been taken to the Ministry for questioning"

"questioning?" I exclaimed "and you let them take him?"

"Ms. Granger, I believe it might be wise to reel your feelings back in and take a moment to think" I did. Of course, they took him, they would have to make sure he had nothing to do with this.

"he didn't do anything" I said, trying to keep my tone as calm as possible.

"I'm aware of that, but" McGonagall sat once more "the Ministry needs to dot all it's i's". I nodded in understanding.

"his things have been destroyed" I whispered.

"I believe they had warrant to search his room" she cleared her throat "Ms. Granger, do you know what you are doing?"

"excuse me?"

"with Mr. Malfoy" her stern face full of concern "are you sure you know what you are doing?"

"Professor, for you I hold the utmost respect" I walked to the door "but something I have learnt over the last year is that the people you least expected to be on your side, usually are". I opened the door and bid my goodbyes. I swear I saw her look up the portrait of Snape that hung among the other previous Headmasters. It was still early afternoon; how long would it be till he came back? Who knew? I changed into a pair of dark leggings and a grey sweater that belonged to mother. The only thing I could do was wait. I sat in the archway down from the bridge curled up and waited. He would be home. Soon. I hoped.

The sun had fallen long ago, and the stars were shining in the sky before I heard footsteps on the bridge. Draco was the first through the arch. They must have disaperated outside the veil. He walked straight for me. I hugged him tight, pressing my face into his neck. I pulled back; he had a nasty cut on his cheek. When I looked beyond him, there were a few Auror's I knew, some I didn't. but one stood out in particular. Ron was the last on through the arch. His face like thunder. Draco wrapped his arm around my shoulder and walked me away before I could say anything. I slid my arm around his waist and leaned my head into his shoulder as we went. He just pressed his lips against my head. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. I had tried to clean the room as well as I could. I'd fixed the window and the couch cushions. He looked around. "is there anything missing?" I asked.

"your books are ruined" he said looking at the pile of destroyed books, picking up a few.

"they can be replaced" I muttered.

"I'm sorry" he whispered.

"stop" I said indignantly "stop apologising". I walked to him taking the pages from his hands. "go take a shower, I'll get you something to eat". I could see he was looking for a cheeky comeback, there wasn't one. He was too tired for that. The shower turned on. I changed into a pair of pajama shorts and his sweater and pulled a tub of ice cream from the freezer. When he came out of the shower he had a pair of tracksuit bottoms on. "ever heard of a shirt?" I chuckled.

"I just like the way you blush when I don't wear one"

"prick" I muttered "well, it's not exactly Christmas dinner, but it's the only thing that really makes me feel better"

"the only thing?" he chuckled sitting across from me.

"arrogant prick" I muttered. We sat in silence for a while, passing the tub back and forth. I had finished it with Ron. It was done. I had finally let go of it, even though I loved him. I let him go, to protect all my memories of him. I realised now I hadn't thought about what I was going to say to Draco. What was I going to tell him about whatever this was? This little arrangement.

"Granger, you're thinking so hard right now I can almost hear the cogs in your brain moving" he grinned.

"sorry"

"what's going on in there?"

"it's stupid". He leaned forward, his grey eye's locking onto mine.

"tell me". I took a breath and then another one, and then another one.

"it was something I said to Ron earlier" my eye's focused on the cut in his cheek. I had forgotten about it. I got up and grabbed the ditiny from my bag. "I told him that we were done, I told him we were done because I loved him too much to hold onto to him for much longer" I sat on Draco's lap and uncapped the bottle. His hand fit perfectly around my waist. I dropped some of the clear liquid onto the cut. He hissed in pain. I just kept talking as I cleaned it out. "I loved him too much to let him ruin the good memories I had of him. But when Harry told us what had happened. When I got back here and I realised you were gone, I realised something else". The wound closed, until there was just a thin white line across his cheek. "I realised that maybe I love myself just enough to know that what I have right in front of me is too good to let go of. Maybe, it's not only what I need, but what I want. What I've wanted for a lot longer than I would ever admit to myself" I put the bottle on the table and turned back to him. His face was so still, emotionless. Or it would have been, except for his eyes. They were full of love, of joy. I slid my arms around his neck. "it's what I want to have for the rest of my life and longer". Then it was over. His lips crashed into mine. But not in a forceful way. A loving and caring way. I realised something else then. I would happily die of this. I would happily drown in that kiss. I would happily drown in the love that I had for him. I would die and it would be a death worth having, I would die for him.