99 ways to say I love you- Draco Malfoy

No.23

Just know I want you safe over anything else

Emily was well aware her boyfriend was ignoring her. He hadn't been on the station, he had been impossible to find on the train, he was jumping into a carriage up to the school before she could call him.

Even now, as the sorting ceremony went ahead, and her friends muttered about the toad like women at the table, she was unable to stop herself from scanning the table he should be at.

Eventually her eyes found him, he was sat whispering to Pansy Parkinson, eyes trained on her. The minute their eyes met he looks away, she couldn't blame him for being mad but it didn't make it any easier.

"You know you can't tell him where we were right?" Hermione whispers

"Why can't you all just trust him?"

"Because he's a Malfoy," Ron quips, his three friends shooting him sharp glares

"It's Dumbledore's orders," Harry reminds gently

"Well what am I supposed to say?" Emily asks glancing at her boyfriend once more "if I don't tell him he's probably going to dump me,"

"He would be stupid to dump you and he knows it," Ron reasons

"Just tell him that you were put under protection all summer and weren't allowed to write to anyone," Hermione whispers, glancing between the headteacher and her best friends boyfriend "it's not technically a lie,"

"It's not the truth either though is it," Emily groans.

Dinner passes quickly, and she watches as Draco leads the first years Slytherins out of the hall, Pansy by his side, both with silver and green P badges shining on their robes. Hermione and Ron doing the same with the Gryffindors.

"You coming to the common room?" Harry questions, turning away from where he had been talking to the twins.

"Think I'm going to go and try and find Draco," she sighs, Harry gives her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"It'll work out, he cares about you. He will understand,"

"Hopefully," she shrugs standing up. "Ignore anyone giving you shit," she instructs before leaving the hall.

She arrives at the Slytherin common room and is glad to see Blaise and Theo lingering outside it.

"Wondering when you'd show up," Blaise states, his tone cold, which was to be expected really. He was of course going to protect his friend.

"Figured we would wait out, in case you needed to come in, know how you hate coming in on your own," Theo adds, his tone softer but still slightly stand offish

"Thanks," she smiles, her own voice quiet.

The boys hold the door and she enters the room, first years fill the large space looking around in awe. Draco and Pansy standing at the front of the small crowd answering their questions.

His eyes fall on her instantly, and he gestures with his head to the boys dorms. She does as told and heads their immediately. Sitting on the edge of his usual bed and fiddling with her hands while she waits.

The door is pushed open, she assumes about 10 minutes later and Draco sulks in. His face cold and arms crossed across his chest.

"Glad to know you're not dead," he mutters, closing the door behind him and she lets out a sigh.

"I wanted to write to you Dray, of course I did. Things were just- well they were complicated,"

"How so?" He looks at her now, his interest admittedly peaked. He didn't want this to be the end of them, but he did know she had some explaining to do before he could just return to normal.

"Dumbledore put us all under protection. We were in this house and we weren't allowed to write to anyone. No contact with the outside world, it was too much of a risk," it was as truthful as she was allowed to be with him.

"You were all in protection and Potter was running around casting patronus charms in little whinging?" He questions, eyebrows arched in a perfect curve

"He came later. Look I know it sounds crazy and it's not 100% accurate but it's the most I can give you,"

"Emily, I need you to be honest with me. Who do you think I'm going to tell? You know I won't do anything to put you at risk,"

"Draco, I can't. I swore I wouldn't tell anyone,"

"Just promise me your safe?" He questions. He can't really be angry because he gets it, she made a promise to keep whatever she's involved with under wraps, and so she would.

"I promise. Dray, I would tell you if I could,"

"I know," he smiles gently. He opens his arms and gladly closes the space between them, wrapping her arms around him as he squeezes her close to him. Pulling away to leave a hot kiss on her lips.

It's then that she realises he had been concerned with her safety, and it dawns on her, he must believe Harry.

"You believe Harry?" She whispers pulling away, wondering if maybe his father had told him something.

"I don't know what to believe. Just know I want you safe over anything else," he explains. She nods and her lips are on his once again.

10 minutes before curfew Draco drops her back at the Gryffindor common room, the tension evident from the second she enters the room.

"What's going on?" She questions George, who is leaning back on the sofa

"Ron bit Seamus' head off for not believing Harry," his response sounds, she nods not really surprised by what had happened. "Everything sorted with the boyfriend?"

"It is,"

"Good. Just be careful alright. A lot of people are against Harry and we are getting grouped up in that,"

"I'll stick by him." She speaks her voice slightly snappy

"So will I. We all believe him, grouped up was the wrong word, just mean that we are on the outs right now. Should be careful,"

"I will be," she smiles gently.