Forever And Always | D.M

Chapter 14

I can't believe Draco is still playing these games, especially after what he said in the bathroom at The Three Broomsticks. I thought that meant he wanted to make things different between us, but here we are two weeks later and he's gone totally quiet again. It's not just frustrating and disappointing, it's downright infuriating.

I'm done with his on-again, off-again behavior, he can't keep popping in and out of my life whenever he pleases without expecting me to be mad. With a sigh of exasperation, I struggle to concentrate on my assignments, as my thoughts continually wander to Draco. And it is driving me to the brink of insanity.

As I try to finish my assignments, I felt hands clutching my sides and someone yelling, "Boo!" I jump, startled, and instinctively smack the arm of the person behind me. It turns out to be Draco, who is grinning mischievously. I can feel the glares of other people in the library, annoyed at the disturbance. I feel embarrassed and apologize.

Draco chuckled softly before hopping onto the table, putting his feet on the bench. "Can you not sit like an asshole?" I scolded. Draco eventually relented, suppressing a few more laughs.

"Fine, fine. Anything for you." Draco said as he uttered the last line in a low rumble, likely to avoid further notice. Draco sat attentively beside me, leaned in to examine my work, and asked, "What are you working on?"

"Herbology," I murmured, as I swiveled my head to find him gazing at me from such proximity that I could feel the heat of his breath while he spoke.

"May I please borrow a piece of parchment and your quill?" He requested, and I complied.

I watched intently as he scribbled something onto the paper and then blew gently on it to help it dry faster. After examining it with satisfaction, he folded it in two and handed it to me along with my quill. With that, he gracefully spun around and exited the room.

I tried to be discreet as I opened the paper beneath the table, feeling my cheeks becoming hot under the many gazes still lingering in my direction. There was only one sentence written. "Meet me outside of the ROR in 5 minutes." I wasn't sure what to make of this. At first, I thought he was simply asking for some private time together. But then, upon closer examination, I noticed that the acronym "ROR" was written in cursive and underlined.

I smiled to myself, my mind suddenly making sense of what he was saying, and I carefully refolded the note before stowing it away in my pocket.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

Startled, I looked up to find Dean and Seamus standing above me. "Yes? Is something wrong? What brings you to ask?"

Dean and Seamus exchanged dubious glances before Dean spoke up. "We've been trying to get your attention for at least a minute now."

"Yeah, when we entered and saw Malfoy sitting beside you with a smile, we were confused and stayed back. Once he left, we came to make sure that you were all right.

I hadn't been aware of how deeply I had spaced out while reading Draco's note. "Oh, sorry about that. I have a bad habit of spacing out, I guess."

"Right, so is everything okay? With Malfoy I mean," inquired Dean.

"And what was that note?" pressed Seamus.

"Oh, It was nothing...Just a note from Professor Snape, requesting I meet with him regarding some school-related matter. Contrary to what people may think, Draco Malfoy doesn't appear to be that bad."

Seamus scoffed disdainfully. "Please. It's Draco Malfoy we're discussing here."

"Not to mention all the people he's terrorized in the last five years," Chimed Dean.

My anger surged. I realized that my friends were just trying to look out for me. Although they had been with him for five years, did they truly know him?

Shaking my head in frustration. "That may be true, but you don't know what he's going through. You don't know what his life is like outside of Hogwarts. Maybe he's just lashing out because he's dealing with some tough stuff."

Dean and Seamus gave each other a dubious glance, but I could tell that they were beginning to contemplate my point of view. "I'm not trying to say Draco is a saint," I said, emphasizing my words with a smart tone of voice, "however, I do think we should make an effort to be more tolerant, more sympathetic. We have no idea what struggles he's facing or what kind of suffering he's going through."

We all fell into a reflective hush, our brains whirring with ideas and feelings. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blow up like that. People can still change, right?"

Dean said, "Your kindness is something that I would never want to take away from you. You always see the good in people and I believe that people can change. However, I'm not sure if Malfoy is capable of it."

I suppressed my tears in response to his words. Seamus echoed his sentiments, saying, "We don't want you to get hurt. Malfoy has never been one to make the right choices."

I gave a small, knowing smile as I started gathering my belongings, informing the boys that I had to go meet Professor Snape.

Re-reading Draco's note as I strode down the corridor, I was certain that "ROR" stood for the Room of Requirement.

As I made my way there, I turned the corner and spotted Draco, pacing back and forth. I softly called out his name, and he turned to me with a warm smile before taking my hand and leading me to a huge stone wall.

I looked at Draco expectantly. This had been all his idea, so I was sure he would do the honors and make sure I ended up in the right room. As if understanding my unspoken request, he looked down at me and nodded. With his gaze focused forward, he closed his eyes and focused his concentration.

In a split second, the wall transformed, and a grand wooden door with gleaming brass handles emerged, plain yet elegant in its simplicity.

"After you," Draco said with a smart inflection before he quickly stepped forward to open the door and allow me to pass through.

Nothing could have prepared me for the awe-inspiring beauty that lay before me. Draco walked up to me and tenderly wrapped his arm around my waist, clasping my hip. "What do you think?" he asked, a glimmer of anticipation in his voice. I was utterly speechless as I took in the sight before me. It was a perfect size room, complete with its own bathroom, large windows, dark walls, and a full-sized bed in the middle.

It was beautifully decorated with emerald-colored pillows and a light-gray comforter. Just across from the bed was a small fireplace, blazing with a warmth that spread throughout the room. Draco was now grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm speechless. It's perfect." And it was perfect. Quaint, cozy, and secluded. But most of all, it was mine and his in perfect secrecy. Draco approached me slowly, leaned in close to my right ear, and murmured in a smart tone, "You're perfect." His words sent a flush of warmth spreading across my cheeks as I took them in.

Lost in my contemplations about our intricate on-and-off relationship, I hadn't noticed that Draco had gently cupped my face, his warm hands causing my heart to flutter blissfully.

"What's wrong?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on me as he tried to discern any hint of discomfort. I inhaled deeply, attempting to regain my composure.

"It's just...everything," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "We keep going back and forth, and I don't know where we stand."

Draco's expression softened, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. "I know and I'm sorry," he said, his lips brushing against my forehead. "But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

I shut my eyes, listening intently as he spoke. "You promise?"

He declared confidently, "I promise, forever and always."
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A/N: The upcoming chapter contains content intended for mature audiences, so if that is not something you wish to read, you may skip ahead.