Touch Starved

Perfume...

Draco had been taking the potion Harry had been giving him for a week now, it was starting to last longer and longer.

"No more." you said, taking the vile from his hand the night before you left for Hogwarts.

"But y/n, what if... " he tried to interject, although the idea of being defenseless till made him feel chilled to the bone, the idea of hurting you was worse.

"I won't let you put your magic at risk because you're afraid of hurting me." you held the bottle tightly. "I trust you"

"I know you trust me... but I don't trust him" he spoke of that Draco that he worried still lingered inside him, he talked about it like it was some deep secret hiding inside him.

"I will hide your wand, and sleep with mine. Seriously. The last time it lasted for nearly 2 days before you were able to use the wand again"

"I would rather be muggle forever if it meant never hurting you again"

The words shocked you, he was willing to give away so much of himself, for you...

"Well I won't let you do that." you took the potion, dumping it down the sink. He tried to stop you, but was too late. The deep green liquid flowed down the sink like thick ink. Panic started rolling over him, he acted like an addict watching you throw away the last of his fix. "Now lets go to bed, we have an early morning" he watched you as you walked by him, crawling into bed.

"You're a crazy woman I swear.." he sighed.

"Hey, you picked me" you waved your hands to him, begging for him to come to bed. "Lets just sleep. I know we will be okay" you tucked your wand away under the mattress. Draco's had been already hidden for the night.

"Okay..." he crawled into bed. Laying his head on your chest. "But you'd better blow me away if I try to hurt you. I am serious"

"It wont happen again, I am sure about it"

Boy were you wrong.

You woke a few hours later to Draco standing. As hard as you tried to sleep, you had only been phasing in and out.

"Draco.?" you asked, waiting for a response that didn't come. "Malfoy?" you tried. He looked back at you then. You reached for your wand, holding it tight in your hand.

"Where am I?" he asked, hushed in tone.

"You're home..." you rose to your knees on the bed. He stood just off the edge of the mattress. He shook his head, not looking at you.

"Home." he mocked your last word. His body stiffened, like he was starting to panic. He rushed for the door, suddenly sprinting. You locked it with a swift motion of your wand. He turned to you, his hands searching his body for his wand.

"Draco. Please." you got out of bed, getting closer but still keeping far enough to react if you needed to.

"Please don't kill me" he whispered, noticing your wand.

"I would never.. Draco, look at me" he was shaking, his eyes met yours. He wasn't angry, he wasn't scary. He was deathly scared, his fight or flight telling him to run. His body sank, sliding against the door "don't hurt me"

"Please don't be scared of me" you kneeled, getting closer. "Baby..." you whispered, calling for your Draco. Who you knew was hiding in there.

"I don't know you..." he pulled away, you lifted your free hand. Holding his chin in your hand.

"Yes you do." you turned his eyes to yours. You weren't afraid, he needed you. "You love me"

"Love is weakness." he insisted, trying to push your arm away from him.

"Now you listen here, Draco Lucius Malfoy. You know that's not true" he stopped resisting your touch, instead leaning into it. Something in you, even in his state made him feel safe.

"Come back to me" you whispered, your hand stroking his face now. You could see that boy, the one who stood on the side of good for only a moment at the battle, walking away from everything. The one who cried so deeply when he accidentally cursed Katie Bell. The boy Harry nearly killed in the bathroom in 7th year. He was confused, scared and alone in this moment, leaning against the door. His shaking only halted by the feeling of your warm skin.

"I don't know you" he whispered again. You had no idea what on earth you were going to do, how could you bring your Draco back?

You sat there for what felt like too long, maybe an hour or two even. He didn't seem to be snapping out of it, you feared for a moment that this may last forever, but then an idea came to you.

"I am sorry if this doesn't work" you leaned in, getting close to his face. He didn't move away, instead he watched you intently, his eyes nearly watering over. You pressed your lips to his softly. He jumped a little at first, nearly resisting you. But then he didn't, his body melting from its frigid state.

"y/n..." he whispered as you pulled from him.

"Yes Draco it's me" you ran your hand over his hair.

"It happened again... didn't it"

"Yes, but this time was... so different" you pulled him to you. His head crashing into your chest.

"Did I hurt you?" was all he could ask.

"No, Draco. Not even close"

-

You sat on the bed, he was far too shaken to sleep. You had to admit, but never out loud, you were too.

"You weren't mad this time. You didn't threaten me, you didn't even try to attack me. You just tried to run. I locked the door before you could, and you crumbled. I felt like I was the one attacking you. You even begged me not to kill you... It was heartbreaking"

"All I remember is waking up on the floor, and the smell of your perfume." he looked confused, how did these blocks of time just disappear. "How long was I out?"

"Uhh..." You checked the time. "And hour and half"

"And you just sat with me? Did I... say anything?"

"Not not really, just that you didn't know me. We sat in silence mostly, but I could see something in your eyes. It was like you recognized me but couldn't place it. You even seemed to believe me when I promised I wasn't going to hurt you"

He rubbed his eyes, a light yawn escaping him.

"We leave in an hour..." he watched the sun through the window.

"I know... we can reschedule if you need sleep" you grabbed his hand.

"No... we need to go. I have to figure this out... I may not have hurt you this time. But who knows, next time I could..."

"Wait..." you finally processed what he had said "you could smell my perfume?"