It Started With Letters - Drarry

Goodbye My Love

Harry knew he should have headed to bed straight after he finally managed to get back inside the castle, or maybe he should of headed after Draco, convinced him that it would be ok, but alas, he did neither.

Instead he turned to the sickly sweet bliss of alcohol that lay oppressively in the air.

Draco on the other hand found his way to the infirmary.

It was dark inside, dazy with the night sky, drugged on moonlight.

Cassie sat cross legged on the white bedsheets, a book resting in her lap and her eyes trained on it, biting her lip, a candle lit beside her.

"When did you learn to read," Draco asked eyeing her suspiciously.

She looked up at him and grinned so wide that it made him forget all about Harry and Costa Rica.

"I can't, I'm just looking at the words, sometimes you can make out funny shapes like I used to do with clouds."

"Well would you like me to read to you," He offered, going to sit on the chair next to her bed but she hurriedly moved over and tapped the space on the bed next to her.

Draco chuckled and lay down, his head resting against the pillows, allowing her to quickly clamber into his side, resting her head on his chest.

He took the book, he recognised that handwriting anywhere, it was Marks, the one written to him.

He hadn't managed to read it yet, and it had sat untouched underneath the pile of Famous Five books that where on the floor beside the hospital bed.

He placed it on the bedside table.

"They all left," Cassie spoke watching his movements, her curly brown hair tickling his chin.

"Who," Draco frowned.

"Caleb and Nora, they went with their new parents, when do we get to go to our new home with Harry.

He pulled her closer into his side, wrapping up her tiny body with his arm.

"Ah well you see, there's been a small change of plan." He tried desperately to keep his voice steady, "Harry has to stay behind for a bit but we're going to leave tomorrow."

She tilted her head back to look at him with a frown and he stroked her hair reassuringly, "Why not Harry?"

"He's got to sort some things out, but grandma Cissa is coming," he said softly, although his words weren't helping much with the tears forming in her eyes and her quivering bottom lip.

"Will he come say goodbye," she whimpered, tears rolling on her cheeks.

"Hey, hey, i'm sure he will," he cooed, "Look, close your eyes and let me tell you a story."

She grabbed some of the fabric of his shirt in her small fist, pulling him closer, and shut her eyes.

"Once upon a time there was a little girl, she had olive skin, curly brown locks and these big green eyes fit for a princess."

He heard her giggle and he smiled again running his hand through her hair.

"One day she met this magnificent prince," Draco continued.

"Or a princess," She added.

"Yep, or a princess," he grinned.

"Like you and Harry," she continued smiling with rosy cheeks.

Draco fought to steady his resolve, "I guessed that to, now hush and close your eyes."

"So her prince or princess whisked her off to Costa Rice, where there were silk white beaches, foamy blue oceans, orange and lemon trees and all the best food you could think of, and a magnificent house that opened up right onto the beach with friends all around," he spoke dreamily as he felt her grow limp and fall asleep on his chest.

Draco wrapped his arms around her protectively and pulled the blanket over them.

"They lived happily ever after," he said to himself, "happily ever after. Happy."'

Then drifted off to sleep himself.

-

Harry did come to say goodbye.

The party was wrapping up downstairs and Madam Pomfrey must have come up from supervising for she was asleep at her desk, head on a pile of paperwork.

Draco was soundly asleep, Cassie bundled up in blankets on his chest, the moon shining over them.

Harry stepped closer, and the moonlight shuttered across his hand.

He held a soft looking toy that somewhat resembled a rabbit, long arms and legs, big floppy grey ears and a little cotton tail.

As he approached he held it up and slowly but surely placed it underneath Cassies arm.

"Goodbye Cassiopeia," he whispered close to her ear.

He turned to Draco then. The boys pink lips were parted, as they usually were when he slept and he was letting out soft puffs of air. His cheeks were rosy with the alcohol he had consumed and his hair was falling all over his face.

He stalled, fixing the blankets about futilely, he didn't want to go, he didn't even know if he could.

It was almost like his world was shattered, glass pieces that would dissolve to nothing if he dared try to reassemble them.

And yet the stars still shone and the moon still glistened against the dark and the wind still blew and the trees still whispered and they both still breathed.

No matter how much it hurt and no matter how much his heart ached for a rest and how much his lungs cramped with each inhale.

He daren't close his eyes for he felt as if he blinked it would all disappear.

He knew he should leave, what would happen if Draco was to wake, but he couldn't.

Instead he stared at the pale face in front of him, at the slight smile stealing the sleeping boys face and the sweat shimmering on his forehead from the crippling heat.

Harry stepped forward and pushed his hair off his forehead before placing a kiss on his head.

"Goodbye my love, I'm sorry," where his last words before he turned and left.

To his dying day he never knew that Draco had opened his eyes and whispered the same words back to the ravenous darkness.