The World and Her Stars

Chapter Thirty-Nine

ROSE POV

It took a while to pack that vision into its box, and to shove it into the attics of my head, compartmentalizing until I didn't have a pit in my stomach anymore.

We both did.

Occluding it away was the only option.

It would drive us both mad if we didn't, and we didn't need to be making irrational decisions based on those emotions.

We fell back asleep for a few hours, then got up, showered quickly, got dressed, and strolled down to breakfast hand in hand.

"Master Lucius and Narcissa have guests in the dining room. Topsy is to take Master Draco and friends to the library for breakfast." Topsy appeared out of nowhere, causing us to jump slightly.

"Guest?" I asked as we walked down the hall.

"It's Christmas Eve. Probably just some out of town friends saying hello." Draco squeezed my hand and we turned down the hall towards the library.

We walked in to see Blaise and Leo sitting casually at a dining table that had been conjured up from a small coffee table, sipping on coffee and chit chatting. Pansy, Millicent, and Daphne sat in the cushion chairs by the fire, and to my surprise, Theo was there. Sitting on the opposite end of the table to Leo and Blaise.

"Why are you two always the last to arrive?" Blaise chuckled, sitting up in his chair more.

"Did we keep you waiting?" Draco smirked at his friend as he pulled out a seat for me.

"Yes, actually. Maybe we can eat now." He huffed, taking another sip of coffee.

"Breakfast..." Topsy snapped her fingers, "...is served."

I gave the elf a warm smile and immediately reached for my coffee that sat in front of me.

"Topsy, dear, would you mind getting me a copy of today's Prophet? I wasn't able to find one on the way down here." Blaise asked nicely.

Topsy snapped again, and the paper appeared in her hands. She walked around the table and graciously handed it to Blaise.

"Thank you, Topsy." Blaise smiled down at the elf, and raised his coffee cup to his mouth as he propped his forearm against the table, flicking his wrist to get the paper to stand up straight.

The coffee Blaise had just taken into his mouth shot out like a rocket as his eyes graced the cover of the newspaper.

"What the hell was that for, Zabini?" Draco scowled, checking to make sure he didn't get coffee on his sweater.

"Let me see that." Leo maneuvered his chair over next to Blaise. His eyes widened at the pages as well.

"What?" I asked, impatiently wanting to see what all of the fuss was about.

Daphne crept up behind the two of them and snatched the paper from his hands, "Let's see here..." she started to walk back to her seat, but then stopped and whirled to face me, turning the paper around so the front page was visible, "You guys are front page material! Holy hell, this is mad!"

"Give me that." Draco stood up and snatched the paper from her hands and examined it closely.

YOUNG LOVE IS IN THE HEIR: DRACO MALFOY AND ROSE EROS SEEN GETTING CLOSE IN LONDON