You Are Why

Chapter Three

"Could we travel?" Y/N exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her bare feet.

Draco glanced down disparagingly at her before crouching down and motioning her up onto his back. "If you like."

"I've always wanted to see France," she mused. "And the beach! I want to spend time on a beach. So much time on a beach. What do you want to do?"

"What do I want to do?" Draco repeated, quickly approaching the entrance to Slytherin commons. "I just want to be happy."

"We will be happy!" Y/N kicked off him, bouncing in circles around his feet. "I am so happy! My entire life, I have never actually felt happy and right now, today, I am happy."

He ushered her through the portrait and into his room before anyone could wake up and ask questions. "You're insane."

"But now I have someone that loves me anyway," Y/N beamed, fisting his shirt in her hands and pulling him to her. "Someone perfect for me. I have you."

He kissed her softly. "If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."

"I'm sorry," she blushed, "I don't usually do feelings either, you know that. It's just, so much has happened tonight and that last thing really, really hurt and I think I might just be completely exhausted."

"You're definitely completely exhausted," Draco replied, pulling a black t-shirt out of his drawers and throwing it at her. "And you can't sleep in what you've got on so change."

That was a sober up potion if she'd ever had one. She said meekly. "Or this."

"Why not? It should fit you."

"I, uh," Y/N swayed from side to side, "I get highly claustrophobic at night and I can't wear clothes or wake up thinking someone's strangling me."

Draco blinked. "You sleep without clothes on?"

She held up her ring. "You are contractually obligated to put up with me anyway."

"No," Draco laughed, taking the shirt from her and putting it back. "It's kind of cute, actually." He opened another drawer and chose a pair of the loose black pants he always slept in, swapping his slacks out for them. He glanced up at her, still in the same place in the same level of dress. "Do you require assistance?"

She bit the inside of her cheek. "Yes."

He smirked. "Come here, princess."

Taking the smallest steps known to man, she did so.

With the utmost care, he pushed the robe off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor before moving onto her bra. It only took him one hand, quite a feat in her opinion, there was usually a great deal of profanities involved when she was trying to take it off herself. He knelt to tug her panties down off her hips, forcibly raising each of her ankles to remove them completely. Stepping back, he took his time scanning her from head to toe. "You're beautiful."

She stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and flicking her gaze from his steel eyes to thin lips. "So are you."

"You think I'm beautiful?" he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers.

Pressing into his torso, she coaxed his hands onto her waist. "I know you're beautiful."

"No one's ever said that to me before."

She raised up onto her tiptoes, leaving their mouths just millimeters from touching. "Never?"

"Never," he confirmed, lost in the smoky grey of her eyes.