𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐝𝐞 || 𝐃.𝐌

Chapter 14 - Into the darkness

*A Month later*

Ivory's POV:

It's been weeks since I drank the Veritaserum. Weeks since the air felt heavy with suspicion. But strangely, I never brought it up again. Whatever they'd been hoping to hear, I must've said it, because almost immediately, everyone returned to their usual selves. And so did Draco. For me that was more important then to fight with them about it.

"Hey, darling." he murmured, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His embrace was warm, grounding and familiar.

I turned my head, catching a glimpse of his pale blond hair and playful smirk. "Hi, handsome."
His lips met mine in a slow, deliberate kiss, one that made time pause for a moment too long. Then he slid onto the bench beside me, eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Does my girl want to do something fun today?" he asked.

I leaned in, brushing my lips against his cheek. "I'm always up for something fun. You know that, Draco."

He grinned and rose to his feet with a flourish, casting a sly glance to his left, the kind of silent cue that meant follow me. Without a word, I got up and walked beside him, our footsteps echoing softly through the empty corridor. And then, he took off.

"Draco!" I cried, laughing as he suddenly grabbed my hand and began to run, his long legs carrying us through the castle like two kids sneaking out after curfew. My boots clacked against the stone floor, and the wind from the open hallways tugged at my hair.

"Slow down!" I panted, gripping his hand tighter. "You're going to tear my arm off!"

"That's not what you told me last night." he called over his shoulder, flashing a wicked grin.

"Draco Malfoy!" I shouted, breathless and half-laughing, half-scolding.

We burst through the grand front doors and out into the open grounds. Gravel crunched beneath our feet as we sprinted toward the gates.

"Where are you taking me?" I gasped, squinting as the sun caught his silver-blond hair.

"Look behind you, love." He tugged me to a stop and spun me around gently. A wooden sign stood near the path, carved with elegant lettering that read: Portkey to Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade,  Daily Departures.

I turned back to him, stunned. "Are you serious? Both? Today?"

His arms were already around me again, lifting me in a twirl. "You said you were up for something fun."

Diagon Alley was just as I remembered, vibrant, bustling, and steeped in nostalgia. The air shimmered with traces of leftover spells, and laughter echoed from every corner. Cobblestones clicked beneath our shoes as we made our way through the crowd, weaving past familiar storefronts. Our first stop was 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes'. The shop was chaos in color, smoke bombs exploding with glitter, prank sweets, and laughter spilling from every aisle.

It took effort just to make our way to the staircase. I slipped away for a moment, heading to the second floor. My eyes lit up when I spotted them, stacked neatly in shimmering wrappers.
"How much for these, boys?" I asked, holding up a box of Chocolate Frogs.

"Five galleons." Fred and George said in unison, not even looking up.

I feigned a pout. "How much for me?"

They glanced at me, then each other. "Five galleons."

"But I'm your best friend!"

George raised an eyebrow. "Ten galleons."

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "You two are impossible." Back downstairs, Draco stood near the door with a subtle smile. He handed me a paper bag without saying a word. I peeked inside, four boxes of Chocolate Frogs. My favorite. "You really do know me."