Please Be There If I Remember

Chapter Nineteen: Laughing

A/n: I LOVE THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH. 

anyways, begin...

The room was beautiful. That was Draco's first thought as he was unceremoniously shoved into the room that Potter had just simply made appear out of thin air. He heard the door close behind him, but was too preoccupied with the sight in front of him to notice what was happening from behind.

Because ahead lay a large room with red walls, patterned decor, and a bit of what Draco could only describe as Slytherin green.

It felt warm and cosy. But, most importantly, it felt homey.

Which, considering the fact that he just stepped into it not a few seconds ago, was a very quick deduction to be made. There were two chairs facing each other—both made with the Christmas-like colours—and tapestries hanging along the edges of the room that were embroidered with patterns. A mahogany table sat in the centre, stretching across and filled with games. Draco noticed a chessboard with pieces already set up, a set of exploding snap, and gobstones all lying in this magnificent, wonderfully made room.

"Merlin's balls," Draco whispered into the silence.

Potter laughed out loud behind him.

Draco swivelled around at the sound and Green Eyes strode up beside him, his face shifting into something serious. Turning his body, Potter faced him and Draco was distracted enough by his piercing eyes that were boring into his soul—so sharp he had to fight a shudder—that he completely forgot about the room until Potter spoke and broke the enchantment that had seemed to befall Draco.

"I was going to tell you this outside before I showed you the room, but...I heard someone coming and decided to trust you."

Draco stopped breathing for a moment at the words, and had to physically tell himself to take in air. The dizzy feeling of wanting to faint did not leave as he stared into Potter's dazzling, emerald eyes. It felt like a magnetic pull, and once again he had to tell his body how to properly function on command instead of it just doing it by itself.

Potter shook his head and looked away and the connection Draco had been feeling moments before was broken.

"Technically this goes against literally everything Hermione would want me not to do. I mean, imagine how she would react if I told her I brought Draco bloody Malfoy in here," Potter chuckled, talking more to himself at this point. "But it's the only place that I can think of that would work best. Also, I can make it look however we want, so that's a plus."

Draco smirked to distract himself from the pain in his chest.

"So that's why it's all red and green."

"Maybe," Potter said with an amused huff, glancing around the space. "I just wanted it to look comfortable and have a nice place for two people to talk."

Draco rolled his eyes but inwardly he was impressed. Whether it was at the room's ability to create a place that fit that recommendation exactly or Potter's ingenuity in finding it, he wasn't sure.

"How did you find this place?" He asked, now curious.

"Um...well...You used to have this...uh— You know Dobby..."

"It's fine," Draco jumped in before Potter could have an aneurysm, "You don't have to tell me. I was just curious."

"No, no. I'll tell you. Just...give me a minute."

Green Eyes glanced around the room, now purposefully avoiding Draco's eyes. He tried not to feel hurt about it, but his heart still ached.

"I didn't have time to warn you before I pushed you into this room, because I heard someone coming." Potter faced him, "But you can't tell anyone about this place, Malfoy, and I mean it. You're—not supposed to know about this place. At all. And if you even think about telling Theo," he spat out, "or Umbridge—" Draco thought there could be more hate expressed in that word compared to Theo, but didn't say anything— "I will know it was you, and I will personally be there to make sure another word ever leaves your mouth again."