simple

14.

Bright white rays of sun pierced through the blackness of their dreams. It was not startling to wake up in each other's presence. Hera was awake first, and though she did have that sudden sprinkle of nerves one experiences when they are surprised, there was nothing else but the calming quiet that followed the initial feeling.

Draco woke up looking out a different window than he was used to and smiled to himself. He shifted his body to the side and looked at Hera. In the morning, she looked like an actual teenage girl; her face was bare and pale, stuffed into a pillow comfortably. Her long eyelashes batted open and he was invaded by the intense colour of her eyes.

"Hi," he said.
"Hi," she said, exceptionally green. Intimidatingly gorgeous.

They did not need to say much more, nor did they know how to continue. There was a shared understanding of the same concept- what the concept was could not be said for sure. Draco slid his hand under his pillow and made himself fit into Hera's bed so he could study her better- he was a puzzle piece attached to her endlessness. They laid there for some time, looking at each other, the room, or closing their eyes.

At some point, Hera breathed in and asked softly:
"What day is it ?"

"Sunday?" he answered. "Or Monday, I don't remember."

"I didn't want to push you away," she said sort of out of the blue. She was referring to the library and what followed.

"But someone is watching us. Or me. I don't know who it is but I can feel it. It sounds stupid now that I-"

" 'S not," he interrupted in a groggy voice. He paused to think for a couple of seconds. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for acting like a prick.  Hera, you deserve to refuse me. You should be mad at me-"

"I don't want to," she whispered quickly, shaking her head like a kid who didn't want to get up to go to school.

He widened his eyes.
"You don't want to?" he whispered back, trying to match her tone. It felt fun to be a little childish; the emotion Draco felt was similar to when one would be playing hide and seek and trying not to be discovered.

"No," she whispered, closing her eyes and exhaling a big breath.

Draco swallowed and calmed his racing heart. He shuffled his body towards Hera's, engulfing her in a horizontal hug. She buried her head into his sweater, smelling him subtly. Not knowing what to do with his hand, he cupped her head and pulled her closer to him.

They stayed embraced for a long time, just breathing and noticing each other.