Forever And Always | D.M

Chapter 21

Getting ready for the Yule ball was a mixture of excitement and nerves. Ginny and Hermione were by my side, helping me with my hair and makeup, and I was so thankful for their help. We talked about what dress we were going to wear, who we were taking as our dates, and what we thought the night would bring. The whole experience was surreal, and I was filled with anticipation for the night ahead.

As I finished up my hair and makeup, I could feel my nerves rising. Ginny and Hermione said their goodbyes and left the room, leaving me alone to take a moment to gather my thoughts and steady my nerves. I knew I had to be calm and confident for the occasion, so I took a few deep breaths to center myself before heading out. Once I felt ready, I took one last look in the mirror and headed out the door.

When I finally made my way downstairs, I saw Blaise waiting for me. He looked dashingly handsome in his suit and I couldn't help but feel blessed to have such a great friend to accompany me to the event. As we walked into the Great Hall, I could feel everyone's eyes on us. I started to feel anxious and insecure, but Blaise's calming and reassuring words helped me to relax.

It was a moment I had been waiting for, and as we stepped onto the dance floor, Blaise held me close and we swayed to the music. Despite the anticipation I had felt earlier, I was able to let go of my nerves for a while, enjoying the moment. But then, I felt the air catch in my chest as I spotted that lustrous, blonde hair spinning around with none other than Pansy Parkinson. That moment brought back a wave of memories from our past relationship, and a sudden pang of sadness ran through my chest.

I apologized to Blaise and ran out of the Great Hall, trying my best to hide my tears. I needed to be alone and find a way to calm down, so I decided to go to the Astronomy Tower. As I made my way up the winding stairs, I took deep breaths to try and steady my racing thoughts and emotions. I was relieved when I reached the top and was finally able to be alone with my thoughts and take a moment to reflect.

As I stood there, trying to hold back my tears, I heard a voice behind me. I knew it was Draco, but I refused to turn around and face him. His voice was softer than usual, and he said, "I knew I'd find you here." I could feel my heart breaking at the thought of him knowing where to find me. I wanted nothing more than to tell him to go away, but I couldn't. I stood there, unable to move, as Draco slowly made his way closer to me.

He walked up to me and stood beside me, looking out at the night sky. We stood there in silence for a moment before he spoke. "I'm sorry for what happened between us," he said. "I know I hurt you, and I regret it so fucking much."

I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to forgive him, but I also didn't want to hold onto the hurt and anger forever. I took a deep breath and turned to face him. "It's okay," I said, "I've moved on."

Lies

Draco looked at me with sadness in his eyes, his heart heavy with regret. He knew that I was still hurting from the pain. He asked me to look him in the eyes and tell him that I really had moved on, but I couldn't bring myself to say the words again. Instead, I looked away, my voice barely a whisper as I said, "I can't."

Draco nodded as we stood there in silence for a moment before he spoke again. "You look beautiful tonight," he said, looking at me with a soft expression.

I couldn't help but blush at his compliment. "Thank you," I said, feeling a mix of emotions before adding "Don't you have a date waiting down there."

"No...My date is right here."

"I don't want to have to go back down there," I said, with a hint of reluctance in my voice.

"Who said we had to go down?" He extended his hand, and I paused for a split second before grasping it.

"The Astronomy Tower is our thing." He led me to the edge of the tower, where we could see the stars shining brightly in the sky. We stood there, swaying to the music that was still playing in the distance.

"You're going to hell for leaving Pansy."

"Never asked her."

As we danced, I couldn't help but feel conflicted. Part of me wanted to forgive him and start over, but another part of me couldn't forget the pain he had caused me. I decided to enjoy the moment for what it was and deal with my emotions later.

After we finished dancing, I reluctantly stepped away from him. I felt a pang of guilt as I did so, knowing that I was leaving one of the best moments of the night. Even though I didn't want to, I knew that I had to go back and apologize to Blaise for my sudden departure. I knew that it was the right thing to do, even if it was difficult for me.

"Blaise is aware that I'm here with you," Draco said, as I looked at him in confusion.

"He does?"

"Yeah, he was initially going to follow after you, but I had to plead with him to let me be the one to come after you," he confessed.

"Oh," I said, uncertain of how to respond.

Draco gave me a sorrowful look before turning away, "I guess I'll leave you to it then." his voice heavy with regret. His words were filled with remorse and remorse filled his eyes. I could feel the sadness radiating off him and I knew that he felt guilty for the pain he had caused.

Even though it hurt, I couldn't help but feel a little compassion for him. He wanted to spare me any more pain, yet he was suffering himself. I wanted to reach out to him and tell him it was alright, but I was too overwhelmed by my grief. His words still linger in my mind, and I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness every time I think of them.

Even though I knew it was a bad idea, I impulsively pulled him closer and kissed him deeply. Our kiss quickly intensified and I felt a thrill of excitement, and yet a pang of guilt for going against my better judgment. I knew I would regret it later, but at that moment, it felt too good to turn away from.