At the End

V

The following morning, I awoke with significant back and neck discomfort, likely due to my attempt to sleep as far from the center of the bed as possible. Upon rising, I observed Draco's absence, I had a feeling it was to make the situation less uncomfortable situation. Following my morning routine, I proceeded to the breakfast area. Given that Thanksgiving is not part of our household tradition, there were no preparations for the occasion. As I approached the dining area, I encountered Draco."Good morning," he greeted while eating."Good morning," I responded before partaking of my meal."Did you sleep well last night?" he inquired as I silently chewed my food.Taken aback by the spontaneous question, I replied, "I did. And you?""Not the best," he stated simply before rising from his seat.

After completing my meal, I strolled around the manor, a customary pastime when faced with boredom. While traversing one of the house's corridors, a familiar piano melody reached my ears. Upon entering the ballroom, I observed Draco skillfully playing the piece. He paused upon noticing me and greeted me with a querying "Hello?"

I inquired, "The song. It's the one we learned together, isn't it?" A smile graced my lips.

"It is," he affirmed. Our shared piano lessons at the age of five yielded cherished memories.

"Do you wish to play it together?" he proposed, rousing me from my reverie.

"Indeed," I assented, taking the seat alongside him. We proceeded to play several pieces we had mastered together, evoking a sense of return to normalcy. Amidst this, we remained the best of friends.

"Are you in tears?" Draco queried, and I then noticed a few tears escaping my eyes.

"Yes, my apologies," I swiftly acknowledged, wiping away the tears.

"Are you well?" Draco inquired, his gaze permeated with concern as he regarded me.

"I – I find this all rather difficult. I simply long for things to return to how they once were," I confided, a faint sob escaping me. Draco embraced me, offering a gentle caress in an attempt to alleviate my distress.

Upon releasing all the tears, I met his gaze with reddened eyes.

"Despite the prevailing awkwardness between us, we could opt to disregard recent events and endeavor to rebuild our bond, just as before," Draco proposed, disentangling his arm from my shoulders. At that moment, I realized just how much I had missed his embrace.

"May we?" I inquired, a glimmer of joy perceptible in my voice.

"Undoubtedly," he affirmed before enveloping me in a warm embrace.

There we remained, the surrounding darkness dissipating as I succumbed to his touch, yearning to halt time and preserve the moment indefinitely.

But good things never stay.

-

A/N

Greetings, everyone. I apologize for the long delay in my updates. I have been very busy lately. I also apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I am very grateful for the 115 reads I have received; I am so happy! Until the next update, farewell.

                                               

                                                                                      -Nora<3