Potter

Chapter 78

It was a long walk back to the school, but I really didn't mind.

The stillness the abandoned school grounds carried was soothing, giving me time to gather my thoughts before I had to dive back into the craziness of the castle. And when I finally did pass through the doors of the Great Hall, everything got very crazy very quickly.

"Potter! Go assist Poppy- Quickly, please!" McGonagall said as she hurried past me, looking only slightly frazzled as she hurried back out into the halls of the castle to search for more wounded people. Not wanting to disappoint, I jumped into the fray, appreciating the distraction that came with having to constantly use my hands and mind to heal.

I worked at a steady pace, making conversation with those that were well enough to talk, and talking endlessly about unimportant things to try and keep the ones that drifted in and out of consciousness awake. I had just finished mending a broken arm when I heard my name called over the noise, and I looked up in relief when I saw Theo and Blaise coming in through the doors.

"You're both alright!" I cried, rising from my spot on the ground to hurry forward, throwing my arms around both of them and nearly knocking a limping Theo off of his feet. "Thank Merlin- I completely lost you both, I'm so sorry-"

"Yeah, well, it's alright, actually." Theo assured me, stepping back. He had a look of mischievousness about him that I automatically didn't trust. "We met up with someone else."

I frowned at him then, stepping back to stare at him properly. "...Someone else?" I asked, eyes darting back and forth between both of them before they stepped back and allowed me to see the person who stood only a few feet behind them in the doorway.

I watched as he surveyed the room for a moment, taking in the sea of people that had gathered before finally the familiar grey eyes landed on me and lit up. My world, for a moment, was centered. His lips quirked up into a faint smile.

"Potter."

"I- Draco!" I managed, completely surprised. And then I was running, crashing into him and throwing my arms around his neck. His arms circled my waist tightly, holding me to him and nearly lifting me up off my feet. I let out a shaky breath, taking a second to just enjoy the feeling of being held, of feeling safe for the first time on this horrible night. Everything washed into the background, every awful thought and loss pushed to the back of mind. He was here. He was here.

"I missed you too, love." Draco murmured, his voice muffled by how his head was hidden in my neck. I could hear the small smile in his voice though, could feel the way his arms tightened around me just slightly, keeping me steady. For a moment, I debated just how bad it would be if I dropped everything I was doing and just took a few good, selfish hours to curl up with him. To kiss him until my lungs ached from the lack of air, to tell him of every moment I had missed him, to show him the hole he had made when he left so he could fill it again.

I could not be that selfish now, though. I took a deep breath as I cleared my head, making sure my lungs stayed steady before I spoke, leaning back so I could watch his face without ever actually letting go of him.

"What are you doing here? Your cover- Has anyone seen you?"

"Only a few- I think my mother may have caught a glimpse. But it doesn't matter anymore." He said quietly. He lifted a hand up, brushing back a stray lock of hair from my temple. "I've done all that I could. What matters now is winning this war- and I'll be damned before I fight for any side that doesn't have you on it." He told me, then added, "And, I had a promise to keep."

I managed a small smile. "That you did." I agreed quietly. "Thank you."

"It wasn't a particularly hard decision." He said, lips pulling up a little. "But you're welcome."