𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 - 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 (𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟒)

18 - Promises

The next morning...

I woke to the sound of windchimes downstairs. From where I laid in bed I could see the ocean waves outside, the salty beach air spreading throughout the house. I nuzzled back into Draco's chest under the blankets, one of his arms still wrapped around my waist. I never wanted this moment to end.

But my stomach was grumbling, and I could smell bacon and toast being made downstairs. I slipped out of Draco's grasp, still sleeping, his face slightly irritated that the warmth of my body was gone.

I put on some pajama pants and a sweatshirt, and threw my hair into a messy bun, then walked down the stairs to see Hermione at the table, Bill and Fleur in the kitchen.

"Come grab some breakfast," Fleur smiled at me, motioning for me to come into the kitchen.

"Thank you," I smiled, taking a piece of toast with some butter and some slices of bacon. I sat down across from Hermione.

"So how was last night?" she asked. I almost choked on my damn toast.

"What?" I stammered.

"Oh your muffliato charm worked, don't worry, but I could hear your bed creaking, and here you are looking like that," she snorted, looking at my hair and my clothes.

"Oh shut up," I grumbled, a small smirk on my face as I took another bite.

"Morning," Draco yawned, walking down the stairs, planting a kiss on my forehead before sitting down next to me.

"We've got bacon and toast if you'd like any," Fleur exclaimed.

"Oh, I'll have a little, thank you," Draco smiled as she brought him a plate. He took my hand under the table, using his right hand to pick up his fork. That was something great about meals. I was left handed, he was right, so I'd always sit on the left so he could hold my hand under the table.

Hermione started giggling at Draco's messy hair.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she smiled.

"You're hair is messy too, might I ask what that's from?" I eyed Hermione. Her face flushed bright red. She sat silently.

"That's what I thought," I smirked.

Harry and Ron eventually came downstairs for breakfast.

"Why is it I'm the only one with not messy hair?" Harry stared at all of us.

Hermione and I started laughing, and Draco and Ron eyed each other awkwardly.

"I'm like fifth wheeling here," Harry complained.

"You'll be back with Ginny soon," I assured him.

Oh Ginny. I missed her so much. She was my best friend after all.

"So how long are you planning on staying?" Harry asked Draco.

"Maybe a week or two, depends on your guys' plans I guess," he said quietly.

Draco wasn't used to acting normally with Harry, Ron and Hermione yet, despite me. He was quite shy around them, actually. I think he felt bad.

"What about your Mother?" I asked.

"I'll send an owl, don't worry," he squeezed my hand.

We finished up breakfast, then Draco and I went for a walk on the beach.

"What have you all even been doing these past few months?" he asked, his hand in mine as we let the sand move under our bare feet.

"I don't want them to yell at me for telling you, but I'll give you the gist of it," I sighed. "We've been hunting these things that you know who made, these things that will keep him alive. We can't kill him unless they're all destroyed," I explained.

"How many are there?" he asked.

"Seven, Harry thinks eight. I'm not sure why," I furrowed my brow in thought.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, you're smart," he smiled, lightly touching my nose with his finger.

"We've only got three to go, but we've got no idea where to start," I exclaimed.

"Well what are they?" he asked.

"They could be anything. With the one's we've seen so far they're usually things that are close to them," I said.

"Could they be living?" he asked.

"I assume so, why?"

"He's got this snake. It's by his side at like, all times," he exclaimed. "I bet it's one of them, but it's just a theory you guys could you know, test out."

"Thanks," I smiled.

"So how is the manor?" I asked him.

"It's terrifying, actually," he sighed. "I've seen a lot of bad things; scarring, really. I wake up with nightmares and shit," he grumbled.

"I'm sorry," I squeezed his hand tighter. "If I may ask, what have you seen?" I asked hesitantly.

"People have gotten murdered, brutally, in front of me. The snake, it um.. It eats them after, usually we have to watch," he responded weakly. Christ, that sounded awful. All to put on the shoulders of a 17 year old boy.

"I can hear the screams too, when they torture people. But Lorelei keeps me company. Usually I just put spells on my door so I can't hear it."

"How is Lorelei, by the way?" I asked.

"She's really well actually, she likes to walk through the gardens with me a lot. She really loves the butterfly bushes," he smiled.

That made my heart swell.

"I'm really sorry you have to see all of that, though," I muttered.

"It's alright, last night was the first time I haven't had a nightmare in weeks," he smiled weakly.

"Good," I stopped walking, leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I never got my morning kiss," he pouted.

"If two in the morning counts you got way more than that," I smirked, leaning up to kiss his lips.

"Fair enough," he smiled. We began to walk back to the house.

"One day we're gonna go back to your cottage and rebuild it, have our kids there, I promise," he sighed.

"How many times are you gonna bring up that idea with me?" I snorted.

"What? I'm excited," he smirked, rolling his eyes.

"We're really gonna do that?" I smiled, hope filling my heart.

"Yeah, we are. I promise."

But promises are the sweetest lies.

And that's what I was terrified of most.