After Saving Draco [ONGOING / REWRITING]

chapter fourteen

Tala. 135 days before May 4, 1999.

      "You know," Draco started again as we kept folding his clothes and putting it in his trunk. "Mother's quite upset that you won't be joining us for the holidays. Even Loon-" he caught himself. "Luna will attend with her father," he said bitterly. "You must come."

      "I know," I sighed for having to repeat myself, setting down his black suit down on his bed. "But I already told you. I promised the Weasley's I'd spend Christmas with them."

      "Honestly, I don't know how you do it," he said as he finished packing. "Does the stench not bother you? And if that cheeky Fred Weasley tries anything I'll—"

      "You'll what!" I snapped at him, cutting him off. "The Weasleys were nice enough to let us spend the summer in the cottage, don't forget that Draco."

      "Right," he muttered. "They are very smelly b-" I shot him a dirty glare that made him pause. "But," Draco continued carefully as he held his hand up to reassure me. "They're quite kind..."

      "That's right," I gave him a forced smile as I handed him his black suit jacket. "What time are you leaving again?"

      "Around the time of Slughorn's party. So in an hour or two," He told me as he began to button his suit. "Who will you be attending with?"

      "Myself," I lied confidently, knowing I was going with Harry as friends.

      "Really?" Draco asked curiously, his eyebrows raising as I nodded my head in response. "I see, how pitiful."

      "Don't miss me too much," he said arrogantly after I stayed silent, reaching me and kissing my forehead. "See you after break, then?"

      I nodded my head in response and gave him another forced smile. I began to head out of his dorms, everyone else in the room already gone for the holidays.

      "I'll owl you everyday," Draco said behind me as I walked away. "Will you?"

      I just kept walking in response.

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"You look beautiful Tala," Harry said as he reached me in the middle of the corridor, looking down at my short, milky pale dress.

"And you look handsome as always," I complimented back as I straightened up his white tie. "Here," I said, taking out a bright blue pocket square from my purse.

"What is this?" Harry asked curiously as he looked down at me.

"Giving you your Christmas gift early," I started to explain blankly. "It's a pocket square. It's blue because it matches your eyes and I thought the color would look nice against your all white suit — oh, and look —" I babbled on as I pointed to the corner of the fabric. "I embroidered your initials on it in white."

Harry laughed lightly down at me. "Thanks Tala, you're so thoughtful," he took the pocket square from my hand and began to examine it with a smile on his face. "It's beautiful, you're quite talented," he said, making my ears turn a little warm. He handed it back to me before saying, "Could you?"

I nodded my head with a light smile, taking the pocket square and tucking it in the front of his white suit. I could his gaze at the top of my head as I put it on for him, right before he took his warm hand and tucked my long black hair behind my ear, making them a little warmer.

"Thanks," Harry said softly before taking his arm out for me to take. And I nodded in response, holding his arm before arriving Slughorn's Christmas party.