It started as a joke DracoxReader

Brood

"Lectulo (bed)" Draco tapped your shoulder as you all sat in the common room with your friends, talking about everything and nothing. It was like you were getting a summer's worth of friendship into one night. It was nice actually, considering the only people you had had conversations with in the last few months would kill you if they were told to without thinking twice. Except Draco of course, and maybe Narcissa.

You nodded, it was getting awfully late and even though classes didn't start until Monday. There was a strict schedule now imposed by the new headmaster. Meal times were the strictest, not wanting students to linger in the Grand hall longer than needed be. The only real common places left were House Common rooms and the Library. Even Quidditch was disbanded yet ANOTHER year, which you knew infuriated a lot of the students. Seeing as that was really an outlet for most of them.

"Goodnight everyone" you nodded as you and Draco walked up the stairs, thank Merlin for the prefect status still standing as Draco came into 7th year. Because if you had to go back to sleeping in a room with a bunch of roommates you may go a little crazy.

"You're making too many plans" Draco sighed as you pulled away your robes.

"Love, its only a matter of time before The Dark Lord catches Harry and things just become what he wants... can't we just pretend maybe it will be good? That we won't be stuck forever?" you pleaded with him. You both had thought maybe this would all be over already, that someone would just win already so the rest of the world could just start falling into place.

"Sweet..." Draco stood in a pair of cotton pajamas pants, which was normal but seeing as that was all he wore, it made you bite your lip. What he said next made your train of thought change completely. "I don't know if I want him to win"

"Draco..." you shook your head, maybe you had heard him wrong. "What do you mean?"

"If he wins, we'll be stuck in that fucking manor. Forever" he sat down on the edge of the bed "I don't know if I can take that"

"So you... want Potter to win?" you asked.

"I don't know... maybe?" he seemed nervous, like he was telling you his deepest secret. Maybe that's because he was.

You walked over to him, letting your hands meet his face softly, urging him to look at you.

"And what if he does? What if Potter wins" you asked, catching him off guard.

"Then we can just...."

"Vivet?(Live)" you knew what he meant, you always did.

He leaned his head deeper into your hands, "Vivet"

"You know that no matter what. Your side is the one I'm on." You assured him, knowing his mind would wander if you didn't.

"I wish I could take this fucking thing off me" Draco brought his hand to his bare forearm, pressing his nails to the skin. You watched him for a moment as he stayed there, his knuckles flushing white.

"Draco," you pulled his hand away as the nails broke skin. "Stop" you begged.

"I hate it. I hate the way it's always watching me. Watching us. It's like we're never really alone anymore" you gently waved your wand over his skin, healing the spotted blood marks that peaked there. You let your lips rest gently on the skin after it healed, the warmth residing from the spell trickles into your lips. "Don't," he said, pulling his arm away. "Don't treat it like it's a part of me."

"Draco" your voice is languished. "It's not. You know it's not. But that is your skin it sits on, that still belongs to you."

"I'd remove the whole arm if I thought it meant being free of it" his face was burned with disgust. You knew it too well, because oftentimes you'd felt the same. Wondering if maybe that would be all it took. Though in all reality you knew it wouldn't be that easy, this was just a flesh wound to the true scar, the one that is etched into your souls.

"Well we can't both be one handed. And I thought of the idea first so..." you tried desperately to lighten the mood even a little. You could tell he was trying not to laugh, dark humor was his favorite.

"Can't you let me brood even a little?" he watched you as you stood, mocking the cocked direction of your head.

"I think we both know you did enough brooding last year for an entire My Chemical Romance concert" you laughed a little.

"My what?" He asked. Draco had never been much into music other than classics. Let alone muggle music, sometimes you were able to slip him a song or two promising it was wizarding music (though in all honesty, all muggle music is just Wizards pandering to Muggles.)

"Never mind" it was far too late to explain to Draco what the black parade was. "Lecto?(bed)" you walked around the bed, finding the same space you had laid a million times.

Draco watched you as you did, his brain seemingly still stuck on a thought.

"Quando enim liberum esse(When will we be free)?" He spoke, his eyes melded to your face. You had really no answer, no time frame, or even any hopes that you would be. You could never admit that though, even if sometimes you'd think about it. You could never say to him you worried you'd be stuck here forever.

"Aliquando(someday)" was all you could manage. "So" you attempted yet again to change the subject. "What are you mad at me for now?" you waited until he was set next to you in bed.

He seemed to be reminded that he was in fact upset with you, maybe you shouldn't have said anything.. Fuck.

"You can't run around showing your mark to every person who asks" he insisted, crossing his arms. You really had to resist smiling at him when he did this. So very bossy..

"Why not? If I had to wear this bloody thing might as well scare a first year or two" you perched your lips, running your thumb over the skin the dark mark possessed.

"You love the first years don't even try and act tough"

You had to admit, you kind of did. "They're just so excited to be here." you were struck with a sobering thought. "At least they used to be"

Draco shrugged "Maybe it won't all be as bad as we think"

You gave him a look, to which he lowered his shoulders.

"Yeah... I guess you're right" he started shuffling himself into bed, pulling the covers close to his face and rubbing the soft cotton to his cheek. Something you always loved watching him do, even if he didn't notice he did it. You joined him in snuggling under the covers, the rushing water of the lake outside soothes your aching mind. The Slytherin lullaby.

Draco had his eyes closed, you watched him for a moment... How perfectly his hair laid on the pillow, how even the roughest edges of him turned to plush in fresh sheets. Oh if Olympus could see him now.

"Draco" you breathe, gentle enough that if he was asleep it wouldn't wake him.

"Yes, sweet?" he asked, letting one eye open to watch you.

"I love you"

"I know" he cracked a smirk. You narrow your eyes making him chuckle slightly, reaching his arm to pull you closer to him, his lips resting tenderly on your forehead, speaking so softly you knew even the walls couldn't hear him "And I love you"