Love Never Dies. (Draco Malfoy Fan Fiction) (Watty Awards 2013 Winner)

Chapter 10: Five Promises.

I woke up the next day at around half past seven in the morning. I pushed the blankets off myself and I grabedb my toothbrush and dragged myself to the bathroom. It was a day off today so I took my time. After washing up, I strolled back to my bed, thinking about the kiss with Draco last night. It made me feel so warm on the inside when I realised that he was feeling the same way about me as I was feeling about him. My life was almost perfect, the boy I fell in love with loved me back and he was much more gentle than I had expected him to be. I sat down on my bed again and I lay down, replaying the kiss again and again in my head. That seemed to set me in a good mood to start the day. I turned around and I saw a purple interdepartmental note hovering around me. I grabbed it and I unfolded the paper. It read in a familiar handwriting -

Meet me outside the Slytherin common room after you have your breakfast, I want to take you somewhere.
Draco

I gently folded the paper back and I placed it in my pocket. Grabbing my bag and changing into a pink sweater and black jeans, I went and searched for Esme, who was waiting in the common room for me.

"About time, Rachel! Let's go!" Esme greeted me with a smile and took my arm. "I want to go to that Zonko's shop everyone's been talking about lately. I wonder what they sell..."

"Sure, I'd love to join you but I have to meet someone after breakfast," I told her. She got the hint almost immediately and allowed me to meet Draco.

"I'll tell you all about what happened last night tonight, okay? And I'll join you to shop right when we're done," I promised Esme as we made our way down to the Great Hall where freshly cooked breakfast was waiting for us.

We found a spot along the Slytherin table and settled down to a scrumptious breakfast of eggs and toast. I shoved down the food as fast as I could. Man I was starving. When I finished my breakfast, I got up and gathered my things.

"I have to meet him now, I'll catch you later?" I asked Esme who was still eating.

"Sure! I'll meet you at Honeydukes?" Esme arranged with me.

"Honeydukes, it is then. See you!" I waved to Esme and walked back down to the common room with my bag.

When I reached the slime and grime covered wall (or door) that led to our common room, I found Draco strolling around, his eyes on the ground. He seemed to be deep in thought but he noticed my presence and looked up.

"Hey Rachel," he greeted me, walking towards me.

"Hey Draco," I greeted him back. He took my hand in his and started pulling me behind him, not stopping for an explanation. "Where did you want to take me to?" I asked him.

"It's a surprise" he told me, pulling me along faster than ever. "Walk a little faster, could you?"

"I'm doing my best!"

He led me out of the castle and into the woods nearby. We were probaby at the heart of the woods when he stopped walking and let go of my hand. He took my shoulders and turned me around, with him behind me. I looked saw the whole of Hogwarts. It was absolutely breathtaking. The snow that covered the castle's roofs seemed to make it feel ironically magical.

"Is this real?" I asked Draco who was also admiring the scene with his hand in mine.

"Every flake of snow, it's real," he answered me.

The view was beautiful. The trees didn't block any portion of the view from my eyes. The sun shone on the castle and the snow on the roofs seemed like glitter. Breathtaking and undeniably romantic. This time, I felt Draco wrap his arms around my waist from behind me. He rested his chin on my shoulder and I leaned my head on his. It felt so perfect. 

"I promised myself that I would take my first love to this place to watch the view with me in the heart of the woods," Draco whispered into my ear with his velvety voice. "And I promised myself to show her this." Draco raised his head from my shoulder, released his hands from my waist and stood in front of me. In his hands was an old and rusty key.

"This is the key I used to lock a small cabinet with a roll of parchment in it," he handed me the key before he took my hand and led me to a rather dimly lit place. There it was, a small wooden cabinet that was partially buried underground under a pine tree. "And I told myself that my first love would open that cabinet and read the note I put inside it." He gave me the signal to open the little wooden cabinet.

I walked toward the small cabinet and I knelt down so I could open it with the key. I noticed the little hearts engraved along the edges of the cabinet and I realised how much this gesture meant to our relationship. I pushed the key into the small keyhole and turned. I heard a click sound and the door was unlocked. I slowly opened the cabinet and in there sat a small folded piece of parchment. It was starting to yellow because of the age yet it was insanely romantic.

I locked the cabinet again and I got up with the note in my hand. "Open it", Draco told me. I opened the paper and it read -

My love, if you're the one reading this, know that I feel like the luckiest man in the world. I promised myself to make five promises to you now. You may think this is a little fast, because it's only our first date.
I promise never to hurt you in any way intentionally or unintentionally.
I promise to keep you safe to the best of my ability, no matter the circumstances.
I promise to never let you go even if it seems like I am.
I promise to cherish you like no one has ever cherished you before.
I promise to love you, for I always have and I always will.
Now that I've made these promises to you, I want you to keep the key. This key is one that opens my heart and I've opened it to you.

Loving you always, Draco.

His note brought me to tears. It was extremely touching and it was insanely meaningful. No one ever made me feel this loved. I folded the paper and kept it in my hands. I noticed Draco walking towards me as my eyes started welling up. He wrapped his arms around me and I buried my face in his warm chest. He was so perfect and he was the one, I knew it. As I recalled the five promises he made to me, a tear rolled down my cheek.

Draco pulled me away from the hug and took my face in his hands. He wiped away the first tear that made it down to my cheek and looked deep into my eyes.

"Thank you so much, Draco. It means so much to me - ", I tell him. But he cut me off. 

"You don't have to thank me, just remember those five promises I made to you. I love you, Rachel. So much," Draco whispered to me. I smelled his sweet breath and it seemed to make me feel better.

"I love you, Draco," I replied him. I knew that it was crazy since it was only our first date, but what we had felt so real. I guessed it was because we waited so long for this to happen.

He then pressed his lips against mine and it was phenomenal. I closed my eyes as his lips moved with mine. His hands moved down to my waist where they tightened, pressing my body against his. My hands moved up to his neck and I pulled him closer to me. It wasn't long until he pulled away from me. I opened my eyes and I saw him staring straight into my eyes. I saw his eyes soften and his mouth was turn upwards into the charming smile I loved.

"We should head back now," Draco told me. He took my hand and started walking down the slope back to the ground.

I kept the note and the key in my hands, I never wanted to go anywhere without them. They held so much meaning I didn't ever want to lose. Ever.

"Today was one of the best days of my life, Rach. I'll see you back at school," he told me before he kissed my forehead and left.

I stood there like a statue, thinking about all that had happened over the day. Realizing that I still had to meet Esme at Honeyduke's, I slowly made my way to Hogsmeade. I kept the note and key in my bag, trying to avoid any questions from Esme. She wouldn't stop talking about it when she found out and I knew it.

A/N: I've been waiting to write about this for such a long time! I thought that this was a good way the make it official between Rachel and Draco, I hope you're liking the story so far. Please comment on anything that can be improved on. Please vote if you liked it! Thank you! .x