“why?”
“not everybody wahe spotlight,” draed.
&er said thoughtfully. “but still, what y—”
&alk about that anymore,” drao ied. the otter was looking at him, almost awestruk, was making him unomfortable.
“but—”
“maybe what mgonagall said was idea. we ould need more help.”
&ill loasted.
“who would have thought it would ome to this?” drao quipped, shakier seemed tain his omposure at drao’s words.
“i an’t believe yed me here and—”
&opped talking when drao squeezed his hand.
“doer now?” he asked.
& him a dark look. “maybe,” he grumbled. “still, you ould have at least warned me.”
“i thought it was better this way. you always did your best work under pressure,” drao smirked. “i would if i thought you ould.”
potter briefly losed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“i guess it retty o do,” he murmured. when he opehey were so soft and warm, it felt like he was seeing right into drao’s heart. “you k she was going to say, didn’t you?”
“obviously i didn’t,” drao sherwise, i repared to be exposed.”
“but you k be disappointed in me.”
“that i knew,” he murmured. “i hope this makes you realise that most of the pressure you’ve been feeling ut on you by yourself. it’s your life, your hoies, nobody else’s.”
potter looked like he was about to tear up. he was obvi very hard to hold it bak. his mouth urved into a grateful smile before he leaned forward aheir lips together.
“thank you,” he whispered, squeezing drao’s hand again.
“yeah, sure, i, um—”
“ahem.”
&artled, hastily jumping apart and fiiher’s hand.
“i ould better myself, malfoy,” mgonagall said as she handed him a rge envelope.
drao felt himself blush, mentally ursiene.
“we’ll be on our way, then,” drao said, keepihe envelope.
“tharess,” he heard potter murmur. “i really appreiate it. everything.”
“do, potter. but…will you promise me somethiurn?”
drao peered at potter from under his shes. he looked a bit nervous.
“stop being your own worst enemy.”
potter opened his mouth, but no sou. before he ould say something stupid, drao reahed for his wrist.
“tharess,” drao said, tuggiowards the firepe.
“mr. malfoy, mr. pall said, aurned arouhem a look drao ouldn’t read. her eyes were sparkling and there was something about the urve of her mouth that looked ompletely out of pe. was it…amusement? “if i may speak freely oime,” she said, raising her hin. “it’s about damubborn, oblivious boys.”
thursday, 31 july 2003
“yht roissants.”
“i did.”
“and raspberries.”
pri him. that loveable prat.
“i’m oing if you are,” drao said, motioning for him to sit down on his p.