Thank you so much. 🖤

"Draco, you're not there. It's been two years. You've been living with me for almost a year. This is real."

"This is real," he repeated.

He smiled at her, pulling her in and holding her close. He hoped this was real, because letting go of her might just be the death of his soul.

🖤🖤

Hermione placed her hand on top of his, and embarrassment flooded him when her eyes shot open. He was cold and shaking. The everlasting effect of the dementors.

"Draco," she whispered, worry heavy in her voice as she sat up, cupping his face in her warm hands.

This was nice, he thought.

So he would lay here, pretending for as long as his mind would let him. If he kept his eyes on her, and focused, maybe he could stay here longer.

"You're staring again," Hermione said sleepily, opening one eye.

"Just admiring, love," he lied.

Sometimes the warmth of arms around him felt so real, but then the coldness would hit and he could never be quite where he was. But he liked it here. He liked pretending that he had a good life with Hermione. He liked pretending that he was worthy of love from someone like her.

He would tell her that her hair was gorgeous. He would look into those honey brown eyes and hoped that whatever redeeming qualities she found in him, he could also find in himself.

Draco couldn't be sure what was real and what wasn't. Was there truly anything redeemable about himself?

Draco just wanted to hold onto this dream, soak it in for as long as he could. Whether he was there for only minutes or blessed to be in this world for days, he would cherish it all. He would tell Hermione all the things he should have said. He would tell that there was nothing wrong with her teeth.

And that's where I'll stop folks because I fear I will just keep going lol.

Undressing with each step before stopping in front of her. Admiring the Gryffindor princess sat stop her throne. He would praise each part of her if she'd let him. He would let her control the moment, just as she controlled this one.

She was magnificent. She had no right to be so low to the ground. Draco knew it should be him, getting down in his hands and knees, worshipping her for her beauty. Perhaps he could persuade her to sit in this chair, so he can walk to her the way she walked to him.

He liked seeing her eyes light up with a knowing look. He liked the way she sounded when she figured something out and got the chance to share that knowledge. He loved the way she looked at him. No one else looked at him like that. Just like at that moment, with Granger crouched in front of him.

But as her fingers traced delicate lines on his hands, his body relaxed, sinking further into that chair. He wouldn't admit the comfort of this chair to her. She would give him that swotty look he'd become so familiar with. Or maybe he would tell her. He really enjoyed that swotty look.

Nerves shot through his body when she lowered herself in front of him. Without thinking, as if it was something they did all the time, he placed his hands on her thighs. As soon as he did it, worry filled him.

The pick up line seems to be a place where I get around 300 words down.