Work Text
It Happened in Tuscany
Chapter 1: Incendio
The pool’s water reflected the summer sunlight while the soft breeze ruffled his hair.Draco adjusted his sunglasses with a deep sigh, leaning back on his sunbed.It was his second day staying in Zabini’s Italian Villa, which was quite close to Florence and had a huge vineyard in the background.His old friend glanced at him and smiled.“Did you sleep well, Draco?”“Like the dead.” He took a sip of his Negroni, grimacing at the bitter taste. “Coming here was a great idea, mate. I already feel better.”Blaise made a different cocktail each day. The Spritz from the day before had tasted better, but Draco would never say no to trying new drinks under the sun.“You can stay the rest of the summer for all I care,” Blaise commented, closing his eyes and lifting his chin as he enjoyed the warm weather on his bare skin. “I like having company.”Draco looked at him with a frown.“Won’t your mother come?”“Only to visit.” Blaise shrugged and placed the green straw between his teeth, sucking the orange liquid. “She likes the south of France better.”“Hm.”They stayed silent for a while, and Draco started to doze off to the sound of the little waterfall pool when he heard his friend’s voice again.“You should come to Florence with me this Friday night.” Blaise stared at him with a lifted brow as he drummed his fingers on his glass. “Italian girls are beautiful.”Draco snorted.“I would look ridiculous next to you.” He scrunched up his nose while gesturing between them. “A literal Adonis and a sick Victorian man.”Blaise chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.“I’m sure someone will love your pale skin,” he replied, his face turning serious. “You’ve cast a shielding charm on yourself, right? I don’t want you to look like a shrimp tomorrow.”Draco shot him a dark glare.“Fuck off.”Blaise laughed again and looked away, drinking the last sip of his Negroni.“You need to socialise, Draco.” There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that Draco had seen many times before, and that never meant anything good. “Meeting new people is fun, and getting laid is even better.”Draco rolled his eyes.“You sound like Pansy.”“And you should listen to your friends.” Blaise gave him a tired look and picked up his phone. “Have you tried one of the new dating apps?”At Draco’s puzzled look, Blaise showed him his phone screen.He blinked at the beautiful picture of a blonde woman in a bathing suit.“There’s a new one that’s only for wizards and witches,” Blaise explained, opening another app and letting him see the screen. “It’s called Incendio.”Draco frowned in confusion.“Like the spell?”“Clever, right? It’s the wizarding version of Tinder.” Blaise bit the inside of his cheek, looking him up and down, and extended his empty hand. “Give me your phone. I’ll make you a profile.”Draco did as he asked, unlocking it first.“You’re wasting your time, Blaise.” He ran a hand through his still-damp hair with pursed lips. “No one would want to date me.”His friend waved a hand dismissively and kept typing.“Not everyone knows the Malfoys here, mate.”Draco scoffed. His family name had been dragged through the mud after the war, and all the European magical newspapers had gossiped about it.“Fat chance.”His friend paused and looked at him thoughtfully.“Some people don’t use their real names and don’t have pictures of their faces,” Blaise added with a knowing smile. “We could try that.”Draco winced. It was best not to think about what Blaise used those apps for.“And once she sees me in real life?” He asked with an arched eyebrow.His face had been plastered all over the media after his trial, along with the other Death Eaters. He had been the only one acquitted of all charges thanks to Potter’s help, something Draco was still trying to forget.“Let’s hope your charm is good enough to make her forget who you are,” Blaise mused, ducking when Draco threw an ice cube at his head.After a last glare, Draco stood up and dove into the water, swimming another twenty laps and pushing all thoughts of the war to the back of his mind.He was about to start the eighteenth one when he heard a loud gasp.Draco froze and turned around, laying his arms on the marble edge of the pool.“What?”Blaise’s mouth was open, a shocked expression on his face. He blinked and looked at him with wide eyes.“Well, I have good news.” His friend cleared his throat and ran his tongue over his lips as they curled up into a smirk. “You already have a match,” he continued, showing him his phone’s screen.
(1)Draco almost choked in surprise.“Really?”Blaise nodded, his smile widening, and he clicked on her picture.
(2)Draco felt his stomach flip. He had always secretly liked women with dark hair, and she was not far away.“She’s our age.” Blaise twisted his lips to the side, his eyes narrowing in thought. “We need to say hello.”“Wait-”His friend was typing at the speed of light before Draco could say anything.“Her profile is written in English, so she’s probably not Italian. And she’s already replying,” Blaise murmured with a grin.Draco’s heart skipped a beat. He leaned his weight on his hands and jumped out of the pool, pushing his wet hair out his eyes as he walked towards the sunbeds.“Give me my fucking phone,” he snarled, snatching it from him and sitting down on the sunbed.He stared at the screen incredulously.
(3)“Why the fuck did you use that picture?” Draco scowled at his friend, his gut twisting in panic. His eyes returned to the screen a second later. “Now she thinks I’m a drunk.”Blaise let out an amused snort.“Just tell her you’re not.”As if she would believe his word alone. Draco sneered at Blaise and took a deep breath before typing.It was the first time he talked to an unknown woman, and he was a bit excited, though he would never admit it if Blaise asked.
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(7)The cat looked extremely similar.He glanced at Draco from the corner of his eye, his heart pounding in his ears.Could it be her?“Has she told you the name of her cat?” Blaise asked nonchalantly.“Stormy,” Draco replied, distracted. “Should I tell her I have stormy eyes? She might think I’m funny.”Blaise snorted into his drink, hiding a smile behind the glass while Draco smirked at his phone as he typed.Making sure his own phone was locked, he got to his feet and jumped into the pool, sighing at the feeling of the cold water after being under the sun all morning.He looked back at the sunbeds with a grin tugging at his lips.His best friend was still on the phone. He couldn’t wait to see Draco's reaction once he discovered the person he was texting was Hermione Granger.And Blaise wasn’t planning on telling him.━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
TRANSCRIPTION
Magical Tinder - Incendio
(Image 1)
Draco and a stranger named J have matched.J's pic: All we see is the back of her head and a kitten on her shoulder.
Draco's pic: We only see his upper body. He's wearing a white shirt and holding a glass of Firewhisky in his hand.(Image 2)
J's profile picture. She's 26 years old and lives 11 km away from Draco.
Draco texting J
(Image 3)
Draco: Hey
J: Hey. You anonymous too?
Draco: Yes. I'm not comfortable showing my face to strangers.
J: Neither am I. Please tell me you don't have a problem with alcohol. I've had enough of that.(Image 4)
Draco: Don't let my pic scare you. I drink Firewhisky maybe once a week, sometimes even less than that.
J: Good. How is your relationship with your mother?
Draco: Normal, I guess. I see her once or twice a month.
J: Now we can talk.
Draco: Merlin.(Image 5)
J: Do you have any questions for me?
Draco: Only one. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?
J: If someone made a mistake and is truly sorry, I would give them a second chance. Unless they cheated. That's unforgivable.
Draco: We agree on that. Nice to meet you, J.(Image 6)
J: Nice to meet you, L. Nice shirt.
Draco: It's my favourite. Cute kitty.
J: Her name is Stormy. She was 3 months old in that pic.
Draco: And now?
J: She's 9 months old and a little nightmare.
Draco: I bet she's lovely.
J: She is 😊
Instagram
(Image 7)
The latest picture Hermione posted is a pic of a dark brown cat.
GrangerGirl: Stormy is already 9 months old 🥺❤️ #missuCrooks #StormyGranger
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Blaise looked up when Draco entered the kitchen."Good morning, beautiful.""Shut up," Draco snarled, lowering himself into the chair across him with a huff.Blaise pushed a mug towards him and Draco's scowl disappeared. He nodded his thanks and took a long sip, humming appreciatively at the taste of cinnamon and vanilla mixed with black tea.He was not a morning person, and his friend always knew how to improve his mood."You look tired." Blaise was watching him, his index finger running along the rim of his mug. He paused and his grin curled to the side. "Don't tell me you stood up late texting J."Draco pressed his lips together, feeling a blush creep up his neck.He had been texting her for five days now, sometimes long into the night. Draco didn't know why, but talking to her made him feel good.Perhaps it was because she couldn't judge him for his past mistakes."She's interesting, okay?" Draco replied, annoyed at how well Blaise knew him. "I find her intriguing."Blaise's lips twitched."And what about meeting her?"His stomach dropped to the floor."I don't think it's a good idea," Draco muttered, shaking his head.He wasn't ready. The possibility of being rejected if she recognised him was terrifying.Blaise hummed and sent his empty plate to the sink with a wave of his wand."You could ask her what she thinks about meeting in person," he added in a low voice, his gaze softening in understanding.Draco snorted. He had the feeling J also wanted to remain anonymous for now.He pushed the locks falling on his eyes back and said what he needed to say to appease his friend."Maybe."Blaise nodded, satisfied for the moment. His phone chimed and he checked it before raising an eyebrow at Draco."You will come with me to Florence this afternoon, right?" His honey eyes narrowed when Draco shifted on his chair. "You promised."
Fucking hell.
"Yes, Blaise, I will go," Draco confirmed with a drawl, grabbing a cookie and taking a bite. "Stop pestering me. It's too early."Blaise pursed his lips to hide a smile."If you say so." He stood up and walked towards the main doors as he rolled up the sleeves of his grey shirt. "I'll be back soon. Don't miss me too much."Draco rolled his eyes."I'll try not to."Once the door locked shut, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and smiled when he found a new notification.It was her.
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The music was too loud.Draco grimaced when a man bumped into him, accepting his apology with a nod. He gestured to the barman again and looked around as he waited for his drink.Blaise was chatting with two beautiful Italian women, both of them laughing at his jokes and with pink beverages Draco had never seen before in their hands.He sighed deeply once the barman returned with his Bellini, placing a few euros on the bar counter and grabbing the drink. Draco took a sip while he returned to Blaise's side and hummed appreciatively.This was his favourite Italian drink if he didn't count the wine."Draco."Draco lifted his gaze from his orange drink and found Blaise's eyes fixed on him. He blinked in confusion and looked around.Where were the women?"Toilet," Blaise added, replying to his silent question. He placed a hand on Draco's shoulder and leaned closer. "What if you meet someone special today?"Draco wrinkled his nose and averted his gaze to the square he could see through the windows."I won't.""But what if you do?" Blaise insisted. "The night is young and it could happen. You won’t turn down the chance of spending the night with a willing witch because of J, right?"His heart fluttered at the mention of the woman who was always in his thoughts.Draco glared at his friend. He knew Blaise was just trying to help him come out of his self-imposed prison, but it was starting to be annoying."You know I don't do that," he hissed, his eyes narrowing in warning. "Not anymore."Blaise clicked his tongue impatiently."Astoria was an isolated incident." He squeezed Draco's shoulder and released him with a long sigh. "Not every woman is like her.""Still." Draco shook his head, pushing all the painful memories away. "Casual sex made me feel empty. Emptier," he acknowledged, hating the pity he could see on his friend's face. "Now I want to know the person first, see if we could work together."Blaise twisted his lips down and folded his arms."And you think you can get to know someone through a dating app?"Draco shrugged."Why not?"Blaise rolled his eyes and pulled at his arm until they were both outside the pub.Draco took a deep breath of fresh air and smiled. This was better."You may never meet her in real life."Draco leaned against the wall and swallowed the knot he could feel in his throat with what was left of his drink, tilting his head to the side and glancing at Blaise.He had considered this possibility too. Maybe J would change her mind and they would never see each other. Or maybe she wouldn't like him anymore once she knew who he was.It was a risk he didn't mind taking. Something in his gut told him she would be worth it."It's been only five days," he replied softly, placing the empty glass on the high table next to them and nudging Blaise on the ribs. "I'm staying all month here, plenty of time to get to know her better until we trust each other enough for that."Blaise looked up at the dark sky."Did you ask her about the anonymity issue?"Draco nodded tiredly, wishing he still had some of his drink left.He would need more alcohol if they were going to spend the rest of the night with the two Italian women.His fingers itched to pull out his phone and text J, but Blaise had asked him to forget about the bloody phone and enjoy himself… and he was trying to."And?"Blaise's deep voice broke through the haze in his mind and brought him back to the present. Merlin, he was relentless."People judge her for who she is," Draco muttered, turning to his friend with a raised brow. "Something I can relate to."Blaise squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed the back of his neck, placing two new drinks on the table."This is starting to sound too serious for a summer fling."Draco snorted and grabbed the orange one, gulping half of it down. His friend was right, and he didn't want to consider what that meant."And what about her?" Blaise asked, pushing himself away from the wall and lowering his voice. "What if sex is all she wants?"Draco scoffed."She's not interested in that either."Blaise opened his mouth to reply but no sound came out of his lips. Draco looked back at him with a frown and froze at his shocked expression."What in the-" Blaise blinked, his eyes wide and his mouth half open. His jaw clicked shut and he chuckled under his breath. "I can't believe it."Draco wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what he had seen. Or whom."What?"Blaise pointed to the left with his chin and gave him a look he couldn’t decipher."Over there."Draco followed his gaze and stiffened, almost choking on his sweet cocktail.Granger and Weaslette were at the other side of the square, staring at them with wide eyes while their hands twitched towards their handbags as if they wanted to pull their wands out and hex them on the spot.Draco swallowed hard and shot a panicked look to Blaise, who looked... amused?
Oh fuck, no.
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TRANSCRIPTION
J and Draco texting each other
(Image 8)
J: Good morning, L
Draco: Good morning, J. Did you sleep well?
J: I did, thanks for asking. But I'm a bit tired.
Draco: Me too
J: Sorry for keeping you up
Draco: Don't be. I like talking to you(Image 9)
J: I also like talking to you. It's the first time I've met someone interesting on this bloody app. All the other guys just wanted a quick fuck. Not one of them wanted to get to know me first
Draco: Merlin, witch. I've never met a woman who cursed this much. And I think I like it(Image 10)
J: Sorry. I started during the war and it's a habit now
Draco: The war? Are you from UK?
J: ...yes
Draco: Fucking hell. Me too
J: Really? What a coincidence. Though I suspected you were not Italian(Image 11)
Draco: I'm here visiting an Italian friend
J: That's nice
Draco: And as I said, I like it. So don't apologise. I curse a lot too
J: 😂😂 Okay. You can curse all you want. I won't mind(Image 12)
Draco: Good to know. Any plans for today?
J: Not really. My job starts in half an hour, and then a friend might come to visit. But I'm not sure yet
Draco: My friend is forcing me to go to Florence this afternoon. Do you live there?
J: ... Yes(Image 13)
Draco: Did I say something wrong?
J: No. It's just. I don't think I want to meet you yet
Draco: I wasn't going to ask. I'm not ready either
J: That's a relief. I didn't want you to think I'm rude(Image 14)
Draco: You're not. I understand. We can keep getting to know each other for a while. And then we'll see what we want to do next. Sounds good?
J: Perfect
Draco: I just have a request
J: What is it?(Image 15)
Draco: This bloody app is driving me insane. I've matched four other witches this week, and I'm not interested in them. I'd rather keep talking to you. Would you feel comfortable exchanging phone numbers?
J: You don't want to text other women??
Draco: Not while I'm getting to know you(Image 16)
Draco: I'm a bit... let's say traditional
J: Wow. It's hard to believe you're not lying
Draco: I'm not. You can trust me in this
J: I like you, so I'll give you a chance. I hope I won't regret it 🫣(Image 17)
Draco: You won't, I promise. All you have to do is tell me to stop, and I will never text you again. But I really hope that won't happen
J: Me too. Okay, L. I will give you my phone number.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“What a wonderful surprise,” Blaise greeted with a beaming smile, which only made them more suspicious. Granger’s nostrils flared and the redhead folded her arms. “It’s nice to see you two.”Weaslette wrinkled her nose.“I can’t say the same.”Draco glanced at Granger and lowered his gaze to the floor, the shame warming the back of his neck. She looked tense and her hard eyes were trained on him.
“Would you like a drink?” Blaise offered, gesturing to the counter. “My treat, for old times’ sake.”Granger snorted.“No, thank you.” She turned to her friend and pointed to another street. “I know another place, Ginny.”Draco’s stomach clenched at the sight of Blaise’s smile faltering.“Come on, Granger,” his friend insisted, drumming his fingers on his glass. “Don’t go. We can try getting along.”Granger’s eyes fell on Draco again.“Can we?” She asked, lifting her brow.Draco swallowed and held her gaze.“I think so.”Blaise leaned closer to him.“You buy Granger a drink,” he muttered in his ear, patting his shoulder.
His heart sank.“Blaise-”“Come with me, Red,” Blaise continued, ignoring Draco's panic attack. “I know the perfect drink for you.”Weaslette gave him a challenging smile.“We’ll see about that,” she replied before following him inside.The air thickened around him. Draco was sure he could cut the tension with a knife.“Uh.” He looked back at his old enemy's face and cleared his throat. “Granger.”Her eyes narrowed in hatred.“Can you stop looking at me like that?” Draco asked in a low voice.Granger snorted.“Why? Are you uncomfortable?”Perhaps he should turn around and leave, his first night in the Italian city be damned.“I sent you a letter, you know.” He squared his shoulders and stepped back, putting more distance between them. “A few months after my trial.”Her reply never came, and Draco had always wondered why.Granger pressed her lips together.“I threw it into the fire.”
Right.
Draco nodded, averting his gaze to the street that led to the closest apparition point.He couldn’t stay there a second longer.“Have a nice night.”Granger's voice stopped him.“It was an impulse.” He glanced at her over his shoulder and saw a faint blush on her cheeks. “I should have read it first.”Draco shook his head. She didn’t owe him anything, and he wouldn't let her apologise.“Never mind.”“You could tell me what it said,” Granger added, wrapping a curl around her finger and tugging at it nervously.Another wave of shame went through his body.“Too many Muggles around,” Draco muttered with a meaningful look.Granger pointed to the other side of the street with her chin and walked away. He took a deep breath and followed her, a shudder running down his spine once they were practically alone.She looked up into his eyes, her expression guarded.“And now?”“Well.” Draco lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I don’t remember exactly what I wrote.”“You also sent one to Harry.” Her lips curled down into a sneer. “Did you write the same letter to both of us?”Draco clenched his teeth hard.“No.”That seemed to appease her, and her silence encouraged him."It was an apology letter.""You don’t say." Granger rolled her eyes. "And what did you apologise for?"Draco stared at her, letting his walls fall so she could see the truth on his face."Everything."She arched an eyebrow."You'll have to be more specific than that."It was the opportunity he had always wanted, and the possibility of ruining it was terrifying.“I regret all the bad things I said about you.” Draco sighed, trying to ignore the lump in his throat. “All the times I called you… that nasty word.”
"Mudblood?"Draco couldn’t help but wince. He hadn’t heard that word in years."Yes, that one." He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at a point behind her shoulder, all the fear and shame from those years threatening to crush him again. “And all the times I mocked you.”Her eyes softened.“Go on.”“I’m different now,” Draco assured her, his eyes finding hers again. “I’m not the Draco Malfoy you remember from school.”She was listening to him, which was more than he had hoped for.“I know my parents were wrong.” Draco pushed the hair falling on his face back with a trembling hand. “My mother also knows better now.”Granger let her arms fall to her sides and leaned back against the wall.“I want you to know how sorry I am,” Draco added, resting his back on the same wall and looking up at the black sky. “Even if you don’t believe my word.”She let out a deep sigh.“It’s not easy.”He knew it wasn't. Draco nodded, grateful for the chance to talk to her. He could move on now and keep trying to prove to everyone that he wasn't a bad person, which seemed impossible.No one wanted to give him another chance.“I accept your apology, Malfoy.”The air rushed out of his lungs and Draco looked at her with wide eyes.“You do?”Granger nodded.“That doesn’t mean I will forget what you did, though,” she murmured with a frown.A low chuckle came out of him.“No one will ever forget it. I do know that.”Granger gave him an apologetic smile and he smiled back, his chest feeling a bit lighter.“Can I buy you a drink?” Draco blurted, blushing at the puzzled look she had on her face. "As a peace offering?"Granger hesitated for a moment. She looked back at the pub and shrugged."Why not?"A glimmer of hope flickered in his heart. If Granger could forgive him and tolerate his presence enough to accept a drink, maybe the rest of the wizarding world could do the same.A couple of stars twinkled down at them as they returned to the square, entering the crowded pub. Draco raised his hand to call the barman and turned to her.“Which one do you like?”“I have no idea.” Granger was reading the drinks menu with a confused expression. “I don’t usually drink.”Draco glanced at his own drink, already half-empty.“This one is called Bellini.” He placed the glass on the counter and pushed it towards her with a finger. “Try it?”A look of surprise crossed her face. Granger blinked at him and looked down at the glass, picking it up with both hands and taking a tentative sip.“It’s sweet.”“Do you like it?”Granger nodded with a small smile.“Un Bellini, per favore,” Draco said to the barman, who returned with the drink a minute later. He placed a few Euros on the man's waiting hand and offered the glass to Granger. “Here.”She grabbed it, murmuring her thanks and glancing around the room. Dozen of Muggles were dancing to the beat while others were seated at the high tables and chatting with each other.Draco lifted his glass and took a long sip. Granger was gaping at him when he looked up, and his lips twitched.“You look surprised.”Her mouth clicked shut.“I drank from there,” she replied, gesturing to his glass.Draco shrugged, sipping at it. The mix of prosecco and peach was addictive.“I told you my beliefs have changed,” he drawled, leaning an elbow on the counter as his gaze swept the room in search of Blaise.“I see.” Granger took a step closer, placing her glass next to his. “What are you doing here? I thought you still lived in London.”Ugh. He was trying to forget about London this month, but she was attempting to create a conversation.After granting him her forgiveness, the least he could do was answer her questions.“I do.” Draco scratched the bridge of his nose and tilted his head to the side. “I just came here to spend some time with Blaise.”And where the fuck was he, by the way?"I barely remember him from Hogwarts," Granger murmured, humming after taking another sip of her drink.Draco eyed her warily. The Bellini was not a strong cocktail, but she needed to slow down if she was not used to drinking.His gaze fell down her body. Despite her high heels, he was still almost a head taller than her. Her teal dress accentuated her soft curves and her long curls cascaded down her back.
Curls. J's messy bun was curly.
Draco looked away from her and fiddled with the chain hanging from his neck absentmindedly.
It had been hours since J gave him her phone number, and he couldn’t wait to go back to the villa and text her.Would she be having fun with her friend? What if she was in the same area he was right now?His heart beat faster as he scanned the room."He was shy and kept to himself," Draco drawled, tugging at the collar of his black shirt in an attempt to cool himself. "Blaise has also changed for the better."Granger twisted her lips to the side, unconvinced.“He’s a nice bloke.” Draco fixed his eyes on her and bumped her shoulder with his, hiding a smile when she didn’t flinch away from the contact. “Don’t judge him for my mistakes, Granger.”She rolled her eyes playfully.“I wasn’t planning to.”Blaise appeared suddenly in front of them, startling Draco.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” He asked, smirking at Weaslette.The redhead snorted, sipping at her pink drink through the plastic straw.“Okay, you were right,” she admitted, pausing at Granger’s side and looking up at Blaise with a grin. “Happy?”His friend's lips curled up.“Oh, you have no idea, Red.”She blushed furiously and leaned into Granger, whispering something in her ear.“Blaise! Vieni qua!”Draco groaned. The Italian women had found them.“See you around, girls.” Blaise grabbed Draco’s arm and tugged hard. “Have fun!” He waved to Granger and Weaslette, who waved back at him.Draco gulped down the rest of his drink and left the empty glass on the counter, glancing at the witch standing next to him.“Always a pleasure, Granger.”She burst out laughing.“Sure. See you, Malfoy.”Once Granger and Weaslette were far away from them, Blaise nudged him on the ribs.“So?” He raised his brow in question. “How did it go?”Draco bit the inside of his cheek.“Surprisingly well.”“People are willing to give you another chance, Draco,” Blaise replied, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and laughing when Draco snarled and pulled away from him. “You just have to let them see the real you.”Not this sappy speech again.“You’re drunk,” Draco muttered, annoyed.Blaise chuckled and shook his head.“Hardly.”“I think I will go back home,” Draco said, pausing before they reached the two women. “I need to be alone.”Blaise glared at him.“Only if you promise to come back next week.”Draco nodded reluctantly and his friend beamed at him before turning his back to him.“Don’t forget the contraceptive charm,” Draco hissed in warning.Blaise looked back at him and winked.“Never.” He punched his arm and waved. “Goodnight, mate.”Draco looked around before leaving the pub, seeing no trace of the two witches.He opened another button of his shirt and pulled his phone out of his pocket, approaching the apparition point with quick steps.Would J be still awake?
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TRANSCRIPTION
J and Draco texting each other
(Image 18)
Draco: J?
J: Hi, L
Draco: Hi. Thank you for trusting me with your number.
J: I should say the same thing. I don't want you to see my pic, so I won't save your number for now. I hope that's okay.(Image 19)
Draco: Fair enough. I changed mine to the one I use on Incendio for the same reason. You will see my face eventually... but not yet.
J: I'm so relieved we both agree on this.
Draco. Me too.
J: You know I have long dark curls... Would you mind telling me about your hair?(Image 20)
Draco: Mine is blond. Very blond. Almost white. And straight.
J: Long?
Draco: Not very long. A few strands are always falling on my eyes. It's a bit annoying, but I like it this way. So yours is curly? I was not sure.(Image 21)
J: Yes. And brown.
Draco: Can I tell you something?
J: Please 👀
Draco: I've always liked brunette women with curly hair. But I've never dated one.
J: Hm. Interesting. I've always liked blond men too
Draco: Have you dated one?
(Image 22)
J: Not really. I went to a... dinner with a blond guy once. But I was just trying to piss off someone I liked back then.
Draco: Did it make him jealous?
J: It worked, yes. But the blond git tried to kiss me several times. He couldn't take no for an answer.
Draco: You should have hexed him.(Image 23)
J: I almost did.
Draco: I promise not all blond men are gits.
J: I hope you are not. I'm older now, and I won't hesitate to hex you.
Draco: Never thought I would like being threatened by a beautiful witch.
J: You don't know if I'm beautiful.
Draco: Oh, I'm sure you are. Long neck, long curls.(Image 24)
Draco: Can I ask about your eyes?
J: Brown. They look golden under the sunlight.
Draco: See? Beautiful.
J: Compliments won't take you anywhere, L.
Draco: I'm just saying what I think. But I will stop it if it bothers you.(Image 25)
J: No. Sorry. I'm not used to men complimenting me.
Draco: You will be used to it very soon. Even more when I finally get to see your pretty face.
J: Stop making me blush 🫣 Are you tall?
Draco: Quite. 6 ft 2.(Image 26)
J: I'm 5 ft 4
Draco: I could hug you and rest my chin on the top of your head.
J: Yes 😂 I'd like that.
Draco: Really? I'll hug you the day we meet.
J: You're so sure we will meet.
Draco: One can only hope.
J: 🤭(Image 27)
J: What about your eyes?
Draco: Pale blue. They look grey.
J: You're handsome, aren't you?
Draco: You will have to wait and find out.
J: So that's a yes.
Draco: I don't confirm nor deny the accusations.
J: And you're funny, too 😂 I understand what you said about stormy eyes now.(Image 28)
J: I bet they're beautiful.
Draco: Just like yours.
J: Okay, I'm blushing again.
Draco: I bet you look even prettier when you blush.
J: Stop 🫣🫣 Did you have fun tonight in Florence?
Draco: I did, yes. And something weird happened.(Image 29)
J: Do you want to tell me about it?
Draco: I saw someone I hadn't seen in a while. It was... a surprise.
J: An old friend?
Draco: Not exactly. I'm afraid I can't tell you more without revealing too much about myself. We're both from UK, after all. And we're the same age.(Image 30)
J: I know what you're thinking.
Draco: You sound so sure.
J: You're wondering if we went to the same school
Draco: I am, yes. Perhaps we met there.
J: Maybe we did.
Draco: Fuck. I hope we didn't.
J: Why?(Image 31)
Draco: I'm not proud of who I was back then.
J: We don't have to talk about it. And I don't care about your past.
Draco: You might care once you know who I am.
J: I think you're a good person who made mistakes. And you've learnt from them, haven't you?
Draco: You have no idea.
J: This is why you asked me if I think people deserve a second chance, right?(Image 32)
Draco: Yes.
J: And do you remember my answer?
Draco: I do.
J: Then stop worrying about it.
Draco: Fine. You're right, J.
J: I've heard that a lot of times 🤭
Draco: You're a clever little witch, aren't you?(Image 33)
J: I guess I am. And a bit bossy. People usually don't like that about me.
Draco: I like intelligent women. And I'm not people. Boss me around all you want, J. I think I might like it.
J: 🫣 It's late. We should go to sleep before I say something I will regret tomorrow.(Image 34)
Draco: You can tell me anything. Try me.
J: Okay. I'm not sure if you're still using Incendio to meet more women, but I would like you to stop for a bit.
Draco: I told you I would.
J: Am I still the only woman you talk to?
Draco: If we don't count my childhood friends, yes.(Image 35)
J: You're also the only man I'm talking to. In case you were wondering.
Draco: That's a relief. I'm a bit possessive, J. And I don't like to share.
J: Gods. Why do I find that hot?
Draco: Because you like the idea of letting someone take care of you.
J: I do, yes. We should really go to sleep.(Image 36)
Draco: As you wish, darling. Just one more thing. Think about me before you fall asleep. Imagine my face close to yours, my voice whispering in your ear, my scent around you. I want you to dream about me.
J: Do you have a deep voice?
Draco: That's what my female friends say
J: 🫠
(Image 37)
J: I'm a bit tipsy, L. And this conversation is not helping. I won't be able to stop thinking about you now.
Draco: Good. I can't stop thinking about you either. I wish I knew how sweet you smell and how soft your skin is. Sorry if this is too much. I'm also slightly tipsy. Italian cocktails are dangerous.(Image 38)
J: They really are. We should keep talking about this tomorrow. When we're both sober.
Draco: We should. Go to bed, J. See you in your dreams.
J: See you in my dreams, L. Goodnight ❤️
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The light passed through the curtains and hit Draco’s face. He grunted and turned around, mumbling something unintelligible under his breath.His eyes snapped open at the memory of the previous night and he groaned, rubbing his face with his hands.What had he done?He cursed himself and stood up, stepping into the shower and under the spray of warm water. It didn’t soothe his pounding heart or his spiralling mind.He had flirted with J. A lot.And he was not sure if she had liked it.Draco wasn’t usually this bold with women he barely knew, but the anonymity and the hiding behind a screen made him feel blunt.He opened the chat while descending the stairs to the ground floor, feeling increasingly anxious as he remembered the conversation.She had told him to stop several times. And he hadn’t.Draco dropped into a chair in the dining room and groaned again, pushing his phone to the side. He ran his hands through his damp hair and looked up, freezing in place.Blaise was silent and frowning at his phone, which was not a good sign. Draco waited a few seconds, blinking at him, but his friend didn’t move.He cleared his throat and Blaise jumped on his chair, turning his head to him with wide eyes.“Ah.” Blaise gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and returned his attention to his phone. “Good morning, Draco.”Draco frowned and extended a hand towards the cup of tea at the other side of the table, which levitated towards him.An apple flew to his other hand and he took a bite.“Good morning,” he replied once he had swallowed down the slice of fruit, watching his friend carefully. Something was wrong. “What happened with the Italian women?”Blaise snorted and shook his head, scrolling down the screen with the tip of his finger.“Nothing. I came home just a couple of minutes after you left.”
What?
His hands were starting to sweat. Draco grabbed the cup and took a long sip.Had Blaise talked to Granger after Draco left? Had she said something bad about him?Or maybe the Weasley girl? She probably blamed him for what happened to her during Draco’s second year.“Why?” He asked softly.Blaise shrugged, letting out a long sigh. He still hadn’t touched his breakfast.“I was not in the mood.”
Odd.
Apple and tea forgotten for a moment, Draco leaned in and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.“Mate.” He waited until their gazes connected and lifted his brow. “What’s wrong?”Blaise pursed his lips and tapped the side of his phone.“She accepted my request, but she hasn’t followed me back.”Draco’s brow furrowed in confusion.“Who?”Blaise arched an eyebrow and tapped his phone again.“Ginevra.”Draco looked down, his frown deepening.
(39)His heart skipped a beat when he noticed the last picture Weasley had posted.Draco knew those curls. He had seen them recently.“Why are you worried about Weasley not following you back on Instiga?” He questioned, looking up at his friend’s face.Blaise’s lips twitched and he almost smiled.“Instagram,” he corrected, patting Draco’s cheek affectionately while he chuckled under his breath. “Pansy made you a profile a year ago. You should use it.”Draco scoffed, pulling away from him.“Don’t change the subject,” he demanded in a low hiss.
“She’s nice,” Blaise replied, leaving the phone on the table and rubbing the back of his neck. “Funny. And beautiful.” His white teeth sank into his lower lip and he leaned back on the chair. “I haven’t felt that comfortable around a woman for a while.”Draco felt his eyes widen in surprise. Was his friend blushing?“You fancy her,” he murmured, staring at him with his lips parted in shock.The shy boy Draco remembered from his childhood had died when he moved back to Italy after the war.
Blaise had become a casanova. Women felt attracted to his cheerful personality, easy smile, and perfect body.He always kept his emotions in check, though. All his lovers knew their time together had an expiration date, and they enjoyed it to the fullest until it was the moment to part ways before someone could get attached.
Draco had never seen Blaise falling for a woman, not once.It was one of his most sacred rules, born of suffering the many divorces of his mother: Never give a woman the power to destroy your heart.
Until now.
“Of course I do.” Blaise rolled his eyes. “Did you see her yesterday?”Draco blinked.“Not really.” He looked away, his knee bouncing under the table. “I was too worried about the possibility of Granger hexing my balls off.”That made his friend grin.“But she didn’t, did she?” Blaise asked with a gleam in his eyes. “You said it went well.”“It did,” Draco confirmed with a nod. He still couldn’t believe she had accepted his apology.
“You have Granger there, right? Has she posted anything about yesterday?” He asked curiously, pointing to Blaise’s phone with his gaze.Blaise hummed and stood up.“Let me check.” He picked up his phone and tapped the screen a few times, turning it to Draco. “She just posted this.”
(40)His knee froze when he noticed she had mentioned the cocktail he had bought for her.Draco still remembered how surprised she looked when he drank from the same glass as her. Did she really think he still held onto his pureblood beliefs? After everything?Blaise pulled his phone back and Draco ran his tongue over his lip, taking another bite of the apple.“You should start using your Insta, Draco,” Blaise commented in a low voice, shooting him a smirk. “It’s fun.”Draco wrinkled his nose.“Maybe I will,” he accepted nonchalantly, looking away as he took a short sip of his tea.Blaise pulled down the sleeves of his shirt and sat down again, spreading his legs. Draco glanced at him with a frown.What was he doing?“Don’t forget to lock it first,” Blaise said, turning his phone down and pushing it aside. “I don’t want a bunch of Aurors storming into my villa because you were stupid enough to break the statue of secrecy,” he continued with a pointed look at him.Draco vanished the core of the apple with a flick of his wrist.“It’s already locked,” he muttered, giving Blaise an annoyed look in return. “Pansy made sure.”Blaise nodded and grabbed his mug.“And what about J?”Draco’s knee started bouncing up and down again.“We texted last night,” he confessed, his voice almost a whisper. “And I think I ruined everything.”That caught his friend’s attention. Blaise stopped spreading butter on his toast and turned to him.“Why do you say that?”Draco didn’t know how to explain it, so he opened the chat again and gave his phone to Blaise. His friend's dark brow was high on his forehead once he had read everything, his eyes wide when he looked up at him.“Merlin’s balls.”That was a good way of summarising it.“I was too blunt.” Draco hung his head, rubbing at his left eye. “I might have scared her off.”“It’s okay, Draco.” Blaise squeezed his shoulder and laughed. “She was flirting back.”Draco let out a harsh breath.“Are you sure?”“Completely.” Blaise stretched his arms over his head and yawned before taking a bite of his toast. “You should talk to her about this if you’re worried, though.”Draco closed his eyes for a moment, a muscle feathering in his jaw. He knew he should.“I blame your stupid cocktails,” he muttered softly.“I didn’t force you to drink them,” Blaise replied with a wide grin. “And J was also tipsy. It was just a bit of subtle flirting.”
Draco relaxed his posture.“Okay.” He sent his empty mug to the kitchen with a wave of his hand and shrugged. “You’re the Master.”Blaise tensed next to him, which startled Draco.“What?” He asked, searching his gaze.Blaise’s smile had faded away.“Nothing.” He pushed his breakfast away and got to his feet. “A walk around the vineyard might improve my mood.”Draco’s stomach clenched in worry. Why was his friend acting so weird? What had happened last night?“I’ll join you in a bit,” Draco said as Blaise crossed the room, opening the door that led to the grounds and stepping out of the house without a backward glance.He bit the inside of his cheek, watching how his friend disappeared in the distance, the morning sun falling on his short curls.Blaise was clearly upset. What had Weaslette said to him?Draco snorted through his nose, shaking his head. He needed to do this before following his friend and trying to talk to him again.
(41)His breath hitched and heat rose to his cheeks.
Draco was a weak man, and he hadn’t been able to resist the temptation of touching himself after their conversation, imagining J and her deep brown eyes underneath his body until he found his release.Had she also been that affected by his words?
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TRANSCRIPTION
Instagram
(Image 39)Ginevra Weasley's profile. The last pic is Hermione and Ginny together. We can't see their faces, just their hair.(Image 40)Hermione's last post. A cup of tea with biscuits. "Much needed after last night #ThanksGin #WhyareBellinisogood"
Draco texting J
(Image 41)Draco: Good morning, J.J: Hi.Draco: I wanted to apologise for yesterday. I'm sorry if any of my words upset you. I have no excuse. I wasn't thinking.J: You don't need to apologise, L. It's okay. I wasn't thinking either. And nothing you said upset me. On the contrary.(Image 42)Draco: Oh.J: Cat got your tongue?Draco: I-J: I'm just teasing you 😂 Really, it's okay. Don't worry about it. It was nice to feel... desired? Even if you have never seen me. I haven't felt that way in a while.Draco: If you have doubts, I can tell you what I did after we talked.(Image 43)Draco: But it's not an appropriate conversation with the lady you're courting.J: Courting?Draco: I don't really know how to call this, J. How would you call it?J: Getting to know each other? I'm not sure either. You're becoming someone special to me very quickly. I'm always waiting for your texts. It's scary.(Image 44)Draco: It is.J: It also scares me that I feel I can always be honest with you.Draco: You can. I'm being honest too.J: What if we played a game?Draco: What game?J: We can ask each other 10 questions. Nothing too personal. And the other one has to reply truthfully.(Image 45)Draco: Okay. Sounds like a good idea to get to know each other better.J: Do you want to start?Draco: Ladies first.J: Alright. I've been thinking about this for a few days. Are you a pureblood?(Image 46)Draco: Why do you think I am?J: Is that your first question?Draco: Shit. No.J: 😂 Relax, L. We are friends, are we not?Draco: I would like to think we are. And that we will be more than friends one day. (I won't count this as your first question if you reply to mine)(Image 47)J: (Fair enough). It's just... the way you talk. The words you use. That's not very common in people our age.Draco: Correct.J: In what am I correct?Draco: Everything. I'm a pureblood. Can I assume you're not?J: Muggleborn.(Image 48)Draco: Okay.J: Is that a problem for you?Draco: Not at all. I like you. I don't care about your blood or your family status. As long as you don't care about mine.J: I don't.Draco: Okay. My turn?(Image 49)J: Go ahead.Draco: Can I ask about your job? Only if you're okay with it.J: I am a Curse-Breaker.Draco: For a bank?J: Yes.Draco: I won't ask which one.J: You probably already guessed.Draco: Still. I won't ask.(Image 50)Draco: I'm a gentleman, remember?J: 😂😂 Second question. Do you work?Draco: I would like to. But it's not an option for me.J: Why not?This counts as your third question, J. Because no one wants to hire me.(Image 51)J: Oh. So you were on the wrong side during the war.Draco: Fourth question. And yes. I didn't have a choice.J: Did you fight?Draco: Not really. I'm a coward. And you?J: I did fight, yes. And I lost people.(Image 52)Draco: I'm sorry to hear that. I lost a friend, too. We were young and stupid.J: We all were.Draco: You have already used five questions, J.J: And you three.Draco: I have another. Do you like to read?J: My friends call me bookworm.(Image 53)Draco: I love reading, too. And your friends are stupid. What about Quidditch?J: I don't mind going to a match once in a while. (One of my best friends is a Chaser). But I'm not a big fan of flying.Draco: I love flying. It's the only moment I feel completely free. Maybe I'll convince you to fly with me.J: I'm scared of heights.Draco: I would never let you fall. You'll be safe with me.(Image 54)J: We'll see if you can convince me. It won't be an easy task.Draco: I'm stubborn.J: I'm also stubborn.Draco: Sounds like a challenge. I'm afraid I have to go right now. My friend is not feeling well. We'll continue the questions later, if that's okay?J: Go with your friend! We'll talk later.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The sun was high in the sky when Draco returned from his walk through the vineyards. He had picked some beautiful white flowers along the way and charmed them to last forever as his mother had taught him.Blaise was inside the pool and waved at him with a big smile when Draco entered the terrace.“Hey, mate!”“You look happy today,” Draco commented as he conjured a crystal vase and placed the flowers in it.Maybe he would send a picture of them to J later. Once Blaise was not looking.“Red finally followed me back.” Blaise dipped his head into the water and dived towards Draco, breaking the surface a moment later. “We’ve been chatting all morning,” he added with a chuckle, shaking his head and laughing when Draco cursed under his breath as the cold water hit his skin.He looked down at his now slightly wet shorts and glared at Blaise.“You should stop posting pics of me if you don’t want her to think you’re in love with me.”
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(56)Blaise grinned.“Oh, she already knows how much I love you.”Draco rolled his eyes and sat down on the edge of the pool, dipping his feet into the water.“So you finally decided to join us, didn’t you?” Blaise asked, pointing at Draco’s phone with his gaze.“Guess it could be fun,” Draco replied with a shrug, clicking on his first Instagram post.
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(58)The villa looked perfect, and not only because he had taken the picture.“You have to send me that pic, by the way,” Blaise said, sharing his thoughts. “And you’re welcome to stay here for the rest of your life.”“Don’t tempt me,” Draco muttered darkly.He wanted nothing less than to return to England and continue his miserable and lonely life there.Blaise laughed and turned around, closing his eyes and leaning his forearms and back on the pool’s edge.“What do you want to do today?”Draco snorted.“I’m sure you already have a plan,” he replied, giving his friend a questioning look.“You know me so well.” Blaise smirked and pushed himself up, sitting beside him. “What about eating lunch in Arezzo?” He suggested, searching his gaze.Draco hummed. That sounded good.“It’s been a while since I visited it.”Blaise clapped his hands.“It’s decided, then. We’re leaving in thirty minutes.”“So bossy.” Draco patted his back a bit too hard and got to his feet. “Let’s go change, unless you want to impress the entire female population of Arezzo with your muscles.”Blaise chuckled and nudged him playfully.“They’re already impressed, mate. You should know better.”━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━“Hmm. I've missed this Carbonara.” Blaise murmured happily, twirling his fork in the pasta.“It’s really good,” Draco agreed, taking a sip from his glass before leaving it aside. “And the wine is also excellent.”Blaise licked his lips.“Only the best for my mate,” he added in a low voice, his white teeth flashing at him.Draco watched him as he ate. Blaise was back to his cheerful self again.“It’s hard to believe that a little chat with the Weasley girl has you like this,” he commented with a raised brow. “What did you two talk about?”“Nothing, really.” Blaise shrugged, avoiding his gaze. “A bit of everything.”His friend swallowed the pasta and twisted his lips in thought.“And what about J?” Blaise pointed at him with his fork, wiggling his eyebrows. “Are you still texting her daily?”Draco’s heart skipped a beat.
“Every evening,” he admitted, his mouth curling up at the thought of their last conversation.J kept flirting with him. She had even confessed she had dreamed about him, but refused to elaborate when Draco asked.“Even your expression changes when we mention her,” Blaise murmured, chewing on his lower lip to hide a smile. “Are you falling for a stranger, Draco?”Draco scoffed.“She’s not a stranger,” he replied curtly, shooting him a warning glare. “I know her.”Blaise looked down at his nails with pursed lips.“Have you seen her face?”“Well, no, but-”“Then she is a stranger,” Blaise concluded, scratching his chin and taking another bite.“She’s not,” Draco growled, his free hand tightening into a fist. “Not to me.”Blaise remained silent for a few peaceful minutes, enough for Draco to regain his composure. His friend was just worried, and Draco knew he would feel the same way if Blaise was the one chatting with an unknown woman.They were protective of the people they cared about, and J had become one of them for Draco.“What if you meet her and she’s not what you expected?” Blaise asked carefully, watching his reaction.He had noticed his anger. Of course he had.“I’m not expecting anything,” Draco replied, smiling to reassure Blaise he understood and was not mad at him. The whole situation was a bit overwhelming, considering he hadn’t felt anything for a woman in years. “She sees me for who I am, Blaise. J thinks I deserve a second chance in life.”That made Blaise pause.“Does she know what happened during the war?”“Only the basics.” He shrugged a shoulder, lifting his fork to his mouth. “And she still likes me.”Blaise nodded as Draco chewed.“You only have two weeks left here, unless you’re planning to stay longer?”Draco shook his head.“I have to go back,” he muttered under his breath.“Then do something about this, Draco!” Blaise leaned back and raised his arms in desperation, as if he wanted to shake him. “Don’t you want to spend the next two weeks with her?”Draco’s stomach flipped. Sharing the rest of his holidays with J would be a dream.He could take her to his favourite restaurant in Florence for their first date, walking beside the river once the sun had set behind the mountains and buying her to a drink in Piazzale Michelangelo, where he would kiss her under the twinkling stars.For the second date, he would invite her to Zabini’s Villa —with Blaise’s permission— and they'd stroll through the vineyards until she got hungry.Maybe she would let him see her beautiful body at the pool if he cooked something delicious for her. Perhaps J would even let him touch her soft skin once both of them were in the water, staring at each other through wet lashes.Draco shuddered at the thought.
No, he would wait to take that next step with J until both of them were sure about their feelings for each other. He wanted her to know how serious he was about her before something physical happened.And once it was time for him to leave, Draco would offer to return every weekend if J wanted to keep seeing him. Five days in hell and two in paradise with her sounded like a good deal.Draco blinked back into the present.
He was getting ahead of himself. The possibility of J turning him down once she knew who he was still existed.“You’re right,” he conceded, smiling when Blaise relaxed his posture. “But I won’t force her to do anything. If she’s still not ready, well… I’ll accept the rejection.”His friend let out a long sigh.“Always a gentleman.” He stared at him with a weird glint in his eyes. “I’m sure she likes that about you.”“She does.” Draco swallowed the last bit of his meal and placed the fork on the plate, dabbing his mouth with the napkin. “I think she hasn’t had good experiences in the past,” Draco continued, his lips tightening into a thin line as he remembered their first conversation. “With men.”“Interesting.” Blaise gestured to the waiter to bring the bill and took out his wallet. “You should ask her about that. It’s a must in every relationship, you know.”Draco’s brow furrowed.“Why?”“It will help you understand each other.” Blaise ignored his attempt to pay for the meal, pushing his money away, and stood up. “Trust me.”Draco took a deep breath and nodded.“Fancy a walk through the town before we go?” Blaise offered, looking around the crowded street.The centre of Arezzo was filled with tourists. They moved northwards, leaving the hustle and bustle behind.“It hasn’t changed at all,” Draco commented softly, staring up at the Cathedral.Blaise leaned closer.“Do you want to visit Il Vicolo d'oro?” He asked in a whisper.Draco shrugged.“Why not?”It was hidden in the street behind the small Gothic Cathedral. Blaise pulled his wand out once they reached the dead end and tapped the wall three times with the tip.They passed through it and joined the tiny magical community that lived there, the meandering street lined with shops and restaurants that were open until midnight.“We should buy a jar of broom polish if you want to play another match tomorrow,” Blaise said, pointing to the broom shop at the left.“And new gloves,” Draco added, running his tongue over his lips. “Yours are torn.”Blaise snorted.“That excuse will no longer work if you keep losing.”Draco followed him with a half-smile. The shop was a bit crowded with wizards and witches buying supplies for their summer games.All the different types of gloves were in the corner. Draco paused in front of them, checking the Seeker ones while Blaise looked for the polish.“Look who’s here!” Blaise exclaimed happily. Draco turned in time to see the Weasley girl staring at Blaise with her brow raised, Granger frowning beside her with an ice cream in her hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Red.”Weaslette picked up a professional servicing kit and approached them.“What a coincidence,” she murmured sarcastically.Granger snorted behind her and rolled her eyes.“So you are already back.” Blaise looked her up and down, giving her his most wolfish grin. “Couldn’t stay away from Italy, could you?”Weaslette put a hand on her hip and smirked.“You’re so full of yourself, Blaise.”“My given name?” Blaise gasped dramatically. “I will keep calling you Red, though,” he continued with a wink. “It suits you.”“You’re incorrigible.” The Weasley girl shook her head and turned to Granger. “I’ll be back, Hermione. I just need to explain a couple of things to this git,” she muttered with a pointed look at Blaise, who was still grinning.Weaslette grabbed his arm and pulled at him, leaving Draco and Granger in an uncomfortable silence.“What did just happen?” Draco asked incredulously.Had his friend played him? Did he know they were here from the beginning?“I guess they’re… flirting?” Granger replied with a shrug.They were, In their own weird way. Draco grimaced and averted his gaze to the gloves.“I wasn’t expecting to see you again,” Granger murmured, taking a step closer and watching as he chose the best ones for him.Blaise couldn’t beat him again.“I could say the same thing.” His eyes found hers for a second. She looked calm, not like the other time they found themselves sharing the same air and she almost pulled her wand out. The tension in his shoulders eased. “Did Blaise know you two would be here?”Granger smirked and licked her ice cream.“Ginny might have told him.”“What a bastard,” muttered Draco through his teeth, feeling a bit betrayed.Blaise was always two steps ahead of him.“He likes her, doesn’t he?”Draco glanced at her. The question looked genuine.“Yes.” He grabbed the chosen gloves and stood next to her, searching for Blaise with his gaze. He was at the other side of the shop, smiling and whispering something in Weaslette’s ear while she laughed and nudged him in the ribs. “I’ve never seen him like this.”Blaise had confessed to him that the reason why Weaslette didn’t want to follow him back on Instagram or chat was because she didn’t trust him. She had seen how popular he was with women, and she was not interested in becoming another notch on his headboard.If there was one thing Blaise was afraid of, it was being like his mother. Mrs Zabini had just gotten married for the eighth time, and all her previous marriages had ended badly.Weaslette's rejection had deeply affected him. Blaise liked to play around, but he was always looking for a witch who could become the love of his life.And he claimed he'd found one now.Draco had no idea why Weaslette had changed her mind, but he was grateful for it.His friend deserved a chance at love.“I just want Ginny to be happy.” Draco looked down at Granger, holding her gaze. “He won’t break her heart, right?”“I don’t think so.” He ran a hand through his hair nervously, combing it back. “Blaise is a nice bloke.”“You already told me that,” she said, her lips curling into a soft smile.They walked towards the counter and Draco paid for the new gloves, putting them in his pocket.Granger licked a droplet of chocolate that was falling down the cone and hummed. He swallowed and looked away.They both stepped aside, letting other customers pay for their Quidditch supplies.“Why are you in Italy, Granger?”“I’ve been working here for three years,” she replied, arching an eyebrow at him as she licked her chocolate-stained lips. “And you?”Draco bit the inside of his cheek.A casual conversation with Granger? Was he dreaming?“Just visiting Blaise.” He leaned his back against the wall and dipped his chin. “It’s nice to be away from all that.”“I know the feeling.” Granger mimicked him and leaned her back on the same wall, looking straight ahead. “When are you going back?”Draco scowled at the floor.“In two weeks.”Granger looked at him from the corner of her eye.“You don’t sound happy about it.”“I’m not.” Draco poked at his sore cheek with his tongue. “Everybody hates me there, Granger. Here I feel… like I can breathe again.” He gave her a meaningful look, finding understanding in her brown eyes. “People don’t know who I am, and no one judges me for my past mistakes.”Granger stiffened.“Blaise is Italian, isn’t he?”“More Italian than that ice cream you’re eating,” said Draco, pointing to the almost-empty cone with his chin. “Why?”She took a bite of the cone and shrugged.“Just curious, that’s all.”At that moment, their friends returned, both with beaming smiles on their faces.“See you later, Red!” Blaise waved at Weaslette and nodded at Granger. “Let’s go, mate. I have a date tonight,” he added softly, just for him.Draco glanced at Granger, who looked thoughtful.“Bye, Granger.”She gave him an awkward smile.“Bye.”Once they were back in the street, Draco glanced back at the shop and found Granger staring at him through the glass door with a furrowed brow. Blaise punched his arm and he growled, following him towards the apparition point.His friend was going to be insufferable now that he had a date with who was, in his own words, the woman of his dreams.━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
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TRANSCRIPTION
Instagram
(Image 55)
Blaise's profile(Image 56)
The last pic Blaise posted. Draco drinking a cup of tea.
#tooBritishforhisowngood #DracoMalfoylurkingintheshadows(Image 57)
Draco's profile(Image 58)
A pic Draco posted of the swimming pool.
"What if I never leave this place?"
J and Draco text each other
(Image 59)
J: Hi, L. How was your Saturday?
Draco: It just got better
J: Why?
Draco: Because you texted me
J: 😂
I shouldn't have fallen for that
Draco: 😉
J: Ooh your first emoji!(Image 60)
Draco: I'm still getting used to these Muggle phones. And all the apps.
J: It's a bit confusing, right? I feel the same way.
Draco: I'm a bit nervous right now, if I'm honest.
J: Why is that?
Draco: I want to tell you something, and I'm not sure you'll like it.
J: You're scaring me a bit. What is it?(Image 61)
Draco: I'll go back home soon.
J: Oh.
Draco: And I'd like to meet you before that.
J: I don't know, L. Not a very good idea to meet someone who is about to leave the country. What if I
Draco: What if you what?
J: Nothing. Forget it.(Image 62)
Draco: J. You must know that I have feelings for you.
J: You can't have feelings for someone you've never seen.
Draco: I don't care about your looks. But I would like to see you before I go. I want to know if this thing I feel between us is real. If it means something.
J: It does mean something. At least to me.(Image 63)
Draco: Fuck. Let me see you in person. Please.
J: When do you leave?
Draco: My portkey activates in 10 days
J: And what if this is real? What if I don't want you to go?
Draco: Then I'll come back. As often as you want
J: Portkeys are expensive
Draco: I am a pureblood. Money is not a problem for me(Image 64)
J: 🙄 Only a rich guy would say that
Draco: You don't care about my money, do you?
J: Not one bit. I have my own money, and I don't need more
Draco: Fuck, you're perfect. J, please
J: I do want to see you. But I'm afraid.
Draco: Of what?(Image 65)
J: Many things. What if we have no chemistry?
Draco: You can't be serious
J: What if you don't like me?
Draco: I'm already half in love with you, J
J: Jesus. You can't say things like that
Draco: It's the truth. I've only fallen in love once, and it was a disaster. But I'm willing to risk my heart being broken again. For you(Image 66)
J: 🥺 You can't be real
Draco: Let me show you how serious I am, J
J: I'll think about it. Can you give me a few days?
Draco: Okay
J: What happened with that girl? The one who broke your heart
Draco: I'll tell you everything. If you tell me why you reacted like that to my picture the first day we talked
(Image 67)
J: Deal. You first.
Draco: I didn't date much before and during the war. I had other things on my mind
J: Same
Draco: And once He died, I had to face the consequences of my actions. I should have known she was lying. And I was... not doing well. One of my friends suggested that maybe I just needed to get laid(Image 68)
Draco: No strings attached, you know. Until I felt ready for dating again
J: Okay
Draco: I knew her from school. She's a year younger
J: Also a pureblood?
Draco: Yes. The only women who still wanted me
J: Because of your money
Draco: As clever as usual(Image 69)
Draco: She was kind to me, and understanding. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. But she made me feel good, and I wanted more of that. I thought there was something deep growing between us. She acted like she loved me
J: Oh no
Draco: Until the day I mentioned I wasn't planning to get married. Ever
J: What happened?(Image 70)
Draco: She left me. I never heard from her again
J: I'm so sorry, L
Draco: It's okay. I should have known she was just telling me what I wanted to hear. Who would want a pariah like me?
J: Don't be so hard on yourself. And. I do want you 🫣(Image 71)
Draco: Don't. You're still not sure
J: I am quite sure. But that doesn't mean I'm not terrified. My turn to share?
Draco: Go ahead
J: I've only had a boyfriend. We were together for three years, also after the war. Everything was fine at the beginning. But sometimes he acted weird. He got a bit violent one night(Image 72)
Draco: Did he hurt you?
J: No. Just screamed at me. Punched a wall. Things like that. I found out he was extremely drunk
Draco: Fuck
J: There were like six bottles of alcohol hidden under his desk. He lost a brother during the war, and he admitted he had a problem. He promised to stop. And I believed him(Image 73)
Draco: I'm sorry, J
J: He didn't accept it when I told him it was over. Two of my friends had to come and get him out of my flat
Draco I... I don't even know what to say
J: That's why I don't trust men who drink. Occasionally is okay. I do that too. But it can't be a regular thing. or I get anxious(Image 74)
Draco: I understand
J: He was also cheating on me with random women whenever he got drunk, which was often. I came to Italy because he kept trying to contact me. As far as I know, all he does now is drink and fuck every willing witch he sees. He's famous. Kind of. And very popular with women
Draco: Tell me his name
J: Why?(Image 75)
Draco: I want to beat his face into a bloody pulp for hurting you
J: All of this happened years ago, L. I'm over it
Draco: Still. He deserves to suffer
J: Thank you, really. But he's not worth it. L?
Draco: Sorry. I needed a moment to calm myself(Image 76)
Draco: I think I understand you better now. Why you don't trust me
J: I do trust you. And that scares the shit out of me
Draco: I would never hurt you, J. Never
J: Let's say we meet. What would you do?
Draco: I have our first date already planned
J: Really?(Image 77)
Draco: I'm not telling you anything. It's a surprise
J: And once the date is over?
Draco: I would walk you home. And kiss you goodbye
J: Just a kiss?
Draco: I want to go slow with you. Make sure we both feel the same way
J: And then?(Image 78)
Draco: Do you want me to tell you what I would do to you?
J: Yes
Draco: Give me a second. I'm not alone
J: I'll be here
Draco: I would ask you if you are sure first. And then I would kiss every inch of your skin
J: What else?
Draco: You're killing me, J. I would take your clothes off. One by one. Pull your knickers down with my teeth(Image 79)
J: Keep going
Draco: Are you touching yourself?
J: Maybe I am
Draco: Fuck. Can I?
J: Please
Draco: I've never been this turned on in my life
J: 🫠 Tell me more, L(Image 80)
Draco: Shit, I need my hands. Let me charm my phone. Once you were naked, I'd kiss you again until you couldn't breathe. Then I would move my mouth to your neck. Your earlobe. Shoulders. Breasts. Down your body. I would bite your thighs. Just a bit
J: I can't believe you're saying this out loud(Image 81)
Draco: I'd leave a trail of kisses on your skin. Until I had my face between your legs. I wouldn't stop until you screamed my name
J: L, please. I'm so close
Draco: Me too, love. Just a bit more. Wait for me. I'd pull you into my lap. And hold your hips as you took everything you wanted from me(Image 82)
Draco: We wouldn't stop until you came again
J: Fuck
Draco: Fuck, indeed
J: Did you...?
Draco: Yes
J: Me too
Draco: Fucking hell, J. It was... I've never done something like this before(Image 83)
J: Me neither. It was perfect
Draco: Will you meet me before I go back to UK?
J: I want to. But let me think about it?
Draco: Of course. I'll be waiting for your text
J: I'm getting sleepy(Image 84)
Draco: I don't think I'll be able to sleep after this. Go to bed, love. I'll be here when you wake up
J: Next time, I will tell you what I would do to you
Draco: Merlin. I'm not sure I would survive that
J: 😂 Goodnight, L 💕
Draco: Sweet dreams
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
(85)Draco stepped through the opened doors into the garden and found Blaise lying on one of the sunbeds, his hands behind his head and his face relaxed.The temperature was a bit too hot, as Draco had noticed when visiting the vineyards, but the permanent weather charm surrounding the villa kept the air in this area cool.He sat on the sunbed beside Blaise and placed a plate with some cheese and tomato focaccias between them, taking one and biting into it.Blaise hummed and opened his eyes.“Nice new pic, Draco,” he commented, turning to him with a wide grin.Draco snorted, swallowing the bread before replying.“Do you check Instagram every minute or what?”“I have your notifications on.” Blaise wiggled his eyebrows and summoned his sunglasses with a flick of his wrist. “Wouldn’t want to miss anything you post now that you’re active.”“Almost everyone has commented on the damn post.” Draco sniffed indignantly. He hadn’t expected that reaction. “They want to know who she is. And I have three missed calls from Pansy.”Blaise snorted.“She will come here and hex you on the spot if you don’t tell her soon.”“I know that.”Draco hid a smile when his friend grabbed a focaccia and tasted it carefully.“This is bloody good, mate.” Blaise licked his lips and took another bite, nodding appreciatively at him. “If only you weren’t that pale, you could pass for an Italian.”Draco finished the last bite of his snack and glanced at him. He couldn’t see Blaise’s eyes, but he was sure they had an amused glint.“Was that a compliment?”Blaise chuckled, shrugging a shoulder.“Why not?”It was hard to believe that a Weasley was the cause of Blaise’s playful mood.Draco observed him in silence for a moment. His friend seemed lighter and more relaxed than ever, a small smile always on his face wherever he went.He hadn’t stopped smiling once since he returned from his first date with the redhead.“How are things going with Weaslette?” Draco asked, averting his gaze to the pool.A hundred laps would be a good way of getting J out of his mind for a while.“You can call her Ginny, you know,” Blaise replied, scrunching up his nose when Draco shook his head in the negative. He pushed his glasses up and sighed. “She has training during the week, but she will be back this weekend.”“You look happy.” Draco rubbed the nape of his neck, pushing his hair up, and gave Blaise a genuine smile. “I’m glad.”His friend smiled and sat up, patting his shoulder affectionally.“What about you?” He asked, taking his shirt off and throwing it aside. “Any progress with the mysterious girl?”Draco ran his tongue over his teeth and ignored the heat creeping up his neck.
Fuck.
“That blush is intriguing.” Blaise leaned his elbows on his knees and linked his fingers together. “Tell me everything.”An exasperated sigh fell from Draco’s lips.“Absolutely not.”“Come on, mate,” Blaise insisted, removing his sunglasses and giving him a pleading look. “I’m dying to know. Did she send you hot pics or what?”Draco scoffed, his cheeks burning.Everything would have ended way sooner if that was the case. He’d already been on edge just thinking about J touching her body while they texted each other.“It was not like that.”Blaise leaned back, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion.“Then what happened?”Draco hesitated, chewing on his tongue.“We… talked,” he started, still not sure of how much he wanted to share. He didn’t want to betray J’s confidence. “I told her about Tory and she told me about her ex, a right prick that I wish I could crucio until his last breath,” he snarled, a spark of anger rushing through his veins.If only he knew his name…Blaise pursed his lips, his expression turning serious.“What did he do to her?”Draco shook his head and stared at the calm water.“That’s not for me to tell.”Blaise accepted it with a nod.“Okay.” He tilted his head and smirked. “There’s more, I know.”
To hell with it.
Blaise had more experience flirting with women, and Draco needed his advice in case she agreed to meet.“Well.” He carded his fingers through his hair, tousling it in all directions. “She asked me about what I would do once we met. I told her about our first date, and… things got heated.”Blaise gasped.“Oh, man.” His eyes widened as they roamed his face and a laugh burst out of him. “You had a wank while talking to her, didn’t you?”Draco worked his jaw, annoyed at his telltale blush.“It was mutual,” he muttered under his breath.Blaise swore, shaking with mirth.“Muggles call it sexting,” he declared while he wiped at his eyes, tears of laughter shining in them.Draco hadn’t looked his way once. It was enough embarrassing without seeing the joy on his face.“There’s a word for that?” Draco asked, changing the subject.Blaise snickered.“They have words for everything.”
Draco wrinkled his nose and remained silent, bending his head.“This is the best thing I’ve heard in my life, you know,” Blaise added with a soft chuckle.He twisted his lips to the side.“We haven’t talked again since… that,” Draco confessed, feeling a pang in his chest. “I might have fucked it up.”Blaise frowned.“What the hell are you talking about?”“Maybe it was too much. Or too soon.” Draco sighed and rubbed his face. “Shit, Blaise, I told her I’m already half in love with her.”His friend’s jaw dropped to the floor.“Is that true?”Draco considered it. Talking to her was the best part of the day, and he missed her on the days they didn’t text each other. J was the first thing on his mind when he opened his eyes every morning, and his last thought before he fell asleep was also for her.She was empathetic, sweet, and stubborn as a hippogriff. And he couldn’t wait to know everything about her.“She’s always in my mind.” Draco took off his sunglasses and leaned back on his hands. “I know it sounds insane. It has been less than three weeks, but I can’t help myself. She understands me and-”“And you smile like an idiot whenever she crosses your mind,” Blaise interrupted with a knowing smile.“Look who’s talking.” Draco glared at him. “You’re falling hard and fast for Red.”“I am,” Blaise admitted, the smile dropping from his face. “And only I get to call her Red,” he continued in a lower voice.Draco rolled his eyes at his theatrics.“J is… everything I’ve ever wanted,” he admitted softly, blinking up at the cloudless sky. “She seems perfect for me.”Blaise rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his dark gaze drilling into the side of his head.“You have to meet her now, Draco,” he demanded in a harsh voice. “No more excuses.”Draco sighed.“I know.”“If she is willing to be that intimate with you, she has to agree to see you-”“She told me she needed a few days to think about it,” Draco cut his friend off, turning his face to him. “I’m waiting.”Blaise relaxed his posture.“Okay.” He leaned back on his sunbed and pulled his sunglasses down. “That’s good, but you don’t have a lot of time left.”Draco pursed his lips in annoyance.“She knows that.”Time was running out and he was getting more anxious each day that went by without receiving her text.Maybe she didn’t want to meet him after all.━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━His stomach flipped that evening when his phone buzzed. Draco opened the chat with his heart pounding in his ears.She had finally come to a decision.
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(91)━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━The following morning Draco heard a loud scoff as he entered the kitchen. Blaise was seated at the table, a cup of steaming coffee placed beside him while he stared down at the front page of the Daily Prophet with a frown of disgust.He looked up and Draco quirked an eyebrow in question.“See it for yourself.” Blaise scrunched up his nose and pushed the newspaper towards him once Draco sat in front of him. “Fucking disgusting.”It was upside down, so Draco turned the newspaper and stared at the picture of Weasley coming stumbling out of a pub, his face red and his arm around a blonde’s waist as they bouth laughed.
Exclusive: Ronald Weasley’s wild night ends up with a new conquest
Last night, the famous war hero Ronald Weasley, 26, was seen leaving the most popular Hogsmeade’s pub in the company of an unknown witch.
As far as we know, one of the most popular bachelors in Britain remains single. No woman seems able to steal his heart since his relationship with Hermione Granger, another member of the Golden Trio, came to an end.
Will this woman be the lucky one who wins his affections? Only time will tell us, dear readers.
Draco stiffened, his eyes going wide as he remembered J’s words.
As far as I know, all he does now is drink and fuck every willing witch he sees.
He’s famous. Kind of. And very popular with women.
I came to Italy because he kept trying to contact me.
My eyes are brown. They look golden under the sunlight.
Granger’s face appeared in his mind, blinking up at him with her big golden-brown eyes as she licked her ice cream.Draco held his breath, the blood draining from his face.
“I’ve been working here for three years.”
Granger had been in Italy for a while. His ex-boyfriend was a drunk mess who shared his bed with random women.It was too similar.He held onto the table, focusing on his breathing as his head spun.What if J and Granger were the same person?Blaise paused with the edge of his cup brushing his lips.“What’s wrong?” He asked, puzzled at his reaction.Draco tried to swallow the knot in his throat, breathing in and out slowly.“I think I know who J is,” he murmured, sneering at Weasley’s picture and pushing the newspaper aside. He hid his face in his hands and groaned. “I’ve suspected it for a while, but now I’m almost sure it’s her.”Blaise took a while to reply.“Who?”Draco let his hands fall to the table and stared at the wood as he twisted his signet ring on his finger, his heart hammering behind his ribs.“Granger.”Blaise let out a harsh breath and pressed his lips together, his gaze bouncing from the table to the window. Avoiding him.Draco knew that face. He had seen it many times before.“You don’t look surprised,” Draco commented icily.His friend gave him an apologetic smile and shrugged.“There’s only one way to know if you’re right.”Draco shifted on his chair, leaning back and wiping his sweaty hands on his trousers.”We will meet each other today.”Blaise froze, his eyes wide.“When?”“This afternoon.” Draco jumped to his feet and paced around the kitchen with his hands behind his back, unable to sit still with the turmoil he could feel inside him. “Fuck, Blaise. I’m terrified.”“Don’t be.” His friend grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop, and squeezed it. “It will be okay.”Draco bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood.“And what if it’s Granger?” He asked in a whisper.Blaise considered his question for a few agonising seconds.“Would that change the way you feel about her?” He questioned with a raised brow.Draco pulled away from him and stared out of the window.“No,” he replied, folding his arms. “It wouldn’t change anything.”His feelings were too strong for J. He wanted her, and he didn’t care if she was Granger.It made sense, now that he thought about it.
Draco imagined himself in the coffee shop sharing a table with Granger, her cheeks flushing when he gave her the flowers he had just picked from the garden.
Her shy smile when he took her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers while they watched the reflection of the last rays of sun on the river as it set behind the mountains, the sky orange and pink above their heads and the beautiful Florence at their feet.
He wanted that. All of it.Blaise’s lips curled up into a smile.“Then you have your answer.”Draco leaned back on the counter and crossed his ankles in front of him, the tension in his shoulders easing.The only thing left was to meet J and see if he was right.He glanced at the clock hanging from the wall and chewed on his lip.Seven hours to see her.━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━Draco ran his hands through his hair for the fifth time, his left leg bouncing nervously under the table.It was almost 5 pm. J —Granger, his mind corrected— was about to arrive, and he was trying not to have an anxiety attack.The doorbell sounded and his stomach clenched when he glanced at the entrance.It was an old couple.
Draco huffed and rubbed his forehead.
Get a fucking grip.
He glanced down at the bouquet of sunflowers and pink camellias resting on the table, brushing a finger up the stems as he counted the yellow petals.His gaze flickered up when he heard the doorbell again.
Granger.
She had just stepped into the coffee shop and was looking around, her brown curls cascading down her back and her teeth tugging at her lower lip.Her eyes met his and she gasped, her face turning paler the more she stared at him.Draco pulled his hands down onto his lap and made fists.“Malfoy?” Granger approached his table with slow steps, keeping her distance. “What are you doing here?”He raised his chin and exhaled, holding her gaze.“Waiting for someone.”Granger swallowed hard."For who?"Draco licked his lips, the tension around them growing so thick it was getting hard to breathe.“Hello, J.”Her eyes went wide and she took a step back."L?"Draco nodded, giving her a nervous smile.Granger stared at him in silence, her eyes flickering between his face and the flowers.Suddenly she averted her gaze, her curls bouncing around her face when she shook her head.“I-” She cleared her throat and took another step back. “I need a moment.”Draco could only watch as she walked away to the other side of the café, pushing the toilet’s door open and disappearing inside.The cracks in his heart were painful as it shattered into a million pieces.Rejected. As expected.J had assured him she didn’t care about his past, but that was before knowing that L was for Lucius. Draco Lucius Malfoy, her old enemy and personal bully.He shouldn’t be surprised, after all.Draco rose to his feet and left a few Euros on the table, giving the waitress his excuses and moving towards the door with his head bowed after a last glance at the flowers.They could toss the bloody bouquet in the trash for all he cared.He stepped out of the shop and let out a shaky breath, ignoring how his eyes burned as he walked at a brisk pace.The apparition point was not far away and he needed to get out of there.He turned the corner and pulled out his wand, disapparating with a crack.“Draco? Already back?”He ignored Blaise and didn’t stop until he was in the safety of his quarters, a locking spell on the door and the curtains drawn.This room would be the only witness of his misery.Draco took his phone out and held his breath as he typed, throwing it away once he was done.He buried his face in the pillow and hugged it tightly, letting his feelings flow freely.No one wanted him. Not even the woman who had promised to give him a chance.Draco squeezed his eyes shut, the soft fabric getting soaked with his silent tears.
Love was not worth it. He would never try again, not after this.It was better to be alone, even if it was forever.
(92)━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
TRANSCRIPTION
Instagram
(Image 85)
Draco's new pic. He is lying on the floor with his gaze lost in the distance.
MalfoyHeir: Can't stop thinking about her
J texting Draco
(Image 86)
J: Hi
Draco: Hello, love
J: You have no idea how I blush when you call me that. It reminds me of what we did three days ago 🫣
Draco: I like making you blush
J: I know you do
Draco: Do you regret what happened?
J: What? No! Why do you say that?(Image 87)
Draco: I'm always waiting for the moment I'll cross a line and you will change your mind about me
J: I asked you to tell me, L. I wanted it. Stop waiting for something bad to happen. I'm still here, right?
Draco: You are. Sorry
J: Don't apologise. I'm also always overthinking everything(Image 88)
Draco: That makes two of us
J: I've been thinking about you. About meeting you. And I think I'm ready
Draco: Wait. Are you serious?
J: Yes. I want to see you
Draco: Merlin. My hands are shaking(Image 89)
J: I'm nervous too. Do you still want to see me?
Draco: The doubt offends
J: What if we already know each other?
Draco: It's a possibility. I told you people don't like me. And I'm scared you will run once you know how I am
J: I like you. I won't run, I promise. Not until we've talked(Image 90)
Draco: I hope you don't
J: Where do you want to meet?
Draco: There's a lovely coffee shop near the Central Market. We could start there.
J: Caffe Rosano?
Draco: Have you been there before?
J: I've walked by a few times. But I've never been inside(Image 91)
Draco: I'll be waiting for you there tomorrow. Does 5pm work for you?
J: I leave work at 4.30, so yes.
Draco: Okay. See you in 20 hours.
J: That's exciting and terrifying at the same time.
Draco: There's no reason to be afraid.
J: You're right. See you tomorrow, L 💕
Draco: Goodnight, J.
Draco's texts after the date
(Image 92)
Draco: I understand, Granger. I really do. I'm sorry it was me.
J/Granger: Where are you? Malfoy? Have you left? Wait. Come back. Draco, please. I'm sorry. Please, answer the call. Don't do this to me. I just needed to breathe. I didn't leave. Come back, please.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Draco opened his eyes, picking up his wand. He cast a silencing spell towards where he could hear his phone buzzing and let his head fall back on the pillow with a sigh.There were probably dozens of texts and calls waiting there, but he didn’t want to see them. He preferred not to know if Granger had replied, nor her reasons for changing her mind.His own texts hadn’t been a lie. He understood.Asking her to ignore his past and give him a chance was too much.Even so, his heart ached. His feelings for J were still there, wrapped around his chest and squeezing so tight he sometimes couldn’t breathe.It was torture. Another heartbreak, though this one felt a hundred times worse.She knew him, had accepted his flaws and mistakes, given him hope… Only for reality to come back and remind him he didn’t deserve a second chance.
Draco sat up with a groan, blinking in the semi-darkness of his bedroom. Blaise had knocked on his door more than once, but his friend had finally desisted and left him alone with his thoughts.He had barely slept, staring at the ceiling as he thought about all the mistakes he had made in his life, and that had led him to this.He lit a candle, summoned a piece of parchment and a quill, and wrote a quick message for the Italian Department of International Transport.
His portkey wouldn’t activate until the following Tuesday, but Draco couldn’t wait anymore. He wanted to return to England and leave the broken pieces of his heart behind.As if leaving the country would change anything. Draco snorted to himself and signed the letter, rolling up the piece of parchment and sealing it with the tip of his wand.He threw the covers aside and stepped into the bathroom, occluding his dark thoughts away while he was under the warm spray of water.Visiting his mother would be a good distraction once he was back home, but he hated returning to the manor. His flat was warmer and didn’t have ghosts of his past lurking in the shadows.Once dressed, he pushed his wet hair back and opened the window, looking out into the grounds.It was another perfect summer day in Tuscany. Draco glared at the cloudless sky before he whistled, calling for Blaise’s owl.
There was a sharp knock on his door.“Draco!” A female voice shouted, sending a chill down his spine. “Blaise says you’ve been locked there all day. Open the door!”Draco closed his eyes and cursed under his breath.Two more impatient knocks echoed around the room.“Open the bloody door or I swear I’ll burn down this Villa!”Draco groaned. He knew better than to ignore Pansy’s threats.His female friend was glaring up at him when he unlocked the door, her hands on her hips and her almond-shaped eyes narrowed.She looked him up and down and sniffed, pursing her dark red lips.“You look awful.”Draco rolled his eyes and leaned his arm on the doorframe.“Always a pleasure, Pans.”He had seen his face in the mirror. He knew how defeated he looked, but he couldn’t care less at that moment.“Stop feeling bad for yourself and join us.” Pansy tugged at his arm and pushed him in front of her, gesturing for him to walk. “We’re about to have lunch.”Draco glanced at Blaise, who was waiting for them at the end of the hall with a blank expression.
“Thanks for this, mate,” Draco hissed, venom dripping from his voice as he said the last word.“I needed a backup.” Blaise shrugged, not feeling guilty at all, and walked beside him with his hands in the pockets of his red swimsuit. “You were ignoring me.”Draco chewed on his tongue and didn’t say another word until they entered the dining room.“Where’s Bianca?” He asked, turning to Blaise and waving the parchment he still had in his hand. “I need to send this to the Ministry.”Pansy paused beside them and frowned.“What’s that?”“A letter,” Draco muttered, annoyed.“Don’t play dumb with me, Draco.” Her green eyes pierced him. She poked him in the chest with a finger. “What does it say?”
Draco swatted her hand away and glanced at the open balcony, whistling again.“I need a new portkey.”
Blaise’s brow rose high in his forehead.“Why?”“I want to go home today.” Draco avoided his gaze, knowing the hurt he would find on his face. “I can’t stay here for another six days.”“Nonsense.” Pansy clicked her tongue. “You can’t leave. I just arrived.”Draco clenched his jaw and took a deep breath.
It’s not their fault.
“I don’t feel well, Pansy,” he admitted in a low voice.“That’s why I’m here, you silly boy.” She patted his cheek and smiled. “I have a portkey back this Friday. Why don’t you stay and we'll return together in two days?” She asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.Draco looked back at Blaise and saw a hopeful glint in his eyes.“Fine,” he agreed with resignation. It was hard to say no to the two people who cared more about him, if he didn’t count his mother. “I guess I can do that.”Pansy let out a squeal of joy and approached the table full of food.“You won’t regret it.” She sat down and grinned when both of them did the same. “The three of us will have a lot of fun together.”Blaise chuckled softly and pointed his wand at the bottle of wine, uncorking it.
“I bet we will.”
━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━The heat of the afternoon sun drove them to the pool. Blaise and Draco were inside the water while Pansy was lying on a sunbed, a big pair of sunglasses covering half of her face.Draco glanced at her and smirked. She was probably asleep.“Mate.” Blaise swam towards him, stopping only a few inches away. “You should talk to her.”Draco blinked.“Pansy?”Blaise rolled his eyes and splashed water at him.“You know who I meant.”Draco scowled at him, wiping the water from his face.“There’s nothing left to say,” he hissed, ignoring the painful tug in his chest. “Her face when she saw me there was enough.”Blaise groaned and lifted his hands to the sky.“You can’t say I didn’t try,” he muttered, walking back until his head was under the waterfall and the stream of water hit his shoulders.Draco shot him a last dark glare and turned towards the end of the pool, breathing in deeply.Exercise always helped him clear his mind.Forty laps later, Pansy was staring at him when he leaned his arms on the edge of the pool, breathing hard.
“I should do that, too,” she murmured, twisting her lips.Draco grinned.“We could compete against each other.”“No, thanks.” She wrinkled her nose and pushed her sunglasses down. “You would always win.”Both of them turned their heads to the sound of footsteps approaching the terrace.Was Blaise’s mother back?His blood froze when a flash of red appeared in the distance.Blaise’s girlfriend had come to visit. And she was probably staying at Granger’s flat, as usual.Dread pooled in his stomach at the thought. Draco swallowed, sitting down at Pansy’s feet.He was not ready to face Weaslette and pretend nothing had happened. He was sure she knew everything.“Hello, gorgeous,” Blaise said, jumping out of the pool and wrapping his arms around her.Weaslette punched his chest playfully.“You’re wet,” she commented, kissing his jaw and smiling. “Did you miss me?”Draco averted his gaze, his lips twisting down into a grimace. Pansy snorted and grabbed her drink, stiffening before it reached her lips.“Fuck,” she said under her breath, drinking all the liquid in one gulp and vanishing the glass with a snap of her fingers.
Draco followed her gaze and what was left of his heart fell to his feet.Granger was approaching the Weasley girl with her eyes fixed on him.He gasped and looked at Blaise, hoping his face showed how hurt he felt.How could his friend betray him like this?Blaise was at his side before Draco could run, grabbing his arm and keeping him in place.“Do you think I’d let her come here without a good reason?” He whispered, his worried eyes flickering between his. “You know me better than that.”Draco ran his tongue over his teeth, his body trembling with rage.He trusted Blaise with his life, just as he trusted Pansy. They would never hurt him intentionally, he knew that.“Let her explain herself,” continued Blaise, squeezing his arm. “Please, Draco.”He fought down his anger, choosing to respond calmly instead.“Fine.” He pulled away from him and crossed his arms over his chest. “But you owe me.”Blaise gave him a triumphant smile and returned to Weaslette’s side, who was watching him with pursed lips.Draco turned on his heel and walked towards the veranda, away from all of them but avoiding the house. Blaise would have his head on a pike if he entered the ancient villa with wet feet.He didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know she was following him.Draco closed his eyes and breathed in, pushing a few damp strands of hair away from his face before turning to face her.Granger looked nervous. Her gaze fell to his chest and a blush spread across her cheeks.
His eyes narrowed and he hid his left arm behind his back.Was she staring at his scars?“I shouldn’t have come here like this, but you didn’t answer my calls.”Draco frowned.“That big brain of yours has not deduced that perhaps I just don’t want to talk to you?” He asked icily.She took a deep breath, her hands clenched at her sides.“Malfoy-”“One minute, Granger.” Draco cut her off, taking a step back to put more distance between them when he noticed her floral scent. “I don’t have time for this.”She nodded and hugged herself.“I know I hurt your feelings.” Her voice was shaking and she was looking at her feet, avoiding his cold eyes. “And I’m sorry for that.”Most of his rage melted away.“You shouldn’t apologise to me,” he murmured, dragging his hands through his hair.He should be the one on his knees begging for her forgiveness.“Did you read my texts?” She asked, looking up at him as she chewed on her lip.Draco shook his head.“I don’t even know where my bloody phone is.”Granger clasped her hands together and exhaled, holding his gaze.“I didn’t leave the café, Malfoy.”He clenched his teeth and looked away.“You wanted to.”“That’s not true.”“Your face went deadly pale and you ran away, Granger,” he replied, glancing back at her and arching his brow as he crossed his arms.She wouldn’t dare to deny this.“It was a bit of a shock,” Granger admitted, tucking a curl that had escaped her high bun behind her ear. “You have to understand that.”He did.“I’d suspected for a while that it was you,” she continued, looking around them nervously. “But seeing you there was… a reality check.”Draco snorted through his nose. Nice way of calling the awkward moment they had shared.
The range of emotions he had felt after reading Weasley’s article had been scary: Surprise, fear, anger —at the weasel, not her— sadness, hope…The weight of it had almost crushed him for a minute.“Why didn’t you freak out?” She asked suddenly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.Draco shrugged.“I knew it was you.”His traitorous heart fluttered when she stepped closer.“How?”“Some things J mentioned were similar to what you said the last time we saw each other.” Draco cleared his throat, drumming his fingers on his arm. “And I also saw an article about Weasley.”Her eyes widened.“Oh.”He let his hands fall and made fists.“It was him, wasn’t it?” Draco questioned, knowing the answer.He finally had a name, and he couldn’t wait to cross paths with Weasley once he returned home. Wizarding England was not big enough for him to hide.“It doesn’t matter.” Granger waved the topic off and pressed her lips together. “That was the day I started suspecting you were L.”Draco cocked his head. Had she figured it out first?“What gave me away?”Her eyes softened.“You said something about your past mistakes. Something L had told me before.”“Right.” He remembered both conversations. “And why didn’t you stop texting me after that?”“Because I like L.” Her shy smile took his breath away. “He’s sweet, caring, funny, and protective.” Her cheeks flushed again and she lifted her shoulder in a half shrug. “I couldn’t stay away from him.”Draco felt a blush of shame creeping up his chest.“Apologies for the disappointment,” he muttered, turning away and rubbing the nape of his neck.He couldn’t look at her and see the frustration on her face.Soft fingertips brushed against the skin of his forearm and his head snapped back to Granger, his eyes wide in surprise. She was touching him carefully, as if scared of his rejection.“I still like L,” Granger said slowly.
His breath caught in his throat when her fingers brushed his faded Dark Mark, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. She didn’t even blink, unaffected by its presence.
“I’d love to get to know you better… if you’re still interested,” she added, pulling her hand away.“Still interested?” Draco repeated in confusion.What was she talking about?“I’m sure it was not easy for you either.” Granger gave him an understanding smile. “Accepting it was me.”“It was easier than you think,” Draco replied, straightening up.The flicker of hope had returned and was running through his veins, changing his mood.A small smile tugged at her lips.“Can you forgive me?”His lips twitched and he chuckled sadly.“There’s nothing to forgive, Granger.”She moved even closer and his heart jumped behind his ribs. They had never been this close to each other before, and he could now tell the scent came from her hair.“Would you give this another try?” She asked in a whisper, fidgeting with the buttons of her pink blouse.Draco stared at the cute freckles on her nose.“On one condition.”She gave him an encouraging nod.“What is it?”Draco couldn’t help but smile genuinely at her. She trusted him enough to agree to whatever he was about to ask before knowing what it was, and that made his heart beat faster.As he had feared, J was too good for him.He reached out and held her chin with his hand, his thumb brushing her cheek. Granger shivered at the contact.“Will you forgive me?” Draco asked, staring into her warm eyes.She let out an exasperated sigh, the smile never leaving her face.“I already did, remember?”Draco stepped closer and pulled her in, wrapping her in an embrace. He rested his chin on her head and inhaled her scent.It felt incredible.“I told you I would hug you the day we met.” He sighed and hugged her tighter, smirking when her arms circled his waist and she leaned her head on his naked chest. “I guess neither of us kept our word.”Granger melted into him and he buried his nose in her curls, the tension in his body disappearing now that he had her in his arms.“I didn’t think you’d leave.” Granger sniffled, her fingers digging into his skin. “When I found the table empty, I…”Draco pulled back and searched her gaze.“I couldn’t stay there and listen to all the reasons why this would never work.”She blinked several times.“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”Draco cursed himself inwardly. The last thing he wanted was to make her cry.“I know.”Granger relaxed at that.“Can we start again?”Her smile widened at his nod.“Hello, L.” Her hand searched his and she intertwined their fingers, squeezing gently. “I’ve missed you.”His heart was pounding so hard she could probably hear it. He lifted his hands and cupped her face, grinning when her cheeks turned red.“I’ve missed you, too.”Draco leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers, sighing against her lips when she buried one of her hands in his hair, pulling him down by the silver chain hanging around his neck with the other to kiss him back.His lips moulded into hers and Granger gasped for air. His tongue dipped into her mouth and he groaned when it brushed hers, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to his chest.The kiss was bliss.Her nails were scrapping the back of his head, leaving his mind blank.Draco was drowning in her and he didn't mind it a bit. All he could think was kissing her harder, pulling her closer, never letting her go.His fingers dipped below the hem of her blouse and traced the skin of her lower back. Granger whimpered at the touch and he broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers.“Will you stay for dinner?”Her swollen lips and bright eyes were begging him to kiss her again. He lowered his mouth to her earlobe and tugged softly with his teeth.“If you want me to,” she replied breathlessly.“Please,” Draco whispered, his lips tracing her jawline.Granger shuddered in his arms. Merlin, she was so responsive to his touch.
“I’ll stay, then.”Draco pulled back and smirked, kissing her one last time and taking her hand in his.Blaise and Weaslette were inside the pool and they grinned at the sight of them holding hands.“We did it!” Blaise laughed and pulled at Weaslette’s arm, kissing her cheek. “I told you they are perfect for each other.”Draco arched an eyebrow.“You both knew?”“Sorry, mate.” Blaise looked anything but apologetic. “We didn’t want to interfere.”Weaslette saw Granger’s unimpressed face and rolled her eyes.“Don’t look at me like that, Hermione. He didn’t tell me anything until yesterday.”Pansy sneered at them.“There are too many Gryffindors here.”“Do you want one for yourself, Pansy?” Weaslette asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Neville is still single.”Draco couldn’t contain his laughter when he saw his friend blushing fiercely at that comment.“I don’t need a man, thank you very much,” Pansy muttered, glaring at her before looking down at her magazine.“You should reconsider it,” Weaslette insisted, wiggling her eyebrows. “There’s a reason why he visits your shop once a month. Neville doesn’t need that many clothes and you know it.”Pansy’s blush deepened but she didn't dignify that with an answer. Blaise burst out laughing while a smug smile spread across Weaslette’s face.Draco eyed the pool and glanced at Granger.“Where do you have your phone?””Here,” she said, tapping the front pocket of her trousers.“May I have it?”Granger gave him a confused look.“Sure,” she replied, pulling it out and handing it to him.Draco grabbed the phone and grinned evilly.Her lips parted, but before she could ask he pushed her hard. Granger squealed as she fell into the pool, her face breaking the surface a moment later.“How dare you!” She screamed, her curls plastered to her forehead.Draco laughed and placed her phone on an empty sunbed before diving headfirst into the pool.“Stop!” Granger was trying to leave the water and glared at him over her shoulder when he held her down. “Malfoy!”She sighed in defeat and let him pull her to the centre of the pool. Draco kissed her shoulder and released her.“You are not mad, are you?”Granger raised an eyebrow and her feet curled around his calf, pulling at it. She pushed at his chest at the same time and grinned when his head sank into the water.“Now we’re even.”He splashed water at her and chuckled when she snarled something under her breath. Granger pulled her wand out of her bun and her curls fell down her shoulders, fluttering around her in the water. She flicked the wand and transfigured her ruined clothes into a dark blue bikini.“Damn, Granger.” Draco looked down at her body and grinned, looking back up at her. “You look edible.”She snorted.“You don’t look bad yourself, Malfoy.”He shook his head and pulled her in, his lips brushing against her temple.“Draco,” he rasped in her ear.Granger let out a shaky sigh and nodded.“Draco,” she repeated, looking up at him through her wet lashes.Draco lowered his head to capture her lips with his. He didn’t care their friends were watching and ignored Blaise’s whistles, deepening the kiss.“You two are behaving like teenagers. It’s ridiculous,” Pansy muttered with a huff.Draco opened his eyes and gave her the middle finger, still devouring Granger’s lips. She pulled away and laughed, combing his wet hair back with her fingers.“Are you glad I came?”He hummed.“Definitely.”“Leave them alone.” Weaslette sat down on the sunbed next to Pansy and laughed. “They’re in love.”Pansy scrunched up her nose in distaste.“You look too comfortable here, Weasley.”“I hope so,” Blaise commented, offering his girlfriend a pink cocktail. “Only the best for my lady.”Weaslette kissed his cheek and took a sip, humming in approval.“And what about your old friend?” Pansy asked with narrowed eyes.Blaise turned to her and twisted his lips to the side.“Sparkling wine?”“Please.” Pansy smiled and glanced back at Weaslette, pointing to the bottle Blaise had just summoned with her chin. “His wine is delicious, Weasley. You should try it.”━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
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Instagram
(Image 93)A picture of Blaise and Ginny holding pinkiesHotItalian: Never let me go #Missingmywitch(Image 94)A picture of Draco hugging Hermione from behindMalfoyHeir: You can keep my hoodie, love #Ioweyouafirstdate
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Instagram
(Image 95)
Picture of Granger pouting
GrangerGirl: Why is he not back yet? #WhereareyouDraco #Iamstarving
Draco texting Granger
(Image 96)
Draco: Merlin, witch. You're impatient
Granger: I'm hungry 🥲
Draco: I know, love. The wait will be worth it, I promise
Granger: As long as you have the food. And I can see you while I eat it
Draco: I also have good news
Granger: Really?(Image 97)
Draco: Well, I think they're good news. But it depends on what you want
Granger: 🤨 Don't start. Tell me
Draco: Can't you wait until I arrive?
Granger: No
Draco: As I said, impatient. You know I'd like to have a job
(Image 98)
Granger: I know. Someone will give you a chance, Draco. Don't lose hope
Draco: Someone already did
Granger: 😱
Draco: But it's here, in Italy
Granger: What?
Draco: I sent a letter to a potioneer who works in Florence two weeks ago. I just visited the shop before grabbing our food(Image 99)
Granger: That's why you're taking so long
Draco: Yes. He wants me as his apprentice
Granger: Draco!! That's brilliant!
Draco: I miss you, love. And I wanted an excuse to move here. Now I have it
Granger: 🥺 I can't believe it. Are you sure you want to leave Britain?(Image 100)
Draco: Positive. The only thing I need is here. I don't like being away from you
Granger: Draco 🥺 I want to hug you. Come back
Draco: On my way
Granger: What about your mother? And your friends?
Draco: They can come here to visit(Image 101)
Granger: Maybe one day we'll go back. Gringotts could ask me to return to England. And you could open your own Potions shop
Draco: Maybe. But right now I want to be here with you
Granger: That's very sweet. Are you happy?
Draco: I've never been happier
Granger: Stop 🥺(Image 102)
Draco: We could repeat our first date this afternoon. You loved watching the sunset up there
Granger: Mostly because of the company. But I'd love to go there again
Draco: I'll call the restaurant and book a table for us
Granger: Will you also repeat the rest of the date?
Draco: Granger
Granger: Yes? 😇(Image 103)
Draco: Don't play innocent with me, love
Granger: I didn't know it would feel that good
Draco: Me neither
And I thought you just wanted me to meet Stormy
Granger: That was an excuse. I wanted you all for myself
Draco: How could I resist?
Granger: I still blush when I remember you did everything you told me that night through texts(Image 104)
Draco: You blushed even more when I was doing it to you. Your face was red once I was done with you
Granger: 🫣
Draco: You want me to do it again?
Granger: Yes
Draco: Merlin. I want to eat you, not the food
Granger: We can leave the food for later(Image 105)
Draco: You said you were hungry
Granger: I want you more
Draco: Fuck, Hermione. I can't walk around Florence with my cock half-hard. What will the Muggles think?
Granger: Who cares? 🤭
Draco: Naughty little thing you are. Why do I like you this much?
Granger: Because I'm the best(Image 106)
Draco: You are. I still smile when I see my flowers in your flat
Granger: What did you think? That I'd leave that beautiful bouquet there?
Draco: I should stop to buy you a new one
Granger: No! Draco. Come home. I need you(Image 107)
Draco: One minute, love. I'm almost there. Home?
Granger: Won't you live here with me? Once you move to Florence?
Draco: Do you want me to?
Granger: I do, yes
Draco: Fuck. I love you
Granger: I love you, too ❤️(Image 108)
Draco: Go to your bedroom. But don't take off your clothes. That's my job
Granger: 😂
Draco: You won't be laughing once your body is underneath mine. And I make you forget your name again(Image 109)
Granger: 🫠 Wait. What if I do what I told you I'd do to you. Do you remember?
Draco: How could I forget it. I was a mess before you had finished
Granger: It's my turn, then
Draco: We have all the weekend, darling. We can do both things(Image 110)
Granger: Okay. You start
Draco: Ten seconds. Nine. Eight
Granger: 🤭 Don't forget to cast a stasis charm on the food
Draco: Already done
Instagram
(Image 111)
Picture of Granger wearing a white shirt
MalfoyHeir: How did I get this lucky?
#Shelovestowearmyshirt #Mypersonalheaven
Slytherin group chat
(Image 112)
Draco: I have news
Pansy: What now?
Draco: I'm moving to Italy
Pansy: Of course you are
Blaise: Yes!! I might move back to England, though. But I will come back once the Quidditch season is over
Pansy: Simps, the both of you(Image 113)
Blaise: We want to spend more time with our girlfriends, Pansy. It's not that weird
Draco: I'm done with England anyway. Everyone hates me here. I owled my NEWT results to an Italian potioneer, and he's offered me to work with him as his apprentice
Blaise: That's amazing, mate. Granger must be very happy
Draco: She is(Image 114)
Theo: Wait what? Draco and Granger?
Pansy: Are you finally back from your holidays? You missed a lot of things. Check Instagram
Theo: OH MY GOD. Blaise?? You're dating Weasley?
Blaise: I'm a lucky man(Image 115)
Theo: I can't believe you're dating someone. Congratulations, mate
Blaise: Thanks
Draco: Come for tea this afternoon and I'll tell you about Granger
Theo: I'll be there at 4
Pansy: It's not a big deal, but I have a date today
Draco: With who??(Image 116)
Pansy: It's just a date
Blaise: Who is it, Pans? Come one, say his name
Pansy: You both are idiots. I have a date with Longbottom, okay? Are you happy now?
Blaise: Ginny is going to scream
Pansy: Don't tell her yet. It might be a disaster(Image 117)
Draco: It won't. That man has a crush on you. Didn't you see how he blushed when we bumped into him on Monday?
Pansy: I saw it, yes
Draco: And you blushed too
Pansy: Shut up
Theo: Well, since it's confession time... I also have something to say(Image 118)
Blaise: Oh Merlin. That can't be good
Theo: I wasn't alone in Greece
Draco: Huh. Are you dating someone too?
Theo: Yes
Draco: Who?(Image 119)
Theo: I'll only say that he's famous. And has a scar on his forehead
Blaise: HAHAHAHAHAHA. WE'RE ALL DATING GRYFFINDORS!!. This is the best day of my life
Draco: Fuck. Potter? Seriously???
Theo: Look who's talking(Image 120)
Pansy: I'm still not dating anyone, guys
Blaise: Keep denying the obvious, darling. We should have dinner together. The eight of us
Draco: No fucking way. I'm not having dinner with Potter
Blaise: What if Granger wants to?
Draco: Shit
Pansy: You can't say no to her, can you?(Image 121)
Draco: Of course I can. But I don't want to
Blaise: Marry her already
Draco: My mother is already planning the wedding 🙄 She says I should propose soon
Theo: A MALFOY-GRANGER WEDDING
Draco: We've only been dating for a month(Image 122)
Pansy: So? We all know you want her as your wife
Draco: You might be right
Theo: This is too much new information in very little time. I'm going to faint
Blaise: Can I be your best man?
Draco: Only if I'm yours
Blaise: Deal(Image 123)
Theo: Hey!
Pansy: You can be mine, Theo. (If I ever get married)
Blaise: Mark my words, Pansy. You'll be married to the snake killer in a year
Pansy: Don't call him that. It was very brave of him
Draco: A true Gryffindor(Image 124)
Theo: Potter says he's open to the quadruple date. And Granger has already agreed
Draco: Fuck. I can't escape now
Blaise: You were done the minute she matched you on Incendio, mate
Theo: Wait wait. They matched on Incendio??? The dating app?
Draco: Stop asking questions and come for tea later. I need to pack(Image 125)
Blaise: Let us know about your date later, Pans
Pansy: No, thanks
Blaise: Ginny is also up for the quadruple date. Should I be jealous of Potter? He's her ex, after all
Draco: There's not a single drop of jealousy in your body
Blaise: True. You kept them all(Image 126)
Pansy: It's great that Potter and Weaslette are friends
Blaise: It is
Draco: They were Granger's rock when it all went to shit with the fucking weasel
Blaise: Ginny doesn't even talk to her brother
Draco: That's why I like her
Theo: You should like Potter too, then
Draco: Not in a million years
Theo: Okay, it's settled! We have a table reserved this Saturday at Potter's favourite Muggle restaurant(Image 127)
Pansy: I'm not going
Blaise: Yes you are. And you'll bring Longbottom
Draco: If this is a nightmare, I want to wake up
Blaise: Get used to it, mate. This is our life now
Theo: 😂
Draco: I need a Firewhisky