XXV. Flying
"Where are we going?"
"Hush, Pansy. You'll find out in a second."
Draco is beaming as he leads her towards the Forbidden Forest. Her heart is pounding as they silently race along. She knows they won't get in trouble if they're caught out there (they're prefects after all) but there's something so thrilling about being out with Draco, all alone expect for the Moon and the stars and the chill autumn wind.
They draw to a halt and Pansy wonders why; there is nothing important in sight.
"Accio," Draco hisses. A moment later his broom is resting in his hands. "I had one of the house elves hide it away for me," he explains. "I didn't want to spoil the surprise."
There's the unspoken thought that they would certainly have got into a lot of trouble had they been found outside at night with the obvious intention of going flying. There still is that risk, but right now Pansy doesn't care to think of it.
"How about a midnight flight?" Draco says with a grin, jumping onto the broom.
Pansy clambers on behind him, trying not to shriek as she almost manages to fall off. He laughs and they start to climb high into the sky. She hangs onto his waist, her fingers clutching at his robes and possibly leaving bruises on his skin, but he shows no sign of having noticed that. She buries her face in his shoulder as they fly steadily upwards, but then they stop ascending and she dares to look up.
She is alone with Draco – all alone and far above the Earth with only the Moon and the stars and the chill autumn wind for company. If she listens hard enough she can hear his heart beating. The night is still.