A/N: This chapter puts me at about 150,000 words. How on earth did that happen? As always reviews = love so please review!review!review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Draco sighed, scratching at the skin beneath the magical cuff he'd gotten only moments before. He'd been last of course. Hermione's quick sweep was over in seconds, and despite her protests, she'd been asked to leave.
Theo had been next, and while it had taken longer, he'd eventually been let go with his wand and directions to the room that would become his home for the duration of their stay.
Then him.
The probing of his mind was easy, and he barely had to work to move what he knew the others needed to see to the forefront of his mind.
It was this magical brace though that had been difficult.
The minute it had closed against his arm, his head had gone light as the rest of his body grew heavy. It felt like he was choking, breaking as his core rebelled against the bindings and something else deeper in him began retaliating.
He'd nearly been sick
Instead though, he'd straightened himself the best he could and walked out with his head held high. Once the room had faded and he could no longer hear or sense the presence of another person he'd dropped heavily to lean against the wall.
It seemed he was downright exhausted, and his mind went briefly to Patel's advice about resting and taking it easy on his magical core.
This was probably the exact opposite of what she'd had in mind.
He pushed himself off to resume his walk when he made out the sound of footsteps.
"Oi, hold it ferret."
He swallowed his groan as he recognized the voice and turned to meet the last two people in the world he wanted to see.
Potter and Weasley.
He waited, watching them both wary.
Potter was watching him intently, free from any emotion but curiosity. Thought the way he was looking at him was like he knew something.
His chest clenched and he wondered if Shacklebolt had told Potter just why he was so important to the Order. He wouldn't be surprised if the so called leader of the Order had blurted it out to simply pacify the 'Chosen One'.
The thought made bile rise to his throat in disgust.
Of all the people to find out about his visions, he'd certainly never wanted his greatest rival to.
He just hoped Weasley didn't know. He didn't think the prat would be able to keep his mouth shut about it if he did.
When it seemed apparent that he wasn't going to cave and speak, Potter cleared his throat.
"I..We," he corrected quickly, "Wanted to thank you for finding Hermione and bringing her back safe."
He clenched his jaw before offering a slight nod. He could play nice, at least for the time being.
"Her safety is important," he said stiffly, unable to resist his next words, "but believe me I didn't do it for you."
Weasley growled.
"I don't know who you think you're fooling Malfoy -"
"Well it's never been hard to fool you Weasley." He cut him off.
Weasley's face flushed a deep scarlet as he clenched one of his fists as the other went to his side, most likely in search of his wand.
"Fuck you Malfoy. I'd be more careful if I were you. One wrong move and you're out. I don't care who vouches for you."
He felt his temper flare. He took in a sharp breath then, willing himself to remain calm.
"Was that a threat Weasley, because I have to say it was rather pathetic even for you."
Potter gripped Weasley's arm. In warning or as a precaution, he didn't know nor did he care.
"I don't know what you've done to get Hermione to vouch for you, but I see you for what you are; a fucking Death Eater who saw some shit and then turned tail and ran like a coward."
At the emphasis Weasley put on the word saw, it didn't matter what calming exercises he knew. He saw red.
He knew.
He fucking knew.
He was angry. Angry for the breach in his contract and the utter lack of decency and arrogance the prick had in flaunting his knowledge. Like he understood.
Even more was the smug bastard's mention of Hermione.
"You don't know anything." He hissed stalking forward. Before he could even think, they'd both swung at each other only to be pushed away from one another before either one of them could land a punch.
Potter then stepped between them, shooting his friend a glance and muttering to remain calm.
He pushed against the thin barrier Potter had erected.
It was relatively weak. Even in this state, bound and all, he could break it without lifting a finger. Why though, he thought momentarily distracted from his rage.
He'd made out Potter casting. He'd done it with some measure of force, yet it had still formed in such a flimsy manner.
Like his magic wasn't cooperating…
Like it was slipping from the bounds of the spell, allowing it to fail.
The thought nagged at him, but he didn't have time to delve into it deeper before Weasley was once again shouting.
Funnily enough, he seemed to be alternating between Potter and himself.
"Harry what are you doing sticking up for that that.." He sputtered, "That Death Eater."
He felt his temper spark once more.
"I'm not a fucking Death Eater Weasley."
"And that mark on your arm is what, a decoration?" he hissed.
He ground his teeth.
"Stop acting like you know me you ginger bastard. Do you think I'm scared of you and your idiotic threats? I've gotten more serious ones in my own fucking house." He snapped, "You have a little bit of power and a little bit of knowledge and you automatically feel like you're entitled to something from me. Fuck you. I have nothing to prove, least of all to you."
"Go to hell."
Something in him snapped then, the culmination of the argument, that warring of his own body….
Death Eater.
Spy.
Traitor.
Seer.
All of it and none of it, and he was suddenly so fucking furious that he didn't think he could stop himself from exploding even if he wanted too.
"I've already been." Draco all but shouted, anguish lacing his words.
"You think because it's been a little hard for you and you have a few battles under your belt that you understand how the world works. You don't. I practically breathe hell. I can't even close my eyes to get away from it"
He was nearly screeching now, and Weasley had the decency to look chastened.
"This will end for you, because one day the war will end. Hell, I've seen it. But this." Draco gestured to himself. "This doesn't end for me. Not tomorrow. Not in 20 years. I'm always going to be worrying about what I'll see when my eyes close at night until I'm dead. So don't presume to judge me or know how I feel and my reasons for doing what I do. You couldn't possibly be able to comprehend it."
Weasley still looked slightly angry, but even more confused with just a hint of fear in his narrowed eyes.
He was sure he looked quite a sight.
He could feel his magic leaking out and nearly sparking in the air. It didn't matter that he was half bound at the moment…
His father always did say he had too much magic for his own good.
Though, the way the bastard's eyes were roaming on his face and focusing in one particular spot made him grow uneasy. Out of the corner of his eye, he made out Potter doing the same.
Hesitantly, his hand came up to his lip and with horror he made out the feel of something wet. Quickly, he wiped his hand beneath his nose, able to momentarily comprehend that the blood flow had stopped.
Fuck.
Potter's eyes were wide in confusion as he gripped Weasley's arm once more.
"Enough Ron." He said firmly, "Malfoy's done his part and...and I believe him."
Weasley whirled to face Potter, disbelief clear in his expression.
"I..He...I owe him a life debt Ron."
He blinked stunned that Potter had said it, and judging by Weasley he was as well.
"Leave him be." Potter said, pulling his friend as they turned to leave, "We should be getting to breakfast."
He slumped, stumbling to lean against the wall as he waited until their retreating footsteps could no longer be heard.
Then he spun on his heel and headed quickly toward the room he'd been assigned, muttering a quick cleaning spell as he went.
What on earth had just happened?
Hermione wandered the halls before finally turning into the one corridor which housed her room. She was reluctant to go to breakfast alone and frankly with still no sign of Draco, she was worried.
He'd seemed distant when they'd finished with Kingsley and even more so while they were waiting for the customary Legilimency session.
She didn't want him to feel that anything would change simply by being within the Order's headquarters.
She didn't want to feel like anything would.
She'd nearly lost him one too many times for anyone else's opinion to matter, and now, she knew without a doubt that she would always choose him.
She'd done the opposite before, and it had nearly killed her.
She sighed, moving passed her room to the one that Theo now occupied.
Surely, he was finished with his session by now.
She knocked on the door, surprised when it opened easily for her. Peering inside, she caught her brother, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, bent over a piece of parchment scribbling furiously.
"Theo."
He startled, shifting the parchment out of sight.
"Hermione." He said shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Taking in her face, he grew solemn. "Is everything alright?"
She forced a smile to her face.
"It's fine. I just didn't want to head to breakfast alone and Draco...he's not done yet."
His gaze softened as he stood, but the motion freed the parchment, and she caught a sentence or two of what he'd been writing.
Or rather who he'd been writing too.
She smiled slightly sitting on the edge of Theo's bed and patted the space beside her. With a sigh, he scooted over until he was close enough for their knees to touch.
"How is Daphne?" She asked softly.
Theo opened his mouth, and for a moment, she thought he might deny it before he let out a breath and gave her a thin smile. He pulled his glasses off and rubbed at his eyes.
"Good. She says Stori is doing better."
She nodded. "That's good."
Theo nodded, before he came closer to her and, after a moment's hesitation, dropped his head to rest on her shoulder.
"I miss her." he said quietly.
Her hand found his, and she squeezed it tight.
"I know."
He tightened his own grip around her hand.
They sat like that, leaning heavily on one another before Theo finally stood and wordlessly dragged her down the hall toward the dining area.
When he cracked a weak joke at the round of the corner, she knew without him saying that he'd appreciated her efforts.
They let their actions replace their words.
They would be ok.
They entered the room, still hand in hand. Hermione marveled at the expanded size and the rows and rows of tables that were nearly full of Resistance members. It nearly reminded her of the Great Hall at Hogwarts.
Perhaps the Order had managed to recruit more members after all.
She and Theo walked deeper into the room, and the light chatter that had been echoing around them hushed slightly as they passed.
"It's like they've never seen a new person before." Theo muttered as she searched for any free seat around the room.
"Be nice." she said in response, trying to ignore her mounting fear of finding nowhere to sit. She hardly wanted to leave Theo to fend for himself if they had to separate.
"Oh Hermione, over here."
She turned and found Padma waving at her from her seat across the room. A quick glance to the members of the table showed Ginny, Ernie, and another figure who was somewhat out of her line of sight, hidden behind Padma's form.
She half-turned to Theo, who merely shrugged his shoulders before they both walked over to the group.
As they neared the table, she heard Theo take in a sharp breath before pausing a foot from an open seat.
"Well fuck me. Goyle?" He said.
She blinked, following his line of sight to the figure in question.
Her jaw dropped in shock, but true to Theo's word Gregory Goyle was seated next to Padma. Quite close really, when she thought about it.
He looked different that had Theo not recognized him, she herself would have completely missed it at first glance. He'd lost much of the bulk of his youth, though he was still wide it was now firm and slightly muscled. His hair had been trimmed as well. The biggest change though seemed to be in his face. He looked...content.
Goyle gave Theo a sheepish grin.
"Hello Nott."
The two former housemates stared at one another for a moment before Theo broke out into a wicked grin.
"Well thank Salazar, I was afraid the only two snakes in this lion's den were me and Draco."
She jabbed her elbow in Theo's side.
"Watch it. Your sister's a lion."
Theo laughed, and she could see the rest of the table relax and crack smiles at their banter.
They took their seats, and as she began eating a warm feeling settled in her gut as her eyes darted around the familiar faces of the table.
Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad.
She grew engrossed in the conversations, particularly with Padma, asking her question after question about her Healer training.
She nearly missed it when Harry and Ron entered the hall, noticing the tiny bundle of energy bouncing between them.
She smiled and waved, and Teddy, catching sight of her, enthusiastically waved back as he tugged Harry and by extension Ron toward her table.
The trio stared at one another for a moment before Harry cracked a small smile and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry 'Mione." he whispered in her ear before his arms were replaced by Ron's.
"I'm so glad you're alright." Ron said pulling away.
"It's good to see you Ron." She said softly.
He nodded with a grin still playing at the corner of his mouth.
Then, both Harry and Ron looked around her table greeting the rest before saying they had to take Teddy over to Andromeda.
She let them go, grateful that no one had caused a scene.
It wasn't long after that that another figure entered the room. This time though, the entire hall went silent.
She looked up, dropping her fork as she took in Draco standing firmly at the entrance of the hall glancing around as though searching for something while also ignoring the blatant stares and whispers his arrival had sparked.
His jaw was clenched and his shoulders tensed, and she was about to call him over when Teddy shrieked from where he was sitting a few tables from her own and bolted toward Draco as fast as his little legs would carry him.
"Draco! Draco! Draco!" He said bounding over.
Draco's face broke out into a wide grin as he bent over and scooped his cousin up into his arms.
The whispering halted as the rest of the room went quiet watching the two cousins interact. Teddy was babbling away to Draco, his hair charmed to match before he squirmed in his arms to be put down and proceeded to drag Draco over to their table.
Out of the corner of her eye, she made out a pained expression of Harry's face as he took in the sight.
He probably wished Teddy would interact that way with him.
She could understand that. She'd wished for it too. At the end of the day; though, Draco was all Teddy knew.
Draco stopped at their table, Teddy clasping his hand as he stared in shock at Goyle.
Theo laughed then and Draco turned sharply to him.
"Mate, I thought the exact same thing."
After an agonizingly slow moment, Draco grinned as he took a seat beside her and helped Teddy up into his lap.
She could hear the rest of hall seemingly recovering from the shock of Draco fade as the buzz of chatter returned.
She let out a breath of relief her eyes automatically drawn to him. His face was a perfect mask of calm and happiness as he alternated between feeding his cousin and himself, but the tenseness in his shoulders and the straightness of his back was more than enough for her to know he was anything but how he appeared.
She continued to study him, noting he looked slightly paler than he had before though. It forced a small frown to her face.
Draco met her gaze and gave her a thin smile.
"Sorry I'm late." He said softly, near her ear.
"Take a while?"
His jaw clenched. "You could say that." he said before turning to Goyle to catch up.
She shook her head, vowing she'd get the story out of him later.
The thought soon fled from the forefront of her mind as she saw him slowly relax and branch out to addressing the rest of their ragtag table members.
He was trying, and when his eyes would briefly flicker to hers, she knew he was doing it for her.
Draco sighed. He could feel Hermione's eyes still on him. She seemed to be holding her tongue to keep from asking the multitude of questions he knew she wanted too.
He was thankfully she did.
He certainly didn't want to answer anything right now.
It was still ringing in his ear.
Death Eater.
Death Eater.
Death Eater.
But he wasn't...He wasn't like them.
He let out a shaky breath, focusing on Goyle and his rather close proximity to Patel.
"I have to say Goyle that when I told you to run, I never expected to find you here."
The man in question smiled sheepishly at him, his eyes drifted briefly to Patel.
"Neither did I, but it worked out well. I think."
Draco smirked, tilting his chin at the girl beside him. Goyle reddened slightly, clearing his throat.
"So it truly worked out for you." he said with a teasing lilt of his voice.
The blush on his cheeks increased as he rubbed at his neck. Greg leaned forward.
"Well, it wasn't like that at first. I ended up here after wandering a few months on my own. I was in pretty bad shape...and,"
He held up his hand to cut off Greg's fumbled speech.
He let a wicked sort of grin spread across his face. "A fantasy come true."
Goyle stammered before clenching his fist and shaking his head.
"Still a bastard Malfoy." he said, though his face showed little sign of annoyance at that fact.
He grinned, rubbing his temple. Teddy was squirming in his lap, but he seemed to be more interested with playing with the food on his plate than anything anyone else was saying.
"Someone has to be." He shrugged his shoulders, shifting his legs to better balance his cousin.
Goyle rolled his eyes before tilting his head in Hermione's direction.
"And what about that?"
He smiled slightly, catching sight of Hermione engrossed in conversation with Ginny.
"Probably one of the best things to ever happen to me Greg."
Out of the corner of his eyes, he made out Greg smirking widely.
"Good for you Draco."
He smiled slightly, before he picked up his fork.
"Thanks mate."
He sat back and allowed the rest of the conversation fold around him, not particularly wanting to continue attempting to make small talk. He could feel another headache taking hold, as he grew more weary the longer he stayed upright.
Perhaps Hermione had been right in her reluctance to see him discharged. He rubbed at the skin beneath his brace, not particularly noticing when the seat beside him was filled.
"That doesn't look good."
He blinked and turned his head to meet Luna's solemn expression as she studied his irritated skin.
He forced a thin smile and shrugged his shoulders, hoping he looked more at ease than he actually felt.
"It's probably going to be like this until my core re-stabilizes."
Luna frowned slightly before looking up to his face.
It struck him then that his cousin seemed a lot more present and grown than she had been in her wistful youth.
She studied him a moment longer before shrugging her thin shoulders and leaning closer to him.
"Well, be careful, and make sure you keep the nargles away. They're stealing the magic you're giving off."
He opened his mouth fully intent on asking Luna how she knew he was practically leaking magic, when Teddy turned his head and caught Luna's gaze.
He then vaulted forward grasping at some of Luna's hair and chatting away about how similar it looked to Draco's.
He plastered a smile on his face and nodded along as his cousins grew acquainted with one another. He grew lost watching the two and was even further distracted by his thoughts and the dull ache against his temple.
His daze was only broken when Luna stood to leave, pressing a hand to his shoulder.
"Get some sleep Draco. You look tired." She said softly, before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his temple and turning away to glide out of the hall and off to do who knows what.
He sighed watching her go; all the while thinking that, surprisingly, Luna actually usually knew what she was talking about.
Hermione watched with keen interest Draco and Luna interacting.
"You know watching them be friendly is almost as weird as watching you two." Ginny said, turning her head to take in the two blonds.
It was actually remarkable, until she'd seen them both sit side by side, she'd never noticed the similarities between the two.
There was of course the obvious pale blond hair and porcelain like coloring, complete with the graying eye color. Though, the similarities seemed more than just that. The edge of their faces, shape of the forehead, even the slight point of the chin was practically the same.
"I think it's weirder to think that Luna is related to Lucius." she said dryly.
Ginny snorted beside her, but her gaze was too focused on Luna and how her easy musing were affecting Draco.
Idly, she wondered if the girl's wistful and eerie observant nature might be the result of a sliver of their family gift peeking through her.
It would certainly explain how in tune she was despite her perpetually withdrawn and airy state.
As his cousin stood and left, she heard Draco sigh and lean back toward her.
She smiled despite herself at his warmth and the tickle of his breath against her neck.
"M'tired." he murmured against her skin.
She shifted to look down at him.
"Do you want me to help you back?" she said softly.
He thought for a moment, before he shook his head and straightened.
"No. I'm ok." he said shifting Teddy off his lap and telling him to go back to his grandmother.
He stood slowly. Just as he'd turned to go, she reached out and grasped his hand tight. She could feel some curious eyes drift towards them, but she ignored them in favor of Draco's curious gaze.
She squeezed his hand.
"Actually sleep." she said lowly, "And take the headache potion."
His lips quirked up before he dipped his head in a bit of a nod.
She dropped her hand and gave him a thin smile, which he returned easily. She felt a strange desire to simply pull him down and kiss him then, but where they were and who they were with stopped her. If he sensed her internal debate or felt the same, he was certainly not giving it away. He took her hand back and pressed her knuckles lightly to his lips before he smirked at her flushing cheeks and stalked off to exit the hall.
"Ass." she muttered, "A smug and charming ass."
She felt someone nudge her with their elbow, and she turned to take in Ginny's wicked grin.
"Now what was that?"
She rolled her eyes at the suggestive tone in Ginny's voice.
"None of your business Ginevra Weasley."
The grin didn't fade from Ginny's face as she shrugged and was pulled into conversation with Padma and Theo.
She sighed, suddenly feeling weary and wishing she'd simply left with Draco when she'd had the chance.
She shook her head, letting her eyes drop to her half finished plate.
After a moment, she felt the telltale feeling of another pair of eyes on her. She looked up slowly and her eyes met the familiar green of one Harry Potter.
She tilted her head waiting and watching to see what Harry would do. He looked lost for a moment, noticing that she'd realized he was watching her.
'Can we talk' He mouthed.
She let out a breath before hesitantly nodding.
He looked relieved and in seconds he'd stood and pulled Ron along with him.
Ginny looked between her and the two boys. Understanding was quick to settle in her inquisitive eyes.
"Go Hermione." She said, pushing her slightly out of her seat.
She shook her head and murmured her goodbyes, ignoring Theo's concerned and curious gaze. She kept her face blank as she walked through the tables and out of the hall.
Ron and Harry were waiting for her, and before either one of them could speak she pulled them both along muttering about finding somewhere private to talk.
After a few steps, Harry tugged them all into an empty room that based on the amount of dust hadn't been entered in quite sometime.
Ron shut the door, leaving all three of them to stare at each other.
She bit her lip and was trying to convince herself to not leave despite every one of her instinct to do just that.
Ron's eyes drifted to her and then down to her neck. His breath hitched as his gaze lingered there. She froze, her hand moving upward to feel her necklace that had somehow made its way up from where she'd tucked it beneath her shirt. From Ron's reaction, he seemed to know exactly what it was.
"Do you realize what he's done?" he said, and she could tell he was fighting to keep his voice even and low.
He was failing miserably.
"I know what it means." she snapped, clutching her necklace close.
"How...he's a Death Eater Hermione. He may have helped us for a bit, but that doesn't mean.."
"He's helped us from the beginning Ron. He is not a Death Eater. He never has been." she said harshly.
Ron looked like he disagreed. He opened his mouth as though ready to voice that displeasure when Harry placed a hand on his arm effectively silencing him.
"I agree he's not...he's not terrible, but Hermione." He said, his eyes wide as he pleading with her. "Help us understand. If he's not all bad, tell us why."
Ron pulled away from Harry, stepping closer to her.
He sighed in defeat before taking both her hands into his calloused ones.
"I trust you 'Mione." he said, "I always have, even if I haven't always agreed with it. Just...how did he prove himself to you?"
She felt her frustration at her two friends ebb as she took in their desperate and sincere expressions. They truly did love her, as she loved them. They wanted to understand, and frankly, so did she. She wanted them to know… to accept Draco as she had.
She didn't want to lose either of them, and Draco wasn't going anywhere. Not if she could help it at least.
She let out a breath, and drew her wand, placing it at her temple before she guided one of Ron's hands up to grasp the familiar wood.
"Let me show you."
Hermione walked down the hall toward her assigned room with a thin smile playing at her lips. It had been admittedly hard and slightly awkward to show many of the memories, but…
It had been for the best.
Harry had hugged her and parted ways with a thoughtful expression on his face. Ron, too, had seemed more at peace with her decision. Though, he did say that Draco would have to prove himself to him before he trusted the ferret completely.
Her smile widened at the memory.
It was a start, and for that, she was grateful.
She pushed the door to her room open, pausing at the frame to study the figure huddled on one side of the mattress sleeping with his mouth slightly open.
The smile still playing at her lips, she came closer and crawled up into the bed and wrapped her arms and buried her head into Draco's back in between his shoulder blades.
He shifted in her arms, and she pressed a kiss to his back as he turned in her grasp to face her. He blinked at her sleepily, dropping his head to rest at her shoulder.
"I'm sorry I woke you." she said.
He shook his head against her shoulder before looking up and giving her a thin smirk.
"S'fine."
She hummed her response as she pushed his hair out from his eyes, letting her fingers drift from the bruised skin beneath his eyes and then to his cheek bones and ending at his chin.
He watched her, not paying her wandering fingers any mind as he studied her with a solemn sort of expression.
"What's the matter?" she asked moving her hand to rest at the back of his neck to play with the strands at his nape.
He let out a breath before he once more shook his head.
"Draco." She warned, hoping he understood that she would accept no evasive answer to this.
He looked up beneath his lashes to meet her eyes.
"Granger...Hermione," he began, his fingers idly going to play with hers. "Does it bother you that I'm...are you ashamed that I'm-"
He turned abruptly from her, his right hand coming to curl against his left elbow.
Her jaw went lax as she took in his tense position and pain so obviously lodged in his eyes.
"I understand if you are. Someone always has been. I used to think my father would take his shame and choke me with it."
She blinked in shock.
What had possibly sparked this?
Her eyes widened as she put the pieces together.
Oh Ron was going to get a verbal lashing when she saw him next.
Without a word, she sat up and reached over him to take his left hand into hers. She looked down and began pushing up his sleeve.
"Hermione." He let out a strangled breath as he moved to pull his arm back.
"Draco." she said softly, pushing the sleeve completely up to expose the mark that stood out in rough contrast to his pale skin. She let her fingers trace the edges of it and each of the scars she practically knew by heart.
His skin was irritated around it again, and she made note to ask Padma about something to help with the inflammation later.
"Love, this has never been you." she whispered, before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the skin of his forearm. "This will never define you."
His breath seemed to crack, and she took that as confirmation he was at least taking what she said to heart.
She looked up and tilted his chin, her one hand cupped around his jaw as her thumb circled his cheek.
"Believe me." she said, kissing him lightly on the lips.
"I don't deserve you."
She pulled away.
"Listen to me Draco Malfoy. I'm only going to say this once." She looked up and grew lost in his eyes, "You don't have to prove anything. Ever. And I love you. Every single part of you; past, present, and future. You. You. You. Until I can't breathe or the world ends."
He smiled slightly before pulling her tightly against him as he ravaged her mouth.
"You." kiss. "Are." kiss. "So bloody amazing."
She laughed into his mouth, winding both her arms around his neck as he laughed against her neck.
"I'm glad you realize it."
He shook with laughter.
"I love you."
She kissed his temple.
"I love you too."