The fire flickered in the Slytherin common room decorating the dark stone walls with dancing shadows. Alli walked to the leather couch where Draco was seated with his head in his hands. She placed her hands lightly on the top of the cushion. Draco jumped up and spun around, drawing his wand from his pocket.
"Sorry," Alli quickly apologized as Draco lowered his wand. "Didn't mean to scare you."
"It's alright," Draco said, exhaustedly. He sighed deeply and sat back down on the couch.
"What are you doing up?" asked Alli. "You look super tired."
"Just couldn't sleep," said Draco, hesitantly.
Alli narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. She had that same crippling feeling in the pit of her stomach that she had felt after leaving Dumbledore's office the day before.
"What are you doing down here?" asked Draco. Alli thought back to her dream. Professor Snape had made the unbreakable vow to Narcissa Malfoy that he would watch over Draco for some mission. Draco had a mission from You-Know-Who. That was clear. "Alli?"
"I had a nightmare," Alli told him, swallowing nervously. She sat down next to him on the couch and crossed her legs.
"Are you alright? Was it scary?" asked Draco. Alli nodded and looked away.
"Draco," Alli began, "I need to ask you something and I want you to answer me honestly. Can you do that?"
"What's going on?" asked Draco, curiously.
"Okay," Alli said, "I told you that I've been having these nightmares. The one I had tonight, well, it really- " She paused and took a deep breath, "It just seemed so real. So much that I'm not even sure that it was just a dream. Draco, I think it's really happening. I mean the stuff I see in my nightmares."
"What was it about this time?" Draco asked. Alli noticed that his tone was dull. He actually seemed quite annoyed, but she brushed the idea away. She felt nerves creep up inside her as she continued.
"Well, Professor Snape was there this time and he was with You-Know-Who, and they were talking. They were talking about... you. You-Know-Who had given you a mission of some sort and Professor Snape said that he would like help you and—"
"Why the hell would you think that was true?" Draco cut her off, sternly. His voice was cold.
"Draco, I'm just scared," Alli said, meekly.
"How could you even believe I would agree to something like that? Are you mental?"
"So, you do know what I'm talking about?" Alli accused him.
"I have no idea what you think you saw, okay?" Draco growled.
"I just told you."
"This is stupid," Draco continued. He stood up. "If you really think you are having nightmares that are coming true, then you are completely insane. Completely insane." He turned away from her and put his hand to his forehead. Alli frowned and felt tears coming to her eyes. She covered her face with her hands and started to cry. Draco turned back around and sat down next to her.
"Alli," said Draco, more calmly. "Come on, stop crying." Alli shook her head 'no' and continued crying.
"Alli, hold on," said Draco. He put his arm around her shoulders, but she shrugged out of his arms. "Please," Draco whispered. Alli looked up and gave Draco an angry glare, then looked away.
"I'm sorry," said Draco. Alli rolled her eyes and looked down. She picked at cracks in the leather couch with her fingers. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
"You're a fucking asshole," Alli growled. "It's starting to get a little old, Draco."
Draco tried once again to wrap his arms around her shoulders. Alli struggled at first, then gave up and put her head on his shoulder. She took in a shallow breath and her tears subsided.
"I'm so sorry, Alli," Draco whispered.
"Yeah, I'm aware," Alli said, sarcastically. "You've said that three times now."
"I'm really am, Alli, " Draco told her. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
"I know," Alli whispered. She sat up straighter and quickly wiped her tears. "Doesn't make you any less an asshole, though."
"Anything I can do to change that?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Nope," stated Alli, plainly. She opened her mouth to continue, but Draco stole her words by kissing her swiftly on the lips. "Well, maybe," Alli said with a smile.
She leaned into him. Draco kissed her deeply. Alli wrapped her arms around Draco's neck. Draco ran his fingers through her hair and he kissed her. They slowly pulled away.
"Do you want to go somewhere?" asked Draco. Alli hesitated, but then nodded her head.
"Sure."
Alli peeked around the corner, her eyes scanning the corridors for any sign of a professor or prefect.
"It's clear," she whispered. Draco took Alli's hand and pulled her along behind him. "How much farther?"
"Shush," Draco whispered back, "we're almost there."
"Almost where?"
"You'll see," said Draco quietly, looking back at her with a smile. They turned a few more corners, climbed a staircase, then stopped in front of a pair of double doors. Alli glanced up at the sign above the door.
"The library?" said Alli, raising her eyebrows.
"Trust me," said Draco, pulling his wand from his pocket. "Alohomora."
The lock clicked and the double door slowly swung open. Draco snuck inside with Alli following behind him. He led her towards the back.
"Draco," said Alli, "wait."
"What is it?" asked Draco, curiously. He placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Can I ask you something?" said Alli. Draco nodded.
"What are we doing here?" asked Alli.
"I'm showing you this place," Draco replied.
"I've seen the library," Alli stated.
"No, it's not the library," Draco said, with a slight laugh.
Alli narrowed her eyes as Draco disappeared around a bookshelf. Then, he stopped in front of another door that Alli had never seen before. Draco opened the door and led Alli outside onto a balcony that overlooked the grounds. He walked to the edge and crossed his arms over the stone wall. Alli sighed and joined him. Draco looked over his shoulder at Alli. His eyes gleamed as he watched her look up at the sky. Then, he stepped behind her and slid his hands around her waist. Alli took in the breathtaking scene above her. Glittering stars blanketed the night sky. The crescent moon shone bright, illuminating the clouds.
"It's beautiful," Alli told Draco.
"I like this place," said Draco. Alli nodded. She turned around to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and placed her head on his chest. She felt Draco breathe in deeply. "I brought you here because I want to try something." Alli lifted her head and looked him in the eye.
"What is it?" asked Alli. Draco took another deep breath. Then, he leaned down and kissed her lips slowly. Alli kissed him back, and then she understood.
"Only if you want to," Draco whispered against her lips. Alli shook her head. "If you don't want to, it's fine."
"No," said Alli, with a nervous smile, "I do." Draco kissed her deeply. Alli felt her heart beat faster. "Wait," Alli said, a thought occurring to her. "Have you ever..." her voice trailed off. Draco shook his head.
"No," Draco admitted. "Have you?" Alli inhaled deeply and shook her head.
"No," she whispered. Draco laughed lightly. Alli grinned back at him. Then, she remembered something. "Hold on, what about Pansy?" Draco rolled his eyes and laughed quietly.
"No," he replied. "She wanted to, believe me. But, I never let her touch me."
Alli smiled as Draco laced his fingers with hers. He pulled her along back inside the library. They spied a velvet couch in the back corner. Draco led Alli over to it. They both sat down on the couch, facing one another. Alli had never felt her heart pound this hard against her chest in her life. She could hear Draco breathing heavily and knew he must be just as nervous. Then, he leaned closer and kissed her lips. Alli felt the explosive feeling in her heart again. Alli kissed Draco back, harder; her adrenaline soaring. Alli felt Draco's fingers fumble as he tried unbuttoning her shirt. She moved her lips to his neck and continued kissing him. Draco climbed over Alli and slid her shirt off of her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground. Alli touched the hem of Draco's shirt and pulled it over his head. One-by-one, each piece of clothing cluttered into a pile on the carpet of the library. Alli saw Draco's eyes travel down her body slowly.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked her, running his fingers through her hair. Alli nodded.
"Yeah," Alli whispered, her voice shaking.
"Okay," said Draco, his voice shaking as well. He lowered himself down to Alli. Their lips touched creating an electrifying spark between them. Then, it began. Alli leaned her head back against the armrest as Draco kissed her neck. He moved at a slow, but exciting rhythmic pace. It was unlike anything Alli had ever experienced and she never wanted it to stop. Alli arched her back, letting a sound escape her lips. She didn't realize how loud it had been until Draco cupped his hand over her mouth with a smile.
"Shh," he laughed. Alli bit her bottom lip and smiled.
"Sorry," was all she could manage to say before Draco was forced to cup his hand over her mouth once again.
Alli couldn't help looking at Draco as they headed back to the Slytherin Common Room a half-hour later, hand-in-hand. She sighed as they crept silently to the dungeons. When they finally entered the common room, Draco turned to Alli.
"We should get to bed," Draco told her. Alli stood on her toes and kissed his lips, playfully. She giggled.
"I wish I could sleep next to you," said Alli.
"Me, too," said Draco. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
"Good night, Draco," Alli whispered. Draco kissed her lips once more before bidding her good night and disappearing around the corner towards the Slytherin boys' dormitory. Alli sighed as she entered her own dormitory. She laid down on her bed and curled up in the soft green sheets. Then, Alli fell asleep, a smile still on her lips.