I'm a day late and there's only one chapter for today! I'm so sorry I wasn't around yesterday, but my best friend is a college graduate so we're gonna be celebrating so it might be a few days before I can post again after today. Keep an eye out for updates! Draco will be going back to school in two chapters! YAYYYYY!
Draco POV
The sound of panting is the only thing I can focus on as I continue to kiss Briar over and over again. My hips push into hers, pressing her tighter against the tree trunk. Her hands are wrapped tightly around my neck as one is buried in my hair. She tugs the strands lightly causing me to groan against her mouth before trailing kisses to the side of her jaw before landing on her neck. Manipulating the skin there, I leave a mark and know it'll be there for a while if she doesn't heal it.
A bird chirping pulls me from my Briar induced haze and I pull back to catch my breath and realize where we are. Her hands tug me back to her impatiently, but I chuckle and kiss her forehead affectionately before leaning back to place my hands on her cheeks.
"I brought you here for a reason," I tease and see her huff in annoyance causing another laugh to leave my mouth. I see her lip pull up into a small smile that I know she's trying to hide, but she takes a deep breath to calm her breathing.
"Go ahead," she lightly pouts.
Merlin, I love this woman.
"I brought you here because I wanted to properly thank you for being the one who helped me become a better person. However, that wasn't the only reason I brought you here," I trial off and gesture with my head for her to look at the meadow a few feet behind the tree. Turning her head and body, she glances around the tree and sees my surprise. While she was walking around the garden and admiring it, I had ordered a house elf to set up a blanket and some food for us to enjoy. Hearing her gasp, I see a huge smile stretch across her face and she grabs my hand to drag me over to our little picnic. Finally reaching it, she turns to me in surprise and hugs me.
"Who knew the infamous Draco Malfoy was such a softie?!" I can tell she's teasing, but a part of me has to fight being an arrogant ass like I would've been back in first year if someone dared to call me that.
"Yeah, well, don't tell anyone," I grumble playfully. Pulling back, I see her roll her eyes before lowering herself to the blanket to open the basket to see what the house elf made for us. I, personally, ignored everything except for the chocolate covered strawberries and pumpkin juice while Briar enjoys the chicken and strawberries. The entire time I watch her smile while eating, I have to stop myself from dwelling on how little time we have left together before I go back to school. I have no idea when the next time we can see each other will be once I leave.
Glancing around us, I admire the way the sunlight filters through the trees and highlights the meadow around us. What Briar doesn't know is that while she was in her coma, I came here almost every day. It was the first place we met and it is so peaceful here.
"Where are you, my dragon?" Turning my head to look down at her lying across my lap, I run my hand over her hair to let the strands lightly slide between my fingers. She lets out an appreciative hum and closes her eyes before opening them to stare into my eyes.
"I'm right here," I tease. She rolls her eyes. "Did you just roll your eyes at me, you little minx?" She raises her eyebrow at me challengingly.
"Maybe I did. What are you going to do about it?" My fingers lightly trail from her hair all the way to her side before they rest there.
"Oh, I don't know. I might just have to...ATTACK!" At my loud exclamation of that word, I dig my fingers into her side and start tickling her. Loud, uncontrollable laughter falls from her lips as her head digs harder into my lap as she wiggles to try and get away from my hands. After pleading for a few seconds, I eventually give in and stop tickling her. She pants in my lap and stares at me with wide, happy eyes.
"Mean!" Her hand raises up and lightly smacks my chest in mock anger. I pout and rub the spot as if she had actually hurt me.
"Ow! That hurt," I tease and watch her roll her eyes again. I gasp and raise my hand in a reminder of what she just had happen because of her rolling eyes. She stares at me with her mouth open in horror thinking I'm going to start tickling her again. I stare at her with my eyebrow raised in question and eventually bring it down to rest on her cheek instead of going back to her side. She lets out a huff of air she had been holding and I chuckle at her look of relief.
"You didn't answer my question," she breathes as her hand comes up the hold my palm to her cheek.
"I was just thinking about when you were in the coma and I was here every day," I whisper. She turns her head and places an encouraging kiss to the palm of my hand. "It was so peaceful and I kept thinking that one day, I would look up and you would be walking towards me like nothing happened." She smiles at me and leans up to place a quick kiss to my lips before laying back down in my lap.
"That doesn't sound too peaceful, but I'm here now. I'm not going to leave you ever again if I can help it," she promises. I nod my head and focus on the way she worded her sentence. We don't have control over what happens to us and that makes this year at school even more terrifying. Going back to my sight-seeing, I listen to the birds and I find myself holding onto the feel of Briar's body on my lap as much as I can. I really hope Potter doesn't mess up this war because if Briar has to fight Voldemort, she's not going to like when I interfere and fight him to protect her…
Hours later, the sun is starting to get low in the sky and I can see Briar trying to hide her shivers as the temperature drops. Gathering the basket in her hand, I grab the blanket and wrap it around her shoulders before wrapping my arm around them as well to pull her close to me. Walking slowly back to the manor, I ask the question that has been on my mind all day.
"Bry? When I go back to school to take care of my task, how am I supposed to get in contact with you?" I can see the garden from a distance and know we'll be back to the manor in a few minutes. Although it's cold, I don't find myself wanting to go inside and burst the bubble we've managed to surround ourselves in for the past few hours. I see her look to me before looking back towards the manor that's approaching faster than I want.
"You can go through Snape if it's an emergency and you need my brains, but we should be careful. I can't have anyone knowing I'm alive, love," she whispers sadly, but then speaks again before I can protest her information. "However, I can visit your dreams, remember? I can't do it all the time because it does take energy for me to do it since I'm entering your mind, but I can try to visit that way as much as possible." Nodding my head, I try to not look as disappointed as I feel. Pulling her closer, I feel her shiver slightly when the wind blows.
Looking ahead, I glance at the manor and realize I see my mother in the doorway shaking her head at me frantically. With a look of confusion, I see her glance behind her to speak to someone and then look at me again. What throws me off is there is panic in her eyes as she looks at Briar. There is someone here that shouldn't be. Freezing where I am, I look down at Briar and see her leaning her head into my shoulder in contentment.
My mother shakes her head at me again while staring at Briar.
"Baby, you need to go hide in the woods. Now," I say tensely before shoving her behind me. Without questioning me, I can feel her fear and acknowledgement in my connection to her as she melts farther and farther into the woods.
Once I can't feel her in my mind anymore, indicating she's far enough away; I walk towards my mother who is at the glass door that Briar and I had walked out of hours ago. With a deep breath, I can see the confusion in her eyes.
This can't be good.
Opening the door and taking my mother into my arms for a hug, I can feel how tense she is as I lean down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
"What's wrong?" My voice is barely a whisper, but I know she heard me when she quickly whispers her answer back.
"I don't know why she's here." Pulling away from her, she takes my hand and we walk together into the living room. I didn't expect the woman to be sitting in the same place I had been cradling Briar in my arms before I got my idea to have a picnic. Feeling my lips pull over my teeth in a sneer, I can feel my skin bristling in irritation.
"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" She turns her head to look at me and I see a smirk on her face.
"Aw, aren't you happy to see me, Drackie?!" Rolling my eyes, I have to reign in my anger.
"Obviously not, Parkinson. I remember telling you to never come near me again after you attacked Briar months ago," I growl. Her eyes glint in mischief and I get a really sick feeling in my stomach.
"I was so sorry to hear about her passing," she pouts and places a hand over where her empty chest is supposed to hold a heart in fake sympathy. "
"I'll repeat myself one more time, Parkinson. Why are you here?" She looks from my mother to me before a smirk graces her face again.
"I'm here about our engagement, Drackie!"
A/N Oooooohhhh Pansy is back, kiddos! Do you think she's gonna be a problem or do you think Narcissa is gonna go all Mama Bear since she loves Briar and Draco together?!