Chapter 14: Look Toward the Future

"Hi, Draco." Mara walked up to him quietly. "I wanted to talk to you about something." Her voice was serious and bordering on becoming unsteady.

"Yeah?" He was completely carefree and just relaxed. He gestured to the place next to him. She remained standing.

"Tell me one thing about me that would make you choose me over something else."

He thought a minute. "That's what I thought," Mara said at his silence.

"No! I was thinking."

"And did you think of anything?"

"Mara… I care for you so much. There are so many things I love about you."

"Tell me one thing, Draco Malfoy. If you found someone who liked you, would you stay with me?"

"Of course! I care for you!"

"Can you honestly say you love me?"

"I—"

"Because I… I can't!" She was almost in tears now. "God, Draco! Why are we still together? Do you still feel the intensity? It's gone. I can't stay here any longer."

He was shocked. He hadn't realized the electricity was gone, but, thinking back, he realized the kisses no longer held the same spark—or any for that matter.

"Draco… I realized something last night. We got together because I was vulnerable and because there was a spark. I needed comfort and you were there. I'm not saying it wasn't special… just that it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough for love."

"I'm sorry." Draco looked up at her as he stood.

"There's nothing to be sorry about… it just wasn't meant to be."

"Mara. Could you answer me one thing?"

"Why not? Go ahead."

"Is it Harry?"

"In part." She nodded. "I… I really like him. I've been fighting it for a long time now. Last night, I asked myself why."

"What was the answer?"

"There wasn't one. That's when I knew that I had to talk to you. I'm sorry, Draco, but… this is goodbye."

He nodded. "Can we still be friends?"

"Of course!" She gave him a quick, friendly hug. The memory of the hug she'd shared with Harry came flashing back. "Now, I have something else to do." She was smiling.

"I understand," he said, knowing it was Harry who she was thinking of.

As she ran off to find him, a million different words ran through her head, a million different ways to tell him. When she finally found him, they were all obsolete.

"Hey, Harry!" She called out to him. He was only a few feet away. He turned around slightly, and she walked up to him. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure. What is it?"

She kissed him. Then, realizing what was happening, Harry kissed her back. That kiss had been waiting so long… the feeling in it was almost too much to bear for her. And the electricity! God! It was amazing…

"Now, what would your boyfriend say if he saw this?" Harry asked her.

"Um. I'm betting on, 'Kiss me again,' because that's all my mind can think of right now." Mara's brain was definitely fuzzy… like when it got when she hit those high notes that aren't normal for her, like a C or higher above the staff.

"Again? I thought it was me you were just kissing."

"I don't think Draco's really been my boyfriend for a long time, Harry Potter. I also think that there's a special kind of magic between us."

"Alright, then. Let's make this thing official. Will you go out with me, Mara?"

"Yes."

"We may now seal with a kiss. Kiss me again." He smiled, repeating those words back to her just before giving her a full, deep kiss.

"I think I like having you as a boyfriend," she murmured when they parted.

"I think I like you," Harry said.

"Oh, is that all?" Mara slowly ran a little farther away. "Well, you'll have to prove me something, Harry. Come and catch me!" She ran off, going really fast now. He was right behind her. Laughing, she slowed down on purpose, so he could catch her.

"Gotcha!"

"I let you catch me."

"Sure you did." They were both lying on the ground, and Harry rolled over closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Now, I want my award."

"Right," she whispered back. She tugged on his shirt and brought his lips away from her ear and onto her lips.

And the only words running through her mind were "My answer."