Prompt/Title: Minutes
Character(s): Draco Malfoy
Summary: The day that starts the rest of his life.
Rating: T
Word count: 688 according to wordcounter . net
Author's notes: Part of the 20 Prompts, 20 Drabbles challenge
All drabbles are part of the same timeline but not in any particular order.
Thank you to winterwood11 for the beta and putting up with my horrible tense usage.
Disclaimer: If I owned the HP universe, I think that everything that you've read so far in Little Lion Man would have been true and the epilogue would have been much different from what it was.
Five minutes
He was getting antsy. Blaise, the wanker, had to convince him that she would run; That this whole thing wouldn't be happening. And then the Weasel - no, Ron - had to tell him "This is all just an elaborate ploy to embarrass you. You know, to make up for all those years in school."
Draco wanted to punch him in the face. Hermione would frown at that, he knew, but it would make him feel so much better.
Really, was it necessary to kick a bloke while he was down? He was already jittery, scared, and just everything you were supposed to feel on a day like this - or so Potter said. What did he know? He deserved to be punched in the face too.
Hermione would understand. In the end, she would.
Four minutes
No, she probably wouldn't. So he'd refrain.
He could see Hermione start walking towards him. And Merlin, was she beautiful. Yes, he was lucky. He could spend a day at peace with Ron and Harry - he just knew that she would make the same rule for Harry as she did for Ron. He'd do it for her.
She kept eye contact with him; was her eyes always that brown? Not mud brown, no, not like how he thought they were all those years ago. They were the brightest honey eyes, and they were staring at him, looking into his soul. She was the only person he would ever give that privilege to, and when she smiled at him, he was happy that he made that choice.
She looked even more beautiful than she did after that day. She was his saving grace and her words had kept him out of Azkaban. After saying his thanks, it took him awhile to work the courage to speak to her, but when he did.
Three minutes
It was magic - that first kiss. He smiled at the memory, even if the two could barely remember it. Neither did most of the people who had borne witness to it, for that matter. There were pictures, at least. That night was the start of something wonderful, the late night chats, learning how to be Muggle, driving - he would never ever let her take him into an automobile if she was the driver, - concerts. That night was the start of the rest of his life.
Two minutes
Well, no, it was the start of the next stage of his life. Right now, right now was the start of the rest of his life. He could argue that moment was when he had finally had the nerve to ask her was the start, but no, right now, while he stared at her as she got closer, and her smile became brighter, he knew. This was the moment. No matter what Blaise said. Ron could go spit slugs for all he cared. Potter could go fight another Dark Lord.
All that mattered was that woman, slowly stepping towards him. He let a smile grow on his face. He didn't care if there were over one hundred witnesses. He wanted all these people to know, to know that he loved this woman, and his smile was reserved only for her.
One Minute
She was almost there now. He couldn't believe she was this beautiful, and she was about to be all his.
His palms were getting sweaty and he hoped, oh how he hoped, that he would not fudge up his lines. It would be so like him to choke now. He wouldn't. He had practiced all evening. He had rewritten them over and over again.
As she took the final step toward him, and her hand connected with his, he realised, he didn't need flowery prose and wordy declarations. No, he loved this woman, and he'd simply say what was in his heart.
He squeezed her hand and gave her a small smile as the two stepped forward to the Minister.
Yes, he would just tell everyone how he truly felt; How this was the very minute that started
The Rest of His Life