Every single word made me freeze.

I was unable to do anything except let my eyes slide from line to line.

I wasn't even sure if I was breathing.

«Then it would be her.»

«...the reason I stay.»

«She's all the goodness that I'm not.»

«Peach and vanilla." »

"You're the girl I saved because you're the girl I love."

With that, almost breathed, Draco released my stiffness and I looked up at him.

His hair was a mess from the wind and a few strands went down his face.

His cheeks were slightly flushed, possibly from his tantrum or from flying.

That alone made him look much less like the Draco I knew, but what stood out the most were his eyes.

I had seen a lot in his eyes, fear, anger, joy, sheer panic but never that.

Whatever it was, I had never seen it in him. But I knew that glint in his eyes and it had been Draco who had reminded me of it.

My father's eyes had always glowed the same way when he caught me. As if there was nothing at that moment in the world that was more important than me .

There were milliseconds in which I decided to do what I did now.

I stood on my tiptoes and gently placed my lips on his.

I could feel him smiling as he put his hands on my waist and pulled me against him.

Every single one of my hairs stood up as if electrified.

And that was exactly what I felt.

It was electrifying, intoxicating and incomparable to anything else.

It was everything and it was perfect.

Even or especially because I was crying and he was sweaty from flying.

I wouldn't have had it any other way.

He increased the pressure against my lips. Not strong or demanding but just not wanting to sever our connection.

It was like flying and I wasn't afraid of it because I knew he would catch me.

For that one moment, there was nothing in the world that could have been more important than us.

As we pulled away from each other, but he continued to hold me, I was momentarily afraid that the glow in his eyes might have disappeared. But hadn't.

He grinned broadly at me and I thought I had never seen him so happy.

He looked so much younger, looking down at me, while his smile and his eyes sparkled.

"You didn't seriously think I would donate a kidney to just anyone."

I shook my head and couldn't hold in my laughter. I just couldn't stop laughing, so much had all my emotions been building up over the last few weeks, and now they were all escaping at once.

While I lay in his arms laughing almost hysterically, he gently stroked my hair.

"When you're done laughing sometime, which doesn't mean I don't love it, can I kiss you again?"

He certainly had to wait another minute until he finally got his answer and I calmed down.

"Don't you dare ask me that every time", I finally replied, playfully miffed.

"You mean it's going to happen more often?" He grinned mischievously.

"Only if you don't ask every time."

And then we kissed.

More demanding than before but still cautious.

My body responded directly. My legs went soft and if he hadn't held me I would have landed on the ground for sure.

He held me and I folded my arms in his neck.

The piece of parchment I was still clutching tightly in my hand would not have fit between us now.

I could feel his heartbeat. It was as if our hearts were synchronising, as if his beat was now mine and vice versa.

He gently licked my lower lip and without me knowing what the right reaction would have been, I opened my mouth slightly and his tongue met mine but he pulled right back, ending our connection.

His face was now even more red than before and he looked at me with big eyes.

"I did something wrong, didn't I?", I asked guiltily.

I knew he was clearly more experienced in these things and he knew that my only experiences were our kiss under the mistletoe and the one a few minutes before.

"No", he said gently.

"You haven't done anything wrong. I just need to slow down a bit."

I scrunched my eyebrows together.

"I wanted to kiss you too, in case you didn't notice."

"Yes, I did notice. But I wouldn't want to stop kissing if I didn't slow down."

When I realised what he meant the blood rose to my cheeks and I was glad it was quite dark in here and he might not notice directly.

I had never gone that far in my thoughts, I had never imagined more than kissing him and even that had driven me crazy.

"We'll take it real slow okay? As long as you don't run away from me I will stay, I promise."

And then he took me in his arms, hugging me tightly so that I could feel his heartbeat against my cheek.

I wrapped my arms around him too. I wanted to stay here, just like this, gladly forever.

"You said you'd book me a dance for tonight. Can you still call that one in?", Draco interrupted our silence.

I looked up at him, amused.

"Did I?"

"I would never joke with something like that. Unlike you, I always enjoyed our dance lessons and didn't send anyone else ahead."

Meanwhile, if he hadn't been smiling the whole time, I could almost have thought he was seriously offended.

I playfully punched him in the arm.

"I've explained to you now why I did that."

"And it looks like you can stand to be near me again after all, so I'd like to claim my dance."

He gave me a crooked grin, but the gleam in his eyes remained. I nodded.

And only a few minutes later I found myself in our familiar dancing position.

His right hand rested on my waist while I held onto his upper left arm with my right.

"Without music?", I asked as he started his first step.

"Just you and me today Florentine",he grinned at me and my feet followed his.

Florentine. That sounded wrong coming out of his mouth now, like I'd done something wrong.

"Can you keep calling me Flo?", I asked him after I was back in his arms after the turn.

"Someday you'll have to tell me what that nickname is all about. But yes, I'll be happy to do that, Flo."

His smile at that moment could have melted glaciers.

He was beaming and looked so incredibly happy.

This radiance was for me, it was all mine.

This was the beginning of something new, something good.

It wasn't something I had to be afraid of, I just had to get involved.

Draco seemed a little unfocused as my bare feet narrowly escaped an errant step.

"Ey watch it", I laughed, "I liked to keep all my toes."

He looked down at my feet and then quickly back up at me.

"Why aren't you wearing shoes?"

He seemed genuinely surprised and I was amazed at how inattentive he must have been, after all I hadn't even had my shoes on at the beginning of our conversation.

"Heels and soft ground are not a good combination", I laughed.

"It's far too cold."

Now he had his stern look on.

His mood really swung in a split second today though.

"No, it's really not, just a bit damp."

"It's not working like this."

"What's not working?", I asked, confused.

"I'm going to hurt you. We should stop doing this."

I broke free of his grip, pulled my wand out of my dress pocket and pointed at his shoes.

"Or you could just take your shoes off too." And with those words, I made his shoes, including his socks, disappear.

He looked at me with wide eyes and then his expression darkened.

"You'll regret that Scamander", he laughed and tried to grab my arm again, but I had seen through him and transformed so that he was reaching into space.

And I ran.

As soon as I had put enough distance between us, I transformed back and turned around.

He rushed after me, barefoot in his quidditch clothes but still laughing.

We chased each other across the field and Draco protested loudly each time he almost caught up with me and I hooked him at the last moment and lost him.

"You're unfair", he laughed and held his side, panting.

He had stopped and I too was starting to get out of breath.

Which of course I would never have admitted.

"Okay, you win", came from him and he dropped to the floor, defeated.

He admitted that I had won? Yeah, that was a first.

I walked up to him to offer him a draw but as I held out my hand he grabbed my arm and pulled me down to him so that I landed on the grass beside him.

"A Malfoy never gives up. You should have know that", he laughed as he lay down on the grass beside me.

Now we were both staring at the sky.

Only a small crescent could be seen of the moon today, but we had a cloudless view of the stars.

They watched over me, protected and accompanied me.

And then a shooting star streaked across the sky and two more followed shortly behind.

At that moment it was as if they had given their blessing. As if Mom, Dad and Grandma had looked down on us and wanted to show me I was doing the right thing.

They have never been completely gone, I have just lost faith.

We just lay there for some time. The silence between us was not uncomfortable.

This moment had to happen quietly and we both knew it.

At some point Draco sat up and looked at me. He still didn't say anything but just looked at me.

"What?", I asked laughing and sitting up now too.

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

I rolled my eyes.

"You're a suck-up."

"Just honest."

"Idiot." I punched him in the side.

"Yeah, I can relate to that more. No but honestly, you look really great."

"You're not the first person to say that to me today," I laughed because I knew it would annoy him and I loved teasing him.

"As long as I was the only one who got to kiss you, that's okay."

He had stood up and was now holding his hand out to me.

"Maybe. But definitely not my only dance partner and no, it wasn't Neville", I said conspiratorially as I pulled myself to my feet with the help of his hand.

"Don't start trying to make me jealous. I can be pretty opinionated."

I had to laugh.

And now that I was thinking about dancing, the ball came back to me and I stopped laughing.

I've been gone for ages, even though I'd told Luna I'd only be out for a little while. She must be worried.

And much worse, she probably told Neville and Hannah.

"I've got to get to the ball really quick, I'm sure the others are already worried", I said hastily, sprinting to my shoes, which were still at the other end of the pitch.

Draco followed me, but made no effort to hurry.

"Would you sleep at mine tonight?", I asked him, following a spontaneous impulse.

"At yours?"

"Yes. Just in case there was something in the dinks after all, I'd know I hadn't imagined it all after all."

He laughed.

"So I'm your drug test?"

"Maybe," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"And I just don't want to be alone", I muttered.

He didn't reply for a moment and when he said something he didn't answer my question.

"I thought you had to hurry."

I had to and now I did. I ran across the field, my shoes in my hand.

When I had solid ground under my feet again, I put them back on, simply because the barefoot sight of me would surely have raised too many questions.

I didn't even have to go into the hall to find Luna. She was standing in front of it, kicking small stones around.

"Luna", I called out and hurried towards her. She looked up at me and eyed me.

Only now did I notice that I still had Draco's jacket on. Hopefully she wouldn't ask.

I hadn't even said anything when she started talking.

"I told them both you had a headache and went to bed", she explained as if she had read my mind.

I fell around her neck.

"Thank you Luna, you're the best."

I gave her another kiss on the cheek and then left her standing in the hallway.

I met Draco at the grand staircase, who had still been gathering his things and hadn't been running, which was why he was only there now.

"I'd like to shower and get out of these clothes first. Then I'll come up and see you", he explained, smiling at me.

I nodded hastily.

A shower and change of clothes was really a good plan.

"Use the ring when you get there. Don't knock if Min is already back, which I don't think she will be.

And don't worry, she never actually comes into my room, so we'll probably get you out undetected in the morning."

"You're really witty. Almost like you've done this before." He grinned wryly.

"I'm the best at sneaking in and out."

"See you in a minute then", he said, and then descended the steps into the dungeons.