It had been a very eventful week. There wasn't a day when Aurora and Berenice weren't out on some sort of excursion. On the first day they went horseback riding throughout the vineyard, Aurora couldn't help but marvel at the sight of the different colored autumn leaves that spread as far as the eye could see. The day after they were entertained by the sons of a very well-known law wizard; who happened to be a close friend of their grandfather. Every day there was something to do, Aurora enjoyed waking up in the morning not knowing what the agenda was for the day. But now it was her final night in France, she has to return to Briarcliff tomorrow evening and start preparing for her final examinations as well as her graduation.
It was a quiet evening, Aurora sat on the floor dressed in her favorite kitten printed pajamas in the drawing room eyes fixed on her sketch pad. She would occasionally look up to get quick glimpses of the people whom she was currently capturing on paper. Her grandfather was reclined in his favorite arm chair as he listened intently to Berenice who sat at his feet reciting the Holy Scripture. Aurora shook her head, oh Celeste has done a good job on this one. She allowed her mind to wonder as she guided the charcoal over the paper with Berenice's delicate voice drowning in the background. Aurora enjoyed drawing, she found it to be very relaxing; unfortunately she was not able to find serenity in her favorite hobby. Her mind often came back to the same person, Draco.
Ever since the incident, as she liked to call it, they haven't been seeing much of each other and in those rare moments when they did see each other their conversations were very brief. It was disconcerting, she didn't like it; Aurora wanted her friend back. Was he purposely avoiding her because of what almost happened? Aurora sighed turning her sketch pad a little to get a better angle, what would have happened if they had kissed? Would that mean the start of a relationship, or would he just claim that it was an accident and it should never have happened? Would it have been good? Aurora began to blush at the mere thought and shook her head trying to rid the mental images that were now projecting in her head. It most certainly would have been good, she didn't doubt that he was a good kisser. If it had happened it would have been her first kiss in a very long time, a small smile played at Aurora's lips remembering her very first kiss. She was 16 and it was with a boy named Farlan Blàr, they were so young and clueless, he practically slobbered all over her face! Farlan was a handsome boy with honey colored hair and brown eyes, he was so sweet too, they were in the ballet together. She had the biggest crush on him. Whenever he walked by her she would blush and try to avoid eye contact at all costs. One day he accidentally bumped into her causing her to spill her coffee, he offered to buy her a new cup and she accepted rather awkwardly and the rest was history.
Aurora sighed snapping out of her nostalgic thoughts, that was years ago and that was only a crush. What she felt for Draco was more, when she thought of him she pictured a potential future with him, not going to the school dance with him. Aurora wasn't stupid, she knew that Draco fancied her just as much as she fancied him. She wanted a relationship with him and at the same time she didn't. It was scary getting close to someone, there was no guarantee that they would stay or leave, or even betray you. Committing to a relationship surely was a risking game, it either worked or it didn't.
But what has been going on between them for the past year, hmm? Draco practically knew all her secrets, and she was willing to wager her right arm that she knew more about him than Wyatt did. They saw each other so often that by now she knew his moods and what he was thinking without him having to tell her and vice versa, it was like they…they were married or something! Aurora began to rack her brain, at what point did their platonic friendship become a platonic marriage? And what were they going to do? She knew exactly where they were headed and as hard as she tried to lie to herself it was inevitable, soon he's going to-
"Caritas patiens est benigna est caritas. Non aemulatur non agit perperam non inflator. Non est ambitiosa, non quaerit quae facile non inritatur non cogitate malum est. Amor sperat omnia sustinet…" [1] Berenice's voiced pulled Aurora out of her own head. Love…love? What is love exactly? There was something so mysterious and frightened about that four letter word. Was it truly possible to be so taken with someone that every fiber of your being yearns to be with them, how can such affections be infinite?
Draco's face suddenly appeared in her mind…No! No, no, no! This was absurd, she didn't love him, did she? Was she emotionally attracted to him? Certainly, he was pep to be around. Physically attracted? Oh God yes! So what if she was inexperienced in the realm of sex, she knew a good build when she saw one, and the fact that Draco was an athlete back in his school days was certainly a contributing factor to his robust figure. Aurora shook her head once more trying to remove the impure thoughts that were now threatening to surface in her mind.
"What do you think?" Aurora said as she presented her work to Berenice.
Berenice looked up from her bible and examined the sketch. "It's lovely!"
"Oh bravo, ma petite! Bien joué!" Adalius beamed.
Aurora smiled, she turned the page and found an old sketch of Draco that she drew when he wasn't looking. That's it, she was done playing games with herself. She loved him and that's all there was to it. Forget all that 'strong affections' bullshit. That was just a formal way of saying she loved Draco Malfoy.
[1]: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" Corinthians 13:4-7