Meant for No One but Each Other

Neville’s words had had Danica really wound up. It was killing her that her best friend had basically told her they couldn’t be friends anymore. She needed him. It killed her that it had come to this. That Neville was in love with her. Was it her fault? Had she led him on? No, she had always made it clear that Draco was the love of her life. After all, they would be married one day. She had to love him. But then she thought of Neville. Was he right? Was her love for Draco just obligation? No she didn’t believe that. She loved Draco, truly and deeply.

She just wanted it all to go away as she grabbed her bag to go meet Draco at the library. “Hey,” she said as he sent her a smile. He then sent a glare to another table. She followed his gaze to see Viktor Krum pretending to read. She followed his gaze too and saw he was staring at Hermione Granger completely oblivious to all the girls fawning at him. This made Danica smile. She poked Draco. “Jealous Draco? She is pretty,” she smirked.

Draco looked confused at first and then made a disgruntled face. “I don’t fancy him the Mudblood. I just find him too far up his own ass. He thinks he’s so amazing.”

“Wonder who else thinks that of themselves,” she winked at him.

He rolled his eyes. “You’re a riot Dani,” he said. “Now can we please study?”

She laughed and nodded and they resumed looking over their books. Draco subconsciously took her hand. She sighed. “Draco?” she said, looking up nervously.

“Hm?” he asked, still reading his book.

“Can I ask you something?” she asked quietly. She didn’t quite trust her voice.

“Yes?” he looked up now, gazing into her eyes.

She lost herself for a moment, quavering under his silver gaze. “Um I um I was wondering, why do you love me?” she blurted out quickly.

He looked confused, but then he smiled. “For your self confidence,” he replied.

She rolled her eyes, knowing he was just making fun of her. She found that terribly annoying. “I’m serious,” she said.

He sighed. “Why are you asking me?”

She fought hard to keep his gaze. She couldn’t admit to him it was because she was having doubts about it all because of Neville. He wouldn’t take that kindly. “I’m just curious,” she said, her voice more confident than she felt.

He shrugged off all suspicion. She knew he would. Why wouldn’t he believe her? Why would he ever think she was lying to him? The power made her feel uncomfortable. “As long as this isn’t about Pansy,” he shrugged.

“It’s not,’ she said firmly. She hadn’t even been thinking about Pansy.

“Because those rumors are just rumors,” he said.

“What rumors?” she asked, her heart beating faster. She had been so lost in her own problems that she hadn’t even been in tune with the normal school gossip.

He coughed uncomfortably. She could tell he regretted bringing it up. “Just malicious lies about me and Pansy. They’re not true, I promise you.”

She nodded, not sure if she could believe him. After all, she had just lied to him too. What if he knew he could lie to her just as easily? She forced the issue out of mind. “I wouldn’t believe them,” she said. “Pansy probably started them herself.”

“So you want to know why I love you?” he changed the subject. She nodded slowly. “Because you’re the love of my life.”

“Yes but why?” she prompted.

“Because I know everything about you,” he elaborated, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. “Because I know your faults and I know your worst habits, and I love every one of them. I love that no one gets me quite like you do. I love that you know me just as well as I know you, probably more than I know myself, and you still accept me for it and love me back.”

She released a breath she hadn’t even realized she had been holding. She beamed at him, enjoying the small moments of tenderness he reserved only for her.

“Is that what you wanted to know?” he asked. She nodded. “So why is it that you love me? Why is it that when no one else seems to, you have accepted every part of me and have let me capture your heart?”

This was the first time in a long time that she had actually thought about it. Before she had always just known she did. But as she sat here, she thought of legitimate reasons. “You’re not as big an ass as everyone seems to think you are,” she started, “and you aren’t afraid to show yourself to me. You may seem all tough and mighty to the world, but I know that sometimes you really are scared and frightened. I know that you would never do anything to hurt me intentionally and you really do love me.”

“I do,” he said quietly before he leaned over and kissed her.

“This is a public place,” Ron’s voice broken them apart. “Isn’t there a snake’s lair or an empty classroom or deserted hallway you can do that?”

Draco glared at him. “Jealous you aren’t getting any Weasel?” he said.

Ron’s ears turned pink and Draco smirked at her, smug. Dani laughed and shook her head. “Back to work?” she asked. She felt assured now that she did love Draco. Neville didn’t know what he was talking about.

He smiled apologetically. “Actually I have to go,” he said. “I have to meet Crabbe and Goyle.”

“Okay,” she said as he kissed her again quickly and left. She sighed and went back to her book. Yes, she was in love with him. She loved Neville, and she needed him. But she would always need Draco, and she would always love him.

---

“What’s so different this time?” Pansy demanded as she stepped closer to Draco as they stood in the deserted corridor.

He moved back more until his back was touching the wall. “I just can’t okay?”

“Why the fuck not?” she stepped closer. She was cornering him now, putting her hands on his chest.

Draco sighed and moved her hands. “Look I can’t do this anymore.”

“You haven’t been having fun Draco?” she asked, smirking. “You’ve been visiting my bed every night Draco, and now you don’t want to just kiss me?”

“Look I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, looking around quickly. “I shouldn’t have done any of it.”

“Is this about your bitch?” Pansy glared at him.

“Don’t call her that,” he ordered hatefully.

“Isn’t that what you called her last night?” she chuckled. “Isn’t that what you called her when you were moaning my name in love?”

“It was just sex Pansy,” he glowered at her. “It was nothing even close to love. There was no love in it.”

“I don’t believe that,” Pansy just stepped closer again.

“Stop it,” Draco said firmly.

“No,” she said, forcing her lips onto his. He kissed her back for a few minutes before remembering Dani. He pushed Pansy back. What was he doing? This was a mistake. This whole week, this whole month, he had made mistake after mistake. That conversation with Dani he had just now, about why they loved each other, how she loved him because she knew he’d never hurt her, wasn’t that what he was doing? He stepped away from Pansy. “I have to go,” he said, starting to walk away. He froze as he saw Hermione Granger staring at them, her mouth wide open and shock written all over her face. He knew Pansy was probably feeling smug right now. But all he felt was horror. All he felt was fear. And for the first time in his life, Draco Malfoy was not afraid to admit that.