What Lies Within

As the Holiday continued on, the couple got closer and closer. Though much to Sophie's dismay her and Draco were not yet together though they spent every moment that they could together. They were currently on the deck off of Draco's bedroom. Draco sat in one of his lounge chairs, Sophie sat in front of him, her back resting against his chest. His arms were wrapped around her waist, their hands folded together on her stomach.

"I don't want to go back to Hogwarts." Sophie said quietly as her head rested back against his shoulder, her eyes closed.

"Why not?" Draco questioned her, nuzzling his nose in her sweet smelling hair. She sighed and opened her eyes, staring up at the clear blue January sky. The couple was to return to Hogwarts the following day.

"I like being here with just you. Its like we are in our own little bubble. I don't want to leave it." She confessed to him, making him grin.

"We can still be in our own little bubble at Hogwarts." He told her, kissing her temple gently.

"We won't be alone though." She pouted, turning her head to look up at him. He smiled down at her.

"We can find time to be alone. There are plenty of places we can go to be away from everyone else." He assured her, making her pout turn into a smile. He smiled back at her and leaned down to kiss her lips gently.

"You scare me, Draco." She whispered when they pulled apart. Draco's grin quickly slipped off of his face to be replaced with a hurt look.

"Why do I scare you? What have I done?" He questioned, a little too forcefully.

"Maybe not you specifically but how much I rely on you terrifies me." She explained. "I never needed anyone, I was strong enough to handle things myself but now... All of a sudden I need you around at every second. I can't be away from you without falling apart and that's scary. What if you leave? I shouldn't rely on someone else when all anyone ever does is leave."

"How can you say that after all this time, everything that I've done for you that I'm just going to leave?" He questioned, his voice raising a bit. "What do I have to do for you to trust that I am here and that I am staying?" Sophie sat up, Draco's hands fell off her stomach and went to rest on her thighs, holding her in place as she tried to stand up.

"I do trust you Draco, that's what scares me.. I don't want to rely on you, but I do and I shouldn't." She told him, turning a little to look at him. He ran his hands up and down her thighs, smiling at her softly.

"I need you too, Sophie. More than you probably realize." She felt a small smile tug at her lips. She shook her head before leaning back down to curl against his chest, her fingers running along the collar of his black shirt.

"So what happens once we get back to Hogwarts?" She questioned softly. Draco took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.

"Will you come with me somewhere right now?" There's something I want you to see." He diverted away from her question.

"Yeah, sure." Sophie responded, a little sadly knowing that as soon as they returned to Hogwarts they would go back to just being friends. They stood up and Draco took her hand. He lead her back through his bedroom and out into the hall. "Where are we going, Draco?" She questioned as they made their way down the hall and down the stairs.

"Outside." Was all he responded with before leading her through the front door. Neither of them said anything as he lead the way across the lawn and into the ring of snow covered trees that lined the manor. Sophie figured that whatever Draco was going to show her she had seen before in her many wanderings through the trees during this holiday.
She soon realized that he was going much further than she had ever gone. Her fingers were numb and her breath came in visible puffs in front of her.

"This way." Draco suddenly turned and released her hand. "Be careful." He warned her before he began climbing up planks of wood that she just noticed were nailed to the side of the tree. She frowned and watched as he started to climb up the tree before she shrugged and carefully began to climb up the tall tree with her frozen fingers. Soon enough Draco disappeared but as soon as Sophie continued to climb she found that he had gone into a tree house built at the very top of the tree.

"Wow. Draco, this is magnificent." She gasped as she climbed up into the tree house as well. It was a very extravagant, unlike a normal muggle wooden tree house. This one was obviously built with magic and someone with a lot of money. It had dark mahogany walls and a deep red carpet. It looked small from the outside but seemed to be magically enhanced on the inside to make it large and spacious. It even had a fireplace. There was two large couches that matched the carpet placed in the center of the room. Almost every inch of the walls were lined with bookshelves. Even the bookshelves were full and books littered the floor.

"Father built this for me when I was 7. Mother didn't like how far from the house it was but I'm not really one to get into trouble so she was okay with it. I spend almost every minute of my breaks up here. Its the only place on these grounds that I am actually happy. I can be myself up here and just... not worry." Draco admitted as he went to go sit on one of the couches. He pulled his wand from his jacket pocket and pointed it at the fireplace, a large fire quickly blossoming in the grate.

"You just did underage magic, Mr. Malfoy." Sophie scolded as she went to sit beside him. He rolled his eyes and slipped his jacket from his shoulders as the room began to heat up from the fire. Sophie had to admit that it really was warm and cozy up here.

"I won't tell if you don't." He winked at her before he reached over and began to rummage through the stack of books beside the couch.

"Have you read all of these books?" Sophie questioned, looking around at all the books.

"Some of them more than once." Draco told her as he straightened up, a book in his hands which he held out to Sophie. She took it and looked at its worn cover. She couldn't even read the title anymore. "This is my favorite book." He informed her. She simply nodded and began to flip through the pages. Draco watched her apprehensively as she skimmed the pages. Finally she got to a certain page.

Sophie stopped on the page because every inch of the page was blacked out except for a few words here and there.

"Will. You." Sophie began to read the unmarked words aloud. "Be. Mine." That was it. Sophie frowned and looked up at Draco who was watching her, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth. "What is this, Draco?" She questioned him as her heart began to race. Was this the moment that she had been waiting for?

"Its what I've been wanting to ask you for awhile now. Will you be mine, Sophie?" He asked her making her break into a grin. She tossed the book onto the floor and jumped into hid lap, straddling his legs while wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I've been wanting you to ask me that for so long." She told him before leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. She felt his smile against her lips before he pulled back.

"Is that a yes?" He whispered. Sophie emitted a very girlish giggle and nodded. "Good." He reattached their lips for another brief kiss before pulling back again. "So in answer to your previous question, girlfriend, what happens when we go back to Hogwarts is that I yell to the entire school that the greatest girl to ever walk this world is taken and by me. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect, boyfriend." She told him, both of them grinning at each other.
Even in these dark times some things can bring you light and happiness.