Over the next few hours, you and Draco sat next to each other, exchanged a few words of conversation and danced when it was required but you couldn't say you were enjoying your evening.

"Y/N," Draco broke the silence you both had imposed on yourselves. "Would you come outside with me for a moment please?"

Once you had gotten over the surprise of him using your first name you nodded, getting up to head outside whilst Draco placed his hand at the small of your back to guide you.

The two of you entered the courtyard and Draco guided you to a bench to sit down on before he removed his cloak to drape it over your shoulders, having realised just how cold it was outside.

You were confused as to why Draco was being so kind to you considering how cold he had been for almost a year, and even though you had tried to hide it him ignoring you had hurt you greatly.

"I owe you an apology Y/N," he admitted, breaking the silence. "I have been utterly awful to you for a long time now, and I deeply regret it."

"Why were you so cold Draco?" you questioned. "You pretended like you didn't even know me, do you realise how cruel that was? How horrid that felt?"

He sighed, flinching at your words but he nodded in acknowledgement. "All I can offer you Y/N is my apology and the knowledge that being silent with you hurt me also."

"Then why did you do it?"

Taking a deep breath Draco began to explain. "My father, he got word of how close we had become, and he had read my letters to my mother in which I spoke about you," you nodded as he spoke. "He knew your family name to be that of a half blood, and he also found your association with the Weasleys to be deeply disturbing."

You knew Lucius Malfoy was not a nice wizard or man, but you had never thought he would do such research on one of his son's friends.

"When I returned home for Christmas last year, he demanded that I stopped being friends with you, he did not want me associating with you because of your blood status and he believed that if I associated with you then that meant I would be associating with the Weasleys also," he continued to explain, it all pouring out of him. "I listened to him Y/N, I had no choice, but I deeply regret my actions and, well, I miss you greatly,"

"Why are you telling me all this now? Are you trying to tell me that you still want to be my friend?"

He chuckled slightly, offering you his hand which you took, and he intertwined your fingers. "What was it that you said to me last year? If you can't tell someone how you feel at Christmas then when can you?" he quoted your words a year previous, making you blush. "And Y/N I would like to be as close to you as I can be, in whatever capacity you'll have me."

You definitely weren't prepared for such an outpour of feelings, but as you listened to him you could understand what had happened.

As you sat there, looking into Draco's grey eyes, the ones that you swore you had fallen for well over a year ago, you couldn't find it in yourself to turn him down – he simply meant far too much to you to lose, you had already felt his cold and frosty reception which you did not wish to feel again.

"I can't say that what you did didn't upset me, or hurt me," you told him, and he looked as if he was preparing for the worst. "But I want to forgive you, and I will try my best if you promise me one thing."

He nodded, squeezing your hand. "Please tell me Y/N, how can I make this better?"

You smiled inwardly at his willingness, it helped to tell you that you were making the right decision. "I need you to promise me that you will not let your father get between us again," you stated. "Our relationship, whatever it may be, is of no concern to your father at this moment in time and I wish for him to leave it be, so we are able to figure this out ourselves."

At the mention of having a relationship a dazzling smile crossed Draco's face and before he responded to you, he pulled on your hand so that you practically tumbled into his arms.

You breathed in the familiar scent of his aftershave as he wrapped his arms around you, and so yours wound around his waist, allowing yourself to simply bask in the feeling of him.

"I promise you love, whatever we may be now or in the future," you got butterflies in your stomach at the endearment. "And however, many Christmases we are able to spend together will be our concern, and our concern only."

~*~

Written by Hannah.