third person pov

' real sweet
but I wish you were sober '

The hospital wing was located on the first floor, within the room were many rows of beds with white sheets, privacy screens, and bedpans.

Today there was no occupancy in the room except for one.

Rosalie Black busted through the heavy double doors, rushing to the back where only one bed had curtains around it—a perfect signal of Draco Malfoy.

As she began to open the curtains, Rose settled on yelling at Draco in the process, "Salazar, Malfoy! I'm going to murder you! Giving me a heart attack on the first—"

She stopped mid-sentence at the scene before her.

Draco was propped up in the bed with his shirt off, with a worried Madam Pomprey shaking her head as she dabbed the wide gash on his arm and stomach.

But what truly made her stop was the people around him.

In theater, you're told to beat the nerves of standing on stage by imagining the crowd naked. Rose always thought it a stupid notion. But right now she felt the roles were reversed. The crowd was seeing her naked, not in the literal way, but in the sense of some deep, dark secret she had been hiding for the last three years was being laid out bare for all to witness.

Dumbledore stood at the end bed, on the right side with his hands in front of him, giving her a smug smirk with mischief written all over his face. Snape stood next to the headmaster with arms crossed and the same bored expression he always carried, except he was now carefully studying Rose over. Then there was the matter of Mcgonagall, standing behind Madam Pomprey, fighting a smile off her face.

Lastly Hagrid, right by the head of Gryffindor with the focus of not crying. He was the only one not staring a hole through her.

Rose dropped both their bags onto the floor with a thud, choosing to ignore it all. "I just ran more than I have in years and you are perfectly fine! Unbelievable, I tell you!"

All the professors were still wearing the same expression as Rose whipped around at them. She snapped, "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Mcgongall put her hand over her mouth to cover up the laugh that slipped out, and Dumbledore chose to speak first.

"I think we are all just shocked to see you running to aid your old foe."

Rose scoffed at the way he said foe, taking the wand out of her hair and throwing it down onto the bed before pushing past Snape and Dumbledore as Pomprey put a purple potion on Draco's stomach.

The substance makes him scream in pain, Rose instantly latching onto his hand. Draco shot her a grateful look and squeezed her cold palm tightly. While she felt like ice had been buried inside her veins, he burned like the sun.

"This is gonna hurt again, dear," Madam Pomprey murmured, a grimace on her face at his pain.

Rose brushed the white hair on his forehead back, her touch filled with a gentleness he hasn't felt in years.

His eyes were on her own, and for a moment she was back on the train. The sharpness in his gaze gone, and his look full of some kind of softness never found on his face.

"Just look at me, Draco," she whispered.

As soon as the mediwitch began to pour the healing into the arm gash this time, his eyes snapped shut. His body jerked forward, and Rose gently pushed him back down with her free hand.

When the pain subsided, Draco let out a rush of air, Rose following suit as her eyes darted around his own for any signal he was not being properly taken care of—ready to scold the mediwitch; who had always been nothing short of an angel.

Dumbledore's voice broke them out of their trance, "It was very brave of you to stand in front of Mister Malfoy without hesitation."

Draco and Rose both turn their heads toward him, the latter speaking in defense immediately, "I...I don't—"

"I never thought I'd see the day you ran out of words," Snape bristled, watching in amusement.

Mcgongall became unable to keep herself from laughing behind her palm now, Dumbledore simply flashing them a bright smile as he nudged his shoulders against Mcgonagall's and nodded down at Rose and Draco's intertwined fingers.

Draco sneered at them, "What is up with you people?"

Dumbledore kept smiling."Well it seems you are still holding hands, Mister Malfoy."

Rose jumped back and wiped her hands down her robes. Her hands felt so clammy, so warm. Had they been this way the whole time? She didn't know. But the room felt hotter than a second before, and she couldn't bear to lift her eyes up to the people around.

She settled on shedding her Slytherin cloak.

"Um, I better go. You're all here, so clearly I am not needed." She glanced down at Draco, and muttered, "I'll send Blaise or one of the others to check on you."

There was a gasp from someone in the room, then another, and another, and another. Then, even Snape made a noise of shock, which sounded like a mix of a gasp and a cough.

I didn't know he was capable of such sounds, she thought.

Pomprey began to screech, "Dear Merlin, child! You are going to bleed to death!"

Confusion took over Rose's features as she glanced at Pomfrey before averting her gaze to a suddenly worrisome Draco. Sure enough, she looked down to find her entire white blouse covered in blood.

"Godric!" Mcgonagall yelled, her giggly mood switching to one of horror. "Why did you not say anything?!"

"Uh..." She patted the blouse, which was quickly turning into a ghostly shade of red, and stepped back so far her spine hit the bed next to Draco's. Pomprey was already rounding the bed to get at her. "I did not know, Minnie. But I am fine," Rose forced a smile as she pressed her hands into her chest, as if to stop the blood, "See? Just fine!"

Madame Pomprey took hold of Rose by her arms and shoved her down onto the bed with a newfound strength.

"Merlin, Poppy! I'm fine, I don't need a bed!"

"Do not call me Poppy, and you are staying here overnight, Miss Black!"

The idea was awful to Rose.

"Dumbles, help me!"

Oh no, Dumbledore could do no such thing. This was too good for the professors. The infamous Rose and Draco drama seemed to be one of their favorite pastimes to witness, or place bets on.

Peeves often told her about the gambles they placed on the students.

"Let's go everyone, it seems Mister Malfoy and Miss Black will be fine with just each other's company," Dumbledore taunted her in his words, turning after with a wink to leave the hospital wing.

One by one the professors file after him with the exception of Mcgongall, and Rose shouting loud enough for Dumbledore to hear, "You have betrayed me twice, Albus! Twice, I say!"

Dumbledore let out a hearty laugh for everyone to hear, the sound of Hagrid, and Snape's footsteps, leaving the wing before the doors slam shut.

Mcgonagall quickly leaned down to frantic Pomprey, placing a chaste kiss on her girlfriend's head before turning away to follow suit after her fellow co-workers.

The kiss did nothing to help Pomprey as she barely unbuttoned Rose's shirt, leading Rose to huff with agitation and relax into the bed as Pomprey began tending to her wounds.

"Look far away, Mister Malfoy!" Pomprey chided.

"You know, Poppy, you could just fix me up then send me out, you have your hands full with Malfoy...He's awful really, even more so when injured, and after you finish go have a nice cuppa with Minnie."

"Absolutely not! How could you not feel yourself bleeding?!" Pomprey paused, "And Minerva will be perfectly fine without me, Miss Black!"

Rose shrugged while looking over at Draco who shared a rare sympathetic look, communicating a thousand words with his eyes. He knew why she couldn't feel it, Walburga had trained her body to be this way.

"Don't give me those eyes, Draco," Rose spat hatefully—genuine hate in her tone, narrowing her gaze at him.

He scoffed in response, turning away and looking up at the ceiling.

Shortly after the hospital doors burst open, Blaise rushes in with Theo, and a pissed off Whitman following at their heels.

Theo stopped in between Rose and Draco, and Whitman stood at the foot of the bed as Blaise took the empty side with a worried face.

Everyone begins to throw them all a million questions at once, becoming way too overwhelming for Rose to handle.

"What?"

"Why?!"

"I mean, why would you?!"

Theo had moments, where his rough, and uncommonly tired-sounding voice, would hit a switch. As fast as a bomb being set loose. He always seemed to talk in riddles, which was more off-putting than anything, and his voice felt as prickly as a thornbush most days. But when he really wanted to, or more so when he lost control, his tone would change to such a demeaning and venomous macabre melody that everyone listened—even those like his father and Walburga.

"Give them a minute," he snapped. "All of you, idiots!"

Blaise huffed before sitting down beside Rose and taking her hand. "Is she going to be okay, Madame?"

Pomprey sighed heavily, continuing to dab Rose's shoulder. "She's lucky she will be! Didn't even know she was bleeding until she took off her robe!"

Blaise matched the medwitch's sigh as he pushed some of the black hair out of Rose's face. "I was calling your name like a maniac and you didn't turn back or even look at me. It's rude, little Rose. Rude, I tell you."

Rose smirked with hooded eyes as Whitman and Theo look over to check on Draco, "Is my pain tolerance that high? Are you proud, Zabini?"

Blaise glared in response. "Or was your care for Draco overruling your own pain?"

"Preposterous, sir. I don't care for that pathetic imbecile," Rose said, waving Blaise off as he laughed in amusement—pinching her foot above the covers.

"Oi! I can hear you!" Draco shouted as Theo kept attempting to get around Pomprey, trying to get closer to Rose.

Finally the mediwitch snapped at him, "Mister Nott! If you do not stop it this instant you will leave!"

Theo became relentless, refusing to back away. "Leave me to dab the wound, Poppy. I'll be careful. I swear."

Pomprey turned around sharply, giving him choice words for refusing to give up and for the name he called her.

But Rose was quick to interrupt, desperately craving Theo sitting peacefully with her. "Let him, Poppy. He will be gentle. He knows how."

The mediwitch narrowed her eyes at Theo before shoving the medical potion and rag at his chest roughly, navigating around him to go put Draco's bandages on.

Theo leaned over Rose with a soft smile, replacing his usual blank face as he began to dab the wound.

"Hey, baby," he whispers.

"Teddy," Rose whispers back, a warm buzzing feeling filling her.

Theo sat down on her other side, but it was Whitman's angry voice that made Rose snap her head towards the end of the bed.

"Why are you all not more pissed?!"

Blaise's gaze left Rose and settled on him with widened eyes at the sudden outburst, speaking baffled, "What do you mean, Whitman?! Should we be stomping our feet and acting like a bunch of nutters?!"

The Rosier let his anger take hold, spewing words out, "She could've gotten herself killed for the one person she claims to hate and your all just going to sit there in silence?!"

"I fussed at her!" Blaise attested, triggered by the assumption he didn't do his job.

"Oh please, you barely even told her it was stupid."

Rose cut in, "Leave Blaise alone, Whit."

Whitman scoffed, refusing to meet Rose's eyes. "No, I won't because I am the only responsible one here."

His words cause Blaise to stand up in a rush, letting go of Rose's hand. "Quite frankly, I don't like the way you are yelling at her right now! Talk about not doing the right thing! Look at you!"

"Whitman, dear," Pomprey called. She paused her work and laid the bandages down next to Draco, taking quick steps toward Whitman. "Take a deep breath, love," she instructed, placing a hand on his arm.

Theo continued to take care of the wound with zero interest in the argument rising behind them.

Whitman tried shrugging off the mediwitch, but she only put her hand back onto him again. He didn't fight her off again. He glanced down at the woman, the one he used to be way shorter than, and took a deep breath.

Then, finally, he found the strength to look dead at Rose. "Next time you want to try to get yourself killed, think about how it'll affect the people around you." He snapped the words out so harshly she flinched, before he paused, turning towards Draco. "And you! Don't even get me started on you, Draco Lucius Malfoy."

Without a second glance he turned to leave the hospital wing, Rose's heart feeling as if it's dropped as the door slams.

Rose began to protest as Blaise sat next to her again, "It was not that dangerous! He acts like he is responsible for me and everything I do!"

Blaise shook his head. "Ah, he's being a right git about it. Let him run off if he must."

Theo places his thumb under Rose's chin, forcing her to look up at him. "He has felt responsible for you for years and you know him, just really angry right now."

Rose grumbled to herself without a response, knowing it's the truth. Whitman had been acting as everything to her for as long as anyone could remember. This was only amped up when he moved into Grimmauld and witnessed things no one should have to. She might be the one taking care of him through his transformations and the effects of the full moon, but he's the only one that's always been there to pick up the pieces Walburga made of her.

Whitman Rosier could have almost been God himself in Rosalie Black's eyes.

Theo could always tell what she was thinking. It made him press a soft kiss to Rose's forehead before standing up and walking away to return the medical supplies to Pomfrey.

Given the chance, Blaise takes hold of his best friend's hand again. "I think Whitman feels like you're the only family each other has left."

"That's not true, I have you. I'd do anything in this world to protect you, that's what family is, isn't it? We are all family."

"That's exactly what it is, Rose." Blaise gave her a sad smile. "But you saved him in a way no one else did. He's always going to be doing the same back."

"Mhm..." Rose pulled him in for a hug, making Blaise sprawl across her body awkwardly. "No more being sapps, I can't take it."

"Oh, grand. Thanks for the two seconds of affection, truly." Blaise tore himself from Rose, giving Theo the perfect timing to nestle in next to her on the bed. "I will make sure to come get you in the morning."

Rose hummed back, Blaise well aware he was getting no response as she began to grin while looking at Theo.

If Whitman Rosier was almost God in Rosalie Black's eyes, then Theodore Nott was completely God himself to her—the one true religion she had bent down and kneeled before.

"Well then," Blaise began before slapping a hand down on Draco's stomach, making the blonde groan deeply in pain. "I'll be off to go tell Flint practice will have to be rescheduled."

"Ooof..." Theo taunted while pulling the uncomfortable blanket over them both, "Flint isn't going to be too happy his seeker and beater are missing, baby."

Rose grinned with her cheeks beginning to flush. "Make it two beaters, you aren't leaving my side."

Blaise made a disgusted sound before leaning down, pecking Rose's head; who gladly met him halfway, before he tried doing the same to Theo; who shoved the boy away without tearing his eyes from Rose.

"Oh don't fight my love, Theo," Blaise snapped, moving to Draco who already had his hands up to keep Blaise away while knowing what was to come.

Despite his attempts, Blaise managed to shove his hands down and peck his head before jumping back with a grin. "See you fools bright and early! Love you!"

Draco groaned while wiping his forehead off, meanwhile Rose shamelessly pressed the tip of her nose to Theo's with a smile before pulling back.

"Was that not epic or what?"

The doors of the hospital wing shut with Blaise slipping out as Theo's lips pressed to her nose and kissed there, "I'd say pretty epic until you decided to risk your life for Draco's dumb arse."

"I can still hear you both!"

Rose rolled her eyes with red cheeks from Theo's attention, "Teddy, I need you to sneak me up a bottle of fire whiskey if I'm gonna have to deal with blondie here."

He gives her one last squeeze before forcing himself up and away from her. "Right on it, love."

Draco contemplated pitching himself off a high surface as Rose sits up, saluting Theo, who lazily mimic's her actions back before exiting.

The rest of the time was spent in crushing silence until dinner appeared on their bedside tables, Rose only grabbing the soup and eating half, with the weight of no words being spoken getting heavier by each passing second.

Theo returned right after the dishes disappeared, a chunky Slytherin sweater in his hand. He now only had on his dress pants and white button down, the green tie undone and hanging around his neck.

No matter how many times Rose saw this exact sight, she felt as if she might faint.

And not from the blood loss.

She sat up quickly and grinned widely when he reached her bed, grabbing the sweater he tossed. "You, Theodore Nott, are my favorite human to walk the face of this earth."

Theo bent down, bowing as he revealed the bottle of whiskey. "I have your order as well, ma'am."

"I could kiss you, you beautiful specimen!" Rose blurted out, quickly tossing the sweater over her head to take away from her words. Theo felt his gut drop and his eyes soften, Draco clearing his throat to gain both of their attention.

"Up to share, Black?"

"Only if you promise to never speak of it to a soul."

Theo raised a brow. "Hello? I am a witness to this?"

Rose laughed and patted her legs, wanting him close by. But Theo reached down into his bag, pulling out another sweater; a plain black one and pajama pants to match before tossing them at Draco.

"Here, Draco. Figured you'd need some tonight, yeah?"

"Thank, Salazar," Draco grumbled, searching around for his wand. Once he found it, he raised the wand up, shutting his curtains.

Rose looked at Theo expectantly, making him reach down into the bag once more, pulling out a random pair of shorts. "Didn't think I'd forget about you, did you?"

She clapped her hands together while Theo shut the curtains. Rose attempted to stand with no avail, failing miserably in a way that made her feel pathetic. She attempted again while grasping onto the bed frame, Theo turning as he finished closing the curtain—reaching out to grab her hips for stability.

"Must be from the blood loss....Can you help me?"

Theo swallowed with a nod, and Rose can't help but attempt to swallow a lump in her own throat too.

They changed in front of each other all the time, but that didn't make either of them less aware of the shift that had happened recently—getting older meant hormones raging. And what do you want to do when you're in love with someone? Rip their clothes off, even if you shouldn't.

This was a predicament both found themselves in more than either were willing to admit.

Rose began to pull the sweater up as he moved her hips against the bed, letting her grasp onto the frame again for support.

Theo begged his heart to slow down as he reached for the zipper on the side of her high-waisted skirt and began to unzip it slowly. Their eyes locked as he kept his slow pace while sliding the material down her legs, using all of his willpower to not look at the black lace covering her.

He kneeled, helping Rose step out of the skirt, and picking up one leg at a time. Then pushed it to the side on the ground, his eyes finding hers again, only to see Rose looking at him intently already.

Without letting his gaze slip away this time, Theo placed both his hands on either side of her thighs and dragged them up.

He kept his left hand on Rose's hip as he moved his right hand, using a pointer finger to trace circles ever so slightly.

Theo slowly brought his finger closer and closer to her inner thigh, Rose beginning to breathe heavily as she took her hand holding the sweater up and weaved those fingers into his hair.

Maybe it's the intense eye contact, or the way he looks kneeling down, or the fact the love of her life appears as desperate for her as she is for him—but god, Rose felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest.

Theo didn't let his eyes leave her own. Instead, he kept tracing ever so lightly until he reached the waistband of her underwear.

He took his finger, putting it in the top line of the lace. And he began to move that finger slowly from the left side, all the way across to the right side, the slowness becoming even more so in the middle.

Rose's breath hitched loudly while Theo kept his left hand in place on her hip as he moved his right hand down and slipped it in between her knees.

He pushed her thighs apart slightly, starting to painfully slow his hand up and down.

"You're perfect," Theo whispers hoarsely.

Rose couldn't respond, biting her lip with the fear of any sound that might come out.

He brought his hand up a mere inch from her center before slowly withdrawing it.

She grasped onto his hair tightly, a silent plea.

But then something flashes across his face, and his lips part as she watches reality crash onto him.

"Sorry," he murmured, the word barely a whisper.

With a thick swallow he grabbed her left foot, making her step into the side of the shorts before grabbing her right foot and doing the same.

Once again, he slowly began to slide them up—making sure to let his fingers graze her icy skin as he did. Theo stood in perfect sync with the shorts, Rose letting her hand fall from his hair and onto the side of his head.

Then she brought the hand grasping onto the bed up to his cheek as Theo returned to his height up above her.

"Don't be," she murmured back.

They breathed heavily, her hand beginning to move through his hair while holding his gaze.

Theo leaned his forehead down onto her own, bringing his hand up to her neck—tracing her jaw as his warm right hand slipped under the sweater.

Neither could find the willpower to look away or speak, both closing their eyes for a moment, and overwhelmed in every sense.

And he brought his left hand up from her jaw, placing it on her bottom lip and swiping across ever so slowly.

Theo couldn't take it, and she couldn't either.

With one single thought they both shared, of saying screw everything, they leaned in.

But of course, Draco cleared his throat.

So they jump back, equally way too lost in the moment that the slightest of sounds would've made them scared out of their own skin.

Draco threw open the curtains, his white hair a mess and his face soured. "Could you both have taken any longer?"

Rose glanced at Theo, becoming quickly aware that he would be unable to speak. With an eye roll aimed at Draco, she began, "Yes we actually could have, would you like me to make you wait an hour?"

She dropped herself back onto the bed, and muttered, "Come on, Teddy."

She patted the spot in between her legs again, hoping he didn't shut down and run away.

Theo nodded, hoping in the same way she won't forget what just happened. He situated himself between her thighs before she pulled the covers back over them—both letting out breaths of relief as his head rested against her chest.

Draco gave them a disgusted face before walking back to his bed, "You both are so sickening to be around."

Rose put on her best act of normality while shrugging and smirking down at Theo, finding him staring blankly off into space.

"Move your bed against mine and then pull the curtains," Rose said after, returning her gaze upon Draco.

"You do it, I just sat my wand inside my bag."

"No you arse, you do it."

"I refuse! I am injured!"

She gasped. "I am injured, you prat! Because of you!"

Theo sighed, sticking his hand out and making his wand fly up into it before laying back down against her and flicking the wooden object towards Draco's bed.

Draco yelped as he was suddenly slammed into the side of them, the curtains enclosing their two beds quickly as Rose jumped from the sudden movement.

"Merlin!" Draco and Rose say in unison.

"You two would never shut up if I didn't."

Rose scoffed before tugging his head back to look at her. "You stay with me, right? You did abandon me for dinner."

"Actually, love, Snape wouldn't let me leave the Great Hall under Poppy's orders," Theo dragged out, reaching up to brush her cheek at their odd angle. "I don't plan on going anywhere."

Draco reached onto the bed, picking the firewhiskey up and chugging the substance as if it's his last day to live.

Rose groaned as she leaned over, snatching it from him and spilling some in the process.

"Oops?" She said, with an innocent smile.

Draco shot her a glare and gestured for Theo to move his legs. Theo listened, tucking one lanky leg up as Draco began to sit on the end of the mattress.

Rose went bug eyed. "Excuse me?! What are you doing?!"

"What's it look like, Black? If we are going to get drunk, let's do it quickly. Maybe I'll sleep if we drink enough."

"Maybe we all will," Theo added on.

Rose shook her head at them all openly admitting having night-terrors. All they needed was Whitman to have four people screaming in their sleep.

Cheerful, huh?

Poor Blaise.

She shook her head to clear it while turning the bottle up and chugging as much as one possibly could.

After, she handed it down to Theo, lovingly soothing his hair while letting herself stare at Draco. "I can't believe you walked up to a creature whose whole personality is prideful and insulted them."

If only you knew why, Draco thought before speaking, "Let's finish this bottle before we force ourselves into a civilized conversation."

Rose raised her brows as Theo handed Draco the bottle, them all beginning a back and forth passing game until the whole of each drop of alcohol disappeared.

*

An hour had passed, complete chaos ensuing from the three ridiculous drunk teens.

Theo, though, had passed out on his side, holding onto a sitting up Rose's waist with a death grip.

Meanwhile laughter was bubbling out of her as she and Draco sat with their knees pressed together.

The blonde quickly threw a hand over her mouth. "Who knew getting you drunk would make you, dear Rosie, a happy person?"

Her eyebrows raised again as she licked his palm, making him grunt and pull it away with fake shock.

Rose threw her head back with more laughter, Draco being forced to throw his hand back over her mouth.

"Merlin, Rosie...You're going to get us in so much trouble."

Rose latched onto his arms, feeling her laughter die as he reluctantly removed his palm—being greeted with a toothy smile.

"You only call me Rosie when we're alone, or on accident in front of people."

The slurred words make Draco pause, the alcohol not helping him calm as she leaned close. "You do the same to me, Rosie."

Her eyes playfully narrowed before yanking him from the end of the bed, pulling Draco down beside her as she flipped onto her side.

Rose began to giggle quietly as she studied his face. "You're fun when I'm drunk."

His eyebrows lazily shot up in surprise. "Am I now?"

"Mhm," Rose murmured, pushing his hair off his forehead. Such a simple act, one she thought nothing of. "I quite think so, we should just stay permanently intoxicated."

He laughs, a real laugh. One she hadn't heard out of him in so long that Rose can't recall the last time the sound twisted into her ears and soothed her soul.

Draco leaned closer before whispering cheekily, "Don't tell anyone or they'll think we've lost our heads, but...I enjoy you drunk as well."

Dramatic as ever, Rose slapped a hand over her heart and rolls onto her back. "I think my heart might burst from happiness..."

He laughs again, that real laugh.

She rolled back over to face him again as Theo scoots in closer—making an overwhelming warmth spread over Rose to be in between the two boys.

Home.

Draco watched as she sloppily pulled the covers back over him, tucking him in almost.

"You're welcome, arse hole."

"For what?" he asked.

Rose rolled her eyes, and put her leg over his hip. The alcohol was making her foolish. "For risking my life for you today."

His smile slips immediately. "You shouldn't have done that, Rosie."

She took her voice down to a whisper, "I shouldn't have? You shouldn't have!"

He doesn't respond, only looking directly at her.

"Why did you do it, Draco?" she breathed out. "Why this—I mean, why such stupid things?"

"For you."

Her brows pinch together in confusion. "What does that mean? That doesn't make sense."

He sighs. "It would never make sense to you, Rosie."

After, Draco reached out and lightly touched her cheek—making her breath catch in her throat.

His fingers began to trace over her skin as he spoke again, "Why did you step in front of me?"

Rose whispers back softly, "I'll always protect you, Draco."

She started to laugh slightly after, making him ask a question.

"What's funny?"

"That sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?"

Draco gave her a slight side smile, and if she was sober then maybe, just maybe, Rose would've seen the sadness within it.

He murmurs back, "No, not even in the slightest bit."

She smiled, and he wanted to tell her how beautiful it was, he wanted to so badly, but his throat began to close as she grabbed the hand he held on top of her face.

Rose traced over the Malfoy signet ring before her smile began to drop, whispering with the fear that if she spoke loudly then their bubble would disappear, "I wish you couldn't see through me so easily."

His smile slipped too, shifting to bring his hand overtop the one she tried to cover his own with. And he holds her hand, pulling their conjoined hands between their bodies.

"I hate that you can see me drowning when no one else can. It's sickening," He says, "It makes me sick."

He speaks so softly, without an edge in place.

Rose craved to open her mouth, spill everything she had been holding in to him—to someone who can also understand.

She's drowning too, every single day.

And Rose can see it in his eyes, he's struggling with the same. He wanted to tell her everything that he has never been able to tell a single soul, desperately.

But they won't.

Not even with the alcohol swimming through their veins.

They are too similar in the fact that letting another person hear what is kept inside is scarier than death.

Rose thought maybe it was why this complicated situation had gone on for so long.

Being the same person in different fonts, and all.

They both hold a darkness that scares them.

And most importantly, they are utterly, and truly, alone in their pain—except with the friends they share.

Rose broke their eye contact to look down at their still intertwined hands, sighing deeply. "Stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Draco just nodded solemnly, Rose leaning closer to him as her eyes closed and she reached her free hand down to hold onto the ones Theo kept around her stomach.

Heaven, she had found the thing muggles preached about between Theo and Draco.

She buried her face into Draco's chest without a second thought.

It was the first night either slept without the night terrors.

It was the first night in years that either woke up throughout.

If Rose would've stayed awake only a little longer, she could've heard Draco mumble ever so quietly, "I'd stay with you as long as you told me to, Rosie."

It was saddening, to be two of the richest children in the entire world, with the ability to go anywhere and everywhere.

But there was one place neither could go, Home.

Which was never, ever a place—but each other.

_________________________________

A/N: HI LOVES <3 we r on a roll LOL

MEMES AGAIN:

Blaise when Whitman starts yelling at him:

rose when theo is down on his knees:

theo when draco blocks him once again:

xx bri