"Well now how do you just keep finding yourself in my area?" I smiled as I walked up to the blonde man staring at a cane encased in a glass box.
"I would say I'm stalking you but it seems as you're stalking me. Have had it planned for weeks to come look at this thing." He pointed to the good tipped piece of wood.
"Beautiful." I simply put.
"Very." He nodded in agreement
"Trying to be like your father?"
"No." He scoffed "far from actually. The cane obsession just happens to be a Malfoy thing."
I hummed in quiet acknowledgment and continued to surf my eyes over the cane.
It was a dark brown, almost black, but a hint of red glinted throughout making it look almost like a gem. It was polished and almost perfectly shaped. A gold cap clasped the bottom and a green and gold bulb sat at the top. It would suit him well.
"So are you going to get it?" I whispered still looking at the cane.
"Not sure yet. Pretty hefty price."
"Oh come on daddy's boy. I'm sure you could pull up some cash from somewhere out in the universe." I joked. He was rich and he knew it. He also knew he was a trust fund baby.
"Actually my father and I don't talk much anymore." This time I turned to him.
"Really? Did something happen?"
"I told him." He didn't say anything more but looked me in the eyes.
"Everything?"
"Everything." With one word it all made sense. To anyone else, this would still be confusing. But to y/n, dracos former best friend, it all made sense.Draco would tell y/n everything. Draco was the one who y/n cried to when she was dumped by her ex. Y/n was the one draco cried to during 7th year. They were each other's world. And they never argued or felt bad toward each other. After school they just fell off each other's worlds. Draco moved on and became more isolated. After the battle of hogwarts he seemed to disappear. And y/n? She moved on as well. She tried to move on from the battle. From the memories; the good and the bad. But it never seemed to fully work. She could go day to day and not think of him. But when the days got tough or when she fell asleep at night, he was still there. She saw the blonde boy smiling back at her when her lids blocked off the moonlight. She choked on the taste of the apples he always brought as snacks. She breathed in the phantom scent of teakwood and shoe polish when she clutched her blanket. She always saw him. She wondered most nights if he thought of her the way she thought of him but it never went more than that.
For the past week or so their paths have crossed every so often. Draco had been home for the season. The winter had blown and seemingly blown him home.

Your pov
"So what are you doing nowadays?" Draco asked as he took some carful steps around the store to browse other options.
"I'm a shop owner."
"Ah. Took over your dads store?"
"Yes."
"How's he doing?"
"He's... better."
"That didn't sound so hopeful." He looked at me with a concerned brow.
"Well... we think he's getting better. He seems to be more active. But I'm just not that hopeful." I shook my head and looked away "he's been sick for years. It just doesn't make sense that he's all better now."
"You think he's going to pass?" I nodded but didn't look at him.
Draco reached for my chin and pushed my face so I met his eyes.
"There's nothing wrong with a little hope."
It was the first time he'd touched me in a delicate manner such as this in years. To be fair we hadn't even talked in years so the dictation of careful touch was unbecoming. Touch at all would have been a more fitting presumption.
"I know. I just don't want to disappoint myself with my expectations of yet another person." I said with my hand loosely gripped around his wrist. I didn't push him away but the action of my hand around his wrist was enough of a hint for him to let go.
"Y/n please don't feel ill about me. We haven't talked in years. I know I shouldn't have cut you off like I did but it was a hard time."
"I just thought you'd write me at least one letter."
"I was in hiding. I couldn't."
"Hiding?"
"After the battle of Hogwarts my parents and I had to go into hiding. If the death eaters found us we'd be killed."
"The death eaters all dispersed. They didn't have any threats after Voldemort died."
"Not for us. Not for ex death eaters. The hunted ex death eaters for years. So hard in fact they followed me to Finland."
"You went to Finland?"
"It's one of four places I stayed yes."
I scoffed in disbelief
"Every time you speak I feel like I know you less and less. I've missed so much of your life."
"I'm sure there's a million things I've missed about your life since then."
"God." I complained "who thought it would have turned out like this?"
"I would never have." Draco shook his head and put his hands in his pants pockets.
"Would it be weird to ask if you'd want to come back home with me? We can sit and talk. You can meet my pets."
"Not at all. In fact I'd be much obliged to follow."
"Come on." I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the store.
The snow started to fall lightly, no wind but your nose would definitely be nipped my the cold.
"My house is just down there." I pointed with a cold bitter finger. My other hand clutched his and we made our way down.
I pushed open the door with my shoulder, it was known to get stuck, and turned on a lamp.
"I'll get the fire going and put on the kettle. Give me a minute."

Third pov
Draco took a seat and looked around the house. It was small. Much smaller than his house. But both had expected the size difference.
Y/n had put the kettle on and then dragged some wood into the fireplace. She lit a match and jammed some old paper under the logs. It engulfed into flame with a deep roar and a puff of warm air.
The kettle started to sing so she was once again moving her feet. She strode to the kitchen and pulled the kettle off.
She poured it into cups and then brought them with her.
"I have a couple different kinds of tea. Pick whichever you like."
"Thank you."
The house had grown warmer and looking outside the snowflakes started to get bigger.
"So how have you been doing?" Draco asked setting his tea down.
"Good." Y/n nodded confidently.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. My dad gave me the shop and I grew to like it pretty quickly. I mean I've practically been working there since I was six. You know that." Draco nodded and let me continue "but I've been doing that and then I adopted three animals." I whistled for them to come down and a dog, a cat and a small blue bird made their way to the living room.
"This is crumb." The little teddy bear looking dog yipped at Draco
"And molly." The cat looked at Draco and flicked her tail but walked away in disinterest
"And the little bird is flora." She just looked at Draco and tilted her head to get a better look. Draco half smirked and gave crumb a head pat.
"I'm surprised you haven't kept a dragon on the bathroom or something." He teased.
"I haven't had the chance to. My day will come. And that dragon will be swimming laps in my bathtub." I joked as I sat down.
"I don't even have to see it to believe it." He sipped his tea and then set it down.
"So how about you? How's... your family doing?"
"Um... well. My father moved away a couple months ago. He was being hunted and wanted us to be out of danger. I have no way of contacting him so it's kind of a guess of where he is right now. When he left he was still angry with me. I never got to make it right. My mom is doing okay but she's getting sick. She's getting older and she's had a lot of stress in her life. She was put into the hospital about a month ago. I've gone to see her every other day."
"Oh Draco. I'm so sorry." I placed my hand over his as a sort of comfort.
"It's alright. They are just doing what they can. I know my dad just wants us to be safe."
"Well have you thought about your own family? Anyone you've got your eye on?"
"No I-" he scoffed at first but looked at me "I mean, maybe."
"Mind sharing?"
He just shook his head and looked down.
"How about you?"
"What about me?"
"Anyone you're interested in?"
"A little bit." I sighed
"Do you mind sharing?"
"He's really important to me. He makes me happy." I tried to share something without making it obvious "he has a lot of good memories tied to him."
"What about his name? How old is he? Where does he live? Is he a murderer?! Anything else?"
"Well he's not a murderer." I laughed at the assumption "could never be. He's too kind. Too beautiful of a soul."
I could only keep my eyes on my hands. I felt the sentiment rise in my chest. I missed him. And just being in the same room as him made me feel like I did so long ago.
"Well he's lucky you love him so much. It takes a lot for someone to speak about another the way you do."
"I love him a lot." My eyes connected with dracos. It seemed like we had a whole conversation with each other without uttering a single word. In just a few short glances he knew he was the subject of my love.
Draco stood from the seat before sitting on his knees in front of me, but he didnt push further. His eyes begged for me to make the first move. I gazed over his features, writing out the pros and cons of kissing him in my mind. Like a math formula circulating over vision I tried my best to decide if I should go for it. But it was only two or three seconds since he kneeled before me that I pressed my lips to his. I cupped his face with both my hands, sort of smooshing his face, and kissed him lovingly. It was a deep tender kiss, packed with many years of yearning. I've never felt a lustful love for him until now. I always knew I was in love with him. He had the greatest love I ever felt, but it was never a sexual physicality. If it was ever physical it was more of a psychological physicality. One that made me feel happy when resting my head on his shoulder or comforted when he grasped my hand. It was never for indulgent pleasure or pain. Just merely to feel at home or at peace. And still now the sexual grasp for him wasn't overwhelming, the emotional connection still vehemently ruled over it. But it was here, yes.
He retreated from my kiss and looked into my eyes.
"Please tell me I'm not making this up. Please tell me you've loved me for a long time. Not just since we met up again."
"I promise you. I've loved you since sixth year. And not a day has gone by since then where I haven't loved you."
"I... I love you too." He kissed my forehead and pulled me onto the floor. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled my head into his chest.
"You're so warm." I hummed.
"Please don't ever leave again. Please don't ever make us split up. I don't care what it is or what might happen. I would die with you in an instant if it meant being together."
"I'm never going to ask you to walk away. Because I would hope you'd never ask the same."
"I will always keep you with me. You're the safest with me. I can protect you the best. I can love you the most."
"And I'll let you." I looked up at him. He smiled so genuinely at me and brushed away some hair from my eyes. I pushed up and pecked his lips.

I nuzzled my nose into his neck and laughed.
"What?" He asked rubbing my arm.
"Teakwood and shoe polish." She stated
"I'm sorry, I don't know what that means."
"It's just... nevermind."
He just hummed in surrender and dropped the questions.
The snow was becoming very thick now. It fell in clumps and continued to sputter down. The fire crackled from behind us as we watched the world outside. I could picture the chimney smoking with warmth against the cold winter wind outside. He way the brick would dance up to a cloud of fires aftermath, symbolic of the warm love in the house. The house was practically too hot. But I still laid under the blanket Draco draped over his shoulders before he invited me in to snuggle.
I rubbed my eyes with a breathy yawn.
"You getting tired?"
"Yeah." I quietly admitted as I rested my head back on his shoulder.
"Get some sleep, I'll stay right here."
"You sure?" I asked looking up at him from my heads perch on his shoulder
"I promise. I will be here when you wake up."