The Battle was Lost

The Battle was Lost


“Harry!”

Buffy ran up to him.

“What are you doing? You’re sick. Go back to bed.”

“Yah. I would. But I need to know where Draco’s room is.”

“Why?”

“I need to tell him something.”

Harry pointed. “It’s downstairs.”

“Thanks.”

Buffy ran down the stairs. Harry ran a hand through his hair and shook his head.
___

Buffy stood in front of Draco’s door. She raised her hand to knock and kept pulling it back. She bit her lip and turned around.

“Screw it.” She muttered. She knocked.

She turned around in circles. The door opened. Buffy nearly melted. He was wearing a pair of sweatpants and no shirt. “Buffy?”

“Um.” She had no words. He stared at her. She bit her lip again. He was just staring at her.

“Look Buffy. It’s late and you’re going to get sicker and--”

She jumped up and threw her arms around him.

“Buffy?”

“I think I love you.”

She let go of him.

“But what about that guy?”

“It’s okay. He told me that I needed to move on.”

“Are you hallucinating?”

She shook her head.

“I’m not kidding about this.”

“Okay.”

Buffy let go of him. She turned to go.

“Buffy.” He grabbed her arm.

And he kissed her.

She was speechless.

“I think I love you too.”

“Can I come in?”

“If you promise not to sneeze.”

Buffy laughed and jumped on his back.
___

Draco woke up with his arm twisted painfully behind him and a very sore back. He suddenly realized why. Apparently he had never made it to his bed last night. He had ended up sleeping on the floor with his arm twisted behind him, and Buffy on his chest.

He groaned. He moved Buffy’s head so that he could get up. He looked down at her and his heart swelled in his chest. He picked her up and tucked the covers around her chin. Then he went to take a shower.

___

Buffy woke up just as Draco finished tucking her in. Her head felt clearer and she could breathe again. She snuggled deeper under the covers and waited for Draco to finish his shower.

She sighed contentedly, she felt better today. Her head felt clearer, and she could breathe through her nose again. She closed her eyes and asleep again. She didn’t hear Draco come out of the shower.

___

That afternoon, Harry, Draco, and Professor Dumbledore were in the library talking. Since Buffy’s cold was finally gone, they decided that it was time to send her back. Only Dumbledore noticed Draco’s silence during the entire conversation.
___

Buffy awoke to see Draco standing over her. She smiled.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Get up. Come on. I have a surprise for you.”

Buffy jumped up and followed Draco outside. They stood in the exact spot where she had fallen about five days before.

“What’s going on?”

“You can’t stay here Buffy. This isn’t your world. And since you’re all better now, you need to go home.”

“But I can’t go. I just found you!”

“I know.”

He looked at the ground. For a fleeting moment, Buffy considered the possibility that he didn’t care about her but the pain in his eyes convinced her otherwise.

“Buffy.” She looked at him.

“I love you.”

She smiled through her tears. “I’ll never forget you.”

Professor Dumbledore stepped forward. “It is time.”

With a wave of his wand and some Latin words Buffy didn’t understand, she was gone.

Dumbledore wasted no time. “We must close the portal.”

He put his hand on Draco’s shoulder, gave it a squeeze, and walked briskly away.

Draco sank to the ground.