Chapter 11

                                    

                                          
"How did you do it?"
                          
Lou and I asked Draco at the same time, but he just chuckled and set the parchment on the table before he explained the whole thing to us.
                          
"I remember Potter telling me about this one time. It's the Marauder's map, named after the creators. They were your father, Potter's, Remus, and another guy called Wormtail.
                          
"It's a map of Hogwarts, along with its secret passages, and it also shows everyone that's currently on the school ground. See these footprints with the name Minerva McGonagall? They actually move as McGonagall herself moves, she's the headmistress of the school. Oh look, it seems like Longbottom is at school too.
                          
"Potter told me he had it since his third year, so he must have given it to Remus. The map might be slightly inaccurate though, with all the reconstruction of the school after the battle, some of its passages might be blocked or some new ones might be present."
                          
"Remus must have thought we need it to get around the school though, isn't he just a thoughtful man. But seriously mate, how did you brought it to life?"
                          
"Oh here, you point your wand at it, and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'. When you're done with it just point your wand at it again and say 'Mischief managed', savvy?"
                          
"Brilliant! Now I know why you're such a rascal at school, Cas, it's in your blood!"
                          
I threw Lou a look and he just laughed at me. I shrugged it off and gazed at the map that father had created with his friends. Lou was right, the map is bloody brilliant. I studied the school a little bit, watching different names going up and down and across the parchment. I was so absorbed in it I did not realise Draco was watching me intently until he cleared his throat.
                          
"Love, are you gonna tell me why might you need this map?"
                          
"Oh right. Remus has asked us to help him with a class, says all we need to do was duel in front of the students. He really just gives us an excuse to throw hexes at each other."
                          
"And I'll kick your arse in front of those kids, Cas."
                          
"Oh it's on. Whoever loses has to buy the owl that you said you'd get months ago."
                          
"Deal."
                          
Lou shook my hand with a stupid grin on his face. It did not really matter who would won the duel really, I just enjoy having a bet with Lou. Draco just shook his head at us and chuckled. He then stood to collect our plates and did the dishes. Lou filled the kettle with more water and set them to boil, so we could all have another cup of tea and coffee, the later was obviously for Draco as he seemed to be unable to live with it. I went into my room to look for an empty photo frame I knew I had somewhere deep in my closet. When I found it, I went back to the dining table, put the photo that Remus had sent earlier in it, and set it on top of the fridge. 
                          
The rest of the day was the perfect definition of a lazy day. We turned the radio up and played many rounds of Exploding Snaps, and only occasionally stopped to dance to the song that was on the radio. Much to Lou and I's surprise, Draco turned out to be a rather good dancer. It was a little after noon when Draco left to muggle London to buy us pizza for lunch, so that Lou did not have to cook for us.
                          
"So it's been about what, four months, that you've dated him?"
                          
"Give and take, yeah. Why?"
                          
"You seemed really happy whenever he's around, Cas."
                          
"I really am, Lou. I haven't feel this happy since a long time."
                          
"Well then I'm happy for you. Before I know it, I'll be walking you down the aisle."
                          
"Sod off, Lou. We're in love, not mental. It's only been about four months. I'm sure the bells aren't gonna ring anytime soon."
                          
"You sure about that, Cas?"
                          
I was saved from answering Lou's last question as Draco entered the flat with three boxes of pizza in hand. He set the food on the coffee table and we all sat on the floor around it. With a swift motion of his hand, Draco lifted the lid of each box open, revealing a different pizza in each box, which was a margarita, a pepperoni, and an all cheese pizza. We each took a slice of the pizza and savour the taste of the slightly greasy piece of bread on our hand that came with the sweet slightly burnt aroma. Lou was only two bites in when he claimed that he had found the love of his life and almost begged Draco to tell him where to find the pizza place. We laughed at that and joked that he would not find a woman he loves more than this pizza. We made small talks through out lunch and only stopped a second or two to take a bite of the pizza.
                          
Once we were done with it we stepped onto the balcony since Lou fancied a smoke, and I did not mind to have one myself. I had taken a liking of the habit since I did it in June, but I had not got to the point where I smoke as heavy as Lou, although compared to the people in the bar, Lou was probably just a moderate smoker. Draco was slightly surprised when Lou offered him a cigarette since he never smoked a day in his life, but thought that there was a first in everything. He took a drag and coughed the smoke out, being not used to the taste of it. We laughed at him and told him to do it slower. He did so and he exhaled the smoke smoothly. Once he got the hang of it, he said it was not so terrible after all, so we just sat there on the balcony floor, telling stories of our past, or the better part of his past for Draco's case.
                          
"Thank you, the both of you, for making me feel good in my own skin."
                          
Lou and I was slightly taken aback at the sudden and out of context gratitude that Draco was showing. We looked at each other with the same bewildered look on our faces. I raised an eyebrow at Draco. He let out a sigh and started to give us some contexts. 
                          
"For earlier today during breakfast. Today's the first time ever I did not try to hide my dark mark since the day I got it. It has always made me insecure, but you guys seem to take it so easy. I know you two weren't heavily involved in the war, but I know you're not thick enough to not know what it means, yet you're not bothered with it the slightest."
                          
"Oh Draco..."
                          
"I mean it Via, and I know you weren't just making small talk Lou, so thank you. And to be frank and a complete sap, the two of you are the only ones that mattered to me now, besides my mother, and if you could accept my past then it's enough reason for me to not give a damn about what other people think of me."
                          
I was lost for words. I knew he loved me, but I did not realised he had taken a liking in Lou that much and just much our relationship affects his life. Plus, it was the most he had ever talked about something so personal since he was not a really open guy. I scooted next to him, snaked an arm behind his back and gave him a chaste kiss. I rest my head on his shoulder as he kissed the top of my head. I traced my finger up and down his dark mark, he stiffened slightly when the tip of my finger first came to contact with his skin where the mark lies, but he slowly relaxed as he realised nothing was gonna happen when I touched it. Lou chuckled softly at us and took a long drag. 
                          
"I'm telling you, Draco, my dear sister will be the death of you."
                          
"She already is, Lou, and I wouldn't trade her for the world."